Managerial Economics: A Game Theoretic Approach Essay

Using computations from Assignment 1, determine the market structure in which the low-calorie frozen, microwavable food company operates. The market structure that this company is likely to be in is the oligopoly structure whereby it could be in a duopoly or not. A duopoly is a market structure in which there are few firms in the industry. It is a market structure that lies between two market structures, that is, perfectly competitive market and monopoly. There are two or more sellers but the number of sellers is not as large as that of the ones present in a perfectly competitive market. The firm can be categorized as a monopoly mainly because of the cross sectional demand of the firm. The cross price elasticity demand of this particular firm is 0.68. This simply means that an increase in the prices of the competitors ’ product by one unit implies a 0.68 unit increase in terms of the quantity demanded. This basically implies that the cross sectional demand in inelastic. As such, the increase in price, decrease in price or generally the change of prices by this particular firm will not have a significant effect i n terms of the quantity demanded. This is the ideal representation of a firm in an oligopoly. The scope for individual action can be said to be way greater than in the case that the product was differentiated. In other words, one individual seller does not stand to lose in the case that he or she decides to charge a higher price. For this reason, this firm is definitely under an oligopoly market structure.(Webster, 2003) Outline a plan that will assess the effectiveness of the market structure for the company’s operations The issue of prices is basically the basis of the plan that is to be formulated. Generally, the price quantity combination depends upon the actions that are taken by the rest of the firms in the duopoly. In other words, the profit that is accrued by each and every seller is a result of the decisions that have been reached by each individual seller. The monopoly price that will be charged under this market structure could come with a series of consultations or simply individual experiments. For this particular firm to maximize its profits it needs to fix its price through an analysis with the assumption that there exists only one firm in the market. In the event that the firm fixes its price higher than this price, it will make gains. In the event that it fixes the price lower, it will lose. Given that business operations have changed from the market structure specified in the original scenario in Assignment 1, determine two (2) likely factors that might have caused the change. Predict the primary manner in which this change would likely impact business operations in the new market environment. The assumed market structure was that the firm was under a perfectly competitive market. It however turns out that the firm is in an imperfect market, a duopoly precisely. There are a number of f actors that are likely to have caused the change in this market structure. One of the reasons is that there probably existed one factor of production that is owned by a few firms only. As a result, not many firms are able to produce the product. Besides, it is also a possibility that there existed many firms initially in the market under a perfectly competitive market. These firms could have decided to merge thereafter and consolidated themselves into one major firm with the aim of reducing competition. In this way, the number of sellers reduces. Analyze the major short run and long cost functions for the low-calorie, frozen microwaveable food company given the cost functions below. Suggest substantive ways in which the low-calorie food company may use this information in order to make decisions in both the short-run and the long-run. TC = 160,000,000 + 100Q + 0.0063212Q2 VC = 100Q + 0.0063212Q2 MC= 100 + 0.0126424Q The total cost function is an increasing function of quantity produced. This implies that an increase in the quantity produced results to an increase in the cost of production. This is consistent with economic theory. The intercept of the total cost function is 160,000 meaning that when no quantity is produced, or rather when the quantity produced is zero, the fixed cost is 160,000. The Marginal Cost function is also an increasing function of quantity produced. It gives the effect of producing an extra unit. The firm should thereby produce up to a level whereby the cost of producing an extra unit does not exceed the returns from that particular unit.(Hirschey, 2008) Determine the possible circumstances under which the company should discontinue operations. Suggest key actions that management should take in order to confront these circumstances. Provide a rationale for your response The firm should discontinue its operations in the case that the Total costs are more than the total revenue. This would imply that the firm is making losses. The firm should also discontinue its operations in the event that the marginal costs are greater than the marginal revenue. That is, the cost of producing an additional unit is greater than the cost of selling that additional unit. The firm should also discontinue its operations in the event that the marginal revenue is zero or less. This is with regard to the law of diminishing marginal revenue which holds that the revenue from selling an additional unit will increase to a point where an additional unit of input will not increase the quantity produced. In this case therefore, extra costs will be incurred in the process of producing an extra unit but revenue will not change. This is an unproductive phase of production. Suggest one (1) pricing policy that will enable your low-calorie, frozen microwavable food company to maximize profits. Provide a rationale for your suggestion. At ceteris Paribus, the demand function of the market is The demand equation will be as shown below, with all other factors held constant: Q = -5200 – 42*(P) + 20*600 + 5.2*5500 + 0.2*10000 + 0.25*5000 Q = 38650 – 42(P) P = 38650/42 – (Q)/42 The equilibrium prices and quantities are; 5200 + 45P=38650 – 42P 33,450=87P P = 384.48 Q = 5200 + 45*(384.48) = 22,501.6 Total Revenue = Price X Quantity = {38650/42 – (Q)/42  }Q MR= 38650/42 = 920. 23 = P The average revenue should be equal to the price and give the demand function. The best pricing solution that this firm can and should make is to produce at this price. Outline a plan, based on the information provided in the scenario, which the company could use in order to evaluate its financial performance. Consider all the key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term, and the fundamental manner in which each factor influences managerial decisions. Being a firm under the oligopoly market structure, the firm should put the concept of price leadership into practice. Essentially, this simply implies that the firm should be able to put itself out as a dominant firm and as such it should be able to command the authority to set the prices in the market. It should also be able to be the firm that commands any change when it comes to prices in such a way that it has the ability to change prices while the other firms follow suit. The firm therefore is in a situation in which it is able to control prices to its benefit. As a consequence, the other competing firms will not be able to maximize their own profits unless they follow the prices that are set by this firm. In other words, a special monopoly is created in the duopoly. (Washick, 2005) Recommend two (2) actions that the company could take in order to improve its profitability and deliver more value to its stakeholders. Outline, in brief, a plan to implement your recommendations. Due to the homogenization of products, there is the problem of competition especially among the buyers. This simply implies that there will be one single price for sellers. As a result, the best recommendation with regard to the action that the firm should take is to ensure that they maximize on output. A change in terms of output by the seller has a very significant effect in terms of the prices of the good that is produced. As much as the actions of his or her rivals could be somewhat unknown, it is most definite that the other sellers will change or alter the prices in a way that they will match the output. An increase in terms of the output also implies that the firm will also increase its revenue. The Collusion Solution is also another recommendation that could be used by this particular firm in question. This basically implies that the market participants could always try and join together in the event that the participants find that the competition is too much, they could join together so as to create one competitive firm. (Waschick,2005) References   Fisher, T., & Waschick, R. (2005). Managerial Economics: A Game Theoretic Approach. London : Routledge. Hirschey, M. (2008). Managerial Economics. New York: Cengage Learning. Webster, T. J. (2003). Managerial Economics: Theory and Practice. London: Academic Press. Source document

