Policing functions paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Policing functions - Research Paper Example The agencies have separate agendas, motives and responsibilities and they follow separate protocols but all operate with the main aim of attaining the objective of providing security and peace to the US society. In US there are different roles of different policing agencies which they conduct at their own level and these roles have a major impact on the overall society of US. Body The primary and the most basic function of all policing agencies are to ensure that the laws are enforced, offenders are brought to justice, crime is prevented, peace and discipline is preserved and they even operate to provide various other services to the society of US. Several of the functions carried out by the law enforcement agencies tend to coexist and are similar in nature. For example: While policing officials try to maintain order within the society, they may conduct arrests of those individuals who are indulged in anti-social behavior. The ultimate aim of all policing agencies is to deter crime f rom occurring in future. Policing Functions and Evolution There are various policing organizations that operate at the federal level, these organizations include: the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) (Pollock, 2012, p.90). FBI happens to hold a premier position and it is involved in the process of obtaining and providing facts as well as evidence for cases that are taken fall in the constituency of federal jurisdiction. According to the mission statement provided by FBI, its main functions are to safeguard the region of United States against threats that are terrorizing in nature and threats that may be poised by international intelligence. They even conduct the function of upholding and enforcing laws that are created to fight crime in the region of US and they even provide services to fight crime at the local, state and the federal level and to provide similar services to foreign partners. Th e FBI has evolved over the years since its inception, before the attacks that took place during the period of 1993 as well as 1995; the agency was unaware of terrorist plots that were being created at the national and the international level against the US. After these incidences, the organization expanded and several offices of the organization were created throughout the US and started providing educational services in the field of law enforcement to both local and international communities. For example: during the period of 1994, the organization assisted in the creation of ILEA (The International Law Enforcement Academy) (FBI, 2013). Later due to the 9/11 bombings on the World Trade Center buildings and other government buildings resulted in changing the structure of FBI (Walker, 2011, p.526). Due to this even the USA patriot Act was enacted to assist FBI by increasing their power to fight terrorist activities (FBI, 2013). During the period of 2007, further changes were made to FBI as new procedures were created for the field officers of the organization so terrorism could be countered in an effective and efficient manner. Another level at which policing in US operates is the state level of policing. In state level of policing each state have a separate police department and these police departments along with their officers have control over the entire state. Police at the state level are required to conduct investigations that are

