Different Paradigms for Analysing Organisation

Organisations that are increasingly becoming flatter owing to the growing popularity and importance of team work for effectiveness in performance and high performance goals to obtain competencies so as to meet challenges in the business environment. With the growth in complexity in the internal and external business environment, organisational structural changes have become highly complex as well. When it comes to analyzing organisations several complex issues and areas prevent an easy analysis to take place. Such complexities emerge from the multi—agent nature of the organisational activities, where several personnel belonging to different departments come to interact cross-sectional to perform activities therein producing the scope for team work (Scott, 2001). However, organisations at present, despite of the growth in the use of team work and the, at times, essential use of team work, still use conventional hierarchical structures which is another source complexity. Organisations in the midst of managerial and commercial challenges face structural complexities (Amiguet, et al. , 2002). The paper attempts to produce the insight into how the organizations can be analysed upon different basis so as to generate the implications and scope for the effective use of teamwork in the organisations for each of the element and basis used in the analysis. The theories that emerge from social sciences indicate graphical representation of organisations and are often termed as ‘informal’ (Morgan, 1996; Mintzberg, 2001). They are used in analyzing organizations widely but they fail to provide a very detailed structural view of the organisation and create an abstract level evaluation. The detailed dynamics that are found to exist, especially in the modern organisations that are equally important for the use of team work in organisations are largely left out and failed to be evaluated using the social sciences framework (Dastani, et al. , 2004). However, the models hailing from their background of social sciences the importance of explicit modelling of agents and their underlying interactions and coordination within the organisational work flow and lines of authority is recognized immensely (Lomi and Larsen, 2001; Ferber, et al. , 2003). This is so because the environment that includes the performance stimulating and performance deviating forces and factors and the role of agents functioning within the rganisation at an inter-departmental level, influence greatly the effective use of team work in organisations and the effective performance in general (Dastani, et al. , 2004). There are basically 4 key sociological perspectives introduced by Burrel and Morgan (1979) upon which organizations can be modeled and analyzed that form the fundamental element of the paper followed by a thorough discussion upon the key implications for the use of teamwork and how teamwork prevails under the operational system in the organisations base d on the modeling of organisations framed using the analysis. The framework created by Burrel and Morgan (1979), which is the prime focus of the paper, provides different ways of thinking based on both extreme points in theory of society: regulation – importance and effectiveness of order and consensus in the society; And Radical Change – significance of conflict and transformations in development, the importance of creating mobility. These paradigms are also assessed by the subjectivist and objectivist approach. Principles And Paradigms For Analysis Of Organisations The way that organisations are structured makes significant impact to the overall efficiency and effectiveness in performance targets of those organisations as the inter-departmental links and coordinates and the communication channels within the organisation, determines to a great extent the efficiency in the work flow and the execution of the several underlying business processes. As the organisations maintained significant structural changes in order to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, organizational networks of task-focused teams was created for leading to flatter organizational structure. Teamwork emerged as facilitators in achieving positive, cost-effective satisfaction and staff retention (Grif?n et al. 2001, Heywood & Jirjahn 2004 quoted in Xyrichisa & Reame; 2008). Modern organisations are seldom following well rounded use of technologically and mechanically operating systems in the work processes as dynamic and matrix systems hat combine the several process and departmental groups together for the execution of projects that break the traditional lines of authority and spans of control. Such modern organisations are termed as â€Å"non-linear† in their behavior and present complexity in analysis (Scott, 2001). Different paradigms provide range of different ways of understanding teams and efficiency of teamwork within an organisation such as, importance of stimulating the support and commitment of employees to team working and organizational objectives by providing them more autonomy, and unity in the workplace, creating opportunity and ‘desire for a more enriched work experience’. Knights and McCabe 2003) or defining team working as a tool or technology that makes individuals simply subjects that guarantee their sense of meaning and importance of working as a team. Currently, teamwork have become as a prominent specification of a broader management fashion â€Å"in the direction of decentralised, flexible networks† that allegedly promote â€Å"a culture of expression and involvement† (Reed, 1992: 227, 229; quoted in Ezzamel and Will mott 1998), claiming it to be â€Å"currently the most popular form of organizational restructuring† (Barker and Tompkins, 1994: 224; quoted in Ezzamel and Willmott 1998). Mueller (1994: 386) describes teamwork as a work coordination that provides â€Å"re-align individual motivation with organizational rationality†. Evaluating the beliefs in managerialist perspective, the dominant assumption about the teams is that, they are ‘’instruments for redesigning the job’’ through increasing commitment, that do not consider individual preferences, personalities, and behaviours. (Partington and Harris, 1999) Mainstream – Functionalist approach directly focuses on the importance of teams. In this perspective team work is assessed as one of the essential elements of creating efficient organisation. ‘’No distinction is made between the use of mechanisms of organization to coordinate complex divisions of labor and their use to control and legitimize structured social inequalities of wealth and status. ’’ (Ezzamel and Willmott, 1998) The management literature has been found a lot of assumptions and analysis about the teams and team work in organisation as being a source of motivation for employees and job satisfaction, therefore increased performance. Furthermore, it provides opportunities for employees in terms of learning and skill acquisition, as well as information sharing, which may be particularly important in conditions of growing economic uncertainty (Wagner et al. 1997; Wall et al. 2002; Vaskova 2007; quoted in SKOPE research paper 2009). Between the economic objectives of designing teamwork in organisations can be stated the incorporation of the management responsibility with the teamwork and removing the demarcation. Project teams get together number of employees rom completely different divisions and hierarchical levels of organisation for the particular objective. Increased job satisfaction, increased motivation between the employees, understanding around the meaningful work and its positive influence to the job performance are considered to be social or business objectives of the teamwork. Cultural objectives of teamwork refer to the rhetoric around understanding if the teams based on norms and values in organisation s, ‘’we’’ feeling – corporate vision, mission statement and the like. There is great attention to the increasing efficiency and importance of team work in the literature and many authors have undertaken several pieces of researches that aimed to identify the major elements of effective team in organisations. The efficiency of team working in different cultural and organizational settings, operations and achieving the objectives depends on a number of various factors, such as, specifications of task, group composition, organisational context and other contingencies. The advantages of teamwork are often represented to a greater extent as an empowerment for employees, as teams provides them a degree of supervisory and managerial responsibility for the organization of their work facilitated through â€Å"individual responsibility and team accountability† (Tjosvold, 1991: 35; quoted in Ezzamel and Willmott 1998) Contrary to the authors of functionalist accounts, some fundamental researches on the literature suggest that use of teamwork is merely is a modern continuation of the rationale of Taylorism. Dohse et al. 1985; Berggren 1992; Thompson and McHugh 1995; Vidal 2007) In humanistic perspective ideology of teamwork is gives an emphasis on autonomy of the employees in the work and the responsibility. ‘’ †¦ that the incorporation of managerial responsibilities within team working will be welcomed by employees as an unconditional bene?t and that its refusal is irrational because it violates their essential human needs. â€⠄¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Ezzamel and Willmott, 1998: 5) However, Knights and Knights and McCabe (2000) show that, team membership is not merely responsibility that brings autonomy, it also means pressure for the members in many cases. Different forms of team can be created by management directive. They can vary in terms of the outcomes that they are expected to achieve, the level of decision making responsibility as most of them have little autonomy for decision making, size of the teams, work cycle, degree of integration with other units and the like. One of the major problems with the assumptions about teams and teamwork is that, ‘’both advocates and critics of teams tend to present them as a ‘package’ in which task functions, value-orientations and capacity for self- governance are all mutually reinforcing’’ (Thompson and McHugh 2009) As it is emphasized by Thomson and Wallace (1996) teams can vary in the forms and sizes, as an implication of a range of factors and components in it.. Three dimensions of these factors can be identified for analysing the efficiency of teamwork. Multi – dimensional approach to the team working helps to identify and understand more clearly various types of managerial goals and configuration of their practices. These dimensions are related with the governance – in terms of devolve decision making, delegated powers, self – regulation. There are some researches in literature that states the importance of self- regulation in teamwork in terms of both in terms of increased productivity and employee welfare. High degree of control over the teams causes the discretion and prevents personal initiatives at work. Second dimension of the teamwork is concerned with the issues that related to normative motives – shared purpose within the teams, cultural cohesion and technical issues, in terms of flexibility, integration and the like. ‘’†¦ team working is a move away from the hierarchical command and control workplace, and the decisive means of empowering the employee [24, p. 30]. But most acknowledge that even in the more advanced initiatives, â€Å"there is seldom talk of democracy† [11, p. 25]. Expanded responsibilities and self-regulation, in whatever degree, is a functional requirement of the new production environments rather than a goal of participation and involvement. ‘’ (Thomson and Wallace; 1996) Knights and McCabe (2000) suggest critical approaches to the assumption on understanding and effectiveness of teamwork that is illustrated by mainstream perspective, criticizing autonomous team concept is not realized, it did not displaced the rigidity of bureaucratic system in organisations. Teamwork does not decrease the control over the employees, change in the direct control and managing through responsible autonomy does not mean less supervision, it cause a less visible but equally constraining form of normative control, that encourages employees to internalise managerial definitions of organisational goals (Grenier 1988; Barker 1993; Graham 1995; quoted in SKOPE research paper 2009). ‘’However, teams did not always have autonomy. In 83 per cent of the workplaces with team working, teams were given responsibility for specific products and services, and in 61 per cent they could jointly decide how work was done. However, in just 6 per cent they were allowed to appoint their own team leaders. ’’ (Kersley et al. , 2007; 17-18; quoted in Thompson and McHugh 2009) Furthermore, state that ideal model of teamwork is over simplistic and is assumed in isolation from very important contextual factors that in essence, shapes it. One of the most important points of the effectiveness of teamwork is about task discretion. Both perspectives have impressive range of evidences about the implications of task discretion to the employee motivation. Optimists suggest that, the task discretion is the sign of high employee commitment and high productivity. On the other hand, there are powerful criticisms about this approach, concerned that, the task discretion declines the autonomy of the employees at work and creates danger for their well-being. However, independent work groups, based on the concepts such as job enrichment and re-designing creates an opportunity for employees for decision making on operational issues and various levels of integrated organisational skills, and also more flexible working in more integrated divisions of labour.

