Lost Foam Casting free essay sample

The lost foam casting process offers several advantages over conventional sand casting processes, such as simplified production techniques and reduced environmental waste due to binder system emissions and sand disposal. The process is well-suited for castings with complex geometries, tight tolerances, and smooth as-cast surface finish requirements. When the castings are designed to fully exploit these advantages, cleaning and machining times are dramatically reduced if not completely eliminated. Therefore, the lost foam casting process is viewed as a value-added process rather than a substitute for sand casting. Lost foam castings are produced by pouring molten metal into a foam pattern contained in a flask filled with loose sand that is compacted through vibration. Generally speaking, a foam pattern is coated with a refractory slurry and dried before being placed in the flask and surrounded by large grain fineness sand. The foam pattern degrades immediately after molten metal is introduced, leaving a casting that duplicates all features of the foam pattern. We will write a custom essay sample on Lost Foam Casting or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The degradation products are vented into the loose sand. In lost foam casting process, mold filling, thermal transport, and solidification are strongly influenced by the foam pattern degradation. There are three phenomena which are inherent in lost foam casting process: slow molten metal flow, reducing atmosphere, and degradation products. The first and second phenomena help reduce oxides or slag defects. The last one, however, may become casting defects if they remain in the cast parts. To improve lost foam casting design, it is ssential to understand the interactions between the foam pattern and molten metal as well as the displacement of degradation products. History The first patent for an evaporative-pattern casting process was filed in April 1956, by H. F. Shroyer. He patented the use of foam patterns embedded in traditional green sand for metal casting. In his patent, a pattern was machined from a block of expanded polystyrene (EPS), and supported by bonded sand during pouring . This process is now known as the full mold process. In 1964, M. C. Flemmings used unbonded sand for the process. The first North American foundry to use evaporative-pattern casting was the Robinson Foundry at Alexander City, Alabama. General motors first product using these processes was the 4. 3L, V-6 diesel cylinder head, which were made in 1981 at Massena, New York. A study found in 1997 that evaporative-pattern casting processes accounted for approximately 140,000 tons of aluminum casting in the United States. The same survey forecast that evaporative-pattern casting processes would account for 29% of the aluminum, and 14% of the ferrous casting markets in the near future. Definition Definition| A casting process whereby the pettern is made of polystyrene foam and is vaporized when the mold is fill with molten metal| Lost form consist of first making a foam pattern having the geometry of the desire finish metal| Expanded polystyrene casting use a mold or sand park around a polystyrene pattern that vapourizes when the molten metal is poured into the mold| Evaporating pattern casting (lost foam) : this process is also know as lost pattern casting under a trade name â€Å"full mold process†, it use a polystyrene pattern which evaporate upon contact with molten metal to form a cavity for the casting| Lost foam casting, where the mould cavity is filled with polystyrene foam (the ‘full mould’ process) , is a special case. | What is â€Å"Lost Foam†? The Lost Foam casting process originated in 1958 when H. F. Shroyer was granted a patent for a cavity-less casting method, using a polystyrene foam pattern embedded in traditional green sand. The polystyrene foam pattern left in the sand is decomposed by the poured molten metal. The metal replaces the foam pattern, exactly duplicating all of the features of the original pattern. Like other investment casting methods, this requires that a pattern be produced for every casting poured because it is evaporated (â€Å"lost†) in the process. Schematic of lost for casting Process The essential steps of the lost foam casting procedure are: 1) The execution of patterns, 2) Execution of moulds 3) casting the alloy. Execution of Patterns: A pattern is made from  polystyrene foam (Expanded Polysterene), which can be done many different. What is Expanded Polystyrene? Expanded Polystyrene in its broadest sense is a rigid cellular plastic which is found in a multitude of shapes and applications. Raw Material Manufacturing: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the most commonly used foam pattern, it can be produced by bead pre-expansion into polystyrene (PS) beads that are ready for moulding. PS precursors are formed from ethyl benzene through an aluminum catalyst with benzene and ethylene obtained from crude oil and natural gas [Shivkumar, 1994]. Ethyl benzene is then converted to styrene at high temperature with nitrogen gas and iron catalysts. It forms polystyrene when exposed to a peroxide catalyst and polymerized in a water solution [Goria et al. , 1986]. These unexpanded beads have a density of 600 g/l (38 pounds per cubic feet (pcf)) and they are expanded 20~50 times with heat at 100 oC until the desired density is reached [Kanicki, 1985]. Polystyrene (PS) MOLECULAR FORMULA: The C=C double bond in each monomer is transformed into a C-C single bond in the polymer. | Properties: ease of forming, clarity, low heat transfer, good thermal insulation. Density: 1. 03-1. 06 g/ccStatistic: In 1999 PS usage as a plastic bottle resin was essentially nil. | Description: Polystyrene can be made into rigid or foamed products. It has a relatively low melting point. Packaging applications: Plates, cups, cutlery, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc jackets Recycled products: Thermal insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containers Raw Material Manufacturing: Expanded Polystyrene (foam)  is obtained from expandable polystyrene (beads), which is a rigid cellular plastic which contains an expansion agent. Expandable polystyrene is therefore obtained from oil as can be seen from the diagram. The EPS Manufacturing Process is inextricably linked with the process described in the last section, which brought us from the oil well to expandable polystyrene, now we will see what happens in the transformation process that leads us to Expanded Polystyrene foam parts. We have seen that the raw material is obtained through a chemical process. The next process involves the use of physics and the conversion process is carried out in three stages. 1st stage   PRE-EXPANSION: The raw material (beads)  is heated in special machines called pre-expanders with steam at temperatures of approximately 215-f. The density of the material falls from 40lbs/cu ft to values of usually between 1 ~ 2lbs/cu ft. During the process of pre-expansion the raw materials hard beads turns into cellular (foam) plastic beads with small closed cells that hold air in their interior. 2nd stage   INTERMEDIATE MATURING AND STABILIZATION: On cooling, the recently expanded particles form a vacuum in their interior and this must be compensated for by air diffusion. This is how the beads achieve greater mechanical elasticity and improve expansion capacity, something very useful in the following transformation stage. This process is carried out during the materials intermediate maturing in aerated silos or mesh bags. The beads are dried at the same time. 3rd stage   EXPANSION AND FINAL MOLDING: During this stage the stabilized pre-expanded beads are transported to molds where they are again subjected to steam so that the beads bind together. In this way large blocks are obtained block molding   (that are later sectioned to the required shape like boards, panels, cylinders etc. ) or products in their final finished shape shape molding. Execution of moulds and casting alloy The basic steps to the process include: A foam pattern and gating system are made using a foam molding press * The foam pattern and the gating system are glued together to form a cluster of patterns * The cluster is coated with a permeable refractory coating and dried unde r controlled conditions * The dried, coated cluster is invested in a foundry flask with loose, unbonded sand that is vibrated to provide tight compaction * The molten metal is poured on to the top of the gating system which directs the metal throughout the cluster and replaces the foam gating and patterns * The remaining operations such as, shakeout, cut-off, grinding, heat treat, etc. are straightforward and similar to other casting processes. The series and major steps in lost foam casting (LFC) What metals can be poured in the Lost Foam process? Generally, all ferrous and non-ferrous materials can be successfully cast using the Lost Foam process. Because the foam pattern and gating system must be decomposed to produce a casting, metal pouring temperatures above 1000 °F are usually required. Lower temperature metals can be poured, but part size is limited. In addition, very low carbon ferrous castings will require special processing. What size range of parts can be produced by the Lost Foam process? Lost Foam castings can be produced in most all metals from a fraction of a pound up to thousands of pounds. Slightly more advanced techniques are used for very large castings. What type of tooling is required and at what cost? Typically, tooling is composed of a split-cavity machined aluminum die that is the negative mold from which the foam pattern is produced. The tooling is highly specialized and must be constructed by experienced tooling manufacturers familiar with the requirements of the foam molders and foundries. Most tooling for Lost Foam patterns will compare favorably with permanent and die cast tooling. Prototype and simple tools may be in the $3000-5000 range while high-end tooling for complex or very large parts can be in the several hundred thousand dollar range. As a result of the materials used and the process stresses, Lost Foam tools can be expected to have 3 to 4 times the cycle life of permanent mold or die casting tools. What lead times can be expected when ordering a Lost Foam casting? As with all processes, lead times vary greatly depending on part complexity. Generally, 8 to 16 weeks is typical for completed tooling and first castings produced. After casting approval, 6 to 12 weeks is typical for production run startup. Rapid prototyping methods can produce castings in as little as 2 to 3 weeks. What size range of parts can be produced by the Lost Foam process? Lost Foam castings can be produced in most all metals from a fraction of a pound up to thousands of pounds. Slightly more advanced echniques are used for very large castings. What is the cost of using the Lost Foam process? Lost Foam castings are generally more expensive than forged parts, or parts made by other casting processes. The value inherent in the Lost Foam process v ersus other processes is seen in tighter tolerances, weight reduction and as-cast features which all results in less machining and cleanup time. Many castings that require milling, turning, drilling and grinding can be made in the Lost Foam process with only . 020† . 030† of machine stock. It is imperative that the features to be cast are discussed by all parties to determine the net finished product cost. What quantities need to be made to make the Lost Foam process practical? The answer, simply, is not as many as you would think. Tooling amortization is a key factor in this determination. Potential overall savings for your application will aid in your decision. Generally, 500-1000 pieces per year is the minimum production run to be economical. Prototyping runs, however, may be as few as 3-5 pieces for Fabricated Foam patterns or 20-100 pieces for Quick-Cut CNC machined aluminum tooling. Application Lost foam casting  is used mostly for automotive applications. Cast iron, aluminum alloys, steels, nickel and in some cases stainless steel and copper alloys are cast in this process. The flexibility of LFC is useful in making complicated casting assemblies for automotive and other metal cast like cylinder heads, weldments, pump housing, Manifolds for automobile, machine bases, automobile-body-dies, brake component. etc. This simple and inexpensive method is used in hobby foundry work. Examples of product produce from lost foam casting http://www. glmmarine. com/ManifoldArticle. html Superior Marine Manifolds Agricultural Equipment Part / Farm Machinery Part Product Description Detail Feature: Product Name: Agricultural equipment part / Farm machinery part   Materials: Grey iron, Ductile Iron, High Chrome iron, resistent ironcarbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels, High Manganese steel   Items: FOB NingBo or Shanghai Place of Origin: Ningbo, China Software for specification drawings: PDF, Auto CAD, Solid work, JPG, ProE   Main production equipments: Wax injection, CNC-machine, machine-center, Heat treatment Furnace lost foam casting for yacht gas piping Specifications 1). lost foam casting 2). reliable product quality 3). on time delivery 4). excellent after-sale service 5). 3D design It is designed for the yacht or the ships gas exhaust piping. Materials: pig iron 250 Surface treatment: galvanizing, and spray-paint Weight: 19. 5 KG Color: black Process: lost foam casting Dimensions:360mm*167mm*102mm Certificate: ISO9001:2000 Advantages * Foam is to carve glue and manipulate Can be used for precision castings of ferrous and non-ferrous metals of any size. * Fewer steps are involved in lost foam casting compared to sand casting. * Core making is eliminated. * Binders or other additives and related mixing processes are eliminated. * High dimensional accuracy can be achieved and thin sections can be cast (i. e. 3 mm). * There is lower capital investment. * The flasks used are less expensive and easier to use because they are in one piece. * The need for skilled labor is reduced. * Multiple castings can be combined in one mould to increase pouring efficiency. * Lower operating costs can be achieved for appropriate castings. Complex castings, particularly internal sections, which require high dimensional accuracy and have thin sections, can be produced very cost effectively in comparison with to conventional sand moulding processes. * Fettling and machining is minimized due to high dimensional accuracy and the absence of parting lines or core fins. * The shakeout process is simplified and does not require the heavy machinery required for bonded sand systems. * High levels of sand reuse are possible. As little as 1-2% of the sand is lost as a result of spills. Periodically a portion of sand may need to be removed or reclaimed to avoid the build-up of styrene. * Complex components can be formed where other casting processes would require multiple components to be assembled. Excellent dimensional tolerances for precision casting. * Lower production cost than traditional Green Sand casting. * Castings can be made from 1 pound up to thousands of pounds with no size limitations. * Lost Foam is an environmental ly friendly process. * The sand is un-bonded and can be recovered and re-used at a low cost. * There is lower capital investment. Disadvantages * pattern costs can be high for low volume application * patterns are easily damaged or distorted due to their low strength. If a die is used to create the patterns there is a large initial cost * The pattern coating process is time-consuming, and pattern handling requires great care. Good process control is required as a scrapped casting means replacement not only of the mold but the pattern as well. What type of tooling is required and at what cost? Typically, tooling is composed of a split-cavity machined aluminum die that is the negative mold from which the foam pattern is produced. The tooling is highly specialized and must be constructed by experienced tooling manufacturers familiar with the requirements of the foam molders and foundries. Most tooling for Lost Foam patterns will compare favorably with permanent and die cast tooling. Pr ototype and simple tools may be in the $3000-5000 range while high-end tooling for complex or very large parts can be in the several hundred thousand dollar range.

