Financial Analysis for Managers Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Analysis for Managers - Case Study Example Wal-Mart registers nearly $20,000 profit every minute of every day. Last fiscal year, Wal-Mart recorded profits of $10.3 billion. For comparison, Target's profit per minute is $6,084. To say Wal-Mart is a money-making machine would be an understatement. The calculations given as Appendices A, B and C are based on Wal-Mart and Target's past four years annual data from the 10K and Hoovers. Some are calculated by author as well. (Dollars are listed in thousands). Net Profit Margin is an indication of how effective a company is at cost control. The higher the net profit, the more effective the company is at converting revenue into actual profit. Target has greatly improved on this number over the last few years and reached the high number of 3.8 in 2002 from its low of 3.4 in 1999. In comparison to Wal-Mart, it has outperformed it during this period. Operating Profit Margin shows how effective a company controls its cost and expenses associated with the normal business operations. Target's OPM remained consistent from 1999 to 2001 and improved from 2001 to 2002 due to the stronger supplier relationships, restructuring of stores and more effective inventory management. Wal-Mart remained below during the entire period. It has large overhead costs to maintain its many stores. Return on Assets determi... (c). Return on Assets Net Income + Interest Return on Assets = Average Total Assets Return on Assets determines how many dollars of profits can be achieved for each dollar of assets under control. Target's return on assets ranges between $8 to $9 which is compareable to Wal-Mart's ranges. (d). Return on Equity Net Income Return on Equity = Average Equity Return on Equity is one of the most important profitability measures. ROE reveals how much a company earned in comparison to the total amount of the shareholder equity found on the balance sheet. ROE encompasses the three main levers by which the management can better the corporation. These levers are profitability. Asset management and financial leverage. Again although Wal-Mart is ahead of Target during the whole period but the figures are even compareable as walmart ranges from $20 to $23 while Target' figures ranges between $19 to $21. 2. Efficiency ratios of Wal-Mart & Target Efficiency ratios of Wal-Mart & Target are calculated by applying the following formulae. (a). Asset Turnover Ratio SalesAsset Turnover Ratio = Average Total Assets Asset Turnover Ratio measures how efficiently a company uses its average total assets to generate sales. The figures show that Target has gone down in this number over the past four years from a high of 2.054 to 1.665. Sales for Target are not increasing as fast as the number of assets within the corporation. Wal-Mart has outperformed Target in this field as its minimum value was 2.601 in 2000 which is higher than the Target's highest value. (b). Inventory Turnover Ratio Coast of Goods Sold Inventory Turnover Ratio = Average Inventory Inventory Turnover Ratio measures the number of times that

The inspector in JB Priestlys Essay Example for Free

The inspector in JB Priestlys Essay An Inspector Calls by JB Priestly is a morality play that deals with responsibility, society, class and family. In this essay I am going to explore the way the playwright creates a function for the inspector, and how it is displayed through, several different techniques. We are told nothing whatsoever about the inspector except form his name. Inspector Gooles name is weird and sort of resembles a ghost or a spirit. He might have been a spirit, sent on behalf of the dead women, to torment and make the other characters of the play feel guilty. JB Priestly obviously didnt want any of the characters to really know who he was. The inspector was very mysterious and a suspicious character. Some of the inspectors functions include how he moves the story forward. The inspector moves and does things at his own will. When he interrupts, no one does anything, he moves onto each suspect when he likes. Also leaves when he likes. In Act one, the Birlings family were having a celebration and were all enjoying themselves. However, when the inspector had arrived from nowhere, the atmosphere had dramatically changed. The atmosphere is now much tense for both the characters and the audience. When the inspector had arrived, he created at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. Thats how the inspector changed the atmosphere for both the characters and audience and this shows the effect too. This function of the inspector changes everything for the worse, and their evening is destroyed. Inspector: (cutting in) Never mind about that. You can settle that between you afterwards. (to Sheila. ) What happened? This creates tension especially when he is cutting in, this also indicates that the inspector can interrupt when he likes and is a dominating character when he speaks. The inspector also takes control of the situation all the way throughout the whole play, he is the person that structures the play. This effects the characters and the audience in an important way. It portrays to the characters and audience that the inspector is a person, which is in charge and is very determined in whatever he does. The inspector represents four main things and they are: responsibility, society, class and family. The way the inspector represents responsibility, is very powerful. For example in the inspectors final speech, he says We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. Thats the way the inspector had symbolised responsibility. The inspector felt very strong about responsibility too, he said And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. The function of the inspector was to illustrate that we are responsible for each other and our actions. This effects the characters in many ways. This makes Sheila and Eric realise what they have done to the poor girl. This also effects the audience, it makes them also realise about people around them and we all should be responsible for each other. Audiences that were watching the play in 1945, set in 1912 would have been shocked, to see a man strongly representing something that he had believed in.

The Gingerbread Tortilla Essay -- Culture Cultural Papers

The Gingerbread Tortilla Since the mid 1900’s, readers have enjoyed the story of The Gingerbread Man in the original as well as its modified forms. The story has been modified to newer versions, and told from perspectives of different cultures. In the original versions, gingerbread was used as the main character with the story beginning with an old European/American lady baking gingerbread. Now, in the 21st century, children have less and less experience with making gingerbread in their homes and we are receiving an influx of children from other cultures. Therefore children are not familiar with what gingerbread taste like or why the farmer and the animals in the original versions would want to chase the gingerbread man. This calls for a modified version of a classic folktale, which is what the Rollaway Tortilla is all about. Most children living in the United States have at least been to Taco Bell, or because of the influence of Mexican Americans have tasted a tortilla and so can relate to Kimmel's new version of the gingerbread man. In his new book, Kimmel restores the old folktale into a Southwestern Texas tale The Rollaway Tortilla. Kimmel, and his illustrator, Cecil make the tale come alive with its vitalizing language, authentic Texan illustrations, and design of the book. Eric A. Kimmel wrote a southwestern Texas version that will not only draw an interest of Mexican American, and Texan children, but all children living in the United States. The Rollaway Tortilla begins in the desert of Texas at a Taquerà ¬a near the Rio Grande. Instead of making gingerbread, Tà ¬a (Aunt) Lupe makes the best light and soft tortillas in town. The tortilla, just like the gingerbread, does not want to be eate... ...will enjoy this book and use it to introduce areas such as history, poetry, geography, cooking, counting for the younger audience and language. Language and math components of the story can be used for reinforcement at www.winslowpress.com. As a folktale, The Rollaway Tortilla shows its excellence in that it meets the qualifications of authenticity, uses repetition and rhythm, and it includes conflict and action. It uses real Texan scenery and animals one would find in that part of Texas, and the use of the Mexican folklore animal, the coyote. At the end the coyote’s tricks keep the readers in suspense as to what will happen to the tortilla. With the SNAP of the coyote, the story ends, and so lives on the song of the tortilla: â€Å"Run as fast as fast can be. You won’t get a bite of me. Doesn’t matter what you do. I’ll be far ahead of you!†

Pollution and Environment Essay - We Must Act Now to Solve the Problem

We Must Act Now to Solve the Problem of Overpopulation      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1804 for the first time in the history of humanity more than one billion people were living on Earth. Then in 1927, 123 years later, the Earth's population surpassed two billion. Another billion was added by 1960, another in 1974, and another-bringing the total to over five billion-in 1987. Estimates are that the Earth's population will surpass six billion in 1999 and reach nine billion people in the year 2054-250 years after first reaching one billion.[1] Traditionally the historically slow increase in population has been attributed to limits on agriculture. Modern analysis of population growth, however, indicates that the primary restriction has been disease. The control of disease and the resulting decline mortality has not always been accompanied by a declining rate of fertility. This has resulted in the huge increase in human population. The rapid increase in the number of humans living on Earth will undoubtedly cause changes in the individual lives of men. T hough the changes will not be as drastic as some authors predict, the changes humans introduce to the Earth's environment must be addressed and fully understood.    Those who believe that man is reproducing himself into destruction are quick to point out that greater numbers of men result in a greater strain on the Earth's resources. In the book A Green History of the World: The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations Clive Ponting claims that humans are doing irreparable damage to the Earth and as population continues to increase this damage will continue. Ponting claims that this increase of population, what he terms the weight of numbers, will lead to the eventual destruction of ... ...and Birth Control, Ed. Garret Hardin. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1969, 107-9. [6] J.H. Fremlin, "How Many People Can the World Support?," New Scientist 415 (1964): 285-7, Rpt. in Population, Evolution, and Birth Control, Ed. Garret Hardin, San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1969, 59-66. [7] Robert Thomas Malthus, "An Essay on the Principle of Population," 1798, Population, Evolution, and Birth Control, Ed. Garret Hardin, San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1969, 4-16. [8] Ian Thomas, Population Growth, London: MacMillan Education, Ltd., 1980, 11. [9] United Nations Population Division [10] Robert Livernash, "The Future of Populous Economies China and India Shape Their Destinies," Environment 37.6 (1995): 6-32. [11] A.J. McMichael,   "Contemplating a One Child World," British Medical Journal 311.7021 (1995): 1651-3.   

