Devil in the White City Book Summary Essay

The Devil in the White City, written by Eric Larson, is a gripping novel of two polar opposite men during the building of the World’s Fair in Chicago. It surrounds two characters, both extremely talented at their ‘craft’ and perfectly depicts the rush for industrialization in this time. It follows the lives of Daniel H. Burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, and Henry H. Holmes, a serial killer who built a hotel turned torture chamber complete with a dissection table, gas chamber, and crematorium. This story is so interesting because it details true life events and uses real life characters such as Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, and Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Meshing these two characters together enhances the intensity of the story and truly shows the effect of the building of the World’s Fair on Chicago in late 1880 and early 1890. The book begins in 1890, when Chicago is a candidate to hold the World’s Fair, or the World’s Columbian Exposition, meant to commemorate Columus’ arriving in America. Daniel Burnham was responsible for building the White City. He overcame multiple crushing obstacles and personal tragedies to make the Fair the magical, awe-inspiring event that it was. He brought together some of the greatest architects of the Gilded Age such as Charles McKim, George Post, Richard Hunt, Frederick Law Olmsted, and others, and convinced them of the importance of the Fair. Burnham somehow got them to work together to achieve what many considered to be an impossible project in an astonishingly short amount of time. The result of their strenuous hard work ended in a beautiful even that brought almost 40 million people to the city of Chicago and transformed the shoreline of Chicago forever. A few miles away, in the suburb of Englewood, a different kind of story was unfolding. Dr. H. H. Holmes had built a boarding house turned torture chamber on one full city block. Holmes was described as a handsome, blue-eyed charmer who had away with women. He would seduce, mesmerize, and intrigue them, all the way up until the pint at where he killed them. He had many ways of torture and death, such as smothering them with ether-soaked rags, of locking them in an air tight chamber and releasing poisonous gas into them. After killing his victims, Holmes would often dissect them; removing their skin, selling their skeletons to be used in medical school. He truly was the worst victim, due to his sociopathic mind that prayed on the vulnerable and found a certain unexplainable joy in the art of killing.

Mitch Essay

Title The title of the lab should be at the top of the lab report. Background Information and Research 1. Give a simple explanation, in your own words, of what paper chromatography is and what it is used for. 2. Give at least three real-world uses for paper chromatography used in the fields of chemistry and biology. 3. Be sure to include references for any research conducted for this section. Purpose In one or two complete sentences, state the purpose of this laboratory investigation. Materials List all of the materials used in this lab. Procedure Include a step-by-step procedure for what you did in the lab, written in your own words. Data and Observations * List your original predictions about the expected pigment components of each candy color. * Create an organized and labeled data table that lists the color and distance traveled of each pigment separated from each original candy color or ink type. Remember to have two separate sections or tables for the two solutions (salt water and alcohol) used. * Also include any other observations that you made during the course of the investigation. Discussion and Conclusion: The first part of this section discusses the observations and results of the lab as well as any mistakes that may have been made (or what measures were taken to try to avoid mistakes) and what improvements, if any, you can think of for the procedure for the next time the lab will be conducted. The discussion section of this lab should also include discussions on the following: * A comparison of how each solution (salt water and alcohol) separated the pigments from each color of candy or ink type. Which solution worked better at separating each of the pigments (it may be different for different candy colors or inks), and why do you think that is? * If you had allowed less time for the lab (stopping the separation process when the solution was halfway up the paper), how do you think that would have affected your results? * What pigment colors traveled farther up the paper? What pigment traveled the least? Was it the same or different when those pigments appeared in other candy colors or inks? Was it the same or different when separated by alcohol instead of salt water?

Causes and Ways to Reduce Fatal Accidents

Accidents involving fatalities during the festive seasons has increased drastically. We should take this as a serious matter as it brings a lot of negative impacts to the road users and people around us. Based on a survey which has been conducted recently, the number of road accidents in 2013 has increased about 25 percent compared to last few years. Authorities believe that the number of death toll in road accidents will increase continuously throughout the year if there is no strict rules are imposed.There are many reasons why there has been an increase in fatal accidents over the year. Firstly, drunk drinking is the main reason that causes road accidents. Intake of certain amount of alcoholic drinks will make one feel unconscious and unwell. When he or she lapses into unconsciousness, he or she might not be able to drive with a sober mind. This is because their mental power is unable to function well at that moment and they tend to lose their senses as well . Besides that, neglige nce and reckless driving also cause fatal accidents.Reckless rivers usually like to break rules and even tend to challenge the police officers. Some the drivers like to tail along ambulances during emergency cases when the siren is on. Those are the irresponsible road users that should be suspended or fined . On the other hand, talking or messaging on the mobile phones while during driving is Jeopardizing your own life and the lives of your loved ones. People like to use their phones to chat incessantly and keep looking at their phones every second. Sometimes, we should limit oneself not overuse it especially when you are driving.Road users should always be caution and pay full attention while behind the wheels. In addition, exhaustion and tiredness can cause road tragedy. When a person travels long distance to reach the respective destinations, they will feel drowsy and exhausted which make them to lose focus on driving. Some of them even fall asleep behind the steering wheel. In o rder to avoid any untoward tragedy, one should get enough rest before starting your Jorney. Also, do not take any medicine while driving on the road. There are many ways to overcome the fatal incidents.Government should remind all road users to always adhere to speed limit and not to beat the red light. Observation of traffic rules and regulations will ensure a safe Journey. Government should also launch some campaigns in order to develop awareness among the motorists. In a nutshell, all parties should play their parts efficiently in order to reduce the road accidents. A I Malaysian drivers are urged to practice courtesy and consideration at all times while on the road because millions of vehicles will be sharing the same road. Remember, better to be safe than sorry.

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Company Law - Essay Example However, under certain circumstances, it has been identified that courts may disregard this principle. Correspondingly, corporate veil is a legal notion that separates the characteristics of a business from that of the characteristics of its shareholders, which further defends the shareholder from becoming liable for the debts and other legal obligations associated with the company. It simply signifies that the creditors of the company cannot claim personal assets of the owner; instead, they could claim only for the assets related to the entity2. In this regard, lifting the corporate veil is another legal notion of the company law enacted in the UK which is intended to signify that there is no distinction between the rights and duties of a corporate body and its members. In this context, it has been noted that, lifting the corporate veil will no longer make the owner or investors of the company to enjoy the benefits or protection as per the law related to the corporate body. Simultan eously, the notion of lifting the corporate veil will also make shareholders of the company liable for any probable debts and liability owned by the corporate body3. Based on this context, the paper will highlight the various aspects related with the company law of the UK and the reluctance of the UK courts to lift the corporate veil, except in the most exceptional cases. U.K Company Law and Corporate Veil The UK company law comprises specific standards and regulations regarding the corporate operations in the UK. One of the prime intentions of the law is to set regulations regarding the claims of the corporate body. It has been noted that there are various approaches, which companies adopt in order to conduct their business; out of which, certain approaches might not be in favour of the stakeholders of the company. In order to limit those approaches, the government of the country are often engaged in developing the company laws. The laws mainly intend to ensure proper conduct of th e companies, which are both legal as well as ethical at the same time. The companies in the UK are primarily governed under the Company Act 2006, which was recently amended in the year 2009. The updated or revised presentation of the UK company law is further observed to be quite simple as well as more flexible, which further facilitates in easy understanding of the rules and regulations by the corporate members. The revised edition of the law aims at enhancing the liabilities of the shareholders towards its various business operations4 5. Lifting the Corporate veil is one of the sections or contents of the UK company law that falls under the Companies Act 2006. It is fundamentally referred to the decision of the law, which signifies that any claim or the liability of the corporate body is separable to the members of the corporate entity. Accordingly, when a creditor of the company discovers that a debtor or the company is insolvent, the creditor of the company usually seeks to reco ver the debt from the members of the company including directors, shareholders and at times, with the associate of the company. In such scenario, when assets of the company are insufficient to meet the claims of creditors, the court may make the members of th

Drug rehabilitation verses incarceration Research Paper

Drug rehabilitation verses incarceration - Research Paper Example In the contemporary society, there are different opinions regarding the effectiveness of incarceration in deterring crime. Critics of incarceration argue that there is a possibility of accelerating the development of anti-social behavior in individuals that are isolated from the society by virtue of their conduct. The environment in which they live may affect accomplishment of the goal of incarceration. This paper presents a critique of the two forms of dealing with drug use in the society, supporting the view that drug rehabilitation is effective than incarceration. Successful  rehabilitation  programs usually play an important role in reducing recidivism. The offenders are categorized according to the risk factors of the crime. The risk principle is significant in ensuring that the treatment and control given to the offenders match the level of risk. According to Stover (2001), risk is the possibility of the offender repeating the crime. The low risk offenders are those that have a low possibility of committing the offense for a second time. They are given relatively less intensive supervision and treatment compared to the high risk offenders who are associated with several risk factors, meaning that they have a high probability of re-offending. Incarceration is usually in-effective as regards the level of treatment and supervision given to the offenders. All the prisoners are usually treated in the same way apart from the length of imprisonment. In other words, incarceration is applied on the basis that prisons are the ultimate destiny of offenders at all levels. For example, a person convicted of drug use or rape is treated in the same treatment in the prison whereas rehabilitation would begin by assessing the level of risk to determine the probability of recidivism. Factors such as moral values, living environment and such conditions that may influence the occurrence of an offence are considered

