Free Essays on Autoparts Sales & Inventory Management Data Model

Abstract / Introduction: The selling of automotive aftermarket replacement parts is both a retail enterprise selling to consumers and a wholesale operation selling parts to repair shops and other resellers. In consideration of the diverse customer base, this data model will be developed so that sales of auto parts either retail or wholesale can be recorded and tracked electronically. In addition, stock inventory levels will be monitored electronically with this model and an automated stock replenishment mechanism implemented. Due to time constraints this model will be a stripped down version only pertaining to the sales and inventory functions. The current design does allow for further development and the addition of other components. Since the heart of an auto parts store is in its inventory of parts we will begin with an explanation of how the inventory is managed. By the use of the MinQuantity field in the Inventory table the system will be able to indicate a low stock level once the quantity in stock is equal to or less than the minimum quantity specified by the MinQuantity attribute. At this point a View for Inventory can be generated to display inventory items whose quantity levels are below their specified minimum. This Reorder_View can be used by the system to generate purchase orders to vendors whose contact data and address are stored in the table named ‘Vendor’. Just as the Inventory table contains all the attributes for any given part the Vendor tabled does the same for all vendors. To complete the description of the model that will be created we will now discuss the sales tracking process. Once a sale is made, a record of that sale is recorded in the Daily_Sales table. A transaction number to be associated with this sale will be generated then used as part of the identifier for this sale. The store number and part number are also part of this unique identifier. From this record a sales invoice/r... Free Essays on Autoparts Sales & Inventory Management Data Model Free Essays on Autoparts Sales & Inventory Management Data Model Abstract / Introduction: The selling of automotive aftermarket replacement parts is both a retail enterprise selling to consumers and a wholesale operation selling parts to repair shops and other resellers. In consideration of the diverse customer base, this data model will be developed so that sales of auto parts either retail or wholesale can be recorded and tracked electronically. In addition, stock inventory levels will be monitored electronically with this model and an automated stock replenishment mechanism implemented. Due to time constraints this model will be a stripped down version only pertaining to the sales and inventory functions. The current design does allow for further development and the addition of other components. Since the heart of an auto parts store is in its inventory of parts we will begin with an explanation of how the inventory is managed. By the use of the MinQuantity field in the Inventory table the system will be able to indicate a low stock level once the quantity in stock is equal to or less than the minimum quantity specified by the MinQuantity attribute. At this point a View for Inventory can be generated to display inventory items whose quantity levels are below their specified minimum. This Reorder_View can be used by the system to generate purchase orders to vendors whose contact data and address are stored in the table named ‘Vendor’. Just as the Inventory table contains all the attributes for any given part the Vendor tabled does the same for all vendors. To complete the description of the model that will be created we will now discuss the sales tracking process. Once a sale is made, a record of that sale is recorded in the Daily_Sales table. A transaction number to be associated with this sale will be generated then used as part of the identifier for this sale. The store number and part number are also part of this unique identifier. From this record a sales invoice/r...

How to Quit Your Job Professionally

How to Quit Your Job Professionally You’ve made plenty of mistakes; we all have. If you think about your entire career, the list can get pretty long. But there’s always the threat of making bigger mistakes, especially the kind you make by playing it just a little bit too safe. Are you feeling stuck in your job? Unsatisfied? Like the career you’ve always dreamed of keeps slipping further and further away? Convincing yourself to stay because it’s the path of least resistance can be the final nail in the coffin of your fulfillment.If you’re brave enough to take the leap and have decided to quit your job, remember these three things:Stretch OutIf you’re ready to make big, scary changes, you’re ready to be more flexible. In fact, you might have to be. Open yourself up to new positions and industries outside your comfort zone. Take a chance on yourself in the interests of your future.Pay it ForwardIf there’s something you don’t know how to do, something that†™s holding you back, take steps. Invest in yourself and in new skills that can take your career to the next level. A little passion and personal development now can pay off in the long run.Keep ConnectedYour current and past coworkers are the bottom of the pyramid. Maintain your relationships, build lasting connections, and never miss an opportunity to grow your network. You’ll never know when you will need it. The better you engage with your colleagues now, the better you’ll be equipped to engage with the people you meet in your next position.The bottom line is this: start behaving as though you already have your dream career, and it’ll be that much easier to step into it when you do find it.

Pros of Gay Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pros of Gay Marriage - Essay Example Being gay should not be a basis of discrimination, stigmatization or even denial of human rights of a person. Character of a person determines who he or she is and not his or her sexual orientation. Different arguments have been put forth by opponents of gay or same sex marriages in different parts of the world. Religion is the most used argument by opponents of gay marriages. According to beliefs ascribed by different religions, gay marriage amounts to immorality and sin to the deity. In this light, homosexuality is sin and morally wrong hence requires to be illegalized (Chauncey). Another argument put forward by opponents of gay marriages is that, marriage is supposed to lead to procreation so as to ensure continuity of life and family, however if same sex marriages were to be legalized, this would lead to a decrease in the number of children being born in the world. Traditionally, marriage has been defined as the union between a man and a woman. Inclusion or legalization of gay ma rriages would require a re-definition of marriage to include same sex marriages. The same would also be expected or included in the school curriculum forcing teachers to teach homosexuality in schools. This may lead to confusion concerning gender identity especially in young people (Sprigg). However, when viewed from other perspectives, gay marriage appears to be a natural part of human evolution.

