What Does The Petroleum And Biodiesel - 1469 Words

Over time there has been a growing focus towards the environmental consequences that the world faces at present due to the constant global use of fossil fuels. Increasing fuel prices and the high cost of fuel imports have caused the issue of depleting Crude Oil supplies to become a global concern. Determining whether Biofuels deliver benefits over fossil fuels requires thorough investigation into factors such as direct and indirect inputs and outputs for their full production and life cycles. Throughout this report current and well supported public data will be presented on focusses covering; fuel prices, production plant efficiencies, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and other environmental effects. Introduction With the growing search to find a viable alternative to oil-based energy, the development of other energy sources has become more relevant than ever. With fuels derived from biomass or biological sources gradually receiving more attention, could they be the solution to the increasing problem of tackling climate change. The main purpose of this report is to give a clear understanding of what petroleum and biodiesel are, and also to provide a general comparison between the two, in order to draw a conclusion on weather biodiesel can be classed as a long term viable alternative to more conventional fossil fuels such as petroleum. What is Petroleum? Petroleum which is also known as crude oil or simply just oil, is a fossil fuel that is formed from the decompositionShow MoreRelatedChemistry and Technology in Biodiesel Essay528 Words   |  3 PagesChemistry and technology in biodiesel Biodiesel is a cleaner diesel fuel for diesel engines in many types of vehicles. It is safer for the environment and is a cleaner version of diesel. It is made from soybeans and other vegetation. It is made with a process called transesterification it seperates glycerin from fat or oil and then methyl esters and glycerin is what is left over and used for the fuel. Biodiesel had its origins with the invention of the diesel engine, as the dieselRead MoreHydrogen And Its Effects On The Environment Essay1327 Words   |  6 Pagesshows that the United State people consumes a huge amount of petroleum and import more petroleum from other countries. The usage of fossil fuel is releasing a huge amount of carbon dioxide into the environment, and with the huge amount of consumption there will be a huge amount of carbon dioxide released into the environment. Also, most of the petroleum is located in countries that have political tension, which can affect the supply of petroleum. To avoid this problem, we might consider different kindsRead MoreAlternative Fuels: Cars Can Exhale Water.1516 Words   |  6 Pagesstudies to make alternative fuels a thing of tomorrow. Some such alternative fuels include biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas. All of which have some promising pros. Not only are those chemicals emitted buy vehicles harmful to humans, but they are also hurting the environment. Gasoline is nonrenewable resource. Nonrenewable meaning once it is gone there is no more. First off, what makes gasoline nonrenewable is how is made. Gasoline comes from crude oil, which in turnRead MoreA Quick Look at Different Fuels and How They Work Essay913 Words   |  4 Pageswe need. Another thing chemistry has improved is batteries or fuel cells, like what is in a TV remote or a car. Also chemistry has helped improve gasoline for automobiles and other necessities for everyday use. This includes gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, and diesel. A hydrogen fuel cell is what converts chemical stored energy by hydrogen fuel into electricity. Hydrogen fuel is very similar to normal batteries like what we would find in a car or a clock, but differences are present between the twoRead MoreComprehensive Experimental Examination On Diesel Engine Supplied With Kanuga Methyl Ester Essay1472 Words   |  6 PagesKumar 1, D.Ramesh Babu 2, M.Mastanaiah3 1M.Tech Student, 2 Assistant Professor, 3 Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering DR.SAMUEL GEORGE INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MARKAPURAM-523316, PRAKASAM DIST, ANDHRA PRADESH ABSTRACT Petroleum based fuels are producing high emissions in depletion of environment. Due to the usage with modern globalization these emissions causing hazardous for the environment. Due to the local topography and climatology, Bio-fuels can be produced from variousRead MoreBiodiesel And Its Effects On Our Environment1468 Words   |  6 PagesBiodiesel is a fuel similar to diesel derived from a plant source, like corn, used vegetable oil, or even algae. This biofuel is created from renewable resources to replace the low source of fossil fuels that is unfortunately nonrenewable. Because of this situation society was basically coerced into finding a substitute. While the price is getting higher due to recent events between the United States (U.S. )and Third World Countries. Due to these situations society had to come up with a cheaper,Read MoreEssay on Regression Analysis1680 Words   |  7 Pagescontinues to be variance in what is consumed each day compared to the amount of miles driven. This issue is very important to OMNITRANS because it makes it very difficult to plan for future use with the CNG industry. OMNITRANS wants to have a consistency with CNG use so they can plan for budgeting purposes and new contracts that are connected with the CNG usage. We are going to establish what we believe will be a good analysis for OMNITRANS to look at and establish what is needed in order to improveRead MoreBiofuel Works Better than Other Alternative Energies998 Words   |  4 Pages we can only produce what we can extract from the earth. The countries with the highest demand in a petroleum energy are not the richest in these natural resources. Petroleum is not limitless Although scientists have not been able to estimate exactly how long the earths petroleum stores will last, they do know it will become harder and harder to find as time goes on. â€Å"It’s not a matter of how much is left, it’s a matter of how much you want to spend to extract the petroleum†. (A Scientists GuideRead MoreUse Of Diesohol As A Substitute For Diesel1670 Words   |  7 Pagesexisting diesel engines scientist resolved the issue with a blend of alcohol and diesel so only minor adjustments was needed to be made. Diesel is obtained by the complex process of refining petroleum (W. Addy Majewski, Hannu Jà ¤Ãƒ ¤skelà ¤inen, 2013),(Unknown).It consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon found in the petroleum crude oils and in general is typically C14H30, but can vary depending on the production of the diesel fuels (Marshall Brain,1998),(W. Addy Majewski, Hannu Jà ¤Ãƒ ¤skelà ¤inen,2013).The chemicalRead MoreCan We Americans Switch From Non Renewable Diesel Fue l1573 Words   |  7 Pagesswitch from non-renewable diesel fuel, to renewable biodiesel? I believe this switch is vital to our future. With gasoline prices volatile and the Obama administration committed to easing the United States addiction to oil, many Americans seem to be taking more interest in pursuing alternative fuels. These alternative fuels include those derived from farm crops and other renewable organic sources. Among the most widely available are biodiesel and vegetable oil, both of which can be used to power

Comparing the Secular Humanist, Machiavelli and the...

Comparing the Secular Humanist, Machiavelli and the Religious Humanist, Erasmus One can often identify a persons political, religious or cultural orientation by his or her reaction to certain words. A case in point is the expression secular humanism. For religious conservatives those words sum up much of what is wrong with contemporary society. Websters Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary gives several definitions for humanism, a word which made its appearance in 1832. The first is a devotion to the humanities or the revival of class, individualistic and critical spirit, and emphasis on secular concerns characteristic of the Renaissance. Renaissance is capitalized. Another definition reads as follows: a doctrine, attitude, or†¦show more content†¦Because it is difficult to reach agreement on values, why we exist or what we should do, Western society has concentrated on the how of life. If you cant answer a hard question, ask an easier one. For example, we may not be able to describe love, but we have made enormous progress on the description of the physical manifestations of sexual arousal. I am reminded of a character in Ambiguous Adventure, a French African novel, who is advising her brother to send his child to a Western school. She tells him, We must learn from the West the art of conquering without being in the ri ght. By that statement she recognizes the divorce between power and morality. When you read the short excerpts from Machiavellis The Prince from our text I hope that he made you feel angry and defensive. Reading Machiavelli makes me bristle; I want to argue with him. His formulas for political success contradict my most basic religious beliefs, those I have held from childhood, and help me to see why Mennonites have traditionally been so suspicious of politics. And yet I know that his pragmatic approach is the very basis of modern political theory. Because we have, as citizens of the twentieth century, to a large extent followed his advice, I am put on the defensive. I am astonished to see how

Ya kun Free Essays

Ya Kun is an established and has renown reputation for its coffee and kaya toast. It has been around us since 1944 when it registered itself as Ya Kun Coffee Stall. It differentiated its food by manufacturing its very own kaya that is used at all of the Ya kun outlets. We will write a custom essay sample on Ya kun or any similar topic only for you Order Now Yakun now has expanded to a total of 11 countries in Asia and Middle Eastern region. As mentioned above in the Porter five forces, Ya kun faces both direct and indirect competitors in the industry. The direct competitors are Toastbox and Killiney kopitiam. The indirect competitors are Starbucks and Macdonalds. Although the indirect competitors are not in the traditional coffee and toast industry, they still possess threats that affect Ya Kun Identify Product offering Scale of operation Local Regional Global Limited Wide Product offering Scale of operation Local Regional Global Limited Wide Toastbox Toastbox was established in 2005 and it aims to recreate the warm atmosphere of local Nanyang coffee shops from the 1960s. It has successfully expanded both locally and internationally to countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and China. Killiney Kopitiam Killiney Kopitiam has a rich history, from being established in the 1950s as â€Å"Qiong Xin He† and later renamed as â€Å"Killiney Koptiam† in 1993. They have now expanded their operations to countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and Hong Kong. The vision of the company is to share the â€Å"Kopitiam† tradition through generations by educating the young.? Evaluate (str weakenesses) Brand| Strength| Weakness| Ya Kun| * Uses social media (eg. Facebook, website) * Maintain the traditional menu * Expanded regionally * Outlets can be easily found in more places * ? Nostalgic appeal keeps older generation feel attached * Infused traditions with vibrancy and style * Attempt to attract the younger crowd who fancy dining in a traditional setting | * Limited variety (Product list) * Slightly overprice| Toast Box| * Uses social media (Facebook, website, twitter) * Wide variety of choice in menu * Locates its cafes in the heartlands as well as the central business district to cater to a wide array of its target market * Expanded regionally| * Menu not on website. Only signature dishes * Toast and menu not as traditional | Killiney Kopitiam| * Uses social media (Facebook, website) * Wide variety of choice in menu * Offers quality products and services at affordable prices * Preserve the coffee shop tradition * Expanded regionally| * Menu is not attractive enough * Lack of updates in Facebook| Is YA KUN always stronger- which areas is it stronger and which weaker (the vulnerable areas)? How to cite Ya kun, Essay examples