The Boston Beer Company Essay Example for Free

The Boston Beer Company Essay Jim Koch began selling Sam Adams beer from bar to bar out of a brief case in April 1985. He sold unlabeled bottles kept cold with chill packs from his briefcase. His sales tactic was the following simply 10-second pitch: â€Å"Try this new beer. It’s handcrafted in small batches. You’ll like the taste. † (Hyatt, 2010) At the time, the craft beer industry in America was virtually non-existent. By 1989, sales of Sam Adams had grown to 63,000 barrels. In 1996, Sam Adams sales had reached 1. 2 million barrels. (Wikipedia, 2012). The success of the brand served as the catalyst for what many call the microbrew revolution. By 1995, there were approximately 600 small, local and regional breweries throughout the United States. Today, the Boston Beer Company (producer of Sam Adams) employs over 800 workers and brews over 2 million barrels of Sam Adams beer annually. It is the largest of the craft breweries in the United States. (Boston Beer Company) The craft brew industry accounts for about 1 percent of the domestic beer market, which is dominated by giants MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch InBev. This is has required a remarkable level of growth since the early 1990s. In 2011, the industry grew 13 percent by volume (barrels) and 15 percent by retail dollars. Domestic craft beer sales reached 11,468,152 barrels in 2011, up from 10,133,571 in 2010. This growth has occurred despite the overall $96 billion domestic beer market contracting in the past few years (down 1 percent in 2011 to 199,937,239 barrels). (Brewers Association, 2012) The craft brew industry is comprised of several types of breweries which range in annual production from a few barrels up to 6 million barrels. The Brewers Association recently revised the upper limit from a previous point of 2 million barrels in 2011. (Nason, 2011). The industry classifications are the following: * Nanobreweries: Breweries which produce less than 30 barrels per year. * Microbreweries: Breweries classified by their annual production volume, which is up to 15,000 barrels per year. In addition, 75 percent of the beer produced is sold outside of the brewery. There are no set guidelines on the inputs or techniques used to produce the beer in order to be classified as a microbrewery. (Kleban Nickerson, 2011) While the term is often used interchangeably with the term ‘craft beer,’ they are actually not synonyms. A craft beer must contain at least 50 percent traditional malt. (Brown, 2012) * Brewpubs: Restaurant-based breweries in which more than 25 percent of the beer produced is sold onsite, often directly from the brewery’s storage tanks. A majority of these are located in the northeast. * Contract brewing company: Breweries which outsource their production to other breweries subject to exact brewing specifications. The contract brewing company handles all marketing, distribution, and selling responsibilities. (Brewers Association, 2012) Boston Beer Company used to be classified as a contract brewing company. However, from 2007 to 2009 the company’s production at company-owned breweries increased from approximately 35 percent to over 95 percent. (Datamonitor, 2011) * Regional craft brewery: Brewers which produce from 15,000 to 6 million barrels of beer per year. Less than 25 percent of the brewery is owned or controlled by a non-craft alcoholic beverage industry member. In addition, at least 50 percent of its production volume must be in all-malt beers. (Brewers Association, 2012) The Boston Beer Company is now a regional craft brewery. The total number of U. S.craft breweries passed 2,000 in 2012, with significant growth since 2009: Breweries (#)| 2009| 2010| 2011| Regional Craft Bwr. | 71| 81| 88| Microbreweries| 505| 615| 789| Brew Pubs| 1,020| 1,053| 1,063| Total| 1,596| 1,749| 1,938| (Brewers Association, 2012) The industry is based on a three-tiered system of distribution in which the producers partner with wholesale distributors who provide transportation and refrigerated storage to retailers. There are hundreds of distributors in the industry, and over 630,000 retailers. There are over 220 million potential customers (over the age of 21 yrs.) domestically. (Beaudette, 2011). States control the regulation of the industry, and typically collect taxes through the distributors, rather than attempting to work with hundreds of thousands of retail outlets. (Beer Distributors of Oklahoma, 2010) Company’s Dominant Features The Sam Adams brand was named for the Boston revolutionary who was also a brewer. Samuel Adams Boston Lager made its debut in April 1985, when it was served in approximately 25 Boston bars and restaurants. At this point, the company had two employees: Jim Koch (founder) and his partner Rhonda Kallman. Sales reached 500 barrels by the end of the year, and the company expanded rapidly from there. (Samuel Adams, 2012) The company went public as the Boston Beer Company in 1995, selling shares of Class A common stock on the New York Stock Exchange using the ticker symbol SAM. Jim Koch owns 100 percent of the company’s class B stock, which grants him control over all decision-making responsibilities of Boston Beer Company. They have three breweries located in Cincinnati, Boston and Breinigsville (Pennsylvania), and produce over 30 styles of beer. (Boston Beer Company) This includes its seasonal brands: Alpine Spring (January-March), Summer Ale (April-August), Octoberfest (August-October), and Winter Lager (November-January). (Wikipedia, 2012) The company currently produces over 2 million barrels of beer annually, and is the largest craft brewery in the industry. It is the second largest American brewery by sales volume (to D. G. Yuengling and Son). The company has been a pioneer within a growing differentiated niche market within the alcohol beverage industry. The Boston Beer company builds its competitive advantage by focusing on innovation and quality (freshness). The company (and craft beer industry as a whole) cannot compete with Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors based on price due to lack of scale (though Sam Adams is more widely distributed than any of its craft industry members). The company began freshness dating back in 1987. It soon followed this with an amnesty program for its wholesalers which allowed beer that was three months past its expiration date to be returned for a partial refund. In more recent years, the company has enacted its Freshest Beer in Town initiative. This is a just-in-time distribution model in which wholesale partners will keep only one week of inventory (down from 3-4 weeks’ worth before), and the Boston Beer Co. will replenish supply based on consumer demand. The company also has begun the Draft Quality Audit Program, in which trained employees make in-market visits to test the freshness of the company’s product on tap at various retailers. Over 20,000 such audits are now conducted on an annual basis. The company also plans to continue pursuit of joint collaborations with other breweries and expansion of its own operations. It currently has an agreement with Moosehead Brewery for distribution of Sam Adams products in Canada. It has also teamed with Germany’s Weihenstephan Brewery to create Infinium, the first new beer style created under the Reinheitsgebot principle of beer purity (only four allowed ingredients: water, malt, hops and yeast). The Weihenstephan Brewery has a credible claim as being the world’s oldest brewery, and enjoys a strong reputation among beer enthusiasts. (Zegler, 2012) Regarding potential future growth, founder Jim Koch is excited for both his company and the craft beer industry. In 2011, he stated the following: I do believe that craft beer has a solid foundation for continued growth. Because in 2011, craft beer has become the new wine and the 20-somethings are adopting craft beer in the same way that their boomer parents adopted wine. When that happened in the 80s it led to decades of steady, healthy growth, and I’m optimistic that craft beer can have many years of steady, health growth†¦. I also believe that we (Boston Beer Co. ) have a really bright future. We’re also very small. Sam Adams can double. We can maybe even triple [in size] in the next 20 years. (Zegler, 2012). Places where it competes As stated above, the Boston Beer Company operates three breweries in Cincinnati, Boston and Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. Over 95 percent of the company’s products are now produced in its own breweries. It is distributed throughout the United States, in parts of Europe including Germany, and now in Canada through an agreement with the Canadian brewery Moosehead. Standing in the Industry (Rivals) Boston Beer Co. has been the craft brewing industry leader since its beginning. It was the number one craft brewer in 2011 based on beer sales volume. It was followed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.and New Belgium Brewing Co. In the overall industry, Boston Beer Co. is number five in beer sales volume, behind Anheuser-Busch InBev, MillerCoors, Pabst Brewing Co. and D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. The craft beer segment accounts for approximately one percent of the overall alcoholic beverage category (includes wine and spirits, imported beer, craft and large breweries). (Brewers Association, 2012) Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors dominate the industry, though business dipped last year. Interestingly, there seems to be a great amount of cooperation and collaboration amongst the members of the craft brewing segment. Building the segment is a common concern with many of the regional craft breweries. For example, in 2008 Boston Beer Co. responded to an industry-wide hops shortage by sharing 20,000 pounds of its own hops at cost with 108 selected craft breweries. (Samuel Adams, 2008) There are many other notable craft breweries that have emerged as industry leaders in the past decade, including the following: * Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. : The nation’s second largest craft brewer, they are based Chico, California. The company was founded by Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi in 1980. Production is approaching 1 million barrels annually. The most popular product is the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. * New Belgium Brewing Co. : Headquartered in Ft. Collins, Colorado and founded in 1991 by Jeff Lebesch. The company’s flagship beer is the popular Fat Tire. It is the nation’s third largest craft brewery. The company’s distribution network had reached 19 states by 2009, and is growing. * Deschutes Brewery: Based in Bend, Oregon. The company’s products include its Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale and the award-winning The Abyss (11% alcohol by volume; released in 2007). * Harpoon Brewery: Headquartered in Boston, Mass. Products include its India Pale Ale, Munich Dark, 1636 Brew and four seasonal varieties. * Boulevard Brewing Co. : Located in Kansas City, Missouri. The company’s products are available in over twenty states in the Midwest region. (CNBC, 2012) * Dogfish Heah Craft Brewery: Founded by Sam Calagione and based out of Delaware. Calagione is known for pushing the boundaries of brewing varieties, and actually collaborating with Jim Koch in creating 2009’s SAVOR Flowers brew (it was a one-time experiment). Competitive Capabilities Boston Beer is the craft beer industry leader by production and sales volume. Its focus is on freshness and innovation (variety). The company started early with its freshness dating, followed by its amnesty program for its distributors, and now the Freshest Beer in Town and Draft Quality Audit Program. Regarding his company’s emphasis on beer freshness, Koch stated the following: If my beer isn’t fresh, I want the consumer to buy something else. And I want to make it as easy as possible for them to know because if they have a bad experience with my beer, they may not buy it again. To me, it’s not about trying to get consumers that are trying one beer after another and they never buy again. I’m very focused on giving consumers a great taste in every bottle so I can build brand loyalty based on a reliably rewarding experience. (Zegler, 2012) Boston Beer innovation is manifest in its wide variety of seasonal and specialty brews, as well as its recent notable collaborations. It teamed with Weihenstephan Brewery to create Infinium, which sold out domestically within a few weeks, and apparently had similar success in Germany. The company added Noble Pils in 2010 (winner of its 2009 Beer Lover’s Choice election; brewed with all five Noble hops). Latitude 48 is an India pale ale with hops from producers along the 48-degree latitude sources. The company also released its Samuel Adams Revolutionary Rye Ale in 2011 (winner of 2010 Beer Lover’s Choice election). The company also intends to expand its Barrel Room collection of beers, which until recently were only distributed in Denver and Boston. The Barrel Room beers are aged in the Boston Beer Company’s brewery supply of barrels, and include American Kriek, New World Tripel, and Stony Brook Red varieties. Jim Koch stated the following concerning his company’s push for new varieties: We’re not the new kid on the block. We’re not the newest beer out there. We’re not the most local. We don’t have the best marketing or a cute brand name. People have tried Sam Adams, it’s not a new experience†¦ the reason that we’ve become the leading craft brewery is because we have always given the consumer the best possible experience and they have rewarded us with their loyalty. That’s why we keep pushing on those things. . (Zegler, 2012) Forces Driving Industry Change. Aside from the continued expansion efforts of many industry’s regional craft breweries, there has also been a current lobbying push on behalf of the craft beer industry for the passage of Congressional bills H. R. 1236 and S. 534, which would reduce federal excise taxes applicable to the craft breweries. Specifically, if passed the bill would reduce the small brewer rate on the first 60,000 barrels by 50 percent, from $7. 00 to $3. 50 per barrel. The rate on production between 60,000 and 2 million barrels would also be reduced from $18. 00 to $16. 00 per barrel. The two bills were introduced in March 2011. (Brewers Association, 2012) (Buchman Law Firm, LLP) Sources of Competitive Advantage Arenas Boston Beer Company operates in the craft brewing industry, which accounts for approximately 1 percent of the overall beer industry, which is dominated by Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors. Sam Adams and the company’s other products are distributed throughout the United States and Canada (via the recent agreement with Moosehead Brewery of Canada). The company’s target customer is one who is willing to pay a premium price for a quality beer, and will display brand loyalty. The company’s standing as a catalyst for the microbrew revolution has given it considerable brand recognition among beer enthusiasts. Vehicles The company has grown considerably in twenty years, employing over 800 employees with three breweries which now produce 95 percent of the company’s products. Jim Koch plans to continue company expansion, with visions of tripling in size in the next twenty years. Based on the company’s history, expansion will most likely occur through internal development rather than via any mergers or acquisitions. Each beer style must registered by requests for certificates of label approval (COLA). State registration usually requires a state application coupled with the federal COLA for a given label. (Buchman Law Firm, LLP) Excise taxes are typically collected through a company’s wholesalers. Boston Beer Co. has embarked on some notable recent joint ventures, including its creation of Infinium in collaboration with the Weihenstephan Brewery and its Canadian distribution agreement with Moosehead Brewery. On the supply side, the company must continually replenish its inventory of barley and hops. Monthly barley prices from February 2007 to January 2012 had a standard deviation of $37. 