Business - Project Management Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business - Project Management - Dissertation Example Project management includes developing a project plan, which includes defining and confirming the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks and how goals will be achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining budgets and timelines for completion† (All about Project Management n.d.). 25 Research Design and Methodology: 27 2.6 Methodology: 27 2.7 Research Design: 27 2.7.1 Operations and Lean Strategies: 27 2.7.2 Developments and Project Management Principles: 28 2.8 Analysis Strategy: 29 2.9 Validity and Reliability 30 2.10 Summary 30 2.11 TBD 30 2.12 TBD 30 2.13 TBD 30 2.14 TBD 30 2.15 Results Model (TBD) 30 2.16 Summary 30 3 Discussion 30 3.1 TBD 30 3.2 TBD 31 3.3 Summary 31 4 Conclusions: 31 4.1 Summary of Conclusions: 31 4.2 Weaknesses of the Research: 31 4.3 Future Research 31 4.4 Summary and Concluding Remarks 31 Figure 1 - Toyota Production System (King 2009, p. 9). 13 Figure 2 - Project Management Triangle (Phillips 2007): 19 Figure 3 - Improvement Meth odology (Freire & Alarco'n 2002, p. 250). 29 1 Introduction: This dissertation is a case study of an exploration and production company in the Oil & Gas Industry that has operations in six Continents. The remainder of this document will refer to make reference to the subject of this Case Study as â€Å"The Company†. The Company has more than 50 years of history and aspires to be a leading Independent Global Exploration and Production Company (IOC). In this effort, it has grown its global production from 200,000 barrels per day in the year 2000 to more than 400,000 barrels of oil per day today. The ability for a company to grow its sales by six percent a year average over 12 years is stellar achievement, as changes in the industry make increases in production more difficult. Marathon Oil, according to Gelsi (2011), had a target growth of three to five percent for the same period and has only recently increased their target growth. This is a clear indication of the dedication t o performance of The Company during the period that allowed it to exceed the expectations of its peers during difficult times in the Oil Industry. The Oil Industry has changed over time and the number of large oil discoveries made in recent years continues to fall. Ibrahim (2007) explains that the percentage of large oil finds has fallen dramatically and most large findings are natural gas and are located in deep water or other high cost operating areas. IOC’s must adjust to the changing environment in which large discoveries are rare. A second issue that has a detrimental impact on IOC’s profitability is the Nationalization of the existing oil fields. The Nationalization of 65% of the World’s Oil fields (Fox, 2007) has dramatically changed the competitive environment for the Independent Oil Company (IOC). This reduces the number of opportunities for the Independent Oil Company and increases the level of competition between them. The increased competition caused by Nationalization has resulted in most IOC’

Hamlet Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Hamlet Paper - Essay Example This setting emphasizes the exclusion of the people in this scene from the important and royal people who are tucked up inside the castle. It is as if the author is leading the audience gently up to the castle from a long distance and forcing them to pause and reflect on the time and place before tackling the main characters and plot. As the scene develops, however, it gradually becomes clear that this opening scene is setting down some markers for what is to come. It does this by drawing attention to three main themes which are: loyalty to the monarch, the difference between fantasy and reality, and the dread of some impending but unknown evil. The opening lines of the play are evidently an exchange between two guards, Bernardo and Francisco, who are changing places because it is time for one to finish his shift, and the other one to start. They speak to each other robustly and yet also respectfully, and it is clear that they both are in service to a monarch since Bernardo shouts ou t â€Å"Long live the king!† (Act I, Scene 1, line 3) as a means of identifying who he is. Both Bernardo and Francisco define themselves by their duty of loyalty to the king, and although they take their jobs seriously, it seems to be a life of hardship, because Francisco complains of the cold and of the fact that he is â€Å"sick at heart.† (Act I, Scene 1, line 8). This same declaration of loyalty to the king is repeated when Horatio and Marcellus appear, declaring that they are â€Å"friends to this ground/And liegemen to the Dane.† (Act I, Scene 1, line 8). The Dane is a reference to the king of Denmark, since kings were often referred to simply with the name of the country they ruled, and it is Shakespeare’s way of making it clear to the audience that the action takes place in this foreign country of Denmark. The loyalty of these men to the Danish throne is not in the least questioned but an element of doubt creeps in when it becomes clear that the g hostly apparition in front of them is â€Å"In the same figure, like the king that’s dead† (Act I, Scene 1, line 41). This reference informs the audience that there has been a recent changeover in the kingship, and that the soldiers have not yet adjusted to the new king’s reign. Bernardo says â€Å"Looks it not like the king?† (Act 1, Scene 1, line 43) and does not use a phrase like â€Å"the old king†, or â€Å"the former king†. This suggests he is still loyal to the old king and thinks of him automatically as the rightful monarch. The soldiers ask Horatio, who is addressed as a scholar, meaning that he has more education and status than the ordinary soldiers, to speak to the ghostly figure, and Horatio too, reveals his fondness and respect for the dead king, whom he refers to â€Å"the majesty of buried Denmark.† (Act I, Scene 1, line 48). In this case the usage drives home the message that if the fate of the whole country is tied u p with the fate of the king. This little exchange injects an element of suspense into the scene, because the audience is bound to be wondering what happened to the old king, and who is now ruling Denmark in his place. These questions are left hanging in the air, so that the whole topic of kingship acquires an aura of uncertainty. Further information about the dead king is given by Horatio, who presumably knew him, and fought with him

Forum memos Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Forum memos - Case Study Example A good case study is the American International Group Incorporation. The company violated Delaware laws and stakeholder’s rights by accepting to be rescued by the federal government in exchange of a majority stake in the insurance company. Further, the company refused to provide its shareholders/company owners an opportunity to vote on major issues on a bailout proposal. The government was to give out $85 and receive $79.9 percent stake in return that violated Delaware corporate law. One of the investors by the name Wilma Walker filed a suit in court. His actions caused the senior director of the company to resign managers including chief executive officer since the act led to the loss of $180 billion and the American International Group risked being collapsed. This was a deal backed by the U.S Treasury Department, and it was designed to prevent chaos that threatened other financial companies (Bloomberg, 2008). American International Group also did not adhere to good corporate governance by converting the preferred shares into common stock without any approval from shareholder. The company also had to part with $1.6 billion to settle allegations of influential leaders because the company had misled stakeholders and lied in worker’s compensation program (Bloomberg,

Bank of America Part III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Bank of America Part III - Essay Example This research aims to evaluate and present two major objectives of Bank of America Corporation. There are first, to rebalance as well as realign the organization so as to provide their clients with the most exclusive and finest financial services, and second, to reinforce their balance sheet as well as capital situation to generate the appropriate conditions for continuing shareholder value augmentation. The vision of BAC is to develop into the best financial services organization in the world. The management of BAC believes that the accomplishment of this vision can be assessed by their clients, their human resources and their shareholders. BAC’s management considers that they would succeed in attaining the vision of the organization when they would be able to preserve the faith and confidence of their clients, customers, staffs, shareholders as well as policymakers. The core principals of Bank of America Corporation are to bring value for their shareholders in addition to th eir customers and clients, retain faith and confidence in their team, hold on to the power of their human resources, endorse opportunities and act sensibly. BAC caters the financial needs of three main groups of customers, viz. individual consumers, companies and institutional investors. The management of BAC recognizes that their decisions and measures can impact the lives of many individuals and hence they consider themselves liable for regimented risk management and for operating in the appropriate way. With the dynamically changing economic and market conditions, the management of BAC is attempting to bring about a change in their organizational culture. They had moved from acquiring franchise to the efficient operation and management of the franchise. BAC was earlier positioned as a commercial bank focused on the US; however they had repositioned

Government Capital Punishment Essay Example for Free

Government Capital Punishment Essay Theories of punishment have significant role to play in the ongoing debate on capital punishment, especially for murder. Some retributivists appeal to the lex talionis, the law of retaliation, to determine the appropriate amount of punishment . This principle specifies that the punishment should inflict on offenders what they have done to their victims; â€Å"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth†, and â€Å"a life for a life†. Capital punishment is therefore the only appropriate punishment for murder. But the lex talionis is deeply flawed. It focuses on the harm done by offenders without regard to their mental states. A life may be taken intentionally or accidentally; a person may be killed for personal gain or in order to relieve him or her of the agony of a terminal illness. Even if we restrict the scope of the lex talionis to cases in which the wrongdoing is fully intentional, there is still the problem about the level at which the punishment should imitate the crime (Singer, 1993). Should murderers be killed in exactly the manner that they killed their victims? In any case, it is impossible to apply the lex talionis to many offenders; the penniless thief, the tooth assailant who knocks out his victim’s teeth, the tax evader, etc. If conscious of the defects of the lex talionis, retributivists merely insist that the punishment should be appropriate to the moral gravity of the offence, then this requirement can be satisfied so long as the murderer is punished more severely than less serious offenders. There is no need for capital punishment. From the utilitarian point of view, capital punishment can only be justified if it produces better consequences than less severe forms of punishment. This condition would be satisfied if capital punishment is a superior deterrent to alternative forms of punishment such as long periods of imprisonment. So a utilitarian will try to settle the issue on the basis of the evidence about the effects of capital punishment. The statistical evidence is based on comparisons of murder rates in countries where there is capital punishment with those in socially similar countries where there is no capital punishment, and no comparisons of the murder rates in one and the same country at different times when it had capital punishment and when it later abolished it, or when it restored capital punishment after a period of abolition. The evidence does not show that capital punishment is a superior deterrent. However, the utilitarian approach is rejected by those who wish to place greater value on the lives of the innocent victims of murder than on the lives of convicted murderers. It is suggested that the evidence does not conclusively rule out the superior deterrence of capital punishment, and in the presence of such uncertainty, it is better to have capital punishment. If there is capital punishment, and it turns out that capital punishment is not a superior deterrent, then convicted murderers have been unnecessarily executed. If, on the other hand, we abolish capital punishment, and it turns out that it is a superior deterrent, then there would be additional victims of murder. But this argument is unacceptable because where there is capital punishment, it is certain that convicted murderers will die, but in the absence of capital punishment and in the light of available evidence there is only a remote probability that there would be more innocent victims of murder (Conway, 1974). In any case, there is a risk of a few innocent people being wrongly convicted of murder and executed if there is capital punishment. This has to put on the scales against capital punishment.