Nursing Human Development Process

Question: Discuss about the Report for Nursing of Human Development Process. Answer: Every living organism change and grow and during this process become more diversified, competent and capable in dealing with the external world. Every human being is different and thus they grow or develop in a unique way depending on the physical, cognitive and spiritual growth through various stages from infancy to adulthood. But the order of development remains the same for every individual. This progression is termed as human development. The human development stages are categorized into four distinct stages and they are infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood (Bornstein Bradley 2014). In each stage the individual confronts, and hopefully experience, new challenges and explore and they gradually develop a sense of recognizing new things. Human beings, at the initial stage unable to crawl or walk, but quickly become competent at these skills, and move on to running and beyond.When an individual grows they start to develop new habits, learn new things and their interdependen cy increases (Kogan 2013). In this essay I am going to present the human development facts based on the physical, social-cultural and cognitive issues. In addition to this the process of development of self-identity and self-esteem of an individuals life and incorporation of relevant standards of practice into the nursing practice will be discussed. Human development is the process of physical, cognitive and spiritual expansion and transition of a human being. One of the early childhood stages, the toddlers are commonly termed as preschooler. In terms of the preschoolers the physical growth is little slower than the infants and toddlers, but the development is steady and also continuous. By the age of 6 years the size becomes close to an adult and the body becomes more coordinated. Motor abilities gradually develop such as throwing, catching and skipping Spodek Saracho (2014). A complete set of temporary teeth appears that are again replaced by the thirty two permanent teeth with time. Addition to this the average weight of a five to six years child has been estimated as 20.4 kilograms. According to Jean Piaget this stage is termed as the pre-operational stage. The cognitive development is characterized by learning of signs and symbols, imagination to enhance the play, improvement in verbal communication, increased socializatio n and better reasoning capability Gottfried (2013). Moreover, increased language and picture skills are also observed in preschoolers. The behavioral or psychological development in this particular age is biologically opposite-sex oriented. At this stage the behavioral aspect is mediated through social interactions. Children of this stage are quite prone to the fears of nightmares, new locations and their own imagination or fantasies. As predicted by Kohlbergs this particular stage is dominated by moral reasoning. The children of this age obey rules in order to avoid punishment. In accordance to this age the concepts of god, spirit, hell or heaven are inexplicable and sometimes frightening. The growth of the preschoolers re highly impacted upon by the social dimensions (Gottfried, 2013). With the advent of the early childhood stage numerous normative and non-normative transitions take place (Hershkowitz et al. 2012). At this stage the children become active explorers of their environment. According Jean Piagets theory of cognitive development, the early childhood stage is divided into two parts the pre-conceptual stage which involves children of the ages 2 to 4 years and intuitive stage which involves children of age 4 to 7 years. The children between the ages of 3 to 6 years think symbolically and their thinking is mostly egocentric. The normative transitions in these children involve increased size, changes in physical appearance, language development, emotional and spiritual development (Fisher et al. 2013). As per the theory of attachment of Bowlby, the attachment patterns that starts with infancy exerts a huge influence and find expression in a variety of sociological behaviors that continues throughout the lifespan. The difference in the child attachment patter ns is due to the distinct pattern of responses towards the social interactions. The non-normative transitions are the unpredictable changes that take place depending on certain situations. Non-normative changes can cause physical as well as emotional changes. For example, death of parents can traumatize a child of this age. Bowlby stated that, the relationship between the children and their parents aids in the development of a childs internal world. Therefore, sudden demise of the parents of a child of this age can impact negatively on a childs psychological health (Hershkowitz et al., 2012). Erikson stated that, very stages of development is highly influenced by an individuals interactions with the environment. The concept of self-identity requires a constant thought and intentional decision making (Charlesworth, 2013). By the age of 3 years a child develops the idea of concrete self and could distinguish him or her as a separate life. The self-concept can be defined as the sense of belongingness and being accepted by the world. The self-concept develops from the birth and it gets a form with time. Children within the age of 3 to 6 years have the ability to distinguish them as separate entities. The self-image of such children is more descriptive than being judgmental. At the age of five the children become aware of the requirements of his or her group (Kreppner Lerner, 2013). A five to six years child develops the power of words and communicates effectively in order to establish their own needs within the group. Self-esteem in preschoolers develops from several factors such as relationship, friendship and helping and playing task. In children of this age have high self-esteem and remains optimistic while learning, finishing a task and achieving success (Charlesworth, 2013). The development of the feeling of independency in preschoolers becomes deceptive by new things. The self-concept of children between the ages of 3 to 6 years is governed by many factors such as the social factors, emotional connections cultural factors and environmental factors. The normative and non-normative transitions among these children are significantly affected with the realization of the self-concept (Kreppner Lerner 2013). Certain studies have focused on the fact that the preschoolers develop the healthy ability to be assertive and they are seen to take initiative in tasks. Encouragement of these children in doing new tasks can positively impact on their self-concept. On the contrary certain non-normative transitions also affect the self-concept. For example, inability to start a new project or feeling of guilt can negatively impact on the self-concept. However, children of these ages are not aware of the opposing characteristics in a person. They also cannot typically lin k the different self-description into an integrated self-portrait (Gottfried, 2013). Moorhead (2013) stated that, psychologists and nurses seek to realize and understand the health requirements of others and accordingly change their own behaviors, feelings and thoughts in order to enhance the well-being of those people. According to the NMBA, 2016 nursing practice standards, nurses should think critically and analyze the nursing practice and also engage in therapeutic and professional relationship. Preschoolers are of the early developmental stages in human beings. Therefore, it is very important to implement the NMBA, 2016 nursing practice in their lives but critically analyze their complications and incorporate it into clinical treatment of them. Firstly, understanding of their development and critically analyzing their illness and consequences is a significant part of the nursing practice in accordance to the NMBA standards. Secondly, as stated by NMBA standards one of the key parts of the nursing practice is to develop a therapeutic and professional relationship. Thus, as a nurse it is important to communicate with the childs parents about their reactive pattern and treat the diseases clinically (Ball et al., 2013). The pre-operational stage in human development as referred by Piaget is a significant developmental stage which involves several normative and non-normative transitions. These stage experiences several physical, cognitive and socio-cultural developments which ultimately helps in the growth of self-concept, self-identity and self-esteem. Thus, through careful assessment and family education nurses can aid in proper child development and enhance their own professional practice according to the NMBA standards. References: Ball, J. W., Bindler, R. C., Cowen, K. J. (2013).Child health nursing. Prentice Hall. Bornstein, M. H., Bradley, R. H. (Eds.). (2014).Socioeconomic status, parenting, and child development. Routledge. Charlesworth, R. (2013).Understanding child development. Cengage Learning. Fisher, K. R., Hirshà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Pasek, K., Newcombe, N., Golinkoff, R. M. (2013). Taking shape: Supporting preschoolers' acquisition of geometric knowledge through guided play.Child Development,84(6), 1872-1878. Gottfried, A. W. (Ed.). (2013).Home environment and early cognitive development: Longitudinal research. Academic Press. Hershkowitz, I., Lamb, M. E., Orbach, Y., Katz, C., Horowitz, D. (2012). The development of communicative and narrative skills among preschoolers: Lessons from forensic interviews about child abuse.Child development,83(2), 611-622. Kogan, N. (2013).Cognitive Styles in Infancy and Early Childhood (Psychology Revivals). Psychology Press. Kreppner, K., Lerner, R. M. (Eds.). (2013).Family systems and life-span development. Psychology Press. Moorhead, S. (2013).Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC), Measurement of Health Outcomes, 5: Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC). Elsevier Health Sciences. Spodek, B., Saracho, O. N. (2014).Handbook of research on the education of young children. Routledge.