Analytically writing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analytically writing - Assignment Example t accepted cause behind this abrupt political change in the Arab Region is often considered as the peoples’ dissatisfaction, social media had played a crucial role in these uprisings in the Arab countries. Referring to the enormous role of internet and other social medias, Clay Shirky comments that â€Å"Social media have become coordinating tools for nearly all of the world’s political movements† (30). This assumption has been reflected thoroughly in the case of ‘Arab Spring’. In fact, the ‘Arab Spring’ was not any single event; rather it had been the climax of peoples’ discontent against the authoritarian and oppressive governments, which were mostly regimes in nature. Though peoples’ discontent with their political system reaches the climax during the 2010s, this discontent was fuming up through the preceding decades. Social media as well as other social communication networks help these people to take the manifestation of their dissatisfactions to the climax through an organized and unified effort. Social Medias like facebook, youtube, tumblr, twitter, etc helped those people to communicate, share and arrange the movements successfully. It is assumed that if peoples’ discontent had not ripened the background of the movement along the preceding decades, Social Medias themselves could not have staged the revolution. In this sense, social medias can be considered as sociopolitical tools which empower the mass with the awareness of the role of their political authorities in the betterment of public life. The assumption that ‘social medias’ are tools of peoples’ sociopolitical awareness is supported by Clay Shirky. In his article, referring to the ouster of Estrada Government through a violent public protest, Shirky claims that the â€Å"potential of social media lies mainly in their support of civil society and the public sphere –change measured in years and decades rather weeks and months† (30). It is assumed that social medias have played