Strategies of Negotiations

Strategies of Negotiations Abstract Since early childhood we have learned to negotiate although we probably didnt really realize it. While the tactics we used when we were young were more on an emotional basis we still knew what we wanted and how to get it. We continue to negotiate throughout our daily lives. Negotiation takes proper planning in order for it to be successful. Negotiations often fail for numerous reasons however mainly because we either fail to plan or fail to listen. Therefore it only makes sense that successful negotiations are often driven by the planning and listening. Negotiations are affected by the way individuals communicate, their influencing styles and the way they prepare. While most negotiators go into a negotiation looking for a win-win agreement there are times when companies choose to use hardball tactics no matter what cost. Its important to identify these tactics and know how you will deal with them when confronted. Negotiations In our daily life we negotiate whether its debating what time your child needs to get up for school, with your boss over a project or what to have for dinner. How we handle each one of those negotiations varies based on who were negotiating with. At home we usually dont go through the steps of planning for the negotiation as we must at work. Not because we shouldnt but because of the type of negotiating were doing. In this paper well discuss what negotiation is. Then well discuss how to prepare for negotiations by gathering as much information as possible. Even when you prepare there are reasons negotiations fail and those will be addressed along with how they succeed. Well also discuss things that affect negotiations like communication, influencing styles and preparation. Finally well discuss how not every negotiator goes to the table looking for a win-win bargain. Negotiation is a process when two or more parties who have their own objectives, goal or viewpoint seek to find a common ground and reach an agreement to resolve a matter of common concern or resolve a disagreement. Although individuals may not always realize it negotiations take place several times throughout the day in our every day lives. Anyone who needs to persuade another is the negotiator. From a very young age we have learned to negotiate in order to get our way. Most parties choose to negotiate because they feel they can get a better deal versus settling for what the other has/wants to give. Companies are no different. Companies want the most â€Å"bang for their buck† so to speak. Many companies are better at negotiating than others. That may be due to the individuals they have negotiating on their behalf or it may be because of what theyre negotiating for. Since companies dont divulge their specific strategies, tactics and techniques they use in negotiations one mus t have a plan. This plan must be created outside the negotiation room. According to the Essentials in Negotiations, â€Å"Effective strategy and planning are the most critical precursors for achieving negotiation objectives. (Lewicki, Barry, Saunders. 2007. P. 85) Many times parties go into a negotiation unprepared and end up making concessions that compromising diminishes the profitability of the agreement. â€Å"Research shows that you can achieve the best negotiation outcomes by spending 5x longer preparing for a negotiation than you will actually spend in a negotiation.† (Schroth. 2009) An important part of planning is having a clear and concise proposal before entering into the negotiation. There are many areas you need to consider a few of them are knowing your objectives and the other sides objectives, determining what concessions you can make, how will you achieve your objectives, what will influence the result of the negotiation. It is frequently stated that information is power. Therefore its important to have certain information during a negotiation. You need to know what information you know that the other side does too, what information you know that the other party doesnt have, what information do you have and does the other party have to have prior to negotiating with each other. This is very important when you negotiate with parties who focus on price. Theres other information that is important for instance whats important to the individual youre negotiating with, why do they need to close the deal, how is business for the company during negotiations and how critical is it that they do business with you. The planning phase of negotiation entails all parties finding out as much information as possible prior to discussing any particular deal or alternatives. For example, if you knew that your company was the only one that could meet the requirements, its possible that you could negotiate a more favorable price. If you knew that the other party recently increased their production capability, you might be able to negotiate more favorable terms in return for promising to purchase a definite quantity over a specific time period. By taking the time during the planning stage and listing what information you know and what youll need to know, you will have a better opportunity to negotiate well on your companys behalf. During the bargaining process it is unlikely for the parties to reach an immediate agreement since they usually dont have the same objectives. Usually, agreements must be made where each party must give and receive concessions and it is this is where the payoff of the end result will be determined. When getting ready for negotiations, its recommended you create a reasonable assessment of your perception of the end result. Decide what limitations you have based on your power in the negotiation then figure out what you are ready and capable of conceding to so that you reach an agreement that is , which pleases all involved. Concessions contain two parts; cost and value. Although the words can be used interchangeably they do not mean the same thing. There are times when something is of low cost but great value and vice versa. Therefore its important to know when going into negotiations what is of cost and what is of value to you and your company. During negotiations its possible to concede issues that have minimal dollar cost to you because they may be of great value to the other party. These are the types of concessions you want to proceed with. However, you want to avoid conceding to issues that are of great cost to you regardless of what their value is to the other parties. When planning for negotiations you need to ensure you know what could you reasonably achieve, what is the probable outcome, what is your authority is, what concessions can you concede to and what is their value to both sides. Once that is completed you can then work on planning your strategy. Another part in the planning process is creating a strategy. Youve already established what your objectives are and now you need a plan on how to attain them. During the strategy planning you need to ensure you look at the negotiation from both sides. You cant go into a negotiation with blinders on only looking at it from your viewpoint. If so, you will most likely fail. You need to look forward and think about the other parties strategy. While planning you must be cognizant of the different negotiation tactics and figure out which ones you are comfortable using and realize which ones are being utilized by the other party. We learn to negotiate at a young age in order to get what we want. The tactics used for children are emotional outbursts, stomping our feet, or drawing attention to ourselves in public in order to manipulate our parents. Its amazing that at such a young age we know what we want and what to do in order to obtain it. This approach is considered the positional negotiation and is one-sided. This type of negotiation is holding a strong position and not wanting to know what the basic needs are of the other party therefore we are determined to get the work the best deal at any expense. However, the emotional outburst approach needs to be left to the children and those characters on television. You can not have a relationship and a win-win situation with that approach therefore your negotiation has failed. Negotiations fail for many reasons. Depending on what is being negotiated, who is doing the negotiation and what is at stake. One of the main reasons negotiations fail is due to lack of planning. There is a saying â€Å"failing to plan is planning to fail†. That is exceptionally true when it comes to negotiations. Planning will ensure youre conscious of your objectives and requirements. Although you will need to be a quick thinker and be flexible, in case the other party makes a decision you didnt plan on, you cant just be spontaneous. You have to realize that both parties are interested in mutual problem solving. Remember that youre entering into a relationship therefore you need to be aware of the long-term implications of any decision you make. Negotiations also fail because one person does all the talking and they fail to listen. Its best to listen first and then speak after hearing what others have to say. In John Maxwells book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, he discusses how positional leaders speak first and need the influence of the real leaders to get things done. The real leaders speak later and influence the entire audience. (Maxwell, 2007) This is very important during negotiations if you want to influence the other party. Its important to clarify the agenda prior to solving serious problems. You want to ensure everyone is on the same page and there is no confusion. You do not want to catch the other party off guard and bring up issues theyre not ready to deal with. This will put them on the defense as if youre trying to trick them. You also must elucidate your authority. If you dont have the authority to make certain decisions the other party needs to know that upfront. You will be wasting everyones time if you have to get back with them after conferring with someone who does have the authority. During negotiations its important not to put down others and use threats that cant be carried out. This again will cause the other party to be defensive and create an unfriendly atmosphere. Deliberations will be limited and youre less likely to get what you want. One example of this as stated by Osama El-kadi is when the owner of Harrods, Mr. Al-Fayed, wanted the price to be reduced for Estee Lauder merchandise carried in his store. Mr Al-Fayed that demanded the Chief Executive Officer of Estee Lauder lower the price or he threatened that he would no longer carry the products in his stores. The CEO called his bluff by stating he would have all the goods picked up the following Monday from all his stores. Mr Al-Fayed realized that he made a common negotiator blunder and asked for forgiveness. He also apologetically asked that the CEO not pick up all the goods. Due to the amount of business that Estee Lauder did in Mr Al-Fayeds stores they had the advantage when they went into the negotiation. Mr Al-Fayed used a threat he wasnt ready to