Juvenile Offenders and Re-offending Rates Literature review

Juvenile Offenders and Re-offending Rates - Literature review Example There have been global trends in treatment of juvenile offenders. Until the 1970’s, juvenile offenders were punished for their crimes, but it was recognized that their age was to be considered. The 1980’s then witnessed a rise in punishment approach to juvenile offenders.4 Since 2000, risk factors have been used to determine which communities have a higher probability of producing juvenile offenders.5 These communities are then encouraged through central policymaking to eliminate these factors.6 However, recent approach implies elimination of crime rates and strict punishment of the committed crimes.7 It does not apply rehabilitation or concern with re – offending rates. Such system, inspired by the American system of policing, punishing and shaming juvenile offenders has been applied in the UK ever since the 1990’s.8 Globalization has been blamed for such a development. According to the critics, globalization has promoted neo – liberalism and indiv idual responsibility, which results in blaming the juvenile offender.9 As a result, juvenile incarceration rates are high in the UK relative to other countries. ... Scotland in Europe.12 One reason is lower age of criminal responsibility, which leads to more juveniles being prosecuted and awarded custodial sentence.13 There is a disconnection between the central government and local agents. In the UK, non – custodial sentence is preferred and promoted by the policymakers.14 Social Enquiry Reports (SER), which are written by social workers and stand at disposal to judges and sheriffs, promote the prescribed policy. However, the judges mostly misinterpret the recommendations, or decide to disregard them.15 The government on one hand aims to punish the crimes, but on the other hand prevent them. As a result, such action might also be misinterpreted by some judges. Local communities also affect the implementation of central government’s decisions. In South – West of the UK, one in ten sentences is custodial sentence, whereas in West Midlands one in five community sentences are custodial sentences.16 Such an approach by judges an d communities changes the impact of governmental policies and decisions.17 As a result, England and Wales experienced decreasing rates of juvenile re – offending, even though these decreases are slight. According to the Ministry of Justice report from 2010, Between April 2009 and March 2010, there were approximately 110,000 juvenile offenders. 18 Less than 38,000 of them were re – offenders. Thus, the re – offending rate was 33.3 per cent, and the average number of re – offences for these individuals was 2.79. 19 There was a 0.4 percentage point decrease in re – offending rate of juveniles since 2000, though risk assessment of the juvenile offenders indicates high probability of re – offending.20 In Australia, a mild system, re – offending rates are visibly lower for non – custodial

Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Questions - Essay Example He was interested by the fact that the species were different. He concluded that the species were different because they dwelled in different environments The concept of natural selection explains how species evolves and genes are passed from generation to the next. Darwin argues that a species can develop a functional advantage in that the species grows wing and learn to fly. He asserts that the offspring will inherit that advantage and pass it on to the offsprings. On the other hand, those who are disadvantaged but members of the same species will gradually die and live the superior members of the same species. Species preserve the functional advantage and that help the species to compete in the harsh environment. Darwin’s explanation of the origin of species in 1859 was criticized by Christians because they believed in God’s creation for six days. The natural selection was received with hostility because his ideas were not with alignment with biblical descriptions on how Adam and Eve were created. In addition, after the arrival of Darwin’s theory, scientists conflicted and they did not support the idea of evolution. A vector is a vehicle that transfers genetic materials to a target cell. The significance of vectors is to pass on the genes to the intended cell. For evolution to take place there has to be passage of genetic materials from one species to the other. Hence the vector facilitates the movement of biological traits from one generation to the other. Equilibrium is a principle that explains that genes remain the same from one generation to the other without any disturbing factor. If the situation remains constant then there will be evolution stability. However this can be affected by forces such as mutations, natural selection, non random mating, genetic drift and gene flow. Isolation can promote genetic divergence through mechanisms such as mutation, genetic drift and natural selection. Allopathic speciation is a