How to Find a Job After Being an Entrepreneur

How to Find a Job After Being an Entrepreneur Jason Alba, creator of JibberJobber.com, has literally written a book on how to make your own niche in the working world as a self-employed entrepreneur, but he also knows that being your own boss isn’t the best option all of the time. Sometimes it’s a question of timing, prioritizing a stable paycheck over following your bliss, family crisis taking precedence, or a market crash, etc. And he has some reassurance for you. It’s ok! You can quit one enterprise and seek out a job in someone else’s employ, without being a quitter or giving up on your dream. Take it from someone who’s lived it:Whether you are a cog in someone else’s wheel, or you create the next Facebook, you have value. Â  And as I mentioned earlier, circumstances change. Â  Maybe your role as cog today will lead you to successful entrepreneur in the future. Â  Or maybe you’ll be a great cog, with a great career, with financial stability and all the joys that can come fr om having a fulfilled life.Shuttering your small business, with all the blood, sweat, tears, and time you’ve sunk into it, can feel like failure–but it doesn’t have to. You too may have the heart of an entrepreneur, but thanks to timing and external circumstances, it may be just what you and your family need to take down that shingle and exchange it for a company ID. It doesn’t mean you’re done inventing, planning for the future, or directing your own life. Be ready for the right opportunity when it calls, and trust that you’re doing your best. Document all your responsibilities, risk-taking and successes in your next stellar resume, and take that confidence into your next job interview. Entrepreneurship will be waiting for you when you get back.When an Entrepreneur Quits and Has to Find a JobRead More at Jibberjobber