carry out and it would have been detrimental to his business and Estee Lauders CEO knew this therefore he called the bluff. That is why you must be willing to go through with a threat if you make it. That is whe re analyzing your position and planning comes into play. Negotiations must be written down. That way both parties know what theyre agreeing to and neither party can argue that something wasnt part of the deal. This also avoids any confusion or misconstruction. Dont hold back information. That doesnt mean talk too much and give up everything however you must let them know what is on your mind. Sharing information helps to create a relationship between both parties. Dont compromise too quickly. Although you want to make a deal you dont want to be to hasty. Now that we discussed why negotiations fail well discuss how they succeed. Negotiations succeed because of proper planning. By spelling out your objectives, requests and what youll settle for youll be more prepared when going into a negotiation. Dont forget to know the same for the other party. Negotiations arent short term. You must be prepared to gain ones trust and create a long term relationship. If you wouldnt want to be treated specific ways make sure youre not behaving in that manner. You need to be, share information and concerns as well as listening to the other parties. Clarify any issues or questions you may have. By knowing the agenda you can prepare prior to the negotiation. Successful negotiations are made by understanding the other party. Look at the other parties viewpoint and you will be able to come up with a solution that is acceptable to all. As stated earlier listening to what the other party is saying so you can understand where theyre coming from. It is natural for one to want to talk but during negotiations its best to listen to the other party. In todays society we come across people with many different backgrounds. As much as wed like to think that everyone is the same were not. You need to be aware of the diversity that is encountered whether it is culture or language. People from different societies may have a different perspective and belief on how a negotiation should go. In some cultures its important to gain a relationship and not discuss the negotiation right away. In America were quick to get right down to business and forget the getting to know one another piece. By knowing the culture and or language you can have a successful negotiation by breaking the barrier and preventing any misinterpretation of what is said. Although the negotiation isnt a legal document make sure you write it down. Be brief, and concise about what was agreed upon. This will ensure you remember what the agreement was between the parties. In order for the negotiation to be a success you need to know what the what the position is of the other party and why they have that position. This will allow you to for create a win-win solution for all involved. Osama El-kadi states that â€Å"Successful negotiation is all about shaping the game before hand. This is what differentiates the men from the boys when it comes to major negotiation. This approach is called tactical-positioning leading to winning (El-kadi.).† Mr El-kadi explains this with an example of how to create a winning position prior to the negotiation. He gives a story of Mr Al-Fayed and his decision to purchase Harrods. Mr Al-Fayed didnt decide one day to walk in and purchase Harrods. He had designed a plan which took three years before he moved on it. He worked for someone on the board. He befriended board members, created credentials, gained trust, and when the time was right he advanced on his plan. By this time he was friends with the deputy chairman of the House of Fraser Group. He went to him one day and asked how much the company was worth. When the deputy stated they had an offer Mr Al-Fayed made a counter offer for almost twice the original offer. By Mr Al-F ayed was fully prepared by establishing a winning position prior to the negotiation. There are many things that affect negotiations. Negotiations are affected by the differences in people or the difference portrayed by people. First is communication. Communication is Any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person information about that persons needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states. Communication may be intentional or unintentional, may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or nonlinguistic forms, and may occur through spoken or other modes. (National Joint, 1992, p. 2) During negotiations the most visible and sometimes the most important type of communication is the non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communications are those visual signals which include facial expressions, body language or even the intonation of your voice. In the Essentials of Negotiation book it discusses three important non-verbal behaviors. They include making eye contact, body posture and encouraging. Eye contact can say a lot about someone. Many times people who are shy or dishonest do not look people straight in the eye when they speak. They look up, down or around so people cant see in to them. Looking someone in the eye is important so they know you are listening to them. However, you need to know the party you are negotiating with because â€Å"in some cultures such as the Japanese, prolonged eye contact is considered rude and is generally avoided (Payne, para. 2).† Body posture is another way to let people know youre paying attention. If youre slouched in the chair and look lackadaisical business negotiations arent going to go well because it will appear to the other party as you dont care. Lastly encouraging is non-verbal communication used by nodding your head or moving you hand to let the other party know you hear what theyre saying. Although you may not verbally be saying anything during the negotiation your body is saying a lot. Those non-verbal communications could make or break your negotiation. Besides non-verbal communication the language can affect your negotiation. Many people go into negotiations trying to use big words to either impress or possibly confuse the other party. Its important that everyone in the negotiation can understand what is being said. Trying to sound as if youre educationally above the other party is going to affect they way they think of you and the outcome of the negotiation. Also with diverse society we have and the number of different cultures its important everyone understands what is being conveyed. What you believe you may be saying may mean something totally different to someone of another culture. Even if they can speak English the translation is different. According to Great Scope Consulting, â€Å"studies show that successful influencers use two clusters of language styles during negotiations.† Just like in the supply chain management they are the push and pull style. You have a high push and low pull style if you give new ideas, information or shut the other person out. On the other hand you have a high pull and a low push if you seek information, build on ideas from others and test understanding. The style of influencing used will be dependent on the negotiation and it is important to be able to use either style. The suitability and characteristic of each style varies. The push style is more of a high risk, low commitment and wins-lose situation and is best used for short term negotiations. The pull style is more of a low risk, win-win situation and best utilized for long term. Another area that can affect negotiations is preparation. This has been reiterated a number of times throughout this paper because it is so important. Negotiations begin way before you sit at the table. It is a procedure that develops over time. It isnt a one time occasion. Gathering information and having adequate time to negotiate. You cant expect to go into a room and have a final agreement in 30 minutes. Negotiations take time. The whole purpose of a negotiation is to reach a win-win situation. Therefore you need to be aware of the win-lose styles and avoid them. Sometimes companies may not appear to be looking for a win-win situation and will use hardball tactics during their negotiations. As a negotiator you have to be able to identify the hardball tactics and decide how you want to handle them. An example of a company who often uses hardball tactics is Costco. Although most of the negotiations with suppliers are kept private lately Costco has been announcing their view on the situation. Recently Costco pulled the Coca-Cola products off the shelf to prove a point. The companies are negotiating over the price customers should pay for the products. â€Å"Costco never accepts a price increase from a supplier without examining every alternative possible to hold the line on price. At Costco, nothing is ever marked up 14% above costs. (Sarasohn-Kahn. 2009, para 7) Costco feels that if they cant give the value their customers deserve than they wont sell that product. Even though Coca-Cola is a large company and a valued supplier Costco is willing to take the risk and publicly announce the issues it is having at the negotiation table. This is one hardball tactic used. Coca-Cola now has to decide whether to ignore the tactic, continue with discussions or reply with a different hardball tactic. The negotiation between Costco and Coca-Cola hasnt been finalized so whether this hardball tactic works in this situation has not yet been determined. When playing this way it is important to understand the possible impact if this approach fails. Although negotiations can be successful this way if you really want to be successful during your negotiation process you must find out what the other party wants and figure a way to give it to them while getting what you want too. From our childhood years we negotiated with our parents to manipulate them into giving us what we wanted. Whether that was candy in a store, letting us stay up late, or buying that toy we really didnt need. At a young age we didnt really know what negotiation was all we knew was what we wanted and how to get it. As we figured out what negotiation was it was then that we had to start preparing for it. We couldnt react on an emotional level and expect to get what we wanted. Even though we should plan for negotiations they sometimes still fail as they did with Mr Al-Fayed who didnt realize he was weaker during his negation process. In his case he actually failed to plan and know what is position was prior to entering into the negotiation. However if you do the proper preparation you will most likely succeed in your negotiation. Negotiators need to be knowledgeable about what affects negotiations like verbal and non-verbal communication and push/pull influencing styles. It may not always be what you say that determines whether you create a win-win situation. Lastly, we discussed how some companies choose to use hardball tactics regardless of the potential impact therefore you need to be able to identify them and know how to handle them before you go into the negotiation.