Chemistry and Biotechnology Essay

ABSTRACT Elemental analysis of organic compounds determine the elements present in them but they do not give the actual structure or the functional groups present. Since all organic compounds contain hydrogen and carbon, most tests consist of only the determination of oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and halogens – elements that are most of the time the only ones involved in organic compounds. The experiment focused on the Sodium Fusion test, which tested for all elements except oxygen. In the test, the test compound is broken down into its elements, which then bond individually with sodium. The presence of sulfur was tested either with lead acetate or sodium nitroprusside. The presence of nitrogen was tested with ferrous ammonium sulfate and potassium fluoride. The presence of any halogen was tested by a flame test with copper wire and the identification of the exact halogen was done using silver nitrate. Careful experimentation was needed in order to avoid false positive and false negative r esults. Keywords: elemental analysis, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, halogens, sodium fusion, lead acetate, sodium nitroprusside, flame test[pic] INTRODUCTION Organic compounds are composed mainly of carbon and hydrogen, and in certain functional groups, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and halogens. When presented with an unknown organic compound, it is at times enough to determine the elements present in the compound and not the exact functional groups. The process in which the elements of a compound are determined is called elemental analysis. One of the tests done to conduct elemental analysis is the Sodium Fusion Test. In this experiment, sodium fusion test is used in elemental analysis of qualitative determination of elemental halogens, sulphur and nitrogen in a sample. Sodium is a very strong reducing agent that will able to break up the organic compounds carbon atom chain. It also will convert the atoms which are covalently bonded to the carbon chain to inorganic ions. The elements are detected by sodium fusion test. The organic compound is fused with metallic sodium to convert these elements into ionic mixture which dissolved in water and the filtrate is used to perform the tests. The sodium fusion test, in some texts known as the Lassaigne’s test, was developed by the French chemist, Jean Louis Lassaigne in the 1800’s. It is a general test performed in order to determine the presence of nitrogen, sulfur and halogens. The principle behind the test is the breakdown of the compound into its elements at high temperatures. The breakdown of a compound into its elements is possible for organic compounds as they do not dissociate and form ions when dissolved in a liquid unlike salts and other ionic compounds. These elements then fuse with sodium. These sodium compounds are then the ones tested with different solutions that reveal the presence or absence of the above elements. A limitation of this test is that it cannot test for the presence of oxygen, however, the presence of oxygen can easily be determined through the determination of the actual functional groups in the compound. It is a general test for the detection of halogens, nitrogen and sulphur in an organic compound. These elements are covalently bonded to the organic compounds. In order to detect them, these have to be converted into their ionic forms. This is done by fusing the organic compound with sodium metal. The ionic compounds formed during the fusion are extracted in aqueous solution and can be detected by simple chemical tests. The extract is called sodium fusion extract or Lassaigne’s extract (Wikipedia, 2012.) When an organic compound is heated strongly with sodium, any halogens, nitrogen, and sulfur will be converted into inorganic sodium salts such as sodium halide (for halides), sodium cyanide (for nitrogen), sodium sulfide (for sulfur), and sodium thiocyanate (for sulfur and nitrogen).The nitrogen is confirmed with ferrous sulfate i.e. iron sulfate. In this experiment, the Sodium Fusion Test was used in order to determine the elements present in an unknown compound. MATERIALS AND METHODS The experiment was divided into 2 parts; the first part was the sodium fusion test while the second part consisted of the tests for specific elements. For the first part of the experiment, a piece of sodium metal was washed with hexane and then placed in a completely dry test tube. It was made sure that the test tube was completely dry because any drop of water in the test tube would result to an explosion due to the highly reactive property of sodium. The test tube with the sodium metal was then heated until the metal has melted. Once the vapor has reached a third of the test tube, it was removed from heating and 0.5g/15ml of the sample was added to it. The mixture was then reheated until the fusion has been completed. A successful fusion was noted by a small explosion or flash. The mixture was removed from heating. Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, 1ml of ethanol was added to it and the mixture was again heated until a dull red mixture was obtained. This was done with constant stirring. Once the dull red mixture was obtained, the test tube was immersed in 10ml distilled water and was broken using a glass rod. The mixture was stirred and it was made sure that no residue was left on the stirring rod.; it was then heated to boiling and filtered using an ashless filter paper and the residue was kept aside. For the second part of the experiment, tests for sulfur, nitrogen and halogens were performed. The test for sulfur could be done in two ways: the lead acetate test and the sodium nitroprusside test. For the lead acetate test, 1ml of the sodium fusion filtrate was first tested with blue litmus paper. Acetic acid was then added dropwise until the solution becomes acidic. A few drops of 1% lead acetate solution were added to the solution and the formation of a black precipitate indicated the presence of sulfur. The sodium nitroprusside test was done by adding 2 drops of 2% sodium nitroprusside to 1ml of the sodium fusion filtrate, with the formation of a deep blue-violet color an indication of the presence of sulfur. The test for nitrogen was done through the Lassaigne Test or the Prussian Blue Test. 1ml of the sodium fusion filtrate was adjusted to pH13 through the addition of 10% NaOH solution. 2 drops of each freshly prepared ferrous ammonium sulfate solution and 30% potassium fluoride solution. The mixture was then heated to boiling and acidified through the addition of 3M sulfuric acid drop wise until the iron hydroxides have been dissolved. A positive result was indicated by the formation of a dark blue solution or precipitate. The test for halogens was done in two parts – the first part, called the Beilstein’s test was the test for the presence of halogens while the second test was the test for the identity of the halogen if it is present. For the Beilstein’s test, a copper wire with a loop at the end was heated using a Bunsen burner until no color was imparted on the flame. It was then cooled and dipped into the sodium fusion filtrate and then burned again. The appearance of a green flame was the indication of the presence of halogens. For the test for the specific halogen present, 2ml of the sodium fusion filtrate was tested with blue litmus paper. It was then acidified through the drop wise addition of 5% nitric acid solution and boiled slowly for a few minutes. The solution was then cooled and filtered if a precipitate was formed. 2 drops of 0.1M silver nitrate solution was then added to the filtrate. The formation of white, pale yellow or yellow precipitate indicated the presence of chlorine, bromine and iodine respectively. The results can be further verified through the continuous addition of 0.1M silver nitrate in ethanol in order to precipitate all the halogens. The precipitate was then tested with 2ml of 5% ammonium hydroxide. Dissolving of the precipitate indicated the presence of chlorine. Slight dissolving indicated the presence of bromine while insolubility indicated the presence of iodine. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS The following table shows the results of the elemental analysis tests and the flowchart shows the correct steps of the elemental analysis (basing on the identity of the unknown and not on the experimental results): |Cl |- |S |- | |Br |- |N |Present | |I |- |Metal |- | |F |− | | | During the sodium fusion test, the unknown organic compound was heated to very high temperatures and as a consequence, was broken down into its elements. In the presence of sodium, the compound can form different products depending on the elements present. These products can be NaCN, Na2S, NaI, NaCl or NaBr, since the most common elements found in organic compounds other than carbon,hydrogen and oxygen are nitrogen, sulfur and the halogens. For the unknown compound, sulfur was present and so Na2S was formed. If the sulfur was tested with lead acetate, the following reaction occurred: [pic] The reaction leads to the formation of PbS, which is a black precipitate. If sulfur was tested with sodium nitroprusside, the following reaction occurred: [pic] The ionic solution formed was of a deep violet color. For the unknown compound, nitrogen was presend and so NaCN was formed. For the test for nitrogen, the following reaction occurred: [pic] [pic] [pic] The resulting product is of the Prussian blue color; it was either a solution or a precipitate. The unknown compound did not contain halogens but if it did, the following reaction would have occurred for the Beilstein’s Test: [pic] In determining the actual halogen present, the following reactions occurred: AgCl, AgBr and AgI are while, pale yellow and yellow precipitates respectively. If the sodium fusion test was done in limiting sodium and both sulfur and nitrogen were present in the compound, the thiocyanate ion would be formed during the fusion instead of the cyanate ion. A blood color would emerge from the nitrogen test due to the following reaction: [pic] The organic compounds to be analyzed consist of basically of a chain of carbon atoms which various other atoms are attached. Since these elements are covalently bonded to the carbon chain, it is unable to dissolve in water to form cations and anions. However, sodium fusion test can be used to reduce those atoms that are covalently bonded to the carbon chain to inorganic soluble ions since sodium is a very strong reducing agent. In the Lassaigne’s test, the nitrogen can be reduced to form cyanide ions, CN-: [pic] For sulphur, it had been reduced to form sulfide ion, S2- in Lassaigne’s test as shown in the following: [pic] If both nitrogen and sulphur are present in the organic compound at the same time, then the chemical reaction below will take place in the test: [pic] If halogens (Cl, Br, I) are present in the compound, the halogens will be reduced to form halide ions (Cl-, Br-, I-) during the sodium fusion test. [pic] The inorganic ions in aqueous solution could be easily observed after undergo certain tests which can indicates the presence of elements in the particular compounds. In the cyanide test, the filtrate of compound A was added with ferrous sulfate, a dark green precipitate was formed. The formation of ferrous hydroxide was produced from the reaction between ferrous sulfate and sodium hydroxide. [pic] The sodium hydroxide was formed by the reaction of unreacted sodium metal with water due to incomplete reaction of sodium fusion with compound A. [pic] The FeSO4 solution was added to confirm the presence of NaOH and to react completely with it in the filtrate. At the same time, a small amount of black precipitate was formed at the bottom but it was disappeared after more ferrous sulphate was added. The formation of black precipitate may be due to the ferrous sulphide exists in the mixture. [pic] The equation below shows that the ferrous sulphate was reacted with the sodium cyanide to form sodium ferrocyanide as the main product. [pic] The sulphuric acid and increase in temperature was used to increase the suitable medium for the formation of complex. As a result, ferric-ferrocyanide complex with the colour of Prussian blue was precipitated out after ferric chloride is added to oxidize the Fe2+ to become Fe3+. This Prussian blue precipitate indicates that the unknown A contains nitrogen in the compound. [pic] Some of the Fe3+ was formed before the oxidation of ferric chloride. This might be due to the air oxidation of iron(II) ions in the mixture before the ferric chloride is added. For compounds B and C, a negative result is obtained which end up with colourless solution as results. Hence, these shown nitrogen are absent in the both organic compounds. The reduced sulfide ion can be confirmed by using two different tests which were sodium nitroprusside test and lead(II) acetate test. For the first test, the appearance of deep purple solution shows the positive result. The formation of sodium sulphonitroprusside is a complex that was formed between the sodium nitroprusside and sodium sulphide. [pic] In another test, the black precipitate will be formed if the sulphur is present in the compound. The formation of black precipitate shows a positive result for this test. [pic] There are various possible sources of errors for the experiment. One of these is the incomplete or improper fusion of the compound with sodium. If this happens, then the proper compounds would not be formed and therefore would give negative or even false positive results in the tests. Another possible source of error for the test is from the Prussian blue test. The solution must be basic because the test does not run in an acidic medium. If the solution is left acidic, the reaction will not occur and would give a false negative result. Another source of error is the determination of the flame color in the Beilstein’s test. The color should be blue-green because a blue flame indicates Cu1+ ions while a green flame indicates Cu-(non-halide). If the color of the flame was observed incorrectly, then it may give a false positive if it is observed to be blue-green instead of blue or green or it may give a false negative if it is not observed as blue-green. This was the main source of error for this trial since the presence of halogens was incorrectly deduced. Conclusion From the experiment, several conclusions could be made. First, the sodium fusion tests consist of various tests, which determine the presence of nitrogen, sulfur and halogens in an organic compound. The presence of nitrogen was confirmed by the formation of a Prussian blue precipitate or solution. The presence of sulfur was confirmed through the formation of the black precipitate PbS or the formation of a deep violet solution from sodium nitroprusside. The presence of a halogen in the compound was confirmed by a blue-green flame, when the flame test was performed with a copper wire while the exact identity of the halogen was determined by the different colors of precipitate formed with silver nitrate. It can also concluded that the experiment should be done in accuracy and care since the results can give false positive or false negative results when seemingly minor details are incorrectly deduced, for instance the pH of the solution or the color of the flame. Also, sodium is highly reactive and just a small area of contact with water can cause an explosion. REFERENCES 1. Lancashire, Robert John (2005) Qualitative Analysis of Organic Compounds., http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm/lab_manuals/c10expt25.html 2. Baluyut John Y. G., De Castro Kathlia A., Organic Chemistry Laboratory for Chemical Engineering Students Part 2, 2004 3. Klein, David (2012). Organic Chemistry. Danvers. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 4. Wikipedia (2012). Sodium Fusion Test. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_fusion_test