Monopoly versus perfect markets Essay Example for Free

Monopoly versus perfect markets Essay This paper investigates the two extremes of market structures. A monopoly firm, and a firm which operates in a perfectly competitive market. We will compare features, similarities, differences, advantages and disadvantages. The monopoly firm I have chosen is Thames Water. This company is an accurate example, as it’s the sole supplier of the industry. The firm, is the industry. Thames Water supply water through peoples taps in and around London. Fyffe is my chosen firm in a perfectly competitive market. I think this is a good example. It sells bananas to supermarkets and food suppliers, who resell on to customers. The next two paragraphs explain the features of perfect competition, then a monopoly. â€Å"The theory of perfect competition illustrates an extreme form of capitalism. † (Sloman, 2007:113) There are many suppliers, who all only supply and produce a small fraction of the total output, of the whole industry. None of the firms have any power over the market. (Mankiw, 2001) Barriers to entry do not exist. Therefore firms can enter and leave the market freely. Apart from the money and time it takes to set up the business, there are no other obstacles. Both producers and consumers have perfect knowledge of the market. Therefore they both know prices which should be paid, quality which should be met, availability of the product. Market opportunities for expansion, and entry opportunities in the industry as a whole. The price Fyffe must charge for their bananas will depend upon the demand and supply of the whole market, not just Fyffe personal demand. Hence they have no power over prices. They must follow the market forces. (Sloman, 2007)Established firms in the banana industry have no advantage over firms who have newly entered the market. (Parkin, Powell, Matthews)â€Å"This means they can sell all the products they can produce at the market price, but none at a price which is higher. † (Sloman, 2007:114) If Fyffe raise their selling price above p1, their demand will drop to 0, because if Fyffe raise the price of their bananas, consumers will just buy from another firm selling at the current market price. Illustrated in diagram 2. (Beardshaw, 2001) All firms operating in the banana industry sell a homogenous product, all the firms in the industry sell an identical banana. The theory states there is not a great need for advertising or branding. (McConnell, 2008) I would agree with this statement in the context of bananas. Advertising is not needed as people will not look for a specific brand of banana. They all taste the same. However I think a firm in a market selling shampoos and conditioners would need a certain amount of branding and advertising so people choose their product and gain customer loyalty. In the shampoo industry products are not as homogenous. A pure monopoly owns 100% of the industry. Thames water have a great deal of power, and are price makers, thus they set the price to how much they want to charge. If the consumer cannot, or doesn’t want to pay the price, they have to go without the tap water. In the short run both perfect competition and monopolies can make economic profits, losses and supernormal profits. Only monopolies can manage to sustain super normal profits in the long run. â€Å"Persistant economic profits are called monopoly profits. † (Dobson, 2005:99) Monopolies can sustain supernormal profits and remain safe and unaffected by competition due to barriers to entry. Supply to the industry does not increase with new entrants. (Hunt, 1990). There are many types of barriers to entry. Thames water is known as a natural monopoly, meaning there are barriers to entry due to large economies of scale. (Sloman, 2007) Capital equipment is so expensive and large scale that only one sole supplier could manage to make a profit in the water industry. However Thames Water incurred low marginal costs once they are set up. â€Å"If average cost falls as output increases over the entire range of market demand its a natural monopoly. † (Dobson, 2006:100) â€Å"Each would have a very high average cost at a low output. † (Begg, 2005:134) Correspondingly Thames Water gain barriers to entry through lower costs. This is an artificial barrier. The firm is experienced in their field. Has good knowledge of their market, and will be able to gain the best rates of interest on finance, the best suppliers at the lowest costs, and lean methods of production. Other firms would struggle to compete. If a firm decided to set up and compete with Thames Water, and failed by going out of business there would be huge sunk costs. This occurs when high amounts are spent on capital expenditure, which cannot be used on another business venture. (Sloman, 2007) This is an example of exit costs. It would be a huge loss to the firm, and would discourage firms from entering the market. Thames water also have patents copywrite and licensing. The next two paragraphs explain the effect on demand for perfect competition, then a monopoly. For Fyffe the price charged for the bananas is equal to marginal revenue. Average revenue and demand are also equal to price. If average cost dips below average revenue the firm will earn supernormal profits. If demand is above where marginal costs and marginal revenue meet the firms will be making normal profit. See diagram 2. Normal profits cover opportunity costs of the owners money and time. If Fyffe set output below equilibrium marginal cost would exceed marginal revenue and profit would be lowered. If Fyffe raised output above equilibrium marginal costs would exceed marginal revenue and profits would also be lowered. See graph 1. (Dobson, 2005:99) The demand curve is elastic for the banana industry, but not perfectly elastic. Hence why it slopes downwards in diagram 1. If there is a rise in price for bananas, consumers will spend less on the product, and Fyffe will entail a fall in revenue. In contrast if the price of bananas drop, consumers will buy more of the product, and providing the firm is covering their costs they will receive an increase in revenue, because bananas can be relatively easily substituted by another cheaper fruit. Furthermore bananas will sell for a cheaper price when they are in season, due to a larger supply to the market in this period. Fyffe is perfectly elastic which is why their demand curve is horizontal. See graph 2. The firms prices are not affected by their output and their decisions do not affect the industry. (Ison, 2007) Firms must produce at equilibrium to maximise profits, which is where the market supply, meets the market demand, as illustrated in diagram 1. Short run â€Å"assumes the number of firms in the industry does not increase, as there is not enough time. † (Sloman 2007:114) When a firm produces quantity and price, where marginal costs, and average costs meet they are breaking even. See diagram 2. (Begg, 2005) Consumers are charged a price which is equal to what it costs the firm to produce the extra unit. See diagram 2. If the demand curve for bananas increases short term, the demand curve will shift to the right. See diagram 3. This results in a higher equilibrium and a higher selling price. As selling price has increased farmers will raise their output by increasing their variable costs such as labour and materials. This will result in a larger profit and profits are maximised. As illustrated in diagram 4. In contrast if the demand for bananas was to decrease, this would cause a shift to the left in the demand curve. See diagram 5. This results in a lower equilibrium for the industry, and a fall in the selling price. Consequently all firms in the industry including Fyffe would reduce output, by decreasing variable factors and the firm would suffer economic losses. As illustrated in diagram 6. (Dobson, 2005) If Fyffe or Thames Water are not covering their average total costs in the short run, they should carry on trading, but if they are not covering their short run average variable costs, it would be cheaper to temporarily close down. The theory is known as the short run supply decision. (Ison, 2007) In the long run any firm should close down if it is not covering its total average costs as it is loss making. Called the long run supply decision. (Begg, 2003) When demand increases and selling prices rise in the long term, existing firms are making supernormal profits. Several new firms will enter the market. The supply curve will shift to the right, and supply will increase, which will lower market price. As more new industries join firms reduce their output until they are making a normal profit again. Output of the whole industry will be larger now that more firms are in the market, and there is no incentive for firms to enter, or leave the market as breakeven profits are being made. Referred to as the entry or exit price. When there is a decrease in demand, prices will fall, and firms will reduce output to minimise losses. Eventually due to losses some firms will leave the market which lessens supply and the supply curve will shift to the left. This raises prices due to restricted output, and farmers will start to make normal profits again. So there are less firms and less output in the industry. (Dobson, 2005) In the long run there are no fixed costs in any industry, as firms can change their plant size or machinery. Resulting in a long run supply curve which is flatter than the short run. (Begg, 2003) If all firms operating in the industry restricted supply together increasing demand and prices, new firms would enter the market which would increase supply and lower prices. (Begg, 2005) Thames water are price inelastic, and have a low income elasticity of demand, because there are no close substitutes for their product, and water is a essential item. However they are not perfectly inelastic, as a rise in price will still amount to a small drop in quantity demanded. This means Thames water’s revenue will increase with a rise in price, and decrease with a fall in price. A profit maximising level of output is where marginal revenue is equal to marginal cost but rising up to the demand curve to obtain price. See diagram 9 (Sloman, 2007) The demand curve in diagram 9 represents the value of Thames water to customers, and the marginal curve shows the costs Thames water must pay. The marginal revenue curve must lie below the downward sloping demand curve as marginal revenue is less than price. The further the distance between the demand curve on the right hand side and the marginal revenue on the left the more inelastic the demand, see diagram 9. (Dobson, 2005) ) A firm cannot produce to the right of marginal revenue as this part of the diagram is inelastic. In order for the monopolist to sell a larger amount, the price must be lowered on all previous units, so to prevent this the monopolist may restrict output to keep a larger revenue. Creating scarcity and raising the equilibrium price. (Begg, 2005) â€Å"The excess of price over marginal costs shows the monopolies power† (Dobson, 2005:102) The power to raise prices by selling a smaller amount of output. Diagrams 8, 9, and 10 show long run economic profits, normal profits and losses. Thames water will then check weather the profit maximising level of output covers their total costs in the long run and variable costs in the short run. (Begg, 2003) Thames water is not a contestable market due to the fact it’s a natural monopoly, and has very high barriers to entry. This means they can charge high prices and make supernormal profits, without the threat of competition and new entrants. (Sloman, 2007) Thames water may want to behave ethically when setting prices. If they choose too high a price which people cannot afford this could lead to poverty, but if they charge too low a price this could lead to a wastage of water. Monopolies often use price discrimination when setting prices. Although Thames water do not. Perfect competition cannot use this method. Particular consumers are charged a higher price for an identical service so the monopoly can earn higher profits. (Ison, 2007) Revenue is not lost from previously sold units when price is reduced. More output can be sold ands firms can catch some of their consumer surpluses. See diagram 12. â€Å"Surpluses are the difference between actual price paid and what consumers will have been willing to pay. † â€Å"So the business is treating the demand curve as the marginal revenue curve† (Ison, 2007:138) Only works when consumers cannot buy the product for a cheaper price and sell on to others. (Begg, 2005) A firm operating in perfect competition will achieve allocative efficiency. This exists when price is equal to marginal costs. â€Å" Society is better off when resources are allocated to maximise the total surplus in the market. † (Dobson, 2005:91) Productive efficiency will also be achieved, meaning Fyffe will produce and sell their output for the lowest price they can in the long run giving consumers the best possible value for money. â€Å"Price equals minimum average total cost. † (Dobson, 2005:92) This is good for consumers and society as consumers get the best possible value for money. (Sloman, 2007) Perfectly competitive markets are critised for having a lack of variety, unable to fully satisfy consumers wants and needs. Furthermore the long term entry and exit of firms can be a waste of certain resources such as empty buildings. This is called competitive forces in action. (Dobson, 2005) Monopoly’s are in a position to give us a lower price if they decide to, due to economies of scale. The marginal cost curve is lower than the supply curve in their graph which means the firm can supply more output at a lower production cost. Supernormal profits can fund research and development which will improve the quality of the product. Therefore the monopoly can innovate and introduce new products. (Ison, 2007) However some firms may not do this as they do not need to fight to stay in the industry, with no competition around. (Mankiw, 2001) Joseph Schumpeter said in theory monopolies have more ability and incentive to innovate which can make them better for society. If you imagine a whole industry was taken over by a monopolist, they could eliminate competition and charge very high prices, by reducing output level to which raises price. Supernormal profits represent a redistribution of income from consumer to producer which can be critised on equity grounds† (Ison, 2007:137) Monopoly firms have been known to â€Å"engage in dirty tricks to protect themselves from competition. † They do not produce an output which minimises average costs. Making them productively efficient. â€Å"Perfect competition is rare due to larger companies expanding, gaining economies of scale and market power. Resulting in other firms being forced of the business. So if economies of scale did not exist any industry could have perfect competition. † (Dobson, 2006:94) Monopolies are also rare, and both are extremes of market structures. Most firms lie somewhere between the two. I think the two firms I picked are a fair comparism. They are both from a mixed economy. Thames water will have regulating agencies monitoring them. There are only 3 legal monopolies in Britain Thames Water included. In the past there was a significant amount of monopolies which were government owned. When Margaret Thatcher came into power she privitised these firms as she believed competition would lead to greater efficiency and lower prices which would benefit society as a whole. I agree with her decision and I think after researching, perfect competition appears to be the better option for consumers. Monopolys benefit society in certain situations such as retained profits ploughed back into research and development for medical reasons, and natural monopolies who could not survive in a perfectly competitive industry. Monoplies and perfect competition are becoming more rare as time goes on and who knows what will happen in the future.