The Capital Structure choice of Pepsico

The Capital Structure choice of Pepsico The collection of securities that the firm issues to raise capital from investors is the firms capital structure. Equity and debt are the most commonly used securities by firms. The amount of debt determines the firms leverage. The firm should always use a capital structure which will maximize the total value of the securities issued. In order to determine the capital structure of a firm, It is also necessary to determine the different ratios such as net debt ratio, fixed coverage ratio, interest ratio, long term debt ratio, cash flow ratio, etc, to evaluate the effects of the ratios on the on the firm. These ratios are useful for comparing analyzing with other competitor firms. Ratios help the firm to determine their position in terms of the market value, book value, market capitalization, debt value, revenues, etc. The  Modigliani-Miller theorem states that, the firms value is unaffected by the way it is financed in the absence of taxes, bankruptcy costs and asymmetric information in a perfect market.  It does not matter if the firms capital is raised by issuing  stock  or by selling debt. It does not matter what the firms  dividend  policy is. Therefore, the Modigliani-Miller theorem is also often called the  capital structure irrelevance principle. We will look at this theory in detail in capital structure. In this report we look at the different theories (pecking order theory, trade-off theory, asset substitution theory, modigliani-miller theory) capital structure choice of PepsiCo by determining various ratios, comparing PepsiCo with its competitors. Analysis of the results and recommendations provided. INTRODUCTION Pepsi was originally named as Brads Drink, after its creator, Caleb Bradham, a pharmacist from New Bern, North Carolina. Pepsi was created in 1893 and was later renamed as Pepsi Cola in 1898. Pepsi contained the digestive enzymes pepsin and kola nuts used in manufacturing Pepsi. Bradham had thought about creating a drink for people that was delicious and would help in digestion and boost energy. PepsiCo Inc. is an American Multinational Corporation headquartered in New York. The company manufactures markets sells a range of salty sweet grain based snacks. It also produces carbonated non-carbonated beverages and other food products. PepsiCo has approximately 285,000 employees working in over 200 countries. Pepsi Cola Company began in 1898, but it only became known as PepsiCo when it merged with Frito Lays in 1965. Until 1997 it also owned KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. In 1998 2001 PepsiCo bought Tropicana Quaker Oats. In 2005 PepsiCo surpassed Coca-Cola Company in market value for the first time in 112 years since both companies began to compete. Over the years PepsiCo has become a global beverage, snack foods company. PepsiCo owns 5 different billion dollar brands such as Pepsi, Tropicana, Frito Lay, Quaker Oats Gatorade. PepsiCo also owns other brands such as Diet Pepsi, 7UP, Mirinda, Ruffles Potato Chips, Aquafina Bottled Water, Pepsi Max, Mountain Dew, etc. Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi has been the chief executive of PepsiCo since 2006. PepsiCo delivered some solid financial performance in 2009, Its Net revenue grew by 5%, Core division operating profit grew by 6%, Core earnings per share grew by 6%, Management operating cash flow excluding certain items reached $5.6 billion up by 16%, Annual Dividend raised by 6%. PepsiCo estimated worldwide retail sales of $108 billion through all the products. In 2009 PepsiCos Net Revenue was $43,232 million, mixed net revenues of 37% from food products and 63% from beverages. Net Revenues generated according to operations in US and outside US are 52% in US and 48% outside US. Net Revenues generated through PepsiCo and its subsidiary companies are 48% by PepsiCo Americas Foods, 23% by PepsiCo Americas Beverages, 29% by PepsiCo International. 2.1 PepsiCos Strategies for driving growth Expand the Global Leadership Position of Snacks Business Ensure sustainable profitable growth in global beverages. Continue to deliver environmental sustainability goals and commitments. Cherish associates and develop the leadership to sustain growth. 2.2 PepsiCos Competitive Advantage Strengths PepsiCos competitive advantage lies in their talented, dedicated and hard working work-force, that work on its huge brands, innovating producing differentiated products, using excellent marketing methodologies. PepsiCo also uses cost saving initiatives in operations. All these factors help them to sustain a competitive advantage in the market. PepsiCos strength lies in its brand name recognized all over the world, huge range of food and beverage products, marketing style in different regions according to the place culture segmentation, and huge marketing budget. CAPITAL STRUCTURE The most fundamental question of corporate finance is how a firm should raise capital from investors. A firm must determine the type of security it will issue to the investors. Capital structure refers to the way a firm finances its assets through some combination of equity, debt, or other securities. There are different theories to determine the capital structure of the company. (3.1) Pecking Order Theory (developed by Stewart Myers, 1984) states that the firms have a preferred structure for financing; the factor with a high preference uses internal financing such as retained earnings before opting for any external financing. External financing uses debts, convertible securities, preferred stock common stock. So the firm first uses its retained earnings for operations or investments or expansions and then if required they can opt for external financial resources. (3.2) Trade-Off Theory states that the firms are financed partly with equity and partly with debt. Debt financing is preferred here due to the tax benefits of debt. Debt financing also bears bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy costs. Further according to the theory marginal cost of the debts increases as the debt increases and marginal benefits decline as the debt decreases. (3.3) Agency Cost Theory states that there are 3 different agency costs related to a firms capital structure, they are asset substitution, cash flow underinvestment. Asset Substitution states that as the debt to equity ratio increases the firm gets more freedom to invest in new projects, this leads to the decline in the value of the firm which results into wealth being transferred from debt holders to shareholders. Underinvestment problems occur when debt appears to be more risky, in this scenario of the firm the returns from the investment in projects will be directed towards the debt holders rather than the shareholders. This may lead to the firm declining to start any new projects, and there is a potential to increase the firms value. Free Cash Flow states that free cash flow is also a problem for the firm if the cash is not returned to the investors. Doing so will disrupt the value of the firm. (3.4) Modigliani-Miller Theory (developed by Merton Miller Franco Modigliani) states that it is assumed that there are no transaction costs, no taxes and there is a perfect market condition. They also stated that the value of a firm is determined by adding up all the debts and equity of the firm. This can be viewed through an example Firm A Firm B Debt value 0 2,500,000 Interest on debt 0 5% Expenses on debt 0 125,000 Share 1,000,000 500,000 Price per share 5 5 Market value of equity 5,000,000 2,500,000 From the above table we can see the market value of Firm A is 5million (only equity), Firm A is only financed by shares, therefore the value of Firm A is 5million. Market value of Firm B is 5million (equity + debt), 50% financed by shares and 50% by debt, but Firm B has to pay interest on the debts which is 5% of the debt value which is 125,000. Therefore the returns on equity for Firm B will be its earnings minus the value of interest on debts. Returns per share for Firm B will be returns on equity divided by earnings. If Firm B would have sold its stock at a premium rate then it could have made arbitrage profits. Modigliani Miller theory states that the value of a firm in a perfect market is not affected by the way the company is financed but it is affected through the sort of capital structure the firm utilizes. PEPSICOS NET DEBT RATIO Debt ratio that indicates the proportion of debt a company has relative to its assets. The measure gives an idea to the leverage of the company along with the potential  risks  the company faces in terms of its debts. If debt ratio is higher than 1 then the firm has more debt than assets, if debt ratio is less than 1 then the firm has more assets than debts. The formula for calculating debt ratio is, Debt Ratio = total debt / total assets. Debt Ratio helps to measure the risk a bank or financial institution will take if they are financing a firm. Net Debt is the measure of a firms overall debt by taking the net value of debts and cash. Net Debt is calculated as, Net Debt = (long term debt + short term debt) cash cash equivalents. According to PepsiCo, they measure net debt ratio on market-value basis where net debt equals total debt. PepsiCos Net Debt Ratio (L*) = (D + PVOL CMS) / (NP + D + PVOL CMS). D is the market value of total debt (long term debt plus short term debt), PVOL is the present value of operating leases, CMS is the cash marketable securities, N is the number of common shares, P is the common stock price. From the assignment referring to exhibit 2 exhibit 4, all values in millions dollars except for the common stock price, D = 9215, PVOL = 479 * 5 = 2395, CMS = 1498 and reduce it by 25% for remitting to US therefore CMS = 1123.5, N = 788, P = 55.875. L *= [(9215+2395) 1123.5] / [((788*55.875)+9215+2395) 1123.5] L* = 19.2 % (PepsiCos Net Debt Ratio is 19.2%). Now to analyze this we can ask some questions as how much debt really exists? If we consider exhibit 2 in the assignment there are other factors like accounts payable, short term debt other current liabilities which constitute of total current liabilities plus long term debt other liabilities, all this together shows that the total liabilities are 18,119million dollars, which is a bit high according to the market situation. That is why this shows the Moodys rating of PepsiCo is A1/A. PepsiCo will have to reduce their liabilities in order to gain a rating of Aa3/AA of Coca-Cola. What kind of debt is it, long term or short term? Firstly let us talk about short term debt, if we talk about short term debts then we can assume it can be included in current debts, so according to the balance sheet in exhibit 2, total current liability is 5230million dollars, while total long term liability is 12889million dollars, so the total long term debt is very high compared to total current liabilities. PepsiCo will have to reduce its long term debts more effectively in order to increase its ratings and also increase its assets. Can the company afford the debts if  it runs into financial trouble? Let us calculate the debt ratio as explained above in the beginning, Debt ratio = total debt / total assets (both values are in million dollars) = 18119 / 25432 = 0.71. If the debt ratio is less than 1 it means that the firm has more assets than debts. So PepsiCo can afford to be debt financed at a certain level. Looking at the current assets if the company runs into financial trouble then it can clear all its debts by selling off its assets. RATIO COMPARISON ANALYSIS Table of calculated ratios referring to values given in exhibit 5 in assignment, RATIOS PEPSICO CADBURY SCHWEPPES COCA COLA COCA COLA ENTERPRISES MCDONALDS INTEREST COVERAGE 4.565 4.896 16.911 1.444 7.379 FIXED CHARGE COVERAGE 3.094 4.287 16.911 1.406 3.588 LONG-TERM DEBT 0.165 0.090 0.011 0.517 0.112 TOTAL DEBT TO TOTAL ADJUSTED CAPITALIZATION 0.176 0.146 0.016 0.521 0.125 CASH FLOW TO LONG TERM DEBT 0.427 0.569 2.730 0.155 0.539 CASH FLOW TO TOTAL DEBT 0.395 0.330 1.839 0.153 0.474 Lets look at each ratio one by one in detail and analyze it. (5.1) Interest coverage ratio is used to calculate the firms ability to pay interest on the debts. If the ratio is low the firm has huge debt expenses. If the ratio is less than 1 then it means that the firm is unable to generate revenues to incur the interest expenses. Interest coverage ratio = earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) / interest expense. According to the table above, we can see that interest coverage ratio of PepsiCo is 4.565 which is very higher than 1 and is considered as good. Comparing it with other companies in the table, we can see that Coco Cola has the highest ratio of 16.911 which is very impressive, but Coca Cola Enterprises has a ratio of 1.44 which is a caution alarm for its investors. To be on a safer side if the ratio is 1.5 or less then firms ability to meet its interest expenses can be questionable i.e. the is not able to generate sufficient returns to meet the interest expenses. (5.2) Fixed charge coverage ratio is used to calculate the firms ability to pay its fixed-charges such as rent and interest on debt without increasing the debts. If the ratio is less than 1 then the firm is not able to pay its fixed charges and vice versa. Fixed-charge coverage ratio = (EBIT  + fixed charges before tax) / (fixed charged before tax +  interest). According to the table above, we can see that PepsiCos fixed charge coverage ratio is 3.094 which is greater than 1. Comparing it with other companies in the table, Coca Cola has the highest ratio of 16.911 which is very impressive, but for Coca Cola Enterprises is 1.406 which is very less. PepsiCo should decrease its debts in order to reduce its fixed charges which will help to increase the value of the ratio. (5.3) Long term debt ratio is used to calculate the firms leverage. Higher the ratio, higher is the firms leverage. Firm with a high ratio is considered more risky for investors to invest because they have more liabilities than equity and vice versa. Long term debt ratio = long term debt / (long term debt + preferred stock + common stock). According to the table above, PepsiCos long term debt ratio is 0.165 which is less. Comparing to other companies in the table, Coca cola has a ratio of 0.011 which shows that it has more equity than liability, but Coca Cola Enterprises has a ratio of 0.517 which shows that it has almost 50% equity and 50% liability, so investing in Coca Cola Enterprises is more risky. (5.4) Total debt to total adjusted capitalisation ratio is used to calculate the firms leverage which includes long term and short term debts. Total debt to total adjusted capitalisation ratio = (long-term debt + short term debt) / [(long-term debt + short term debt) + preferred stock + common stock]. According to the table above, PepsiCos total debt to total adjusted capitalisation ratio is 0.176. Comparing to other companies in the table, Coca Cola has a ratio of 0.016 which shows it has more equity than liability, but Coco Cola Enterprises has a ratio of 0.521 which is again very risky. (5.5) Ratio of cash flow to long term debt is used to calculate the firms ability to generate cash in comparison with the long term debts. Ratio of cash flow to long term debt = cash flow / long term debt. According to the table above, PepsiCos ratio of cash flow to long term debt is 0.427 which is not good enough. Comparing it with other companies, Coca Colas ratio of cash flow to long term debt is 2.730, which is very impressive. PepsiCo has more long term debts than its annual cash flow while Coca Colas annual cash flow is 3 times the value of its long term debt. Firms with a high cash flow after interest and taxes are in a better position to distribute cash dividends. Firm with high cash flow can also use the cash to invest in other projects, buy assets, reduce debts etc. (5.6) Ratio of cash flow to total debt is used to calculate the firms ability to generate cash in comparison with its total debts. Ratio of cash flow to total debt = cash flow / total debt. According to the table above, PepsiCos ratio of cash flow to total debt is 0.395. Comparing it with other companies, Coca Colas ratio of cash flow to total debt is 1.839 which is very good. PepsiCos total debt is more than twice the value of its annual cash flow while Coca Colas annual cash flow is 2 times the value of its total debt. After considering all the ratios in the table, we can say that PepsiCo needs to reduce its debts by a huge margin and generate more cash so that it can use this cash to pay out more dividends to its investors, increase equity and reduce liability, invest in more products, buy assets, etc. Coca Cola is the largest competitor of PepsiCo, so PepsiCo needs to improve its equity in order to compete more effectively with Coca Cola. If company has less debts and liabilities people will invest more which will provide PepsiCo with a good rating as Coca Cola. PepsiCo can easily borrow money from the market for investments and also it can easily pay it back. Even in financial or economic crisis it will be the least affected company. Capital structure of PepsiCo has debt and equity. According to the net debt ratio we can say PepsiCo has about 20% 25% debt and 75% 80% equity. PEPSICOS RATING OBJECTIVE Ratings are given to companies depending on various factors such as its debt value, equity value, sources of finance, stock price, number of shares, profits, dividends, etc. Moody rated A as upper-medium grade, subject to low credit risk,  but that have elements present that suggest a susceptibility to impairment over the long term. PepsiCo has a rating of A1/A which places it in the upper medium grade category. A1 is the high quality rating given to PepsiCo, Aaa is the highest rating available. Coca Colas rating is Aa3/AA shows that it has much better ratings then PepsiCo. If PepsiCo wants to have a net debt ratio of 20% 25% then it will have to increase its debts and reduce equity, if this happens the Corporate Debt Rating of PepsiCo might fall to Baa which is lower medium grade. This will show a bad image of the company in the market, investors will find it risky to invest in PepsiCo. This means people will not buy shares of PepsiCo and it will not be able to raise funds through the issue of share to decrease its debts or to invest in the business. As a result of which they will have to borrow from the banks, Banks would also lend them funds to a certain limit where their assets are equal to liabilities, Banks would like to make sure that PepsiCo are able to pay back the funds with interest before lending them the funds. PepsiCo should reduce their net debt ratio to at least 15% instead of increasing it, due to this they will have more cash flow, reduced debts, can easily pay back dividends to investors, they can easily raise funds through issue of shares instead of borrowing from banks or other financial institutions. This will overall help PepsiCo to increase its ratings from A to Aa. CONCLUSION

Summary of the Bell Jar :: essays research papers

Esther Greenwood, a college student from Massachusetts, traveled to New York to work on a magazine for a month as a guest editor. Esther knows she should be having the time of her life, but she feels like she is in a living nightmare. The execution of the Rosenbergs worries her, and this is what triggers the bell jar closing in on Esther and covering her view on life. When she goes home, she finds that she is in more of a nightmare. She tries to cut her wrists, but cannot. She tries to hang herself, but cannot find a place to hang the rope. In a desperate attempt to end her life she takes a large amount of sleeping pills and hides in a crawl space in her basement. But, she survives and awakes in a hospital. She remains uncooperative until Philomena Guinea, a wealthy woman who also gave Esther her college scholarship, pays for Esther to go into a private hospital. Esther improves slowly, she also meets Joan, who is a lesbian. When Esther finds out Joan’s sexuality, she finds Joan to be repulsive. Joan seems to be improving like Esther, but she commits suicide. Esther left the mental hospital in time to start the winter semester at college. She believed that she had regained a grasp on sanity, but knows that the bell jar of her madness could descend again at any time. Esther Greenwood is the protagonist and narrator of The Bell Jar. I find her extremely unique because of her view on life, the way that she thinks of people and how life works is very curious. Esther feels as if no one in the world understands her and is very selfish. During most of the book, no matter where Esther goes, she exists in the hell of her own mind. She seemed trapped inside herself, with no external existence, no matter how new and exciting, nothing could change how she felt.