Statistical Estimation of Healthy Life Expectancy Research Paper

Statistical Estimation of Healthy Life Expectancy - Research Paper Example Model selection was performed using the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 11.01. Values for Mallows' Cp were computed manually based on values derived from the computerized models. Scatter plot of the models are, however, performed in Microsoft Excel (2003) for more presentable rendition. To facilitate estimation of the most significant predictors of healthy life expectancy (HALE), one-variable linear regression was performed on each of the 22 predictor variables. To assist in the refinement of the first multi-variable model, a scatter plot of p vs. Mallows' Cp is shown in Figure 1. It may be gleaned from the scatter plot in Figure 1 that four predictor variables X2, X9, X20, and X22 are outliers, while the rest of the other predictor variables were concentrated in the area on the plot encircled in red. The predictors were divided into three blocks: (1) block 1 variables consist of those assumed from the results of the one-variable regression models which can most significantly predict HALE; (2) block 2 variables were those assumed to be moderate predictors of HALE; and (3) block 3 variables were those assumed to be least significant predictors of HALE. Criteria used in grouping the results of... Model selection was performed using the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 11.01. Values for Mallows' Cp were computed manually based on values derived from the computerized models. Scatter plot of the models are, however, performed in Microsoft Excel (2003) for more presentable rendition. Preliminary Analysis To facilitate estimation of the most significant predictors of healthy life expectancy (HALE), one-variable linear regression was performed on each of the 22 predictor variables. To assist in the refinement of the first multi-variable model, a scatter plot of p vs. Mallows' Cp is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1. Scatter plot of p vs Mallows' Cp It may be gleaned from the scatter plot in Figure 1 that four predictor variables X2, X9, X20, and X22 are outliers, while the rest of the other predictor variables were concentrated in the area on the plot encircled in red. Modeling and Analysis The predictors were divided into three blocks: (1) block 1 variables consist of those assumed from the results of the one-variable regression models which can most significantly predict HALE; (2) block 2 variables were those assumed to be moderate predictors of HALE; and (3) block 3 variables were those assumed to be least significant predictors of HALE. Criteria used in grouping the results of the one-variable regression models were: (1) computed values of Mallows' Cp which most closely approached the value of p; (2) coefficient of determination (R2), delimited to those capable of predicting the variance in HALE by at least 50% (R = > 0.500); (3) highly correlated, based on the Pearson correlation coefficient (0.70 < r < 1.00); and (4) values of the sum of squares of the residuals are to be less

Letter of Advice to client Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Letter of Advice to client - Research Paper Example Of importance, landmark decisions will be central to the essay construction. The author will wrap up with a conclusion of the major findings. According to Stone1, consideration is mandatory in contract law to make agreements legally binding. It forms the test for enforceability of contracts. Its absence makes an agreement gratuitous and non enforceable as a contract. Estoppel is a claim in equity precluding someone from denying existence of a state of affairs if it would be unconscionable2 and the doctrine deals with pre-contractual waste by preventing adoption of positions at odds with previously relied upon positions by others3. Such denial might affect a person’s legal rights. Owen J. in The Bell Group Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation4 defined estoppel as a: â€Å"†¦ doctrine designed to protect a party from the detriment that would flow from that party’s change of position if the assumption or expectation that led to it were to be rendered groundless by another.†1 In common law, the claimant had to prove existence of a contractual relationship in defense against a claim of non performance of contract. The requirement of consideration led to injustices which promissory estoppel sought to address. By preventing a promisor from reneging on promises without consideration, Handley AJA in Equititrust Ltd (formerly Equitiloan Ltd) v Franks4 noted that promissory estoppel dealt with equitably binding assurances restraining promisors from enforcing his legal rights. Estoppel can be traced to Denning J’s reasoning in Central London Property Trust Ltd v High Trees House Ltd5 which described estoppel ensuring justice and equity6 in holding a landlord to his undertaking to accept reduced rent. The defendant was estopped from demanding rent arrears for the period of the war due to scarcity of tenants7. Professor Atiyah8 states that consideration was classically a

American products vs foreign products Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American products vs foreign products - Essay Example About 63 million light trucks and cars were produced in 2005 all over the world. of these, 11524000 were produced by America, 5543000 were produced by Germany, and 10064000 were produced by Japan . It may come as a surprise to many but it is true that a lot of vehicles made in America are designated like â€Å"foreign† whereas a lot of vehicles produced in Canada or Mexico are considered â€Å"domestic†. This can fundamentally be attributed to the requirement of the federal regulations of making a domestic vehicle with a minimum of 75 per cent of the domestic parts. Therefore, manufacturers in America frequently forward the parts to Canada or Mexico in order to produce the cars, though they hold the status of domestic cars by law. On the other hand, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW produce their cars in America making use of American plants aided by American-based research and development facilities and with American workers, and yet, they are cons idered as foreign since the percentage of domestic parts in them is less than 75. At comparable equipment and size, American cars save the buyer significant amount of money as compared to the Japanese car. However, when the comparison is made with respect to the whole life of car, Japanese cars prove much more cost effective than the American cars.

El Derecho Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

El Derecho - Essay Example The meaning gets twisted depending on the usage. The same is true for El Derecho. In Spanish, as an adverb, the term when translated to English means straight, upright, or directly. Or if used in a sentence, derechos could mean a straight path, as in â€Å"The children walked straightly to the room† But as a noun, the term is no longer used to describe a direction, but rather it refers to the â€Å"right† of a person. Erichsen, Gerald, a Spanish Language Guide (n.d.), explains that the word, when used as a noun would mean another thing and not specific to direction, but more on the rights of a person such as morals, customs, principles, or according to law. The word can also come in a plural form such as â€Å"derechos†, or derechas. So if one would refer to human rights, it is correct to call it â€Å"derechos humanos† for human rights’. When â€Å"derecha† is used, Erichsen said it connotes political affinity, such as opposite of the â€Å"left† political party, or ‘right wing’. Vernor Munoz Villalobos, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education (2010) used the term â€Å"derecho humano† on her paper to describe a human right to have an education.(UN General Assembly, New York, 2010) . The word has a clearer meaning when used as an adjective because it is specific such as right, opposite of left, straight or upward or in brief, it gives a specific direction, like â€Å"linea derecha†, that means straight line. But further to vocabulary usage the term becomes important in storm predictions and a criterion for severe wind gusts. It is a word coined by the NOAA-NWS-N CEP Storm Prediction Center that describes â€Å"derecho† as a long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. This could be related to my above description of the word because of the straight damage directed in one direction. Thus the Storm Prediction Center calls it a ‘a

Customer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Customer Behaviour - Essay Example Three key concepts, service quality, satisfaction, and customer loyalty are no longer the centre of creating a relationship with consumers. The latest trend in emphasis in relationship to the consumer is value (Foss 2011). Creating value for the consumer, or at the very least the appearance of value, has emerged as the economic crisis has created a dynamic in which economic restraint is in fashion. Therefore, expenditures are assessed for the value in contrast to the cost that is experienced by the consumer. While value may be at the forefront of the corporate goals in relationship to consumer expectations, service quality, satisfaction and customer loyalty comes through the value that is attached to a product or service. While these concepts may seem to have become set aside in favour of value, value is defined by these aspects so that the consumer feels they are getting the best possible service and product for their money. One cannot truly create value if quality and satisfaction are not met, and without quality and satisfaction, loyalty will not be the result. In trying to determine value, it is important to set criteria through which the company can operate and the consumer can perceive the value of their purchase. As an example, if a company can build computers for a lower rate, but still maintain high quality that have added an aspect of value for the consumer. ... Customer value comes when people become customers through repetitive buying behaviours, though adapting to the culture of the product line, and through becoming a resource that is then tapped in order to create further success. Understanding how customer value is achieved requires understanding consumer behaviour. Thus an understanding of the relationship between the organisation and the consumer can be achieved (Samover, Porter, and McDaniel 2011). The necessity to understand how value to the consumer and customer value is achieved must be attained through an understanding of relationships as they are defined through service quality, satisfaction and customer loyalty provides for the comprehensive understanding of customer value and in achieving value for the customer. Without the foundational concepts, the idea of value becomes a meaningless term with no basic understanding. It is essential that service quality, satisfaction and customer loyalty be involved in the construction of t he overall dynamic of the relationship that exists between the organisation and the consumer. Through these concepts, value is constructed Value The idea of value is based upon the exchange of use for benefit. From the perspective of the consumer, a product provides value through the benefits that are achieved in its use in comparison to the money that was spent to achieve the purpose that was intended. Value to a consumer, in this economic stage of history, is defined on a great number of levels, some of which are at the basic level, others residing at the level of self-actualisation. If Maslow’s Theory of Needs is applied to the concept of value, the basic needs such as food, shelter, and safety are

Outline the history of excavation and interpretation at great Essay

Outline the history of excavation and interpretation at great Zimbabwe. What does this history tell us about colonialist ideolog - Essay Example This archeological site is famous as the place where south- African dry- stone architectural mastery reached its peak. By 1250-80, lucid stone walling were set up at Great Zimbabwe to create enclosures and platforms to support mud- and pole buildings (Phillipson, 2005, pp.52-53). The existence of Zimbabwean culture to the Western World was reported in the sixteenth century by the Portuguese travelers, although existence of Great Zimbabwe itself was not disclosed until Carl Mauch found stone ruins in Great Zimbabwe in 1871. Carl Mauch, like many other Europeans was of the idea that the biblical city of Ophir and stone buildings such as that of Great Zimbabwe had been built during the time when king Solomon went on to exploit the country’s gold reserves(Hall,1905, pp.295-300). This â€Å"exotic hypothesis† had long been in the minds of excavators coming to Rhodesian districts of south-Africa in search of the so-called ‘King Solomon’s Mines’, even the e xcavators from Rhode’s BSA Company that colonized Zimbabwe in 1890 had embraced this idea. Some were of the belief that the ruins were constructed by the Phoenicians, Arabians or the Egyptians. This â€Å"exotic hypothesis† was challenged by a professional archeologist named David MacIver in 1905. MacIver dated Great Zimbabwe’s medieval periodical origins by forming a stratigraphical connection of the stone walls with those of imports from China and Eastern Asia in the fourteenth to sixteenth century AD. This interpretation was completely contradictory to that of the â€Å"exotic hypothesis† and formed the integral part of his â€Å"essentially African† interpretation. It was however outright rejected by the public. The debate regarding the origins of culture of Zimbabwe involves political emotions as well as scientific verification, and criticisms to the â€Å"exotic hypothesis† are also not strong enough (Huffman & Vogel, 1991, pp.61). Thi s project is an attempt to account the history of the excavations in Zimbabwe through ages and how colonialist ideologies have come into play with emphasis on present political scenario and institutional changes taking place in Zimbabwe now to make it a better place to live in. History of Excavation in Zimbabwe Ever since there has been European settlement in southern parts of Africa since the very beginning of the sixteenth century; innumerable expeditions have taken place to search the wealth of the lost civilizations in the remotest of the interiors. However, all such expeditions have invariably ended without any success. This is quite a testimony to the power of well continued fables of lost cities and lost treasures. It was in 1871 that Carl Mauch, a spirited, energetic and successful explorer found the Great Zimbabwean ruins for the first time. The theory he proposed became the anthem of the many explorers exploring the ruins of Rhodesian Zimbabwe. Mauch, through various compe lx calculations and an imaginative mind noted that the splinters of wood from the forests were very similar to the wood in his pencil both being cedar, thereby indicating only one possibility that this massive stone building was built by none other than the great Queen of Sheba. It was for Mauch only that the vague ideas of a mysterious lost city could be drawn on a map for the very first time. In 1890, the British South Africa Company was captured by Mashonaland and Great Zimbabwe became a victimized possession