Educational Goals and Philosophy :: Teaching Teachers Education Learning Essays

Philosophy of Education It has taken me many years to decide on what profession that I want to pursue. I enlisted for four years in the Air Force and enjoyed this very much, but the time away from my family was too much. After getting out of the Air Force, I decided I wanted to go into the financial arena and started selling insurance for New York Life Insurance Company. I did not have the personality to sell life insurance for this involved being really pushy. Later I found what I thought was the perfect job, assistant manager at a credit union. I still was not happy. While all these career changes were going on, I was coaching a club soccer team consisting of high school boys. This gave me the vision of what I really wanted to do, become a teacher. The biggest reason why I want to become a teacher is that a teacher has the ability to influence and shape the future Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, or just the average Joe down the street. We all can remember that one teacher who shaped or changed our lives as we progressed through our schooling and what better way to honor them than by trying the accomplish the same things they did for us. This is a very powerful ability to possess and while your influential you must not let your prejudices interfere with the rounding of the student. What important qualities will I need to possess to be an effective high school teacher? I will need to have patience as I already see how important this is with my own daughter. Intelligence is important in your area of expertise because students will be able to tell if you know what you are teaching. Honesty with students because this will build trust among the students and yourself. Sharing life experiences with your students is important because this also builds trust among yourself and the students. Being well organized is another quality that must possess and at this time I need work in this area. Caring is an important quality because sometimes we forget that our students are human and has ideas and opinions of their own. Being fun and interesting builds wonderful memories and helps the students learn. My goals as a teacher include the things above, but also many more. First and foremost I want to receive my master’s degree, but while doing this I also want to be teaching in a high school.