Parameters For Future Energy Price Scenarios

Parameters For Future Energy Price Scenarios The ground rules of forecasting methods which rely on broadening of trends, says godet is unrealistic when the nature is an ever-changing and the phenomena which need to accounted are complex and related. [1] Taking the year 2025 as a near end to analyze alternative future developments and also to assure and reproducible framework using formal models and data to and harmonize regional aspirations with global possibilities, I take the following qualitative parameters into account. 1) Population: To relate population growth and energy demand, the link amid population and energy involves two mediatory connecting elements to be recognized. They relate to the changes in financial development. Typically, the greater a regions per capita revenue, the greater its per capita consumption of energy. [2] 2) Environmental taxes: Taxes on energy consumption and carbon taxes reflect instruments which reduce the polluting releases, by economists. Practicing environmental policies, the increasing number of Western European countries has applied taxes based on the emissions or energy content of the energy products. These definitely influence the energy price scenarios in the near future. [3] 3) Investments in energy supply sector Over the period of years 2001-2030 the total investment essential for energy supply infrastructure worldwide is estimated around $16 trillion.[4].This investment must be used to enlarge supply capacity and to replace present and future supply amenities that will be drained or become out-of-date during the projection period. The energy market of the world is expected to rise by 2/3rds over the next 30years. Energy infrastructure investment is a cardinal driver for the growth of the economy. Energy-investment requirements will account for an important fact of total domestic investment in Russia and other transition economies, Africa and the hydrocarbon-rich Middle East. Between primary fossil fuels, the capital intensity of investment varies considerably. Natural gas is about six times more capital-intensive than coal for equivalent energy supplied. [5] This is a powerful consideration for capital-constrained countries. Future investment needs are subject to many uncertainties, includi ng macroeconomic conditions, energy prices, environmental policies, geopolitical factors, technological developments. [6] 4) Energy technology cost: Advanced energy technologies can influence long-term energy investment outlook. Due to high deliverance costs in an imminent market, the fuel costs of travel in hydrogen fuel equipped vehicles would greater than those of the alternative conventional fuels, but they could ultimately become equal to gasoline vehicles. Fuel cell vehicles are prone to technology development hurdles; however, there should be large decrease in price of owning an automobiles before fuel celled vehicles become attractive to the general public. Fuel storage is also a problem. The extensive use of H2 has to be intervened by the government to improve its usage, refueling facilities and vehicles. Nuclear advances can lead to designs with less capital costs, shorter construction time and flexible operation, so improving the economics of nuclear electricity. There is widespread interest worldwide in a 4th generation of nuclear power reactors, though public opposition can continue. [7] 5) Energy technology diffusion rates: Energy Technology diffusion is a sophisticated process presenting diverse dimensions for analysis. In dividing the major aspects of technology diffusion, it is in the scope of this paper to analyze the process in different dimensions. It can have a huge influence on the pricing scenario. 6) Climatic Policies: The energy policies are constantly changing, especially in relation to climate change and the energy transition. The energy markets are lacking regulations, there is an increase in the demand energy from renewable resources and there are price hikes. And further changes are yet to come into picture. Many of these improvements are interrelated and it is difficult to foresee their impact on strategies. However, with an affirmative approach to new improvements and accessing the right skill we can minimize risks and avail opportunities. 7) Terrorism: Through 2025, internal skirmishes threat the stability around the globe. Terrorist attacks are now posing serious threats to the worlds economy and energy efficiency. Between now and 2025 terrorism will grow sophistically to a new height which breaches the world peace and harmony, indirectly effecting the energy efficiency and price scenarios. Due to these internal threats the local governments are tending to invest more on internal security sophistications and hence diverting the energy investments. We can expect more lethal terrorist attacks to occur in the future. Hence, terrorism can be considered as a threat to the energy efficiency. [8] 8) Natural Calamities: No nation, expert or forecasting technique can foresee a natural disaster and prevent its damage. Natural calamities can always affect a nations economy and energy stability. Energy price scenarios are highly influenced by these disasters. The effects include the diversion of investments to alternate housing provisions for disaster struck colonies. Relief measures have to be initiated and continued which includes huge energy consumption affecting the energy price scenario. 9) National and Local Politics: Government support is essential for energy policies. Creative technologies are to be experimented and implemented under the funding of the government; hence the frontrunners are planning to invest parts of their economy for these implementations. Since the global warming and other issues became serious issues of political interests, the government will be a substantial issue in energy pricing. 10) Cumulative primary energy consumption and renewable energy production: Cumulative energy demand and efficiency can be seen as an indicator of environmental influences to estimate the exhaustion of energy resources and usage of common energy sources considering a whole lifecycle. Prospective approach always emphasizes on consumptions in the future leading to formulating theories which in return help quantification this parameter. [9] 11) Cultural effects: Generally living cultures and groups grow continuously and affect one or the other forms of environmental activities at the lowest levels. For an example, if a person has a big car and a small car he would generally prefer to use a bigger car. Let it be for prestige or whatever, our culture is that way. So, cultural effects also worry the energy price scenario of the world. Consumer culture plays a weighty role in the energy needs and production. Ans. 1b) Identification of Quantifiable Parameters: All the qualitative parameters discussed in the previous section are not quantifiable but some are definitely quantifiable. Population. Environmental taxes. Investments in energy deliver sector Energy technology cost. Cultural effects. Ans. 1c) Godets Proposition I moderately agree with this specific aspect of Godets proposition. Qualitative forecasting techniques generally depend on expert opinions. These can be applied where historical data is available. But the historical data cannot directly interpret the future. Quantitative forecasting methods are used when past data is available. In the quantitative forecasting techniques the causation relationship is also taken into account. Qualitative forecasting emphasizes much on prediction of future through the present scenario. It can sometimes be too erroneous to depend upon. The cause is that predicting the future has always been an opportunity for us to let our minds run free. Eventually we will be happy or sad to see technological development which will produce unforeseen changes. As market by Godet, imagination can deceive but sometimes it can follow a trend. Extrapolation of the prevailing trend sometimes leads to futuristic thoughts. These, sometimes, can be accurate too. But I consider that extrapolation of the variable a good method rather than a complete extension of a trend. But, we cannot alone depend on our predictions always. Future had never been predicted exactly and never will be. We cannot leave our posterity with predictions only but we must prepare them for any situation. Prospective approach can be a solution to broaden our perspective towards the future but everything cannot be predicted. [10] Ans. 1d) Commercialization of energy efficiency in Japan 1. Although many firms may be developing energy technologies and might have super features with great scientific advances but the commercialization is a bug in the ear of such firms. Market-adaptation skills and institutions to take benefits are still scarce. In table 4 of paper by Osamu Kimura on Commercialization of energy-efficient technologies in Japan, some technologies which failed to get commercialized due to lack of marketing skeletal models. Michel Godets ideas on commercialization and qualitative approach could have definitely improved the commercialization potential of the technologies which failed to get commercialized due to marketing deficiencies. The main difficulty is a deficiency of commercial awareness where the advanced, inspirational and market related abilities to turn an idea or design into a dependable commercial able product. Specifically quality is the lacking factor. These market-related deficiencies are persistent in any economy. [11] Godet believed in an eight stage strategic approach, which he called a prospective approach, can be useful in commercializing technologies to the core. The first stage hawked with the socio-organizational context which sets the tenor for the entire process. Technologies which have failed at this level cannot move any further because it justifies technology and tell us why it is introduced. The second stage hawked a 360 degree x-ray oft the enterprise, its knowledge/experience, and its productive capacities. Such a verdict will be effective in commercialization since the trademark of the developer can also affect the extent of commercialization. The third stage emphasizes on the structural diagnosis of the enterprise, whereas, the fourth analyses the dynamics of an enterprise, its strengths and weaknesses etc. Technologies like Heat Transport System using vacuum insulation which were introduced and failed to get commercialized due to organizational instabilities can be improved of their potential if they are introduced by a more stable organization, according to the second, third and fourth stages in the prospective approach.[12] The fifth stage attempts to increase certainty in key questions about the future with experts advice and expand the risks, trends etc. Technologies like High Efficiency Heat Pump Using Multi Fuel Engine and High Efficiency Heat Pump Using Hydrogen Absorbing Alloy, which were dependent on fuels not available in the foreseen future, can be effectively commercialized using efficient fuel substitution on expert advice. The sixth seventh and eighth stages dealt in compatibility and implementation. Additional significant features of commercialization are constant product maturity development and cost decline. Technologies like Compression/Absorption hybrid heat pump, Heat recovery from slag process in steel plants, Heat transport system using surfactants and Absorption pump using natural refrigerants can be commercialized if they successfully pass through the sixth, seventh and eighth stages of the prospective approach. [12] 2) I completely accept the conclusions of the study. There were mainly four conclusions of the study. First, the government funding for private RD needs to be in long tem. The creation of new technology frequently plays a significant role as a source of economic evolution. Furthermore, social return is always greater than the private return and hence all countries want to introduce their technologies through government funding so that the technology can reach the public far well. Hence such technology introductions receive more loans and subsidies. Two of the bases which lead to such a technology are market fluctuations and underinvestment in such technologies. Whenever a technology is under RD, such a technology cannot be placed under secrecy and hence it will gain public interest and in turn the government funding can initialize its commercialization to a better level than a private company. Public RD funding surges the total RD expenditure only if the contributions spur firms to research and deploy projects that would otherwise recognized on a smaller scale. So, the government funding to the private RD has to be formulated to belong term so as to assist effective commercialization. Second, responding to and influencing market demand is a key to commercialization. Commercialization is the process by which people, responding to markets, transform new knowledge and technology into economically successful products, processes, or services. Knowledge, sessions and topical studies suggest that a national method to commercialization should highlight the demand for RD and technology and organize plans close to their marketplaces. Third, the deployment policy should complement the public RD in the commercialization phase. Implementation at the pre commercial stage is the beginning of the commercial distribution. This has to be done analogous to the RD so as to find out the pros and cons of the technology in the commercial sector. Finally, assessment of cost and market demand. The profitability of innovation depends on the costs of commercialization. In some industries or technologies, the sheer size of the investment re ­quired is the largest single hurdle to commercial ­ization.  ­ Only in niche markets, with less competition and consideration of costs, can small plants compete successfully in these industries. In other industries, however, cap ­ital costs do not present as great a barrier to com ­mercialization. . Especially in new industries that are expected to demonstrate strong learning- curve effects, decision makers often cannot deter ­mine how quickly production costs will drop to a desired level. Uncertainties regarding cost also enter the decision-making process. [13] Hence arrangements have to be made in order to develop commercial storage. This helps the economy and also the interests of the geographical analysts. The ongoing investments in energy storage show an urgent need of energy storage. There have to be a regulation or a regulatory committee keeping an eye on the investments in infrastructure which proves a potential alternative for the energy supply in the energy crisis. Greater efficiency of energy throughout its usage has to improve a lot in order to lessen the energy usage and use the available energy effectively and efficiently. Answer to question 2: Internal energy market legislation according to the demand price scenario. The OPEC oil price rise in 1973: 2a) Gazproms supremacy over the European natural gas market is a growing concern among Europes policy makers. In restricting European investors from the Russian market, challenging access to regulatory distributions on the European market, while concurrently exercising its influence upon the CIS states, Russia has showed it undependability as a long-term supplier. Emergency planning faced a hindrance by lack of consistent comparison between the known definitions and the operative measures which were taken. In this context I assume myself as a large manufacturer (large energy consumer) and describe my response. Early in the crisis, Europes gas industry showed its capability to manage with several features of the problem being faced by Europe. The presence of transaction covenants and supply contracts permitted establishments to work together to preserve sources to internal customers, schools and hospitals, during the unkindest days of emergency. [14*]. Manufacturers are withstanding high energy prices and supply cuts (as in this case where Gazprom cuts its energy supplies or increase price by 200%), where energy is only a smaller component in the cost of production. Usually the problems that persist for a large manufacturer when there is an energy supply cut or a price hike are: Generally the lack of fuel-switching capability in the cardinal equipment (which requires a lot of capital investment). Unattractive attributes of some energy-saving equipment, such as differences in quality or comfort and high cost. Energy-savings may be less important than other factor-savings. Energy storage before the energy crisis occurs (before the supplies are cut). Investments to buy more energy from the supplier before the energy supplies are cut. Transportation of fuel and transportation of raw materials/products. Searching for alternating sources, and pipelining Demand at alternative sources. Being a large manufacturer I am putting forward the following solutions, The Internal Market Principle, which one part of the market should help in supplying another part at a period when there is scarcity of energy must prove valuable. There is a lack of interdependence in the EU. This has to develop to a significant scale where the EU relies much on itself rather than the Middle East countries for energy supplies. Fuel transition from have to be diversified in order to make EU a comfortable, sustainable and competitive in the energy market. A more interconnected market is always required where the flexibility and security becomes a major aspect. More fuel switching options have to be introduced in order to reduce the risks that the reliability on a single supplier introduces. Gas storage is a useful task when there is an energy scarcity has to be implemented which plays an important role in proper market functioning under energy hindrances and supply cuts. The EU has to stop relying on a single supplier and diversify its importing strategy for securing its energy needs. Increasing dependence on gaseous fuels for electricity and domestic heating, with no or limited availabilities of fuel switching technologies is a greater risk. Developments have to be made in implementing renewable energy and enact fuel switching. Transportation has to be made more energy efficient for greater energy efficiency. Developing technological innovations such as self-powering open electrical power systems which extract the required electrical supply from active vacuum and readily scalable in size and yield. Measures have to be taken by the respective governments or the organizations to resolve the conflicts that rose between the producer and the consumer. Geo-political issues come into discussion here, which is out of our interest. Limiting the production and energy usage until the conflict is resolved is another option.[15] Ans.2b) In the above response, I believed in going with both out of the box solutions and a partially conservative, incremental approaches together. As manufacturer, one of my key duties to foresee a situation and change accordingly for the sustainable development of my organization until it achieves success. If an organization is performing well, it is evident for us that there is nothing wrong with the situation and it is perfectly under control. But still we need to extrapolate continuously and new ideas to secure the perfect condition of the organization. Innovation requires us to think out of bounds and it requires unlocking creativity. In the above context I searched for other possibilities of energy crisis and so I came up with effective solutions which may prove useful in the future also. For example, fuel switching is an out of the box solution. Adapting to the energy changes with new technology and energy efficient systems is an out of the box solution. Coming to the advantages of thinking out of the box in order to achieve service excellence; every business operation expresses strategies and measures which have been or are being accomplished in their particular industry by their counter parts; or all these systems have remained standing since time because there is a mindset that the customers are most contented and pleased with the way that they are being aided. In certain occasions; schemes and measures are a result of involvement of an individual or a team who seemingly are the achievers of the trade and are considered to be born geniuses who are totally in agreement with the pulse of their customers. This sometimes can be a conservative approach. It will work well when the situations are a repeat of the past. In the above solutions, storing energy, limiting the production and internal market principles are some examples of conservative approaches. Incremental approaches are primarily conflict resolving solutions between the cons umer and the supplier. All such circumstances are very risky and waiting to bounce back at a slimmest blunder. Interactions with customers, policy makers can be made interesting by thinking out of the box and adopting systems which are efficient when compared to those in the conservative approach. Ans.2c) I believe that an incremental approach is the best solution to reduce the ill effect created by inflexible market issues. This approach takes the initiative in solving the conflict by offering help to the conflicting parties. It can also prove useful to threaten both the parties and force them to take timely decisions in resolving the conflict. It also provides the conflicting parties with optional solutions along with their advantages and disadvantages. It, however cannot resolve all conflicts but it will definitely provide some assistance in at least reducing the magnitude ill effects. This kind of approach recognizes that gradual long term approach offers the best solutions to such conflicts. It also recognizes that dividing the conflict into parts and solving each part incrementally is a sound approach. The incremental approach recommends the parties to examine the full context of the conflict and recognize the unpleasant effects of the conflict. Sometimes this incremental approach involves functions like making negotiation between the conflicting parties, in smaller issues and then move on to the more adverse issues. Fractionalization is employed in breaking the issues into smaller parts and dealing with them one by one. This incremental approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. Braking up the inflexible issues and using negotiations to solve the conflicts are some of the advantages. But the conflict resolving techniques of this approach can bring up many other problems and can sometimes utterly fail in conflict resolving. Conservative approach is a one in which the parties will insist more on conservation compared to conflict resolving. This approach can work well only for a small, certain period of time. In this kind of approach there are no attempts made to resolve the conflict. So there can arise a situation where the conflict grow up to peaks and irresolvable. Conservative approach can go along with the incremental approach for the best performance. While negotiating with the parties, following an incremental approach, an inner conservative approach have to be followed. This can continue until the problem is solved. It also has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Service brilliance can also be achieved by doing accurate things in a diverse manner or simply by improving the quality of your procedures by thinking out of the box. An approach is said to be out of the box when that is new, creative and cannot be related to normal or conventional approach. Similarly a technology which is invented through unlocking creativity is known as an out of the box technology. Approaches leading to such out of the box technologies are known as an out of the box technological approach. An out of the box technological approach is different from straight approaches in various ways. Technologies which evolve from conventional approaches are necessarily improvements of past technologies. They depend a lot on the past variables and past attributes. Such approaches generally attract people/customers who are interested in improvements to the previous technology. Markets to such conventional technologies follow trends almost similar to those followed by their parent technologies. These trends can sometimes be variable attributing those to uneven results to the customer satisfaction, extent of improvement etc. Whereas, technologies which are out of the box are new and creative. There can be some implications to such creative inventions. Technologies that are out of the box need not be entirely new. When they follow a familiar theory, their implementation may be different; when they follow a familiar implementation, their background and theory may be different; when they follow a familiar theory and a familiar implementation, their field of application may be different or new. They can sometimes be entirely new too. Markets trends to such out of the box technologies are very unpredictable. The procedures that are made or are being followed cannot be inflexible and they cannot deal with out of the book solutions for every problem. All the initia l steps of careful screening would mean that the lineup dealing with the clients is armed with the right kind of boldness that is required in service industry. There is a very thin line between being elastic while providing furnishing the customers necessities and desires and breaking the rules and procedures in the apparel of serving people. [16] Ans.2d) I feel that foreseeing a situation which is already being seen is not an intellectual way of answering this question. Nowadays we are already in a situation where we need to do with less, in terms of capital goods, travel, and levels of comfort for the benefit of all. Presently we are personally reducing the usage of plastic, this is because plastic cannot be decomposed and when we try to decompose or burn it, it will produce harmful fumes. So this can be one of the cases where we are reducing our comfort levels for the sake of others. Instead, we are using alternative methods like replacing plastic with paper. We are even keen on implementing the three rs (reduce, reuse and recycle). Similarly, lighting is essential to a modern society. Lights have transformed the way we live, our efforts and our entertainment. Today, about five percent of the energy used in the world is for lighting our homes, buildings, and streets. Nowadays we reduced the amount of energy we consume for lighting, intentionally or unintentionally, we have begun using energy efficient systems. Reducing energy usage or switching to energy efficient methods can be efficient. In the last 100 years, appliances have revolutionized the way we spend energy and our time at home. Tasks that used to take ages are now achieved in few minutes, using electricity most of the time. Until the embargos of the 1970s, people drove without thought of fuel economy or ecological impacts. Aerodynamic designs were combined and engine size condensed. More vital was that engines were enhanced to upsurge fuel efficacy with fuel injectors and electronic communications. CO2 emissions are threatening to the world. Hence we are adapting to substituting fuels. We reduce our luxury for the sake of others and energy efficiency. We are using public transport to reduce the energy usage. Thinking collectively about the present and future is an important step, but reflecting upon changes in the environment should not become an end in itself. Similarly, we do not want to shine a spotlight on the surface while leaving the center in the dark. The future is genuinely the result of human will and initiative. Local ecological influences are likely to remain to take superiority over worldwide change in the accomplishment of sustainable energy developments. [17] Answer to question 3 3a) Major changes in the UK affecting the energy during the past 50 years also brought up with them a major technological change. Some may be positive and beneficial but some may be negative and ineffective. Lets talk about them one by one. Restriction on manufacturing new types of nuclear power plants (Sizewell B reactors). These have been the most important challenges for the technologists. They have to find new technologies for producing nuclear energy based on gas-cooled reactors because there is a restriction on building water cooled reactors. They have to build new reactors, storage units etc.; this demands a lot of finance to be invested initially. New technologies have to be developed to ensure the safety of the labor in this industry, for example, radiation resistant safety suits, etc., Gas cooled reactors a second generation British technology reactors which uses graphite as moderator. The advantage of this design is that the coolant can go to higher temperature than water. Resulting higher plant efficiency (above 40%) compared to the water cooled design (around 30%). This is recognized as the most important improvement in nuclear technology. [18] The Natural gas from the North Sea is being replaced by the gas derived from the Coal. This reduced the pressure on the coal industry. But this demanded new technologies for efficient offshore fuel extraction stations and for transport. Leak proof, underwater pipelines were a huge burden initially. Refining the fuel gas also introduced new innovations. Progress in offshore technologies is exemplified by advances in production platforms and production systems which highly rely on seismic technology. Drilling technologies have also improved a lot, leading to multilateral and multi branch wells. Floating storage vessels, shuttle tanks and condensation technologies are the most recognized improvements in the transportation technologies. [19] Privatization of the coal /electricity industries and British Gas As the technologies of the government are patented, privatization generally introduces new technologies into the respective industries thus causing technological expansion. Promoting renewable energy investment by consumers. Renewable energy investments promoted the developments of technologies in a lower, domestic level. The diffusion of new and renewable technologies is determined by a logistic curve function of two key factors: the size of the economic potential and the length of the diffusion process, which are different according to the technology. New and emerging renewable energy technologies include cellulosic ethanol, hot-dry-rock geothermal power, and ocean energy. Solar power panels that use nanotechnology, which is used in creating circuits out of individual silicon molecules, will probably cost half as much as traditional photovoltaic cells. The future prospects of electricity needs an innovation of nuclear and wind energies. Since earliest times, man has utilized the power of the wind. The technology has diversified over ages to include pumping water, grinding grain