Information System in Recruitment

Information Systems in Recruitment Summary: Several researches and studies have been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of technology in the recruitment process. This project explains what recruitment is, the growth of recruitment from how it was two decades ago to using technology today. The work done in this paper identifies the advantages and disadvantages of e-recruitment and discusses e-strategies to overcome the disadvantages. The adoption of these e-strategies helps advantages of internet recruitment outweigh the disadvantages.The conclusion reached in this work is based on several assumptions which might have caused the results to vary from the actual results of detailed works done in this field before. Index Terms: Technology in recruitment, e-recruitment, advantages of e-recruitment, disadvantages of e-recruitment, Internet recruitment. Introduction Information System can be defined technically as a set of interrelated components that collect, process, store and dis tribute information to support decision making and control in the organization (Laudon & Laudon, 2000,Pg 7).The transformation of our society from preindustrial to Industrial and from Industrial to a post industrial society (Fitzsimmons & Fitzsimmons, 2008, Pg 7) has given way to globalization, where information is the key resource. The growth of internet and the globalization of industries have changed the traditional operation methods in all areas of business and management including Strategic planning. The Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is a software or online solution for the data entry, data tracking, and data information needs of the Human Resources, payroll, 2 E-Recruitment anagement, and accounting functions within a business (Heathfield, 2010). Konrad & Deckop (2001) explain that â€Å"instead of shuffling paper work and fielding phone calls, HR managers use the Internet to obtain information and communicate with others, affecting virtually every HR function. HR database management systems maintain organizationally relevant information about employees. Developments in computer hardware and software have not only made possible user-friendly access to employee information, but also the ability to analyze this information for purposes of organizational planning. Information systems is applied by major companies for notable components of Human Resource Management (HRM) that include HR Planning, Recruitment, Selection, Training, career development, employment relationship management and compensation and benefits management. DeSanctis (1986) explains that information systems in personnel have evolved from the automated employee recordkeeping of the 1960s into complex reporting and decision systems to- day. The Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) is designed to support the planning, administration, decision making and control activities of the human resource management (DeSanctis, 1986).The purpose of this article is to focus on the advantag es and disadvantages of technology in recruitment process and determine if advantages outweigh disadvantages or viceversa. Evolution of Recruitment Recruitment is the process of identifying potential candidates so that employers can choose the right person for the right job. Dale S Beach observed â€Å"Recruitment as the development and maintenance of adequate manpower resources. It involves the creation of a pool of available labor upon whom the organization can draw when it needs additional employees† (Seetharaman 3 E-Recruitment Prasad, 2009). Recruitment also goes hand in hand with the selection process whereby organizations evaluate the suitability of candidates for various jobs (Singh & Finn, 2003). Hence recruitment is said to be a positive process as it involves attracting suitable candidates for available jobs. Selection is said to be a negative process as it involves rejecting a large number of applicants to identify a few that are suitable for the job. As a filteri ng mechanism in the selection process, the recruitment function is one of the most important areas of human resource management (Singh & Finn, 2003).The recruitment process begins with human resource planning where a company identifies the right number of people needed to perform the job. Khanna & New (2005) explain that† HR planners can influence the HR planning process so that resource decisions are made with due thought and the organization does not hurt itself by either undercutting its talent pool or retaining excess flab. HR planners should take this mission seriously if they want to have any control over the changing face of the organization of the future†.Hence HR planning is an important activity as it involves forecasts of the manpower needs in a future time period so that adequate and timely provisions may be made to meet the needs (Seetharaman & Prasad, 2009). The process of human resource planning usually involves forecasting labor demand and labor supply an d performing a gap analysis. Once when a vacancy is identified, the recruiter receives an authorization to fill it. A job analysis is done to identify the critical knowledge, ability, skills, and other competencies (KASOC) required for performing the job.There are two sources of recruitment – Internal and External. â€Å"In earlier days, for external recruitment, recruiters used low tech methods like advertisements in newspapers, magazines and journals, radio, Employment agencies, campus visits, etc in search of potential candidates. Internally, one of the most common methods, 4 E-Recruitment especially in unionized organizations, involved posting vacancies within the organization and encouraging bids from current employees† (Singh & Finn, 2003).Singh & Finn (2003) explain that many organizations began to use innovative information technology methods to complement traditional sources. Companies use internet medium to attract potential pool of applicants as it has a glo bal reach and relatively inexpensive to the low tech sources available. In a survey by SHRM and AON Consulting, human resource professionals considered employee referrals as a good source of job applicants and it was their top choice (Click, 1997).Another recent survey suggested that over 80 percent of organizations use the web to recruit (Bernardin, 2009). Employee referrals Newspaper ads Recruiting firms College recruitment Temporary help firms Job fairs Internet Targeted minority recruiting Walk-ins Government employment services. 61% 60% 58% 52% 46% 32% 20% 18% 18% 10% Source: Click, Jennifer. Blend established practices with new technologies. Business Source Premier. HR Magazine; Nov97, Vol. 42 Issue 11, p59. 5 E-RecruitmentComponents of E-Recruitment Thomas & Ray (2000) identify general job sites, specialized job sites, company website chat rooms and news group as the four major components of web recruitment. Though each of these components have their own advantages and disadv antages, Thomas & Ray (2000) explain that company website is the best e recruiting tool as it has a low marginal cost, the company has e-recruiting control over its content, and it is the only e recruiting tool with the potential to provide a e-recruiting prov competitive advantage specific to a particular firm. 6 E-RecruitmentImportance of information in advertisements Several researchers have suggested that the advertisements viewed by job seekers as they gather organizational information play an important role in initial organizational perceptions (Walker, Field, Giles & Bernerth, 2008). Hence, to attract talented people, advertisements placed by companies must be attractive. Potential applicants look out for advertisements to gather important information about the recruiting company. The specificity of communicated information provided in job advertisements has found to influence application decisions (Walker, Field, Giles & Bernerth, 2008).Researches focused on the aesthetic pr operties associated with recruitment messages that concentrated on web based recruitment. The results of these surveys concluded that job advertisement characteristics such as font, pictures, color, content and design influence job seeker attitudes and the cognitive processing of recruitment information (Walker, Field, Giles & Bernerth, 2008). Advantages / Disadvantages of Information Systems in Recruitment The following are the advantages and disadvantages of recruitment using Information systems. (whatjobsite. com, 2009 & ezinearticles. com, 2010). 7 E-Recruitment AdvantagesSource: Kay, Alan S. , (2000, March). Recruiters embrace the Internet. InformationWeek,(778), 72-80. †¢ Inexpensive Employers are finding ways to reduce their recruitment costs in the wake of economic downturn, according to a survey by Personnel Today’s sister organization, Pay Specialist IRS (Williams, 2009). More specifically, the results of the survey of 143 employers found that employers were ty pically reviewing four main areas of recruitment procedures in an attempt to reduce recruitment costs. They are use of advertising, deciding whether or not to fill certain vacancies, the cost of agency fees and candidate E-Recruitment selection procedures. It was identified that finding alternatives to recruitment advertising received the most attention. The survey also identified that shifting recruitment away from employment agencies towards online recruitment ranked third in the most effective ways of reducing recruitment costs. Many researches show that advertising costs are lower than traditional recruitment methods. The results of these surveys are discussed below: †¢ Kuhn (2003) explains that â€Å"for posting a typical career ad on an internet job board for several weeks cost firms a few hundred dollars.Some sites offer unlimited posting to client firms for about $15,000 a year which is contrast to news paper advertisements that costs to $2000 per day. A quarter page a dvertisements can cost $15000 in many markets†. †¢ Superdrug, a UK based health and beauty retailer, employed e-mail based recruitment system and explains that the recruitment process has become quicker, more efficient, and 87% cheaper (Pollitt, 2007). †¢ In one study, the average cost per hire via Web ads was reported to be about $152, compared with $1,383 using traditional methods.Another survey identified that in traditional advertising cost-per-hire was $3,295 compared to the Internet cost per hire of about $377. In other instances, many job-posting sites charge $100 or less for a single job posting, thus saving a recruiter as much as $6,000 in recruitment costs for each position filled (Singh & Finn, 2003). †¢ On another study conducted by Verhoeven & Williams (2008) note that the relative costs of Internet recruitment are perceived to be lower in comparison with non-electronic recruitment sources. 9 E-Recruitment †¢No Intermediaries Recruitment interm ediaries are employment organizations that operate as middlemen between organizations and potential employees. According to Wolfe & Hartley (2005) Recruitment intermediaries typically operate in one or more of three ways: 1. Finding specific skills in specific sectors 2. Providing workers of all kinds in a specific locality 3. Specialist ‘headhunting’ or search agencies. â€Å"The development of web-based recruitment led business organizations to use corporate internet which reduced the market for recruitment intermediaries.With the advancement in technology, companies can develop their own websites with a separate section for employment opportunities† (Wolfe & Hartley, 2005). Candidates can go to the company website, create a profile to view the job openings available and apply for specific vacancies. Companies maintain each candidates profile, send e-mail to candidates if their profile matches any vacancy. It is the duty of the candidate to visit the corporate website regularly and update their profile information. This direct contact between the company and the candidate eliminates the need for intermediaries.Thomas & Ray (2000) explain that the need for employment agencies is reduced by establishing a database pool of potential employees, thus saving 20 to 30 percent of the hired employees’ base year salaries. Moreover, potential applicants may feel insecure to send personal information to recruitment agencies. While a few commercial sites protect applicant privacy, company databases make it a point to maintain confidentiality, and company provided privacy statements restrict resume submissions to internal use (Thomas & Ray, 2000). 10 E-RecruitmentWhile using corporate websites for recruitment purposes, companies don’t have the need to approach independent recruitment agencies and thereby reduce the involvement of intermediaries in the recruitment process. By eliminating intermediaries, companies have the advantage of dire ctly contacting potential employees and employees too feel confident about the information they obtain for their employment. This also acts as a cost-saving technique for companies and a security tool for potential employees as company websites are more secure. Reduction of hiring time Once when companies post a vacancy on the internet, either by using intermediaries like recruitment agencies or by using corporate websites, applications will be received as fast as possible which enables employers to process them faster. One website notes that â€Å"a job vacancy can be put on a job site in the morning, the first applications arrive by lunchtime, and a candidate interviewed by the end of the day. Of course, it isn't always like this. It isn't even often like this. But the fact that such things do happen so quickly gives an indication of just how quick recruiting online can be† (whatjobsite. om, 2010). Many researches show that recruiting online is quicker. Verhoeven & Williams (2008) identifies that the Internet has led to a quicker turn-around time of the recruitment process and is one of the most widely perceived advantages. Lorraine Crawford, head of resourcing at Lloyds TSB believes that advertising online results in a higher speed of response (Berry, 2004). Haroon & Zia-ur-Rehman (2010) also note that e-recruitment is going to replace the other traditional sources of recruitment because of low cost, time saving, quick response for both employers and job seekers. 11 E-RecruitmentOne website (ehow. com) mentions easier and quicker recruitment as one of the distinct advantages. Candidates don’t have to resumes in a piece of paper, take a note of the company’s address from newspapers, go to the post office to mail their resume’ and cover letter and wait for a week to hear back from the employer. All this can be done with the click of a button and received by the recruiters instantly. This makes the process simpler and quicker. †¢ Improved efficiency The above mentioned advantages of online recruitment like low cost, eliminating intermediaries and reduction in hiring time roves the efficiency of internet recruitment. For example, as noted in Free Press Release (2009) â€Å"Today’s global economy has demanded for more advanced technology which resulted in recruitment automation software that makes the process of recruitment easy, simple and effective for an organization†. These advancements in technology show the efficiency of internet recruitment which also eliminates the drawbacks of traditional recruiting methods. Beakware, an India based IT Company provides software solutions for clients all over the world, is an expert with HR technology and develops intelligent HR software solutions (beakware. om, 2010). Beakware explains that on the whole e-recruiting is considered to be one of the most efficient tools of human capital acquisition and management (Beakware. com, 2010). The above referenc es mentions efficiency in time and cost. E-recruitment also improves a company’s Return on Investment. â€Å"Organizations’ strong impact on Return on Investment (ROI) and company's success in the marketplace have placed significant emphasis on effective recruitment strategies from individual, organizational and societal 12 E-Recruitment erspectives that lead to increased ROI and economic viability of the organization† (Sangeetha, 2010). The modern recruitment source is widely used since the mid -1980s and got systemized in 1990 and also that it carves a competitive advantage for the company in establishing an 'employer of choice' image, to address a niche employee zone, and passive job searchers† (Sangeetha, 2010). In addition to this, Feldman ; Klass (2002) explain that the expenditures on news paper advertisements and headhunter retainer fees have dropped 20% as internet advertising revenues increased.On these bases it is clearly understood that many co mpanies choose internet recruitment as one of the effective recruitment strategies which will lead to increased ROI. IT also helps companies to retain employees for a longer period of time. Using IT. com's data bank, State Street was able to make a better assessment of desirable employees’ qualities, thus able to retain people longer und saving the company between $2 and $5 million with this service (Singh & Finn, 2003) Another research by Feldman & Klass (2002) argues that as job hunting is significantly related to job issatisfaction, dissatisfied employees might not seek employment elsewhere because they do not have the time or resources to search for another job. Hence Internet allows individuals to gain quick and easy access to information on a wide range of job possibilities twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, thereby resolving potential conflicts between employees’ current job possibilities and the time demands associated with active job hunting (Feldman & Klass, 2002). Darlene Chapin, Recruiting director for Cheetah Technologies in Florida, claims Internet recruiting for programmers has made the process much more efficient (Bernardin, 2009). 