The Latest Developments of Air Transport

The commercial airline industry has grown from a few aircraft to that of a multi-billion pound industry. The Boeing 707 began a revolution in air travel when it entered service in1958.It was the first commercially successful jet aircraft. Since then aircraft manufacturers have strived to provide larger and more economical planes to aircraft companies. The basic appearance of commercial airliners has not changed much for over 50 years. Nevertheless, there has been a considerable increase in innovations and new technology within the aerospace industry. Advancements in engine efficiency, aerodynamics and new materials have all led to a significantly lower operating cost per seat mile of commercial aircraft. There have been a number of significant innovations, especially on the Boeing 787, the latest wide body jet to enter service. Composite materials are now been used in the commercial aircraft industry. The Boeing 787 is primarily constructed from composite materials. They are used in most primary structures, particularly the fuselage (see fig1). By using a unique one piece composite barrel construction, (See fig 2) the 787 eliminates the need for any fuselage lap joints, doubler longitudinal skin splices. This has a dramatic reduction in weight and drag. In addition, it also significantly reduces the amount of maintenance and inspections required. Panel construction in aircraft such as the Boeing 707 requires additional joints, fasteners and splice plates, resulting in increased weight and inspections. An example of a composite, which is used on the Boeing 787 is carbon laminate. It comprises of layers of carbon fibre that are impregnated with a polymer. Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopaedia.. 2011. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/composite+material. [Accessed 20th Novemberr 2011]. The use of composite materials ensures many advantages. They are lighter, stronger, do not corrode or fatigue, resist impacts better and are easier to examine during an inspection, compared with aluminium. Minor damage can be repaired at in less than an hour. Fig1 Corpu, (2007), plane [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=composites+on+aircraf [Accessed 01 December 11]. Fig 2 New Airplane, (2007), 21st Century Fuselage Construction [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.newairplane.com/787/design_highlights/#/VisionaryDesign/Composites/OnePieceBarrelConstruction [Accessed 01 December 11]. The most critical expense areas for aircraft fleets are fuel, maintenance and its residual costs. New aircraft have been designed and manufactured to lower these costs. Maintenance tasks have been reduced by 30 per cent, and inspections are required less frequently. A good example of this is the 787 which does not require its first heavy maintenance check until after 12 years of service. Another advantage of using composite materials, especially in the wing structure is that it gives aircraft such as the 787 a higher aspect ratio than previous aircraft, resulting in a higher Coefficient of Lift. A lighter aircraft will reduce fuel costs and therefore have a positive effect on the range equation. Advancements in aerodynamics have led to an increase in the overall efficiency of aircraft, becoming more fuel efficient by reducing drag. Components such as winglets and wingtip fences decrease vortices created at the wing tips which cause aerodynamic drag. Winglets | Airbus, a leading aircraft manufacturer. 2011. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.airbus.com/innovation/proven-concepts/in-design/winglets/. [Accessed 24th November 2011]. Raked wing tips create a greater degree of sweep on an aircraft wing. This enhances the wings efficiency, by increasing the aspect ratio of the wing, therefore decreasing the amount of lift induced drag produced by the aircraft. This kind of drag can be reduced by up to 6%.with the implication of raked wing tips. Blended winglets can be attached to the wing giving a level curve in place of a sharp angle reducing interference drag at the wing. Wikipedia. 2011. Wikipedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.wikipedia.com. [Accessed 24th November 2011]. Riblet technology is a surface modification which consists of minute streamwise ridges and valleys, it has been proven to reduce local turbulent skin friction by up to 6 % . Houghton, E.L, 2003. Aerodynamics for Engineering Students. 5th ed. Oxford: Heinemann (book publisher). On the Boeing 767 double drooped slotted fowler flaps are used, whereas on the later 787 a simple hinged flap with drooping spoilers are used creating smoother wing technology. This results in a decrease in fuel consumption, weight, smaller fairings and fewer parts therefore reducing maintenance. Www.cdti.es/recourses/doc/eventosCDTI/Aerodays(2011) [pdf ]. [Accessed 24th November 2011]. Recently Airbus has completed the first flight of its A320 test aircraft equipped with ‘sharklet' wing-tip. The sharklets can cut fuel burn by up to 3.5% over the current configuration with wing-tip fences and increase the maximum take-off weight by up to 3 tonnes. The engine with the higher value of specific impulse (Isp) is more efficient because it produces more thrust for the same amount of fuel. A higher or more favourable L/D ratio is typically one of the major goals in aircraft design. Using these higher values will obviously increase the range of an aircraft. The latest propulsion systems have advanced, improving the economics of aircraft. Early jet airliners had turbojet engines. These engines operated well at high altitudes and speeds, but had had a high fuel burn rate. When the turbo fan engine was introduced it could move a greater amount of air at lower speeds, than the turbo jet engine, as it had a large fan attached on the front. By enclosing the fan inside a cowling, the aerodynamics was better controlled. This reduced fuel consumption, compared to a turbojet. The next-generation engine technology is provided by Boeing's engine partners, General Electric and Rolls-Royce. The latest engines being the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 and the General Electric GEnx. These engines incorporate a bypass ratio of about 10, compared to the first turbo fan engines having ratios of about 7. The higher bypass ratio allows the engine to be quieter, with significantly reduce fuel consumption. This lowers cost for the 787 operators and reduces emissions, lessening the environmental impact of the aircraft. Chevrons on the nacelles significantly reduce shock cell noise in the aft cabin. Both the Trent 1000 and the GEnx engines are interchangeable at the wing of the 787. This reduces operating costs and gives the 787 liquidity and strong residual value. Both the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 and the GEnx eliminate the engine bleed air system and associated pneumatic system. This improves the reliability and efficiency of the aircraft by further reducing fuel consumption and maintenance costs. The electric system improves efficiency by removing only the power actually needed during each phase of flight. The aircraft have a health management system which monitors the electrical systems, improving the aircrafts productivity. General Electric recently delivered a new innovation in technology producing advanced composite material fan blades .The process results in a 100% defect-free, carbon-reinforced epoxy blade , which means no voids in the fibres. In order to accomplish this, advanced sensor and data acquisition systems were used. This technology will continue to be used on wide-body aircraft of the future, Resulting in lower cost, and greater efficiency. Duncan, Tom, 2010. Engines of Today. Commercial Airliners, 2, 8. An innovation to watch out for in the near future is the use of Titanium aluminide turbine blades. Titanium aluminide’s low density means that a turbine blade will be about half the weight of a blade made from a traditional nickel alloy blades. Reducing the density and the weight of an aircraft engine has huge benefits. Materials of the Future – Online Stuff – Science Museum London . 2011.. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/onlinestuff/stories/materials_of_the_future.aspx. [Accessed 16 December 2011] Using the range equation you can calculate the range of an aircraft, if you have the value of the following components. R = distance flown (m) u = velocity (m/s) Isp = specific impulse (s) L/D = lift-to-drag ratio (dimensionless) Winitial = gross aircraft weight at the start of cruise (kg) Wfinal = gross weight at the end of cruise (kg) Houghton, E.L.H, 2003. Aerodynamics for engineering students.. 5th ed. Great Britain: Heinemann (book publisher) The engine with the higher value of specific impulse (Isp) is more efficient because it produces more thrust for the same amount of fuel. A higher or more favourable L/D ratio is typically one of the major goals in aircraft design. Using these higher values will obviously increase the range of an aircraft. The appearance of aircraft has not changed much over 50 years because when it was first designed the cone shaped fuselage with wings attached had good design and technology features. The process of designing and producing a new aircraft is very expensive and risky. There is enormous economic risk along with a large investment and liability risk. The (you bet your company curve) plot below shows the cumulative gain or loss in an aircraft project during its life. It was recently estimated that a new large airplane project at Boeing would take 20 billion dollars to develop. Origins of Commercial Aircraft. 2011. Origins of Commercial Aircraft. [ONLINE] Available at: http://adg.stanford.edu/aa241/intro/origins.html. [Accessed13 December 2011] Aircraft manufacturing companies are not likely to take risks on projects that rely on unproven technology. This is the reason that innovative concepts are not likely to be tried out on the next generation of commercial airliners and why aircraft such as the 787 look so much like the Boeing 707. Customers of commercial aircraft manufacturers can sell their planes which are basically the same appearance as 50 years ago. There is not enough financial gain to design an aircraft with a different appearance. In addition, passengers may prefer to board an aircraft that consist of a tube with wings rather than an aircraft in the shape of a large triangle. The new 787 Dreamliner is a prime example of how innovations in new airframe and propulsion technology can lead to a more efficient aircraft. From innovative composite materials to aerodynamics to propulsion technology the 787 has become 70% more fuel efficient than the 1950s-era four-engine Pratt & Whitney JT3D-powered Boeing 707s. This has considerably increased revenue potential through significantly better performance, improved fuel efficiency and lowered maintenance decreasing operating cost per seat mile of commercial aircraft.

Relationships and Human Behavior Perspectives Essay

Reviewing human behaviors from different perspectives, including the five main perspectives of biological, learning, social and cultural, cognitive, and psychodynamic influences, can sometimes shed light on why humans act the way they do. Using these perspectives to review how relationships begin, develop, and are maintained can provide a deeper understanding and context of this phenomenon. Framing love relationships with these different perspectives also helps to show how the perspectives themselves differ or are similar in relation to how they consider relationships as being formed and maintained. The biological perspective contends that innate causes drive human behavior. Specifically, this perspective states that the actions of the nervous system and genetic heredity lead to different types of behavior (McLeod, 2007). From this perspective, hormonal reactions and feelings of reinforcement in the brain that are associated with a particular individual lead people to start relationships (McLeod, 2007). Additionally, the relationship is maintained because humans have an innate desire to reproduce and pass their own genetic material on to their offspring, and in order to drive this urge, the brain continues to trigger feelings of pleasure and hormonal releases to strengthen the association between a given person and good feelings (McLeod, 2007). This perspective is somewhat unique from the other ones in how it views relationships, because it claims that advanced cognitive processes are not even necessary for a relationship to last; instead, only biochemical processes are required . The next type of perspective, the learning perspective, claims that learning through association leads to specific behaviors, and that individuals will generally learn to enact behaviors that they see are rewarded (Mikkelson & Pauley, 2013). From this perspective, humans form relationships because they see other relationships, such as those of their parents, externally rewarded, and come to associate the notion of â€Å"love† with reward. The rewards that one receives from a relationship, such as attention, compassion, or even financial security, are associated with â€Å"love† over time, which strengthens the relationship and makes people more likely to  maintain a relationship after they have been involved in it for some time (Mikkelson & Pauley, 2013). Like the biological perspective, the learning perspective deems relationship behavior as something beyond humans’ conscious control and does not necessarily require conscious thought, although the learning perspective does not claim to know the internal processes that drive it, and it does require that humans have at least the ability to learn in order for them to be involved in relationships (Mikkelson & Pauley, 2013). Social and cultural perspectives claim that humans are ingrained with what constitutes â€Å"right† behavior through socialization. Because people grow up, in many cases, in households with married parents, or at least where the parents date other individuals, children learn early on that relationships are not only acceptable, but actually desirable (McLeod, 2007). This notion is further reinforced through messages given to the child through the media, their friends and other family members, and most people they come in contact with, all of whom deem â€Å"love† to be one of the highest goals a person can achieve. Individuals therefore seek out relationships in their teen years because they have been told that it is a positive objective to strive toward, and they are further reinforced in their views by their partner and others who know them after dating or getting married, which leads the person to continue their relationship (McLeod, 2007). This perspective is unlike the learning and biological perspectives in that it does not rely on reflexes or innate drives, but instead requires complex thought, and, moreover, socialization; a person living outside of society would likely have no desire to be in a relationship, according to this perspective. The cognitive perspective claims that human thought is what drives all behavior. In this sense, then, humans enter relationships because they see relationships as something that they desire, and which will provide them with some type of enjoyment or reward for seeking out (Mikkelson & Pauley, 2013). If they find that they do receive some type of benefit from dating a person, they will make the decision to develop the relationship further, learning more about the person and perhaps even getting married, if they believe that they are sufficiently compatible with the other person for the  relationship to last and continue to be rewarding (Mikkelson & Pauley, 2013). This perspective, like the social and cultural perspective, is very reliant on human thought as a driver of relationships, but the cognitive perspective deems relationships an individual choice rather than a result of societal pressure. Lastly, the psychodynamic perspective contends that behavior is due to interactions between the conscious and the subconscious mind. A relationship might begin because a member of the opposite sex might remind an individual of the loving relationship they had with their parents, but in order to sublimate the inappropriate desire for one’s parents, the individual seeks out a relationship with a person outside of their family. The relationship is maintained because it provides the person with ego fulfillment (McLeod, 2007). Like the cognitive and social perspectives, the psychodynamic perspective describes relationships in terms of human thought and cognitive activity, but unlike those other perspectives, the psychodynamic outlook believes that humans are essentially bound to enter into relationships, because it ascribes the behavior to innate drives. In this sense, the psychodynamic perspective is somewhat like the biological perspective. All of these different perspectives, then, can provide different types of insight into human relationships. References McLeod, S. (2007). Psychology Perspectives. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/ Mikkelson, A. C., & Pauley, P. M. (2013). Maximizing Relationship Possibilities: Relational Maximization in Romantic Relationships. Journal Of Social Psychology, 153(4), 467-485. doi:10.1080/00224545.2013.767776