Political science - Africa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Political science - Africa - Research Paper Example Historical Background to The Situation - European Colonialism As discussed by Sharma (1973), in the beginning European interest was confined to the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean - the rest was "Dark Continent" fraught with savage cannibals, wild animals and dreadful diseases stalking an inhospitable terrain. By the end of the fifteenth century Portuguese started trading in ivory, pepper, dyestuff and gold dust. This was also the time when Europeans commenced colonisation of the American continent and a very profitable slave trade flourished from Africa to meet the enormous demand of manual labour of the colonisers. By 1870s explorers and missionaries started adventuring into the deep jungles of Africa. With the advent of industrial revolution the demand for raw materials and markets to sell finished products grew in leaps and bounds. This led to rivalry amongst European colonialists to spread their territory, which reached its zenith in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The sharing of the 'African Pie' was amicably settled thro ugh the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 whereby Africa was apportioned by the European powers without any regard to the lie of the land or the psyche of the natives. It is to be noted that in posterity such lacerations presented serious problems of integration at the time of independence of most states. A primitive culture prevailed amongst the tribes in Africa and wars between clans and tribes to settle disputes were very common. Whenever there were disputes amongst the tribes the weaker ones sought outside help. The European traders who had modern weapons and better fighting skills to offer were their first choice. In due course areas that were rich... Africa is primarily a land of ethnic tribes and clans. A tribe does not represent any homogeneity or criterion by which sects of people differentiate themselves from other sects. They are a natural formation of people who get together and affirm their obligations to unite in warfare against outsiders and acknowledge the rights of their members to compensations for injuries. The colonisation of Africa has brutalised the people and vandalised the resources by warlords and despotic rulers. It has left Africans psychologically scarred and scared. Letting loose one tribe against another and creating insecurity and dependency was the most convenient way of subjugating a race. With their better intellect and strength, subjugating large states was not a difficult task for the Europeans. Here one must remember that Africa was not the only country that Europeans colonised. Large parts of Asia, Australia and America were also once under their occupation for centuries. Today many of them are env iable economic powers, technological marvels and military superpowers. Therefore, one cannot escape an accepted wisdom that Africa has wrought self-destruction on themselves unable to overcome the unique racial and social inadequacies. To gloss over Africa as a puzzle that cannot be solved or explained is simplistic. The happenings in Africa lead us to assume the Africans have some inherent ethnic shortcomings that keep them as underdogs on this planet earth. The historical fact file encourages one to accept such a presumption.

The U.S. constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The U.S. constitution - Essay Example However it is important to consider that any amendments to the constitution should not be made too rapidly. For this reason any amendments to the constitution must follow a two stage process. First congress must propose the changes and then must be approved by the state legislatures. With all of this in consideration there have been changes to the U.S. constitution and as such one must consider what the overall function or role of the federal government was in the past and as it stands today. The interpretation of what the original framers of the U.S. Federal government intended has been a subject of debate for many different groups. However the overall outline of the federal government is laid out by the U.S. constitution. Originally, the role of the federal government very closely resembled the government as it stands today however it lacked the significant changes that come through the adoption of amendments. According to The United States National Archives (2011) the first major group amendments to the US Constitution is the incorporation of the Bill of Rights. The next significant changes to the United States constitution and according to the National Archives (2011) came in a series of gradual amendments which highlighted 26 additions/modifications pertaining to a variety of subjects. Some examples include the 22nd amendment which put term limits on the presidency or the17th amendment which dictated that there will be two senators from each state elected by the people and each senator shall have one vote. The next issue that will be discussed is how the structures of the government (Federalism, Presidential system, etc.) existed in the past and compare that with the function today. According to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum publication the current role of an American president/presidential system can be broken down into six roles (Chief of State, Chief Executive, Commander-In Chief, Chief Diplomat, Legislative Leader and Leader of His Po litical party). The interesting difference that can be drawn from these roles is that the original president (George Washington) had no political party. From this perspective this represents a fundamental difference between the original role of the President and the current role of the President. Moreover as the increasingly globalized economy the roles of the president as a chief diplomat would be greatly expanded insofar as this would require greater exposure to a larger number of nations. In the relationship of states with the Federal government there have been a number of significant changes such as the growth in the number of states (From the original thirteen to fifty). Moreover there has been an increasing interdependency between states facilitated through such additions as railways, federal highways, etc. The final issue that will be covered is the way in which the federal government guaranteed or didn’t guarantee civil rights and liberties then; and the way in which they guarantee or don't guarantee civil rights and liberties today. Probably the most significant mechanism that guarantees the rights of citizens would be the incorporation of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution which ultimately became known as the Bill of rights. According to the United States National Archives (2011), the reasoning behind why this would be needed is largely owing to the fact that the original constitution did not lay out specifically what the