Key Roles Performed by Financial System in the Economy Essay

Key Roles Performed by Financial System in the Economy - Essay Example In simple terms, financial system can be called as the system that keeps the flow of money between people and institutions. It is the mechanism through which money flow from the individual investors to the borrowers in the system. Financial system is an inevitable factor for the very existence of the economy itself. The term financial system is an all-encompassing term consisting of various types and components within it. â€Å"A financial system can be defined at the global, regional or firm specific level.† (Investopedia, 2011) A firm level financial system refers to the financial system followed by companies in order to track their financial performance. Most companies will have similar kind of financial system. Regional level refers to the system where money is exchanged between lenders and borrowers. It is not necessarily between lenders and borrowers but also between lenders and investors or investors and borrowers. The third one is global level. It refers to the exchange or movement of finance between big corporate and government institutions at the global level. Though each of these levels is important in the economy, global level is the most important level. Before looking into the each level of the financial system and their importance, it is important to have a detailed look into the various components of financial system. The components of financial system will include all the three levels which are mentioned in the previous paragraph. The main components of a financial system are as follows: 1. Financial Intermediaries 2. Financial Markets 3. Regulators 4. Financial Instruments Components of Financial System & their Roles Financial Intermediaries Financial intermediaries are the first component of financial system. As the name signifies, financial intermediaries act as an intermediary or channel between two parties. The two parties are namely investors and the firms that are raising fund or savers and borrowers. â€Å"The difficulty that lenders (savers) and borrowers (spenders) encounter when confronted with finding and dealing directly with each other has provoked the appearance of financial intermediaries† (Morawski, 2007) All kinds of financial institutions fall under the category of financial intermediaries. Some of the most common financial intermediaries are banks, insurance companies, investment brokers, mutual fund houses, wealth management co mpanies, pension funds, etc. Financial intermediaries are the component that facilitates the flow of money in the economy. It helps to convert one form of fund the other. As such it becomes an inevitable factor for the development of an economy. The major roles played by financial intermediaries in the economy are as follows: 1. Channel of Transfer 2. Avoid the difficulties in direct dealing 3. Safe keeping of assets 4. Mobilisation of funds 5. Creation of financial instruments 6. Investment Services 7. Quicker development Channel of transfer: The basic function of a financial intermediary is to act as a channel. Financial intermediaries channelize funds from one person to the other based on each other’s need. This can simply be explained with the case of commercial banks. Commercial bank’s take deposits from the investors and distribute is as loans to other parties. Thus, a link is established between investors and borrowers. Such an efficient system of exchange is no t possible without the existence of financial intermediaries. Avoid the difficulties in direct dealing: If there were no financial intermediaries at all, it would have resulted in several unorganised lending and receiving activities in the market. It would be difficult for the investors to find borrowers and vice versa. Such a situation would also cause chaos in the whole system. But financial intermediaries help to identify the investors and borrowers and provide them the required services. Safe keeping of assets: Financial intermediaries help the people with surplus funds by aiding them to keep it safe. Due

Employment Relationship-Shewin Memorandum Essay

Employment Relationship-Shewin Memorandum - Essay Example For the past 6 years, she is in the same cadre. During 8 years of service, she was in the reporting line of George Doright, who was enjoying the fame of very competent, energetic and a good character boss. In the later years, the new management came in and started the process of re-organizing / re-structuring of the organization for a better performance. Accordingly, the management repositioned the location of Doright and he was transferred to another division to accomplish the assigned tasks. During the process of re-organization of the company, two editors stand retired leaving a vacuum behind them to be filled in. After mentioned development in the organization, she was transferred to work under the subordination of infamous Arthur King, the Senior Editor of Blabber. During the incumbency of King, she had to suffer a lot because she was not ready to meet the sexual desire of King. Issues After the retirement of two editors from the company, she was expecting for the said position. Despite having expertise and experience, which requires for a vacant position, she was not considered for the same. However, to fulfill the formalities of promotional requirement, she was just called for an interview. The outcome of the interview was nothing but sheer wastage of time. After a lapse of reasonable period of time in her organization, last month, she applied for a junior level position of Editor. It meant that in spite of all odds, she did not give up her hope for a respectable status in the organization, which she did not get due to obvious reasons. It is strange to note that for the vacant position, she has been interviewed by King, the Editor of Blabber, in a restaurant rather than in his office. The interview was against her expectation and she was not comfortable with the interviewer since the questions asked in the mock interview of personal nature instead of professional. The most questions revolved about her personal life and about her boy friend. She lost her confidence the way interview was conducted and of course gave up her hope for the position for which she applied for. It is interesting to note that after few weeks of conducting interview of Shewin by King, the senior Editor instead of promoting her for the post, hired the services of Gene Whiz, an outsider for the advertised vacancy although Gene has no comparison with Shewin in terms of age, qualification, working experience and expertise. Gene was just 26 years old, did her master in journalism the other day from the University of Chicago and joined local newspaper of small size to work as a reporter. Factors The self analysis of Shewin concerning key factors that disqualified her for the position applied for are: a) promotion of three women in the upper strata of management that took place before re-organization / restructuring process b) King had no role in the promotion decision c) She refused to join King outside business premises to discuss business invitations since his lu st for women / bad reputation was not hidden from anybody in the company d) filing of complaints against her male counter parts while Doright was in office about their attitude of discussing their dates with girlfriends in graphics details loudly the next Monday morning of each weekend e) Doright, the then incumbent, reprimanded her male counter parts for their mentioned deeds f) five African American senior

Graphic Design Industry and the Willingness to Foster Creativity for Dissertation

Graphic Design Industry and the Willingness to Foster Creativity for People with Fine Motor Skills Disability - Dissertation Example In the past, the design discipline belief for the traditional graphic design professionals was aligned to serve only able-bodied students and professionals. Evidently, this was due to the belief that all design starts from traditional drawing skills. The teaching strategies of the past were mostly structured in a way that favored physical exertion from a full bodied person while significantly ignorant on the needs of people with disabilities. However, in the contemporary world, there have been increased efforts and innovation to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities.(Needs cited from original paper or from writers notes) In this regard, there have been an increased acceptance and adaption to suit the needs of people with disabilities in different sectors such as education, production, athletics and many more. For example, in the world of athletics, persons with disabilities have been able to compete on an equal footing with other full bodied athletes. A perfect example i s the former athletics champion with most medals, Heinz Frei from Sweden. former 200m paralympic champion, Oscar Pistorius, also known as the ‘blade runner’ for his use of prosthetic legs in racing (Edington, & Duffy, 1996). In order for learners to make an impact in the world, it is foremost the prerogative of the educators to teach and guide them in the correct process. In this regard, educators are the foundational block for students affording them the ability to go out and give voice to those who need it. (AIGA & Chap, 2006, p.1) Consequently, it creates a critical issue between education and complementing laws and policies such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Quality Assurance Systems in the Hotel Industry