New Jersey

The governor of the State of New Jersey is Jon Corzine. He is a Democrat and has been the governor since he took office on January 17, 2006.   The Governor of New Jersey is one of the most powerful governors in the nation.   This is due in part, to the fact that it is the only state wide and non-federal elected office in the state.   The governor, under the rights given to him by the state constitution, appoints the entire cabinet which is subject to confirmation by the New Jersey Senate. Governor Corzine, a Democrat, took office after his predecessor James McGreevy was forced to resign after he admitted to having an adulterous affair and felt political and personal pressure to resign. On Election Day 2005, the governor was stripped of some of his powers as the citizens of New Jersey voted in favor of adding an amendment to the state constitution that creates the position of Lieutenant Governor which will become effective after the 2009 election. The power that the governor possesses comes from the state constitution of which that power comes directly from the people. The current constitution was ratified in 1947. New Jersey’s Governor Jon Corzine was born on January 1, 1947 in central Illinois.   He graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign and went into the army where he stayed from 1969-1975. Governor’s keen business and fiscal talents comes from his decades working in various investment firms. â€Å"In 1975, Governor Corzine was recruited by Goldman Sachs, the New York investment firm. He left Goldman Sachs in May 1999 after successfully converting the investment firm from a private partnership to a public company. Also in 1997, Governor Corzine was the chairman of a presidential commission to study capital budgeting as a means of increasing federal investment in schools, technology, and infrastructure.† (www.state.nj.us) This background is important in knowing what type of governor he is and that he will not hesitate to move away from his party’s overall consensus when it comes to the task of balancing the budget. (as seen in the 2006 government shutdown). In 2005, after more than four years in the U.S. Senate for the state of New Jersey, Jon Corzine announced his candidacy for the governor of New Jersey. â€Å"Corzine won his campaign for the post of Governor of New Jersey with 54% of the vote. Republican nominee Doug Forrester, a businessman and a former Mayor of West Windsor Township, in Mercer County, won 43%. Corzine received 1,224,493 votes to Forrester's 985,235. A total of 80,277 votes, or 3%, were scattered among other candidates.† (wikipedia) The governor is directly elected by the people of his state. The governor performs the executive functions of the state, and is not directly subordinate to the federal authorities. The governor assumes additional roles, such as being the Commander-in-Chief of the New Jersey National Guard forces as well as appointing members of his cabinet, judges and having the responsibility of presenting a budget that needs to be accepted by July 1 of the previous year. The election of Governor of New Jersey is much more important and has wider ramifications that say the election of governor for the state of Illinois for example. The main reason for this is that a vote for a gubernatorial candidate is also a vote for all which he is likely to appoint in his cabinet whereas such candidates for State Treasurer, Comptroller and State’s Attorney in the State of Illinois for example, are elected through a direct vote by its citizens. The Attorney General, State Treasurer, Comptroller and the Head of Education, to list a few, were all appointed by either Governor Corzine or his predecessors. As I am not a lifelong citizen of New Jersey but instead spent some of my adolescence in Illinois where its citizens had the right to vote for the candidates of these positions, it seems foreign to me that a governor would have so much power to appoint so many important positions. New Jersey’s state constitution seems to be giving a free pass to the spoils system that was fought so hard against in the 19th century in this country. The ugly side of political graft has plagued the entire democratic process in this country and has taken the people’s voice out of the democratic process. The governor should not have the right to appoint New Jersey’s State Treasurer, Attorney General or any other highly important positions in the state’s government unless that seat is vacated in the middle of a term due to an emergency. Doing otherwise takes the voice away from the people who have the right to vote for these positions.   Also, failing to do so, helps breed partisanship within the governor’s cabinet since a Democrat is more likely to appoint all Democrats as well as a Republican’s inclination to do the same. If a governor’s cabinet is to be all Democrat, all Republican, or a mixture of both, it should be up to the more than eight million residents of New Jersey and not a single man! This same ideology needs to be enacted regarding the governor’s ability to appoint judges. In Illinois, judges are appointed by the people. Isn’t that what ought to happen in a democracy, at least on the state and local level? I would even be in favor of the appointment of judges being the responsibility of the state legislature instead of the governor alone as a lesser evil. Currently, it seems to be a one party system in New Jersey and with New Jersey being one of the most diverse states in the country: Diverse by way of racial, religious and political affiliation, such a setup seems to be disadvantageous towards the goal of complete representation of New Jersey’s citizens. This high level of diversity should be representative from the governor on down but sadly it is not. This is not to blame the governor for he/she is inclined to appoint members of their own party. What is alarming is the number of appointments the governor of New Jersey is allowed to make under the current state constitution. The role of the governor is not only to appoint a cabinet but to submit a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.   The deadline to do this in July 1st. Incidentally, that was the same date as the start of New Jersey’s only government shutdown in the year 2006.   The New Jersey Constitution states under Article VIII that a state’s expenses for the year be provided for â€Å"in a single budget act.† The constitution also specifics a provision stating preventive measures against going into debt. A start to New Jersey’s troubles was ignoring this sound advice. Governor Corzine, in an attempt to pass his budget, came into conflict with fellow Democrats within the General Assembly.   The main point of contention was the Assembly’s refusal to increase the state tax from 6% to 7% in order to fill the budget gap. Corzine stated that there was no other way in coming up with the money as the state’s constitution forbade other forms of revenue. Months before the shutdown, Corzine states that he would not accept a budget that did not include a tax increase and he stood firm in this conviction and the General Assembly did the same which eventually resulted in the shutdown. When the budget failed to pass, the shutdown occurred. This resulted in 45,000 workers being told that they were non-essential and would have to stay home for an indefinite period of time. The shutdown lasted only a week but thousands of workers were affected by this shutdown.   Even though it seems more to be the cause of the legislature’s inability to act regarding the needed passing of the budget before the deadline, should a governor have the right to shut down the state government?   This is a hard question to answer and one that requires a bipartisan dissection of the problem in the long term and not just with the current players in my state’s administration. It seems that the power that the governor has in appointing judges, his cabinet and in shutting down the government is not his own but is a right given him by the state constitution. In the state legislature’s present state: fiscal irresponsibility, political corruption and a general disconnect by the state legislature from its citizens, it seems that the governor really had no choice but to use the authority at his disposal to help get the state back on track and to be held accountable for presenting a responsible budget to the people. But the more important issue is that a stoppage should never have occurred and therefore, Governor Corzine would not have been in the position to contemplate the need for a government shutdown. One really does roll the dice when voting for the governor of New Jersey.   Will he keep his political promises? Will he appoint members of his cabinet and judges that are concerned only with their responsibilities? Will there be any attempt at a bipartisan cabinet? And if the governor is not of the same political party and/or the same ideology as myself, then I can rest assured that my voice and my vote will have only a fraction of its effectiveness if I were in Illinois or any other state where the â€Å"elected officials† are just that-elected by the people to represent them. Also, the governor’s additional authority to appoint judges makes it even more likely that an atmosphere of partisanship will permeate New Jersey politics. There has been a great deal of talk about â€Å"activist judges.† I do feel that with judges being human beings and unable to be 100% impartial 100% of the time, the political party of a judge is something to consider and the likelihood that a Democrat governor will likely nominate likeminded judges and Republicans will do the same, results in a is a lack of stability in not only the state legislature but also in the way that laws and cases are decided. The possibility of a complete overhaul concerning the ideology of my state as a result of the governor’s power and a different political party possibly taking control every four years is something, I feel does not resemble a true democracy but instead serves as an impediment to the expectation that a person’s voice will be heard. Our governor, regardless of whether or not we are in agreement, has more political power than he ought to. Our founding fathers were weary of a political system that garnishes absolute power to its representatives and believed that absolute power corrupted. In the end, the power rests with the people and not until New Jersey has the displeasure of electing a governor who takes full advantage of the rights given to him by the present state constitution and uses it for sinister motives as did Huey Long in 1930’s Louisiana, will any of the needed change happen. WORKS CITED www.ngs.org (National Governor’s Association)   www.naag.org (National Association of Attorneys General) www.wikipedia.com www.state.nj.us/governor/about ; ; New Jersey New Jersey (NJ) is one of the states in the US that forms a transition between the states of the north and the south.   It exhibits characteristics in the physical geography and intermingling of various cultures of the US.   It is one of the largest states in the US and has a multiethnic community.   It has acted as a support home to several of its densely populated neighborhood.   The community present in NJ is highly urbanized and is the second most densely populated state after California.NJ remains to be one of the most densely populated states in the US.   All the 21 counties that belong to the NJ state are classified as ‘metropolitan’.   The density of the population has been about 1100 per square miles, compared to the nation average of about 79 per square mile (in 2000). The state concentrates on farming in some regions and for this reason it is frequently known as ‘the Garden State’.   As early as the 17th century, farming was consider ed important due to the agricultural potential of the soil.   In the Northwestern parts and the southern regions, the areas are sparsely populated due to the presence of mountains and tidelands in these region.   Typically, New Jersey appears S-Shaped on the map (the upper limb is formed by the Appalachian highlands and the Piedmont plains, and the lower limb of the ‘S’ is formed by the Coastal plains) (Stansfied. 1998, Swartz & Stansfield. 2007 & US Census. 2007).The land between the Hudson and the Delaware River is termed as ‘New Jersey State†.   There are three unique characteristics of NJ.   It is made up of a multi-ethnic community belonging to various races and ethnic groups.   The second unique characteristics are that it has an orientation of both the metropolitan cities that it neighbors.   