A Case Study On Nestle Lanka Plc Information Technology Essay Essays

A Case Study On Nestle Lanka Plc Information Technology Essay Essays A Case Study On Nestle Lanka Plc Information Technology Essay Essay A Case Study On Nestle Lanka Plc Information Technology Essay Essay The chief intent of this study is to carry on a survey of cloud computer science, its different constructs, the benefits and costs associated with it and how it can suit in to or better Nestle Lanka s bing IT substructure. The range of this study includes an debut to the company and the industry, its mission, corporate construction, concern procedure, concern scheme and relationships with external parties. This is followed by an analysis of the organisation s IT substructure and the issues and challenges confronting the direction of IT. Then cloud computer science is explained, and the benefits and costs related to it are discussed. After which, the solutions that can be recommended to be adopted are discussed. Relevant decisions are so made based on these findings. The methods used in garnering information for this study include both primary ( interviews ) and secondary research ( on-line diaries, newspapers, magazines and publications ) . From the analysis it was revealed that Nestle Lanka has already adopted a portion of cloud calculating through the storage of its SAP related informations at the Globe Data Center in Sydney. However, it besides showed that certain non-core applications are carried outside of SAP which requires the informations to be stored locally and brings with it other costs as good. Another interesting determination was the fact that Nestle Lanka did non possess any internet related substructure as they do non hold a local web site. The recommendations that were made based on these findings were to follow Software as a Service theoretical account to happen out similar applications for the procedures which were done out of SAP. If this was non possible, the recommendation was to follow the Platform as a Service theoretical account which would ensue in Nestle developing the application online and it being hosted by the seller. The concluding behind this was to take down that substructure costs on waiters and care. In add-on, a recommendation was made to utilize the Platform as a Service theoretical account to make a local web site for the company as it will necessitate no capital investings. Further, this will enable the company to acquire closer to the consumer and supply greater satisfaction and carry out promotional activities without any cost. Nestle came to Sri Lanka over 100 old ages ago with the debut of milk and infant nutrients to the local market. Over the old ages, the globally celebrated multinational has extended its committedness to Sri Lanka at every chance, emphasizing the Nestle corporate proposition Good Food, Good Life. A Nestle Lanka s corporate caput office is situated in Colombo, whilst fabrication takes topographic point at a state-of-the-art installation in Kurunegala. The Company employs over 1000 people straight and estimates its indirect employment coevals to be in the part of 40,000. A About 90 per cent of the Nestle merchandises retailed in Sri Lanka are processed locally. Through the quality merchandise scope of trade names such as MILO, NESTOMALT, MAGGI, CERELAC, NAN, LACTOGEN and NESCAFE, the Company has built trust and emotional bonds with consumers of all ages and from all walks of life. Many of the Nestle trade names have become household names and for the most portion are the market leaders. Furthermore, Nestle Lanka endeavours to play a function in advancing healthy life styles by integrating a nutrition and wellness dimension into the bulk of merchandises. Carry throughing its societal and environmental duties to the state, Nestle Lanka is an built-in portion of the national community. The virtuousnesss of attention and fostering inherited from the parent company remain at the bosom of the manner it does concern. Of peculiar pride is the Company s part to the sustainability of the dairy industry and the rural economic system since its early old ages. Today, as the largest private sector purchaser of fresh milk and coconuts, Nestle Lanka spends about LKR 1.5 billion each twelvemonth, impacting the lives ofA farmer households island-wide. A Nestle Lanka went public in 1983 with around 9 % of the shareholding now held locally. Currently market capitalization is about LKR 37 billion ( Colombo Stock Exchange, May 2011 ) . Over the past few old ages the portion has been amongst the market s top performing artists with an exceeding dividend screen. Committed to outdo patterns, Nestle Lanka strives to keep the highest criterions of ethical and societal behavior throughout the administration and to make long-run sustainable value for all stakeholders. 1.2 Industry Background Nestle operates in the Food and Beverage industry which is turning at around 12 % yearly. It competes with both local and other transnational companies in the market. With the authorities aiming a GNP per capita of $ 4000 by 2014, demand will lift and competition for market portion will be more intense. ( Leading Edge, May 2011 ) 1.3 Mission The Annual Report for 2010 provinces that Our mission of Good Food, Good Life is to heighten the lives of Sri Lankan consumers with great tasting and alimentary merchandises at low-cost monetary values. 1.4 Corporate Structure Pull offing Director VP-Commercial VP-Supply Chain VP-Technical Company Secretary/Legal Officer VP- Finance VP Human Resources Head of Nestle Nutrition Head of Nestle Professional AVP National Gross saless AVP Food ( Marketing ) AVP Beverages ( Marketing ) AVP Dairy ( Marketing ) Production Manager 1 Production Manager 2 New Product Development Manager Recruitment Manager Training Director Payroll ManagerThe above diagram depicts the organisation hierarchy. 1.5 Business Procedure The chief maps in the organisation are Marketing, Supply Chain, Production and Gross saless. They are supported by the Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems and Legal maps. The selling section works closely with supply concatenation ( be aftering ) to place the right demand which is so planned to be produced and the natural stuffs and packing stuffs purchased based on the demands. As per the agreed programs, production produces the needed stocks to run into the demand forecasted and that is distributed by the client service and distribution map. The gross revenues map ensures that the merchandises are received where required and provides the needed trade publicities to guarantee that the merchandise is selling. Marketing conducts its ain trade name publicities to make consciousness of the merchandises and guarantee the attempt made by the gross revenues squad is supported. Further, the New Product Development map performs a vital of presenting new merchandises or developing bing merchandises in coordination with Marketing and Supply Chain. 1.6 Business Strategy Nestle Lankais dedicated to vouch consumer satisfaction by marketing the highest quality nutrient merchandises that meet the diverse and altering demand of consumers, using Nestle s acknowledged worldwide engineering A ; experience. To our stockholders, we guarantee a just return on their investing. 1.7 Relationship with external parties Nestle has strong relationships with external parties such as the Sri Lanka Customs, Inland Revenue, Port Authority, freight send oning companies, logistic companies, national governments ( for publishing licences for imported merchandises ) and other service suppliers such as for telecommunication. The corporate ( group ) web site is www.nestle.com. 2.0 IT substructure: issues and challenges 2.1 Organization s IT substructure Figure 5-10 The IT Infrastructure Ecosystem ( Laudon and Laudon, 2010 ) is used to discourse the substructure as follows. Computer Hardware Platforms all machines provided by Hewlett Packard ( HP ) . Operating System Platforms all machines use Microsoft Windows platform. Enterprise System Applications Sap for all nucleus activities in Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, Gross saless and Production and non-core activities are mentioned below ( subdivision 2.2 ) in item. Networking/ Telecommunications networking hardware provided by IBM and Cisco, internet entree is provided through British Telecom ( BT ) and telephone services are provided by four local operators ( Dialog Axiata, Mobitel, Suntel and LankaBell ) . Advisers and System Integrators this is carried out in-house from our informations centre located in Sydney, Australia. Data Management and Storage all SAP related informations are stored in IBM waiters at our informations centre in Sydney ; whilst the non-SAP system informations are stored locally in SQL severs. Internet Platforms there exists no cyberspace related substructure at Nestle Lanka as there is no localised web site. 2.2 Issues and Challenges faced in the direction of IT substructure With mention to the interview with the IT director ( mention appendix 7.1 ) the following provides a treatment of the issues and challenges confronting the direction of IT substructure. Due to Nestle being a big multinational, standardisation of IT substructure is a demand across all markets ( states ) . It is no different in Sri Lanka, where the substructure is much advanced than you would happen in any other local company. This policy brings about many advantages and restrictions. First, since all markets have to hold the same substructure irrespective of its size, it will be more modern and up-to-date with the latest engineering in topographic point. This will intend enhance security steps for the company, which is critical to stay competitory in this fast-paced nutrient and drink industry. However, the advanced substructure does non come cheap as contracts are negotiated globally in dollar footings but when converted to rupees it is much higher whereas the substructure available in the market is although non of the same criterion, will run into our local demands and be less expensive. Hence, managing costs increases in line with this standardisation policy is a challenge for the company. Training or user instruction is another job the IT map faces when keeping and upgrading this current substructure. Although, system and security updates take topographic point through the informations centre in Sydney, the users do nt follow with the alterations until the last minute or delay until a job arises to happen out about the alteration. Further, the company has adopted applications outside of SAP for certain maps. They are for paysheet, milk procurance, and garnering secondary gross revenues informations ( from distributer point to end-customer ) . The information from these systems are stored locally in Lankaand along with waiter cost the company incurs annually maintenance outgo and licensing fees. 3.0 Cloud Computer science: its concern benefits and costs 3.1 Benefits of cloud computer science As Mell and Grance ( 2011 ) defines, cloud computer science is a theoretical account for enabling omnipresent, convenient, on-demand web entree to a shared pool of configurable calculating resources ( e.g. , webs, waiters, storage, applications, and services ) that can be quickly provisioned and released with minimum direction attempt or service supplier interaction . There are three chief service theoretical accounts in relation to overcast calculating as mentioned by Mell and Grance ( 2011 ) . They are: Cloud Software as a Service ( SaaS ) Cloud Infrastructure as a Service ( IaaS ) Cloud Platform as a Service ( PaaS ) The first theoretical account is one that distributes applications hosted by a service supplier over a web such as the Internet. Cloud calculating based constructs such as SaaS take the demand for organisations to separately keep a big sum of local waiters, alternatively they would wholly be using a shared resource. Further, Hayes ( 2008 ) shows that SaaS allows users to entree the application regardless of clip and location, giving them greater flexibleness in transporting out their undertakings. Saaksjarvi et. Al. ( 2005 ) besides shows that another one of the cardinal benefits of SaaS is that version direction is more convenient to the client, since the seller would be implementing ascents on a regular footing. Other benefits cited by Saaksjarvi et. Al. ( 2005 ) includes the impression that it enables the client to acquire entree to so name best-of-breed applications that might otherwise hold been excessively dearly-won for them to buy. The following theoretical account ( IaaS ) is where a service supplier outsources the equipment used to back up operations, including storage, hardware, waiters and networking constituents. The service supplier owns the equipment and is responsible for lodging, running and keeping it. The client typically pays on a per-use footing ( SearchCloudComputing.com, May 2011 ) . The concluding service theoretical account is one where hardware, storage and web capacity can be rented over the Internet. The theoretical account permits the client to rent virtualized waiters and associated services for running bing applications or developing and proving new 1s ( SearchCloudComputing.com, May 2011 ) . 3.2 Hazards of cloud computer science Despite such an array of benefits, and as with any other such theoretical account, SaaS besides comes along with a scope of hazards to both the client and the seller. On the client s side, one of the primary concerns is on privateness and security. Hayes ( 2008 ) outlines how leting a 3rd party control over your files could potentially make a helter-skelter legal issue, particularly in respect to what rights the seller will hold to the information on an juncture where the organisation violates the contract. Hayes ( 2008 ) discusses a scenario in which a authorities bureau serves a subpoena or a hunt warrant to the seller. Had the organisation had control of its informations, it may hold contested the order in tribunal. But it is dubious whether the seller would travel to tribunal on the organisation s behalf, and alternatively they might merely manus over the informations over to the governments. As such, harmonizing to this scenario, a company could hold its informations released to other parties without even being informed of it. Whether or non such a scenario is likely to happen, its possibility should non be ignored and it would be advisable for IT directors to dig into such gray countries with the seller prior to making an understanding. Another key concern mentioned by Saaksjarvi et. Al. ( 2005 ) is that SaaS offers little in the manner of custom-making the package to accommodate the organisation s specific demands. Customization of the package to accommodate the intricate concern procedures of the organisation is indispensable if it hopes to accomplish a competitory advantage. However, Jacobs ( 2005 ) points out that supplying a relevant degree of customization, although hard, is surely non impossible and in add-on it would be advantageous to the seller to travel this excess stat mi since they can lock-in clients. Hoch et. Al. ( 2001 ) voices the inauspicious consequence from the restrictions in the organisation s internal webs. Bandwidth of the web will hold to be increased to suit the changeless connectivity demanded by the SaaS theoretical account. Any issue with the web can adversely impact the public presentation of the applications, and impede dependent organisational undertakings. Such a major concern should be meticulously examined and addressed by the organisation so that they can guarantee the handiness of needed substructure before following the SaaS theoretical account. Apart from the proficient troubles of SaaS, there could be inauspicious organisational effects every bit good in the signifier of employee opposition as they are really familiar with what they have now and to re-train them, will necessitate tactful alteration direction. 3.3 Costss involved in cloud computer science When implementing cloud calculating there will be limited capital outgo on IT substructure. Waiters required to hive away and run the applications will be provided by the seller. However, the client should hold the equal web and package ( such as web browsers ) capablenesss to run into the application s demand. The client can salvage on the bing waiter, care and licensing costs. The client will be charged on a subscription footing based on the figure hours/days/months used depending on the service degree understanding signed by both parties. 4.0 Recommendation Due to the being of our Globe Data Center located in Sydney, the option of following the Infrastructure as a Service ( IaaS ) theoretical account is non practical as we possess our ain private cloud. However, what can be recommended is to follow cloud calculating for the non-core applications that was identified in subdivision 2.1 of this study. The ground that we can non follow SaaS for the bing ERP systems which covers our nucleus processes is that Nestle requires that all parts have the same system, procedure and fundamentally speak the same linguistic communication. The non-SAP applications that have been developed as they can non be customized in SAP to run into local demands, for illustration the paysheet system has to take into history the alone local employment jurisprudence demands. The milk procurance system had to be designed in a manner to ease information garnering from all Nestle milk chilling centres across the island and as a consequence could non be done by SAP. Gathering secondary gross revenues informations besides involves holding SAP at all the distributer locations which would hold been excessively dearly-won. For the above mentioned applications it is possible to seek for on-line versions that support cloud calculating such as through SalesForce.com or NETSUITE. If no such applications exist so, we can look at developing a similar application utilizing the Platform as a Service ( PaaS ) theoretical account utilizing platforms such as Microsoft Azure and Google s App Engine. The obvious benefit here would be salvaging hardware costs every bit good as care costs in the long tally but Nestle will hold to pass on the development costs in the short-run. From the IT substructure theoretical account analyzed in subdivision 2.1 it is apparent that Nestle Lankadoes non possess any internet related substructure as there is no local web site. Having its ain web site, will let Nestle to acquire much closer to its clients and be in its ego a promotional medium. Conventionally holding an cyberspace related platform would intend cost incurred on waiters every bit good as package licensing fees. But, through the usage of PaaS service theoretical account, Nestle Lankacan construct its ain web site without incurring any capital outgo and meet is vision of vouching consumer satisfaction. For illustration, Kia Motors in North America launched its ain web site utilizing the Microsoft Azure platform ( Microsoft.com, May 2011 ) . 5.0 Decision The findings of this study reveal that there are non-core applications that are being used along with SAP. These applications cost the company in footings of waiter, care and licence fees. This can be reduced or avoided in the long-run if the company adopts cloud calculating in the signifier of either package as a service or platform as a service. Further, it was found that the company does nt hold any cyberspace related substructure as it does non hold a web site. A less dearly-won and capital intensive manner of making such a web site would be to follow the platform as a service theoretical account. The creative activity of a web site will enable the company to acquire closer to its consumers and better prosecute them. It could besides be a free beginning of publicity for the company s many trade names.