3 E-Recruitment All these researches clearly show the improved efficiency in various aspects of recruitment to employers and employees when using online recruitment services compared to traditional methods. †¢ Round the clock access In earlier days potential employees need to wait for mornings to look at the classified section of news paper to get information on job vacancies. Online Recruitment provides round the clock access to employers and employees. Employees can access to wide number of job openings and employers have the advantage of accessing to large number of applicant resumes’ anywhere and anytime.Internet recruiting also proves advantageous to recruitment consultants by giving them access to work from home. â€Å"A web-based recruitment system is making home working a r eality for consultants at specialist recruitment agency. Managing director Craig Burton told Recruiter that â€Å"using eploy's recruitment software they have 24-hour access to the system from any fixed or mobile device and are distributing job alerts and CVs to potential candidates â€Å"at a moment's notice. All information can be traced and tracked, making candidate management straightforward and responsive†Ã¢â‚¬  (Anonymous, 2009).Delaware department of labor explains the advantages of internet recruiting – that internet job description has immediate access, changes can be done immediately and can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days per year (Delaware Job Link, 2009). In addition to these researches, some websites also support the view of round the clock access to online resumes. Rao (2009) explains that online recruitment allows applicants the luxury of accessing jobs online at their own convenience 24 hours 7 days a week.It provides the comfort of scrutinizing jobs without physically going through the 14 E-Recruitment stress of an interview (igi-global. com). Another website notes that organizations have the ability to reach a much larger target audience as there will be 24 hour global access to their vacancy information (citehr. com, 2010). Last, but not the least, Agarwal (2004) explains that â€Å"For employers, online recruiting allows far better targeting of candidates than does advertising in general newspapers, resulting in a greater percentage of qualified applicants.In addition, because 24/7 online job hunting is private and convenient, a company's Internet presence is more likely to draw in â€Å"passive job seekers† – high-quality candidates who may be curious to know what's out there but who have not launched allout campaigns† (webpronews. com). †¢ Convenience Internet recruitment offers convenience to both employers and employees. Prospective employees don’t need to search for jobs in classif ieds section of newspapers, post them to prospective employers using snail mail. They have the convenience of sitting at home on a Sunday morning and apply for â€Å"n† number of jobs with just a click.Employers on the other hand, need to post job vacancies either in their company website or line up with online recruitment agencies like monster. com to inform about a vacancy. Internet recruitment offers convenience in the restaurant business as well. Jackson (2010) explains that â€Å"There are many job websites which cater specifically to the restaurant industry. Employees can sign in with these websites for free and expose themselves to thousands of restaurant openings at the same time. Moreover, it saves them valuable time and the headache of applying and filling out forms at various restaurants.Job providers too do not need to advertise and go through a lot of paperwork for hiring a trained staff. They can get associated with these websites and scan through a well struct ured list of 15 E-Recruitment candidates matching the skills and qualifications they are looking for. All this is accomplished in just a click† (articlebase. com). †¢ Global access One of the major disadvantages of traditional sources of recruitment is its limitation to attract applicants from different cities. If potential employees are looking for jobs only in one city, then traditional sources may be very helpful.But with Globalization and with the increase of employers seeking for multicultural talent has forced employers to use internet for recruitment purposes. The internet has been widely accessed by all potential employees universally, giving them access to a broader number of jobs. Employers can view resumes’ of South African applicants in London and hire them for an American company. Technology has become more and more advanced providing such advantages for employers and employees who strive to reach heights. â€Å"Internet searching is much more efficie nt when looking for jobs region-wide, nation-wide or globally.Similarly, when individuals are willing to consider jobs in a number of functional areas and in a wide spectrum of firms differing in industry and size, Internet job hunting is likely to be perceived as a more time-efficient search strategy. Online recruiting can reach a more diverse applicant pool and, at the same time, yield a higher quality set of candidates† (Feldman ; Klass, 2002). Uzelac (2008) supports this view by explaining that â€Å"recruitment agencies are moving towards sourcing candidates through internet job boards enabling recruitment activity to occur in real time.The ability to recruit internationally has been a huge development and boon for organizations using these services (jobseekersadvice. com). 16 E-Recruitment Disadvantages †¢ Screening large number of unqualified applicants is time consuming One of the advantages of online recruitment is receiving large number of applications giving e mployers the opportunity to choose from a wide range of candidates. But recruiters feel that receiving large number of applications has become a disadvantage because screening those applications is time consuming and most applications do not meet the minimum qualifications required for the job.Research carried out by the IRS Employment review found that although the online recruitment market is booming, most employers are unhappy at the amount of unsuitable applications they receive (Savvas, 2004). More than 60% of the 200 organizations told IRS that they received inappropriate responses from the adverts they placed (Savvas, 2004). IRS also found that the ease of applying for jobs online may lead to more unsuitable applications being received, which have to be screened out, cancelling out some of the savings the channel offered (Savvas, 2004).Another conducted by Verhoeven ; Williams (2008) concludes that Internet recruitment has the ability to draw applicants from a greater geograp hic area but that this results in a pool of applicants which has a higher level of unqualified applicants in comparison with non-electronic sources. Thomas ; Ray (2002) also note about the commercial websites generating large volumes of applicants. Some HR professionals claim that blindly searching the internet for resumes is inefficient, and anything other than company based posting is time consuming and expensive (Thomas ; Ray, 2002).Recent research conducted by Europe’s largest HR development professional body – The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) highlights that e-recruitment 17 E-Recruitment could increase the number of unsuitable applicants and act as a barrier to recruiting older workers (cipd. co. uk, 2009). †¢ Lack of access Although internet recruitment offers greater access to applicants worldwide, it limits only to people who are comfortable using technology and thereby is a hindrance for companies to reach a more diverse set of candidates.Most of the rural areas do not have access to technology limiting access to people living in such remote geographical locations. â€Å"One study citing Census Bureau data indicate that rural black households have the lowest computer ownership of any group (6. 4 percent), followed by Hispanics (12 percent) and Native Americans (15. 3 percent), with rural whites (24. 6 percent) and Asians (33. 7 percent) having the highest ownership rates† (Singh ; Finn, 2003). This data is a proof that minority groups do not have access to internet.According to the Pew Internet ; American Life Project, â€Å"58% of whites have access to the Internet whereas only 43% of African Americans and 50% of Hispanics have Internet access† (Bernardin, 2007). In addition to internet recruitment lacking access to minority groups, internet recruitment also has legal implications. â€Å"In Griggs v. Duke Power Co. , (1971) the plaintiff showed that the educational requirements disqualifie d African-Americans at a significantly higher rate than whites, and in another lawsuit filed by employees against Walt Disney Co. in Los Angeles, it is alleged, â€Å"since the Resumix (Resume Tracking Software) is based on majority white culture, it discriminates against African-Americans seeking employment or promotions† (Singh ; Finn, 2003). However Christopher F. Ball, corporate counsel at Restrac says, â€Å"I don't think discrimination is part and parcel of using technology. I think it's much more related to internal hiring practices. If a company 18 E-Recruitment is going to use discriminatory search methods, they're going to do it whether they're using an automated staffing technology or old paper-and-pencil filing tactics.These new recruiting technologies don't dictate or modify the way employers use criteria to search for candidates† (Click, 1997). Like Ball mentioned, discriminatory practices may be adopted by companies even by using traditional methods if t hey intend to do so. They don’t necessarily have to use recruiting technologies for this purpose. Based on this logic, I think discrimination using technology can be eliminated. Hence, lack of access to technology is the only disadvantage among minority groups.Strategies to overcome disadvantages – Presenting e-strategies Screening applications is time consuming – Presenting Preliminary Competency Screening Many companies claim that screening large volume of applications is time consuming and costly. Progressions in Information and Technology have found new ways to deal with such problems. â€Å"Organizations might request applicants to provide online biographical information often used to predict employee performance, including educational attainment and relevant job experience. This information may be used to assess the likelihood of an applicant performing a job at a satisfactory level.For the recruitment personnel, these new procedures may save time and mon ey† (Singh & Finn, 2003). Bernardin (2007, Pg 152) explains that the above mentioned format allows for an automatic scoring of information, known as â€Å"Artificial Intelligence† approach that allows for greater control over information gathering and storage and has the potential for better decision making. I think, instead of just obtaining biographical information, companies can prepare closed questionnaire and conduct a Preliminary Competency Screening (PCS) that measures the critical skills, abilities, knowledge and other competencies required to 9 E-Recruitment perform the job. The employer must also set a time limit within which the candidate needs to answer those questions to prevent low-skilled candidates from deceiving. When the candidate passes this test, biographical information and resume can be obtained for further processing. The results of this interview can be made available to the candidates as soon as they finish the interview to let them know if they have the expected level of knowledge to perform the job.If they don’t pass the preliminary round, they may be encouraged to create a profile and update their resume to inform about a future vacancy that matches their profile. While this method makes the screening process quicker and eliminates unqualified applicants efficiently, it may also reduce the negative perceptions of some minority groups about employer discrimination as biographical information are obtained only after the candidate is selected. Lack of Access – Advertising in Socializing websites One of the disadvantages of internet recruitment to minority groups is their access to internet.Many reports show an increased use of internet usage among African Americans and Hispanics. In December 1998, 64% of unemployed blacks with home internet access searched for jobs on line, compared to 48% of whites in the same situation (Kuhn, 2003). This reveals the growing trend in minority workers who use the internet as a job search tool. Limited access to some minority groups has been a disadvantage but recent studies also show the yearly internet adoption rate is growing rapidly in African American and Hispanic households (Bernardin, 2007, Pg 148).In 2000, of those seeking work, 40% of Hispanics, 36% of Whites, and 50% of African Americans surveyed said they had used to the Internet to look for information about a job (Bernardin, 2007). 20 E-Recruitment â€Å"According to Horowitz Associates, a consumer and business-to-business market research group, about 70% of Hispanic households have an Internet connection, and the Pew Research Center estimates that 56% of Hispanic households are using high-speed broadband connections. Marketer also finds that Hispanics are using the Internet for interactive purposes, with 46% using instant messages, 32% visiting social networking sites and 22% participating in chat rooms. The percentage of African Americans who use the Internet increased to 64% in December 2008, up from 56% in December 2007. Like Hispanics, African Americans are also using the Internet to connect with others. (NAS, 2009). Source: NAS, 2009. 21 E-Recruitment The growing number of job search websites for minorities is another proof showing their increased internet usage.A recent study by Wernau (2010) show that minority websites like iHispano have job listings from Fortune 500 companies because many companies believe that enhancing diversity promotes employee retention, performance and commitment. Although the success of minority websites shows a growing trend, companies must take advantage of the reason why African Americans and Hispanics use internet. I think, what is lacking here is the low awareness of multi-national company listings in minority websites.Companies must advertise in socializing websites like Facebook and twitter to inform potential recruits about their vacancy listings on minority websites like iHispano. They must encourage minority candidates to use internet to apply for jobs. This enables them to reach a large number of African Americans and Hispanics. Conclusion It is obvious that technology has changed the recruitment process from the way it was two decades ago. Many companies are listing their job openings either on their own corporate websites or in third party website like Monstor. com.Fortune 500 companies are trying to list jobs on minority websites to attract diverse candidates. Those companies that do not employ technology to assist in recruitment are at a competitive disadvantage compared to their peers (Searle, 2006). Raymond Pennie, commercial director at Kamanchi, says he used to believe that recruiters couldn't get a commercial advantage from technology but now firmly believes that you can have a â€Å"positive disadvantage† if you haven't got the right technology (Anonymous, 2010). Based on the several researches presented in this paper, it is clear that there is an increased use of internet for recruitm ent purposes.E recruitment has both advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages presented in several other discussions and this paper can be overcome by 22 E-Recruitment employing e-strategies like preliminary competency screening and e-marketing strategies discussed in the previous sections. Hence, internet recruitment is an opportunity for employers and potential employees. 23 E-Recruitment