Quality Assurance Systems in the Hotel Industry Quality assurance systems in the upscale hotel sector 1.  Introduction Quality assurance systems are an important element of any business strategy. As Porter (1985 and 2004) suggests, quality is now seen as a major force for gaining competitive advantage, particularly with the consumer. There is no commercial activity where this is more important than in the hotel sector. As Yavas et al (1995) state, â€Å"the question is no longer whether to have quality assurance programmes, but rather how to make these programmes work,† within this sector of hospitality. It can be argued that in terms of quality assurance systems delivery the hotel sector is in a distinctive position, particularly when it is related to service satisfaction (Parasuraman 1997, Schiffman and Kanuk 2000). Unlike most other industries, where customer contact and engagement during a visit might be fleeting, as happens in retail shop environment, a hotel’s interaction with customers can last from a few hours to several days. Furthermore, as Kandampully et al (2001, p.28) the quality of the hotel product also has to take into account the â€Å"customer-to-customer interactions.† Following a brief literature review, the intention of this essay is to examine quality assurance systems and evaluate the effect that these systems have upon service quality and customer satisfaction within the upscale Hotel market. 2.  Literature Review Quality assurance and management within the hotel environment is focused upon satisfying the customer. Therefore, this review concentrates on the existing literature relating to customer satisfaction and the various methods and frameworks of service quality related to this focus. 2.1  Customer satisfaction Academic literature relating to customer satisfaction falls within two main categories, these being the psychological perceptions of the customer and the practical ways in which customer satisfaction can be implemented to help a business achieve its objectives. In the hotel sector, this objective is â€Å"to try and engender a high level of customer satisfaction in order to positively influence our customers repurchasing and communicative behaviour† (Hennig-Thurau and Hassen (2000, p.62). However, to achieve this aim the business has to understand what drives customer satisfaction. Christopher (1984), Holbrook (1999), Schiffmand and Kanuk 2000 and Brennen (2003) all agree that satisfaction is related to the consumer’s perception or judgement of a product experience and value when set against their expectations and the payment made. Zeithaml’s (1998, p.14) describes it as follows, being that â€Å"Perceived value is the consumer’s overall assessment of the utility of a product based on perceptions of what is received and what is given †¦ value represents a trade-off of the salient give and get components,† in other words the cost paid is measured against the value expected . Therefore, it can be suggested that the greater the service quality the higher the satisfaction (Kandampully et al. 2001, p.8) and, conversely, the higher the price the greater the perception of value. Bostepe (2007) further identifies that, within a service environment such as a hotel, consumer satisfaction does not simply rely upon the quality of service satisfaction received from business employees, although this is an essential element. The physical environment, for example the dà ©cor, bedrooms and other facilities offered, are also elements of the consumer’s perceived value and service satisfaction. If any of these are deemed as sub-standard, particularly when related to the price paid, this will reduce the customer’s enjoyment and levels of satisfaction. It follows therefore that only by concentration upon providing quality within all of these areas of the product will the business be able to assure satisfaction and encourage customer loyalty (Holbrook 1999, p.121), which Porter (1998), Parasuraman (1997) Agrawal (2000) and Harrison (2003) all agree is essential to competitive advantage. 2.2  Methods used to measure customer satisfaction and service quality There are numerous â€Å"quality assurance† measurement systems and standards available for use within the business environment. Customer feedback is one such measurement. Client feedback can be achieved by two methods. The first way is to provide questionnaires that hotel guests are asked to complete before the end of their stay. The second is to rely upon externally conducted questionnaires, interviews and polls, which can be conducted on a continuous basis. However, whilst comments and responses provided by customers may act as a good testimonial for the business (Porter 1998, p.1478), these systems have their drawbacks. In addition to the fact that not all customers might respond, the design of the process itself is often flawed (Kandampully et al 2001) and can therefore be misinterpreted. For example, a simple complaints procedure would not necessarily identify areas of quality success. Secondly, these feedback processes tend to lack definition. Their use may therefore be inhibited by the fact that they do not provide management with sufficient detail to be able to locate and resolve the specific areas of the business where deficiency of service quality is occurring. Furthermore, a system of continuous surveys adds to the business administration costs and, in addition, raises the inherent issue of sampling (Visit Britain 2008 b). Evidence of these limitations can be seen in a recent survey conducted by Visit Britain (2008 a) (see figu re 1). Whilst it is clearly apparent from these results that customer satisfaction in related to encouraging loyalty and retention, as well as being inherently useful in turning existing customers into promotional tools for the hotel, this does not provide management with a detailed analysis of the areas where satisfaction has been achieved or denote what areas were not satisfying. To provide detailed quality service observations therefore, a more robust quality assurance system is required and most of these are based upon variations of the â€Å"Total Quality Management† (TQM) system (Dotchin and Oakland 1994 and Ziethaml et al 2000). These methods are designed to assess and monitor the level of quality being maintained throughout all areas of the business process and its supply chain, from an internal as well as external viewpoint. One such variation, particularly applicable to the hotel industry, is the SERVQUAL method, which originated from the works of Parasuraman et al (1991). 3  SERVQUAL Measurement Kandampully et al (2001, p.68) observe that many academics and practical studies have used SERVQUAL as a â€Å"true measure of customer service† and that it has been â€Å"extensively applied† (Shahin 2005, p.4) in service based organisations. Amongst these service industries will be included the hospitality and hotel sector of the tourism industry. Despite the fact that recent researches have sought to extend the elements of quality measurement with the SERVQUAL model, fundamentally it is still based upon the level of quality assurance to be measured and gained within five key sectors of the business processes, which are: Tangibles Physical facilities, equipment and appearance of personnel. Reliability Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Responsiveness Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Assurance (including competence, courtesy, credibility and security). Knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence. Empathy (including access, communication, understanding the customer). Caring and individualized attention that the firm provides to its customers. Source: Sahney et al 2004 The SERVQUAL measurement can be used internally, through measurement against preset quality assurance standards such as the ISO 9001 Quality certification process (BSI 2008) and the â€Å"Star Rating system† operated by Visit Britain (2008) in conjunction with the Automobile Association. In this case the hotel services and processes are measured against pre-determined sets of quality criterion and monitored at least annually by those who regulate these standards. The internal quality assurance programme is also complemented by external consumer questionnaires and interview surveys. The SERVQUAL quality assurance method has been in existence for some years and is â€Å"tried and tested† (Shahin 2005, p.5), making it a firm favourite within the hotel service industry, where managers are comfortable and confident with the outcomes of these measurements. An element of SERVQUAL that is considered particularly important in this respect is the fact that the system and its measurements are monitored and updated on a regular basis (Holbrook (1999), Sahney et al (2004) and Boztepe (2007)), for example annually (Shahin 2005, p.6). Both ISO 9001 and the â€Å"Star Rating† systems conform to these determinants. 4  Quality assurance in Upscale Hotels As will be seen from the following analysis, the â€Å"quality assurance† systems applied to the hotel in terms of both the internal industry â€Å"Star Rating† and external SERVQUAL systems are virtually synonymous in terms of the standards and factors they rely upon for measurement. To maintain their perception as upscale or â€Å"5 star† hotels, in each of these cases the hotel will have to achieve much higher levels of standards. 4.1  Star Rating system Although the Star Rating system is formatted in a slightly different way to SERVQUAL, the quality elements of this process are still graded in a similar manner. The main difference is the fact that there are minimum quality requirements before the hotel will even be considered for a rating. However, even these equate to the tangible element of the SERVQUAL system (figure 2). Once the minimum entry requirements have been met, to assess which star level is applicable to the establishment independent inspectors will monitor five quality bands and award a quality percentage to each. These percentages determine what rating the establishment has achieved (figure 3). Figure 3 Quality bands for star rating Source: Visit Britain (2005, p.6) Furthermore, this standard of quality has to be achieved across a range of five product elements, which include cleanliness, service, food quality, bedrooms and bathrooms. Simply complying in one of the areas is not sufficient to earn the highest star. Therefore, if the hotel fails to achieve the required 85-100% standards during an annual monitoring it risks its rating being downgraded to four stars or a lower standard. For instance, in the example shown below (figure 4), despite the fact that the hotel being monitored has achieved the five star requirements in three of the five bands, its failures in the other two would demote it to a four star hotel. Figure 4 Quality bank achievement Source: adapted from Visit Britain (2005, p.7) 4.2  SERVQUAL system When using the SERVQUAL system, which is largely based largely upon the results of customer satisfaction surveys, although all hotels would be looking to achieve the maximum â€Å"service quality† satisfaction level of 100% in terms of the overall scoring, there is a significant difference in the way this would be achieved when related to the different standard of establishments. To provide an example of how this equates in practice, the following is a comparison between the SERVQUAL requirements of a 5 star hotel against lower rated hotel, such as the budget Travelodge hotel chain (figure 5). Figure 5 SERVQUAL comparisons It is apparent from the above comparison that the 5-star establishment requires their quality of service to be more balanced, in other words no one area of their product should be delivering a lower quality of service than any other. However, with the budget chain, which operates on a low cost strategy that eliminates much of the human resources and food elements, these specific areas are shown to have less importance to the business, but need to be compensated by increased levels of satisfaction in other areas of quality if the business is to remain successful. 4.3 Findings What is immediately apparent from the analysis of the two quality assurance systems identified above as being used within the hotel sector is their compatibility. This not only applies to the systems per se, but also to the measurement of the results. In both cases an upscale hotel would need to achieve a balanced score with high ratings in all of the quality determinants if it is to maintain its market position and be perceived by the potential customer as a quality (5 star) hotel. Conversely, the lower quality hotels pay less attention to those areas of the standards that are more directly related to the quality of service provided by their human resources, relying instead upon other elements to satisfy customer quality perception, such as low cost (Porter 2004). Whilst it could therefore be stated in simple terms that quality assurance is related to the price being paid for the product, what research such as that conducted by Shahin (2006), Ziethaml et al (1990) and Holbrook (1999), and the fact that all hotels, irrespective of their standards, operate quality assurance systems, shows is that price is simply one element required to fulfill customer satisfaction needs. Whatever price is being charged for the hotel product the customer will still weigh the experience received against the value they expect from the product enjoyed at that price (Zeithaml 1988 and Parasuraman et at 1994). A customer who decides to spend a greater amount of his or her disposable income on arranging to stay in a 5-star hotel will have a much greater value expectation than one who chooses a budget hotel stay. The former will expect the service quality to exist in all aspects of the hotel product. This includes the dà ©cor and the ambiance of the environment, the facilities that are being offered, including meals and room service, and the performance of the hotel’s human resources. If these quality expectations are not met that customer will perceive that they have not received value for money and therefore will view the experience as less than satisfactory. Therefore, they will be unlikely to promote the hotel in a positive manner to others or re-use it. 5  Conclusion It is apparent that in the case of an upscale or5-star hotel the combination of the industry â€Å"Star Rating† and â€Å"SERVQUAL† quality assurance systems will have a significant impact upon their service quality and the level of customer satisfaction achieved from using the product. In terms of the â€Å"Star Rating† system, the higher the star rating the greater the expectation of the customer in terms of their perception of the quality that will be found in this establishment. Therefore, the five star establishments are likely to attract customers who wish to avail themselves of the higher quality experience. With regard to the external â€Å"SERVQUAL† system of measurement, because these are results from customer experiences, the greater the levels of quality achieved in the areas measured, the more likely it is that customers will be retained and act as recommenders to other potential customers. In both cases therefore, it can be concluded that the quality assurance system is designed to achieve competitive advantage by attracting additional market share, thus improving the hotel’s revenue and profitability levels. References Agrawal (2000). Managing service industries in the new millennium: Evidence is everything. Paper presented at the AIMS Convention on Service Management Berry L L and Parasuraman, A (1991). Marketing Services: Competing Through Quality, Free Press. New York, US Boztepe, Suzan (2007). User Value: Competing theories and models. International Journal of Design, Vol. 1, Issue. 2, pp.55-63. Brennan, Ross (2003). Value in Marketing: Confusion or Illumination? Available from: http://mubs.mdx.ac.uk/Research/Discussion_Papers/Marketing/dpap%20marketing%20no25.pdf (Accessed 22 December 2008) BSI (2008). ISO 9001Quality. Available from: http://www.bsi-global.com/en/Assessment-and-certification-services/management-systems/Standards-and-Schemes/ISO-9001/ (Accessed 22 December 2008) Chetwynd, Catherine and Knight, Jenny (2007). Time to capitalise on falling hotel occupancy. The Times. London, UK. Christopher, M. (1996). From brand values to customer value. Journal of Marketing Practice: Applied Marketing Science, Vol. 2, Issue.2, pp.55-66. Dotchin, J.A and Oakland, J.S (1994). Total Quality Management in Services: Part 3: Distinguishing perceptions of Service Quality. International Journal of Quality reliability Management, Vol. 11, Issue. 4, pp.6-28 Gale, B. T. (1994). Managing customer value. Free Press. New York, US. Harrison, Jeffrey S (2003). Strategic Management: Of Resources and Relationship. John Wiley Sons Inc. New York, US. Hennig-Thurau, Thorsten and Hansen, Ursula (eds) (2000). Relationship Marketing: Gaining Competitive Advantage Through Customer Satisfaction and Customer Retention. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidleberg. New York, US. Holbrook, M. B. (Ed.). (1999). Consumer value: A framework for analysis and research. Routledge. New York, US. Kandampully, Jay., Mox, Connie and Sparks, Beverley (2001). Service Quality Management in Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure. Haworth Press. New York, US. Kotler P (1999). Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation, and Control (Millennium ed.) Englewood Cliffs, N J; Prentice-Hall, 279-317. Parasuraman, A. (1997). Reflections on gaining competitive advantage through customer value. Academy of Marketing Science, 25(2), 154-161. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1991), Refinement and reassessment of the SERVQUAL scale. Journal of Retailing, Vol. 67, pp. 420-450. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1993), Research note: more on improving service quality measurement, Journal of Retailing, Vol. 69, No. 1, pp. 140-147. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L.L. (1994), Reassessment of expectations as a comparison standard in measuring service quality: implications for future research, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 58, pp. 111-124. Porter, M. E. (1998). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance. Free Press. New York, US Porter, M.E (2004). Competitive Advantage. Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. Free Press. New York, US Sahney, S., Banwet, D.K., and Karunes, S. (2004), A SERVQUAL and QFD approach to total quality education: A student perspective, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol.53, No.2, pp. 143-166. Schiffman, L g and L L Kanuk (2000). Consumer Behaviour. FT Prentice Hall, New Jersey, US. Shahin, Dr. Arash (2005). SERVQUAL and Models of Service Quality Gaps: A Framework for Determining and Prioritizing Critical Factors in Delivering Quality Systems. Available: Visit Britain (2008 a). UK Market Profile 2007. Available from: http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Images/UK_DMarketing_tcm12-22850.pdf (Accessed 21 December 2008) Visit Britain (2008 b). Britain Inbound: Overall Market Profile. Available from: http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Images/InboundFINAL_2008_%20BritInbound3F_tcm12-40935.pdf (Accessed 21 December 2008) Visit London (2005). Hotel Accommodation; Quality Standards. Available from: http://www.qualityintourism.com/content/pdfs/Standards/Hotel%20Standard%20INT.pdf (Accessed 21 December 2008) Yavas, U., Yasin, M and Wafa, m (1995). Front and back-stage strategies in service delivery in the hospitality industry: a conceptual framework. Market Intelligence Planning. Vol. 13, Issue, 11, pp.22-26 Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: A means-end model and synthesis of evidence. Journal of Marketin,, Vol. 52, Issue. 3, pp.2-22 Zeithaml, V.A., Parasuraman, A. and Berry, L.L. (1990), Delivering quality service; Balancing customer perceptions and expectations. The Free Press, New York, NY.