Well Done Personal Essay - Sample Essay

Three times a week after school I go visit my dad. When I enter the hospital room where he has lain in a coma since his accident, my eyes often wander to the lone golf ball my mom placed at his bedside. Just six months ago, my father was driving a golf cart across the street that bisects the local golf course when he was hit by a car. He suffered severe brain injury, and the doctors have ruled out any possibility of him waking up again. When I look at him lying in bed, frail but peaceful as if he were asleep, its hard not to dwell on the what ifs: what if he hadnt played golf that day? What if he hadnt been behind the fence when the black Camry plowed into it? What if I still had the chance to ask all those questions that choke me up when I see him in the hospital? I cant pretend that I have developed enough distance from the event to draw conclusions about life, but I am already beginning to see myself in very different terms.Ironically, through this accident my dad has given a chan ce to face reality head-on. Before the accident, my relationship with him was warm but fraught with tension. He never seemed satisfied with what I did and reprimanded me for every wrong step I took. He had strong opinions about my hairstyle, clothes, friends, and—above everything else—my academic performance. When I was not sitting at my desk in my room, he invariably asked me why I had nothing to do and told me I should not procrastinate. He stressed that if I missed my teenage years of studying, I would regret it later. He didnt like me going out with my friends, so I often ended up staying at home—I was never allowed to sleep over at other students homes. All I remember from my past high school years is going to school and coming back home. I was confused by my parents overprotective attitude, because they emphasized independence yet never actually gave me a chance to be independent.In terms of career, my dad often lectured me about which ones are acceptable and which are not. He worried incessantly about whether I would ever get into college, and he often made me feel as if he would never accept my choices. Rather than standing up for myself, I simply assumed that if I studied hard, he would no longer be disappointed in me. Although I tried hard, I never seemed to get it quite right; he always found fault with something. As if that werent enough, he frequently compared me to my over-achieving older brother, asking me why I couldnt be more like him. I must admit that at times I even questioned whether my dad really loved me. After all, he never expressed admiration for what I did, and my attempts to impress him were always in vain.In retrospect, I dont think I fully understood what he was trying to tell me. These days, when I come home to an empty house, it strikes me just how dependent on my parents care and support I have been so far. Now that my dad is in the hospital and my mom is always working, I see that I must develop the streng th to stand alone one day. And, for the very first time, I now realize that this is exactly what my dad was trying to make me see. I understand that he had a big heart, even though he didnt always let it show; he was trying to steer me in the right direction, emphasizing the need to develop independence and personal strength. He was trying to help me see the world with my own eyes, to make my own judgments and decide for myself what I would eventually become. When my dad was still with us, I took all of his advice the wrong way. I should not have worried so much about living up to my parents expectations; their only expectation of me, after all, is that I be myself.In mapping out my path to achieving my independence, I know that education will allow me to build on the foundations with which my parents have provided me. My academic interests are still quite broad, but whereas I was once frustrated by my lack of direction, I am now excited at the prospect of exploring several fields b efore focusing on a particular area. Strangely, dealing with my fathers accident has made me believe that I can tackle just about any challenge. Most importantly, I am more enthusiastic about my education than ever before. In embarking on my college career, I will be carrying with me my fathers last gift and greatest legacy: a new desire to live in the present and the confidence to handle whatever the future might bring.CommentsThis essay does a good job of evincing the applicants concern for others, confidence, insight, maturity, optimism, and success in working to overcome a very difficult situation. The students language brings across genuine emotion without falling prey to melodrama. The introduction, though somewhat sorrowful, ends with a focused statement on how the accident has propelled the student to reassess himself, his relationship with his father, and his life in general.The essay does an excellent job of building upon previous points and moving the reader toward the co nclusion. The flow and coherence do not waver, keeping the readers attention focused. The student is able to display how he has changed from a naà ¯ve, confused child into a mature, understanding young man (I was confused by my parents overprotective attitude†¦I must admit that at times I even questioned whether my dad really loved me†¦I see that I must develop the strength to stand alone one day.).The conclusion ties the material back to education without making the reader feel sorry for the writer. The student is strong, not dwelling upon the unfortunate nature of his circumstances, but rather focusing upon how he is using and will use his fathers condition as a motivating force in his life. The piece ends on an uplifting note, showing the students strong character and maturity.

10 Signs You Shouldnt Take the Job

10 Signs You Shouldnt Take the Job You’ve been searching and searching and finally you find yourself with a job offer in hand. Trouble is, there are a few red flags. How do you know when you should really turn a job down instead of taking it? Remember: you’ll spend a significant chunk of your adult life at work. You might as well not be miserable. Here are ten ways to tell if you should pass and hold out for something better:1. Unprofessional/Untimely CommunicationIf your perfectly reasonable emails with questions go consistently unanswered. If you receive communications that are not clear, thorough, or respectful. If appointments or interviews are cancelled at the last minute without explanation or apology. If your questions are dodged or not answered to your satisfaction†¦ None of this bodes well. If a company can’t get it together in the hiring process, chances are the job itself will be even more frustrating.2. Ghost companyYou’ve Googled and Googled and you still can’t find any substantive information about the company. Or worse- what information you can’t find is bad or negative press. Or bad Yelp reviews! Or worst- bad reviews from former employees. One or two outliers shouldn’t be a big deal; but consistently negative information? Run.3. Aggressive InterviewerIf your interviewer starts giving you the hard sell and trying to convince you to take the job on the spot, that’s not a great sign. It smacks of desperation. Similarly if a recruiter tries to push you in the direction of a particular job. No job is immediately perfect without going through the proper process. And you can always take time to think it over and say no.4. TurnoverYou’re looking at an old company, but none of the employees have been there for more than a year. Ask yourself why the company has such a hard time keeping good people on long term? This is especially true if your interviewer starts badmouthing her current team.5. Repeat AdsYou keep seeing the same job posting popping up on job sites. Over and over again. This is never a good sign.6. Asks for moneyAs outlandish as this sounds, it does happen, and you should be wary of it. If anyone asks for money for background checks or training, just cut and run.7. Defeated workersIs the climate in the office chilly, doomy, or gloomy? Do all the employees look hunched over and defeated? Read their body language and the energy in the room. Does it look like they want to be there?8. No path forwardThere’s no mention of how you might grow into and beyond your position. Don’t let yourself get stuck in a dead end job. Similarly, if there’s no clear description of the job’s duties or your role. If they can’t tell you what success would look like in your position, it will be impossible for you to succeed in such a place.9. Bad bossHonor that feeling in your gut that says you just don’t like your potential supervisor. Either they don’t seem to t rust you or you get a bad vibe from them. Trust this instinct and save yourself months or years of unhappiness.10. Instant hireBe wary of any company that wants to hire you on the spot without calling any of your references or doing a background check. It could just be a super casual company policy, or it could speak of desperation on the employer’s part. Which, again, is never a good sign.

Mission Statement writting assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mission Statement writting assigment - Assignment Example To ensure that they nurture the human spirit, they maintain going for the best coffee available in the market around the world. For "one person, one cup and a neighborhood at a time," Starbucks has its own way of developing loyal customers and contributes to the environment even as it makes its profits (Diane, Raven, & Al-Mutair, 1998). In another article on "Wake up and smell the coffee," by Anonymous author, it is stated that during when Starbucks is roasting its coffee, there is a production of smoke that when released to the environment just that way, it causes environmental pollution (Anonymous, 2006). This would show how Starbucks engages in an activity that is considered unethical or illegal. However, the company tries so much to reduce this issue by completing the oxidation process of the material into CO2 and water, which are, therefore, safe to release to the

Construction and Maintenance of Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Construction and Maintenance of Building - Essay Example In addition, the primary source of energy for the building will be generated from a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit. Combined power and heat integrates the production of usable heat and power (electricity), in one single, cost effective and highly efficient process. The CHP system is sustainable, clean and renewable. CHP generates electricity while also capturing usable heat that is produced in this process its efficiency is greatly increased. This is unusual contrasts with conventional ways of generating electricity where heat is simply wasted and in the process impacting negatively on efficiency. In today’s coal and gas-fired power stations, up to two-thirds of the entire energy consumed get lost in such a way, frequently witnessed as a cloud of smoke rising from the cooling turrets, the process is very environmentally unfriendly. This will be a very eco-friendly aspect of construction as it is very efficient in its purpose and design. Sub-structure or Foundation- is the lower section of the building, located below the ground level and the damp proof course. A foundation is part of the structure that is in direct contact with the ground to which the loads are equally transmitted to the supporting surrounding soil. Shrinkable soils are those types whose contents are made up of more than 35% have a modified plasticity index greater or equal to 10% and of fine particles. The fine soil particles are having nominal diameters of 60 Â µm. Plastic index of a given soil is its measure of the change in volume potential that is determined by Atterberg Limits test. Soil particles whose nominal diameters after the test are greater than 425 Â µm are eliminated through sieving in advance. Particles with diameters smaller than 425 Â µm are promptly reported for Atterberg Limits test. The Plasticity index of the soil multiplied by the real percentage of particles with contents less than 425

Lifelong Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Lifelong Learning - Essay Example H G Wells was correct when he said that 'the whole of human history is a battle between education and catastrophe' (cited in Fischer, 2000, p. 265). Those of us immersed in a lifelong learning culture can all sense that the new millennium brings with it the opportunity for a new beginning. But we can all see, as well, the scale of the task ahead just to make it happen, perhaps starting in our own communities and branching out from there with new understandings, new persuasions, new insights, new wisdom. Thanks to inter-governmental organizations-UNESCO, OECD, APEC, the Council of Europe, The European Commission and others - and some of the more enlightened liberal democracies, the lifelong learning movement is now rampaging around the whole world, from Europe to South Africa and from North America to Japan, like a benign educational plague. It is the future-and it is not before time. In Lifelong Learning, written 12 years ago, Longworth and Davies suggested eight reasons why lifelong learning is particularly appropriate for this age. But nine years is a long time in a lifelong learning world. While some are still as relevant as on the day they were written, it is time to update the rest to take into account the changes in the meanwhile: Fundamental global demographics-in the rich developed world, ageing, more mobile, more multicultural and multi-ethnic societies which could release high inter-racial and inter-generational social tensions and a reduced investment in welfare programmes through a fall in working, and an increase in retired, populations. By contrast, in the poorer parts of the world a massive population growth exacerbating already chronic shortages of resource and education and condemning vast numbers of people to live at subsistence level and below... The pervasive influence of television and the media on the development of peoples' thoughts, ideas and perceptions. Television has an enormously powerful effect on people. Where it is in the hands of those who would use it as an instrument of propaganda, whether raw or subtle, as happens in both poor and rich countries, it can be used to foster hatred and intolerance. Where it is used purely as an instrument of entertainment, it can, through trivialization and ignorance of real issues, have an equally insidious effect on the ability of people to make informed choices. As an occasional, independent, instrument of education it could be used to transform nations into dynamic, well-educated and flexible lifelong learning societies (Marsick, 1998, p. 119). Environmental imperatives - the depletion of the world's resources and the need for renewable energy, the destruction of ecosystems and the demand for sustainable development. There is a crucial need to educate continually all the world's people in environmental matters as a basis for the survival of species on earth and to be inventive and innovative about how environmental information is kept constantly in the forefront of popular consciousness. In other words, the need for a lifelong learning approach to a lifelong survival issue (Swedburg & Ostiguy 1998, p. 27). These are issues affecting every society and they propagate a view of lifelong learning as a global phenomenon, entirely consonant with the reality of governmental perceptions.