76 per metric ton. This low amount of variation has led many breweries to simply purchase the crop on an annual basis. Conversely, many breweries will contract to acquire hops years into the future. The Boston Beer Company has over $33 million in hops contract commitments through 2015. (Craft Beer Analytics, 2011) Differentiators Boston Beer Company has significant brand equity within the craft beer industry due to its significant role in creating it. They attempt to further differentiate their products based on freshness and product innovation. Its Freshest Beer in Town initiative is a just-in-time supply arrangement with the company’s wholesalers (it was intended to include 50 percent of Boston Beer’s distributors by the end of 2011). (Craft Beer Restaurant Times, 2011) The program reduced suppliers’ inventories of Sam Adams down from an average of 3-4 weeks to just one week (which is to be kept chilled). Boston Beer ships more based on what the distributors have sold as opposed to advance orders. According to Koch: â€Å"Refrigeration of the beer virtually eliminates all of the product degradation that happens through the supply chain. The temperature control also makes it as if the retail account is getting its beer straight from the brewery. † The Draft Quality Audit Program is one in which company salespeople have been trained to taste the defects and track the cause of low quality Sam Adams on tap at various retailers. Boston Beer Co. now conducts approximately 20,000 audits each year, which has resulted in a drop in the incidence of low quality company beer from 15 to just 3 percent, according to Koch. (Zegler, 2012) The company has also continued to expand its beer varieties. From its seasonal brews and collaborations with breweries such as Dogfish Head and Weihenstephan, to its Barrel Room collection and updates such as Noble Pils, Latitude 48 and Revolutionary Rye Ale, the company is always looking to test the boundaries of craft brewing. Corporate Strategies Boston Beer Company has successfully built on Sam Adams’ strong brand equity, differentiating its products based on quality, variety, and freshness. The company has continued to expand its operations with no plans to discontinue such efforts. It has also hedged against future increases in hops prices with over $33 million in hops contracts already signed covering the company through December of 2015. Economic Logic The craft beer industry is based on the idea that consumers will pay a premium price for a quality beer which is different from the industry norms offered by companies such as Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors. Sam Adams also benefits from considerable brand equity. Staging and Pacing. Jim Koch has stated that he believes that the craft beer industry will continue to trend upward in sales relative the rest of the alcoholic beverage industry, and that the Boston Beer Company could triple in size within the next 20 years. His opinion on this matter is important, because Koch owns all of the company’s Class B common stock and with it, retains all decision-making authority for the company. Financial Analysis Current Financial Standing The 2011 fiscal year provided the Boston Beer Company with multiple opportunities to raise their glasses. Undoubtedly, the major achievement of 2011 was officially obtaining just over 1% of the United States beer market. This increased market share enabled the company to release some very impressive numbers in their recent 10-K. Earnings Snapshot| Revenue| $558. 282M| Net income| $66. 059M| Return on assets| 24. 24%| Return on equity| 35. 76%| Profit margin| 11. 83%| Current ratio| 1. 88| Quick ratio| 1. 37| Quite possibly the most staggering ratios from the 2011 filing are the company’s return on assets (investment) and return on equity. These tools measure how profitable a firm is relative to their total assets and total equity, respectively. In 2011, the Boston Beer Company reported a return on assets of 24. 24% and a return on equity of 35. 76%. Both of these ratios have a high level of volatility depending on the industry. These measures are remarkable within the alcoholic beverage industry, as well as the general beverage industry. In comparison, Coca-Cola (KO) posted a return on assets of 10. 72% and a return on equity of 27. 10% in 2011, while the winemaking company Constellation Brands (STZ) posted a return on assets of 6. 25% and a return on equity of 16. 75%. Furthermore, the company performed well regarding profit margin. Differing from other measures, profit margin should rarely be used to compare different firms. The reasoning behind this is that firms have varying levels of setups, so comparing profit margins could lead to confusion and misdiagnosis. The best way to use profit margin is against prior years. When weighed against its prior years, the company has seen a constant uptick over the past several years, signifying it is doing a good job of controlling costs and setting pricing at a reasonable level. The Boston Beer Company excelled in their liquidity and leverage ratios as well, not just in the three major profitability ratios: return on assets, return on equity, and profit margin. The most common ratios for measuring liquidity are the current ratio, quick ratio, and cash ratio. The current ratio (liquidity ratio) is an easy way to measure whether a firm is able to pay its short-term debts. A ratio of 1. 0 or above is likely and expected, and the Boston Beer Company’s 2011 current ratio of 1. 88 leaves it with plenty of leeway to pay all of its short-term obligations. Much like the current ratio, the quick ratio is a slightly more conservative measure that takes into account current levels of inventory, which can be difficult to liquidate. The company’s quick ratio is 1. 37, after taking out inventories. This still leaves plenty of room for the company to repay its short-term obligations. The last liquidity ratio is the cash ratio, which is the least commonly used of the three measures mentioned previously. The cash ratio is the ultimate ratio of liquidity because it only compares cash and marketable securities to current liabilities. An extremely high cash ratio could signify that a firm is stockpiling cash and not investing its assets wisely. The company’s cash ratio of 0. 74 is less than 1. 0 but still reasonable considering the other amounts of short-term assets. While the company does not have the ability to pay its short-term obligations with cash, it is still operating within a secure level of liquidity. The last group of ratios is the leverage ratios. These ratios measure how much debt a company is carrying. The total debt ratio divides total liabilities by total assets, giving an estimation of how leveraged a company is at a given time. In 2011, the Boston Beer Company’s total debt ratio was 0. 32, which would signify a generally low level of risk to potential investors. Much like the total debt ratio, the debt to equity ratio is a leverage ratio that has total debt in the numerator. The difference is the debt to equity ratio divides the total debt by stockholders equity. This ratio shows how a company finances its activities, whether through debt or equity. The Boston Beer Company’s debt to equity ratio of 0. 47 indicates it has very little debt compared to its equity. This shows how the company has been conservative in using debt to finance its operations. The last leverage ratio is interest coverage, a tool used to see how easily a company can pay its interest expenses. Since the company has interest income instead of interest expense, the interest coverage ratio is not valuable when evaluating the company’s 2011 financials. Recent Financial Trends During the past three years, the Boston Beer Company has seen steady gains from almost all of their major financial indicators. The company, undoubtedly, has improved on their prior year results across the board since 2009. When the financial crisis struck the United States and the world in late 2008, most firms encountered decreased earnings and in many instances, losses. Many of these companies are just now returning to their pre-recession profitability. The majority of the damage was incurred to these companies in the fourth quarter of 2008 and well into 2009. As seen by their year-over-year net income growth of 284. 74% in 2009, the recession did little to hurt the company’s financial situation. One potential explanation for its recession success comes from the â€Å"relationship between economic recession and [increased] consumption of alcohol and that heavy drinking behavior is unambiguously associated with unhappy feelings or dissatisfaction† (Anderson Moro, 2008). The widespread theory is that a sudden decrease in income has little affect or possibly a negative correlation with beer consumption. Quite possibly, this could explain why most vice companies trade with a beta less than 1. 0, indicating a negative relationship with the market. The Boston Beer Company is currently trading with a beta of 0. 85. In their most recent 10K, the company posted a year-over-year net income growth of 31. 74%. While this number appears very positive on the surface, it does not fully take into account a settlement the company received from its glass bottle supplier when the company had to issue a recall after routine inspections found glass particles in certain bottles. The recall affected approximately 25% of the company’s bottles and was completed by the fourth quarter. Nevertheless, the end result was the company â€Å"received a cash payment of $20. 5 million, which was recorded as an offset to operating expenses, and all parties have released each other of any claims as they relate to this matter† (The Boston Beer Company, Inc. , 2011). Comparison with Market Leaders While the Boston Beer Company has been experienced significant gains the past few years, it is still a minor player in the beer industry compared to the two leaders: Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors. These two companies combine for a total market share of just over 35%. The Boston Beer Company’s 2011 revenue of $558. 282 million is 1. 43% and 10. 80% of Anheuser-Busch InBev’s $39. 046 billion and SABMiller’s $5. 170 billion, respectively. While it cannot compete on revenue, the company can compete on productivity. The productivity ratio is computed as employees divided by revenue. The company’s productivity ratio of $664,620 per employee tops Anheuser-Busch InBev’s $336,600 per employee and MillerCoors’ $277,260 per employee. The company has repeatedly stated that its goal has never been to be on the same level as the market leaders. Instead, its goal is to be the leader in the better beer category, which includes Yuengling, Corona, and Heineken. In 2011, D. G. Yuengling and Son passed the company as the largest American beer-maker in sales, a title long held by Anheuser-Busch. The Boston Beer Company’s objective is to regain that title and grow with the better beer category. Stock Trends The Boston Beer Company has a very unique setup for their common stock. The company has 8,714,931 shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding and 4,107,355 shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding. Where the setup gets unique is that the Class A Common Stock only have voting power to approve certain mergers and elect a minority to the board of directors. The Class B Common Stock is held entirely by C. James Koch, Chairman of the Board of Directors, who has control over the majority of the board of directors and most other matters regarding shareholder approval. This gives Mr. Koch substantial control over his company and takes a large amount of power from the remaining shareholders. After reaching its lowest point in close to a decade at $19. 02 in May 2009, the Boston Beer Company (SAM) has rebounded to new levels. In fact, the stock reached its all time high of $119. 84 on June 19, 2012. Except for a decline of close to 25% of the stock’s value in early 2011, the increase has been steady and balanced since the low in 2009. One interesting note is the volume of shares traded in late 2007. Traders saw the stock rising quickly from $30 to $50 and felt it had a lot of volatility. This led to a sharp increase in trading activity that pushed the volume over 1. 5 million shares. Stock Performance Outlook As of late, stock analysts have conveyed mixed feelings about the company’s future stock outlook. According to Morningstar’s survey of four analysts, one rates the stock a buy, one rates it underperform, and two rate it a hold. This shows exactly how divided analysts are on the future of the stock. Since 2008, earnings per share has increased from $0. 56 to $4. 81, although the $4. 81 does take into account the settlement. Excluding the settlement, earnings per share in 2011 was $3. 73, still a 5. 97% increase over 2010. For 2012, analysts are â€Å"looking for full-year earnings of $4. 14, a projected 10% increase from last year. The next-year estimate is pegged at $4. 80, a solid 16% earnings growth projection† (Vodicka, 2012). If the company meets or exceeds these earnings projections, there is little doubt that it could continue climbing. Traders who are bullish on the stock believe it should continue growing with the craft brewery sector. They point toward the company’s recent run of hitting estimates, its healthy price to earnings ratio of 22. 57, and its recent investment in their brewing facilities to keep up with increased demand. On the other hand, bearish traders point toward the company’s high valuation premiums that are incorporated into the prices. If the company were to miss their upcoming quarterly earnings, it could ignite some traders to short the stock, potentially sending it spiraling. Key Success Factors. For firms to be successful over a long period of time, they must be aware of the key success factors that drive profitability in their industries. Key success factors are a set of issues that all companies operating in the industry must pay attention to in order to be successful. Quite simply, key success factors are something each company must have to accomplish long-term success. In his 2004 journal article, Richard A. Caralli explains that â€Å"every organization inherits a particular set of operating conditions and challenges that are inherent to the industry (or a segment of the industry) in which it chooses to do business. This results in a unique set of [key success factors] that organizations in a particular industry must achieve to maintain or increase their competitive positions, achieve their goals, and accomplish their missions† (Caralli, 2004). The beer industry in particular has three main key success factors. First, firms must have an advertising campaign that effectively reaches their target audience. For years, Anheuser-Busch has been the market leader by segmenting the way it advertises its different brands. Budweiser is marketed as the â€Å"King of Beers† and is known for its signature Clydesdale horses and vintage bottle design. On the other hand, Bud Light is marketed as â€Å"The Sure Sign of a Good Time. † Its commercials are designed for a much younger audience and are regularly voted as some of the most humorous on television. The other major beer makers seem to follow the same strategy of marketing their core brand as legendary and historic, while marketing the light varieties in a more humorous tone. A second key success factor in the beer industry is obtaining and maintaining a network of wholesale distributors. These distributors act as middlemen to transport the beer from brewers and importers to stores, bars, and restaurants. The approximately 3,300 distributors in the United States allow companies to focus more on brewing and marketing and less on delivery to the end user. The beer wholesaler industry is a very large industry in itself. The largest distributor, Reyes Beverage Group, delivers 93 million cases per year and has revenues of $1. 9 billion. Firms must keep in constant contact with these distributors to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery. The last major key success factor affecting the beer industry is knowledge of the consumer. To be able to effectively advertise for their brands, firms must have deep knowledge of their target audience. The beer industry is segmented into a variety of different divisions. Marketing a specific product incorrectly could be extremely costly. Miller is effectively targeting their target audiences with Miller 64 and Miller High Life. Miller 64, with only 64 calories, is intended for males and females age 35 and under, while Miller High Life is intende.