Mensa Strategy Essay

A five-year strategic plan Mensa has been engaged with the various businesses, which include; packaging, forest products, energy and financial services businesses. There is a lot of change on multiple levels of the company which is necessary for Mensa to achieve profitability. This strategic plan will provide the correct direction to the business to achieve this goal. Mensa will need to implement a variety of different techniques in order to become a successful growing business. Without the changes outlined in this strategic plan, the company faces significant financial distress. Mensa’s Financial Services Business This business provides insurance, mortgage loan, real state financial services and consultancy services to its customers. It was not a huge business but the management had done a good job with cash flow and profitability for the size of the business. They had proven their know how by selecting target markets and avoiding any serious head-to-head competition with competitors, this helped in creating a bright outlook for this section of Mensa’s business. Therefore, it will be better for the firm to expand this business. I recommend increasing the size of the operation. In order to be able to increase the sales and returns within this sector, there needs to be capital investment. I agree with the outlook, the firm should invest $250,000,000 initially and could increase it to $300,000,000 in the following 5-7 years, with a decrease to $100,000,000 a year at that time. This will generate $200 million to $300 million for the business, at the end of the investment period. Although this will be a lot of upfront investment, the huge increase in profitability will be worth the money spent. Increasing the size of this sector of the business is a good move for the company, which will provide them with a significant amount of returns. Mensa’s Energy Business Mensa energy division deals with the exploration, development and production of the oil and gas. Acquisition of EasyGas Energy was beneficial to the firm, as it was the sole supplier of natural gas to Florida. This business has strong position in some segments; the demand for oil and gas would be increased by next years, annual prices for oil and gas will also increase.  The consultant felt that demand and supply picture is increasing and would be favorable for those firms that had developed the business earlier. However, according to the consultant, it would not be favorable to invest more in exploration and production, so Mensa should expand this business through intensification strategy. As the production would peak from 2002 to 2010, they advised that their existing reserves and the land they own would only increase in value over time, even though Mensa could never grow to be competitive within this industry due to the size of their existing competitors. The Florida pipeline in this sector is a significant tool for improvement in profits, as the cash flow for this business was estimated to increase $100million to $300million in year 5. For exploration and production division, if divestment strategy is followed then the division could be sold for $1,560,000,000 at present and it will be increased up to $2,000,000,000 within 5 to 6 years. The profits would be increased by 8-10%, with a focus on building supplies of both oil and gas. Mensa’s packaging business Mensa’s packaging business had three major markets; Food and Beverage, Specialty Packaging, and International. This sector was economically sensitive, as it was difficult to build any competitive advantage. This packaging business would be very expensive as customers’ required new technologies that led to higher charges while customers create serious pressure to reduce prices, and Mensa’s technology was already outdated. The consultant also felt that profitability would decline over the next several years in the packaging division, and would be negative $100,000,000 in year 6 and declining by 20% each year thereafter. With this being said, it is better to shut down this business. It would bring about $1,200,000,000 which is approximately 70% of book value. In this business, the potential for improvement was very low, due to the high customer demands and the fact that there wasn’t much the Mensa could do to gain a competitive advantage. Given that this is t he case, it is in Mensa’s best interest to sell off the packaging portion of its company to save itself from future negative cash flows. Mensa’s forest product division The forest product division of the Mensa has suffered poor preventive  maintenance practices and inadequate training of the employees; this had a negative impact on production. The forest production division contains two plants, the paperboard and the timber plant. In the paperboard division, Mensa’s competitors were building new plants that would produce higher quality products at a lower cost. This caused to decline in profitability and along with return on investment. The cash flows for this sector would go negative for next six years. Consultants felt that the range for negative cash flows would be $100,000,000 to $125,000,000. They also valued the company at $600,000,000 if it were to be sold today. In the timber plant, there was low level of price fluctuations due to the nine holdings which Mensa owned. This is a valuable asset for them. Although the business had competitors in a large number and faced tough competition, there were chances to increase profits. The value of assets would increase by 20% over the next six years and then by 60% in the following ten years. As the firm has a good amount of holdings within this sector, which helps them resist large fluctuations in costs, it would be a good business move for them to remain within this sector at least as a timber holder. In order to continue to be successful at either plant, Mensa would need to increase employee training and maintenance standards, to reduce the negative impact on production. Recommendations I recommend that Mensa utilizes a variety of strategies to help increase profitability. First of all, they need to expand their financial services division as this will generate large amounts of profits. This profitability created, will be used to invest in other divisions within Mensa. The energy sector of the company, will expand the Florida pipeline as this is a low investment dollar figure for the company, and has huge returns that will continue to increase over time as gas prices increase. This sector should also stop investment in exploration and production as it will create large negative cash flows for approximately the first nine years. The packaging business is possibly the most detrimental division at Mensa. It has faced multiple problems and has negative cash flows, with this being said it is in Mensa’s best interest to dissolve this portion of the company. Forest product business includes different products and there is a need to apply stability strategy so to improve functional performance. There is a lot of  training that needs to be conducted within this sector to increase production and therefore profitability.