Free College Essays - Hidden Sin in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter: Hidden Sin People often keep secrets in an effort to hide their sins from others. This is a risky since secrets have a way of manifesting themselves externally, and thus, letting everyone know of their owner’s sins. Hidden sin is a prominent theme in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter. Names like Chillingworth and Dimmesdale let the reader know how, in reality, these characters are, before ever really encountering them. Characters whom the reader will encounter in this novel are going through some type of dilemma on the inside, which begins to show itself in the exterior of the particular individual. In The Scarlet Letter, two studious individuals, Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale, two of the main characters in the novel, each possess their own sins which begin to show themselves in their outermost features, each brought apon themselves for their own respective reasons. Roger Chillingworth's features begin to display his inward deformities externally as the novel progresses due to his attempts at finding the man who violated his marriage. When he is first seen in the novel, "there was a remarkable intelligence in his features, as of a person who had so cultivated his mental part that it could not fail to mould the physical to itself and become manifest by unmistakable tokens." He also has a left shoulder which is slightly higher than the right originally, which only gets more ugly and misshapen with the rest of his body. Chillingworth then takes up residence with Dimmesdale and begins his quest to punish the minister and find out the true identity of this man. After he begins his quest the townspeople observe "something ugly and evil in his face which they had not previously noticed, and which grew still the more obvious to sight, the oftener they looked upon him.† Soon his wife, Hester, finds "the former aspect of an intellectual a nd studious man, calm and quiet, which was what she best remembered in him, had altogether vanished and been succeeded by an eager searching, almost fierce, yet carefully guarded look." Chillingworth, the injured husband, seeks no revenge against Hester, but he is determined to find the man who has violated his marrige: â€Å"He bears no letter of infamy wrought into his garment, and thou dost; but I shall read it on his heart.† Chillingworth comments: â€Å"Believe me, Hester, there are few things.