Comparison of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and The Songs of Innocenc

Blake’s â€Å"The Songs of Innocence & Experience† and â€Å"The Marriage of Heaven and Hell† play an important role in the age of romanticism and important step in romantic poetry. Looking at the two pieces as a comparison, it can be seen that Blake used two different pieces to question traditional institutions. Blake questions institutionalized religion with â€Å"The Marriage of Heaven and Hell† and questions the industrialized age with â€Å"The Songs of Innocence and Experience†. â€Å"The Marriage of Heaven and Hell†, questions the very fabric of traditional religion through Blake’s criticisms on the need for change towards political and religious freedoms. Blake attacks the ways in which society has become by comparing good and evil while challenging the orthodoxy of conventional religion. Blake explains that people are resisting their desires and in doing so confining to the rules that the convention of religion has placed on t heir followers. â€Å"The Songs of Innocence & Experience comments on the industrial revolution and the affects it’s had on society. Blake touches on the socials evils that come with the industrialized revolution and the consequences of an unequal social structure. Blake comments on how the corruption of society hinders the freedoms people once felt as children bringing to light such social problems as urban poverty and misery. Blake identifies the industrialization revolution and conventional religion as the problem between man and the return to the natural state of being. Blake insinuates that the world has lost its freedom and natural beauty from being consumed in a material world full of corruption and misery. Blake uses radical questioning to address the issues of conventional religion and industrialization through â€Å"The Song... ... through both of his pieces that conventional religion has condemned people to confinement and that as long as there is oppression of desire no individual can truly be free. Works Cited Blake, William. â€Å"The Marriage of Heaven and Hell†. The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Age of Romanticism.V.4 2006 44-51 Blake, William. â€Å"The Songs of Innocence and Experience†. The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Age of Romanticism.V.4 2006 36-44 Musante, R.. â€Å"Embracing the divine: The life of spirit in William Blake's "Songs of Innocence", "Songs of Experience", and "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell". Diss. Middle Tennessee State University, 2007. Dissertations & Theses: A&I, ProQuest. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. Swearingen, James E. â€Å"William Blake’s Figural Politics†. ELH. Vol 59, No 1 (Spring 1992). John Hopkins University Press.

The Act of Valor

The Act of Valor Today’s society consists of a diverse human race that shares a common goal, to live life to its fullest potential. In the film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, the main character, Frodo, is set out on a quest to destroy the ring that has long acquired the presence of evil. On his quest to destroy the ring, he encounters many challenges. His challenges consists of keeping the ring safe from the evil ones who want it back, making sure the ring gets to the destination, and keeping his life safe from harm.Along his journey, he is joined by a couple of his friends, all of which he must learn to trust, in order to destroy the rings that possesses evil. They are faced with the challenges to keep safe from Saruman and his orcs, the black riders, and Sauron’s soul. Throughout his journey, his qualities of a hero show. He owns the qualities of resilience, determination, courage, trust, and heroism. Without the qualities he possesses, it would have been an impossible task to complete. Frodo faces many challenges as he tries to destroy the ring.Those who seek to retrieve the ring are out to murder him. Without the help of his friends and those who care for him, he would not have stayed alive. Through his courage and determination, he shows that he can be trusted to be the one that destroys the ring. He is equipped with many qualities that help him complete the task. His optimism brought the strength he needed to succeed. As individuals in today’s society, we face many challenges in our lives. Yes, challenges can bring us down, but it also makes us stronger.Some of us are faced with challenges such as being able to survive, fighting cancer, being the first to go to college, being able to pay for bills, etc. Nevertheless, each of us encounters challenges that help shape and develop our lives. Challenges are not meant to kill anyone, but instead they are meant for people to reach their full potential in being able to f ind the answers and strength to be able to overcome the challenges we face. Each of us is born for a reason. It is impossible to tell what out fate is, but as time goes by, we start to find out just what our mission on Earth is.Frodo possesses the qualities of a Hero Archetype. Being a determined, resilient, trustworthy, and courageous individual, he is one that pleases everybody. Frodo never quit with being able to destroy the ring. Although he faced many challenges along the way, he managed to stay strong. He witnessed Gandalf’s death, he was nearly dead, and he had to leave his home to complete the task, but despite all that he encountered along the way, he managed to be determined. There were many negative effects on Frodo, but he maintained his composure and stayed optimistic until the end.Each of us has been knocked down multiple times by school, work, or simply the stress that we all face. Being knocked down is for us to realize what we need to do to get back up. Deter mination is the key to withstanding any negative effects on life. If we have a positive outlook on life and how our future will be, we can start to be heroes of our own lives. Frodo’s goal was to destroy the ring. Facing the challenges that follows as he is on his journey may impact him. By being determined, his goal to protecting the ring from the evil is reached.In our lives, we have many goals in life that we want to reach. We make mistakes here and there, but we learn from them and grow stronger. By being determined and positive, we can make sure our goals are reached. During Frodo’s journey, his friends and individuals who help protect him from those that want to retrieve the ring from him accompany him. They guide him in his journey to find his way safely. They are there to protect him from the evil that surrounds him. During our lives, we befriend many individuals who help us with our future.These friends of ours, are people we trust, turn to when they are in ne ed, or simply to have a sense of security. Just like Fordo being accompanied by his friends, we have friends we turn to when we need them. Frodo’s task is to protect the ring from the evil black riders that want it back. As he is on his journey, he makes many decisions that help him and his friends stay alive. The critical decision making that he makes throughout the film are vital in order to keep the ring in his possession, as well as stay alive.We are faced with making decisions that are crucial to our future. Without making the best decision, we cannot be successful in our lives. Frodo’s decision making made it possible for him to succeed. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, is not just a film, but it also shows its comparison to today’s society. Frodo faces many challenges while he is set out on his quest to destroy the ring. Each of us, face challenges in our life that make it difficult for us to succeed, but by working extra hard, we can m anage to overcome any challenge.Also, Frodo makes vital decisions that help with the safety and survival of Frodo and the group of followers. We face many points in our lives that consist of valuable decision-making. Those who want to protect him, as well as his friends accompany Frodo. During our lifetime, we befriend many people who become treasures to our hearts. Being able to have people we can turn to and trust is truly amazing. The film shows many relations between reality and how the movie is portrayed. As Frodo is on his journey to destroying the ring, he shows great heroism that is noticed by many.

Internet gambling Essay

Internet gambling represents one of the fastest growing segments of online activities with hundreds of websites providing users the opportunity to place bets on anything, ranging from casino games to sporting events. Billions of dollars in bets are placed each day in these online gambling rings. Thousands of these sites exist and many countries’ economies benefit from them. Sadly, America’s leaders fail to see the benefits in allowing online gambling to take place on American soil. Whether it be for recreation or as their only source of income, hundreds of thousands of Americans participate in the phenomenon known as online gambling. For the countries (Great Britain, France, and a number of islands in the Caribbean) that host these sites, it means millions of dollars being taxed each year for allowing the gambling sites to exist. President Bush signed into effect in mid-October a bill that outlaws sending credit card payments or other funds to websites involved with online gambling. Consequently, many of the stocks of these corporations are bound to decrease severely, potentially hurting the nations’ economy. A countless number of college students across America participate in online gambling, a small percentage of those depending solely on the money they make from gambling to pay for their tuition. This new law will leave these people scrambling to find jobs to stay in school. If the job search fails, these students will be forced to go deep into debt by taking out loans or drop out of college altogether, thereby making the United States lose valuable money that these students are paying for their education. Putting internet poker aside for now, online sports wagering has been around for as long as anyone can remember. Before the new bill passed, a person could sign onto a gambling site, enter their handle and password, and have unlimited access to hundreds of betting lines, point spreads, and over/under numbers. One more click and they can place their bets on the game or race of their choice. With the new law, the aforementioned is a part of the distant past. Place a bet over the phone and rest easy. Place the same bet online and face stiff penalties including steep fines and possibly jail time. This simply doesn’t make sense. America has tried prohibition before, in the 1920’s. Despite the government’s best efforts, Americans continued to consume alcohol. Seeing that they were missing out on a huge source of revenue, legislators reversed the law and began taxing the alcohol. This new internet gambling law works in much the same way, forbidding the participation in online gambling to everyone on American soil. However, the internet’s boundaries stretch further than any government on earth can ever begin to regulate fully. With many people being computer literate these days, it is undoubtedly impossible to stop these people from finding ways around the law. Much like the prohibition law of the 1920s, America’s government is missing out on a huge amount of taxable income. This definitely could help the government pull out of the extreme debt they are in. Prohibiting internet gambling also goes against one of the unalienable rights that America was founded upon: the pursuit of happiness. Gambling has the potential to make people happy, and prohibiting them from participating in it goes against the Declaration of Independence that our founding fathers laid down as rules for Americans to abide by. Although legislators have succeeded in passing a law against internet gambling, it will be found virtually impossible to enforce it. States will begin to grow tired of watching potential tax revenue float over to other countries. The move that makes the most sense for the American government is to legalize internet gambling, tax the income it generates, and increase the economy. After all, abiding by the immortal words spoken by Kenny Rogers in â€Å"The Gambler,† Americans should â€Å"know when to hold ? em, know when to fold ? em, know when to walk away, and know when to run. â€Å"

How to Write an Effective Conclusion Paragraph for a Research Paper - Paperell.com