Sequencing Technology for Epilepsy Diagnosis

Sequencing Technology for Epilepsy Diagnosis Epilepsy: It is estimated that at many as 10% of the general populace will experience a seizure in their lifetime. (Persad et al., 2003) Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease defined by its characteristic symptom, recurrent and spontaneous seizures. (Berg et al., 2011) (Asher Y et al., 2012) Epilepsy is a common condition with an occurrence of up to 3% in the population (Deng H et al., 2013). According to Pal D.k et al., (2010) over half of epilepsies have a genetic cause. A large body of research has gone into identifying the genetic causes and corresponding molecular mechanisms of epileptic disorders. Epilepsies have a wide variety of causes including dysfunctional ion channels (channelopathies), abnormal brain development and errors of metabolism etc. (Garofalo S et al., 2012) Research in the genetic mutations behind epilepsies is vital in further understanding the pathology of the many different conditions and developing superior treatments for the afflicted patients. Early Onset Epileptic Encephalopathy: Epileptic Encephalopathies are a large number of rare (prevalence of 1et al., 2010). The symptoms of an EE generally include severe and recurring seizures along with cognitive and developmental delay and/or deterioration. This cognitive and behavioural decline may be influenced by the seizure activity as well as the underlying mechanisms of disease (Kaiman B.A. et al., 2012). The term Epileptic Encephalopathy encompasses a wide variety of syndromes with a diverse range of genetic causes and considerable overlap with other syndromic disorders such as Autism and Mental Retardation. (Berg et al., 2011). The overlap in these syndromes and continuing progression in our understanding of EE’s has resulted in A.T. et al (2010) emphasising that the term epileptic encephalopathy should be viewed as a â€Å"concept and a description† of the wide spectrum of epileptic conditions with an encephalopathic course that are being observed in the clinic. A key diagnostic feature is that Epileptic Encephalopathies tend to occur in infancy to early childhood. While adults can suffer from epilepsy with encephalopathic features this does not tend to be as severe as the Early Onest Epileptic Encephalopathies (EOEE). Children suffering from EOEE’s rarely make it to adulthood due to their poor prognosis. Berg A.T. et al (2010). While more research is coming to light on the potential lasting damaging effects of seizures (Berg et al., 2011) what is certain is that the early onset and repetition of the severe seizures present in EOEE’s is devastating to the early development of patients and their continued growth. As the patients progress from a neonate towards childhood their symptoms will also progress. For example seizures in neonates may not be observable to a clinician as the axonal pathways are not fully myelinated yet and prevent the â€Å"surge† from reaching the motor cortex. Once the brain is fully myelinated the seizures would become observable clinically even though the onset was much earlier in the neonatal stage. This progression of the clinical presentation of epileptic seizures is mirrored in the likelihood of infants suffering from Early Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy (Otohara syndrome) to develop into Infantile Spasms (IS) at 3-6 months in life. Patients’ suffering from IS tend to develop into Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in childhood. (Asher Y et al., 2012) Diagnosis and treatment: As seen in table 1 and table 2 there are a number of epileptic encephalopathies with a clear enough presentation to make an accurate diagnosis based on the clinical symptoms alone. However due to the rarity of these conditions and the occurrence of EOEE’s with unclear presentations (I need a %?) confirmation of a candidate mutation (gene?) is considered the gold standard when it comes to EOEE diagnosis. (Lemke J.R. et al., 2012) In Lemke J.R. (2012) it was shown that when comparing the diagnostic results of a target gene panel against a clinician’s suggested diagnosis that the gene panel results matched the suggest diagnosis in the EOEE’s with clear presentations. This accounted for 50% of the cohort. However for the remainder of the cohort with unclear EE symptoms there very few suggested diagnoses and not all of these were accurate. It has been suggested by Kay C, (2012) that the significant failure to confirm a genetic diagnosis for unclear EE’s is due to the role of de novo variants as candidates. While we may have the above lists of confirmed disease and causative gene mutations in tables 1 and 2 there are still many other EOEE’s without validated genetic causes that could be the result of de novo mutations in the patients. Considering the ever increasing list of epilepsy linked (but not validated) genes, 265 of which identified in (Lemke J.R. et al., 2012)) it is clear that the current gold standard of diagnosing EOEE’s isn’t high enough. A case study shown by Zupanc M.L., (2009) recorded the diagnostic process of a patient â€Å"Kay† that originally presented with slight head drops at 7 months old. Correlating the head drops to an epileptiform EEG (in this case a â€Å"generalised high-amplitude burst of polyspike, spike and slow wave discharges†) allowed certain conditions to be ruled out however it was highlighted that while a confident diagnosis was reached there were alternatives that cou ldn’t be ruled out. Difficulty in EOEE diagnosis can stem from the multitude of potential genetic causes available for some presentations which can lead to a clinician wandering blindly picking candidates for Sanger sequencing to identify a candidate mutation. (Lemke J.R. et al., 2012) Next generation sequencing technology: If the issue in diagnosing EOEE’s is the lack of validated genetic causes for the different presentations then the most comprehensive way to investigate the matter is to examine the EOEE genomes in comparison to controls and identify the candidate genes. Next generation sequencing technology has provided the means to do this and recent years have seen a surge of NGS based studies in EOEEs and their genetic causes. (Lemke et al., 2012) (Veeramah K.R. et al., 2012) (Veeramah K.R. et al,. 2013) The original human genome project was officially announced as completed in April 2003 (Wheeler D.A., et al. 2013). This project made use of the hierarchal shotgun sequencing method (Chial H et al., 2008). This entailed the use of bacterial artificial chromosome clones (BAC) which each housed a 100Kb fragment of DNA. Over 20,000 over these BAC clones were mapped to the human genome and the order in which these BAC clones would be aligned was the tiling path that would be followed to sequence each human chromosome. The BAC clones are further sub divided into 2 Kb fragments (appropriately sized for sequencing) and these are sub-cloned into plasmid vectors and the fragments that will undergo sequencing. The sequencing was undergone by capillary electrophoresis methods. As long as there is sufficient overlap between these sequences they can be aligned to recreate the BAC clone structure. Then using the BAC clone mapped tiling path the sequences of the BAC clones can be aligned to create a contiguous stretch of sequence that represents the human chromosome. (Mardis E.R., 2008) The advances made in this area to create the next generation sequencing technologies involve a movement away from capillary electrophoresis methods and changes in the methods of how the DNA fragments are assembled to produces the genome sequence. Whole Genome Sequencing removes the use of BAC clones and instead the genome is fragmented into different distinct size classes and placed into plasmid and fosmid subclones. By generating paired end reads and using the number of bases between these reads based on the size classes the genomes can be sequenced quicker than using BAC clones. Next generation sequencing platforms allow for massively parallel DNA sequencing and come in a variety of different set ups. As the need for BAC clones has been removed the sample preparation process is much quicker and cheaper than the method used in the original human genome project. Also while the actual run time of the next generation sequencers is longer than that of the capillary based platform the fi nal yield of reads is much higher (from 96 reads on the capillary platform to up to tens of millions on a massively parallel system). This explosion in genomic sequencing technology less than two years after the completion of the first human genome project has provided an astonishing change in the pace of genomic research. (Mardis E.R., 2008) NGS read diagrams? Next generation sequencing and epilepsy: The study of genetic diseases including the EOEE has benefitted greatly from the genome sequencing revolution. Whole genome sequencing techniques have been used to identify a de novo variant in the SCN8A gene which encodes voltage gated sodium channel pore-forming alpha-subunits. Following discovery of the variant the effects of the variant on channel function was observed and shown to implicate the gene’s involvement in EOEE and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). (Veeramah K.R., et al., 2012). Targeted gene panels (next generation sequencing of a list of target genes coding regions only) has proven effective in diagnosing clear presenting EOEE and even providing a potential causative variant when no clinical diagnosis is possible. Most impressive of all was the use of whole exome sequencing (WES) to identify de novo candidate variants of relevance in 7 out of 10 children and potentially identifying 3 new genes that could be linked to EOEE (Veeramah K.R. et al., 2013 ) WES is the process of sequencing only the human exome rather than the whole genome. The exome consists of all the coding regions (exons) of the genome. Even though the exome only accounts for 1% of the whole genome it is estimated to contain 85% of disease causing mutations (Choi M et al., 2009). As of April 2013 U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute claims to sequence a whole genome at the price of $5826. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute claims to sequence the whole exome at the all-inclusive cost of $500. The Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimates that whole exomes can be sequenced at four times the rate of the genome in their facility (Perkel J.M 2013). This rapid and ongoing reduction in cost is mirrored at the rate WES projects are being undertaken. With a date filter for the end of 2010 on Pubmed I performed the search â€Å"exome sequencing† and found a total of 44 articles. By the end of 2012 this 805 and by the end of 2013 the nu mber had more than doubled to 1,751. Whole exome sequencing projects have the advantage of not only being cheaper and faster than whole genome projects but also are a more comprehensive option than targeted gene panels for identifying EOEE candidate variants. While not as complete in whole genome sequencing in scope 85% covers a significant amount of data to be analysed and only leaves a 15% chance of not finding a candidate variant. It should also be noted that the exome is much easier to process and analyse while the whole genome includes non-coding areas which we are currently not really able to analyse in such a way to validate the relevant link between disease and non-coding variants (Perkel J.M 2013). Hypothesis: The question we are trying to answer with these projects is â€Å"Can whole exome sequencing detect candidate disease causing variations in early onset epileptic encephalopathy patients†? As this project involves isolated probands and one family trio it also raises the question of whether the inclusion of parent WES data allows for more rapid and accurate variant analysis. As such the end research goals are to identify likely and relevant disease candidate variations in the proband WES data and confirm their presence with Sanger sequencing The benefits of WES studies in EOEE candidate variants are numerous and important. Identifying a confirmed candidate mutation can allow an affect family to receive genetic counselling. If a clear mechanism of disease can be ascertained from the disease candidate then potentially alternative anti-epileptic therapy can be implemented based on the specific condition to improve patient prognosis even slightly. Along with this as EOEE have such a wide variety in causes and mechanisms some can respond poorly to some standard anti-epileptic drugs and lead to rapid deterioration of the patient. Identifying a genetic cause can prevent this from happening. (FIND REFERENCE) On a larger scale understanding the complex mechanisms of these devastating disorders is the only way to improve and develop treatments for these conditions and improve patient prognosis. Understanding how these rare forms of epilepsy manifest may in turn provide clues into the mechanisms of the more common forms of epilepsy . (FIND REFERENCE) As more research is beginning to highlight the role of earlier onset of seizures on the developing brain and the encephalopathic effects WES could become an effective screening tool in the future that would allow early intervention to control or prevent these devastating seizures and greatly improve patient standard of life and change EOEE to a more manageable condition. (Berg et al., 2011) References: (Persad V, Epilepsy and developmental disability) Berg AT ET al, epilepsy cognition and behaviour Asher Y Molecular bases and clinical spectrum of EIEE Scheffer I., Genetic testing in epilepsy what you should be doing Deng H Molecular biology of genetic based epilepsies D.K. Pal, A.W. Pong, W.K. Chung, Genetic evaluation and counseling for  epilepsy. Nature reviews, Neurology 6 (8) (2010) 445e453. Garofal S from genetics to genomics of epilepsy Hennekam, care for patients with ultra rare disorders Kaiman B.A. et al., A genetic diagnostic approach to infantile epileptic encephalopathies Berg AT et al Epilepsy, cognition and behaviour. Lemke J.R. Targeted next generation sequencing in epileptic disorders. Kay C whole genomes in the clinic (Veeramah K.R. et al de novo pathogenic SCN8A mutation identified (Veeramah K.R. et al, Exome sequencing reveals new causal mutations in children epilepsia (Chial H et al., 2008) DNA Sequencing Technologies Key to the Human Genome Project .(Mardis E.R., 2008) Next generation DNA sequencing methods. (Veeramah K.R., et al., 2012) de novo pathogenic SCN8A (Veeramah K.R., et al., 2013) WES 9/10 de novos (Choi M et al., 2009) Genetic diagnosis by whole exome capture and massively parallel DNA sequencing. (Perkel J.M 2013) ScienceMag exome sequencings towards