Thirdly, people feel the NJ economy is based on the ability to reach the metropolitan cities, which it neighbors.   I do feel that initially NJ Sta te was much of a transition state, offering a place for people of various cultures and ethnic background to intermingle.There has also been a climatic transition between the northern and the southern US, and this has had an effect on the economy and the social life of the state.   The characteristics of NJ is somewhere between New York and New England (considering weather and geographical features).   The state houses some of the features that seem to intermingle with these two other states.   The Geology of NJ consists of the oldest rocks in the Appalachian and Piedmont regions and recent sediments in the southeastern regions.   The state of NJ hence shows a transition, as two different types of geological characteristics are present.   Besides, it has water sources concentrated in certain areas, whereas in other areas; the ground water is deep, leading to water problems (Stansfield. 1998).NJ has an area of about 7, 200 square miles.   On the other hand, the area of the US is about 3, 500, 000 square miles.   It has an inland water area of about 1, 026 square kilometers.   NJ State has a greatest inland length of about 166 miles, and the greatest inland breath of about 75 miles.   More than 125 miles is actually coastline (Swartz & Stansfield. 2007, Murray et al. 2007 & Stansfield. 1998).One of the physical characteristics of NJ State is that it is surrounded by water in all areas except the northern border, where it contacts New York State for about 80 kilometers or is about 12 % of the State’s land.   NJ belongs to the middle Atlantic region of the US and lies along the eastern coast.   The Hudson River runs along its border in the northeastern regions.   Pennsylvania lies along its western border.   The Delaware Bay and the Delaware River separate NJ from Delaware State in the southern and the southwest regions.The largest city in NJ is Newark, and its capital is Trenton.   Newark is one of the most important cities in NJ .   From here people can easily travel to New York using the river ferry or the railroad.   Trenton is located on the eastern side of the Delaware River.   It houses several government and civil quarters for the NJ State.   About 10 miles from Trenton is the town of Princeton that houses a major university in NJ.The Northern portion of the state contains the Appalachian Highlands and the entire northern regions contain mountains, ridges, streams and lakes.   This region is often known as ‘the New Appalachians’.   One of the prominent sandstone ridges present in the northeast is Kittatinny Mountains. This ridge contains the Delaware River (in the Delaware water gap).   The highest elevation present in the state is the Kittatinny Mountain that is at a height of 550 meters, present in a few kilometers with the border with New York State.   The average elevation of the state is 80 meters (Swartz & Stansfield. 2007, Murray et al. 2007, & Stansfield. 1998).In the Southeast of Appalachian Highlands, the Triassic lowlands and the Piedmont plains are present (the Piedmont plains lie to the east of the NJ Highlands).   It occupies about 20 % of the entire NJ area.   This extends from the Northeastern border and includes all the major cities such as Trenton.   From the Hudson region, ancient rock ridges extent, which break the monotony of the lowlands.   Between the highlands and the lowlands of NJ lies a valley that is highly populated.   This valley is underlain with limestone and sandstone, which is bright red in color.The other stones that are present in this region include conglomerates, shale, igneous stones, etc.   These parts of NJ State contain older rock system compared to the coastal plains.   The valley is located at a height of 120 to 150 meters and can be routed from the Hudson River, all the way to Alabama.   The termination portion of the Piedmont plains in the Hudson region is known as ‘the Palisadesâ₠¬â„¢, and is made of trap rock (Cloister Hill).   The Piedmont is about 30 kilometers wide.The valley also contains dark rocks known as ‘trap rock’ that was formed during the earlier geological ages.   This rock offers a wonderful arena for waterfalls in the region.   The sandstone in several areas has eroded and now appears as prominent ridges.   Some of the prominent mountains found in the Piedmont Highlands are the Watchung and the Sourland mountains.   The Piedmont lowlands or the â€Å"Newark Basin† forms the area where most of the major cities are located.   Through this region access to New York and New Jersey could be made.   In this region, three of the major rivers drain, namely, the Raritan River, the Passaic River and the Hackensack River (Swartz & Stansfield. 2007).The NJ Highlands is also known as â€Å"New England Upland†, as it is geologically similar to New England.   It contains several lakes of great tourist interest.   These include Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, Culvers Lake and Green Pond Lake.   The NJ Highlands occupies about 12 % of the entire NJ area.   The ridges formed in these regions are made up of an old rock known as ‘gneiss’.   The Musconetcong and Pequest River are formed in this area (Murray et al. 2007, & Stansfield. 1998).The Atlantic Coastal Plain, from the southeast to the coastal areas, occupies about 60 % of NJ area.   It has one of the world’s largest chains of sandy barrier islands, which are continuous.   It appears wedge shaped, which is thickest in the east-southeast region and thinnest in the center.   It has two portions, namely, the inner plain and the outer coastal plain.   The inner coastal plain or the â€Å"Greensand Belt† is located near the Piedmont area and has a size of 40 kilometers.Many orchards and agricultural homes are located in this region as the soil is very fertile and conducive to agriculture.   On the othe r hand, the land present in the outer coastal plain is very infertile and not very conducive to agricultural activities.   It forms the western rim of the NJ state and area where it meets with the ocean.   The outer coastal plain contains several hills, which are not more than 60 meters in height.   The outer coastal plain also forms several beaches, lagoons and marshes.   Several islands are located off the coast of NJ, some of which are inhabited and form popular tourist destinations.The ocean currents and the tides have an effect on the offshore islands and the coasts of New Jersey State. On several occasions tidal waves have had an effect on the New Jersey Coast.   In southern parts of NJ, the coastal plains contain high amounts of scrub oak and pine trees.   Several cranberry and blueberry plantation are located in several areas of the outer coast.   The Pine Barren is some of the vast forests located in the outer coastal plains.   A few settlements of people an d rivers are also located.   Many a times, the Pine Barrens of NJ seems to be a source for forest fires.The number of fires that have occurred since the 1940’s is about 1100.   About 8, 000 hectares is usually burnt every year through wild forest fires, much less than the 22, 000 that existed before the forest department began to use effective means of reducing these fires.   Most of the fires occur during the dry months of January to September periods.   Many of the important resorts and spas are located in the coastal plains.   The islands present close to the coast make harbor construction difficult.Many ships have met with accidents along the NJ coast due to the rough ocean currents and the shallow waters.   However, sheltered waterways are located which help to provide some relief for ships.   Portions of the NJ coast even have offshore sandbars and barrier beaches.   In parts of the northern NJ coast, the coastline is severely eroded (Swartz & Stansfield . 2007, Stansfield. 1998 & Forman et al. 1981).The islands, beaches, sandpits, etc, present along the NJ coast, are one of the longest chain in the world.   They run from the Texas region all the way up to the New York’s long island.   The islands of NJ coast seem to be dynamic in nature.   The ocean currents, tides, winds, waves, etc, have a dynamic effect on the NJ shoreline.   Many of the estuaries located off the coast of New Jersey form important beds for natural oyster shelters and oyster cultivation.   Several factors do favor the growth of oysters in the seabed including the tidal currents, the prevailing tides, eddies, prevailing winds (their force and direction), etc.   The larvae of oysters can help in regulating their own populations by rising and settling in the tidal currents.   In the NJ estuaries, the larvae do rise and settle in the tidal currents thus having potential to grow and develop along the coastal waters (Carriker. 1951 & Stansfield. 19 98).NJ State enjoys an extreme type of climate, with summers being warm and winters cold.   To the west of NJ, lies a huge landmass, which causes an extreme type of climate during winter and summer.   The climate is produced as a result of its latitude (located halfway between the equator and the North Pole), thus in a position to produce distinct seasons.   The distance from the season and the height above sea level also has a role to play in the development of climate of NJ.   During the summer, the moist tropical winds bring in hot air causing temperatures to rise and humid conditions to exist.   During winter, the continental winds bring in freezing temperatures and causing snowfall in several regions.The sea tends to retain the heat for greater amount of time during the day.   Hence during the night, the sea breezes tend to cool the land.   During the day, there is a strong sea breeze, which tends to cool the land.   The average rainfall received by the state is more than 1000 per annum.   The southwest regions of the state receive lower rainfall compared to other regions.   In January, the average temperature in NJ State is about 1 degree centigrade and in July, one of the hottest months, the average temperature is about 23 degrees centigrade.   However, extreme temperature have also been recorded, suggesting that at times the temperature can rise or fall to varying degrees.   In the winter of 1904, the temperature once dipped to – 37 degree and in the summer of 1936, the temperature once rose to 43 degrees.Due to the extremes of temperatures recorded in the Piedmont regions, seedlings do not become established within a year.   They begin to get established after two or more years.   Trees tend to invade areas occupied by herbs and shrubs.   During winter, the free-thaw cycles occur which hinders the establishment of the tree seedlings.   In portion of the Northwestern regions of the state, seasons last for about th ree to four months.   However, in some of the southwestern regions, the seasons last for about 8 months.Towards, the coastline, the climates tend to be less of an extreme.   Hence, during summer, these places stay cooler than those inlands, and in winter they tend to stay warmer.   Many people consider the NJ climate to be variable during various seasons of the year (Swartz & Stansfield. 2007, Stansfield. 1998 & Buell. 1971).Thus, I do feel that NJ State offers variables in terms of geography, climate and landforms, compared to any other parts of the world.   This has caused a diverse flora and fauna to exist in the region.   Besides, it also forms a home to many people who would like to visit New York and the Philadelphia region.   This has resulted in the population of NJ to be high compared to the other parts of the US.References:C. A. Stansfield. A Geography of New Jersey. 2nd Ed. Rutgers University Press, 1998.  Hugh Murray, William Wallace, Robert Jameson et al. The Encyclopà ¦dia of Geography: Comprising a Complete Description of the Earth.. New York: Carey, Lea and Blanchard, 2007. M. F. Buell, H. F. Buell, & J. A. Small, â€Å"Invasion of Trees in Secondary Succession on the New Jersey Piedmont.† Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 98.2 (1971).M. R. Carriker â€Å"Ecological Observations on the Distribution of Oyster Larvae in New Jersey Estuaries.† Ecological Monographs, 21.1 (1951).R. T. T. Forman & R. E. Boerner â€Å"Fire Frequency and the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.† Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 108.1 (1951).Swartz, J. & Stansfield, C. A. â€Å"New Jersey.† Microsoft Encarta. 2007.   3 Nov. 2007: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559873/New_Jersey.htmlUS Census Bureau. New Jersey. US Census Bureau. 2007. 3 Nov. 2007