Poverty Destroys Education in America Essay

Poor people do not have weaker work ethics or lower levels of motivation than wealthier people (Iversen & Farber, 1996; Wilson, 1997). Although poor people are often stereotyped as lazy, 83 percent of children from low-income families have at least one employed parent; close to 60 percent have at least one parent who works full-time and year-round (National Center for Children in Poverty, 2004). In fact, the severe shortage of living-wage jobs means that many poor adults must work two, three, or four jobs. According to the Economic Policy Institute (2002), poor working adults spend more hours working each week than their wealthier counterparts Low-income parents hold the same attitudes about education that wealthy parents do (Compton-Lilly, 2003; Lareau & Horvat, 1999; Leichter, 1978). Low-income parents are less likely to attend school functions or volunteer in their children’s classrooms (National Center for Education Statistics, 2005)—not because they care less about education, but because they have less access to school involvement than their wealthier peers. They are more likely to work multiple jobs, to work evenings, to have jobs without paid leave, and to be unable to afford child care and public transportation. It might be said more accurately that schools that fail to take these considerations into account do not value the involvement of poor families as much as they value the involvement of other families. one particular content area that’s of their interest, and everything that’s in it has to meet certain standards *These conditions are the result of a tremendous growth of social inequality, combined with a governmental assault on social programs in recent decades by politicians of both big-business parties. For society’s youngest members, this finds expression in the growth of poverty and hunger, attacks on education and welfare programs, and an increase in violence and abuse What the government failed to do was enact a basic income guarantee for all citizens. Free-market economist Milton Friedman had recommended a negative income tax in his 1962 book â€Å"Capitalism and Freedom,† and in 1967 a National Commission on Guaranteed Incomes confirmed the idea. In 1969, President Richard Nixon announced a Family Assistance Plan that would pay $1,800 a year to any family of four with no outside earnings. The program passed the House of Representatives with two-thirds of the vote but was rejected by the conservatives who controlled the Senate Today, poverty is becoming a national catastrophe even while the highest income brackets prosper. From 2002 through 2006 the economy was floated by the housing bubble, with many lower income people getting into homes of their own through the proliferation of subprime mortgages.