Metaphysical Thoughts During the Enlightenment Period Essays -- Americ

Metaphysical Thoughts During the Enlightenment Period The eighteenth century was fraught with change. Dryden, Pope and Johnson were dominating the literature. Fahrenheit was building his first mercury thermometer. The Boston Tea Party and the French Revolution occurred. However, some of the most drastic changes occurred in thought. Prior to the eighteenth century, thinkers such as Locke, Spinoza, Descartes, and Hobbes dominated Western thought to the extent that they changed the way people viewed the world. Consequently, much of the eighteenth century philosophy, as well as the general thought, was a product of these precursors. Either in replying to them, or as a direct consequence of their ideas, the eighteenth century responded to these great thinkers. The first philosophical movement responding to the thinkers of the 17th century that will be discussed is the rationalist movement. It is generally known to be started by Descartes in the 17th century, while the torch was carried by Spinoza and then Leibniz up until his death in 1716. Two things distinguished the rationalists from their empiricist counterparts. The rationalists believed that foundational concepts of reality were found in reason, not experience. These foundational concepts are called innate ideas, and from these innate ideas the rationalists believed that one could deduce truth, much in the way geometrical proofs are thought out. An easy illustration of how the rationalists use causality as a tool to derive metaphysical truths is by using it as a starting point. By using the principle that every event has a cause, it appears that certain metaphysical truths may be uncovered. For example, Descartes uses causality as a proof for God's existen... ...too, do the characters in the play, believing that reality is the same as they perceive it. They also believe in Cartesian dualism, since they carry the classical theistic conception of God. If they are truly Christian in faith, they have to believe that the soul is separate from the body, or their beliefs become contradictory. Works Cited â€Å"Hume, David.† The Oxford Companion to Philosophy. 10th ed. 1995. Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Trans. Werner S. Pluhar. Cambridge: Library of Congress, 1996. McGreal, Ian P. Great Thinkers of the Western World. New York, NY: Harper, 1992. Nolan, Lawrence, "Descartes' Ontological Argument", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 15 November 2003. (Summer 2001 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.),URL=<http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2001/entries /descartes-ontological/>.

Problems Facing Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses Essay -- Small Firm

Abstract Small businesses face economic uncertainty, overwhelming legislative regulations, and employee retention problems. Small Business represents more than 99 % of all employers and employs more than one half of the private sector. It also generates one half of the United States private G.D.P. ( PR Newswire, Oct 29, 2014 pNA). In light of the significance of small business to the economy, it should be a grave concern when a third of small business owners rate the overall health of the United States economy as their biggest worry, rating higher than terrorism, the war on Iraq or healthcare costs. ( PR Newswire, July 12, 2014 pNA). Normally, during periods of economic sluggishness, it is small business that paves the way for a rebound. However, this trend has not appeared during the recent down turn in the economy which began in 2001. A major reason for small business failure to bolster the economy is a result of their inability to raise capital due to the decimation of the Small Business Administration's loans program ( Harpers Magazine, July 2014, V309 il 850 p79(2)). It appears that the very fuel that normally would stoke the economic furnace has been diluted through cost cutting measure as a result of a floundering economy. Such challenges will test the creativity and viability of small business. Unfortunately, that creativity can be overwhelmed with the legislative regulations imposed by the local, state and... ...wamped by flood of regs [Electronic version]. The Business Journal, 13(46), 29. Kurlantzick, J. (2014). Economy of scale: President Bush has been no friend to small business. [Electronic version]. Harper's Magazine, 309(850),79. McCracken, J. (1997). Big 3 drain talent from small firms. Crain's Detroit Business, 13(35), 15 Neher, M. (1995, October 15). Red tape, worker's comp worry businesses [Electronic version]. Daily Journal World, E-1. Protection service for employees (2014, September). Manufacturers' Monthly, 17. Roberts, J. ( 2014, September 02) Small business optimism increasing, Computer Resellers News. Small business owners more concerned about economy than terrorism, (2014, July 12). PR Newswire ,. Smaller firms can and do find health insurance (2014). Crain's Chicago Business, 27(42), 20.