Critically review the opportunities and limitations of policy Coursework

Critically review the opportunities and limitations of policy transfer, with examples - Coursework Example However, beginning the mid-2000s, we find that several geographers have as well played a critical role in these discussions; usually they use the word political motilities in place of the term policy transfer (Araral, Fritzen and Howlett, 2012). However, the most important review of the literature on the policy transfer that was carried out in the year 1996, examined several questions including the definition of policy transfer; who transfers policy; the reason for transfer of policy; what is transferred; whether there is existence of policy transfer; and the factors that limit the transfer of policy. Nonetheless, to different levels or degrees, the literature on the policy transfer has from then examined several such questions substantially. For instance, when reviewing the question of ‘who,’ the things that are cited include the role and responsibilities of officials who are elected, civil servants, political parties, policy professionals, and pressure groups (Knill and Tosun, 2012). Policymaking is always about the planning of lessons among and between those that carry it out, policy governance, institutions, together with governance units, at all the governance levels. Consequently, a central or key feature of the policy-making encompasses taking lessons from the errors that may have been committed in the past so that they cannot be repeated again; from the possible analysis or review of what the future carries; and usually from what are being done by others or even what others have done. This paper is going to critically review the opportunities and limitations of policy transfer. The, opportunities and limitations are discussed, and then a conclusion, which will be a summative review of the ideas discusses in the paper. In general, there are opportunities that are presented or exist in the transfer policy that vary from one feature or context to another. In the discussion of the policies and