The Congress of Vienna (1814

The Congress of Vienna (1814 The Congress largely known as the European Concert was the initial sequence of the worldwide conference to be held for the diplomatic European power balance. The 1945 United Nations alongside the 1919 League of Nations are some of the mockup groups that later resulted from the Vienna Congress.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In fact, as emphasized by Schroeder Paul, the congress shunned the ancient methods of power application that seemed destructive and threatening. The congress embraced formulas which produced an equilibrium that was very compassionate and steady. The Vienna Congress came in the year 1814 (May) immediately after the downfall and admission of defeat by Bonaparte. The unremitting war had lasted for approximately 25 years by the time this conference was inaugurated (King 334). Ironically, the theatrical resumption of French control as well as the resurfacing from exile by Napoleon activated the outburst of that warfare. Nevertheless, the conferences carried on for a hundred days in the year 1815 (between March and July). A number of historians proclaim that the Congress at Vienna never resembled an appropriate Congress. It never met the threshold of a Congress owing to the lack of or restricted contribution by the existing representatives. Similarly, the Congress sittings included the great powers namely Prussia, Russia, France, Britain, and Austria while the meeting dialogues accrued informally and personal rather than on a plenary session. The Congress was the first one ever in history (Schroeder 683). With regard to the inter-capital dispatch riders, the nationwide and intercontinental delegates assembled in a forum to formulate concords. Hence, while in anticipation of World War 1 in the year 1914, the Vienna Congress designed a background for the European intercontinental political affairs notwithstanding t he advanced modifications. The Congress approved the 1814 Chaumont Treaty that contained various re-affirmed verdicts. The decisions contained in the treaty comprised of the expansion of Netherlands and it took account of what later developed into the contemporary Belgium in the year 1830. The treaty also included the decisions to restore Spanish monarchs (Bourbons), the splitting of Italy into sovereign states, and the institution of a united Germany. Indeed, the power balance that lasted for years resulted from the Chaumont Treaty which also designed the Alliances in European countries.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conversely, matters concerning Scandinavia and other additional operations had earlier been included in the Kiel and Paris treaties amid the 6th Coalition and France. Besides, before the preceding inauguration of the Congress in the year 1814, the Paris treaty had previously fixed that Vienna could host the general congress. Thus, the Paris treaty had in the same way organized for an invitation of all the betrothed powers in the warfare (Zawadzki 20). The Vienna Congress participants The Vienna Congress had four great powers that had earlier made up the Sixth Coalition members. The great powers had delineated their collective stand in regard to the Chaumont treaty just before the downfall of Bonaparte. In the year 1814 (March), which was the duration for re-establishment, the alliance had deliberated on the 1814 Paris treaty together with the Bourbons (King 334). The French Bourbon and other supremacies The key accomplices in the Vienna Congress incorporated the French speakers, Prussian, Russians, British, and Australians. France as one of the powerful nations was represented by Duke of Dahlberg and Talleyrand. The two French delegates were the Plenipotentiary and Foreign ministers respectively. The Foreign minister (Talleyrand) on behal f of Louis XVIII, who was the King of French territory, had previously discussed the year 1814 Paris treaty. Yet, King Louis XVIII of France held secret negotiations with Metternich given the suspicion he had on Talleyrand (Zamoyski 297). Prussian nation was also regarded among the great powers. Its presentation at the Vienna Congress was done by Wilhelm who was both a scholar and ambassador. Other delegates who presented Prussia included Chancellor and August Karl who was a Prince. Interestingly, the Prussian King (William Frederick III) was engaged in the recreation of some significant issues. The King carried on with this duty in public places though he was present in Vienna (Zawadzki 24). The European nation rulers pursued the same ground and timepiece to the year 1789 in order to re-establish the ancient administration. In Russia, King Alexander I was one of the influential and greatest sovereign rulers in Europe. Alexander I who was the Russian King during the Congress organiz ed a delegation in Russia following the footsteps of Robert Karl who had earlier headed such an entrustment as a foreign minister. The King had merely two outstanding goal lines in the delegation he led. Initially, Alexander I wished to encourage and endorse a nonviolent cohabitation among inhabitants living in the continent. The King wanted to embrace the powers to have control over Poland. However, in the year 1815 he thrived and started the Holy Alliance which was established based on love for Christianity. The Holy Alliance could fight whichever intimidation or jeopardy from antimonarchism and rebellion (Schroeder 687).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The other great power among the four was Great Britain. Castlereagh Viscount who was the Foreign Secretary became the principal envoy to represent Britain in the Congress held at Vienna. Subsequent ly, the departure of Viscount back to Britain in early 1815 paved way for Wellington to represent Britain at the conference. The Congress produced a limelight for the restoration of peace and stability in Europe. In the period of Hundred Days (March-July 1815), Wellington who was the leader of the Congress retreated to meet Bonaparte. Thus, Duke of Wellington endorsed Earl to lead the conference during the final days of the Congress (Zamoyski 297). On the other hand, Austria as a state got representation through the Foreign Minister besides his assistants Metternich Prince and Johann Baro. Back in Austria, Francis the Emperor was fed with the information on the subject and the whereabouts of the conferences taking place at the Vienna Congress. The other signatories to the Paris Treaty (1814) included Genoa Republic, the States of Papal, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway-Sweden, Algarve, Spain, and the Kingdom of Portugal. In general, almost all the European nations were presented in the Congress with a delegation and agents of special factions, sacred groups, firms, and metropolises (Zawadzki 28). The Role of Talleyrand and Polish-Saxon crisis The delegates from the influential powers never wanted an inclusion of Talleyrand into the intense intercession at the Congress. However, in the initial stages of negotiation Talleyrand managed to get into the innermost spheres of the Congress. Talleyrand used that opportunity to be part of the core and control negotiations after clinching into the minor authorities like Portugal and Spain working group. After deserting his associates upon leaving the Committee, Talleyrand was present at the preliminary conference on protocol by the major Allies. Equally, the Polish-Saxon crisis proved to be the hazardous and greatest matter that took center-stage during the Congress. While Russia coveted a good part of Poland, Prussia preferred all of Saxony whose ruler was associated to Bonaparte (Zamoyski 297). In this regard, Poland would have a King as their ruler. This forced Britain to back Austria with the hope that Russia would develop into a more powerful nation. Talleyrand anticipated that France would be divulged into the innermost circle in order to back Britain and Austria. The 1815 clandestine accord by Austria, Britain, and France campaigned against the execution of the Russo-Prussian idea by fighting against Prussia and Russia (King 334).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Ultimate Bylaw Prior to the Waterloo struggle, the Ultimate Bylaw that exemplified all other distinct pacts was signed by various mediators. They included the British, Norwegians, Swedish, Russians, Prussians, Portuguese, French speakers, and Australians. This Bylaw became sanctioned in the fiscal nineteen-seventeen by Spain who hardly appeared to be a stakeholder. The signing of the Final Act terminated the conference at Vienna with a renovated Europe having a plan for properly balanced power (Zamoyski 297). The results of Vienna Congress The Congress saw the espousal of rational policy with little penalties and plunders besides providing a stable European re-settlement. The Congress ensured no experience of any major conflict until the commencement of the Crimean and First World Wars. The conference provided for humanity in the whitewashed French nation with the aim of eradicating sentiments that would present vengeance. Besides, the Vienna Congress assumed a strategy to reviv e and restore peace, stability, and earlier conditions prior to the war in Europe (Schroeder 684). The European kingdoms’ restoration as well as the avoidance of superior nationalism and equality transpired from the Congress. However, ignoring the demands for greater nationalism and democracy later gave rise to conflicts that occurred in the 19th Century. Finally, nationalist campaigners yearning for democracy distressed the reinstated territories. The criticism of Vienna Congress The Vienna Congress often faced denunciation by historians of the 19th Century. In the contemporary days, historians however disregard the liberal and nationwide instincts for striking the close continental rejoinder. Nevertheless, historians in the Twentieth and Twenty First Century appreciate the statesmen who ascended to the Vienna Congress. These historians embrace the work of the Congress that prohibited further prevalence of conflicts for almost 100 years (1815 onwards) in Europe (King 334). B ibliography King, David. Vienna 1814: How the Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love, War, and Peace at the Congress of Vienna, New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group, 2008. Print. The book is a page-turner containing many life aspects including sex, intelligence, comedy and explorations. It is an important read for me as it is a well-researched political intrigue that illuminates how Napoleon and his clique changed the course of European continental history and modern politics. Schroeder, Paul. Did the Vienna Settlement Rest on a Balance of Power? American Historical Journal, 97.3 (1992): 683-706. Print. This article articulates how the players in Vienna Congress were sensitive to balancing the power that was distributed after the downfall of Napoleon. It is an essential article as it addresses Vienna settlement and the 19th century implication on international system. Zamoyski, Adam. Rites of Peace: The Fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna, New York City, NY: HarperCollins Publishe rs, 2007. Print. The book contains the European history of Napoleon defeat plus details of the Congress of Vienna that succeeded the downfall. The book reveals how politics was played in ensuring the curtailing of the French influence and the actors who sought piece of the action and how the same may recur in the contemporary world. Zawadzki, Herbert. Russia and the Re-Opening of the Polish Question, 1801-1814. International History Review, 7.1 (1985): 19-44. Print. This article addresses the politics that played in establishing a detached Polish kingdom in 1815 in collaboration with Russia. The essay reveals the acrimony and disruptive negotiations at the Congress of Vienna.