Free Essays on Computer Hacking

The textbook, Management of Information Technology, defines the information super highway as, â€Å"An installed intelligent workstation for office and professional workers in most organizations to connect via the local area network (LAN) or to other nets or to large computer data stores through servers that function as message-switching and message processing systems.† (Frenzel, 1999, p.14). The books continues and identifies a subject by the name of Kevin Mitnick who was arrested on February 15, 1995, for sleuthing on the information highway. This paper will portray the events leading up to the arrest of Kevin Mitnick. Mitnick, 31, described by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, (FBI), as the â€Å"Nations Most Wanted Computer Hacker†, was arrested in his home on February 15, 1995. Mitnick, as described by Forbes Magazine is, â€Å"A recreational hacker with a compulsive-obsessive relationship to information. He hoarded information, never sold it, and wouldnâ€⠄¢t even share it with his friends.†(published in 1999). What lead up to the arrest and incarceration of Mitnick is described below. Kevin David Mitnick was cyberspace's most wanted hacker. Mitnick could launch missiles or cripple the world's financial markets with a single phone call - or so went the myth. The FBI, phone companies, bounty hunters, even fellow hackers pursued him over the Internet and through cellular airways. Tsutomo Shimomura, a computational physicist was on vacation when he discovered that someone infiltrated the computers near San Diego, California, and stole several intelligence files. Shimomura became even more involved with the case when the infiltrator tapped into Shimomura’s voice mail system and left him a computer-altered message. Companies. â€Å"The attack clearly infuriated the wrong person.† (Frenzel, 199, p.441). Throughout the month of January 1995 and into February 1995, Shimomura and his team of â€Å"computer sleuths† monitored the hackers eve... Free Essays on Computer Hacking Free Essays on Computer Hacking The textbook, Management of Information Technology, defines the information super highway as, â€Å"An installed intelligent workstation for office and professional workers in most organizations to connect via the local area network (LAN) or to other nets or to large computer data stores through servers that function as message-switching and message processing systems.† (Frenzel, 1999, p.14). The books continues and identifies a subject by the name of Kevin Mitnick who was arrested on February 15, 1995, for sleuthing on the information highway. This paper will portray the events leading up to the arrest of Kevin Mitnick. Mitnick, 31, described by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, (FBI), as the â€Å"Nations Most Wanted Computer Hacker†, was arrested in his home on February 15, 1995. Mitnick, as described by Forbes Magazine is, â€Å"A recreational hacker with a compulsive-obsessive relationship to information. He hoarded information, never sold it, and wouldnâ€⠄¢t even share it with his friends.†(published in 1999). What lead up to the arrest and incarceration of Mitnick is described below. Kevin David Mitnick was cyberspace's most wanted hacker. Mitnick could launch missiles or cripple the world's financial markets with a single phone call - or so went the myth. The FBI, phone companies, bounty hunters, even fellow hackers pursued him over the Internet and through cellular airways. Tsutomo Shimomura, a computational physicist was on vacation when he discovered that someone infiltrated the computers near San Diego, California, and stole several intelligence files. Shimomura became even more involved with the case when the infiltrator tapped into Shimomura’s voice mail system and left him a computer-altered message. Companies. â€Å"The attack clearly infuriated the wrong person.† (Frenzel, 199, p.441). Throughout the month of January 1995 and into February 1995, Shimomura and his team of â€Å"computer sleuths† monitored the hackers eve... Free Essays on Computer Hacking Computer hacking is a very major crime in today’s world. It takes a large amount of intelligence and dedication to be a hacker. Not just anyone can store thousands of commands and codes in their head. Because these hackers are so intelligent it makes them even more dangerous. Dangerous to the point where if they wanted to they could probably wipe you off the face of the earth. Maybe not literally, but defiantly in the computers. The reason hackers are such a concern today more than ever, is that now a days everything is run by computers. EVERYTHING!! Kevin Mitnick, a hacker who has yet to have a harsh punishment when caught, can somehow lower his punishment for his hacking crimes down to a couple months probation. When Kevin was seventeen, he was caught for breaking into a phone center in Los Angeles. He was tried and sentenced to three months stay in a juvenile detention center and one year probation. Kevin is a very intelligent man. He could use his computer skills in a good way by stopping other hackers, but he didn't, so he faced the law many times. In all those times, he never spent more than a year in prison (Shimomura 1). Kevin was also a â€Å"Phreak†; a phone freak. He studied the phone system. He soon knew how to make free phone calls from payphones and how to crash a system. Kevin Mitnick has yet to be harshly punished for these crimes, which are very numerous (Shimomura 1). Another major player in the hacking industry is an unidentified man, identified by his pseudonym, or nickname, Deth Vegetable. His group of hackers, Cult of the Dead Cow (cDc), is one of the oldest hacker organizations still in effect today. He is the leader and founder of (Cult of the Dead Cow). Cult of the Dead Cow is a leading group in the hacking industry; another leader that has fun with what they do. (Sullivan 1). They are a notorious group of hackers who have a couple problems; one of which is drugs. At a convention that the cDc holds fo...

Binary Phase Shift Keying BPSK Modulation Demodulation Computer Science Essay

Binary Phase Shift Keying BPSK Modulation Demodulation Computer Science Essay This experiment is based on the Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation/demodulation technique. The aim of the experiment is to gain familiarity with the components of a simple data transmission system, gain experience using an experimental communication system and studying its performance under the influence of white noise and also, to compare experimental results with theoretical deductions. Bandpass modulation, of which BPSK is a type, is a process whereby, a sinusoid usually called a carrier wave, is modulated or have its characteristics changed by a digital pulse baseband signal in other to enable wireless based transmission. In BPSK modulation, the phase of the carrier waveform is shifted to either 0Â ° or 180Â ° by the modulating data signal. To effectively model the transmission channel, the AWGN generator is used which adds the effect of noise to the signal at the receiver in other to properly characterise what obtains in real systems. SNR measurements are taken after the noise is added before the receiver and results of each stage of the experiment are presented. 2.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The results obtained from the experiment and brief discussions are now presented. 2.1 The frequency of the waveform was measured to be 1.493kHz 2.2 The amplitude of the waveform was measured to be 3.608V 2.3 C:Documents and SettingsAGEBNIGADesktopLAB RESULTSPart 2.bmp Fig. 1: Square Waveform from NE555 timer circuit. The timer circuit produces a sequence of ones and zeros which together with the resistors and capacitor, produces a square waveform. It can be observed that the square top and bottom are not perfectly straight but with ripples, this is due to the resonance effect presented by the capacitor. Also, the rising pattern of the top is due to the voltage rise time in the capacitor. 2.4 The frequency of the message sequence is measured to be 374Hz 2.5 C:Documents and SettingsAGEBNIGALocal SettingsTemporary Internet FilesContent.WordPart 4 5.bmp Fig. 2: M essage sequence at the output of the frequency divider. The SN74LS74 integrated circuit implements a second order frequency divider, 2n (n=2). Hence the frequency of the timer circuit is divided by four. Hence, this is also evident in the frequency of the message sequence in 2.4 above. 2.6 The cut-off frequency of the 2nd order Butterworth low pass filter is given by; The cut-off frequency is the frequency at which the magnitude of the transfer function drops to 0.7071 of its maximum value which represents the point at which the power in the circuit is 3dB less than the maximum value. 2.7 The frequency of the sinusoid at the output of the filter was measured to be 1.328kHz. 2.8 C:Documents and SettingsAGEBNIGALocal SettingsTemporary Internet FilesContent.Wordpart 8.jpg Fig. 3: Output of the first and second Butterworth LPF. A B A – Output of first filter; B – Output of second filter The Butterworth lowpass filter is used to generate the sinusoidal carrier required for the baseband signal. The Butterworth filter has a gentle roll-off, has no ripple in the pass or stop band hence, it has a monotonic response. To maximise the smoothness of the sinusoid, we use two of such filters in series.