Epicurus His Philosophy of Pleasure

Epicurus His Philosophy of Pleasure Wisdom hasnt come a step further since Epicurus but has often gone many thousands of steps backwards.​Friedrich Nietzsche About Epicurus Epicurus (341-270 B.C.) was born in Samos and died in Athens. He studied at Platos Academy when it was run by Xenocrates. Later, when he joined his family on Colophon, Epicurus studied under Nausiphanes, who introduced him to the philosophy of Democritus. In 306/7 Epicurus bought a house in Athens. It was in its garden that he taught his philosophy. Epicurus and his followers, who included slaves and women, secluded themselves from the life of the city. The Virtue of Pleasure Epicurus and his philosophy of pleasure have been controversial for over 2000 years. One reason is our tendency to reject pleasure as a moral good. We usually think of charity, compassion, humility, wisdom, honor, justice, and other virtues as morally good, while pleasure is, at best, morally neutral, but for Epicurus, behavior in pursuit of pleasure assured an upright life. It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and honorably and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and honorably and justly without living pleasantly. Whenever any one of these is lacking, when, for instance, the man is not able to live wisely, though he lives honorably and justly, it is impossible for him to live a pleasant life.Epicurus, from Principal Doctrines Hedonism and Ataraxia Hedonism (a life devoted to pleasure) is what many of us think of when we hear Epicurus name, but ataraxia, the experience of optimal, enduring pleasure, is what we should associate with the atomist philosopher. Epicurus says we should not try to increase our pleasure beyond the point of maximum intensity. Think of it in terms of eating. If youre hungry, theres pain. If you eat to fill the hunger, you feel good and are behaving in accordance with Epicureanism. In contrast, if you gorge yourself, you experience pain, again. The magnitude of pleasure reaches its limit in the removal of all pain. When such pleasure is present, so long as it is uninterrupted, there is no pain either of body or of mind or of both together. Satiation According to Dr. J. Chander*, in his course notes on Stoicism and Epicureanism, for Epicurus, extravagance leads to pain, not pleasure. Therefore we should avoid extravagance. Sensual pleasures move us towards ataraxia, which is pleasing in itself. We should not pursue endless stimulation, but rather seek out enduring satiation. All desires that do not lead to pain when they remain unsatisfied are unnecessary, but the desire is easily got rid of, when the thing desired is difficult to obtain or the desires seem likely to produce harm. The Spread of Epicureanism According to The Intellectual Development and Spread of Epicureanism, Epicurus guaranteed the survival of his school (The Garden) in his will. Challenges from competing for Hellenistic philosophies, notably, Stoicism and Skepticism, spurred Epicureans to develop some of their doctrines in much greater detail, notably their epistemology and some of their ethical theories, especially their theories concerning friendship and virtue. Stranger, here you will do well to tarry; here our highest good is pleasure. The caretaker of that abode, a kindly host, will be ready for you; he will welcome you with bread, and serve you water also in abundance, with these words: Have you not been well entertained? This garden does not whet your appetite; but quenches it. Anti-Epicurean Cato In 155 B.C., Athens exported some of its leading philosophers to Rome, where Epicureanism, in particular, offended conservatives like Marcus Porcius Cato. Eventually, however, Epicureanism took root in Rome and can be found in the poets, Vergil (Virgil), Horace, and Lucretius. Pro-Epicurean Thomas Jefferson More recently, Thomas Jefferson was an Epicurean. In his 1819 Letter to William Short, Jefferson points up the shortcomings of other philosophies and the virtues of Epicureanism. The letter also contains a short Syllabus of the doctrines of Epicurus. Ancient Writers on the Topic of Epicureanism EpicurusDiogenes LaertiusLucretiusCiceroHoraceLucianCornelius NeposPlutarchSenecaLactantiusOrigen Sources David John Furley Epicurus Whos Who in the Classical World. Ed. Simon Hornblower and Tony Spawforth. Oxford University Press, 2000. Hedonism and the Happy Life: The Epicurean Theory of Pleasure, www.epicureans.org/intro.html Stoicism and Epicureanism, moon.pepperdine.edu/gsep/ class/ethics/stoicism/default.html