Health and Safety Requirements and Hydrogen

Hydrogen production by methane-steam formation posses great challenges of hundreds of hazards related to its employees, as well, as machineries. The paper will try to identify and analyze different hazards and risks that are associated with the production of hydrogen element through methane steam formation. Moreover, the paper will present implications and measures for the safety of the machineries, as well as, employees working in these production facilities. In the methane storage, it has been observed that the storage tank often breaks up and cracks can be observed in the tank, which may expose methane steam resulting in the environmental risk. In this regard, an effective step that can overcome this problem is the designing of drainage systems can tolerate total capacity of the tank, which may reduce the leftover in the environment. Sometimes, storage tank of the methane catches up fire, which is a very dangerous hazard for the employees that are working in the surrounding environment, as well as, for the machineries and equipments that are built at the location. In this regard, designing of the tank should be created in such a way that fire exposure may be tolerated for at least two hours, which may allow the rescue and fire brigade services to overcome the fire problem. (NRC, pp. 40-42, 2003) Secondly, such production facilities should be employed with flame arrestor that may help in identifying flame at the beginning. Moreover, storage tanks must have double walls, which may result in avoidance of their cracking, as well as, avoid the risks of any fire in the tank. Thirdly, MSR Unit during the production of hydrogen with the help of methane steam forming confronts leakage of methane or water that reacts with the hot oil system built in the vaporizer. In the result, materials and equipments are damaged with the confrontation of methane with the hot oil, which may result in heavy losses of the equipments, and burning risks for the employees. In this regard, quantity of the water, as well as, methane should be checked at regular intervals. In addition, quality of these compounds should also be verified by the experts that may help in the reduction of such risk during the production of hydrogen. Lastly, atmosphere confronts leakage of different gases like H2, CO, CO2, etc. during the production of hydrogen, which may result in the exposure of toxicity with the employees and workers in the installation facilities. Some of the major hazards of these gases leakage are fire, burning, environmental hazards, health risks, etc. In this regard, the abovementioned is one of the most dangerous hazards that are linked with the production of hydrogen. In extreme cases, such leakages end up in explosions that may cause human lives. Such extreme cases have been noted in the plants that are built under a container. Therefore, it should be noted that segmentation valve should be built in isolation, and away from the other processes of the hydrogen production. Different equipments should be built for the detection of gases leakage, especially the CO leakage that plays the major role in the adverse effects. Furthermore, depressurization process should be performed at a faster pace, which may take less time, and result in the less risks. (ICE, pp. 23-25, 2006) During the hydrogen production by the reformation of methane, it has been observed that reformers are often exposed with ruptures due to the development of a hotspot in the tubes of reformers. One of the major reasons of development of a hotspot is the catalyst of reformer that is deactivated due to the poisoning by methane element. Such ruptures and breakages result in the damages of equipments, materials, and the environment. Such breakage is often observed in the production unit of such procedure. After the detailed analysis of safety requirements in such process, it has been observed that supplier of the methane should be provided with complete requirements of the compound in terms of its quality. Secondly, upstream reformer should be pre-reformed in this production unit, which may result in the reduction of chances of development of any hotspots in the reformers. (Johansson, pp. 56-58, 1993) Another risk that has been associated with the production of hydrogen with the methane steam formation is the leakage of flammable gases that causes human lives, as well as, damages of the equipments in the facilities. Such hazards become extreme when the plant is manufactured in the container, which results in the more adverse effects. In this regard, safety-related bodies have advised that equipments for the detection of gas leakages should be installed at the production plant. Such equipments help in the opening of ventilations during emergencies, as well as, close the segmentation valves automatically. Thus, these detection products play a crucial role in saving human lives and damage losses of the machineries. Secondly, it should be noted that segmentation valves are built outside the container, in order to acquire ventilation naturally, as it has been observed that the valves built inside the container are more vulnerable to the abovementioned hazards. Fletcher, pp. 68-70, 1998) Moreover, installation area should be cordoned off at the time of unloading of the methane from the truck, and only required personnel should stay at the location, which may result in the risk of less number of human lives. Furthermore, external impact can be avoided by the accurate designing of filling hose, which may result in the ad verse results. In addition, it should be taken into consideration that rupture valves should be checked on a regular basis. It should be noted that a warning system in case of any exposure should be evaluated by the production facilities at regular intervals. All these steps and measures can result in the reduction and elimination of hazards and risks that are associated with the production of hydrogen with the utilization of methane compound. During the production of hydrogen with the utilization of methane steam formation, the experiments have shown that when the storage tank is filled with methane, toxic heavy gas is exposed in the surroundings due to leak in the filling hose of methane compound. This leakage does not occur every time, but it poses great hazards for the employees working in this processing unit. It has been observed that employees working around these installations often end up in adverse health, and awful death in extreme cases. In this regard, some of the measures that can be taken for avoiding this hazard during the compound filling from the truck are that pressurized methane compound should be avoided at the time of its transportation, and refrigerated liquefied compound should be used that may poses less risk of any toxic exposure in the surroundings. (Vincoli, pp. 44-47, 1997) Sometimes, faults of valves or humans effects the ruptures in the pipe due to the pressure explosion during the production. Such effects results in the damages of equipments, as well as, workers that are employed in the surroundings. In this regard, appropriate material should be selected for the manufacturing of production plant, which may reduce the risks. Secondly, designing of the steam and cooler should be improved with the help of detailed analysis. Moreover, requirements of control system should be provided to the suppliers in details according to the regulations that may help in the effective production of hydrogen with fewer chances of hazardous risks. (OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, pp. 55-57, 2001) Conclusion Conclusively, significant hazards and risks associated with the production of hydrogen by the utilization of methane steam formation have been identified, discussed, and analyzed in this paper. In addition, safety requirements that should be imposed against the discussed hazards have been provided in the paper. More information can be attained by performing detailed analysis of these risks. Some of the common hazards that have been noted in the hydrogen production through methane steam formation are gas leakages due to high pressures and different ruptures in the equipments and machineries. In this regard, manufacturers of the hydrogen-producing machineries confront great challenges in terms of the discussed hazards in this paper. Lastly, further research is required in the subject that may facilitate the hydrogen producers in overcoming and reduction of the hazards and risks associated with the production of hydrogen. It is hoped that the paper will be beneficial for students, teachers, and professionals in the better understanding of hazards associated with the hydrogen production through methane steam formation, as well as, safety requirements and implications that have been advised by the safety-related organizations.