State of Research on the Snowball Earth Hypothesis Essay -- essays res

State of Research on the "Snowball Earth Hypothesis" The "Snowball Earth Hypothesis" also known as the "Varangia glaciation" is a hypothesis presented in 2001 by Geologist Paul Hoffman. (Wikipedia, 2002) The hypothesis purposes that 540 million years ago during the Neoproterozic, a meter thick of ice covered the oceans and glaciers the continents for 100 million years. Albedo; when ice and snow reflect solar radiation into space, in absents of greenhouse gases, which don't exist within the atmosphere, heat therefore escapes the planet. A condition of temperature disequilibrium occurs, when freezing cold reaches a state, the climate never warms to normal, and cold freezes the hemisphere and buries it under massive glaciation. The glaciers begin when a green house gas, carbon dioxide, is depleted from erosion of silicates. Once the atmosphere is depleted of carbon dioxide, it can not absorb solar radiation. The global tempertures drops to cold and glaciation occurs, glaciation continues, temperature gradients drop further to colder, below freezing, cold is irreversible, glaciers reflect solar radiation into space. The lack of atmospheric carbon dioxide prevented greenhouse from occurring, earth is frozen until the hemisphere is totally glaciated. (Hoffman, 1998) Deglaciation can occur when volcanic eruptions saturate the atmosphere with carbon dioxide gas and resume the greenhouse effect on climate. Solar radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases, rewarming the climate. A dramatic expansion of the biosphere occurred. ("Cold") History of "Snowball Earth Hypothesis" A tree toppled during a hurricane. A 700 million year old rock bed was discovered in Appalachia. The rock, diamictite consisted of basalt -size cobbles mixed with a slurry of fine silt and sand. The region consisting of Appalachian Blue Ridge range, Sharp Top mountain had once bordered a seaway cutting through Rhodina, a giant continent that included most of the worlds land. Sharp Top contained signs of tides, indicating the glacier had streached down to the sea. During this time, Virginia was 15' to 30' of the equator. Scientist wanted to know why ice was on the equator during the Neoproterozoic era. (Monastersky,1998) The team of scientists consisted of a biogeologist, geochemist, and tectonic geologist with the common goal of understanding the coevolution of life and environ... ...excursions a record of gas hydrate destabilization following Earths coldest intervals? Geology 286-287 Hoffman, Paul F.; Schrag, Daniel P. "Snowball Earth" Scientific America 21 Jan 2000 Scientific American Online. Online 31 Mar 2003 Kennedy, Martin J.; Christie - Blick, Nicholas; Prave, Anthony R. (2001) Carbon isotopic composition of Neoproterozoic glacial carbonates as a test of paleoceanographic models for Snowball Earth phenomena. Geology 1135-1138 Kennedy, Martin J.; Runneger, Bruce; Prave, Anthony R.; Hoffmann, K -H. ; Arthur, Michael A. (1998) Two or four Neoproterozoic glaciations? Geology 1059-1063 Knoll, Andy "The Planet ary Context of Biological Evolution" Lead Teams Online. NASA Astrobiology Institute 2Apr 2003 Monastersky, Richard, "Popsicle Planet, The king of all ice ages may have spurred animal evolution" 22Aug 1998 Science News Online Online. Science Service 2 Apr 2003 Simpson, Sarah "Triggering a Snowball, Did Methane addiction Set Off Earth's Greastest Ice Ages? Scientific America 16 Sept 2001 Scientific American Online. Online 1 Apr 2003 Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Snowball Earth 29 Sept. 2002. Online. Wikipedia Internet 31 Mar 2002

Pepe Jeans Case Essay

The main advantage of Pepe not carrying inventory is obviously the cost savings, as it is usually not efficient or cost effective for that matter, to carry excess inventory. The downside is not having enough pairs of jeans on hand to ship to stores when demand is high. An inventory would help alleviate this. The six month lead time is both an advantage and disadvantage for Pepe. The long lead time is positive in that once a retailer places an order, they only have a week to cancel the order. Pepe is able to realize a profit after only ten days rather than months later. The contract locked retailers in immediately and keeps them from reneging on the deal. The downside is that many stores may be turned off by the long lead. It was mentioned in the article that most manufacturers have lead times of a few months or less. The independent stores also tended to order less volume due to the inflexible order system, and the trouble with fashion is that items typically have a short wearable life before they go out of style. Corporate purchasers were worried that the jeans they ordered may go out of style before they even arrive. If I were the manager of Pepe, I would assure my retail partners that every reasonable action was currently being taken to help reduce the current lead time. I would mention the options being considered and thank them for their partnership. I would then sit down with the CFO as well as the best analysts in the company and run reports to forecast the most efficient method of reducing lead time. The case mentions two alternatives to reduce lead time: working with a Hong Kong sourcing agent or building a finishing operation in the UK. Without seeing the company’s financials, it is difficult to say which would be a better choice. The article does mention that Pepe has no long term debt and appears to have plenty of cash on hand. If that is truly the case, then the better option may be to invest in the finishing factory. There would be a large investment up front, but lead time could be cut in half while reducing costs by up to ten percent as well. On the other hand, the sourcing agent could possibly reduce lead time down to as little as six weeks. The problem with this option is that costs to soar by as much as thirty percent.