The History of APA Writing Style

The History of APA Writing Style Have you been asked to prepare a report or research paper, and its been so long since youve written one, youve forgotten how? Maybe you simply havent ever learned the proper way to create a paper with secondary sources. Perhaps its simply been so long since you wrote a research paper that the rules have changed. Whatever your situation, APA writing is a good, solid place to start. You can create a sound, standard paper using the APA writing style. Using documentation for secondary sources, and some finer points of writing, you can make first-rate papers and reports, every time. The American Psychological Association established a style that it uses in all of its publications. This APA style has been adapted by many colleges, businesses, and institutions because of its stellar documentation system. You can learn the intracicies of APA easily nowadays by finding the best APA formatting software to instantly conform your paper to APA requirements. Using APA writing, you can be sure to have the correct format for all your report needs. From punctuation and abbreviations to construction of tables and presentation of statistics, you can create a paper that is easy to read and looks sharp. Moreover, you can be sure that whoever grades or edits your paper will find little wrong with its format.

Amnesty is Already a Verb

Amnesty is Already a Verb Amnesty is Already a Verb Amnesty is Already a Verb By Maeve Maddox A reader questions a word she heard spoken by a Fox News announcer: [The announcer used] the non-word â€Å"amnetize† to mean â€Å"granting amnesty to.† Just to make sure that it is not a real word, I looked it up as â€Å"amnetize† and â€Å"amnitize.† How can we stop this grammatical ugliness before it spreads? There’s no entry for amnetize in either the Oxford English Dictionary or in Merriam-Webster. I checked the Ngram Viewer as well: no sign of it there. According to OED and M-W, the verb that means â€Å"grant amnesty to† has the same form as the noun: OED amnesty (verb): To give amnesty to, to admit to amnesty; to proclaim the overlooking of the past offences of (rebels). M-W amnesty (transitive verb): to grant amnesty to A Google search for the verb amnetizewith and without quotation marksgarnered only about 300 hits. The two contexts in which I found the verb form amnetize were in discussions of sports contracts and in posts critical of US immigration policy: What is the rush to amnetize Scola? To make room for Howard? That’ll be the subject of a third amnesty in a few years unless the bureaucrats amnetize-as-they-go. There isnt an Illegal Alien he won’t Amnetize!    the obama minions will soon amnetize 40+ million new voters Im sitting down to type an argument that says the Spurs shouldnt and wont amnetize Richard Jefferson this season. One writer questions the validity of the word even while using it; another encloses it in quotation marks to indicate that the word is being used in a nonstandard way: Obama and the democrats want badly to amnetize (is that a word?) all 12-20 million illegals. With the vast majority of ‘amnetized’ illegals voting Democrat, they will take the next presidential election. The kind of amnesty meant in the context of sports refers to â€Å"amnesty clauses† in contracts between players and franchises: The Amnesty Clause is a clause negotiated into the newly ratified Collective Bargaining Agreement between the players and owners which allows a team to release one player from their roster and be free of any financial obligations to that player.  This was added to allow teams to clear salary cap space in preparation for new salary cap rules.   A player who is released under this program is said to be â€Å"amnestied.† Sporting Charts Dictionary Note that this official definition uses the verb form amnestied and not amnetized. Bottom line: The standard verb that goes with the noun amnesty is amnesty, not â€Å"amnetize.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Arrive To vs. Arrive AtUsed To vs. Use ToHow Long Should a Synopsis Be?

Prepare a report for a company of your choice for the next one and Assignment

Prepare a report for a company of your choice for the next one and three years . The plan should include the following sections - Assignment Example The Mercedes Benz is too expensive to buy in the current economic conditions. The technological outlook of the industry is challenging while, the buyer power is also higher. Additionally, suppliers are executing their substantial level on companies and the barriers of entry and exit are also believed to be substantially powerful. The modifying economic conditions of the world are warranting the companies to balance out differentiation and cost effectiveness so that Mercedes can be sold in emergent markets of the world. A Business Plan for Mercedes Benz: A Changing Paradigm Introduction The Mercedes is considered one of the most expensive brands in the modern array of cars and vehicles. The company is historically targeting elite class of the world in order to generate sales for the past number of decades. However, the economic recession and depression in advanced parts of the world has seriously influenced the business of the featured company. The focal shift in the direction of emer ging market also caused the sales of the product to drop significantly. The developing regions of the globe do not have sufficient buying power needed to purchase luxurious rides in which the company specializes. However, a strategic modification is required in order to cater changing consumer preferences and behaviors in the global arena of the commerce (Kotler, Keller, Brady, Goodman, & Hensen, 2009). The company needs to develop a strategy to disseminate the benefit of long term belief that Mercedes is a brand that is reserved for an elite class of the world. Nevertheless, the per capita income in all over the globe is declining and the sense of harmony and equality is going to prevail in a few years from now. The idea of economic supremacy is going to be word of past in the future. The product with the brand name of Mercedes has finally lost its appeal because nowadays nobody is fortunate enough to afford it to say the least. The subunits of the companies that were hugely lucrat ive in the past were recently closed down as a response of insufficient demand (Baker & Hart, 2007). The latest closure took place in the English economy because the demand was not enough to house a local production unit. The changing economic paradigm has forced the people of all nations to become price sensitive as the level of disposable income is declining in all regions (Lindstrom, 2008). Vision and Mission Statement of the Company â€Å"A pioneering spirit and power of innovation for sustainable mobility. For almost 125 years we have been developing answers to the automotive challenges of the respective eras. As the inventors of the automobile, we are equally committed to protection of the climate and the environment and to the safety of our vehicles and accident prevention. Our customers - and all other road users - throughout the world can put their trust in this commitment† (Hashmi & Biesebroeck, 2013). The vision statement of the company is always considered as an a ttempt to talk to the future and give a direction to the company. The vision statement in every case must define the core values of the company for that it stands. Secondly, it is of great importance to keep on modifying the statement according to the changing environment of the industry. The featured

The color purple Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The color purple - Research Paper Example It'd kill your mammy" (1). What Celie is forbidden to articulate publicly is her repeated rape by the man she believes to be her father; this violation of both Celie's body and her voice speaks of an underlying socio-linguistic censorship that relegates the female subject to an objectified position, as passive, absent, and silent. In this paradigm the maternal must be sacrificed if the subject is to speak. The relationship between Celie and Alphonso illustrates this phenomenon, as the paternal interdiction relies upon the premise that if Celie speaks, she is forsaking her "mammy" (1). Celie comes to represent this forced contract between a woman and the Law of the Father, where a female's body, spirit, and speech are sacrificed in an act of socio-symbolic rape; however, as Celie's subversive authorship suggests, it is a sacrifice she is unwilling to make. In her article "Women's Time," Julia Kristeva speaks of the role language plays in violating female subjectivity; she states, "a n ew generation of women is showing that its major social concern has become the socio-symbolic contract as a sacrificial contract, †¦that they are forced to experience this sacrificial contract against their will" (Kristeva’ ‘Women’s Time’ 25). ... e, identification with the sacrificial logic of separation and syntactical sequence at the foundation of language and the social code leads to the rejection of the symbolic--lived as the rejection of the paternal function and ultimately generating psychoses" (Kristeva’ ‘Women’s Time’ 25). The psychoses that Kristeva identifies can be seen as reflecting hysterical discontent, as a conflict of gender that is realized through linguistic disruption. Kristeva posits two possible strategies to counter the exclusion and silence experienced by women: the first, to attempt to possess the symbolic by adopting the dominant ideology; the second, to approach language as a "personal affect experienced when facing it as subject and as a woman" (Kristeva’ ‘Women’s Time’ 24). Such an approach suggests a need to "break the code, to shatter language, to find a specific discourse closer to the body and emotions, to the unnamable repressed by the soci al contract" (Kristeva’ ‘Women’s Time’ 24-25). Kristeva's perspective of language posits a revolt against the exclusion of the symbolic contract. In About Chinese Women, Kristeva identifies women as able "to give a name" to the repressed, as able to restore the body back to a place of significance (Kristeva ‘About Chinese Women’ 30-35). In this context, the body becomes intertwined with Kristeva's notion of the semiotic, as a sort of expression that exists outside of the symbolic, preceding language while simultaneously existing within language, albeit in a repressed form. Semiotic discourse moves beyond the symbolic by opposing structures of exclusion. The mother-child bond becomes the definitive relationship of semiotic discourse, as it exists beyond binary differences of gender and sexuality. When viewed in this

Helper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Helper - Assignment Example While in the past, the Port of Savannah was boosted by the export of American goods such as â€Å"flax, silk and cotton to Europe and the rest of the world† (Machalaba n. p.), at present, the port is now revitalized by ships that bring Asian goods deep into the American continent. The second important point is that economic activity in Savannah is such an important economic hub for the region, generating almost 120,000 jobs (Machalaba n. p.). The third point is that Savannah also benefitted from the booming port industry in the U.S., given that other busy ports, such as those of Los Angeles and Long Beach cannot handle the volume of business anymore (Machalaba n. p.). Another alarming point is that half of the retail goods that Americans consume come through ports, imported from Asian countries (Machalaba n. p.). Finally, businessmen of Savannah pins their hopes for the continued surge of Savannah on wooing big box retailers (Machalaba n. p.). Works Cited Machalaba, Daniel. â €Å"How Savannah Brought New Life to Its Aging Port.† logisticsatlanta.com. Logistics Atlanta, n. d. Web. 27 May 2011.