Apple iphone analysis Essay Example for Free

Apple iphone analysis Essay The phone starts ringing, were going to pick it up and when we touch it, the ringer volume smartly goes down! Yes! Today a company like HTC could make this kind of cellphone. Since the launch of the IBM Simon in 1993, smartphone technology has reached levels that until recent times had only been dreamed about. Features such as wireless sharing, HD video recording and mobile internet are now commonplace and today’s average smartphone has more processing power than computers used by NASA to land a man on the moon. All over the world, the smartphone experience is being shared by more and more people every day. The convergence of mobile telephony, Internet services, and personal computing devices is resulting in the emergence of a â€Å"mobile Internet† (Ishii 2004; Funk 2001). The key devices for accessing the mobile Internet -currently dubbed â€Å"smartphones† are powerful new computing devices offering traditional wireless voice service as well as native software applications and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to connect to and run a myriad of Internet-based services including email, geo-location, streaming video, and social networking, while providing a good user experience. The business opportunities presented by this new category have attracted many of the major global information and communications technology (ICT) firms, including firms from the mobile telephony, personal computer, Internet, and personal digital assistant (PDA) industries, into a complex new landscape of competition. For many of these firms, capturing a portion of the total value created by the smartphone industry is believed to be a key to future growth and profits. The interest is understandable. Today more than 1. 3 billion mobile phone handsets are being sold annually, and in 2010 smartphones made up almost 20% of that total (Gartner, 2010; Ahonen, 2010). Sales of smartphones are increasing almost 100% per year, and total global sales volume is expected to surpass that of PCs by 2012 (Gartner, 2010). By collapsing the boundaries between previously distinct devices, smartphones are subsuming sales of mobile phones entirely and, increasingly, netbook and notebook PCs. To complicate the landscape, the smartphone is not the only device at stake, tablets and ebook readers are emerging as key components of the mobile universe. Across all devices, total mobile revenues including advertising, subscriptions, handsets, applications, and so on are forecast to surpass $1 trillion by 2014 (Gartner, 2010). Given the rate at which smartphone are penetrating the market and component prices are declining by 2015 there will be, at least, 2 billion smart mobile devices in use globally. According to the instructions we should make a report with a organizational business plan structure to depict current situations of Apple Inc. / iPhone division, and then analyze strength and weakness of the company. I will start with SWOT and PESTEL analysis. Then we review the most effective force on iPhone production with Porters 5 forces. Then we will analyze Apple iPhone Growth and market share in depth with BCG matrix. I use mostly 2012 figures to draw an up to date image from Apple iPhone production and market situation. Ansoff matrix will be the next analysis which helps us understand iPhone market penetration and how it reached diversification. Apple is a big company with several products and services that provide along with products. Each product has its own market. It is possible to use multiple factors and combine related statistics for analyzing a company with different product. But in this case we are required to analyze smartphone industry only. I use recent figures (2010 to 2013) for analyses. For brands comparisons I consider Apple, Samsung, HTC, ZTE, and RIM (BlackBerry). For set goals and making the report’s objectives we should specify what we want. It is required to indicate strength and weaknesses of smartphone section. In my opinion weaknesses are more important. They could emerge in any areas such as production lines, technological aspects or selling process and cause big failures. Prominent strength and weaknesses will be identified and then will be matched with political, social, technological and environmental factors. Industry intensity will be assessed using Porter’s 5 forces analysis. This analysis classifies strong and weak points within 5 forces: Threat of new entrants and substitute products, bargaining power of suppliers and customers, and segment rivalry. These forces analyze micro environment. For macro factors we could look into PESTEL analysis. For market share and growth analysis Growth-share matrix (BCG matrix) will be used. This method indicates a product strength using its sales cash flows. iPhone position will be determined among 4 BCG matrix’s categories: Star, Cash cow, Dog and Question mark. Apple iPhone as a new product in comparison with existing products within a new or existing market will be analyzed using Ansoff matrix. Result shows that iPhone as a new product in 2007 was magnificent. 270,000 units were sold at that time. Expanding the concept of the marketing mix is important for companies that want to adapt to new markets. For example, just placing a product in stores is not enough. A manufacturer with retail outlets also needs to think about physical environment and layout. The store should convey the right look and feel, leading consumers to build up positive associations with the brand. Products inside the store should be displayed logically and consistently, in the locations customers would check first if they were looking for specific items. Because of all these factors a complete extended marketing mix (7Ps) will be presented. Global Smartphone trend The global smartphone market has been experiencing explosive growth for the last several years. Competition has remained fierce all throughout, but the numbers dont lie. Two technology titans dominate the market, taking a whopping 92% of market share for themselves. These two companies are Google and Apple. Data regarding smartphone sales during Q4 2012 has come out during the last several days, evidencing how much people all over the globe want to get their hands on a smartphone. After a quick look at the information, it becomes evident that the high-end phone market is a one of the most extreme oligopolies of the 21st century. With the release of Blackberry 10 just two days away, investors are starting to ask if there really is any room left for Research In Motions latest offering. Smartphones are flying off the shelves. According to Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments have increased from 490. 5 million during 2011 to 700. 1 million during 2012, which is roughly 30% growth year-over-year. If anything, there is room for disruption within the industry: people will keep buying more phones. As the market grows, however, so does Androids market share: Android went from having 48. 7% of the market in 2011 to a whopping 70. 1% in Q4 2012. Apples iOS has also grown slightly, capturing 22% of the market share by the end of the same period. How much is there left for everyone else? As of Q4 2012, a meager 7. 9%. The success of the iPhone, Pre, and Blackberry shows the strength of consumer demand for an intelligent, multifunctional device. The appeal of the smartphone will create significant new revenue streams for carriers and developers, who should strive to create new service bundles that build off this mobile platform with converged video, voice, and data applications. Future Smartphone sales forecast Smartphone sales blew past the number of PCs sold last year, and theyll be nearly twice PC sales this year, analyst Alex Cocotas of BI Intelligence predicts. More startling, smartphone sales will exceed 1. 5 billion units per year by 2016. This compares to about 350 million PCs and 1. 7 billion mobile handsets sold globally last year. Smartphone sales will be driven by two main factors, BI Intelligence says: Replacement of nearly 5 billion dumbphones with smartphones (smartphones currently make up only 10% of handsets worldwide) Price declines. The average price of a smartphone will drop from about $315 last year to $200 over the next several years This will obviously have a huge impact on the mobile Internet economy, which is already exploding from the growth of smartphone penetration in the past few years. Some other highlights from the report: Smartphone unit sales will grow at nearly a 30% compound annual growth rate over the next five years Smartphones will represent about two-thirds of all mobile phone purchases by 2016, Smartphones will be a $320 billion market by 2016. These forecasts are much higher than those of other industry analysts, who generally expect smartphone unit sales to hit about 1 billion a year by 2015. Apple Mission and Vision statement Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad. Apple vision statement: Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings. Apple Background On December 2012 The Economist reported that â€Å"Apple became the most valuable company ever (in nominal terms), beating the record that Microsoft hit in December 1999. Apple’s share price peaked at $705 before entering bear territory and falling by 25%, to $510; at the start of 2012 it had been $410. † Apple Incorporated is an American corporation that designs and manufactures computer hardware, software and other consumer electronics. The company is best known for their Macintosh personal computer line, Mac OS X, extremely loyal user-base, iTunes media application and the iPod personal music player. The company headquarters is in Cupertino, California, CEO and co-founder is Steve Jobs and the company boasts 284 retail locations spanning 10 different countries. Apple Inc. was founded on April 1, 1976 in a garage by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The young entrepreneurs brought different strength to their fledgling company: Jobs had a flair for conceptualizing products, while Wozniak had the technical know-how to make them happen. Apple I was the first product that Apple Inc. produced. It was a personal computer (PC) with a MOS 6502 cpu clocked at 1 MHz and 4Kb memory. In 1977, Apple introduced Apple II which became a very successful device. After that the company began to produce Apple II series. The Apple II was followed by Apple II plus, Apple IIe, Apple IIc, Apple IIGS, Apple IIc Plus and Apple IIe Card. Apple introduced Macintosh in 1984 that became a very successful computer. It was a first computer featuring a graphical interface and a mouse for navigation. The new computer sold very well, pushing apples fiscal 1984 sales to an unprecedented 1. 5$ billion. By 1985, however Jobs and Scully began to disagree over the direction they wanted the company to take. After Jobs attempt to remove Scully failed, Jobs left Apple in May to start his own new business, NeXT Computers. In December 1996, Apple acquired NeXT, with the plan of using its technology as the basis for a new operating system. After being gone for more than a decade, Jobs returned to the company he had originally cofounded with Wozniak.. In 1998 Apple introduced the new generation of PowerMacs, PowerBooks, and the highly anticipated iMac and iBook, which were less expensive computers aimed at the how-end computer market. After an entire year without showing a profit, the first quarter of 1998 began three years of profitable quarters for Apple. Apple ventured into the market of legal downloads with the introduction of its iTunes Music Store in 2001. iTunes offers downloads at a specified price without requiring subscription or monthly fees. iTunes offers its users a selection of more than 6 million songs, with new songs continually added. For music lovers, the iPod is the greatest invention since the Walkman. With up to 160 GB of storage, it allows users to carry up to 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video wherever they go. There are currently four different iPod styles: the iPod shuffle, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod touch. Apple earned 5,615 million just from iPod in 2012 . Brief Chronology: 1976 With $1,300, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak found Apple Computer, Inc. 1980 Apple converts to public ownership. 1982 Apple becomes the first personal computer company to reach $1 billion in annual sales. 1985 John Scully assumes the helm after a management shakeup that causes the departure of Jobs and several other Apple executives. 1991 PowerBook line of notebook computers is released. 1994 Power Macintosh line is released. 1996 Acquisition of NeXT brings Steve Jobs back to Apple as a special advisor. 1997 Steve Jobs is named interim chief executive officer. 1998 The all-in-one iMac is released. 2000 Jobs, firmly in command as CEO, oversees a leaner, more tightly focused Apple. 2001 The iPod is released; Apple opens its first retail store in Virginia. 2003 Apple opens its first store in Japan. 2005 The release of a video iPod, the fifth generation of the device, pushes total iPod unit sales to 30 million. In first-quarter 2007, Apple launched its revolutionary product, the iPhone. iPhone combines three concepts popular with customers: a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and a internet communication device. The iPhone brags an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering software. which users can control with just their fingers. The iPhone default Internet browser will be Apples own Safari **, but it is open to other software as well. The iPhone allows for 8 hours of talk time. Apple sold 1million iPhone less than three month after this product was available to customers. Apple expects this trend to continue during 2008 and to reach sales of 10 million iPhones, stealing 1 percent of the mobile phone market share. . One year following the untimely death of Steve Jobs, the company he co-founded and led for most of his adult life appears to be thriving and lacking any serious obstacles to its break-neck growth in a rapidly changing technology market. That said, Apple Inc. still has plenty of challenges ahead. Some of those stem simply from the nature of the fast-paced, hyper-competitive consumer technology business the company currently competes in — and largely dominates. Other challenges may be more unique to Apple and its singular focus on a relatively narrow line of products. And long-term, the company may still feel the loss of a leader who possessed an uncanny ability to see around corners, and bend other strong personalities to his will. â€Å"The guy who could literally pull rabbits out of his hat no longer exists,† said independent technology analyst Roger Kay. Apple’s had a phenomenally strong year since Jobs’ death from cancer last October, which left the company permanently in the hands of the senior management team he spent years cultivating, led by CEO Tim Cook. It’s also had some stumbles along the way. Some missteps with features such as Siri — the infamous personal digital assistant first embedded into last year’s iPhone 4S — and the Apple Maps tool in the latest iPhone 5 have caused some level of embarrassment. The company under Jobs’ direction was not free of slip-ups either, and some issues have spanned both periods, such as growing concerns about the treatment of workers in the massive Chinese factories that produce the company’s popular products. But if proof is in the numbers, investors may find it hard to argue against the crew running Apple now. The company is conservatively projected to report a 44% revenue gain for its just-ended fiscal year — with earnings expected to post a gain of more than 60% from the previous year. Apple’s stock is up more than 70% from the day Jobs passed away, despite the stated concerns at the time of many investors and analysts about how well the company could keep its pace of innovation without its chief visionary at the helm. The key challenge for Apple’s management team will be in keeping the company’s strongest profit engines humming. And this will involve the right mix of technological innovation and deal making. The iPhone is the most crucial element. First launched in 2007, the smartphone accounted for nearly 55% of Apple’s total revenue in the first nine months of the just-ended fiscal year. While the company does not disclosed profitability data on its product lines, analysts believe the iPhone is the major driver of operating profits, with a gross margin of well over 50% on the devices. Apple can command those high subsidies because of the strong consumer demand for the iPhone. But competitors are pushing hard into the smartphone space. Samsung has already outpaced Apple in global shipments thanks to its use of Google’s Android operating system and its wide line of phones that appeal to a broader array of markets and consumers. Apple’s old nemesis Microsoft is launching an updated Windows Phone platform this fall, with Nokia and Samsung building devices for the software. Investors will continue to watch closely for signs that Apple’s current team can not only push forward its existing product line, but add to them with new categories and innovations. Though the iPhone 5 launched a year following his death, a report by Bloomberg BusinessWeek cited unnamed sources as saying that the device received â€Å"detailed input† from Jobs prior to his death. Despite Apple’s strong run of success, it’s narrow product line and strong reliance on the iPhone makes it vulnerable to competitors who may come up with better ideas. Apple’s future success will likely hinge on its ability to maintain that posture —no matter who’s in charge. Apple SWOT Analysis: SWOT is a great indicator of an agencys strategic ineptitude. This involves you creating a two-by-two grid and then populating it with a list of incredibly obvious client strengths and weaknesses, and another list of equally palpable opportunities and threats. Then you stand back and gaze at this list of incredibly humdrum words, such as competitors and new product, and attempt to intuit a bold, new, innovative way of doing business. The table below provides information about current situation of Apple’s smartphone market position, strength and weaknesses and also its possible future situations, threats and opportunities. Table Apple Inc. Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses Universally accredited and well-known brand which also began kind of revolution in smartphone industry Apple is a Big name in the technology world. It brings so much responsibility and kind of obligation for company and its product. New iPhone map application problem and customer frustration would be a good example. Brand loyalty is incredible. People will line up in the freezing cold overnight just to be one of the first to get their hands on the new iPhone! From the anti-capitalism point of view devices like iPhone counts as luxuries. They think this kind of huge prices could be spend somewhere more vital. Employ high technologies. This offers unique features for at least two purposes. One, First degree price discrimination and two, luxury customer satisfactions Utilize high technology along with high quality hardware component turn Apple iPhone into very costly merchandise. Probably many people cannot afford the price. Ease of use. Apple utilizes user friendly design elements for both hardware and software parts of iPhone. 3. 5 mm audio jack would be a good example! iPhone is equipped with own Apple closed operating system, iOS. And apps which work with iOS can only be downloaded from App Store. Other rivals like Android have more distribution channels. Former CEO, Steve Jobs’ role in developing iPhone and leading Apple to the market incredibly. Steve Jobs died on Oct 2011. We can still see his works and ideas in Apple iPhone. His lost can be an excessive damage to the company. Having strategic agreements with well-known mobile carriers. like T-Mobile and ATT Apple summary of PESTEL Analysis Political factors The supply and manufacture of many critical components is performed by sole-sourced outsourcing partners in the U. S. , Asia and Europe. Outsourcing partners in Asia perform final assembly of substantially all of the company’s hardware products. Manufacturing or logistics in these locations or transit to final destinations may be disrupted for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, natural and man-made disasters, information technology system failures, military actions or economic, business, labor, environmental, public health, or Political issues. War, terrorism, geopolitical uncertainties, public health issues, and other business interruptions have caused and could cause damage or disruption to international commerce and the global economy, and thus could have a material adverse effect on the Company, its suppliers, logistics providers, manufacturing vendors and customers, including channel partners. The Company’s business operations are subject to interruption by natural disasters, fire, power shortages, nuclear power plant accidents, terrorist attacks, and other hostile acts, labor disputes, public health issues, and other events beyond its control. Economic factors The global recession is having a serious impact on Apples retail performance The follow-on effects from global economic conditions on the Company’s suppliers could affect the Company’s ability to obtain components. Therefore, the Company remains subject to significant risks of supply shortages and price increases. The Company expects to experience decreases in its gross margin percentage in future periods, as compared to levels achieved during 2012, largely due to a higher mix of new and innovative products with flat or reduced pricing that have higher cost structures and deliver greater value to customers and anticipated component cost and other cost increases. Future strengthening of the U. S. dollar could also negatively impact gross margin. Social factors The Company’s business requires it to use and store customer, employee, and business partner personally identifiable information (â€Å"PII†). This may include names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, contact, preferences, tax identification numbers, and payment account information. Although malicious attacks to gain access to PII affect many companies across various industries, the Company may be at a relatively greater risk of being targeted because of its high profile and the amount of PII managed. Technological factors Apple RD expense is increasing year by year. $1. 8 billion for 2010, $2. 4 billion, and $3. 4 billion for 2012 which is a crucial manner in these days competition Environmental factors The Company also sells its hardware and software products to enterprise and government customers in each of its geographic segments. The Company’s products are deployed in these markets because of their performance, productivity, ease of use and seamless integration into information technology environments. The Company’s products are compatible with thousands of third-party business applications and services, and its tools enable the development and secure deployment of custom applications as well as remote device administration. Legal Factors The Company is subject to laws and regulations affecting its domestic and international operations in a number of areas. These U. S. and foreign laws and regulations affect the Company’s activities including, but not limited to, areas of labor, advertising, digital content, consumer protection, real estate, billing, e-commerce, promotions, quality of services, telecommunications, mobile communications and media, television, intellectual property ownership and infringement, tax, import and export requirements, anti-corruption, foreign exchange controls and cash repatriation restrictions, data privacy requirements, anti-competition, environmental, health, and safety.