Binary Relation and Woman

The movement for the emancipation of woman has gained ground all the over. In some western countries woman have more rights than in India. But still every where even In the most advanced countries of the world, they suffer from a number of disabilities and are regarded a social inferiors of man. It is a man-made society and man continues to dominate and exploit woman.There should be a better and fuller understanding of the problems peculiar to woman, to make a olution of those problems possible. As these problems centre round the basic problem of Inequality, steps should be taken to promote equality of treatment and the full Integration of woman In the total development efforts of the country. Woman should get equal pay for the same work, and she be treated as an equal partner in the task of strengthening world peace. Suitable steps should be taken to secure these ends.These are near unanimity on the urgency and signifi rise of democracy, the movement for the emancipation of oman has gained ground all the over. In some western countries woman have more rights than In India. But still every where even In the most advanced countries of the world, they suffer from a number of disabllltles and are regarded a social inferiors of man. It is a man-made society and man continues to dominate and exploit woman. There should be a better and fuller understanding of the problems peculiar to woman, to make a solution of those problems possible.As these problems centre round the basic problem of inequality, steps should be aken to promote equality of treatment and the full Integration of woman in the total the urgency and signifl India. But still every where even in the most advanced countries of the world, they taken to promote equality of treatment and the full integration of woman in the total rights than in India. But still every where even in the most advanced countries of the world, they suffer from a number of disabilities and are regarded a social inferiors of the urg ency and signifi

Biography on Julius Caesar Essay

Biography on Julius Caesar Essay Biography on Julius Caesar Essay Julius Caesar Julius Caesar was born in July 100 BC and died in March 44 BC. He was known for being a politician and general of the late Roman republic, who greatly extended the Roman empire before seizing power and making himself dictator of Rome, he was a statesman, Consul and author. He is deemed one of the greatest military commanders in the history of the world. At the age of seventeen Caesar married Cornelia, the daughter of a powerful politician in Rome. He joined the Roman Army in 81 BC and became the first Roman General to invade Britain when he built the bridge across Rhine.Caesar also became the first living man to appear on a Roman coin. Even the month of the year that he was born, Quintilis, was renamed July in his honour. Caesar was made a consul in 59 BC and in 58 BC he went to Gaul (France) where he served as governor. He was prosperous in this position and conquered more land for the Roman Empire. Caesar's soldiers were extremely loyal to him at a military level yet by some he was seen as a man only working to expand his power, this made him unpopular among many important politicians in Rome. Some senior army generals, such as Pompey, were questioning Caesar's intentions. At the end of his term as consul, Caesar became commander of the Roman Army. Caesar was confident that in the long term, his well-organised forces would be able to defeat the Gauls that controlled central and northern Europe. First he defeated the Helvetii, he followed this with victories over the Gauls that lived in northern Europe and after reaching the English Channel in 55 BC Caesar decided to invade Britain. To make sure everybody knew about his military victories, Caesar wrote a book about his campaigns and had it published in Rome. The Senate became concerned about his growing popularity and after his military victories they appointed another famous Roman soldier Pompey, to take control of the country, to prevent Caesar from gaining power and passed a motion insisting that Caesar should retire from office. In 49 BC, after his invasions, Caesar returned to Italy, the Senate ordered Caesar to hand over his army to their control, due the the Republic's laws. Disregarding the authority Caesar famously crossed the Rubicon River and advanced to confront his enemies in Rome. In the consequential civil war Caesar defeated the republican forces. Pompey, their leader, fled to Egypt where he was assassinated and for the next 3 years Caesar picked off his enemies one by one whether they were in North Africa, the Middle East or Europe. Caesar followed Pompey into Egypt and became romantically involved with the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, who was 21 and he 52, he had been married three times before.Caesar and Cleopatra seemed to have become lovers shortly after meeting and Caesar remained in Egypt with her nine months.On 23 June 47 BC

Critically evaluate the extent to which international law recognizes a Essay

Critically evaluate the extent to which international law recognizes a right of self-defence to prevent attacks by terrorist organizations - Essay Example This paper aims to provide an articulate understanding of the author’s point of view in conclusion to this discussion, after critically evaluating the various provisions contained in the UN Charter regarding the right of a State to defend itself. â€Å"Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.†1 Under this provision, there is an inherent right of individual or collective self-defense of any member of the United Nations in case there is an armed attack that occurs.2 However, there is a limitation provided, in that, it is subject to review by the Security Council.3 Under customary international law, the pre-requisites to legitimate self-defense include the following: â€Å"1) an infringement or threatened infringement of the territorial integrity or political independence of the defending state; 2) the failure or inability of the other state to prevent the infringement; 3) the absence of alternative means to secure protection; and 4) the strict limitation of the defending states use of force to prevent the danger.†4 Although Article 51 of the UN Charter considers self-defense as an inherent right under customary international law, the provision providing for an â€Å"armed attack† is much debated.5 Various interpretations have also been made as regards the word â€Å"inherent† in the exercise of self-defence. The word â€Å"inherent† was said to have given a State the right to use

Human Ecology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Ecology - Essay Example According to various studies undertaken regarding food consumption within the U.S, approximately a third of the total calories are obtained through junk foods (Adams, 2004). This can be associated with the elevated cases of obesity among the U.S populace. Conversely, LDC for instance Haiti depend on indigenous diets that often offer diverse nutrients thus providing balanced calories for the populace. However, the diets that LDCs obtain have little animal-related food sources, although the small amounts meet biochemical demands (Molnar & Iva, 2000). In return, the populace has managed to maintain proper health, thus reducing cases of diseases for instance obesity within its populace. Diets often vary with reference to regions with rural diets being healthful matched with urban diets. Urban diets are deprived since families depend on junk foods while rural families take up traditional diets that are considered superior. Though wealthy communities have most options regarding their diets; they often misuse these options and opt to take up the least nutritious meals or take up excessively. The diets vary with regard to economic capabilities, lifestyles and regional preferences. Diseases have an impact both at individual and societal levels since certain diseases may be communicable. Additionally, once a disease affects an individual, the society suffers since it cannot obtain the services that the individual offers within the community or other economical contributions. Therefore, diseases affect both the individuals together with the community that this individual serves. Currently, inadequate water supply has hit most regions across the globe threatening to trigger disease outbreaks commonly related to sanitation. These diseases may include cholera that has profound impacts on individuals together with the populace. Additionally, numerous disease

Merits and Demerits of Bariatric Surgery in the Treatment of Type 2 Literature review

Merits and Demerits of Bariatric Surgery in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Overweight and Obese Adults - Literature review Example Bariatric operations are basically grouped into totally restrictive, mostly restrictive, and mostly malabsorptive procedures (Ferrannini and Mingrone, 2009, p. 516) but the most common surgery performed is Roux-en-Y gastric bypass through which â€Å"between 33 and 77% of excess weight can be lost† (Buchwald et al., 2004, p. 1730). General consensus among clinicians is that the bariatric operations have proved to be particularly appreciative medical treatment for diabetes associated with obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Also research has it that all these surgical options are potentially capable of helping the diabetic patients in terms of fast recovery, weight adjustment, cardiovascular risk factors management, and significant reduction in mortality of 23% from a troubling 40% (Robinson, 2009, p. 521). Evidence about the role, credibility, and shortcomings of bariatric surgery as a thriving treatment option for type 2 DM is gathered through reviewing credible scientific j ournals and findings are discussed and scrutinized in this paper as an attempt to compare and contrast what different researchers have said on this subject so far. Literature Review For people having a BMI of at least 35 with significant comorbidities like diabetes, bariatric surgery is ruled out as a safe and healthy recommendation by the health care professionals as this is considered a wise decision with great payoffs (Robinson, 2009, p. 520). In a research study involving as many as 232 obese patients with type 2 DM from 1979 to 1994, it is claimed by MacDonald et al. (1997) that 154 out of them underwent gastric bypass operation and had their small intestines resected while the rest did not... Surgery is repeatedly claimed to be an effective early intervention for diabetes by different researchers. Much research has been done on the subject of effectiveness of bariatric surgery in weight loss and diabetes-related outcomes in the obese adults. Weight reduction is the first most strategy which should be considered by the diabetic patients as the progression rate of diabetes heavily relates to the obesity rate. A reduction in all-cause mortality is stressed in the literature on bariatric surgery and its implications because the surgical interventions largely aim at decreasing the weight as obesity in itself is a potential driver of many cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunctions. The charm of bariatric surgical interventions like gastric bypass surgery is that they are performed to achieve multiple targets and may or may not include weight loss depending on the situation. This means that diabetic patients of think physique can also go through bariatric surgery to have their di abetes treated only. However different sources cite that complications resulting from weight loss surgery vary and are frequent including nutritional deficiencies, kidney issues, bone fracture risks, postprandial diarrhea, and other metabolic bones diseases. Among the postsurgical complications, gastric dumping syndrome which involves bloating and diarrhea after meals forms the commonest complication of bariatric surgery performed to treat type 2 DM in overweight or obese adult patients.