Essay about Week 4 Individual S

Essay about Week 4 Individual S Essay about Week 4 Individual S Shamika Bottom HCS/341 September 26, 2011 Sharon Matthews Training and Development Training and development in health care is an essential part of quality, performance, growth, and just simply getting the job done. Training should be considered an investment in the organization. When training is viewed as an investment, those involved will more than likely take greater care in determining the best programs for the organization, ensure cost effectiveness, and attempt to make the program work toward the benefit of the entire organization. There are various ways to conduct training. In today’s society, organizations are expanding their operations globally. As a result, it is difficult and extremely costly to provide training at physical locations. Training employees using teleconferences and videos is an integral part of today’s training programs. Considering there are diverse methods used for training, it is logical to say training is important. Just teaching employees is not enough and not the most important part of training. What is done after training is complete is the most important. When developing training programs, it is important to identify the competencies. Once the competencies are identified, establishing a method to determine if they are being met is crucial. Before going further, one must know what competencies are. According to the Merriam – Webster Dictionary (2011), competence is defined as; 1. A sufficiency of means for the necessities and conveniences of life; 2. The quality or state of being competent; 3. Having a requisite or adequate ability or qualities; 4. Legally qualified or adequate; 5. Having the capacity to function or develop in a particular way; or 6. The knowledge that enables a person to speak and understand a language. As it pertains to health care, competencies are the skills, knowledge, and abilities a person must have in order to complete their job. The preference is for the job to be completed proficiently, efficiently, and to the highest quality standards. In order to know if those expectations are being met, it is important to measure the competencies. Measuring competencies is an essential part of determining if the health care workers have the ability to and are providing quality services. Measuring competencies also helps identifies where improvements or modifications are needed to improve the level of quality being provided. It also helps identify if the employee is using the competencies as they complete their daily responsibilities. When looking at it from a performance standpoint, measuring competencies are used to determine the percentage of financial increase an employee may expect to receive, if any. The performance appraisal process and quality assurance programs are the primary methods used by many organizations to determine if the training received has been beneficial to the staff. Typically, after a predetermined length of time, employees are evaluated to see if they are meeting the desired expectations. In other words, are they

Development strategy to increase overall capacity at Mumbai Dissertation

Development strategy to increase overall capacity at Mumbai International Airport - Dissertation Example Moreover, it will also displace 65000 people. Even the land is not in the government’s possession as yet. Better sites are available yet the government insists on the same place. This research has been conducted to study the strategies adopted to satisfy the demand for the expansion of the airport and whether these strategies are viable in the future also or not. The methodology is the questionnaire and interview methods. Findings reveal that the government may have vested political reasons to insist on the same site. The environment is being damaged, it has safety issues and the size of the airport is not sufficient for the next 25 years. Moreover, the land doesn’t have room for further expansion. Suggestions like taking the matter to the supreme court, looking for new sites, reassessing the current project plan, media involvement and making efficient use of the current airport have been given along with other suggestions to resolve this politically afflicted issue. TA BLE OF CONTENTS Chapter1-Introduction 1 1.1 Chapter introduction 1 1.2 Background 1 1.3 Problem definition 1 1.4 Aims of the Research 2 1.5 Motivation of Author 2 1.6 Hypotheses 3 1.7 Methodology and sources of the data in the research 3 1.8 Layout of the research report 3 Chapter 2-LITERATURE REVIEW 5 2.1 Introductions 5 2.2 Pestle Analysis 6 2.2.1 Political 6 2.2.2 Economic factor 8 2.2.3 Social Factor 9 2.2.4 Technological Factor 9 2.2.5 Legal Factor 10 2.2.6 Ecological Factor 11 2.3 Swot Analysis 12 2.3.1 strengths 12 2.3.2 Weakness 13 2.3.2.1 traffic routes 13 2.3.2.2 increase in fares 14 2.3.2.3 flight landing delays 14 2.3.2.4 Destruction of the environment 15 2.3.2.5 political agendas 15 2.3.3 Opportunities 15 2.3.3.1 better utilization of the current Mumbai airport 15 2.3.3.2 Pouring of FDI 16 2.3.3.3 Development of the tourism industry 16 2.3.4 Threats 17 2.3.4.1 No focus on detail 17 2.3.4.2 airport site 17 2.3.4.3 Future expansion 18 2.3.4.4 Environmental threats 18 Chap ter 3-Methodology 19 3.1 Introduction 19 3.2 Researcher’s role 19 3.3 Method 20 3.3.1 Subjects for the research 20 3.3.2 Questionnaire research method 21 3.3.3 Questionnaire type 23 3.3.4 Interview method 24 3.4 Collecting and arranging the data 26 3.5 Trustworthiness of the method 27 3.5.1 Reliability 27 3.5.2 Validity 27 3.5.2.1 Ethical validity 28 3.5.2.2 Generalized validity 28 Chapter 4-Findings and result analysis 29 4.1 Introduction 29 4.2 Hypothesis 1 29 4.3 Hypothesis 2 32 4.4 Hypothesis 3 33 4.5 Hypothesis 4 36 Chapter 5-CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 39 5.1 Conclusion 39 5.2 Recommendations 41 5.2.1 Reassess the project plan 41 5.2.3 Improving the overall commuting system 42 5.2.4 Relocate the airport 42 5.2.5 Environmentalists 42 5.3 Limitations 42 6. Appendix 44 7. References 46 Chapter1-Introduction 1.1 Chapter introduction In chapter one, the introduction to the research paper is given. Along with the introduction, a brief background is also given with the prob lem definition, hypotheses, aims and objectives, methodology and the layout of the entire paper. 1.2 Background The research is on the strategies that have been applied for the expansion of the Mumbai airport. According to Jog (2011), the current airport is reaching exhaustion, as it is not able to accommodate more than 30 million passengers annually. Thus strategies have been formulated to either use this airport more efficiently

Success of Capitalism through Mass Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Success of Capitalism through Mass Media - Essay Example The word ‘capitalism’ appears to have its origin in long-distance trade in the past where ships went to different islands in search of pepper or spices, with the expectation that those making the movement of the goods would benefit from the scarcity of goods in one place and abundance in another place. Since the ships need to travel and there were costs to the goods and transporting same, revenues above costs or profits from the price of sold goods were expected in return (Fulcher, 2004). However, there are also risks in not being able to recover the cost due to other factors that may come into the picture (Fulcher, 2004). Â  Capitalism may have evolved in magnitude from the old times but it is essentially referring to an economic order where there is private property ownership. It could be considered as a consequence of democracy because of the nature of political and economic rights given to individuals. Along with private ownership, the market or the law of supply and demand must be allowed to operate which entails assigning a price to each of the factors of production including land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship (Slavin, 1996). Â  The term capitalism is distinguished from communism where the means of production is owned by the state. In the capitalistic system, the market forces of supply and demand dictate what gets produced and how much it gets produced. In communism, the government as planning agency dictates what gets produced and how much it gets produced (Slavin, 1996). Capitalism is also compared to socialism as an alternative economic order. Socialism is closely related to communism since both concepts entail massive government or state intervention in terms substantial degree of government planning instead allowing market forces to function freely (Slavin, 1996).