Identifying Bacteria Essay Example for Free

Identifying Bacteria Essay Bacteria identification is accomplished in a number of ways. Two common tools microbiologists use to identify unknown bacteria include dichotomous key and biochemical tests. The dichotomous key is useful when a microbiologist only needs to know which group an unknown microbe belongs to on a general level. When a microbiologist needs to identify a specific bacterium, biochemical tests are used. PART ONE: GENERAL BACTERIA IDENTIFICATION Review the dichotomous key in Figure A, the bacterial shapes in Figure B, and the Gram stain information below. You will use all three to determine to which major group unknown bacteria belong. Gram Stain Results: Purple = Gram positive Red = Gram negative Neither purple nor red = No cell wall (neither Gram positive nor Gram negative) Review Figure C on the following page. Use Figure C to identify the type of arrangement displayed by the unknown bacteria. Read through the Sample Identification on the following page for an example of how to identify bacterial groups and arrangements using Figures A, B, C, and the Gram stain results. Sample Identification After performing a Gram stain, you observe the following under a microscope: (Cells are stained red.) Begin with item 1 on the dichotomous key (Figure A). Because the organisms  are red, they are not Gram-positive. According to the key, continue to item 3. Because the organism is red (not clear or another color), it is indeed Gram-negative according to item 3. The key directs you to item 5. Consider the shape of individual cells for item 5. According to Figure B, the shape type is closest to spherical. (Note: spherical is circular.) The bacteria belong to the Gram-negative cocci group. Now use Figure C to describe arrangement of bacteria. (The bacteria are not rod- or club-shaped, so focus on the cocci arrangements.) Identify the arrangement that is most prominent. The bacteria are arranged in a diplo- fashion. Enter the group and arrangement in the table. Application Use Figures A, B, C, and Gram stain results to identify group and arrangement of bacteria. Continue to Part Two after completing the table. View from Microscope Group of Bacteria Arrangement (stained red) Gram-negative cocci Diplo- (stained purple) (stained purple) (stained red) (stained red) (stained purple) (stained purple) PART TWO: CAse study scenario: identify specific bacteria through biochemical testing To gain an understanding of the processes involved with identifying bacteria through biochemical tests, access Chapter 6 of the text in WileyPlus located on the Week One course page. Once in WileyPlus (Chapter 6), select the â€Å"Bacterial Identification by API† link located under the heading, Take Another Look. Once selected, review the information and watch the Flash-animated movie (animation) located within this link. Then, review the following scenario and answer the questions that follow. Case Study A recent outbreak of food poisoning has occurred in a community. One possible source of contamination may be the produce that is grown and distributed locally at a farmer’s market. A test sample of some of the produce revealed evidence of bacterial contamination. The bacteria sample was tested in a microbiology lab and showed the results that follow. The laboratory also performed a Gram stain of the isolated bacteria and ran a number of biochemical tests to aid identification. The biochemical tests were assayed using the Analytical Profile Index (API) 20E system for identification of Enterobacteriaceae and other gram-negative bacteria. Figure 1. Microbiology laboratory results – Unknown bacteria present on produce (API Results) Figure 2. API Results of Unknown Bacteria in Text Format Gram stain: Gram-negative Based on Gram stain results and the knowledge that this bacterium caused food poisoning, the laboratory is able to narrow down the possibilities to three bacterial strains. Figure 3 shows the API results: Figure 3. API Results of Known Bacterial Strains in Text Format Gram stain Application Compare the API biochemical test results in Figure 2 (unknown bacteria from  produce) with API test results in Figure 3 (known bacterial strains identified in the gray boxes on the left). The bacterial strain in Figure 3 that matches Figure 2 will identify the bacterial strain causing illness. Based upon your observations, which of the bacteria in Figure 3 is the most likely cause of the food poisoning outbreak?

Nonverbal Communication In Social Psychology Psychology Essay

Nonverbal Communication In Social Psychology Psychology Essay The most important thing in communication is hearing what isnt said.- Peter F. Drucker cited in Goman,2008 page 1. This states that spoken language and non verbal signals need to simultaneously exist and interact with each other in order to give the receiver a fully understanding of what is been said. Non-verbal communication is the ability to transfer, receive and decode messages to one another without using spoken or written language instead we take a specific body posture or facial expression to denote a particular feeling or intention. Non-verbal behaviour can be both consciously and unconsciously (M .Argyle, 1988, page 4). Non-verbal behaviour became acknowledged in the social psychological field in 1872 by Charles Darwins work, where he suggested that high intelligence animals shared the same facial expressions with humans C.Darwin (1872 cited in P.Ekman,1973, pages 12,13). This essay will discuss the importance of non verbal communication in the social psychological field. There are different types of kinesics such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, and body postures. It is said that the eyes are the most powerful means of communication we posses after words (G.R.Wainwright, 1985, page 5) that is because our eyes help us seek information, display attention and interest, show respect and provide feedback during speech Argyle (1965, cited in Wainwright, 1988 page 9). For example when people avoid looking others in the eyes, it seems that they are trying to hide something or that they are lying. Neuro-Linguistic Programming researchers, for several decades, believed that when a person looks up to their right corner of their eye they are more likely to be lying, whilst a glance up to their left it indicates that they are telling the truth. However, a later on study of two professors; R. Wiseman from  Edinburgh University and C. Watt from Hertfordshire University has shown that that theory was wrong; there was no evidence of a correlation betwe en lying and eye movements. (R. Wiseman, C. Watt et al. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7).Instead avoiding eye contact could clearly indicate nervousness or shyness. Moreover, in some countries eye contact signifies respect and straightforwardness whereas in others it is seen as rude and disrespectful; for instance in European cultures, a certain amount of eye contact is required, but too much makes many people uncomfortable. When greeting a Chinese, it is best to avoid prolonged eye contact as a sign of respect and deference (E. T. Hall, M. R. Hall, 1990,page 14). Furthermore, effectual eye contact is also a significant feedback machine that makes the speaking situation a double dissociation since it certifies that others are listening and that the listeners are appreciated for their attentiveness. (G. R. Wainwright,1985 , page 11) However, when people feel bored they usually do not make eye contact with the person they are talking to and may start searching for anything nearby to fidget with -th eir cell phone or objects around the room, for example. These actions are perceived as signs of boredom and lack of interest. (G. R. Wainwright, 1985, page 7) Closely relevant to eye contact are facial expressions which posses the most dominant and primary form of body language. Facial expressions must have obtained evolutionary importance; since it would have been evolutionary growth for our antecedents to have been chosen for biological reproduction and natural survival on account of their ability to make facial expressions C .Darwin (1872 cited in P .Ekman page 13). Additionally, it has been said that people can produce around 20000 different facial expressions Birdwhistell (1970 cited in Argyle,1988 page122). This mosaic of facial expressions is universal and sums up to six basic principles; happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust and surprise and when these fundamental emotions are mixed together they produce an array of expressions Ekman (1982 cited M. Argyle, 1988 pages 121,122). Furthermore, the importance of facial expressions is also shown by the ability that people have on making almost infallible critics about someones persona lity, intelligence, character in the first few minutes of meeting them (G. R. Wainwright, 1985, page 23). However, a psychologist had run an experiment, in which the subjects had to chose if that person in the picture was innocent or not, and found out that a significant number of people were biased to judge someone as a criminal by their facial features (G.R. Wainwright, 1985, page 27). In sequence of these findings it suggests that people sometimes misinterpret what they are seeing without having any specific evidence. Also, considering that facial expressions are tight together with emotions, sometimes they can be very similar with the attitudes that we give towards other people; voluntary and involuntary, paradigm being angry is an emotion, being angry towards someone is an interpersonal attitude(M.Argyle,1988, page 85) . Intermittently, people have to look back in order not to disobey that fine line between acceptable and unacceptable attitudes; for example liking and disliking someone are emotions although the expression of disliking someone is often restricted by social rules (M. Argyle, 1988, page 85).Furthermore, facial expressions are inevitable to occur thus at intervals they come in contrast of what is been felt and what their expressions demonstrate (M. Argyle, 1988, page 78,127 and G .R .Wainwright,1985, page 26) .Researches has shown that micromomentary expressions might be captured through cameras but are too emphemeral and momentary for most people to realize them; For example a person might say that they are happy to see someone and may even smile at them, but this false attitude may be showed by a micromomentary expression like disgust. (G .R .Wainwright, 1985, page 26) Another huge subdivision of Non-verbal Communication is gestures. Gestures include body movements that chaperon spoken language, especially with the use of hands; some of them are waving, pointing, using the fingers to indicate numerical amounts and are enormously substantial in the social psychological field since they give emphasis and interpret what is been said. A study has shown that most vocal conversations are accompanied, regulated and modulated by kinesics; like motion of the head, hands etc Bull and Conelli (1985, cited in M. Argyle ,1988 page 107) . Moreover, some gestures are known as illustrators of the verbal context because they imitate shapes, physical objects or movements. Dittman (1972) argued that illustrators appear at the establishment of a verbal conversation in order to manifest what will be contained in the verbal aspect. It was also verified by Butterworth and Beattie (1978) who their findings showed that gestures prefaced the phrase which was associated with them by an average of 800 milliseconds. Although, McNeil and Levy (1982) corralled otherwise, saying that illustrative gestures had the same possibility to happen prior of a phrase or later on (M .Argyle,1988, page 107). Furthermore, another research has demonstrated that emphasis can be denoted not only by the changes of pitch or loudness of someones voice but also by hand or head movements; Mehrabian (1972) had found that speakers who wanted to convince and allure the hearers used gestures and head-nods more frequently . However, Argyle (1983) disagreed with the above statement saying that the capital reason that the transmitter looks at the receiver is to collect information and reactions about what has just been said, in the form of head-nods, facial expressions ,gestures and so on (M.Argyle,1988,page 109).In addition, gestures are not universal, they are culture specific, and can have an entirely different meaning from one culture to another ; so giving a thumbs-up or a peace sign might mean a greeting for some countries and some others might take it as highly offensive signs Morris (1979 cited in Wainwright,1985 page 45). Last but not least, another research has shown that people are perceived as more active, warm and acceptable when they tend to use more nonverbal movements than the ones that use less; those are seen as more logical, cold and analytic (G.R. Wainwright,1985 page 48,49) In conclusion, non verbal communication in some purposes is more powerful and consequential than verbal language itself mostly because it can take different forms; such as gestures, eye contact, facial expressions. That illustrates emotions and attitudes to other people without using any verbal communication. (M. Argyle, 1988 page 308). It is evident that most communication happens without speech and that the spoken part of conversation is actually much less than we think (M.Argyle, 1988,page 1). When verbal and non-verbal communication blend together, the second one might either strengthen or curve the prior one (M. Argyle, 1988,page 106).

Essay --

1) In the distribution of microorganisms lab, the largest number of colonies came from a mouth swab giving over 300 small yellow and white, punctiform and convex colonies. Hair came in next with 99 colonies on the plate of all different colors, sizes and shapes. The culture dish that sat out in the lab air gave a total of 15 colonies of all different types. The swab of disinfected bench gave a total of 9 colonies, one of which was very large. The control that was never opened and the swab of disinfected bench ended up having no colonies grown on them. Hair and air are the most realistic contaminants since your hair is openly exposed to the lab at all times and the air comes into contact with the sample whenever the sample is opened. However, the greatest potential source of contamination shown by the number of colonies is the mouth sample (optional source). This was expected because the human mouth is known to contain many bacteria. 2) Even though the 4x level of magnification on the microscope is not used often since it is such a small magnification, it may be used to start focusing the microscope although not much will be visible. The microscope is parfocal meaning â€Å"that the optical system is coordinated so that a specimen that is in focus for one objective is in approximate focus for the other objectives† (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014), so once the 4x objective is focused, the other objectives should be coarsely focused. They will require some fine focus adjustment though. The 10x objective helps to increase the focus and will also make the specimen more visible and can be used to find the location of the specimen on the slide (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014). This objective is also known as the â€Å"low power objec... ...ed specimens (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014). Also, for pathogenic bacteria, once the structure is determined it can be attacked. â€Å"Gram positive bacteria are more susceptible to antibacterial agents that work by inhibiting the formation of peptidoglycan cross-links thereby weakening their cell walls† (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014). 4) The species tested for spore formation were Bacillus subtilis and Corynebacterium glutamicum. Bacillus subtilis actually formed spores. The endospores that developed were a stress response to being treated with the toxic dye, malachite green. The bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, will produce endospores as a form of resistance against unfavorable environmental conditions such as toxins and heat. The Corynebacterium glutamicum does not form endospores in response to extreme environmental conditions (Hayden McNeil Publishing, 2014).