Energy Conservation Mitigation Plan

Energy is one of the world’s greatest inventions of all time. We use energy on a daily basis for just about everything. Our way of life is based upon energy and how we use it. We use large amounts of energy for transportation and electricity. Due to the limited supply of resources available to us we need to make sure that we conserve them wisely so that these resources will be around for future generations. It is imperative that consumer start to take responsibility for their actions. There are two ways to conserve energy; one is by using energy efficient technologies and the other is by changing our habits. Individual efforts combined with governmental support will assist in decreasing energy usage which will in turn create a better environment for everyone. According to the EIA, the U. S energy consumption is 100 quadrillion btu/year and is projected to rise by 37 percent within the next 20 years. The U. S is also currently building 151 coal-fired electrical generating plants in order to keep up with the current demand (Holness, 2008). In 2003, 422 quads of energy were used in the world and 92 quads within the U. S alone. According to the report â€Å"Cutting Global Energy Demand Growth,† it is predicted that in the year 2020, the world will be at 613 quads. This report also states that by becoming energy efficient we can reduce this number to 478 quads in 2020 (Schirber, 2008). Some non living factors that contribute to energy consumption are the sun and the earth’s atmosphere. The sun produces large amounts of heat which creates heat. Humans tend to elude the heat by turning up their air conditioners. This increases energy use. Energy emissions that are released into the earth’s atmosphere can cause major health problem to humans and are very harmful to animals and plants. Living factors that contribute to energy consumption are plants and animals. If plants are affected by high energy consumption, than it will create a problem for the animals, which will than create a problem for the humans. The whole food chain could be distorted. Humans are the main living factor that contributes to energy consumption. We are dependent upon certain items such as fossil fuels for heat and energy. This is affecting our atmosphere causing problems for all types of living organisms. The greatest positive impact that energy conservation has is that natural resources will still be around for future generations if we start conserving now. Energy conservation will also have positive effects on our environment. It will also prevent health problems associated with burning fossil fuels and coal needed for energy. Humans also have a negative impact on energy usage. Most people do not realize the amount of energy they waste in any given day. Simple steps such as fixing lighting structures, planting trees around your house, and by driving less will help curve the energy abuse. All of these are very important steps in energy conservation. Leaving lights on when not in use is a negative impact on energy consumption. According to Laird (2009), people from all different occupations have been trying to find a way to better use our resources. For 20 years, our nation has been trying to come up with a plan to reach sustainability. The government is only a part of the equation. Everyone including innovators, government, firms, and nonprofit organizations need to come together. Simply put, they are not doing enough to make sure that energy sustainability is feasible for average consumers. Laird states that they need to create policies that are flexible and create institutions that can learn and change from mistakes. According to Laird (2009), â€Å"The level of funding, public and private, for renewable energy R&D is abysmally low, when seen in the context of the size of the energy market. † One of the most recent programs, Cash for Clunkers, was initiated by the government to assist individuals in buying more energy efficient vehicles. According to CARS (2009) over 700,000 clunkers were traded in for more fuel efficient vehicles in less than 30 days. My sustainability plan will primarily focus on citizens and what they can do to help conserve energy. I believe that in order to reduce energy consumption, we first need to start at the bottom which is in your homes. My plan will include researching the affects of energy abuse, educating citizens on how to conserve energy, plan meetings to distribute literature, and last but not least, showing citizens how they can help our environment and save them money as well. The first step in my sustainability plan is to do research to find out what basic steps can be taken at the consumer level to conserve energy. In the first two months I will gather all of the data necessary to present to citizens on how to conserve energy. In month two I will do informational surveys to see how many citizens are aware of the energy problem. This survey will also help me see how many people already are conserving energy in particular areas so that I can focus on areas that need more assistance. In month 3, I will than present the information to the citizens at a meeting. I will show them the following chart so that they can see how energy is consumed in the typical household. This chart will also assist me in showing residents where they can start making a difference at. This will show them areas they need to concentrate on in order to conserve energy and save them money. EIA. (2005). U. S household electricity report. Retrieved November 3, 2009, from www. eia. doe. gov I would make it imperative to the citizens to follow some basic guidelines in order to conserve energy. Some examples would be to use less wattage bulbs or even switch to fluorescent light bulbs that last ten times longer than other bulbs. Make sure you turn off lights when leaving a room. To cut energy on heating, residents can close curtains, lower thermostats, and seal out drafts. Some ways to conserve in the kitchen is to use adequate size pots and pans and turn down the flame if it is visible. Try not to preheat and use microwaves when feasible. If you have older appliances, replace them with newer, energy efficient appliances. Hang dry clothes when the weather permits. Other areas that you can improve energy consumption in are by lowering air conditioner temperatures. If you plant trees outside your home, it will create shade, making the temperature in your house cooler. I would end this meeting letting citizens know that they can always call their utility companies to come and do a home audit to show you how you can conserve energy. My final part of my plan would be to assist anyone who needed personal assistance with energy saving techniques. In this last month I would go to homes to see that they are doing their part in making sure they are conserving energy. If they needed help or additional information I would make that available to them. The biggest challenge in my plan is to show how purchasing these energy saving technologies is cost efficient to the buyers. Some people look at the initial cost and think that it is too high and don’t want to do anything about it. I would have to argue that some of the techniques are free and only require determination. Another challenge is gaining interest. I have to make sure that I get everyone involved. My goal would be to get one community started and then work on another community. I would need advocates to speak on behalf of energy conservation. The more people involved and committed to the plan, the better it will work. Benefits of my plan are obvious. We will not only be saving ourselves some money in the long run, but we will also be helping the environment out in a major way. We need to save our resources so that we have enough to last us a life time. Not to mention, we will be cutting down on pollution which is another environmental problem. In order to make a difference in our communities, we need support from not only the residents, but from the government as well. The government needs to step up and start mandating that certain codes are in effect on buildings. One successful program available to consumers and business is the ENERGY STAR Program. This program enables Americans to purchase products that saves them money and helps the environment. â€Å" In 2008, Americans with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2008 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars — all while saving $19 billion on their utility bills† (ENERGY STAR, n. d. ). ENERGY STAR is a program of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U. S. Department of Energy. Their mission is to help us all save money and protect the environment by offering energy efficient products. More programs such as this need to be implemented in order to achieve our goal. We need to conserve energy to save money, especially in a struggling economy. The best part about doing this is that we are also doing something for our environment. Implementing plans to lower energy consumption is a difficult task, but not a task that is unachievable. Our nation cannot afford to waste natural resources that are rapidly diminishing. We need to change our way of life to conserve what the Earth has given us. Our Earth can no longer tolerate the misuse of energy if we want it to be around for many generations to come. Energy conservation is essential due to the limited supply of natural resources. Jenny Powers of NRDC states â€Å"The cheapest, cleanest energy is the energy you don’t use. † Let’s help break the cycle. As citizens we need to do our part by embracing an energy efficient lifestyle and slow down our demand for more electricity. References CARS. (2009). Cars allowance rebate system. Retrieved November 3, 2009, from www. cars. gov ENERGY STAR. (n. d. ). About ENERGY STAR. Retrieved November 3, 20009, from www. energystar. gov Holness, Gordon V. (2008). Improving Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings. ASHRAE Journal, 50(1), 12-14, 17-18, 20, 23-24, 26. Retrieved November 1, 2009, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1415301201). Laird, F. (2009) A Full-Court Press for Renewable Energy, Issues in science and Technology, 25 (2), 53-56. Retrieved October 30, 2009, from MasterFILE Premier Database. EBSCO Schirber, Michael. (2008). Whatever happened to energy conservation? Live Science. Retrieved November 1, 2009, from www. livescience. com

Unfeeling Personalities

Sometimes my co-workers can be shallow, dishonest, unreliable, and generally fake when it comes to how they are at work. You can go into work one day and they are laughing and Joking with you, and the next day they can be snapping at you and treating you like you murdered someone. I usually Just deal with this at work, then go home and vent to my boyfriend about them. I never imagined that a simple test in a college class could change how I looked at my co-workers. We had to complete what is called the Golden Personality test for my FirstSemester Seminar course, which took place from March 3rd to April 26th. This test was written by John P. Golden, who is an economic and social scientist. This test that he wrote presents a way to better understand not only the type of personality we have, but also what type of personality those around us have. Taking this test was meant to show the differences and similarities between personality types, and as a result, would make us more prepared to work with all the different types of people we may come across in our lives.When I first went to take this test, I wasn't really ere about how accurate it would be, but I believe that taking this test has made working with the people in my life, such as home, work, and school, a lot less difficult. Here are my reasons why I believe this test was effective. After you take this test, which is comprised of various questions about how we react to situations, people, places, etc. , you are given an â€Å"official† personality type.This personality type is based off of your answers to the questions taken from sixteen different possible types, is represented by four letters, and each letter in the resonantly type describes aspects that stand out about your personality based upon your answers to the questions given. The test is also separated out into sections that show how you react and feel in life. The personality type that I was identified as when I took this test was an ‘ NEFF'. The letters in my personality type stand for Extroversion, Intuiting, Feeling, and Judging.The first section of the Golden Personality Test represents where and how you focus your energy in life. This could either be as an Extrovert, or an Introvert. An Extrovert is someone who enjoys being around others and focuses on people, places, etc. The opposite of that is the Introvert. Introverts like to keep to themselves, and although they still like the company of others, it is usually over the internet, such as in video games. When I took this test, my results showed that I don't really have a clear preference on how and where I focus my energy, but I may prefer to be more Extroverted than Introverted.This would mean that I focus my energy more on tangible things and people, and am a little more social and active, rather than sousing my energy on my thoughts and ideas and keeping solely to myself. I would have to say that I agree with this part of the test. I can be more social a nd tend to direct most of my energy toward people and things, but I also can be very reflective and want quiet time too. I love spending time with my friends and family, but I enjoy just sitting and being quiet in the woods by myself. Another good example of this is my music choices.If you were to look at my play list, you would see everything from Lady Gaga and Kathy Perry, to Any and Celtic Woman. The second section of this test represents how you gather your information. This can be classified as either Sensing, or Intuiting. I was classified as someone who has a slight preference toward Intuiting. This would mean that I process information in a more ‘symbolic and global fashion', and less in an ‘exact, detailed, and literal fashion'. It also means that I think more about what is possible and the big picture, rather than what are known and more practical issues.I would say that I agree with this one as well. I do a lot of both types of information-gathering, but I ten d to lean more award using my intuition. The facts' are not always 100% accurate, even though we like to think so. The world is constantly changing; including so-called fact', but our intuition stays the same and generally points us in the right direction. The next section of the Golden Personality test focuses on how you make decisions. This can be classified as either Thinking, or Feeling. This test showed that I lean more heavily toward the Feeling aspect rather than the Thinking aspect.This means that I focus more on how my decisions will affect others rather than focusing n logic and rationality. I have to agree with this because I know that I tend to make my decisions based upon how I think it will affect others around me and less on the ‘normal' way that people make decisions, which is usually based more on what is rational and logical. I like to describe it as me following my heart'. The fourth section of the test shows how you generally approach life. You can either b e classified as Judging, or Perceiving.I was classified as having a clear preference toward the Judging aspect rather than the Perceiving aspect. This would mean that I prefer an orderly, organized, and systematic approach to life, rather than a flexible and open-ended one. I would agree with this part of the test as well, except I believe I am closer to being in the middle ground of the two aspects, rather than preferring one more heavily than the other. I like order and things being organized and planned out, but I also like to Just go and do things on a whim and don't really need to plan every single detail out.The final section of the Golden Personality Test shows how you respond to daily life and what life throws at us each day. This is broken down in the test into two focuses: Tense, or Calm. This test showed that I typically respond to daily stress in more of a calm fashion rather than in a tense fashion. This means that I am more optimistic, calm, and relaxed about how thing s go in life. I agree with this section almost 100% because although I can be cautious and unsure of how things will go, I tend to be calmer and laid back about things than others.If something isn't working out, I tend to respond more in a cool and collected fashion rather than acting like it is he end of the world'. I definitely worry and am concerned with how things may go, but overall, I am cool and collected in stressful situations. This test is meant to show us what type of person we are, and in turn, make it easier to understand those around us. Overall, I would have to say that I agree with the results that this test provided for me. There are a few discrepancies with how it described my personality, but overall it was very accurate. People are diverse, and no two people are exactly alike.I believe that this test is already helping me not only utter understand how my personality comes across to others, but also to understand better those that I work with in my Job, school, an d anywhere else I come into contact and work with people. I now know why my co-workers act the way they do, and instead of Jumping to conclusions and Just thinking that they are horrible co- workers, I stop and take a look at what is going on with them. Sometimes there is a good reason they are acting the way they are. I am being more empathetic, less judgmental, and I am taking a closer look at the world around me and the people in it.