A Pictogram Is Worth a Thousand Translations Essay

A Pictogram Is Worth a Thousand Translations - Essay Example ticular personalities concerned are implementing ways to make fingerprinting, among other equally not-so-harmless requirements, a more pleasant and comfortable experience for people who are not very familiar with it. For example, pictures and symbols have replaced textual instructions in posters and signages found throughout international airports. In addition, such activities are also being standardized by the agencies concerned so that international travelers will go through the same procedure in every country. As somebody who frequents airports, it is certainly daunting on my part to have to go through certain â€Å"security measures† before granted passage. These requirements, especially if existing only in selected airports, makes me feel more uncomfortable rather than more secure. Add to this the fact that some security personnel do not even take the time to explain the necessity of the procedures being done. It may also be embarrassing to have to perform a particular security check and end up doing it correctly because no clear instructions were provided in the first place. With that, I think the efforts to make international airports more culturally sensitive are commendable. The use of symbols and pictures as part of the instructions is definitely a welcome change because these symbols are more universally understood than, say, the English language. It should also be noted that such a move be done not only in international airports but also in other places with a high traffic of international personalities such as supermarkets, parks, and schools. The move to make prints adhere to a uniform standard that is the same on a global scale is another pleasant piece of news. One should realize the fact that threats to one’s security no longer just come from one’s immediate community but from an international scale as well. With the standardization of fingerprinting, coordination among different countries will be much easier to accomplish. Overall, the

History of Mathematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History of Mathematics - Essay Example The Pythagorean idea of the world was that natural numbers were the answer to the different secrets of humans and matter. They thought that everything was made up of numbers, the reason for what anything was could only be figured out in numbers (Early Concepts of Number and Number Mysticism). For the numbers from 1 to 10, each number has a special property. The number 1 is a monad and stands for unity because it is the cause of the other numbers and in number, mysticism is the number of reason. The number 2 is called a dyad for diversity or opinion and is mystically the first female number (all the even numbers are called female in many early cultures). The number 3 is a triad and means harmony because it adds up unity (number 1) plus diversity (number 2) and is considered the first male number (all the odd numbers are male in many early cultures). Number 4 is the number for justice or the squaring of accounts (number 2 squared). Number 5 is for marriage because the number 2 (first female) plus the number 3 (first male) equals the number 5. Number 6 is for creation because the number 2 (first female) plus the number 3 (first male) plus 1 more monad equals 6. The Number 10 is for the Universe because as tetractys it is the sum of all possible dimensions in geometry.

Anorexia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Anorexia - Research Paper Example exia is caused by a variety of different factors, including biology, sociological considerations and psychological adjustment patterns that are often driven by youth historical experiences in society and with family members. It is also known to be caused by media representation of what constitutes an ideal form for men and women which alters a person’s self-esteem levels and sense of self-worth in a social context. Such causes of the disease are known to be attributed to body dysmorphia, an unreasonable and rather perverse sense of the self as it pertains to body image as well as youth caregiver attachment problem (to name only two potential causes). Treatment options include cognitive behavioral therapy, clinical interventions, family therapy, support groups, pharmaceuticals, and even more radical psychotherapy methodologies. Hence, there are potential solutions that can reduce prevalence of this mental disorder with many of the aforementioned treatment options sustaining credible and sometimes substantial recovery and success rates. The goal of treatment, as indicated by research, is to change the distorted sense of self that is common with anorexia and improve cognition patterns to develop healthier eating and coping strategies. Anorexia Nervosa is a variety of eating disorder in which the individual radically curbs their food intake and maintains an unreasonable and rather groundless terror of weight gain. It is usually accomplished with a maladjusted viewpoint about their bodies. Anorexia is characterized by extreme weight loss. People who maintain this mental illness begin an extreme regulation of dietary consumption which leads to a variety of health problems. Anorexia is a common eating disorder that affects women and men, however its prevalence is most widespread in the female population. Those that have been diagnosed with anorexia often maintain an irrational obsession with maintaining a thin body figure and become preoccupied and often fanatical

CRITIQUE of 1 out of 4 FILMS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CRITIQUE of 1 out of 4 FILMS - Essay Example Maria searches for Kynaston to learn more about the craft of acting. What they find in each other is something that they never found on stage – love. The basic human drive that motivates Hughes’ and Kynaston’s behavior, I think, is the need for acceptance and search for identity. Kynaston grew up being trained to portray female roles in the theater. It was on stage that he found his identity regardless of the roles he played. King Charles II’s proclamation indirectly detached Kynaston from his true being, leaving him searching for his identity. Hughes, meanwhile, was an aspiring actress who struggled to find her identity on stage. Although considered a star in her own right, Hughes needed an affirmation and validation for her acting skills which she struggled to get on stage. The film â€Å"Stage Beauty† shows the fine artistry in portraying roles that are alien to one’s being, as in Kynaston’s portrayal of female roles. Acting like a man or a woman on stage can be learned through years of training and hard work. The stage, therefore, is the place where these various roles are performed and lived out. The stage’s appeal lies in the illusion and trickery conjured by its performers who act out different roles. Like the society from which we play a part (whether as a mother, a son, or a lover, for instance), the world is our very own stage where these gender roles are played out, or rather, performed to maintain the trickery and illusion which separate one gender from the other. The film, as this paper argues, breaks the artifice of gender roles by showing precisely that these roles are performances rather than naturally occurring through one’s identity. Moreover, the film challenges society’s definition of how a ma n or a woman should be and invites us to transcend the differences between gender roles. The film’s elements (mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, music, and

Statistics at Walt Disney World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statistics at Walt Disney World - Essay Example 2521.5). Visitor numbers for the period ranged from 27 059 - 34 624. The data was considered normal due to the skewness and kurtosis values falling within the range of -2.81 - +2.81 (Howell, 1997), in this case the values were 0.089 and 1.407 respectively. After screening the data for normality and outliers, further analysis was confidently undertaken. The mean (and standard deviation) could be found because the dependent variable "Visitor Numbers" was continuous/interval data. Normally distributed data suggests that results can be confidently generalised to a wider population, in this case visitors to Disney EPCOT. Due to the continuous nature of the DV (Visitor Numbers), and that there were more than two independent groups, a one-way ANOVA was used to compare the means of visitor numbers. The result was not significant as the F value did not exceed the critical value for a .05 alpha level (i.e., F = 4), F (6, 15) = 3.95, p = 0.14. Homogeneity of variance had been checked (Levene's value = .532) and found not significant. Thus, each group was considered to have a similar variance, and so deemed comparable. It can be assumed that no real difference in visitor numbers exists across the days of the week. On average, EPCOT had the most visitors during the first week, as can be seen in Table 2. A one-way ANOVA was undertaken using each week as the independent variable. ... Thursday 30 560.70 1100.192 Friday 31 398.00 1185.185 Saturday 33 268.33 1699.751 Sunday 33 856.67 1358.493 Due to the continuous nature of the DV (Visitor Numbers), and that there were more than two independent groups, a one-way ANOVA was used to compare the means of visitor numbers. The result was not significant as the F value did not exceed the critical value for a .05 alpha level (i.e., F = 4), F (6, 15) = 3.95, p = 0.14. Homogeneity of variance had been checked (Levene's value = .532) and found not significant. Thus, each group was considered to have a similar variance, and so deemed comparable. It can be assumed that no real difference in visitor numbers exists across the days of the week. On average, EPCOT had the most visitors during the first week, as can be seen in Table 2. A one-way ANOVA was undertaken using each week as the independent variable. Levene's value was not violated (.307), and so homogeneity of variance was assumed. There was no significant difference between the mean visitor numbers for each week, F (2, 15) = 1.034, p = .383. Table 2 Comparison of Means Visitor Numbers for Each Week Week Mean Visitor Numbers Standard Error of Mean One 30 788.00 2940.98 Two 28 874.00 1657.20 Three 29 715.67 1569.94 Important market segments were identified using frequency data and finding the mode, as the level of measurement was nominal. Percentages are based on the mean number of visitors across the study period (M = 30 817.2), as displayed in Figure 1. Unfortunately, analyses were unable to include the comparison

Anorexia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Anorexia - Research Paper Example exia is caused by a variety of different factors, including biology, sociological considerations and psychological adjustment patterns that are often driven by youth historical experiences in society and with family members. It is also known to be caused by media representation of what constitutes an ideal form for men and women which alters a person’s self-esteem levels and sense of self-worth in a social context. Such causes of the disease are known to be attributed to body dysmorphia, an unreasonable and rather perverse sense of the self as it pertains to body image as well as youth caregiver attachment problem (to name only two potential causes). Treatment options include cognitive behavioral therapy, clinical interventions, family therapy, support groups, pharmaceuticals, and even more radical psychotherapy methodologies. Hence, there are potential solutions that can reduce prevalence of this mental disorder with many of the aforementioned treatment options sustaining credible and sometimes substantial recovery and success rates. The goal of treatment, as indicated by research, is to change the distorted sense of self that is common with anorexia and improve cognition patterns to develop healthier eating and coping strategies. Anorexia Nervosa is a variety of eating disorder in which the individual radically curbs their food intake and maintains an unreasonable and rather groundless terror of weight gain. It is usually accomplished with a maladjusted viewpoint about their bodies. Anorexia is characterized by extreme weight loss. People who maintain this mental illness begin an extreme regulation of dietary consumption which leads to a variety of health problems. Anorexia is a common eating disorder that affects women and men, however its prevalence is most widespread in the female population. Those that have been diagnosed with anorexia often maintain an irrational obsession with maintaining a thin body figure and become preoccupied and often fanatical