Wreak and Pique Revisited

Wreak and Pique Revisited Wreak and Pique Revisited Wreak and Pique Revisited By Maeve Maddox A plaintive email from a reader has prompted this post on these two misused and abused rhyming verbs: A new civil trialis poised to wreck havoc on the 100-year-old institutions reputation. Shouldnt that be wreak? And shouldnt My interest was peaked be My interest was piqued†? I see that everywhere it seems. Though peaked might be an okay substitute- it sort of means something similar. 1. Yes, the phrase should be â€Å"to wreak havoc.† 2. No, peaked is not an okay substitute for piqued. In modern usage, wreak [REEK] is a transitive verb usually followed by a limited number of object words that include vengeance, havoc, and damage. Storms are the most common wreakers. The past tense form is wreaked [REEKT]. Here are some examples of wreak being used correctly: Tropical storm Arthur expected to wreak havoc on East Coast Storms wreaking havoc across UK Northeasters also wreaked damage in 1991 and 1992. January Jones Discusses Wreaking Vengeance in the Sundance Film ‘Sweetwater’ The word pique [PEEK], as both noun and verb, has more than one meaning. The verb’s most common use is in the sense of stimulate or arouse. The past form is piqued [PEEKT]. Here are some examples in which the verb is spelled correctly: The request piqued my interest and I began what has become a continuing search for documentaries relating to the Comanches. Foreign cricket players hope to pique Lebanese interest New Study Provides Insight into How Piquing Curiosity Changes Our Brains It’s not surprising when entertainment site comments and self-published novels contain errors like these: I still have the feeling that Stavros is alive and the two of them will connect and reek havoc on Pt. Charles. It’s my understanding that you have been using him to wreck vengeance on the descendants of the clergy, and soldiers of New France because of some perceived wrong doing [sic]. I thought [Grimm] was ok. Ill probably keep watching, but the pilot didnt peak my interest right from the start. As one does expect news sources and professional publications to use words correctly, the following errors are less tolerable: Gov. Martin OMalley declared a state of emergency one day before a winter  storm  is  expected to wreck havoc  in Maryland- Baltimore Post Examiner. If  they  come from violent and abusive homes, children learn to be violentwill grow up to  wreck vengeance  on themselves and those around  them.- Social justice site. Four houses destroyed by fire and lightning as the weekends thunderstorms wrecked havoc across Britain- Daily Mail. Extremely high rain soaked [sic] winds wrecked havoc by downing trees and disrupting schools and traffic in the Bay Area- ABC News. All the teachers are engaging and do their best to peak the interest of the student.- Site advertising private school in Washington DC. Though we were enjoying a near perfect day in Oakland, hearing the name Birmingham not only peaked his interest but also placed him back on the Jim Crow bus system in Alabama.- Huffington Post columnist. Misspelling pique is perhaps more understandable than misspelling wreak because peak, peek, and pique are all pronounced the same. Pronunciation offers no excuse for mixing up wreak [REEK] and wreck [REK], however. Bottom line: Speakers who care about the language don’t require excuses for misspelling words they use in daily speech. They learn the differences. Related posts: Wreck, Wreak, and Other [rek/reek] Words Reeking and Wreaking Please, Let Your Interest Be Piqued 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:50 Idioms About TalkingDo you "orient" yourself, or "orientate" yourself?1,462 Basic Plot Types