How to Write an Effective Conclusion Paragraph for a Research Paper How to Write an Effective Conclusion Paragraph for a Research Paper? The conclusion is a brief retelling of all your work. It’s something like the introduction, but if the introduction is an entry into your work, the summary is its outcome. The conclusion makes your research paper look more originally and allow you to add more of your opinion and through.   If you already described all the materials and used all the facts you can follow the basic steps and useful tips in our article! Let’s start!General Rules On Writing A Conclusion In conclusion, you should summarize the main outcomes and arguments, and the results obtained. To do this, look at the topic and purpose of the research once again, as well as the tasks you have set since all these points should be in unity and flow from each other. It is important to make everything look organically.It is necessary to indicate possible applications of the results obtained by you (the practical significance of the study). If your work is not about pedagogy and does not concern the teaching methodology of any subject, try to avoid indicating the possible application of the results obtained as follows: The results of the research can be used in reading lectures on physics and astronomy at universities and elective courses in physicss Of Research Paper ConclusionHaving a sample is important. In fact, a perfect summary needs to contain the main topic but it doesn’t mean that you need to write all the research again. Just summarize the main arguments that support your thesis in one or couple sentences.   The perfect beginning of the research paper conclusion may start with a question. For example, if your topic is Ecological problems – the question can look like this:Did you know that only in the United States people throws out more than two million plastic bottles per hour? And only a part of them is sent for processing. In accordance with approximate estimates, 230-270 thousand plastic bottles per day.Except for the topic, you need to rephrase your thesi s and use it in the conclusion of a research paper; anyway, it shouldn’t look like everything you wrote before. Try to write it in another way, not as you wrote before. For example, if your topic is some ecological problem – that’s how it will look like:The ecological problem has arisen as a result of the interaction of society and nature, which leads to a global ecological catastrophe.Then you need to summarize the main evidence and arguments that you wrote in the body of the research paper. In the most cases, you don’t need to write new information. Just find and rephrase the main points of the paper. The main goal of your last paragraph is to summarize all the facts, information and show the main idea of your work briefly.Also, remember that writing the conclusion is not just a describing your main body – you need to try to synthesize all the main points.So, the conclusion is a really important part of the research paper. The main body of the pa per is important, but the reader will pay attention to everything. Thus, if you are striving to get a high-grade – don’t skip it and try to write an introduction and final paragraph qualitatively and originally. Remember that details are also important. If you will take account of the tips that we wrote about – you will write a brilliant research paper!

Nicholas I

Nicholas I has been portrayed, and perhaps rightfully so, as a strict and reactionary tsar. Indeed, his internal policies were often repressive he sought to nip any liberalism in the bud, often brutally. His approach to solving problems in the Empire and keeping control was to create the "Nicholas system", a bureaucratic system defined by and completely based on absolute monarchy. Nicholas revamped govermental structure by strengthening and centralizing bureaucratic structures to an unprecedented degree. He did this as an attempt to deal with all of Russia's problems himself. At most importantly the structure known as "His Majesty's own Chancery," which was the nerve-center of the empire's administrative mechanisms. With his new governmental structure, he hoped to create a machine that would, in theory, more quickly and efficiently carry out his will. The reality, however, was a little bit different than what he planned. However strict or repressive Nicholas may have been, his policies are somewhat understandble considering what domestic and foreign events marked his reign. His accession in 1825 was threatened by an uprising of a group of noblemen who came to be known as the Decembrists. He dealt with the uprising quickly and firmly. He and his administration sentenced the five most important rebel leaders to death by hanging and sentenced many others to hard labor in Siberia. Later in 1830 Europe went through some revolutionary crises. The youth of Poland had been restless since July 1830. The fever rose greatly when they heard that the Polish army was to march with the Russians to crush the revolution and prevent the Belgians from acquiring their independence. On the night of November 29, a conspiracy of young cadets seized the residence of the Grand Duke Konstantin, the brother of the Tsar. The rebels demanded a constitution and independence from Russia. There demands would have been politically disadvantageous to N...

History of the Second Congo War

History of the Second Congo War The first phase of the Second Congo War led to a stalemate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On one side were Congolese rebels backed and guided by Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. On the other side were both Congolese paramilitary groups and the government, under the leadership of  Laurent Dà ©sirà ©-Kabila, backed by Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the Sudan, Chad, and Libya.   A Proxy War By September 1998, a month after the Second Congo War had begun, the two sides were at a stalemate. The pro-Kabila forces controlled the West and central part of the Congo, while the anti-Kabila forces controlled the east and part of the north.   Much of the fighting for the next year was by proxy. While the Congolese military (FAC) continued to fight, Kabila also supported Hutu militias in rebel territory as well as pro-Congolese forces known as  Mai Mai. These groups attacked the rebel group,  Rassemblement Congolais pour la Dà ©mocratie  (RCD), which was largely made up of Congolese Tutsis and was supported, initially, by both Rwanda and Uganda.  Uganda also sponsored a second rebel group in the northern Congo, the  Mouvement pour la  Libà ©ration du Congo (MLC).   In 1999, a Failed Peace In late June, the major parties in the war met at a peace conference in Lusaka, Zambia. They agreed to a ceasefire, exchange of prisoners, and other provisions to bring about peace, but the not all of the rebel groups were even at the conference and others refused to sign. Before the agreement even became official, Rwanda and Uganda split, and their rebel groups began fighting in the DRC. The Resource War One of the most significant show downs between Rwandan and Ugandan troops was in the city of Kisangani, an important site in the Congo lucrative diamond trade. With the war stretching on, the parties began focusing on gaining access to the Congos wealth of riches: gold, diamonds, tin, ivory, and coltan. These conflict minerals made the war profitable for all involved in their extraction and sale, and extended the misery and danger for those who were not, mainly women. Millions died of hunger, disease, and a lack of medical care.  Women were also systematically and brutally raped. Doctors in the region came to recognize the trademark wounds left by the torture methods used by the different militias. As the war became more and more overtly about profit, the various rebel groups all began fighting among each other. The initial divisions and alliances that had characterized the war in its earlier stages dissolved, and fighters took what they could.  The United Nations sent in peacekeeping forces, but they were inadequate for the task. The Congo War Officially Draws to a Close In January 2001,  Laurent Dà ©sirà ©-Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards, and his son, Joseph Kabila, assumed the presidency.  Joseph Kabila proved more popular internationally than his father, and the DRC soon received more aid than formerly. Rwanda and Uganda were also cited for their exploitation of the Conflict minerals and received sanctions. Finally, Rwanda was losing ground in the Congo. These factors combined to slowly bring about a decline in the Congo War, which officiall ended in 2002 in peace talks in Pretoria, South Africa. Again, not all of the rebel groups participated in the talks, and the eastern Congo remained a troubled zone. Rebel groups, including the Lords Resistance Army, from neighboring Uganda, and fighting between groups continued for more than a decade.   Resources and Further Reading Prunier, Gerald.  .Africa’s World War: The Congo, Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe  Oxford University Press: 2011.Van Reybrouck, David.  Congo: The Epic History of a People. Harper Collins, 2015.

Sustainability and Global Warming Research Paper

Sustainability and Global Warming - Research Paper Example The consequences are varied and many. Global warming is world phenomenon that has a number of effects on the universal level. Global warming has a number of effects that range from the effects to the economy, atmosphere, environment and the health of the human beings. There are varied effects to the atmosphere and nature. One of the most serious effects of the global warming is its effects on human beings in relation to health of the individual, civilizations and nations. There is need to integrate global warming risks and their impact in the risk management and strategic planning activities in the private and public sector organizations (Dincer, Hepbasil and Midilli 424). Sustainable expansion and growth entails a wide range of knowledge with guiding issues and principles that are beyond the understanding of the economic and scientific certainty (Corricut 1). Global warming is taken to be a kind of sustainability factor and it should be considered during the sustainability managemen t concept. Sustainability management is so useful when it comes to managing the global warming based factors and events. The Link between Global Warming and Sustainability The global warming events can either have negative impacts and positive impacts or both at the same time. Risks are always represented by events that have negative impacts; these risks (can) prevent the value of creation or even grind down the existing values. Events that are associated with the positive impacts sometimes offset the negative impacts or rather represent more opportunities. These opportunities are considered to be possibilities, the possibilities of events occurring and positively affecting the achievements of objectives that are in support of value creation or even preservation (Karakoc and Yilmaz 3). The assessment of global warming is quite difficult because of the uncertainty it possesses. The intensity of global warming and its impact is not well known. Uncertainty also comes in among the decis ion makers because they do not know the extent of the impact of global warming at a certain level for their organization. The sustainability management is taken to be not a development (or a onetime event). As the sustainability management (SM) is embedded in the culture it is the necessity of the effective threat to the management performance. The holistic sustainability management (SM) in the basis of environmental, Safety functions and health is considered important to any institution (organization) but more important to the sustainability of the world. The global warming threats more the sustainability of the world. The global warming impacts create very important negative results to the economic, social and environmental systems. Its (global warming) risk is controlled by the holistic management that provides sustainability. The risk management is considered to be a major factor between the global warming and sustainability. Threat Global warming sustainability Global warming r isk management sustainability Sustainability Management Sustainability is based more on the recognition that resources are consumed faster more than they are produced/ manufactured. The resources are depleted and in the end get used up. The societies demand on nature is always in balance with the nature’s capacity of meeting the demand in a sustainable world.