Dynamic Domain Name Server Essay Example for Free

Dynamic Domain Name Server Essay The DNS is the IETF a standardized name service which enable the computer clients on a network to successfully register as well as resolve their DNS domain names. Such names are used in resource access by computers in a networked environment and from other connected networks. The Domain name space The DNS Name Server is a server that stores the domain name space and the related resource records. It also responds to queries requested by the DNS clients. The Domain Name Service query operation A query operation is issued by the DNS client to the DNS server to get either the entire or part of the resource record information that is associated to a certain domain. In case the domain and the resource record exist, the Domain Name Service responds to the query with required information in a form of query respond message. This replied query message changes the initial query and the response with the necessary records provided the DNS server is able to get the required resource record. The DNS query identified in the RFC 1034 is a typical query that comprise of the target domains name, the query class and the query type. A request for a particular resource record is submitted in the query for intended domain resolver. DNS Zones The DNS server that contains full information for a particular DNS name space is considered to have the authority on such name space. In addition, the authoritative information in the server is organized into smaller units referred to as zones that are the major units for DNS replications. The Domain Name Server administrator is responsible for the management and maintenance of DNS namespace, the DNS clients, the zone propagation, DNS zones, and the DNS servers. The administrator also maintains the network security through the anticipation and the control of the new security threats. The Domain Name Server administrator is concerned with the DNS integration with several other windows server services. Conclusion The Domain Name Server that stores full information for a particular DNS name space is considered to be authoritative on such a name space. References Mockapetris, P. , (2003). RFC 1034, Domain Names Concepts and Facilities. Atlanta . The Internet Society