Produce an individual 1600 word report summarising the key issues Essay

Produce an individual 1600 word report summarising the key issues raised in the article. The summary should include references f - Essay Example A number of law suits have been slapped on the fast food industry, citing its failure to label its food as containing high cholesterol, fat and salt. Carlo Petrini founded Slow Food Movement in 1986, in the Cuneo province in Italy, which was a response to a McDonalds being opened in the Piazza di Spagna in Rome (Petrini and Watson, 2001, p.22). This nonprofit making organization has its headquarters in Bra in the Italian Alps and the membership is voluntary and free. The main objective of the Slow Food Movement is to encourage participation in traditional preparation and eating of food and also promoting local products. Its symbol is the snail which might be the organization’s way of telling people to take eating and life in general easy as compared to being on the fast lane (Hayes and Laudan, 2008, p.921). But this should not be taken to mean that its pace in creating the effect it wants is slow as well. The Slow Food Movement has its own manifesto called the Ark of Taste Man ifesto and its main aims are; protect the people who produce fine food from the standards of the industry, to protect endangered species such as animal breeds, cereals, fruits and cheeses from extinction. It also aims to encourage taste education, to stop the killing of the natural character of some production due to worry over hygiene and finally to ensure that people enjoy their rights to pleasure. For products to qualify as Ark products, they must; be of great quality and have a relationship with the area of production. They must also be produced in small quantities, be in danger of extinction and must be specific to a certain area (Jones et al 2003, p.300). The Slow Food Manifesto on Biotechnologies addresses the issue of transgenic foods these are genetically modified products, and it states that these foods cannot be justified just because they are cost effective. The other factors have to be considered such as the problems they bring to the environment, health, the society an d also if it is ethical (Wilk, 2006, p.33). The long term and short term effects of these genetically modified foods are not easy to identify. The biotechnologies will lead to disappearance of crops and plants that are traditional due to reduction in biodiversity, the manifesto says. The use of modified organisms on foods necessitates the use of plant protection products and large scale land exploitation which has negative impacts on biological diversity. Slow food also addresses its concern on the effects that the genetically modified foods might have on the taste and organoleptic range of cooked foods (Suri, 2008). People consume food and the pleasure it brings them might have negative effect psychologically and socially. Slow Food established a movement called Slow City in 1999 whereby Italian cities and towns encouraged people to be loyal to their culinary traditions thus improving their quality of life (Newman and Jennings, 2008, p.195). The Slow Food movement has grown from it s startup days where its main protest was about McDonalds to an international organization. It does not only seek to change the concept of fast foods but also the impact of technological and social and economic change. However it does not seem as if the Slow Movement can cause a big threat to the fast food industry.

Walt Disney World Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Walt Disney World - Speech or Presentation Example Further, it maintains an informal link with England’s Swindon Company as a competitive measure (â€Å"The Walt Disney Company,† n.d.). Walt Disney World’s employees have high morale levels and remain empowered in their undertakings. They work towards providing high quality visitor relations, most notable through smiles. Employees at the resort delight in diversified job arrangements and an all-inclusive workforce nationalities as well as free tickets. They take on consistent self or team tasks and witness ever changing visitor interactions despite the minimal wages and little benefits that they receive. Employees at the resort demonstrate friendliness and learn new skills each day as well as have opportunities for advancement. With regards to strategy formulation, the management utilizes a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system along with information technology to ease crowding and re-design customer experience. The resort’s corporate, human resourc e and business strategies include modification plans for Downtown Disney’s art concept along with prospects for allowing advertisements application for Hulu initiative. Plans to open Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort in 2014 constitute the resort’s business strategy. Moreover, it aligned with Vera Bradley in generating a new track of bags as well as created a new logo art design for the company (â€Å"The Walt Disney Company,† n.d.). Strategy implementation capacities consist of youth centered initiatives with an annual budget allocation of $500,000 such as ‘A gift for Teaching’ program in addition to obliging to creativity and arts, for instance, summer camps. Social and compassion related services following economic hardships and natural disasters... The paper outlines the value of Walt Disney World. Walt Disney World originally focused on innovation and creativity. Demographic and labor trends for the resort indicate it as the ninth standing leading labor force among all Florida’s markets with increasing percentage of female workforce. The resort’s customer base takes in families, children, government and non-governmental groups, the community and learning institutions. Walt Disney World’s employees have high morale levels and remain empowered in their undertakings. They work towards providing high quality visitor relations, most notable through smiles. Employees at the resort delight in diversified job arrangements and an all-inclusive workforce nationalities as well as free tickets. They take on consistent self or team tasks and witness ever changing visitor interactions despite the minimal wages and little benefits that they receive. Employees at the resort demonstrate friendliness and learn new skills ea ch day as well as have opportunities for advancement. . Walt Disney World invests in local community infrastructures within Florida such as Florida’s children hospital based Walt Disney Pavilion in addition to hospitality and culinary science scholarships for college and university students at the resort. The resort also offers periodic discounts for their visitors on various reservation packages. Human capital as well as human resource metrics became considered with regards to assessment and evaluation. Walt Disney World makes use of less advertising as compared to its rivals in the industry.

Nursing Informatics Telehealth and Graves and Corcorans Term Paper

Nursing Informatics Telehealth and Graves and Corcorans Data-Information-Knowledge - Term Paper Example According to the research findings Tone quoted Graves and Corcoran to have said that nursing informatics is â€Å"a combination of computer science, information science, and nursing science designed to assist in the management and processing of nursing data, information and knowledge to support the practice of nursing and the delivery of patient care.† In turn, nursing informatics is part of healthcare informatics that Guenther had reported to have been defined by Saba and McCormick as â€Å"the integration of health sciences, computer science, information science, and cognitive science to assist in the management of health care information.† The striking similarity of the definitions between nursing informatics and health informatics should not be a surprise. It is highly likely that Graves and Corcoran have influenced the entire field of healthcare informatics as health care informatics may have influenced Graves and Corcoran. However, Guenther reported that medical i nformatics is a term that have been in used since the mid-70s and had referred to â€Å"information technologies that concern patient care and the medical decision-making process.† Further, Guenther reported that the term nursing informatics â€Å"was not seen in the literature until 1984† even if Guenther reported that nurses have been working on nursing informatics for more than twenty-five years as of 2006. It is not clear from Guenther who started the term nursing informatics in 1984. ... oles and Barber (1980), nursing informatics has been in used even before 1980 and, thus, Guenther (2006) may be wrong on the view that nursing informatics â€Å"was not seen in the literature since 1984.† Further, according to Thede (2010) based on the work of Sackett and Erdley, the term â€Å"informatics† was coined in 1966 but Scholes and Barber (1980) was probably the first to use the term â€Å"nursing informatics†. The work of Staggers and Thomson (2002) and Guenther (2006) are highly informative on the literature of nursing informatics as well as on how our notion of nursing informatics has evolved over the years. Staggers and Thomson (2002) emphasized the need for a definition of nursing informatics even if by that time, the American Nursing Association has already adopted a definition of nursing informatics in 2001. At minimum, the Staggers and Thomson (2002) expression of a need for a definition of nursing informatics probably indicated a discontent for the prevailing notion of nursing informatics in 2002. As Staggers and Thomson (2002, p. 255) themselves pointed out, â€Å"a definition is a fundamental element for shaping a specialty.† Staggers and Thomson (2006, p. 255) continued that â€Å"a definition for nursing informatics guides role delineation for nurses interested in informatics and suggests directions for practice, education, training, and research.† Further, a definition of nursing informatics â€Å"may be useful to other disciplines as they define informatics practice within their own specialties† (Staggers and Thomson, 2002, p. 256). Staggers and Thomson also emphasized that â€Å"a definition for nursing informatics is needed to help others, within and outside nursing, understand the legitimacy of the practice and the general competencies of a nurse who