Briefing Reading Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Briefing Reading - Assignment Example According to Miller et al (2010: p.273) these firms began by discovering their hidden resources, also called asymmetries, which included building on their own unique potentials, relationships, hard-to-copy assets, knowledge and experiences. Over time, these firms were able to develop several organizational processes and designs in order to find these asymmetries, turn them into capabilities and gear them across the necessary market opportunities. As stated by Miller et al (2010: p.274), they asymmetries are hard-to-copy ways that create a difference between a firm and its rivals. For this reason, Reed discovered that his bank was different and developed ways to make that difference a valuable asymmetry that his rivals would not copy and later found a profitable market that valued it. Shana Corp, a private Canadian software company, exhibit a similar path to that of Citibank. Over time, the managers of Shana realized that the company had developed unique capabilities, which included valuable kinds of work that its rivals could not do as fast or better. This allowed the company to exploit and extend its competitive advantage over other firms. In short, the managers of Shana were able to focus on what the company was able at, reflected on it, developed and found clients that would benefit from its new capabilities (Miller et al (2010: p.274). There are three imperatives of inside-out strategy, which include discovering of asymmetries and their potential, creating capability configurations by design, and pursuing market opportunities that build on and leverage capabilities (Miller et al, 2010: p.275). It is difficult for firms to develop their hidden resources unless they have some potential edge. For this reason, firms need first to discover their asymmetries and potentials, which will serve as starting points for creating advantages as they are hard to copy. Thus, to find potential asymmetries, managers are required to do an outside and

Distributors Dell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Distributors Dell - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that, due to this illicit practice which violated the contract Dell had signed with these distributors the company had to file lawsuits against their own distributors. Another mistake Dell made was that it did not foster long term relationships with distributors in order to create partnerships. There was a sense of distrust between the distributors and Dell because the distributors believed that Dell at any time would stop using their services and introduce a direct sales model in China. A third mistake the company made was that it did not invest any resources in to enhance functionality of their supply chain function with its distributors. The company could have gotten more involved in the operation of its distributors by providing managerial and technical assistance. If the company would have established a mutual relationship based on respect and high ethical standards the distributors would have seen Dell as a business allied instead of just another com pany with a product to sell. When a company creates close relationship with suppliers and distributors it enables a business to obtain concessions and favors the firm would otherwise not receive. A fourth mistake the company made was delegating market strategy to its distributors. The communication between Dell and its distributors was weak. Due to this fact the distributors moved the merchandise utilizing their own criteria without taking into consideration any strategic input from Dell. The problem with the direct model in China was that the company was entering a market in which the people had different expectations than the US market. First of all a computer purchase to a Chinese person means a lot more than to a customer in the US or Europe because a worker would have to save money for nearly two years before they could make such a purchase.  

Applying Lean To E-Commerce Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Applying Lean To E-Commerce Business - Essay Example The typical example of such well-known e-commerce business with production problem is Disney Shop.Disney Store uses e-commerce as a mainstream approach to the sale of the variety of products through online stores. Users of the online store login, create the account, select preferred items, go through a payment system, and have the products shipped to them within an identified time. Financial records from the business, however, shows production related problems whereby the companies are recording increases in revenues but still have declining profits (Disney Stores, 2014). Hines (2008) noted that a typical cause of such a situation is the high level of waste in the production system, reducing the productivity and efficiency levels of the company significantly. With such reduced productivity and efficiency, the company will be making more revenue but due to high expenditure, the income does not balance the expenditure and so there are losses. The overall aim of lean thinking is to ensure that there are high benefit and value from production through the elimination of waste (Womack, Jones & Ross, 1990). The reason lean is seen as useful in solving the problem is that it will ensure that all forms of waste that have created unwarranted expenditure will be done away with. In any typical organization such as Disney Store, when lean is adopted, there are seven major types of wastes that are targeted for elimination. These include production defects, overproduction, unnecessary transportation, long waiting, unnecessary inventory, unnecessary motion, and over-processing (Hines, 2008). For most companies, once these forms of wastes are available, they would be seen to be making a lot of sales but in reality, they lack profitability. The reason for lacking profitability is because the wastes bring about the huge cost of production that consumes the sales.

History and Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

History and Political Science - Essay Example The industrial revolution which started in Europe was a major trigger for over expansion of economies as several pieces of engineering were developed which are main propellers for the industrial revolution and booming economies. England was the source of the industrial revolution which was started in 1760 and later gained strength till late 19th century where the effects of the industrial revolution can be measured. Savery Engine Steam engine looms and furnaces were the developments which occurred during the industrial revolution. James Watt and Sir Joseph Whitworth were the inventors whose inventions propelled the growth (Crafts, 1985). The industrial revolution further gained strength and momentum with the development of industries and technological innovations which acted as a fuel for growth. The increase in American corporation was witnessed which resulted in the concentration of wealth of the nation into fewer hands leading to disparity among the people. Mechanization was also introduced in the farming process as well, which lead to the production of quality agricultural products, making the United States a pioneer in food production and export. Due to this growth, migration to the United States picked up momentum. This further developed issues as more and more labor were available to help in the production process (Crafts, 1985). Nevertheless, industrialization also lead to some serious third party protests due to the shift of power and changes in policies. The process of industrialization encouraged development and strengthening of political institutions in the economy and as result, the democratic system gained strength. The policies designed by the people underpinned the economic growth. Similarly, Russia was also developing itself; however, the growth witnessed was very slow as compared to other European Countries and the United States. The major obstacle which slowed down the process was the population of Russia. Russia’s major source of indu strialization was the coal and steel production which had quadrupled in the 19th Century. As a result, Russia was able to develop infrastructure and other facilities across the country. However, Debt issues also rose at the same time due to which, Russia was unable to trade with the United States and obtain the benefits of trade (Blackwell, 1968). Europeans rule over colonies of Africa and South Asia Asia has always been of immense interest for the colonials of Europe. The main attraction towards Asia was the existence of rich mineral deposits and agricultural produce. Europeans had been able to develop businesses in these colonies where primary produce was sent back to Europe which was then converted to finished goods. This process of colonization had also become successful because of the technological backing which the Europeans enjoyed due to industrial revolution and innovations in technology and equipment. East India Company, slowly and gradually, strengthened its’ roots in the Asian colonies by starting businesses and developing economic relations with the rulers at that time. Due to the economic and industrial capability of Europeans, they outclassed Asians and gained control over them. They had a powerful army and could deploy their troops anytime they wanted along with heavy artillery.

Rubber Ducky Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rubber Ducky - Research Paper Example The administrator’s system should have enough security that no one can physically interact with it and plug the USB stick with it. The physical access to an unauthorized person is strictly prohibited in the office environment (Pajari, 2014). The program keyboard is developed in it. The Rubber Ducky can alter the settings of the system and can open the doors for illegal access. All this work is done in seconds and can make a great loss of the secret data of the concerned organization and business. It can create files, and delete files from the system and also can deliver emails. All this can make a huge loss with the data of a particular company. In such situations, the backup is essential to recover the secret information and to protect from the severe situations. The ducky can bypass many tricks and easily makes it by the system’s keyboard, like the key combination of Ctrl+Alt+Delete. There are no direct symptoms that can detect and display the existence of USB Rubber Ducky and its functions. It could be predicted from the increased speed of the keyboard. The passwords set for security and protection must meet the standard format of a high security that is harder to be matched by the USB Rubber Ducky. To make it disable, the feature of foreign HIDscan provides protection from the USB Rubber Ducky to some extent. The changes made in the group policies can lead the process to fail. Some typing performed on the user side can also stop the processing of ducky in failure mode. Must programming that can aid in the protection from the Ducky. In the Linux, the procedure of making USB devices into black and white list can help to stop the ducky processing. If the concerned system doesn’t respond to the ducky due to different reasons like time difference, delays, and active windows can make the ducky fail to process (Hak5 Forum, 2010). In this paper, protection measures are only able to protect the system in specific

History and Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

History and Political Science - Essay Example The industrial revolution which started in Europe was a major trigger for over expansion of economies as several pieces of engineering were developed which are main propellers for the industrial revolution and booming economies. England was the source of the industrial revolution which was started in 1760 and later gained strength till late 19th century where the effects of the industrial revolution can be measured. Savery Engine Steam engine looms and furnaces were the developments which occurred during the industrial revolution. James Watt and Sir Joseph Whitworth were the inventors whose inventions propelled the growth (Crafts, 1985). The industrial revolution further gained strength and momentum with the development of industries and technological innovations which acted as a fuel for growth. The increase in American corporation was witnessed which resulted in the concentration of wealth of the nation into fewer hands leading to disparity among the people. Mechanization was also introduced in the farming process as well, which lead to the production of quality agricultural products, making the United States a pioneer in food production and export. Due to this growth, migration to the United States picked up momentum. This further developed issues as more and more labor were available to help in the production process (Crafts, 1985). Nevertheless, industrialization also lead to some serious third party protests due to the shift of power and changes in policies. The process of industrialization encouraged development and strengthening of political institutions in the economy and as result, the democratic system gained strength. The policies designed by the people underpinned the economic growth. Similarly, Russia was also developing itself; however, the growth witnessed was very slow as compared to other European Countries and the United States. The major obstacle which slowed down the process was the population of Russia. Russia’s major source of indu strialization was the coal and steel production which had quadrupled in the 19th Century. As a result, Russia was able to develop infrastructure and other facilities across the country. However, Debt issues also rose at the same time due to which, Russia was unable to trade with the United States and obtain the benefits of trade (Blackwell, 1968). Europeans rule over colonies of Africa and South Asia Asia has always been of immense interest for the colonials of Europe. The main attraction towards Asia was the existence of rich mineral deposits and agricultural produce. Europeans had been able to develop businesses in these colonies where primary produce was sent back to Europe which was then converted to finished goods. This process of colonization had also become successful because of the technological backing which the Europeans enjoyed due to industrial revolution and innovations in technology and equipment. East India Company, slowly and gradually, strengthened its’ roots in the Asian colonies by starting businesses and developing economic relations with the rulers at that time. Due to the economic and industrial capability of Europeans, they outclassed Asians and gained control over them. They had a powerful army and could deploy their troops anytime they wanted along with heavy artillery.