Statistics at Walt Disney World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statistics at Walt Disney World - Essay Example 2521.5). Visitor numbers for the period ranged from 27 059 - 34 624. The data was considered normal due to the skewness and kurtosis values falling within the range of -2.81 - +2.81 (Howell, 1997), in this case the values were 0.089 and 1.407 respectively. After screening the data for normality and outliers, further analysis was confidently undertaken. The mean (and standard deviation) could be found because the dependent variable "Visitor Numbers" was continuous/interval data. Normally distributed data suggests that results can be confidently generalised to a wider population, in this case visitors to Disney EPCOT. Due to the continuous nature of the DV (Visitor Numbers), and that there were more than two independent groups, a one-way ANOVA was used to compare the means of visitor numbers. The result was not significant as the F value did not exceed the critical value for a .05 alpha level (i.e., F = 4), F (6, 15) = 3.95, p = 0.14. Homogeneity of variance had been checked (Levene's value = .532) and found not significant. Thus, each group was considered to have a similar variance, and so deemed comparable. It can be assumed that no real difference in visitor numbers exists across the days of the week. On average, EPCOT had the most visitors during the first week, as can be seen in Table 2. A one-way ANOVA was undertaken using each week as the independent variable. ... Thursday 30 560.70 1100.192 Friday 31 398.00 1185.185 Saturday 33 268.33 1699.751 Sunday 33 856.67 1358.493 Due to the continuous nature of the DV (Visitor Numbers), and that there were more than two independent groups, a one-way ANOVA was used to compare the means of visitor numbers. The result was not significant as the F value did not exceed the critical value for a .05 alpha level (i.e., F = 4), F (6, 15) = 3.95, p = 0.14. Homogeneity of variance had been checked (Levene's value = .532) and found not significant. Thus, each group was considered to have a similar variance, and so deemed comparable. It can be assumed that no real difference in visitor numbers exists across the days of the week. On average, EPCOT had the most visitors during the first week, as can be seen in Table 2. A one-way ANOVA was undertaken using each week as the independent variable. Levene's value was not violated (.307), and so homogeneity of variance was assumed. There was no significant difference between the mean visitor numbers for each week, F (2, 15) = 1.034, p = .383. Table 2 Comparison of Means Visitor Numbers for Each Week Week Mean Visitor Numbers Standard Error of Mean One 30 788.00 2940.98 Two 28 874.00 1657.20 Three 29 715.67 1569.94 Important market segments were identified using frequency data and finding the mode, as the level of measurement was nominal. Percentages are based on the mean number of visitors across the study period (M = 30 817.2), as displayed in Figure 1. Unfortunately, analyses were unable to include the comparison

Nursing and midwifery council Essay Example for Free

Nursing and midwifery council Essay Malnutrition can be defined as a serious condition that occurs when a person does not include the right amount of nutrients in their diet such as water, protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in their diet (NICE, 2012). This can lead to serious adverse circumstances where one can become malnourished. Kirch (2008) also stresses that malnutrition can also arise as a result of disease. The rational for the chosen topic ‘malnutrition in elderly patients, was based on being one of the largest contributors to elderly mortality in health care. In support Sinclain (2011) states that up to 15% of elderly in the community, 62% of hospitalised patients and 85% of nursing home residents suffer from malnutrition which is a strong independent predictor of mortality in elderly. Evidence based practice in nursing is finding solid research and applying them in nursing practices, in order to promote quality of care given to patient’s. Furthermore Baker (2013) states that it is a process which involves the use of evaluation, research process, problem solving, assessment of care, decision making and requires the patients involvement. Evidence based practice is important in clinical settings having the potential to improve the of care patient, implemented to improve recovery. The nursing and midwifery council (NMC 2008) recommended that all nurses must have the ability to critique and use evidence based practice. Developing a framework for critiquing health research (Caldwell et al, 2005) will be used as an appraisal method to critique the 3 empirical research articles. This was chosen by the writer because the authors made it clear, straightforward, easy and precise to use in critiquing academic research papers, both qualitative and quantitative using tables, numbers, keywords subheadings, guidelines and relevant websites. It was also discussed that this assists the ‘novice’ nursing student and health-related research with learning about the two approaches to research by giving consideration to aspects of the research process that are common to both methodologies approach and different stages of crit iquing them. Boud et al (1985) articulate reflection as a act in which an individual examines their experiences, beliefs, values behaviour and knowledge that leads to a new understanding and appreciation of a situation which prompted the reflective process. Yun, (2008) emphasise reflection is an active and intentional process that uses thinking in order to learn from experience. We reflect in order to learn from current or future experiences  aiding us in improving academic skills in theory and in practical, the ethics of reflection contain information such as asking questions or reflecting on what actually happened, looking at the skills that were used to deal with the situation, examine the negative and positives looking into what feelings arose from the experiences, what could have be done and what can be done better in the future. As nurses we need to reflect on our own practice to enhance the care given to patients. Rolfe et al model (2001) Cycle has been chosen to support writer reflection and this was chosen because it is a simple model which raises the following questions what, so what and now what in order to reflect effectively and improve the quality of care given to patients stimulating both personal and professional growth. In nursing practice we need to plan and leave time in order to reflect on the care delivered to patients. Following this we need to reveal the service given has confidentiality, privacy and dignity and this is being maintained, check if the patient treated is being fairly and with respect, if the nurses communicate with the patients in ways they understand. All these collective questions need to be in place when caring for patients in order to support reflection and deliver a good standard of care. Elder, Evans and Nizette (2012) states reflection allows nurses to examine both thei r practice and the accompanying cognitions and effective meanings in relation to values, biases and knowledge and in relation to the context in which the situation occurred.