Marketing Financial Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Marketing Financial Services - Essay Example Hence, they started to follow and implement free trade policies that encourage multinational companies to enter into the global markets. Ultimately, overall market became competitive and matured. Monopoly market structure has become very rare and oligopoly becomes prominent. Hope and Maeleng have defined free trade policy as â€Å"competition-enhancing device† (Hope and Maeleng, 1998, p.52). The international and domestic countries started to compete with each other on price, better service, customer satisfaction etc for achieving greater market share. In this respect, to gain competitive advantage in market, the post modern organisations are using latest management tools, theories and models developed by many experts, critics and scholars. Financial services industry consist a number of financial services sectors like banking sectors, insurance, security market, factoring, credit ratings etc. With increased activities of trade and business and intensified competition, the imp ortance of these financial services sectors has grown significantly. This paper will attempt to present and SWOT analysis of American International Group (AIG) which is one the most popular financial service organisation. In order to indentify its major internal strengths and weaknesses, external opportunities and threats, this paper will analyse important areas of this organisation like its customer relationship managements, marketing tools used the company, major issues and its mechanism of control system. Finally, the overall findings of this paper will be summed up in the conclusion. Brief Overview of American International Group (AIG) American International Group Inc. (AIG) is one of the popular insurance services providers in US and in global market. Primarily, it is a New York-based company and it is considered to be one of the most prominent market leaders in global insurance sector. AIG is a multinational company and offers its insurance services in more than 130 countries in the world. The company has acquired a large base of customers and its consumers primarily consist of institutional, commercial and individual clients. The major market share of the company comes from its domestic market i.e. from United States. In this market, the AIG offer retirement services and life insurance. With better performance, it has acquired an upper hand position in U.S. insurance sector. Along with the domestic market, AIG’s stocks are also listed in Tokyo and Ireland Stock exchange (American International Group, Inc-a, 2011). While tracing the history of AIG, its primary origin is found in Shanghai, China during 1919. However, later during the 1940s due to political issues, the company withdrew from the Chinese market. â€Å"AIG abandoned China completely in 1949, as the Communist People’s Liberation Army, led by Mao Zeding, advanced on Shanghai† ( H.W. Wilson Company, 2000, p.247). In U.S., the AIG had been formed by consolidating three compan ies and its multiple affiliates. These leading three companies are New Hampshire Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Company and National Union Fire Insurance Company. Since its inception, AIG has undergone through many significant occurrences like mergers and acquisitions. SunAmerica Inc was merged with AIG on January 01, 1999. In November 2000, the company

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) Assignment

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) - Assignment Example The Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), are used by the accountants to record and report accounting information. The set of principles have been developed over the year by the accounting profession and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The laws that give the SEC that authority to establish, reporting and disclosure requirement, include the two laws which are: The Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. There are certain assumptions upon which the current set of principles operates (Cliff, 2013). These assumptions and the principles are normally considered to be GAAP and some of them are as discussed below: This assumes that each financial entity is to be maintained separately for each economic entity. The economic entities include social organizations which are together with schools, churches, districts, governments and businesses among others. This goes that, there are certain economic events that affect companies and are not easily quantified in monetary terms such as introducing a new product or hiring a new CEO. These then do not, most of the times, appear on the company’s records. Therefore, accounting records are required to be made through the use of a stable currency, for instance, the US uses dollars. This principle requires that, a full disclosure should be made on the financial statements of a company’s finances or assets pending lawsuit, incomplete transactions of a company, or any other important financial information about the company. In this case, footnotes should be used to supplement financial statements in order to convey such kind of information. This requires that, artificial time should be used to record and report the results of the activities of a business. This artificial time normally leads to questions on when certain transactions should be recorded. The accountants then use the GAAP to record and report the established accounting period of transaction. This principle

According to Darwin Essay Example for Free

According to Darwin Essay 1) Fossil fuels were formed a very long time ago from plants and animals that were buried and with time changes into oil, coal and natural gas. They are essentially not part of the carbon cycle. However when man burns fossil fuels, they upset the balance of CO2 concentration in the cycle as they released a lot of amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. With the abundance of CO2 in the atmosphere, all are not used for the photosynthesis and respiration sustained by the cycle. The excess CO2 contributes to the greenhouse effect, a condition where more heat is trap in the earth because of too many CO2 in the atmosphere. As a result, global warming occurs (Gautier, 2008, pp. 78-79). 2) All four species of lizards that are closely related can become separate species because of the process of active radiation. In an island, these four lizards may live and utilize in different microenvironments of different habitats. There is a rapid speciation of these lizards proceeding to the phenotypic adaptation to divergent environments. See more: Social process essay According to Darwin in 1842, phenotypes of species ‘fit’ the divergent environments that they inhabit, and hence that species have â€Å"been taken and modified for different ends† (qtd Schluter, 2000, pp. 10-12). 3). The DNA (chromatins) are not visible in the interphase because by then they are still uncoiled, diffused and disorganized in the nucleus. What happens at this time is that genetic information is transcribed to produce RNA. They appear as dots or grains or thin long strands. However to facilitate separation of DNA, chromosomes are duplicated in the S phase. To prepare for mitosis, the chromosomes condense; condensin (an elongated complex of several proteins) mediates then binds and circles DNA into a single chromatid at multiple spots, twisting the chromatin into a variety of shorter and thicker coils and loops. This made the DNA visible in the microscope (Hartl Jones, 2005, pp. 75-76). 4). The four daughter cells produced in meiosis are unique resulting from a variation of two processes known as independent segregation of the chromosomes and crossing-over. In the independent segregation at the end of Meiosis I, two very different intermediate cells are produced. Crossing-over then takes place in meiosis I which affords time and opportunity for the random exchange of information from homologous pairs of chromosomes resulting to the unique combination of alleles. These are the reasons why four daughter cells have completely different set of genetic information (Hartl Jones, 2005, p. 115).

Is action more important than knowledge Essay Example for Free

Is action more important than knowledge Essay Pablo Picasso once said that, Action is the foundational key to all success. In some ways I must agree with Picasso. To succeed in something of importance and value you must take action and not idle away as action speaks louder than words. Though knowledge is important because in some aspects as you cannot be illiterate about your cause if you wish to succeed. Knowledge is a key aspect of human beings. In order to advance in our society you must gain knowledge. Therefore to take action you must have a basis of information in order to be successful. You should not act in haste or proudness but rather develop your pool of information and make an informed decision to acquire your desired results, ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. Some may say that taking action is more important than acquiring knowledge. They may say that people may spend too much precious time on gaining knowledge and miss there time of action. History does not remember those who were knowledgeable but rather those who took action in a steadfast manner. Though I must disagree. History are full of those who carelessly and in alacrity took an ill-informed decision that was destructive on humanity. For example in when Lenin, the first leader of communist Russia died, his testament was not read out in public. This testament would have kicked Stalin out of the Communist Party and therefore would have stopped the mass murder that happened due to Stalins orders under his reign. Due to the ill-thought Trotsky and other high members of the Bolsheviks, the decision was to not read out the testament in public. This enabled Stalin to take power and soon Stalin became a despotic leader of the communist parties and created a terror in Soviet Russia as well as the rest of the world. Therefore I believe knowledge is of key importance. This is due to the timeless evidence of how acquiring knowledge is more important than taking knowledge, like the testament of Lenin and this story; There once was a man named Pars. He was thought to be slow as before making every decision he would sit and ponder about the connotations and effects this decision would have on him and his fellow classmates.