Marketing Influences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Influences - Essay Example This paper will discuss Levi jeans for men based on personal influences as opposed to rivals as well as segmentation and targeting initiatives. Levi jeans for men have been around for many years and are still popular today. Various brands have come and disappeared, but the Levi jeans brand is still dominant in the market, showing that the company has considerable market power. The brand satisfies and appeals to the needs of its male clients regardless of the age brackets with diverse style senses. The name of the brand is what makes one to purchase the jeans. Since they have existed in the market for quite some time, the name has acquired the trust of consumers from different parts of the world. When one sees the name of the brand, he thinks of quality and picks the product for that reason. The brand receives this major benefit for addressing the requirements of its clients for many years (Fuller, 2011). Levi jeans are attractive since they provide various types of cuts. One has a broad range of denim cuts to select from, meaning that you can select the cut that you are most comfortable with. Although other jeans provide various cuts, they do not offer a broad selection as in the case of Levi, particularly because it is always updating, offering, and adjusting (Fuller, 2011). Levi has undertaken processes, which other brands struggle with while trying to keep their brands relevant in the marketplace. Levi jeans are popular because one is aware that they offer a broad range of relevant styles. Most jeans brands arise and disappear since they fail to get in touch with the client. As such, they cannot keep producing products that clients do not need. Levi is unlike its rivals in the marketplace. It has managed to provide great jeans and relevant styles that are appealing to clients in different parts of the world (Fairchild, 2014). The prevalence of

The cultural impact regarding to the application of Balanced Scorecard Thesis Proposal

The cultural impact regarding to the application of Balanced Scorecard to improve capability in construction industry in Saudi Arabia - Thesis Proposal Example & Company Management Tools and Trends 2007 (Bain, 2007) reports that 66% of the respondents were using the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) as part of their strategic decision-making process. Yet fewer than 20% of companies utilising the BSC have realised measurable performance improvement (Williams, 2004). Buytendijk (2007) proposes that the perception that implementation of a BSC, in and of itself, will lead to organisational alignment is a â€Å"fairy tale.† Bititci, Mendibil, Nudurupati, Turner, and Garengo (2004, p. 28) posit that the implementation and use of such performance measurement systems is greatly affected by organisational culture and management styles. Denton (2005) reports that 76% of firms place importance on organisational culture, but only about 37% are measuring it. Indeed, Kaplan and Norton (2004, p. 56) observed that companies with successful BSC implementations â€Å"had a culture in which people were deeply aware of and internalised the mission, vision, and core values needed to execute the company’s strategy.† A third concept that plays a pivotal role in this relationship is Organisational Learning. Indeed, Kaplan and Norton (2001a) include Learning as the basis from which improvement in all other perspectives grows. Further, Kaplan and Norton (1996c, p. 15) refer to the BSC as a â€Å"strategic learning framework,† and outline how the BSC facilitates learning in each of the four processes of the BSC model (Kaplan and Norton, 1996b). Kaplan and Norton (2004) report that the Learning and Growth objective appearing most frequently in BSC’s is â€Å"shaping the culture† (p. 60). They link strategy changes resulting from the BSC to changes in culture. These changes are the direct result of organisational learning vis-à  -vis the BSC feedback system. Accordingly, the literature indicates that the BSC leads to performance improvement in the presence of the appropriate organisational culture. In BSC terminology, organisational learning and growth

Marketing Influences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Influences - Essay Example This paper will discuss Levi jeans for men based on personal influences as opposed to rivals as well as segmentation and targeting initiatives. Levi jeans for men have been around for many years and are still popular today. Various brands have come and disappeared, but the Levi jeans brand is still dominant in the market, showing that the company has considerable market power. The brand satisfies and appeals to the needs of its male clients regardless of the age brackets with diverse style senses. The name of the brand is what makes one to purchase the jeans. Since they have existed in the market for quite some time, the name has acquired the trust of consumers from different parts of the world. When one sees the name of the brand, he thinks of quality and picks the product for that reason. The brand receives this major benefit for addressing the requirements of its clients for many years (Fuller, 2011). Levi jeans are attractive since they provide various types of cuts. One has a broad range of denim cuts to select from, meaning that you can select the cut that you are most comfortable with. Although other jeans provide various cuts, they do not offer a broad selection as in the case of Levi, particularly because it is always updating, offering, and adjusting (Fuller, 2011). Levi has undertaken processes, which other brands struggle with while trying to keep their brands relevant in the marketplace. Levi jeans are popular because one is aware that they offer a broad range of relevant styles. Most jeans brands arise and disappear since they fail to get in touch with the client. As such, they cannot keep producing products that clients do not need. Levi is unlike its rivals in the marketplace. It has managed to provide great jeans and relevant styles that are appealing to clients in different parts of the world (Fairchild, 2014). The prevalence of

My business planning and presentation experience Essay

My business planning and presentation experience - Essay Example Aimed at working women aged between early 20s to late 40s, the stores would carry the designer outfits of all leading designer labels. As a sole proprietorship firm with a total Capital deployment of 350,000 of which I would contribute 100,000 and rest would be loaned from the bank. Expected the breakeven by the end of the first year Closet expects positive cash flows by the second year onwards. Over 35% of the capital is to be deployed in marketing and promotional activities I have the long term of objective of having a total of The basic idea of Designer Fashion Retail Showroom is acceptable as viable proposition. Because, the demand for designer clothes is always there and the store could maintain its identity as a store that offers a good selection, reasonable prices, a convenient location would attract and keep customers. However, on hindsight it would have been better to go for a larger single store instead of opening three small stores at three different locations all of a sudden. 4. My work experience as a sales person in the Gucci Outlet gave a lot of practical knowledge on how a retail showroom works, how it looks like, how the customers should be treated, what are the things that customers look for etc. which gave me a lot of confidence. 3. My presentation could have been a lot better. ... My work experience as a sales person in the Gucci Outlet gave a lot of practical knowledge on how a retail showroom works, how it looks like, how the customers should be treated, what are the things that customers look for etc. which gave me a lot of confidence. The Weaknesses As realized while making the plan 1. Accounting is not one of my strong subjects and that reflected badly on the financial planning of the project. There were several grey areas in the plan that ought to have been taken care of. 2. Staffing : I paid very little attention to the Human Resource Planning and could not provide a clear picture on how personnel would be recruited, paid and maintained. 3. My presentation could have been a lot better. I did not do my homework on certain aspects such as the financial viability of the project. Especially when asked why the bank would give me a loan for such a big amount I was caught on the wrong foot. Also, I could have included a little bit of meaningful humour in the presentation. The flaws in the project as reviewed 1. The main problem was that three showrooms were planned within the first month of operation. It was a very flawed idea. There was simply no way that I could have managed all three stores. Moreover, this would eat into our resources so much that it was almost like spreading myself too thin. Instead, what would have been a brighter idea to invest in a single, larger, better store. More space means more places for comfort, more places to display the merchandise, more places to keep the stock, more frontages to attract more walk-in customers. And this would also mean that I could be around to meet all my customers and offer my services to them rather than having to run around to all the three stores trying to supervise every little

How a Christian might apply their beliefs Essay Example for Free

How a Christian might apply their beliefs Essay In this, my second piece of coursework I will be looking at how a Christian might apply the beliefs that I just outlined in A01 and will refer to specific situations of conflict to illustrate this. A Christian could apply the beliefs I recently mentioned in A01 through all different means. The most recent event of late to do with war conflict is the Iraq war. Saddam Hussian we were told and could see was not a particularly pleasant man. I heard in papers and through television what he was doing to people and how he treated them. As Christians then in one point of view from the Sermon on the Mount we should forgive this man for his wrong doings and let him repent his own sins. This belief of forgiveness decelerates that should he recognise his wrongs and change his behaviour he could then be forgiven of his previous sins. Unfortunately Saddam was tolerant of the pain and suffering caused under his regime and unwilling to recognise a need to change his behaviour. However once captured Saddam was not subjected to the torture that he imposed but treated in a Christian and humane manner. Though as the passage states we should still maintain our Christian values and be forgiving, `to turn the other cheek`. An issue closer to home regarding conflict and Christianity is the fighting in Northern Ireland regarding the Catholics and Protestants. The two communities are constantly at war with one another over their faiths and in doing so are abandoning the core values of their religions. These two sets of people are following the `eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth`, way of dealing with their problems and issues, which has proven itself through twenty years of conflict to be ineffective and destructive. As again the passage from the Sermon on the Mount comes into effect and the two sides should realise that when a person of one side is killed they should not seek revenge and to kill, but to `live and let live`. Then this may result in an end to the violence and tragedies that are so often occurring. In the other effect towards Saddam Hussian issues we as Christians could most notice the quote of `An eye for and eye and a tooth for tooth`, from the Old Testament and do to Saddam the horrific things that we hear of him doing. Not many Christians, today I believe see this way of dealing with things. More to the point would not be really able as out generation of law and order would just not allow it. When people saw Saddam Hussian damaging an empire and country most I would have believed that they were angry and human instinct gets the better of belief. It is a natural feeling to become angry and upset with something or somebody. And this combining with believing that it is right to acknowledge the passage from the Old Testament results in terrible effects to peoples lives. Also this relates to the Wars going on around Northern Ireland. The two religions are constantly battling each other. We have seen the results of this situation and there is no justice to the trauma and deaths that are carried out.