Vernacular Architecture In Norway

Vernacular Architecture In Norway All forms of vernacular architecture are built to meet specific needs, accommodating the values, economies and ways of living of the cultures the produce them. It may be adapted or developed over time as needs and circumstances change. Paul Oliver (Dwellings) Vernacular architecture relates to available resources and their environmental context, and they are usually owner- or community- built, using traditional technologies. (Dwellings) There is not a number of how many dwellings there is in the world today, but between 90 and 98% of these buildings are vernacular. Traditional buildings in most parts of the world often reflect the knowledge of a climate, an activity typical of its culture, and a building material, and this is evident in Norways architecture. Norwegian wood (16) The know-how and sensibility, the skills and the capability to build successfully in response to the climate, the land, and the resources to hand, have been passed on between generations. (Dwellings) It progressed to meet the requirements of a distinct way of life, and lies integrated into a distinct terrain. Norwegian Wood (15) In contrast to the Mediterranean countries stone culture, Norway belongs to a Nordic wood culture. Reima Pietila, a Finnish architect, ass erted that the vision of Nordic man was a cave of wood. The need for a cave was for protection against a tough climate. It had to be made of the warm material wood to offer comfort during the long winters, and colourful to make people remember the flowers and the green trees of the summer. Norwegian Wood (7-8) Norway had no urban traditions until the nineteenth century. But from the Middle Ages until the Industrial Revolution it had a strong rural class. Norwegian architecture and art were therefore influenced mainly by local sources. Then because of its rural traditions, Norways highest accomplishments in both building and art were executed in the same medium: wood. Norwegian Wood (15) Norways traditional architecture had a remarkably long history, which began earlier then the Middle Ages. The buildings that developed in Norway are inspirational because they show an intimate marriage between refined techniques and native materials, placed within a distinct landscape. Stave churches in Norway (23) In the wooden acres area of the northern world, the tree provided the Nordic man his building. Norway was a massive forest belt. The upper Europes landscape was covered with woodland, and a strong wood-building culture grew from the fifth century. Norwegian Wood (15) Vernacular architecture in Norway (Log construction) The Norwegians built well-crafted wooden structures for 800 years, and they developed buildings that were suitable for their activities. The use of similar structures for such a long time was dictated by Norways agriculture way of life and the environment. Norways traditional architecture is represented by two groups of wooden buildings: farms and stave churches. Norwegian wood (16) There was two technical methods used by the Norwegian builders; the log and stave construction. In the stue (dwelling house) the horizontal logs created a cave of wood; in the stave church the vertical staves made the association to heaven obvious. Norwegian Architecture (50) The farms were skilfully built to suit their specific needs. The pride of each farm was the loft, a two-story building that was used as storage on all traditional Norwegian farms. The best woodworking skills were applied on this structure during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, which therefore signified the highest achieveme nt of Norwegian wood-building techniques. The lofts companion was the stue, the traditional dwelling, which reflected the lofts character in its advanced log construction. Norwegian wood (17) Norways restricted economy up until the seventeenth century made it harder to import building materials other than wood. Wood was plentiful, although the labour required preparing it, transporting it, and shaping it was not. Tough conditions forced the culture to collect a lot of knowledge about their native material. This collection of cultural wealth inspired the creative powers of the craftsmen for several generations. Norwegian wood (18) Tradition is the heart of any vernacular. The Norwegian tradition is the great degree of craftsmanship. The Norwegians inherited an understanding about form and proportion from the natural properties of wood. The craftsmen of the Viking ships (ca.900 AD), the stave churches (ca.1200 AD), and the farms (ca.1700 AD) used the same resources, lived on the same land, and constructed the same sorts of structures for centuries. Not unexpectedly, a thoughtful handling of the wood is evident in Norways structures. Norwegian wood (19) The rural traditions in Norway continued to be strong well into the nineteenth century, and the farmers continued to stay close to nature. The topology also resulted in comprehensive climatic conditions, which had significant consequences for its building patterns. That Norway is located in north Europe leads to short summer and long winter seasons. The winter could last up to nine months some places; this meant that there were no second chances if one did not pay attention to the elements. Norwegian Architecture (28) I was nearly a life-and-death battle between man and nature in some parts of Norway. In a numerous of places, life was an endless battle against cold, starvation, and disease, a element that steered builders to select their site wisely. Norwegian wood (30) Norwegian craftsmen had a precise awareness of the performance and weathering of the wood. The two building techniques; stave and log construction, have been modified for several building types from culture to culture for a long period of time. In stave construction the builders used vertical planks to make the walls. It was originally fixed to the ground with no supporting frame. They were later raised and positioned on foundation beams. The logs that were notched at the corners were used for log construction, and were horizontally stacked on top of each another. Less wood were necessary on stave buildings than on log buildings, but their walls were thinner and retrained less heat. Log walls were the main construction of the dwelling, the stue, and the storage building, the loft, was constructed with a combination of both stave and log work. The craftsmen chose stave construction to build churches that would rise beyond the tall pine trees and also connect the structure to a rough ground. Norwegian wood (62) Log construction is a quite simple building technique: one log stacked horizontally on top of another offers a robust wall and a solid connection at the corners. The integration of the log technique allowed for tighter and more compact structures. Norwegian Architecture (50) The common use of the log technique, or laft technique as it is known in Norwegian, began in the period after the Viking era. The earliest surviving farm buildings date from this time. A new era of building began after the Black Death, around 1535. During this time, the Reformation in Norway created contact with other European countries; this led to an increase in the Norwegian economy. The wider international communication and trade led to a highpoint of folk and building arts that culminated in the 1700s when log construction reached its highest expression in Norway. Norwegian wood (67) Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden in 1814, and that was the beginning of Norways modern history. When the industrial revolution began in the 184 0s with the paper and textile industries, farming was already a business, and the agricultural techniques were modernized. But the expanding economy could not keep up with the rapid growth in the population. In the late half of the century, many emigrants, mainly from agricultural communities, left for America. The way of life had then changed, one could not farm on a family scale anymore, and traditional building techniques had been replaced by mass-production processes. Norwegian wood (68) Stave Churches Norway has always been a lightly populated country, and there were few public structures during the medieval times. The rare exception was the stave church. The stave churches were built between 1030 and 1350. They usually stood unaccompanied against a group of farms and represented the sacred aspect of medieval life. The stave churches of Norway are some of the finest wooden buildings in Europe and are, at the same time, some of the oldest. They express some of the most advanced farming methods preserved in wooden architecture, and it is not shocking that this amount of complexity is apparent in a religious building. The stave churches confirm the extraordinary technology achieved by wooden construction techniques during the Middle Ages. It is surprising that these structures have lasted for so long, even more surprising when one realizes that most medieval structures left today were constructed in stone. Norwegian wood (17) Norway had no church-building traditions to draw upon when Christianity was introduced in the eleventh century. They had to trust their instinctive and extensive knowledge of the landscape to find a suitable site for these buildings. Norwegian architecture (27) The stave churches represent the transition that the Norwegian people had in the eleventh-century, they went from pagan and animism worship to Christianity. Norwegian wood (103) The Old Norse building techniques were customized the Christian usage in the stave churches. It received many Romanesque features; the basilica shape is similar with the old Romanesque basilica. The circular arcs wad used in most of the stave churches from the Middle Ages, mainly for construction and dà ©cor. The dà ©cor could be found on gables, portals and in the interior. The dà ©cor were mostly animal ornamentation, interspersed with Christian motifs. Norske stavkirker (19) The appearance of the stave church is unlike anything else. They have a very simple basic constructional system, but its extrapolation has created complex and extravagant architecture. Some of the churches contain of more than 2000 individual elements, without counting the roof shingles. The church rests on horizontal beams of wood that rests on a stone foundation. The vertical poles, the staves, wraps around the central square. The staves are joined to each other by clamping beams, usually with additional St Andrews crosses and knee braces to make the frame more solid. The pitched roof of the central part of the church is then supported by this frame. Norske stavkirker (13) Stave churches were often built in the best stored pine. The builders used different techniques to make the wood more solid. One of these techniques were to not cut down the tree, but to only cut the top of the tree off, all the branches and remove the bark, and then let it stand there for sevral years. The tree then tried to survive, but became more and more covered in resin. The more resin it came on the wood, the more solid it became. Stil og interià ¸r (70) The Nordic sky is low and mostly grey, compared to the high, burning sun of the Mediterranean countries. This means that in Norway the sun casts long shadows. The interior in the stave churches was dark and mysterious, and the light was dimmed, this expressed the environmental quality of Norway. The staves rise like the pine trees of the woodland toward the dark ceiling, and the people coming from the closed horizontal stue are transported into a superior world. Stave Churches in Norway (13) The wood also helps to create the quietly mysterious atmosphere, together with the structural pattern rising towards the sky, which contrasts the hard undecorated effect of the material and technique of stone architecture so radically. Stave churches in Norway (20) After the Reformation many churches became too small for their congregation and had to be enlarged. The liberal pastors also though the churches were to dark, and there for had windows built in. They also often lowered the ceilings in order to preserve more heat in the winter. Stave churches in Norway (26) The Black Death swept through Norway in 1349, with catastrophic consequences. Between half and two-thirds of the population died. It was to take 300 years for the population to return to its original size. By the time new churches were built again, the knowledge of complex stave construction seems to have been lost. Architecture in Wood It was built more than 1000 stave churches in the thirteenth century, but today only 22 remain. Norwegian wood (52) Todays architecture The union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905 and Norway became an independent nation. Most countries in the turn of the nineteenth century experienced a romantic, nationalist movement, also Norway, this was caused by a longing for the greatness of its past. The building styles that emerged were an imitation of the stave churches, but the period also recognized the lost art of the laft construction. As a result, remarkable buildings built in the old log technique were moved from several farms and assembled into open-air museums. The need to describe building as an art quickly arose. As a result of the peoples national feeling, the open-air museums came to be regarded as folk museums. What was called folk art in other European building cultures was Norways main form of expression and was being produced even as late as 1900. Norwegian wood (68) The Norwegian folk museum in Oslo, known as Norsk Folkemuseum in Norwegian, is the largest museum of Norwegian cultural history. It has a collection of over 150 buildings from all around the country, and it represents how people lived in Norway from 1500 to present time. These buildings represent different regions, different time periods, and also the differences between town and country, and social classes. The stave church located in the open-air museum is Gol Stave Church, dating from 1200, this is one of five medieval buildings at the museum. (http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/target-groups/About-the-Museum/) In earlier times beauty was an expression of the people; today it is the expression of each persons personality. However, one instinctively feels that beauty is not either old or new, it is timeless. Medieval buildings have the quality of beauty that one can rarely see in contemporary architecture. My readings have led me to determine that the idea of beauty exists, and was always used prior to modern times. The concept of beauty seems to have been lost in todays building culture, because of the loss of good craftsmanship. The characteristics of Norways traditional buildings were the remarkable ornamental qualities. This shows the importance of the craftsmanship process when construction was still considered an art and a craft. The marriage between fine materials and good craftsmanship seems to have been forgotten by todays builders and architects. This marriage offers the greatest inspiration for the building art. The past contrasts the present-day in many ways, and its constructors naturally had fewer choice of materials. But the lessons and knowledge given by a vernacular building culture are still valid. Norwegian Wood (9) One of the most important qualities for an architect is the response to the physical surroundings. It requires an understanding of the land to solve the problem of how to dwell in a particular area. The end result, generally for most traditional architecture, can be a quality linked to a specific site, or to a particular landscape. The mountains that generate wind or rain, the seasons that bring snow, the way that sun shines, or does not shine, are all important in determining a settlement social events are not the only thing that create its character. How a builder responds to these issues reflects his ability to build within a certain landscape. Norwegian wood (27) The vernacular buildings reflect the skill of building when tradition, and not new inventions, inspired builders: the beauty of this was that the tradition uncovered existential meaning. This is missing in todays building culture, together with the drive of the craftsmen and the joy of constructing. Vernacular buildings have a breathing uniqueness, independent of its con structor, and because the builders highlighted this unique individuality in all its elements, a wonderful building appears. The Norwegian architect, Gunnar Granberg, said, the craftsmens knowledge was a given: rather than thinking about it, they simply built the buildings. Norwegian Wood (9) Learn from vernacular architecture Older buildings have many features that we can learn from and leverage further, both in modern construction and the maintenance of older buildings. Older buildings are often built with materials that are locally produced and lightly processed. The production of these materials has required little energy and caused little environmental impact. This is an argument both to preserve older buildings and to use their knowledge for new construction. One should take advantage of the material properties, which means the right capacity and quality at the right place and function. This means that this part of the building will be more effective for a longer period of time, and one is then resource efficient when using the best qualities where it is most needed. Good craftsmanship is all about good material knowledge, good practices, knowledge of what is going to last, and how to perform the work. Each part of the buildings life span has great importance when thinking about resources. Old buildi ngs are often constructed of materials and building components that are built to last, without losing function or become aesthetically undesirable. How long a building can be used depends on the original quality, and whether it can be maintained in an appropriate manner. Traditional materials and building components are often very easy to maintain because the materials are lightly processed, and because the components are easy to get to and remove from the building. (Book) Many modern materials are presented as maintenance-free, but in reality they do not last and must be replaced more often. Many modern building elements consist of different materials which cannot be taken apart, which means that it is the material which has the shortest life span that determines the building component longevity. This is a poor use of resources. In older buildings not all rooms are heated to the same temperature. The hallways could often be colder than the living rooms, and some rooms were closed off in the winter. It was also common to furnish the center of the room or up against the fireplace, so that the breeze from the windows was not so infuriating. The indoor temperature was also kept lower. This was who they saved energy. Traditionally the natural ventilation made a good indoor climate. Wood heating and air channels create negative pressure, and fresh air is drawn in through leaks or vents in the winter. Venting through open windows in summer is also a simple and good solution. Natural ventilation provides ventilation without the need for energy input to operate the fans and heat exchanger, etc. When using a ventilation system the durability of the system corresponds to the durability of the building. The current building regulations make it almost impossible to build for natural ventilation. The tighter and better in sulated a building is, the more energy is required for ventilation and the more dependent one is that the advanced technical equipment works, maintained and used properly. Development of natural ventilation will give us knowledge and solutions that contribute to energy efficiency also in modern construction. (book) Modern construction relies on as tightly insulated as possible and represents with other words, a completely different building physical principle the traditional buildings. It is therefore important not to think modern when working with old buildings as it can cause major structural damage over time. A very thick insulation layer requires efficient sealing of the house. This is challenging both during construction and later in their life cycle. Leaks may lead to rot and mold problems. A well-insulated house is totally dependent on a properly functioning ventilation system at any time. The physical principles in traditional buildings can provide useful knowledge in the de velopment of new construction that looks more into these challenges. Traditional buildings are often characterized by the fact that there were few resources when they were built. Everything had to be done by hand, transportation was cumbersome, and the processing was often done on site and was limited. We then developed a tradition of building energy and resource efficient based on passive measures. This stands in contrast to the current to todays trend towards ever more advanced technical solutions and energy-intensive processes. (http://www.riksantikvaren.no/Norsk/Tema/Energisparing/Hva_kan_vi_lare_av_eldre_hus+/) Older houses are often less isolated and leakier than the requirements set in the current building regulations. They therefore require more energy in the production phase. The reason for the increasingly stringent energy requirements is the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is often difficult to isolate older houses so that they meet the regulations without destroying the heritage values. The Directorate in Norway are working towards trying to compensate the use of renewable energy for the higher energy consumption in older houses. This will help achieve the goal of reducing CO2 emissions while preserving the cultural historical values. Wood as a building material causes little environmental impact compared to for example the production and use of concrete and steel. This relates to the entire life cycle (production, transport, maintenance, durability and disposal etc.). Using more wood in buildings as a replacement for less environmentally friendly materials will help to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. (http://www.riksantikvaren.no/Norsk/Tema/Energisparing/Bruk_av_tre_i_et_miljoperspektiv/) It is essential that vernacular building traditions are supported; to assist local builders in matter of sanitation and disaster preparedness, while same time learning and benefiting from their experience, knowledge and skills. Paul Oliver Conclusion By investigating vernacular architecture we can recover much accumulated wisdom. The ever-growing number of vernacular studies that has kept on appearing since the nineteenth century, these has improved our knowledge and understanding of historic and modern vernacular traditions. (Built to meet needs) Housing the ever-growing global population is one of the biggest problems we are facing today, but this has not yet caught the same attention as issues of food, health, climate change or the reduction of biodiversity. This problem has to be recognized for the future well-being of the people to be ensured. The survival of the vernacular will help not only with housing, but also sustainable techniques. (Vernacular Architecture in the 21st Century) Architects and builders should look at vernacular knowledge and performance to respond to the over-growing demands for housing and natural disasters. Studying vernacular traditions will give us better adaptation knowledge. Many traditions from the vernacular have been an associated with poverty, underdevelopment and the past; this became apparent in the process of urbanization, globalization and modernization. It is not viewed as a work of architecture that is well-adjusted to its local surroundings, cultures and economies, but rather as a wo rk in progress. This has led to the replacement and abandonment of many unique and distinctive vernacular buildings. (Atlas of Vernacular Architecture) It is important to take care of the local traditions. And in Norway that means that we need to use more wood in modern buildings. The challenge with timber is that it takes a long time to warm them up, but when they are warm, they stay warm for a long time. If we unite the old log technique with the best of new heating technology it will be big changes. The question is not old or modern building technique, but more use of timber. The vernacular buildings still standing today should be preserved and learnt from. In the case of Norway, some measures can be made, if all the Norwegian boroughs that have houses from 1650 and earlier built houses in this tradition, the Norwegian heritage buildings could be saved, and young people would then also learn how to construct in a traditional and sustainable way. This would make a radical change considering the environment; when one kilogram timber can bind 1.7 kg CO2, and a house made in log technique with locally produced timber have a lifespan on 800-900 years. This is what I call sustainability! Take it easy and be completely focused on the task. Remember, in the end, no one asks how long it took. What is crucial is that what you have done is correct. Arne Berg (http://www.vl.no/kultur/var-byggekunst-er-doende/)