Benchmarking With Costa Coffee And Caffe Nero Marketing Essay

Benchmarking With Costa Coffee And Caffe Nero Marketing Essay The organisation chosen for the report is Starbucks Corp. and the report would compare it with two similar companies, one being Costa Coffee and the other being Caffà © Nero. The report would highlight the frameworks underpinning the competitive position of Starbucks and also would identify and asses the economic and the competitive position of the firm. A financial model using appropriate ratio analysis would also be presented in a spreadsheet format identifying the industry trends and their impact on the performance of Starbucks vis-à  -vis Costa Coffee and Caffà © Nero. Both quantitative and qualitative data would be made available so as to provide an insight into Starbucks sustainable performance and prospects. Analysis of Starbucks operational, financial, organisational and marketing capabilities would be made available through application of PESTEL analysis, Porters 5 forces model, the Ansoff Matrix and the BCG Matrix. The report would also discuss the issues, the problems, the opportunities and the options available to Starbucks for future business growth, followed by conclusions to draw together all the variables identified. Recommendations would be provided for the company highlighting the direction it needs to take to ensure business profitability with comments on the suitability, acceptability and the feasibility of the options made available. INTRODUCTION The Starbucks Company was founded in Seattle in 1971 by Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin and Zev Seigel with a vision to educate American consumers about the fine coffee drinking experience. In 1987 Howard Schultz took over the Starbucks Group. Starbucks is the number one in the industry, with more than 12,000 shops in more than 35 countries. Just within a couple of years they grew from a small coffee business house to a multi-million dollar player in the coffee industry by buying the best coffee available and providing the people with an unmatched store experience. Freshly brewed coffee is the main product offered by Starbucks along with other drinks which include cold and hot teas, cakes and pastries. The Starbucks coffee comes in a many varieties each possessing a different taste, aroma and flavour. INDUSTRY TRENDS AND MARKET ANALYSIS The market right now for gourmet coffee business is hot. All the multi-national fast food chains and street-corner shops want in on the boom. Many big companies are focused on the supply of specialty branded coffees and the economic stage is heating up. Specialty coffee industry is one of the fastest growing financial services globally. Growth in the coffee industry is continuously peaking, with many new overseas companies entering the market using policies offering exclusive perks and special discounts, despite the questionable quality of the coffee being used to increase the market share. A notable trend seen is that often a significant increase in sales occurs every time a cafà © starts to use branded consumables. The consensus is that these coffee drinks would be a long-term trend, with focus on elevating the customers taste for a product that they are familiar with and then leading them to the coffee stores to buy it. Many companies are also tinkering with expanding the food menus as well including an in-store display of sandwiches, fresh baked goods and many confectionary items. The newest trend is the drive-thru coffee stores. Starbucks has many such stores, all of which are seeing continual growth and long lines. Another trend includes customer requests for organic coffees, which has encouraged retailers to move towards the beans growing environment. The array of products offered has never been as wide, as retailers are adding more flavours to whole beans and creating variations to the basics of espresso and steamed milk. The clever retailers have added iced tea concoctions and coffee shakes to their menus to outdo competitors. Most specialty retailers now also retail whole beans and many such stores have added coffee grinders, espresso machines and other brewing supplies for add on sales. STARBUCKS ANALYSIS This part of the report would analyse the working of the business by application of PESTEL analysis, Porter 5 forces and the BCG Matrix. PESTEL Analysis POLITICAL Taxation policy High taxes levied on farmers in the bean producing countries, would consequently increase the rate at which Starbuck would buy the coffee beans and any such fluctuations in the taxation policy would certainly be passed on to the consumer, who now would have to purchase the end item at a higher price. International trade regulations and tariffs Trade issues would affect Starbucks directly when exporting and importing goods. When the government of the trading country imposes a tariff it would not only result in an efficiency loss for Starbucks but also such large income transfers can become inconsistent with equity. This extra charge would have to be borne by the consumers. Government stability A change in government policies has a direct impact on the taxation and legislation framework. Also the countries in political turmoil or civil war should be considered with great caution when considering probable market ventures. Employment law Reduction in the licensing and permit costs in coffee bean producing countries would consequently lower production costs for the farmers and any such saving would subsequently pass on to Starbucks when purchasing the raw materials and finally to the customers. ECONOMIC Interest rates High interest rates would mean putting off the investment and expansion plans of Starbucks, which would result in fewer earnings for the firm. Low interest rates should have the opposite effect. Economic Growth In periods of negative growth, the consumer incomes would fall leaving less disposable income thus impacting sales for Starbucks. Inflation rates Business costs will rise in times of inflation which would ultimately have to be borne by the consumer. Competitors pricing Competitive pricing from competitors would impact Starbucks pricing that would drive down the profit margin as they try to maintain their market share. Exchange rates If the currency value falls in a bean supplying country, Starbucks would get more for the same price, when importing the goods. This saving would be passed to the end consumer. SOCIAL Population demographics Identification of the target population at which Starbuck needs to aim their products is a significant factor in the business operations. The marketing campaign undertaken would focus accordingly. Coffee is a luxury product in some ways, so the people with the most amount of disposable income should be targeted. Working Population A large number of workers in big cities now go out for lunch and meals. Starbucks can cash this to their advantage by promoting the shop as a place where people can eat and meet, boosting the sales. TECHNOLOGICAL IT development Starbucks launched its first-generation e-commerce website in 1998. As a result, scalability and performance have improved, and the company now has the tools it needs to profile and target customers, analyse site data, and deliver new features to the market in the shortest time possible. New materials and processes Technology developments in coffee making machines and the computer systems that Starbucks use to operate their cash registers would enable the staff to work swiftly and efficiently. This results in customers being served quickly thus creating potential for serving more people in the day. Rate of technological change Technology is advancing at an astounding rate. Starbucks will need to invest majorly just to stand their ground in the always expanding and developing market, and also to try to stay ahead of competitors. ENVIRONMENTAL Pollution problems Starbucks customers create a lot of waste by disposing off the cup and the contents incorrectly. The material for the cup should be carefully selected to make it as biologically degradable as possible. Planning permissions Planning permission may not be granted to Starbucks if the construction would harm the environment. The land may be protected. Environmental pressure groups Starbucks should be aware of the influential and physical power of groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. Any violation of animal or environmental rights by a company is usually followed by a swift and attention-drawing protest from one of the groups. Brand image and customer bases are often irreconcilably tarnished due to the actions of these groups. LEGAL Trade and product restrictions Starbucks need to follow the trade laws of the countries where they have established businesses. They must ensure that they are not in violation of any local laws. Some countries impose a tariff that has to be paid accordingly when importing or exporting goods and this must be taken into account as well. Employment laws Each country has different employment laws, like limiting the number of hours a person can work per week, varying levels of minimum wage etc. Starbucks should be aware of such factors when considering business expansion. Health and Safety regulations By not maintaining high standards they would be liable for damages if found in violation as it is a legal requirement for them to enable that their staff and customers are safe when they are in their stores. PORTER 5 FORCES ANALYSIS New Entrants MID Buyer Power MID Supplier Power LOW Competitive Rivalry LOW Substitution Threat LOW 1. COMPETITIVE RIVALRY (Low) Starbucks is the leader in retailing and roasting of specialty coffee in the world. Major competitors include Costa coffee, Caffà © Nero, Seattles Best Coffee and secondary coffee providers such as McDonalds, Burger King and Dunkin Donuts. The competition is nowhere near to Starbucks volume of operations and sales. Consumption of coffee is not dependent on the price of the product but also on the differentiation between each product and several value adding variables such as the quality of customer services, brand, brand recognition and image of the company. Hence, Starbucks is not majorly sensitive to movements of other firms in this segment. 2. THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS (Mid) Starbuck is the world leader in its industry and has controlled access to distribution channels. Starbucks have extreme control over such distribution channels because of setting strict guidelines for the suppliers to follow. Starbucks is also constantly innovating and showing strong product differentiation to hamper the possibility of new entrants. However, the entry barrier for the industry is relatively low and any big firm where funding is not a problem, can be a potential entrant. Some of the more current and on-going threats of new entrants are Burger King, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts which can become a major problem in the near future. 3. BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS (Mid) A big threat to Starbucks is the absence of switching costs in the speciality coffee industry, customers face no switching costs in switching from Starbucks to Costa Coffee or Caffà © Nero for a cup of coffee. Also a threat to Starbucks is the ability of customers to brew their own coffee. Starbucks tries to counter this threat by offering the Preferred Office Coffee Providers and also provides directions for making a perfect cup of Starbucks coffee at home, that perfect cup of course includes all ingredients which have to be purchased from Starbucks Also with new entrants and competitors such as McDonalds who claim to offer premium roast coffee of reasonable quality for lower price, thus giving the customers some bargaining power. 4. BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS (Low) Central and South America produce coffee which is the second largest traded commodity in the world and Starbucks depends upon outside brokers and a mutually direct contact with exporters for supply of premium coffee beans. The quality of coffee beans sought by Starbucks is very high, proving to be a potential threat to the company. Only suppliers which meet Starbucks coffee standards are able to supply to the giant company. The supplying industry only has few firms which can deliver the quality giving them considerable bargaining powers. However, Starbucks counters this due to its massive size and being the primary buyer and also because of the importance of Starbucks business to any individual supplier as it would account for a large percentage of the total suppliers sales, thus reducing the bargaining power of suppliers. 5. THE THREAT OF SUBSTITUTION (Low) Substitute products are the products that can pose as a trade-off for the product being offered by a company. In the specialty coffee industry, substitute products can be soft drinks, tea, energy drinks, fruit juices and other caffeinated drinks. Here innovation would play a huge role. To counter this Starbucks have given their menus a complete revamp and have differentiated so many of their products which are now part of the main product line. The menu includes various teas, hot and cold coffee, baked goods and various confectionary items. The only true direct substitute for specialty coffee would be the basic coffee, which is of lower quality than specialty and as such does not present any threat. BCG MATRIX RELATIVE MARKET SHARE HIGH INDUSTRY SALES GROWTH RATE HIGH STARS ( Growth Strategy ) Global stores Market Penetration and Development Backward, Forward or Horizontal Integration LOW CASH COWS ( Stability Strategy ) Product Development and Differentiation Diversification U.S Stores ANSOFF MATRIX Present Product New Product Present Market Market Penetration: Hotels, Schools, Airlines, Grocery Stores, Businesses, and Industries Cafeteria Product Development: New Bold Fresh Lunch Programmes and Salads e.g. fiesta chicken salad, fruit and cheese platter New Market Market Development: Opening of stores all over the world. Expansion strategies into Brazil, Russia, Romania and India. Diversification: Music CDs, Clothing, Coffee Mugs and other accessories. STARBUCKS FINANCIAL ANALYSIS This part of the report would highlight the financial position of Starbucks using the annual reports and comprehensive ratio analysis for the financial years 2008, 2009 and 2010 which are enclosed in the appendix. 2008 In fiscal 2008, Starbucks experienced declining store sales in its stores, primarily due to lower customer traffic. The weaker traffic was caused due to number of on-going factors in the global economy such as the higher costs of gas, food, personal debt and rising levels of unemployment along with reduced access to consumer credit. In fiscal year 2008, store sales declined a margin of 8%. Consolidated operating income was $503.9 million in fiscal 2008, and operating margin for the year was 4.9% compared with 11.2% in the prior year. The 260 basis points of the decrease in operating margin were due to the restructuring charges, primarily related to the significant US store closures. EPS for fiscal 2008 was $0.43, compared to EPS of $0.86 per share earned in the previous year year. Restructuring charges and costs associated with the execution of the transformation agenda impacted EPS by approximately $0.28 per share in fiscal 2008. 2009 Financial year 2009 was a tough year for Starbucks. The recessionary economic environment stressed the consumer spending in the US and internationally, which impacted store sales, operating income, company revenues, and the operating margins negatively. Starbucks countered the affects and created a business model less dependent on high revenue growth to drive profitability margins. The strategy was to rationalize the global company operated store portfolio to reduce the cost structure and renewing the focus on customer service excellence. Starbucks had to close down about1000 stores. Steps that targeted reductions in the cost structure in FY 2009 proceeded according to plan, with full year costs of $581 million removed from the cost portfolio. The company created a strong financial foundation, with no short term debt outstanding at the end of FY 2009, with cash and liquid investments totalling more than $640 million. The strong financial position and the continuing strong cash flow generation allowed Starbucks the financial flexibility to implement the restructuring efforts. 2010 In fiscal 2010, revenues increased to a record $10.7 billion. Operating income increased by $857 million from  ¬Ã‚ scal 2009 to $1.4 billion. The full-year operating margin of 13.3 % represented the highest full-year consolidated operating margin in Starbucks history. Fiscal 2010 ended with the highest full-year comparable store sales growth that Starbucks have seen in the recent past, while the earnings per share also grew more than double from  ¬Ã‚ scal 2009. BENCHMARKING WITH COSTA COFFEE AND CAFFÉ NERO Starbucks is a US chain whereas both Costa Coffee and Caffà © Nero were established in the UK. Costa Coffee was setup in London in 1971 by Bruno and Sergio Costa and acquired by Whitbread PLC in 1995. Caffà © Nero was established by Gerry Ford in 1997 in the UK. The comparison would be carried out using the financial information of the three firms which is available in the appendix. The comparison would majorly be based on the UK market. There are 1,175 Costa Coffee shops in Britain as compared to 731 of Starbucks and 440 of Caffà © Nero. A comprehensive business analysis of Starbucks has already been supplied in the above report; this part would focus on the business analysis of Caffà © Nero and Costa Coffee individually followed by a coherent conclusion of the findings. Costa Coffee According to the financial data available operating profit grew by 59.5% to  £36.2  million; 312 new stores were acquired or opened and like for like sales increased by 5.6%. Costa operates in 24 countries and is the number two international coffee shop operator with more than 1,600 stores. Sales performance improved strongly across the year, confirming the brands resilience, even in a recessionary environment. Caffà © Nero The groups 60% equity is held by the Ford family, the rest 30% by a private equity firm Paladin and 10% with the management. Caffà ¨ Nero has recently completed a  £140m refinancing to fund the businesss future growth goals. The business more than 500 outlets in the UK and internationally and has registered 54 consecutive quarters of positive like-for-like stores growth, it is forecast to generate  £32m in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the 12 months to May 2011. Revenue for the same period is forecast to reach  £170m, an increase of 12% on the previous year. The new financial structure would provide the Group with a financial platform to support its growth ambitions and expansion plans both in the UK and internationally. Nero has a lot of ups including strong brand positioning, intensive marketing campaigns and a clear differentiation point. However, there are some weaknesses, one of them being lack of experience in going international, thus some problems could arise while penetrating foreign markets. Though both the companies Costa and Nero are well established in the UK market, Starbucks is the industry leader in the world and is a major competition to them in the UK. Financial turnover of the Starbucks Group is so massive that it provides them with all the capital requirements to innovate and differentiate their product from the 2 competitors; it already has established a sizeable market share in the UK, but still needs to take over Costa Coffee which it should be able to do in the near future, looking at the financial figures provided and the international global strategy adopted by the group which seems very promising. ISSUES FACING STARBUCKS A major challenge that Starbucks is dealing with is the current financial crunch in the world economy forcing them to call closures of many stores around the world. Also another challenge that Starbucks is facing is with is competitors. There are many coffee shops all over the world and to be able to stand out and to generate loyal customers is very important. Their main competitors are McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, and Nestle in the US and brands like Costa Coffee and Caffà ¨ Nero in the UK, the two major markets for Starbucks. It is critical for Starbucks are aware of their competitors and know what they are currently doing. Also Starbuck coffees are priced higher than other market competitors because of Starbucks only purchasing the highest quality coffee beans for their product, thus increasing the price of the drink. As Starbucks have many competitors, this can be a potential advantage to for such competitors. Also Starbucks inadequate marketing strategy on advertising is a hindrance in the business growth opportunities. They prefer to build the brand by promoting the drinks cup-by-cup with customers. The advertisement ends until they drink the coffee, reducing the chances to attract valuable customers. Starbucks also does not emphasize on distributing their products to supermarket because of being concerned with the quality of the coffee; if the coffees were packaged into plastic bags. Also the rigorous expansion strategy followed by Starbucks can take a toll on the firms brand image. As a company grows there would be a tendency to focus heavily on increasing the output and store locations, thus focussing less on the quality and brand image. Starbucks needs to stay with its values and ideals that have made it successful. Also Starbucks policy of not franchising can be a cause of concern for the firm. Franchising would allow the company to open many new stores with less risk, and make considerable profits in doing so. Because of this the firms research and development costs would fall making use of the franchisee knowledge of the local market in terms of geographic, psychographics, demographics, and the local country regulations. CONCLUSION AND RECCOMENDATIONS Starbucks has to effectively pursue a Focus-Based Strategy in conjunction with differentiation and cost leadership based strategy. Being a lower cost store will increase the difference between Starbucks and provide it with a competitive edge. At present, Starbucks competitors are attempting to specialize in the coffee business, therefore Starbucks must pursue focus strategy to increase its strength. Starbucks must reduce their product price by producing a new product of coffee using cheaper beans or can come out with special discounts and promotions to reduce cost, thus increasing sales enabling Starbucks to enter new low cost markets and increase profitability. Also needs to focus on building alliances in new markets/countries to reduce management focus and benefit from the local and experience curves. Should focus on advertising the brand through internet services for users to access, do road shows, hand out brochures etc. so that consumers become more aware of the brands strong international presence and brand name. Market penetration and market development will help increase the sales. Access unexplored distribution channels like making available packaged Starbucks coffee for consumers by displaying it nationwide in various convenience and shopping stores and not only Starbucks stores. Starbucks must adopt twin policies of Product Development and Product-Market Diversification to counter the stiff competition in international markets. There needs to be concentration of efforts in the product development so as to focus majorly on making the existing products better. Product and market diversification can be modelled through research and development coupled with creativity and innovation. Product differentiation would be an excellent defence against the threat of the bargaining power of buyers. Developing new products lines may offset such potential risks. A strategy should be formulated to tackle the competition by entering into long-term contracts and agreements with the food service companies which could be the potential competitors. This way their coffee would be sold at these competitors outlets providing access to more markets and increase sales while decreasing the competition. Starbucks must be a first mover into markets with their new products and ideas. Being a first mover into developing international markets would be the appropriate way for Starbucks to build their customer loyalty and upholding its image as the innovative company that it is. Starbucks should also locate the store operations in possible high traffic and visibility areas. The company should take adequate care in picking such locations. It is of prime importance that Starbucks international stores reflect their trademark uniqueness in their location and layout. Having locations in a variety of areas will ensure large market exposure. 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