Vehicle Anti-lock Braking Traction Control

Vehicle Anti-lock Braking Traction Control Understand vehicle anti-lock braking traction control and Integrated dynamic stability control systems.   Introduction I have learned that the anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are electronic systems that monitor and control wheel slip during vehicle braking, as well as the ABSs can improve vehicle control during braking, and reduce stopping distances on slippery road surfaces by limiting wheel slip and maintaining lockup. Also, the reducing wheel spin improves the vehicle stability and control during braking, since stability increases as wheel slip decreases. Assessment Criteria 2.1 It is correct to assume that due to the increased loads on steered wheels and wider tyres there is a large effort required at the steering wheel it makes the driver ability to control the car very tiring and difficult, especially when steering the vehicle at very low speeds like parking and reversing. There are improvements such as an increase in the mechanical efficiency of the steering system or lowering steering box ratios to help reduce the driver fatigue, however if the steering mechanism is not limited the increased number of turns made by the steering wheel to move it from lock to lock becomes disturbing. When the steering effort exceeds a safe maximum, a method must be found and power-assisted steering (PAS) seems to answer certain requirements: 1. It must be fail-safe, if the power system fails, the driver must still be able to retain effective control. 2. The degree of assistance must be proportional to the effort applied by the driver, and the driver must be able to continue to have the feel of the wheels. On light vehicles, hydraulic and electronic power the assistance is used to help the driver steer the vehicle. Hydraulically operated power-assisted systems run by a constant pressure or constant flow layout. The diagram below, shows the essential components required to operate a constant flow system with rack-and-pinion steering system. In addition to the normal steering components, the system requires: A pump, and A control valve. Hilliers (2012) Diagram 1 showing the PAS System (Power-Assisted Steering) in a hydraulic system: Hilliers (2012) The hydraulic pump shown has the reservoir for the hydraulic fluid as the contained component of the design. The reservoir supplies the hydraulic fluid to the power-steering control valve that is joined to the pinion shaft. When it is driven on a straight ahead position the valve is placed in a neutral position, allowing the fluid to go around continuously through the hydraulic circuit. The fluid pressure acting on the power cylinder is equal so no assistance is given to the steered wheels. When the steered wheels are turned through the action of the driver giving movement to the pinion shaft and control valve, then the torsion bar connected to the control valve to the pinion shaft will twist. The torsional movement of the control valve will direct fluid pressure from the pump through to one side of the power cylinder. When the fluid pressure is acted upon on the power cylinder it creates a force to the side of the cylinder providing the necessary assistance to the driver in turning the steered wheel, the control valve normally sits in the neutral position, thus providing equal pressure to both sides of the power cylinder and requiring no longer the assistance is required. Hilliers (2012) The hydraulic pump is an eccentric rotor or also named a vane-type driven by the vee belt from the engine crankshaft. Some of the hydraulic pumps are put in place onto the new cars that are electronic to improve on the performing of the engine by not drawing power from the belt via the crankshaft. The pump is supplied by hydraulic fluid from either an integral reservoir or a remote arrangement. The type of fluid used is usually an automatic transmission fluid (ATF) which has low viscosity. The pressure is created in the pump by the rotation of the vane or rotor, the fluid under pressure is sent to the spool control valve. The maximum pressure that the pump can produce is normally around 7MNm squared or 1,0001bf in squared. This is controlled by a pressure relief valve. The normal pressure is generally proportional to the engine speed because of the direct linkage with the power-steering pump. Any excess pressure released by the pressure relief valve is redirected back to the fluid reservoir. Nowadays in most modern production vehicles a far on power steering system will also include features such as a system to alter the power assistance depending on the road and engine speed. This is done by fitting a valve in the system allowing full force during low speed manoeuvring increasing the assistance for the driver. During high road speeds and engine speeds the valve will modulate the pressure through the hydraulic steering system limiting the amount of assistance and enabling the driver to feel the road and the steered wheels. Vehicle handling is very much improved and so is the stability of the car. The control valve, shows a kind of rotary motion type control valve which is regulated by a torsion bar which is positioned between the steering shaft and the pinion of the steering box. The valve is commonly called a rotary control valve which is a shaft with a series of flutes encased by a sleeve which has the same number of internal axial grooves. The ports situated around the outside of the sleeve and shaft pass the oil from the pump supply to the lines connected to the ram chambers. The operation principles of the PAS system provide the following control functions: Road speed sensitive power assistance Assisted steering return Both functions are the result of the motor voltage control by the ECU. The ECU determines the voltage supply to the motor based on the following data: The force applied to the steering wheel by the driver The vehicle speed The steering angle position and The speed of steering angle change The torque sensor measures the input force applied by the drive, when the driver turns the steering wheel the torsion bar between the two halves of the steering column will twist. The amount of twist is proportional to the force applied. Diagram 2, The Rotary-type control valve operation Hillers (2012) Assessment Criteria 2.2 The active suspension system is now being commonly used for riding comfort, running safety, they control the vertical movement of the wheels relative to the chassis or vehicle body with an on-board system, rather than in a passive suspension in which the movement is being determined completely by the road surface. Active suspension may be generally divided into two main classes, pure active suspension and adaptive semi-active suspension. Active suspensions only vary the shock absorber firmness to match changing road conditions, the active suspension use some type of actuator to raise and lower the chassis independently at each wheel. The technologies allow the manufacturers nowadays to achieve a greater ride of quality and car handling by keeping the tyres perpendicular to the road in corners allowing for better traction control. The on-board computer detects body movement from the sensors throughout the vehicle and using this data controls the action of the active and semi-active suspension. Active suspension eliminates body roll and pitch variation in most driving situations including cornering, accelerating, and braking. The active suspension also known as computerized ride control have components like a computer or two ECU, adjustable shocks and springs, a series of sensors at each wheel and right through the car and an actuator or servo at each shock and spring. The components may vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. The active suspension works by constantly sensing changes in the road surface and feeding that information, via the ECU to the outlying components. The components act upon the system to modify its character adjusting shock stiffness, spring rate and to improve ride performance drivability and responsiveness. Diagram 3, Active Suspension: Extremetech.com (2016) The principles of operation of an active suspension relies entirely on the computer (ECU) which detects body movement from the sensors located throughout the vehicle. The hydraulic pressure to the servo is supplied by a high pressure radial piston hydraulic pump. There are 13 sensors continually monitoring the body movement and vehicle level and supply the ABS controller with new data every ten milliseconds. Four level sensors one at each wheel measures the longitudinal and transverse body acceleration. At each hydraulic cylinder a pressure sensor monitors the hydraulic pressure. As the ABS controller receives and possesses data, it operates four hydraulic servos, each mounted in series on a spring strut, besides each wheel. Almost immediately the servo regulates the suspension which generates counter forces to body lean, dive and squat during several driving manoeuvres. There is a suspension strut which consists of a steel coil spring and a shock absorber connected in parallel. The Active Body Control system (ABC) also allows for self-levelling suspension which raises and lowers the vehicle in response to the ever-changing load. Every vehicle equipped with ABC has an ABC Sport button which allows the driver to adjust the suspension range for different driving style preferences. The feature allows the driver ton adjust the suspension to maintain a more level ride in a more demanding driving conditions. Motor-car.co.uk (2016) Assessment Criteria 2.3 The steering angle sensor (SAS) is a critical part of the ESC system that measures the steering wheel position angle and rate turn. A scan tool can be used to get the data in degrees. The SAS, which is located, in a sensor cluster in the steering column. The cluster always has more than one steering column. The ESC module must receive two signals to confirm the steering position. The signals are often out of phase with each other. The analog SASs are very much alike to the throttle position sensors, SASs are wired with a 5-volt reference, chassis ground and signal output and can be tested via a port under the steering column. When the steering wheel is turned, the SASs produces a signal that varies between 0 and 5 volts as the wheel is turned 360 degrees. It is possible to observe the 0 to 5-volt signal with meters connected to the SAS sensors. When the wheels are straight forward the sensors reads about 2.8v and 4v. If the readings are the same the two sensors could be shortened tog ether. Most vehicles produce a positive voltage turning right and a negative voltage turning left. A multi-meter could be used to test the voltage signal produced by the SAS sensors. Knowyourparts.com (2016) The self-levelling and ride control systems have fault diagnosis in most vehicles for they incorporate a self-diagnostic facility that will illuminate a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) if a fault is detected. If you suspect a fault with a self-levelling or ride control system a visual inspection is normally conducted for wear and tear. A scan tool is connected to the diagnostic connector and fault codes are retrieved. Diagram 4, examples of suspension system fault codes: Stoakes Graham (2012) Antilock braking systems (ABS) are electronic systems that monitor and