Blooms Taxonomy - Application Category and Examples

Blooms Taxonomy s Bloom’s Taxonomy  was developed by educational theorist Benjamin Bloom in the 1950s.  The taxonomy, or levels of learning, identify different domains of learning including: cognitive (knowledge), affective (attitudes), and psychomotor (skills).   Application Category Description The application level is where the student moves beyond basic comprehension in order to begin to apply what they have learned. Students are expected to use concepts or tools they have learned in new situations in order to show that they can use what they have learned in increasingly complex ways The use of Blooms Taxonomy in planning can help to move students through the different levels of cognitive development. When planning learning outcomes, teachers should reflect on the different levels of learning. Learning increases when students are introduced to course concepts and then given opportunities to practice applying them. When students apply an abstract idea to a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to prior experience, they are showing their level of proficiency at this level. To make sure that students show they can apply what they learn, teachers should:   Provide opportunities for the student to use ideas, theories, or problem-solving techniques and apply them to new situations. Review the student’s work to ensure that he/she is using problem-solving techniques independently. Provide questions that require the student to define and solve problems. Key Verbs in the Application Category apply. build, calculate, change, choose, classify, construct, complete, demonstrate,  develop, examine, illustrate, interpret, interview, make, make use of, manipulate, modify, organize, experiment with, plan, produce, select, show,  solve, translate, utilize, model, use. Examples of Question Stems for the Application Category These question stems will help teachers develop assessments that allow students to solve problems in situations by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques, and rules, perhaps in a different way. How would you make use of ____?How does ____ apply to ____?How would you modify ____?What approach would you use to†¦?Could this have happened in...?Under what conditions would you ____?How could you apply what you have read to construct ____?Do you know another instance where...?Can you group by characteristics such as...?Identify the results if ____?Why does ____ work?What questions would you ask for...?How would you use the facts to investigate ____?Using what you know, how would you design ____?Utilize ____ to ____.Illustrate a way to ____.What elements would you use to change†¦?Is there a way to demonstrate ____?What questions would you ask during ________?Predict what would happen if ____?How would you organize _______ to show†¦?What would result if ____?Is there another way you could plan to†¦?What facts would you select to show†¦?Would this information be useful if you had...?Can you apply the method used to some experience of your own...?Show me a wa y to organize ____.Can you make use of the facts to†¦? Using what you have learned, how would you solve ____?What factors would you change if...? From the information given, can you develop a set of instructions about...?How would you solve ___ using what you’ve learned†¦?How would you show your understanding of†¦?What examples can you find to†¦?How would you apply what you learned to develop†¦? Examples of Assessments That Are Based onthe Application Level of Bloom’s Taxonomy The category of application  is the third level of the Bloom’s taxonomy pyramid. Because it is just above the comprehension level, many teachers use the level of application  in performance-based activities such as those listed below.   Make a storyboard for a film on a book you are reading.Create a script from the book you are reading now; act out a part of the story.Plan a party that one of the main characters would enjoy attending: plan the menu, and activities or games you want to have at the party.Create a scenario in which a character in the story reacts to a problem in your school; write about how he or she would handle the situation differently.Reimagine the characters in a story as a human, animal, or thing.Teleport (space travel) the main character to a new setting.(Re)write lyrics to a ballad for a story you are reading.Construct a model to demonstrate how it will work.Create a diorama to illustrate an important event.Make a yearbook entry for a character you are studying.Stage a tableau of a famous event.Invite famous people to an imaginary dinner and create the seating plan.Make up a board game using the ideas from the study area.Design a market strategy for a character doll.  Create a brochure for a country. Write a textbook about... for others.

Economics of State and Local Governments Research Paper

Economics of State and Local Governments - Research Paper Example ative inflation period during the same period, which stood at 9.06 percent, calculated by using consumer price indices for January 2013 and January 2009 (Griender). The Texas government applies sales and use taxes at the final points of sale. Consumers are taxed for the goods and services they purchased outside Texas and used within the state of Texas. The sales and use tax is the highest tax revenue for the Texas government. In the fiscal year 2014, the Texas government collected approximately $19 billion in state sales taxes. Texas charges an average tax of 6.25% for all foods (Griender). The government set the rate in the year 1990, and there have not been any changes in the rates since then. Cities, transit systems, districts in the state and counties may impose the local taxes, which may be up by another 2 %. Majority of Texas residents pay total sales taxes of 8.5%. There are, however, many goods that are exempted from this tax. These commodities include motor vehicles, crude oil, mixed drinks, insurance premiums, and aviation fuel. This is because these items are taxed under other provisions. The Texas state aims at increasing sales tax revenue and removing the exemptions. The government also puts various measures to improve collections. Some of these measures include examination of funds from sales tax, tightening the eligibility for exemptions as well as scrutinizing applications for tax refunds on items meant to be tax-free. Texas state government collects various fees that are charged to people operating motor vehicles within the state. The largest source of these records revenues is the car registration fees and permits, which are meant for special vehicles such as vehicles with excess weight and size. Motor vehicle fees generate about $2.4 billion in a fiscal year (Griender). The 82nd legislature has powers to consider proposals that aim at increasing the motor vehicle registration fees. According to estimates from the Texas Transportation