Determination of Substance through Density

Determination of Substance through Density DExperiment #1 DENSITY OF SUBSTANCES Prepared by Paul Okweye and Malinda Gilmore Purpose of the Experiment To learn about the properties of matter such as density that are used as a method of physical identification. In this experiment the objectives are: To teach the correct use of a balance and graduated cylinders, To determine the densities of solids, pure liquids and solutions, To determine percent errors during experimental analysis, and To teach the use of graphing of experimental data. Background Information Density, like boiling point, color, odor, solubility, and melting point, is a physical property of matter. Therefore, density may be used in identifying matter. Density is defined as mass per unit volume and is expressed mathematically as d = m / v (Equation 1: d is density, m is mass, and v is volume). The density of a sample of matter represents the mass contained within a unit volume of space in the sample. The units of density, therefore, are quoted in terms of grams per milliliter (g/ml) or grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) for most solid and liquid samples of matter. The density of a sample represents the mass of the specific sample divided by its volume. density (g/ml) = mass (g) à · volume (ml or cm3) Eqn. 1 Often, a density varies with temperature because of the volume of the sample such as gases. Therefore, densities are usually determined and reported at room temperature (about 25oC; see Table 1). References such as chemical handbooks always specify the temperature at which a density was measured. As previously stated, density can be used as a method of identification. Various things that density can be useful for are listed below: Table 1. Densities of various substances at room temperature, 25oC. Density is often used as a point of identification in the determination of an unknown substance. The density of the unknown might be used to characterize the unknown from a list of known substances. It is very unlikely for two substances to have the same density, and when added with boiling point and melting point it adds even more validity to the identity of the substance. Density can also be used to determine the concentration of solutions in certain instances. When a substance is dissolved in water, the density of the solution will be different from that of the pure water itself. Handbooks list detailed information about the densities of solutions as a function of their composition (typically, in terms of percent substance in the solution). If a sample is known to contain only a single substance, the density of the solution can be measured experimentally, and then the handbook can be consulted to determine what concentration of the substance gives rise to the measured solution density. Several techniques are used for the determination of density of substances. In general, a density determination involves the determination of the mass of the sample divided by the determination of the volume of the sample. However, the method used for determining mass or volume depends on whether or not the sample is a solid or a liquid. For solid samples, the volume of the solid can be determined using Archimedes’s principle, which states that an insoluble, nonreactive solid will displace a volume of liquid equal to its own volume. Typically, a solid is added to a liquid in a volumetric container (such as a graduated cylinder) and the change in the liquid level is determined. For liquids, very precise values of density may be determined by measuring an accurate volume of liquid in a container that can then be weighed and then determining the mass of the liquid that was measured. A convenient container for determining the volume of a liquid is to weigh a particular volume of liquid in a graduated cylinder. The density of substances is very important especially when talking about buoyancy the tendency or capacity to remain afloat in a liquid or rise in air or gas. Often one asks the question, â€Å"Why does ice float in water?† The answer to that question depends totally on density of the substances involved. When dealing with water, water can be in the form of ice, liquid or solid (Table 2). The density of ice is 0.917 g/cm3 and then density of water in its liquid state at 25oC (room temperature) is 0.999 g/cm3. Therefore, the density of ice is less than the density of water so that is why ice floats in water. Temperature (oC) Density of Water (g/cm3) 0 (ice) 0.91700 0 (liquid water) 0.99984 2 0.99994 4 0.99997 10 0.99970 25 0.99707 100 0.95836 Table 2. Temperature Dependence of Water Density Safety Precautions Safety goggles and lab coat / apron are required for this lab The solutions used in this lab are flammable. Use them only as directed Materials and Chemicals Graduated cylinders (25 mL, 50 ml, and 100 mL) Balance Regular Solid Sample Irregular Solid Sample Liquid Sample (Isopropyl Alcohol) Distilled Water Sodium Chloride (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% solutions) Procedures A. Determination of the Density of Solids Obtain a regular shaped solid (cubic metal). On your data sheet, write down the name of the solid and describe its appearance. Using a balance, weigh the regular shaped solid. Weigh it on a balance to the nearest 0.01 g. Record the weight on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Weight of the Solid.† Using a 100-mL graduated cylinder, add 75 mL of distilled water. Record the exact volume of water in the graduated cylinder to the precision permitted by the calibration marks on the cylinder. Record this volume on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Initial Volume of Water for the Solid†. Gently place the regular solid (cubic metal) into the cylinder (do not drop the metal because it could splash the water in the graduated cylinder). Read the level of the water in the graduated cylinder, again making your determination to the precision permitted by the calibration marks on the cylinder. Record this volume on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Final Volume of Water for the Solid.† The change in the water (Vsolid = Vf – Vi) level represents the volume of the solid. Calculate the density of the regular solid (cubic metal) using Equation 1. Record the calculated value (experimental value) of the density on the data sheet in the section label â€Å"Experimental Value of Density of Solid.† Compare the calculated (experimental value) density of the regular solid (cubic metal) with the actual density value provided in Table 3. Record the actual density on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Actual Density of the Solid.† Calculate the percent error of your measurement. Record value on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Percent Error of Solid†. Note: Percent Error = Experimental Value – Actual Value x 100% Accepted Value Dry the regular solid (cubic metal) with a paper towel and return the sample to your instructor. B. Density of Pure Liquids Pure Water (Distilled Water) Clean and dry a 50 ml graduated cylinder. Accurately weigh the dry graduated cylinder using a balance. Record weight on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Initial Weight of the Graduated Cylinder (Water).† Add 45 mL of water to the graduated cylinder. Record the exact volume of the water in the cylinder, to the level of precision permitted by the calibration marks on the barrel of the cylinder on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Volume of Water†. Weigh the graduated cylinder and water as accurately as possible. Record weight on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Final Weight of the Graduated Cylinder (Water).† Calculate the density of the water using Equation 1. Record the calculated value (experimental value) of the density on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Experimental Value of Density of Water.† Determine the temperature of the water in the cylinder. You will use the temperature of the water to determine which density value of water to use from Table 2. Record the temperature on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Temperature of Water.† Compare the calculated (experimental value) density of the water with the actual density listed in Table 2. Record the actual density on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Actual Density of the Water.† Calculate the percent error. Record value on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Percent Error of Water†. Clean and dry the graduated cylinder. Rubbing Alcohol Obtain a sample of rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol = rubbing alcohol). Clean and dry a 10 ml graduated cylinder. Weigh the dry graduated cylinder as accurately as you can with the balances you have available. Record weight on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Initial Weight of the Graduated Cylinder (Rubbing Alcohol).† Add 5 mL of rubbing alcohol to the graduated cylinder. Record the exact volume of the alcohol in the cylinder, to the level of precision permitted by the calibration marks on the barrel of the cylinder on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Volume of Rubbing Alcohol.† Weigh the graduated cylinder and rubbing alcohol as accurately as possible. Record weight on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Final Weight of the Graduated Cylinder (Rubbing Alcohol).† Calculate the density of the rubbing alcohol using Equation 1. Record the calculated value (experimental value) of the density on the data sheet in the section label â€Å"Experimental Value of Density of Rubbing Alcohol.† Compare the calculated (experimental value) density of the rubbing alcohol with the actual density listed in Table 3. Record the actual density on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Actual Density of the Rubbing Alcohol.† Calculate the percent error. Record value on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Percent Error of Rubbing Alcohol†. Clean and dry the graduated cylinder. C. Density of Solutions Chemical solutions are often described in concentrations and most times in terms of the solutions’ percent composition on a weight basis. For example, a 1% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution contains 1 g of NaCl in every 100 mL of solution (which corresponds to 1 g of NaCl for every 99 mL of water (H2O) present). Obtain 50 mL solutions of NaCl in H2O consisting of the following percents by weight: 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%. Make the weight determinations of NaCl and H2O accurately as possible. Using the method described earlier for samples of pure liquids, determine the mass, volume and density of each of your NaCl solutions. Record that information on the data sheet under the specified section. Compare the calculated (experimental value) density of the NaCl solutions with the actual density listed in Table 3. Calculate the percent errors for each solution. Record value on the data sheet in the section labeled â€Å"Percent Error of NaCl Solutions†. Using Excel, construct a graph of the calculated (experimental value) density of your NaCl solutions (y-axis) versus the percent of NaCl the solution contains (x-axis). Obtain the straight line equation (y = mx + b). Record this equation in the designated area on the data sheet. Name_______________________________________________________________________________ Lab Partner____________________________Section/Day/Time_______________________________ Experiment #1 DENSITY OF SUBSTANCES DATA SHEET A. Determination of the Density of Solids Sample Name ______________________________ Appearance of Solid ______________________________ Weight (g) of the Solid ______________________________ Initial Volume (mL) of Water for the Solid ______________________________ Final Volume (mL) of Water for the Solid ______________________________ Volume (mL) of the Solid ______________________________ Experimental Value of Density (g/mL) of Solid______________________________ Actual Density (g/mL) of the Solid ______________________________ Percent Error of Solid ______________________________ B. Determination of the Density of Pure Liquids Pure Water (Distilled Water) Initial Weight (g) of the Graduated Cylinder (Water) ______________________________ Final Weight (g) of the Graduated Cylinder (Water) ______________________________ Weight (g) of Water Sample______________________________ Volume (mL) of Water ______________________________ Experimental Value of Density (g/mL) of Water ______________________________ Actual Density (g/mL) of the Water ______________________________ Percent Error of Water ______________________________ Name_______________________________________________________________________________ Lab Partner____________________________Section/Day/Time_______________________________ Experiment #1 DENSITY OF SUBSTANCES DATA SHEET Rubbing Alcohol Initial Weight (g) of the Graduated Cylinder (Rubbing Alcohol)______________________________ Final Weight (g) of the Graduated Cylinder (Rubbing Alcohol) ______________________________ Weight (g) of Rubbing Alcohol Sample______________________________ Volume (mL) of Rubbing Alcohol ______________________________ Experimental Value of Density (g/mL) of Rubbing Alcohol ______________________________ Actual Density (g/mL) of the Rubbing Alcohol ______________________________ Percent Error of Rubbing Alcohol ______________________________ C. Determination of the Density of Solutions % NaCl Mass (g) Volume (mL) Density (g/mL: Calculated) Density (g/mL: Actual) % error 5 10 15 20 25 Note: Show calculations in your lab report. Name____________________________________________________________________________ Lab.Partner____________________________Section/Day/Time_____________________________ Experiment #1 DENSITY OF SUBSTANCES HOMEWORK SHEET 1. Explain density in words. 2. What error would be introduced into the determination of the density of the solid if the solid were hollow? Would the density be too high or too low? 3. An insoluble, nonreactive metal sphere weighing 18.45 g is added to 21.7 ml of water in a graduated cylinder. The water level rises to 26.8 ml. Calculate the density of the metal. 4. An empty graduated cylinder weighs 34.4257 g. A 10-ml pipet sample of an unknown liquid is transferred to the graduated cylinder. The graduated cylinder weighs 40.1825 g when weighed with the liquid in it. Calculate the density of the unknown liquid. 5. Your data for the density of the NaCl (sodium chloride) solutions should have produced a straight line when plotted. How could this plot be used to determine the density of any concentration of sodium chloride solution? 6. Examine your graph and determine the density for each of the following percents of NaCl: 3%, 9%, 15%, 21%, and 45%.