Management of Financial Institutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management of Financial Institutions - Essay Example Surely, the central bank is part of the financial institution. It is the British government's financial authority for it hands out periodic currency resources and also controls the supply of credit and holds the reserves of other banks while it sells new securities in behalf of the British government. The other financial institutions include, foundations, non-depository financial institutions, trust companies and others. Many companies use the financial institutions in their daily business transactions. Therefore, the companies being serviced by the financial institutions above can choose which financial institution to use. One of the criteria for choosing is the services that they offer. The following paragraphs discusses the factors affecting financial institution. The contextual environment is often approached covers many areas of business. These areas include technology, the economy, the nature of government, social attitudes and, of course, competitive forces all affect the climate in which business operates. For, the contextual environment sets the context for business to exist and it creates a climate of change with the five areas mentioned here. Technology. Technology. New technological developments in the financial institutions result in advanced production processes. Harvey Jones(2006) wrote that online banking had definitely changed from a minority sport into a mainstream race at astonishing speed. Almost every financial institution, from the biggest in terms of assets in the banking sector to the smallest local building society has brought business transactions between the purchasers and the sellers at split second speed. With the advent of the automatic teller machines, the time needed to transfer funds has been decreased. People will just carry the ATM plastic to withdraw money at midnight or during holidays Moreover, one out of every five British citizen have their banking transactions online through the internet starting in the year 2005. This was the finding of Lloyds TSB. The number of online bankers have dramatically increased until our current time period 2007. Present studies show that young customers between the ages of 45 to 54 years of age to do their jobs through the internet comfortably and safely. are increasingly comfortable managing their finances over the web. Forgotten, depositors and person withdrawing money from the banks would have get a number from bank personnel and wait until their number had been called before depositing or withdrawing their money. The advent of the automatic teller machines has allowed bank withdrawals even at midnight or the wee hours of the morning and on Sundays and holidays. On line banking services include payment of statement of accounts and other bills, getting the bank statement printout, money transfer to another person very far away and management of bank debits. Economy. general economic conditions and trends(Mcrae, 2007) must be taken into account when considering an organisation's activities. Mathew Scott(2003) stated Kevin Cohee, chairman and CEO of OneUnited Bank, looks at One Lincoln Street in Boston's financial district, he sees his vision for the future of black-owned