Child Behavioral Case Study Essay -- Psychology Learning Children

Child Behavioral Case Study 1) General Information: Student name: Larry Date of Testing: Grade: 1 Date of Birth: Chronological Age: School: 2) Reason for Assessment: is currently having difficulties with learning and behavior. frequently is out of his throughout the day, and answers aloud before being called on to give the answers and struggles to follow directions. also has learning difficulties in reading decoding and reading comprehension. 3) Background Information: lives with is grandparents, parents and one younger sister. Grandparents speak Spanish. Parents and children speak Spanish and English. had been ill frequently during first grade and missed a number of days of school. Parents indicated enjoys school. 4) Prereferral findings: The teacher has been using district reading series, cooperative grouping for reading activities, using card to follow while reading, cueing before asking questions as well as sticker chart for hand raising and working while in his seat, which has helped. 5) Assessment observations: Sensory Abilities: No problem noted Language: Flight of ideas Apprehension: No problem noted Behavior during testing: Impulsive Responses Distractibility: Attention to external stimuli Reaction to wrong Responses: Persist Motor Activity: Fidgets, Squirms General Attitude: Alert, Friendly Motor Ability: Quick motor execution Cooperativeness: Responsive 6) Assessment Rules: 1) Behavior Rating Profile (BRP-2) is test that ha...

Exhaust EmissionsTask 3 P4Petrol and diesel engines work in slightly :: Design and Technology

Exhaust EmissionsTask 3 P4Petrol and diesel engines work in slightly different ways and burn different fuels, so they produce different exhausts Petrol and diesel engines work in slightly different ways and burn different fuels, so they produce different exhausts. Compared with petrol engines, diesel engines produce smaller amounts of unburnt and partially burnt fuel but can produce more nitrogen oxides and large amounts of smoke. These particles consist of soot, hydrocarbons, sulphur-based chemicals and volatile organic compounds. Heavy duty diesel vehicles, such as trucks, can be very polluting because they produce large amounts of particulates and nitrogen oxides. Diesel exhaust has also been shown to be a probable cause of cancer. WHAT ARE DIESEL ENGINE EXHAUST EMISSIONS? Cold Start Emissions - Starting and driving a vehicle the first few minute’s results in higher emissions because the emissions control equipment has not yet reached its optimal operating temperature. Running Emissions - Pollutants are emitted from the vehicle's exhaust during driving and idling after the vehicle is warmed up. Diesel engine exhaust emissions are a mixture of gases, vapors, liquid aerosols and substances made up of particles. They contain the products of combustion including: * carbon * nitrogen * water * carbon monoxide * aldehydes * nitrogen dioxide * sulphur dioxide * Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons The carbon particle or soot content varies from 60% to 80% depending on the fuel used and the type of engine. Most of the contaminants are adsorbed onto the soot. Petrol engines produce more carbon monoxide but much less soot than diesel engines. WHAT FACTORS AFFECT THE COMPOSITION OF DIESEL FUMES? * the quality of diesel fuel used; * the type of engine, e.g. standard, turbo or injector; * the state of engine tuning; * the fuel pump setting; * the workload demand on the engine; * the engine temperature; * Whether the engine has been regularly maintained. WHAT DOES THE COLOUR OF THE SMOKE PRODUCED INDICATE? Smoke is the product of combustion. Vehicles at a workplace may produce three kinds of smoke, two of which indicate engine problems. The three types are: * Blue smoke (mainly oil and unburnt fuel). This indicates that the vehicle has been poorly serviced and/or a tuned engine * Black smoke (soot, oil and unburnt fuel). This indicates there is a mechanical fault with the engine * White smoke (water droplets and unburnt fuel) which is produced when the engine is started from cold and disappears when the engine warms up Exhaust fumes are just one of the ways CO2 adds to climate change Not only do vehicles cause localised air pollution, they are also responsible for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions.