Changing Times Make for Unhappy eBay Customers :: essays research papers

Changing Times Make for Unhappy eBay Customers How much is too much, or how much is enough? This is an economic question that every successful business will have to evaluate in order to remain an icon in the marketplace. Today’s business world is unlike any time in comparison. There has never been more opportunity for small ventures to turn into major financial companies overnight with the use of the World Wide Web. It is true that many of these overnight wonders are short lived and go unnoticed; however we do have the elite group of companies that have made their mark in our everyday lives. eBay is one of those companies that have made good use of this opportunity. eBay Inc. is considered as the world’s leading online personal trading community. Founded in 1995, eBay is available 24 hours, 7 days a week with more than one million registered users. In the 4th quarter 2003, eBay reported a net income of 935.8 million dollars; up 44% and their full year net income for 2003 was 3.27 billion dollars, up 51% for the same time last year. Even with their noted economic success this company still finds a need to raise fees for the use of their service. On the positive side of the moral and ethical matter, there are great things that eBay offers as well as provides for its customers. People with many dreams of becoming entrepreneurs and starting successful businesses has found eBay and answer to their prayers. Many people who don’t have the resources to use an outside place to start their businesses; have used eBay to sell their items straight from their homes to save money. Some of their businesses have even grown so that they are now able to rent a separate space to run their small companies. This is a blessing that probably would have not been a reality if not for the large Internet auction service named eBay. eBay is not a dirty word in their vocabulary; it is a spring board to independence and an opportunity for a good way of life. Although some have used eBay’s services to cheat and steal, eBay has started a foundation that helps in communities all across the country. Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay Inc. made a statement; â€Å"Giving back to the community has been an essential part of eBay since the very beginning.

Sambia And Hutterite Societal Threats :: essays research papers

Threats are everywhere. Every community in the world faces some sort of threats from time to time. These threats can be large or small, can come from inside or outside of the colony, and can have devastating effects on the group as a whole or as individuals. Quite often, parallels can be drawn between societies that have nothing to everything in common. This is found when comparing two dramatically different groups in the Sambia and the Hutterites. When first comparing the Hutterites and Sambia, one notices the glaring differences. The Sambia are a tribe living in the jungles of New Guinea. The Hutterites are a group that lives communally on large farm areas. The Sambia live what looks to most an uncivilized and savage way of life. The Hutterites live in established communities with many modern conveniences. The Sambia is a black tribe, while Hutterites are white. After these obvious differences, it is hard to imagine that there would be anything in common between the two groups. Looking deeper into the groups, it is easy to find several instances where they have very similar societal threats. Both the Sambia and Hutterite groups face threats from inside their communities. These internal threats can be very minor to something that might tear the group apart. One example of an internal threat comes from the sex differences that exist in each group. Both the Sambia and Hutterites have specific male and female gender roles. The Sambia men are the warriors, leaders and hunters. The women cook, raise children and gather certain crops. In the Hutterite community, the men are farmers, both group and spiritual leaders, and top of the hierarchical ladder. The women have the household duties of cleaning, cooking, child rearing and clothes making. There is no deviation from these distinct gender roles. In both societies, women are seen as being beneath the men and having to follow the orders of men. In both of these groups, the women marry in from an outside group. The women come into the home of the husband, with all of his family and friends surrounding them. She does not know anyone there, and must start anew. This and the distinct gender roles lead to male and female subcultures. The Sambia women do not understand the men's rituals, make fun of them and do not share in the joy they receive from the process.