control wheel slip during vehicle braking. ABSs may improve vehicle control during braking and reduce stopping distances on slippery road surfaces by limiting wheel slip and minimizing lockup. Reducing wheel slip improves vehicle stability and control during braking, for stability increases as wheel slip decreases. A simple braking system consists of a master cylinder and four wheel cylinders. When the brake pedal is pressed the piston in the master cylinder forces the liquid out of the cylinder. The liquid pressed the two pistons in the wheel-cylinders outwards. The two pistons push the brake shoes outwards. One major component of the anti-lock braking system includes the master cylinder, when the pedal is pressed the primary piston moves to the left, when it crosses the bypass port the liquid is forced along the pipe lines to the wheel cylinders. When the pedal is released the primary piston is moved backwards. Diagram 5, Inside the Master Cylinder: Auto.howstuffwirks.com (2016) The principles of the ABS system are the following: The skidding and loss of control is caused by the locking of the wheels. The release and reapply of the brakes pedal will avoid the locking of the   Ã‚   wheels which in turn avoids the skidding. This is exactly what an antilock braking system does. The pressure modulation works when the brake pedal is pumped or pulsed, the pressure is quickly applied and released at the wheels. This is called pressure modulation, which works to prevent the wheels from locking. The ABS system can modulate the pressure to the brake as often as 15 times per second. ABS precisely controls the slip rate of the wheels to ensure maximum grip force from the tyres and therefore ensures easy manoeuvre and stability for the driver of the vehicle. The slip rate during ABS operation varies, the target slip rate can be from 10 to 30%. 0% slip means the wheel is rolling freely, while 100% means the wheel is fully locked. A slip rate of 25% means the velocity of a wheel is 25% less than that of a freely rolling wheel at the same vehicle speed. Diagram 6, showing a Lateral and Longitudinal Mu-Slip Curve: Freerebublic.com (2016) Hydraulic components of the ABS system include an accumulator, which is used to store the hydraulic fluid to maintain high pressure in the brake system. The antilock hydraulic control valve assembly controls the release and application of the brake system pressure to the wheel brake assemblies. The booster pump is used to provide pressurized hydraulic fluid to the ABS (Antilock braking system). The booster/master cylinder assembly is needed to modulate hydraulic pressure in the wheel circuit during the ABS operations. The fluid accumulator temporarily stores the brake fluid that is removed from the wheel brake unit during the ABS cycle. A hydraulic control unit may have one pump and one motor or it may have one motor and two pumps. The main valve is made up of a two-position valve and is opened only in the ABS mode. A modulator unit controls the flow of pressurized brake fluid to the individual wheel circuits. The solenoid valves located in the modulator unit and are electrically operated by signals from the control module. Diagram 7, typical Toyota ABS control relay wiring diagram: Wiringdiagrams21.com (2016) The electrical/electronic components consist of the following: ABS control module, which monitors the system operation and controls    the antilock function when needed. Brake pedal sensor, is the function to switch on the brake lights to alert    other vehicles that the car is slowing down and is going to stop. The wheel speed sensor, are generally used for sensing the wheel   Ã‚   speed. There are three different types of anti-lock braking system, firstly the four channel, four sensor ABS, this is the best scheme, there are speed sensors on all four wheels and a separate valve for all four wheels. Secondly, the three channel, three sensor ABS, this scheme is commonly found on pick-up trucks with four wheels ABS, has a speed sensor and a valve for each of the front wheels, with one valve and one sensor for both rear wheels. Thirdly, the one channel, one sensor ABS, has one valve which controls both rear wheels and one speed sensor located in the rear axle. The features and benefits of ABS system include the following: Features   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Benefits Control of steering.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increase steering ability and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   vehicle stability during   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   braking Fail-safe electrical/ electronic  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If the electrical/electronic    System.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   system fails, the ABS is shut   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   off. Traction control.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is an optional feature that   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   controls excessive wheel   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   spin during acceleration. ABS malfunction indicator lamp.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It informs the driver or   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   technician that there is ABS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   fault. Diagram 8, the Operation under different conditions:   Slideshare.net (2016) The design goals of the ABS system are to: Attain minimum stopping distance Maintain stability and steering ease The design solution includes the following: To develop a system that rapidly modulates the braking force under hard braking conditions to: Maintain the ideal tyre slip percentage to maximise braking force (=15%), recalling that Fbrake = Ubn. To permit the vehicle to be steered with stability maintained by preventing skidding. The automatic traction control system applies to the brakes when a drive wheel attempts to spin and lose traction. The system works best when one drive wheel is working on a good traction surface and the other is not. The system also works well when the vehicle is accelerating on slippery road surfaces especially when climbing hills. Diagram 9, A block diagram of traction: Sine.ni.com (2016) The benefits of traction control are avoiding are: It improves driver safety Less sudden twists and turns Fewer slippage of the wheels Fewer stopping distances Mostly integrated with powerful cars Better gripping of the car. The traction TCS control system is used to prevent wheel spin and loss of traction. These sorts of systems help to prevent the tyres from breaking loose during sudden acceleration on slick surfaces. They are usually an add on to the ESC electronic stability control system to control and restore traction on the slippery roads. The TCS and ABS systems share the same wheel speed sensors. The TCM program requires two additional solenoids in the hydraulic modulator assembly. The solenoids isolate the brake circuits to the drive wheels from the non-drive wheels during wheel spin. An electric pump and an accumulator are used to apply the wheel brake on the wheel that has lost its traction. The systems use an actuator to reduce power at speeds above 30 mph. This is done by closing the throttle on the vehicle with electronic throttle controls retarding the timing and decreasing fuel injector pulse width. If the ABS and traction control light illuminates continuously then the system should be scanned for codes. Most of these systems have a deactivation switch if the traction control is not required. Freeasestudyguides.com (2016) Assessment Criteria 2.3 The service and repair procedures from Land Rover Service Manual: 1. Clean the ABS sensor, smear the sensor with an anti-seize grease and   Ã‚  Ã‚   fit the sensor to the hub. 2. Fit the Allen screw securing ABS sensor and tighten to 8 Nm (6 1b.ft)   Ã‚  Ã‚   tighten to 8 Nm (6 1b.ft). 3. Secure the sensor lead to the suspension arm and suspension turret,   Ã‚  Ã‚   then connect and secure to the multi-plug. Close the cover on the   Ã‚  Ã‚   multi-plug housing. 4. Locate the wheel arch liner and secure with screws. Service and Repair: 1. Release catch and disconnect the ABS modulator multi-plug. 2. Disconnect the multi-plug from the sensor. 3. Position the cloth under modulator to absorb the fluid spillage. CAUTION: Brake fluid will damage paint finished surfaces. If spilled, immediately remove fluid and clean area with water. Ensure that the water does not enter modulator ports. 4. Noting their fitted positions, disconnect 6 brake pipe unions from the   Ã‚  Ã‚   Modulator. 5. Remove belt securing ABS modulator to mounting brake. 6. Release and remove the ABS modulator from mounting brackets to   Ã‚  Ã‚   Modulator and remove bracket. Assessment Criteria 2.4 The stability control system momentarily applies the brakes at any one wheel to correct over steer or under steer. The control unit receives signals from the typical sensors plus a yaw, lateral acceleration (G-force) and steering angle sensor. The vehicle stability control system (VSC) were created to help reduce the amount of wheel slip during acceleration and in harsh driving conditions. The way stability control system works is by having a connection between the live sensors and the anti-lock brake unit. It works by the sensors getting information and processing it through the ECU and sending it to the anti-lock brake system ABS unit. By applying hydraulic pressure through the anti-lock brake-system it may alter the traction of the wheels individually. The advantages of an integrated stability control system are: It allows the driver to maintain directional stability and control over   Ã‚   steering during braking. It is safe and effective. This automatically changes the brake fluid pressure at each wheel to   Ã‚   maintain optimum brake performance. The ABS absorbs the unwanted turbulence shock waves and modulates   Ã‚   the pulses thus permitting the wheel to continue turning under maximum   Ã‚   braking pressure. The disadvantages are: It is very costly The service and repair diagnosis is not simple Maintenance cost of a car equipped with ABS is more. Conclusion Statistics show that approximately 40% of automobile accidents are due to skidding. The problems commonly occur on vehicle with conventional brake systems which can be avoided by adding devices called ABS. If there is an ABS failure, the system will revert to normal brake operation. Normally, the ABS warning light will turn on and let the driver know there is a fault. Reference Extremetech.com (2016) Boses amazing active suspension uses speaker technology [online] Available at: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/97177-bose-active-supension-moves-toward-market/2 [Accessed: 15th March 2016] Freeasestudyguides.com (2016) TCS Traction Control System [online] Available at: http://www.freeasestudyguides.com/tcs-traction-control-systems.html [Accessed: 15th March 2016] Hilliers (2012) Fundamentals of Motor Vehicle Technology, 6th ed. Cheltenham: London Motor-car.co.uk (2016) Mercedes-Benz Car Active Body Control (ABC) [online] Available at: http://www.motor-car.co.uk/susoension-types/item/14575-car-active-body-control [Accessed: 15th March 2016] Stoakes, Graham (2012) Principles of Light Vehicle Technology, 1st ed. Heinemann: Essex