Angels Demons Chapter 32-35

32 Langdon held his breath as the X-33 spiraled into Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport. Vittoria sat across from him, eyes closed as if trying to will the situation into control. The craft touched down and taxied to a private hangar. â€Å"Sorry for the slow flight,† the pilot apologized, emerging from the cockpit. â€Å"Had to trim her back. Noise regulations over populated areas.† Langdon checked his watch. They had been airborne thirty-seven minutes. The pilot popped the outer door. â€Å"Anybody want to tell me what's going on?† Neither Vittoria nor Langdon responded. â€Å"Fine,† he said, stretching. â€Å"I'll be in the cockpit with the air-conditioning and my music. Just me and Garth.† The late-afternoon sun blazed outside the hangar. Langdon carried his tweed jacket over his shoulder. Vittoria turned her face skyward and inhaled deeply, as if the sun's rays somehow transferred to her some mystical replenishing energy. Mediterraneans, Langdon mused, already sweating. â€Å"Little old for cartoons, aren't you?† Vittoria asked, without opening her eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry?† â€Å"Your wristwatch. I saw it on the plane.† Langdon flushed slightly. He was accustomed to having to defend his timepiece. The collector's edition Mickey Mouse watch had been a childhood gift from his parents. Despite the contorted foolishness of Mickey's outstretched arms designating the hour, it was the only watch Langdon had ever worn. Waterproof and glow-in-the-dark, it was perfect for swimming laps or walking unlit college paths at night. When Langdon's students questioned his fashion sense, he told them he wore Mickey as a daily reminder to stay young at heart. â€Å"It's six o'clock,† he said. Vittoria nodded, eyes still closed. â€Å"I think our ride's here.† Langdon heard the distant whine, looked up, and felt a sinking feeling. Approaching from the north was a helicopter, slicing low across the runway. Langdon had been on a helicopter once in the Andean Palpa Valley looking at the Nazca sand drawings and had not enjoyed it one bit. A flying shoebox. After a morning of space plane rides, Langdon had hoped the Vatican would send a car. Apparently not. The chopper slowed overhead, hovered a moment, and dropped toward the runway in front of them. The craft was white and carried a coat of arms emblazoned on the side – two skeleton keys crossing a shield and papal crown. He knew the symbol well. It was the traditional seal of the Vatican – the sacred symbol of the Holy See or â€Å"holy seat† of government, the seat being literally the ancient throne of St. Peter. The Holy Chopper, Langdon groaned, watching the craft land. He'd forgotten the Vatican owned one of these things, used for transporting the Pope to the airport, to meetings, or to his summer palace in Gandolfo. Langdon definitely would have preferred a car. The pilot jumped from the cockpit and strode toward them across the tarmac. Now it was Vittoria who looked uneasy. â€Å"That's our pilot?† Langdon shared her concern. â€Å"To fly, or not to fly. That is the question.† The pilot looked like he was festooned for a Shakespearean melodrama. His puffy tunic was vertically striped in brilliant blue and gold. He wore matching pantaloons and spats. On his feet were black flats that looked like slippers. On top of it all, he wore a black felt beret. â€Å"Traditional Swiss Guard uniforms,† Langdon explained. â€Å"Designed by Michelangelo himself.† As the man drew closer, Langdon winced. â€Å"I admit, not one of Michelangelo's better efforts.† Despite the man's garish attire, Langdon could tell the pilot meant business. He moved toward them with all the rigidity and dignity of a U.S. Marine. Langdon had read many times about the rigorous requirements for becoming one of the elite Swiss Guard. Recruited from one of Switzerland's four Catholic cantons, applicants had to be Swiss males between nineteen and thirty years old, at least 5 feet 6 inches, trained by the Swiss Army, and unmarried. This imperial corps was envied by world governments as the most allegiant and deadly security force in the world. â€Å"You are from CERN?† the guard asked, arriving before them. His voice was steely. â€Å"Yes, sir,† Langdon replied. â€Å"You made remarkable time,† he said, giving the X-33 a mystified stare. He turned to Vittoria. â€Å"Ma'am, do you have any other clothing?† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† He motioned to her legs. â€Å"Short pants are not permitted inside Vatican City.† Langdon glanced down at Vittoria's legs and frowned. He had forgotten. Vatican City had a strict ban on visible legs above the knee – both male and female. The regulation was a way of showing respect for the sanctity of God's city. â€Å"This is all I have,† she said. â€Å"We came in a hurry.† The guard nodded, clearly displeased. He turned next to Langdon. â€Å"Are you carrying any weapons?† Weapons? Langdon thought. I'm not even carrying a change of underwear! He shook his head. The officer crouched at Langdon's feet and began patting him down, starting at his socks. Trusting guy, Langdon thought. The guard's strong hands moved up Langdon's legs, coming uncomfortably close to his groin. Finally they moved up to his chest and shoulders. Apparently content Langdon was clean, the guard turned to Vittoria. He ran his eyes up her legs and torso. Vittoria glared. â€Å"Don't even think about it.† The guard fixed Vittoria with a gaze clearly intended to intimidate. Vittoria did not flinch. â€Å"What's that?† the guard said, pointing to a faint square bulge in the front pocket of her shorts. Vittoria removed an ultrathin cell phone. The guard took it, clicked it on, waited for a dial tone, and then, apparently satisfied that it was indeed nothing more than a phone, returned it to her. Vittoria slid it back into her pocket. â€Å"Turn around, please,† the guard said. Vittoria obliged, holding her arms out and rotating a full 360 degrees. The guard carefully studied her. Langdon had already decided that Vittoria's form-fitting shorts and blouse were not bulging anywhere they shouldn't have been. Apparently the guard came to the same conclusion. â€Å"Thank you. This way please.† The Swiss Guard chopper churned in neutral as Langdon and Vittoria approached. Vittoria boarded first, like a seasoned pro, barely even stooping as she passed beneath the whirling rotors. Langdon held back a moment. â€Å"No chance of a car?† he yelled, half-joking to the Swiss Guard, who was climbing in the pilot's seat. The man did not answer. Langdon knew that with Rome's maniacal drivers, flying was probably safer anyway. He took a deep breath and boarded, stooping cautiously as he passed beneath the spinning rotors. As the guard fired up the engines, Vittoria called out, â€Å"Have you located the canister?† The guard glanced over his shoulder, looking confused. â€Å"The what?† â€Å"The canister. You called CERN about a canister?† The man shrugged. â€Å"No idea what you're talking about. We've been very busy today. My commander told me to pick you up. That's all I know.† Vittoria gave Langdon an unsettled look. â€Å"Buckle up, please,† the pilot said as the engine revved. Langdon reached for his seat belt and strapped himself in. The tiny fuselage seemed to shrink around him. Then with a roar, the craft shot up and banked sharply north toward Rome. Rome†¦ the caput mundi, where Caesar once ruled, where St. Peter was crucified. The cradle of modern civilization. And at its core†¦ a ticking bomb. 33 Rome from the air is a labyrinth – an indecipherable maze of ancient roadways winding around buildings, fountains, and crumbling ruins. The Vatican chopper stayed low in the sky as it sliced northwest through the permanent smog layer coughed up by the congestion below. Langdon gazed down at the mopeds, sight-seeing buses, and armies of miniature Fiat sedans buzzing around rotaries in all directions. Koyaanisqatsi, he thought, recalling the Hopi term for â€Å"life out of balance.† Vittoria sat in silent determination in the seat beside him. The chopper banked hard. His stomach dropping, Langdon gazed farther into the distance. His eyes found the crumbling ruins of the Roman Coliseum. The Coliseum, Langdon had always thought, was one of history's greatest ironies. Now a dignified symbol for the rise of human culture and civilization, the stadium had been built to host centuries of barbaric events – hungry lions shredding prisoners, armies of slaves battling to the death, gang rapes of exotic women captured from far-off lands, as well as public beheadings and castrations. It was ironic, Langdon thought, or perhaps fitting, that the Coliseum had served as the architectural blueprint for Harvard's Soldier Field – the football stadium where the ancient traditions of savagery were reenacted every fall†¦ crazed fans screaming for bloodshed as Harvard battled Yale. As the chopper headed north, Langdon spied the Roman Forum – the heart of pre-Christian Rome. The decaying columns looked like toppled gravestones in a cemetery that had somehow avoided being swallowed by the metropolis surrounding it. To the west the wide basin of the Tiber River wound enormous arcs across the city. Even from the air Langdon could tell the water was deep. The churning currents were brown, filled with silt and foam from heavy rains. â€Å"Straight ahead,† the pilot said, climbing higher. Langdon and Vittoria looked out and saw it. Like a mountain parting the morning fog, the colossal dome rose out of the haze before them: St. Peter's Basilica. â€Å"Now that,† Langdon said to Vittoria, â€Å"is something Michelangelo got right.† Langdon had never seen St. Peter's from the air. The marble faà §ade blazed like fire in the afternoon sun. Adorned with 140 statues of saints, martyrs, and angels, the Herculean edifice stretched two football fields wide and a staggering six long. The cavernous interior of the basilica had room for over 60,000 worshipers†¦ over one hundred times the population of Vatican City, the smallest country in the world. Incredibly, though, not even a citadel of this magnitude could dwarf the piazza before it. A sprawling expanse of granite, St. Peter's Square was a staggering open space in the congestion of Rome, like a classical Central Park. In front of the basilica, bordering the vast oval common, 284 columns swept outward in four concentric arcs of diminishing size†¦ an architectural trompe de l'oiel used to heighten the piazza's sense of grandeur. As he stared at the magnificent shrine before him, Langdon wondered what St. Peter would think if he were here now. The Saint had died a gruesome death, crucified upside down on this very spot. Now he rested in the most sacred of tombs, buried five stories down, directly beneath the central cupola of the basilica. â€Å"Vatican City,† the pilot said, sounding anything but welcoming. Langdon looked out at the towering stone bastions that loomed ahead – impenetrable fortifications surrounding the complex†¦ a strangely earthly defense for a spiritual world of secrets, power, and mystery. â€Å"Look!† Vittoria said suddenly, grabbing Langdon's arm. She motioned frantically downward toward St. Peter's Square directly beneath them. Langdon put his face to the window and looked. â€Å"Over there,† she said, pointing. Langdon looked. The rear of the piazza looked like a parking lot crowded with a dozen or so trailer trucks. Huge satellite dishes pointed skyward from the roof of every truck. The dishes were emblazoned with familiar names: Televisor Europea Video Italia BBC United Press International Langdon felt suddenly confused, wondering if the news of the antimatter had already leaked out. Vittoria seemed suddenly tense. â€Å"Why is the press here? What's going on?† The pilot turned and gave her an odd look over his shoulder. â€Å"What's going on? You don't know?† â€Å"No,† she fired back, her accent husky and strong. â€Å"Il Conclavo,† he said. â€Å"It is to be sealed in about an hour. The whole world is watching.† Il Conclavo. The word rang a long moment in Langdon's ears before dropping like a brick to the pit of his stomach. Il Conclavo. The Vatican Conclave. How could he have forgotten? It had been in the news recently. Fifteen days ago, the Pope, after a tremendously popular twelve-year reign, had passed away. Every paper in the world had carried the story about the Pope's fatal stroke while sleeping – a sudden and unexpected death many whispered was suspicious. But now, in keeping with the sacred tradition, fifteen days after the death of a Pope, the Vatican was holding Il Conclavo – the sacred ceremony in which the 165 cardinals of the world – the most powerful men in Christendom – gathered in Vatican City to elect the new Pope. Every cardinal on the planet is here today, Langdon thought as the chopper passed over St. Peter's Basilica. The expansive inner world of Vatican City spread out beneath him. The entire power structure of the Roman Catholic Church is sitting on a time bomb. 34 Cardinal Mortati gazed up at the lavish ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and tried to find a moment of quiet reflection. The frescoed walls echoed with the voices of cardinals from nations around the globe. The men jostled in the candlelit tabernacle, whispering excitedly and consulting with one another in numerous languages, the universal tongues being English, Italian, and Spanish. The light in the chapel was usually sublime – long rays of tinted sun slicing through the darkness like rays from heaven – but not today. As was the custom, all of the chapel's windows had been covered in black velvet in the name of secrecy. This ensured that no one on the inside could send signals or communicate in any way with the outside world. The result was a profound darkness lit only by candles†¦ a shimmering radiance that seemed to purify everyone it touched, making them all ghostly†¦ like saints. What privilege, Mortati thought, that I am to oversee this sanctified event. Cardinals over eighty years of age were too old to be eligible for election and did not attend conclave, but at seventy-nine years old, Mortati was the most senior cardinal here and had been appointed to oversee the proceedings. Following tradition, the cardinals gathered here two hours before conclave to catch up with friends and engage in last-minute discussion. At 7 P.M., the late Pope's chamberlain would arrive, give opening prayer, and then leave. Then the Swiss Guard would seal the doors and lock all the cardinals inside. It was then that the oldest and most secretive political ritual in the world would begin. The cardinals would not be released until they decided who among them would be the next Pope. Conclave. Even the name was secretive. â€Å"Con clave† literally meant â€Å"locked with a key.† The cardinals were permitted no contact whatsoever with the outside world. No phone calls. No messages. No whispers through doorways. Conclave was a vacuum, not to be influenced by anything in the outside world. This would ensure that the cardinals kept Solum Dum prae oculis†¦ only God before their eyes. Outside the walls of the chapel, of course, the media watched and waited, speculating as to which of the cardinals would become the ruler of one billion Catholics worldwide. Conclaves created an intense, politically charged atmosphere, and over the centuries they had turned deadly: poisonings, fist fights, and even murder had erupted within the sacred walls. Ancient history, Mortati thought. Tonight's conclave will be unified, blissful, and above all†¦ brief. Or at least that had been his speculation. Now, however, an unexpected development had emerged. Mystifyingly, four cardinals were absent from the chapel. Mortati knew that all the exits to Vatican City were guarded, and the missing cardinals could not have gone far, but still, with less than an hour before opening prayer, he was feeling disconcerted. After all, the four missing men were no ordinary cardinals. They were the cardinals. The chosen four. As overseer of the conclave, Mortati had already sent word through the proper channels to the Swiss Guard alerting them to the cardinals' absence. He had yet to hear back. Other cardinals had now noticed the puzzling absence. The anxious whispers had begun. Of all cardinals, these four should be on time! Cardinal Mortati was starting to fear it might be a long evening after all. He had no idea. 35 The Vatican's helipad, for reasons of safety and noise control, is located in the northwest tip of Vatican City, as far from St. Peter's Basilica as possible. â€Å"Terra firma,† the pilot announced as they touched down. He exited and opened the sliding door for Langdon and Vittoria. Langdon descended from the craft and turned to help Vittoria, but she had already dropped effortlessly to the ground. Every muscle in her body seemed tuned to one objective – finding the antimatter before it left a horrific legacy. After stretching a reflective sun tarp across the cockpit window, the pilot ushered them to an oversized electric golf cart waiting near the helipad. The cart whisked them silently alongside the country's western border – a fifty-foot-tall cement bulwark thick enough to ward off attacks even by tanks. Lining the interior of the wall, posted at fifty-meter intervals, Swiss Guards stood at attention, surveying the interior of the grounds. The cart turned sharply right onto Via della Osservatorio. Signs pointed in all directions: Palazzio Governatorio Collegio Ethiopiana Basilica San Pietro Capella Sistina They accelerated up the manicured road past a squat building marked Radio Vaticana. This, Langdon realized to his amazement, was the hub of the world's most listened-to radio programming – Radio Vaticana – spreading the word of God to millions of listeners around the globe. â€Å"Attenzione,† the pilot said, turning sharply into a rotary. As the cart wound round, Langdon could barely believe the sight now coming into view. Giardini Vaticani, he thought. The heart of Vatican City. Directly ahead rose the rear of St. Peter's Basilica, a view, Langdon realized, most people never saw. To the right loomed the Palace of the Tribunal, the lush papal residence rivaled only by Versailles in its baroque embellishment. The severe-looking Governatorato building was now behind them, housing Vatican City's administration. And up ahead on the left, the massive rectangular edifice of the Vatican Museum. Langdon knew there would be no time for a museum visit this trip. â€Å"Where is everyone?† Vittoria asked, surveying the deserted lawns and walkways. The guard checked his black, military-style chronograph – an odd anachronism beneath his puffy sleeve. â€Å"The cardinals are convened in the Sistine Chapel. Conclave begins in a little under an hour.† Langdon nodded, vaguely recalling that before conclave the cardinals spent two hours inside the Sistine Chapel in quiet reflection and visitations with their fellow cardinals from around the globe. The time was meant to renew old friendships among the cardinals and facilitate a less heated election process. â€Å"And the rest of the residents and staff?† â€Å"Banned from the city for secrecy and security until the conclave concludes.† â€Å"And when does it conclude?† The guard shrugged. â€Å"God only knows.† The words sounded oddly literal. After parking the cart on the wide lawn directly behind St. Peter's Basilica, the guard escorted Langdon and Vittoria up a stone escarpment to a marble plaza off the back of the basilica. Crossing the plaza, they approached the rear wall of the basilica and followed it through a triangular courtyard, across Via Belvedere, and into a series of buildings closely huddled together. Langdon's art history had taught him enough Italian to pick out signs for the Vatican Printing Office, the Tapestry Restoration Lab, Post Office Management, and the Church of St. Ann. They crossed another small square and arrived at their destination. The Office of the Swiss Guard is housed adjacent to Il Corpo di Vigilanza, directly northeast of St. Peter's Basilica. The office is a squat, stone building. On either side of the entrance, like two stone statues, stood a pair of guards. Langdon had to admit, these guards did not look quite so comical. Although they also wore the blue and gold uniform, each wielded the traditional â€Å"Vatican long sword† – an eight-foot spear with a razor-sharp scythe – rumored to have decapitated countless Muslims while defending the Christian crusaders in the fifteenth century. As Langdon and Vittoria approached, the two guards stepped forward, crossing their long swords, blocking the entrance. One looked up at the pilot in confusion. â€Å"I pantaloni,† he said, motioning to Vittoria's shorts. The pilot waved them off. â€Å"Il comandante vuole vederli subito.† The guards frowned. Reluctantly they stepped aside. Inside, the air was cool. It looked nothing like the administrative security offices Langdon would have imagined. Ornate and impeccably furnished, the hallways contained paintings Langdon was certain any museum worldwide would gladly have featured in its main gallery. The pilot pointed down a steep set of stairs. â€Å"Down, please.† Langdon and Vittoria followed the white marble treads as they descended between a gauntlet of nude male sculptures. Each statue wore a fig leaf that was lighter in color than the rest of the body. The Great Castration, Langdon thought. It was one of the most horrific tragedies in Renaissance art. In 1857, Pope Pius IX decided that the accurate representation of the male form might incite lust inside the Vatican. So he got a chisel and mallet and hacked off the genitalia of every single male statue inside Vatican City. He defaced works by Michelangelo, Bramante, and Bernini. Plaster fig leaves were used to patch the damage. Hundreds of sculptures had been emasculated. Langdon had often wondered if there was a huge crate of stone penises someplace. â€Å"Here,† the guard announced. They reached the bottom of the stairs and dead-ended at a heavy, steel door. The guard typed an entry code, and the door slid open. Langdon and Vittoria entered. Beyond the threshold was absolute mayhem.