Vehicles on Non Conventional Sources Essay Example for Free

Vehicles on Non Conventional Sources Essay I would like to express our gratitude to all those who gave me the possibility to complete this report. I like to thank our HOD giving me permission to commence this report in the first instance, to do the necessary experimental work and to use departmental data. I am thanking to all our teachers who gave me the required knowledge, skill and a mental approach within the training schedule and encouraged the developing interest of ours in this field. I am bound to our Head of Department of Electrical Electronics Engineering also my training incharge Er. R. K. Sharma (HOD) for constant and stimulating support. I am thankful to everyone who supported me in our report work. I want to thank them for all their help, support, interest and valuable hints as well as for the close look at the final version of the report for English style and grammar, correcting both and offering suggestions for improvement. 1. Wind powered vehicles Introduction Here we use water as a fuel for vehicles which will replace fossil fuels. This system is pollution free. Water powered vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen for the propulsion of the vehicle. The speed of car using water as a fuel is 6 times faster than that using fossil fuels like petroleum, diesel etc as proved by Ohio State University, Honda, Ford, Renault – Nissan. If there just isn’t enough oil to go around, then let’s turn our energy needs to something that is overly abundant on the planet. Water seems like a good choice for an energy source, and many have tried. It looks like Genepax Co, a Japanese company, has been able to get a car to run on water. The engine gets its power by supplying water and air to the fuel and air electrodes. What’s really happening is that this is nearly a hydrogen powered car, but you don’t need to find the one or two lonely hydrogen refueling stations. Genepax has created what they call a â€Å"membrane electrode assembly† (MEA) that is able to break water down into hydrogen and oxygen using a chemical reaction. I’m not sure how it works exactly, and Genepax isn’t saying, but they claim their process can produce hydrogen for a longer time. My favorite part about this little car is that you don’t need to have a pressurized hydrogen tank sitting in the back of your vehicle. Forget about how difficult it would be to refuel, why would I want a bomb in my trunk? I’m far more comfortable with a few jugs of water that get split up during the driving experience. It’s really too bad that being in the northeast eliminates many of these smaller, energy efficient, cars from practical use. Although I did see an electric car yesterday†¦I’ll have to make a note to ask those people how it handles come the blizzards in December. The cost of the engine itself is around $18,000, which puts this little car on the impractical list. But Genepax hopes that if it can go into mass production the cost will reduce down to as little as $4,600. More than 70% of the Earths surface is covered by water and our planets fossil sources are getting lower each day. This is why a lot of scientists struggled to find a way to create a car that will only need water to run. The car will only take the hydrogen from a water molecule and the oxygen atom will be eliminated. This would also improve the worlds environment a lot. Hydrogen is a very powerful power source for engines because it burns very cleanly and it generates less heat in the process. A water powered car would take the hydrogen through a special separating process called electrolysis. Even though there were a lot of companies that tried to create water powered cars, these ones cant compete yet with contemporary cars and I think it will still pass a lot of time when well see a water powered car with the same performances as a car that runs with petrol. If cars that run only with water will ever get into production, their price will be too huge for an ordinary person and scientists are still struggling to reduce the cars costs. Still, there are some cars that could use water for fuel aside from the usual petrol. These cars are called water-hybrid cars and each car have a power generating system installed that let it extract power from water. Probably the biggest benefit for water powered cars comes from the fact that water is more abundant, easier to get and a lot cheaper than petrol or gas. So, even though a car that runs only with water will be a bit too expensive from start, it could save you a lot of money on the long run. Working It generally works on fuel cell conversion system. In this system, water is split up into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. Hydrogen produces electricity which helps in the propulsion of car and little bit oxygen is used to cool the engine and react with rest of the hydrogen to reproduce water for further use. In this way we can use this source for long time than fossil fuels. Here we can use some sort of boiler which make water pure. We can also make hydrogen by using the Hydro-Gen. The Hydro-Gen separates hydrogen gas from the natural hydrogen-oxygen mix in standard tap water which will result in us making hydrogen. A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its onboard fuel for motive power. The term may refer to a personal transportation vehicle, such as an automobile, or any other vehicle that uses hydrogen in a similar fashion, such as an aircraft. The power plants of such vehicles convert the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy (torque) in one of two methods: combustion, or electrochemical conversion in a fuel-cell: †¢ In hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles, the hydrogen is combusted in engines in fundamentally the same method as traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. †¢ In fuel-cell conversion, the hydrogen is reacted with oxygen to produce water and electricity, the latter being used to power an electric traction motor. Can a fuel cell take in water and put out hydrogen and oxygen? In order for a car to take in water and put out hydrogen and oxygen, electricity must pass though the water molecule and split it apart into hydrogen and oxygen. It then uses the hydrogen in the water to make energy. Can a fuel cell take in hydrogen and oxygen and put out water? The net reaction fuel cell can take in hydrogen and oxygen and releases water. The equation used to do this is 2H2 + O2 = 2H2O It is able to do this by giving the hydrogen a positive and the oxygen a negative charge so the two will attract and form water. Advantages Hydrogen will slowly take over from fossil fuels as the main source of power. It will do this because hydrogen is easier to obtain and it won’t pollute like fossil fuels. It is cheaper to make. This will help it a lot in the long run to replace fossil fuels. Fossil fuels will soon run out leaving us no choice but to switch. This is a huge reason for it to replace fossil fuels. By using petroleum, we are discharging the soil and water and causing acid rain to fall. This also brings about the chances of horrible climate changes. Disadvantages The only limitation is that the vehicle using this system is expensive only once at the time of purchase. The cost of the engine itself is around $18,000 but some of the companies are saying that if it can go into mass production the cost will reduce down to as little as $4,600. 2. Solar powered vehicles Introduction. A solar vehicle is an electric vehicle powered by a type of renewable energy, by solar energy obtained from solar panels on the surface (generally, the roof) of the vehicle. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert the Suns energy directly into electrical energy. Solar vehicles are not practical day-to-day transportation devices at present, but are primarily demonstration vehicles and engineering exercises, often sponsored by government agencies. A solar vehicle is an electric vehicle powered by a type of renewable energy, by solar energy obtained from solar panels on the surface (generally, the roof) of the vehicle. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert the Suns energy directly into electrical energy. Solar vehicles are not practical day-to-day transportation devices at present, but are primarily demonstration vehicles and engineering exercises, often sponsored by government agencies. Virtually all solar cars ever built have been for the purpose of solar car races, with notable exceptions that includes solar powered golf cars and utility vehicles. Solar cars combine technology typically used in the aerospace, bicycle, alternative energy and automotive industries. The design of a solar vehicle is severely limited by the energy input into the car (batteries and power from the sun). Virtually all solar cars ever built have been for the purpose of solar car races, with notable exceptions that includes solar powered golf cars and utility vehicles. Like many race cars, the drivers cockpit usually only contains room for one person, although a few cars do contain room for a second passenger. They contain some of the features available to drivers of traditional vehicles such as brakes, accelerator, turn signals, rear view mirrors (or camera), ventilation, and sometimes cruise control. A radio for communication with their support crews is almost always included. Solar cars are often fitted with gauges as seen in conventional cars. Aside from keeping the car on the road, the drivers main priority is to keep an eye on these gauges to spot possible problems. Cars without gauges almost always feature wireless telemetry, which allows the drivers team to monitor the cars energy consumption, solar energy capture and other parameters and free the driver to concentrate on driving. Solar cars depend on PV cells to convert sunlight into electricity. While the sun emits 1370 +/-3. 4% watts per square meter of energy, 51% of it actually enters the Earths atmosphere and therefore approximately 700 watts per square meter of clean energy can be obtained. [1] Unlike solar thermal energy which converts solar energy to heat for either household purposes, industrial purposes or to be converted to electricity, PV cells directly convert sunlight into electricity. When sunlight (photons) strikes PV cells, they excite electrons and allow them to flow, creating an electrical current. PV cells are made of semiconductor materials such as silicon and alloys of indium, gallium and nitrogen. Silicon is the most common material used and has an efficiency of 15-20%. Procedure Photovoltaic cell When sunlight (photons) strikes PV cells, they excite electrons and allow them to flow, creating an electrical current. PV cells are made of semiconductor materials such as silicon and alloys of indium, gallium and nitrogen. Silicon is the most common material used and has an efficiency of 15-20%. Electrical systems The electrical system is the most important part of the cars systems as it controls all of the power that comes into the system. The battery pack plays the same role in a solar car that a petrol tank plays in a normal car in storing power. Solar cars use a range of batteries including lead-acid batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries (NiMH), Nickel-Cadmium batteries (NiCd), Lithium ion batteries and Lithium polymer batteries. Many solar race cars have complex data acquisition systems that monitor the whole electrical system while even the most basic cars have systems that provide information on battery voltage and current to the driver. Mechanical system. The mechanical systems of a solar car are designed to keep weight and space a minimum while maintaining strength. Solar car engineers also have to take into account array space. Some solar car bodies consist of a metal frame on the inside and a composite shell on the outside. The metal frame is primarily for structural strength and driver safety, while the composite outer shell is primarily for aerodynamics and array space. Other solar car bodies use the monocoque design, where the body consists primarily of composites reinforced by metal tubing. Solar car engineers generally use titanium, steel, and aluminum for the metal tubing, and carbon-fiber, fiberglass, and Kevlar for the composites. Material selection is based on strength-to-weight ratio, ease of manufacturing, and cost. Solar cars usually have three wheels, but some have four. Three wheelers usually have two front wheels and one rear wheel: the front wheels steer and the rear wheel follows. Four wheel vehicles are set up like normal cars or similarly to three wheeled vehicles with the two rear butts close together. Solar arrays. The solar array consists of hundreds of photovoltaic solar cells converting sunlight into electricity. In order to construct an array, PV cells are placed together to form modules which are placed together to form an array. [3] The larger arrays in use can produce over 2 kilowatts (2. 6 hp). [pic] Cells,Modules,Arrays[4] The solar array can be mounted in several ways: †¢ horizontal. This most common arrangement gives most overall power during most of the day in low latitudes or higher latitude summers and offers little interaction with the wind. Horizontal arrays can be integrated or be in the form of a free canopy. †¢ vertical. This arrangement is sometimes found in free standing or integrated sails to harness wind energy. [5] Useful solar power is limited to mornings, evenings, or winters and when the vehicle is pointing in the right direction. †¢ adjustable. Free solar arrays can often be tilted around the axis of travel in order to increase power when the sun is low and well to the side. An alternative is to tilt the whole vehicle when parked. Two-axis adjustment is only found on marine vehicles, where the aerodynamic resistance is of less importance than with road vehicles. †¢ integrated. Some vehicles cover every available surface with solar cells. Some of the cells will be at an optimal angle whereas others will be shaded. †¢ trailer. Solar trailers are especially useful for retrofitting existing vehicles with little stability, e. g. bicycles. Some trailers also include the batteries and others also the drive motor. †¢ remote. By mounting the solar array at a stationary location instead of the vehicle, power can be maximised and resistance minimized. The virtual grid-connection however involves more electrical losses than with true solar vehicles and the battery must be larger. The choice of solar array geometry involves an optimization between power output, aerodynamic resistance and vehicle mass, as well as practical considerations. For example, a free horizontal canopy gives 2-3 times the surface area of a vehicle with integrated cells but offers better cooling of the cells and shading of the riders. There are also thin flexible solar arrays in development. Solar arrays on solar cars are mounted and encapsulated very differently from stationary solar arrays. Solar arrays on solar cars are usually mounted using industrial grade double-sided adhesive tape right onto the cars body. The arrays are encapsulated using thin layers of Tedlar and Tefzel. Some solar cars use gallium arsenide solar cells, with efficiencies around thirty percent. Other solar cars use silicon solar cells, with efficiencies around twenty percent. Limitations challenges Fitting battery electric vehicles with solar cells would extend their range and allow recharging while parked anywhere in the sun. However, with present and near-term engineering considerations, it seems that the more likely place for solar cells will generally be on the roofs of buildings, where they are always exposed to the sky and weight is largely irrelevant, rather than on vehicle roofs, where size is limited. . Although, saying that, solar cell technology is starting to be used successfully in the powering of electric golf cars and utility vehicles. In the case of both building and vehicles, energy from rooftop panels can be stored in batteries for future use. While some inconveniences might cause challenges, there are limitations to using PV cell: †¢ Cost. While sunlight can provide a free clean source of energy, the creation of PV cells to capture that sunlight is expensive. In 2003, it was found that energy would cost $. 30kWh which is more than double that of residential electricity. †¢ Lifetime. Even though sunlight has no lifespan, PV cells do. The lifetime of a solar module is approximately 30 years. 3. Wind powered vehicles Introduction Wind-powered electric vehicles primarily use wind-turbines installed at a strategic point of the vehicle, which are then converted into electric energy which causes the vehicle to propel. While they are not in mainstream use yet, many schools have begun building the new technology and research into their curriculums to teach students and to get them active in the subject. Wind-powered electric vehicles primarily use wind-turbines installed at a strategic point of the vehicle, which are then converted into electric energy which causes the vehicle to propel. Wind-powered electric vehicles include Ventomobile and Mercedes-Benz Formula Zero, as well as the Greenbird, which currently holds a world record for fastest Wind powered vehicle. Ventomobile [pic] [pic]. The InVentus Ventomobile racing at the Aeolus Race 2008 The Ventomobile is a solely wind powered lightweight three wheeler designed by University of Stuttgart students. It won the first prize at the Racing Aeolus held at Den Helder, Netherlands, in August 2008. [1] Matthias Schubert, Chief Technical Officer of the teams’ main sponsor REpower Systems AG, applauded the integration of the InVentus Ventomobile project into the coursework of the students: â€Å"The achievement of managing a big team over many months, and even making select construction tasks part of undergraduate teaching cannot be estimated highly enough! The enthusiasm the students show in renewable energies and the development of innovative solutions should serve the industry as an example for the development of new technologies. [2] Mercedes-Benz Formula Zero Unlike traditional racing, which focuses merely on the order of finish, Mercedes new concept introduces energy efficiency as an integral part of the competition . The Formula Zero Racer is loaded with technology designed to extract the maximum thrust from the electric hub motors, aero-efficient solar skin and high-tech rigid sail [3]. Greenbird Ecotricitys Greenbird vehicle, designed and piloted by Richard Jenkins, broke the land speed world record for a wind-powered vehicle in 2009[4]. â€Å"Greenbird recorded a top speed of 126. 4 mph (203. 4 km/h), and sustained a speed of 126. 2 mph (203. 1 km/h) for the required time of three seconds, beating the previous, American held, record of 116 mph (186. 7 km/h), set by Bob Schumacher in the Iron Duck in March 1999 at the same location. [5]. Working [pic]. Wind powered cars are one of the many possibilities for alternative transportation. After all, one ever-abundant source of green energy is the wind, which has been harnessed for travel in the past on the high seas. But can it become an efficient source of energy for travel on land? Let’s take a look at some designs for wind powered cars that may be the wave of the future: A team of engineers has set the land speed record for a wind powered vehicle at 126 mph. The Ecotricity Greenbird swept across the desert with a combination of technologies. Elements from racing yachts, airplanes and Formula 1 cars were all included in the Greenbird’s design. The car has two wings, one vertical and one horizontal. The vertical wing creates lift, much like an airplane’s wing, only instead of that force being applied to levitate the vehicle, it is used to propel it forward. The horizontal wing, which extends on only one side of the car, keeps it from leaving the ground. The body of the car is designed like a Formula 1 racer to minimize wind resistance. The end result is a sleek machine that can travel much faster than the wind is actually traveling. Although the Greenbird isn’t likely to turn up at your local dealership anytime soon, it can give you an idea of how wind powered cars might develop. Will the Ecotricity Greenbird be the design of the future? The â€Å"Ecotricity† in the â€Å"Ecotricity Greenbird† stands for the name of a British alternative-electricity company, and its founder, Dale Vince, is still working on options for wind-powered cars. At this time, the potential for wind-powered cars is unlimited. Perhaps the car could use a kite-like sail that drags the car across the road? Or maybe these cars could be outfitted with batteries that are charged using personal wind power or an at-home windmill? While the wind powered car may still be a thing of the future, present-day steps are being made to lay the foundation to make this clean energy source a viable way to travel. Bibliography www. wikipedia. com www. life123. com www. techon. nikkeibp. co.