Sustainability and Innovation

Executive Summary The report extensively investigates on various aspects of innovation and sustainability. Innovation is becoming a strategy that many companies are using to achieve sustainability and profits. The report presents a case study of 3M United States Company that has embraced sustainability in all its operations. The company has managed to succeed in its innovation.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Sustainability and Innovation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The sustainability programmes that it offers are centred to create a conducive environment that impacts positively on economic and social structures. The report suggests that individuals and corporate entities should engage or participate in sustainability programs to impact positively on the current and future generations. Background Advancement in technology and the changing lifestyles of people requires flexibility and adaptation for business to survive. Technology has affected the way business is conducted around the globe. Opportunities present are friendly to innovative people who are able to come up with different strategies to solve problems that face human beings. Innovation and sustainability have become pertinent in business’ success. The report covers on innovation and sustainability in the business set up. Objectives and aims The main aim of the report is to determine: The relationship between sustainability and innovation How sustainability and innovation contribute to the performance and success of a business The impact of sustainability and innovation on a selected case company Scope/structure The report mainly focuses on sustainability and innovation. These two aspects are pertinent in business operations. Sustainability of the environment is important in smooth running of business. The 3M Company serves as the case study for the report because of its commitment and support in ensuring the sustain ability of environment. The findings are essential in offering best strategies for businesses to participate and support sustainability besides encouraging innovation. Sustainability Sustainability is a term used in reference to the need to conserve natural environments (Yasamorn Phapruke 2011, p. 4). It therefore implies that all things that are important to people’s lives depend on the environment. People thrive and survive because of their environment, which allows them to gain access to water and other important resources that are pertinent to their general life ad health. Therefore, ensuring that these environments are conserved should be their obligation. Businesses and individuals need to take the initiative of ensuring that the surrounding environment is protected from bad human actions that pose threats to the natural environment.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn M ore According to Christensen (2003), any business has the prerogative of ensuring that its immediate surroundings are well conserved. Even though businesses aspire to get high profits, they have the duty of putting concerns of the society before any other. The concept of sustainability is gaining a lot of acceptance by many companies under the umbrella of social corporate responsibility. According to Gobble (2012), in the survey conducted in 2010, it was revealed that close to 70 percent of companies embraced the principles of sustainability (p. 64). They had placed this as one of their most important agenda. Innovation Competitions in the business world require people who are able to think and come up with creative ideas to help them survive and gain a competitive edge over the others. The main objective of innovation in business is to create value through the development of ideas from the mind to the market. Innovation can therefore be defined as the process of formulating ideas and using them to attain an advantage or to achieve one’s goals (Gobble 2012, p. 64). Most companies find it difficult to achieve their goals because they are not innovative, a case that retards their performance. In most cases, employees working there are not provided with incentives to enable them become innovative. The structures and the systems that many organisations have created deter the creativity of many potential innovative workers. According to Taylor and Theyel (2010), innovation is not difficult (p. 93). The problem that makes it difficult is lack of good ideas. Ideas are learned and experienced in people’s day-to-day interactions. If people are exposed to a lot of information and ideas, they have a good chance of becoming innovative. Innovative can be attained systematically. It does not require an individual to strain a lot, but through learning, training, and exposure, an individual can become innovative. There are obstacles that deter companies and in dividuals from becoming innovative. These include scarcity of ideas among the workers. Another reason is lack of financial or moral/mentorship support. This may kill an idea before it is implemented hence deterring innovation. Individuals with financial problems may not be able to implement their ideas into practical products or services. Mentorship and moral support are also vital ingredients in innovation. People may fail to implement their ideas because they lack moral support from their friends or close members (Frank Florian 2011, p. 59)Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Sustainability and Innovation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Inventiveness has become a key influencing factor in strategic planning. The world is changing at first pace, and to keep with these trends, the only option is to invest in innovation. Companies have come to realise that they cannot achieve their objectives without investing in innovation. Creativity and innovation can be learned (Lindgren 2012, p. 53). To be innovative, an individual has to be attentive to things and experiences that he/she faces. Through these experiences, a person is able to come up with ideas that can improve on what already exists. According to Duygu, Jan, and Nelliene (2012), innovativeness of a firm is its receptiveness and inclination in adopting new ideas and views that aid in the development of new products (p. 89). Innovativeness is a prerogative to a firm’s survival and prosperity. Human beings require new things that make them satisfied. Addressing these human desires/problems will enable a firm to sell more products and services, which triggers the increase in profitability and general success. Sustainability and Innovation Sustainability and innovation are two important components in the success and prosperity of an individual and or a company. Sustainability and innovation have near similarities. Businesses are requi red to carry out their activities to gain profits while at the same time conserving the environment by monitoring their social, economic, and environmental actions. Sustainability should not imply proper management of resources to meet the present needs without exposing the future generations to danger. However, sustainability should bring quality life today, as well as prosperity to ensure that the future is not compromised. Therefore, companies should aspire to carry out their responsibilities putting in mind the current and the future trends. Innovation should allow the generation of ideas that add value besides ensuring prosperity of the business while at the same time being sustainable. An idea that is positive, but which does not ensure sustainability is not viable. For example, a company that innovates, for instance, a product that provides multiple solutions to the society problems but causes a lot of damage to the same society in the long run is not viable. According to Gob ble (2012), sustainability is â€Å"meeting the people’s current social, economic, and environmental needs without compromising on the ability of the future generation to meet their own goals/needs† (p. 64). This therefore, requires that businesses and individuals engage in activities that do not threaten the future generations. It is the obligation of the current businesses and individuals to take a good care of the environment and social structures to enable the future generation to have quality life in meeting their own goals. Even with this, businesses and individuals are coming up with ideas/innovations that may impact either negatively or positively on the quality of life of the current and future generations (United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2012).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The relationship between sustainability and innovation is that both ensure that any new idea that is generated is of value to both the current and future generations. Innovations that defy or seem to threaten the stability of environment, social, and economic structures are therefore not permitted. Sustainability is argued to be the key driver of innovation even during economic crisis/downtown (Gobble 2012, p. 64). This is because there are many opportunities in sustainability that companies can take advantage of to make profits besides attaining success. It is true innovation that a sustainable human society is created (Jones 2002, p. 52). Companies that engage in sustainability initiatives achieve or manage to create a self-sustainable society since they appreciate and embrace new ways of doing things that add value to the life of the people. To achieve true sustainability, any company requires innovation. Without the creation of new ideas, the company or individual is unable to a ttain its/his/her goals. Studies reveal that companies that embrace sustainability achieve their goals. The secret of this achievement is because they are innovative in their activities hence having an advantage over others (Lindgren 2012, p. 53).Therefore, there is close relationship between sustainability and innovation. The two terms are very crucial in the quest to ensure environmental, social, and economic prosperity and management of the present and the future generation. Sustainability is a sign of innovation. A company is not able to achieve success in sustainability if it is not innovative. Likewise, achieving sustainability is an advantage to the company because it will rank high interns of profitability. Organisation Sustainability: A Case Company-3M United States Company The 3M United States Company is the case study for this report. This company is one of the many companies that have invested their resources to ensuring that sustainability is achieved. The company deals with an array of technological products and services. It provides services to communities and customers that have innovative ideas/ products, and services. Therefore, they help in supporting the implementation of innovative ideas from both the individuals and corporate. The company is committed to ensuring the development of sustainable environmental, progress in economy, as well as social responsibility. As part of its role in sustainability, the company is in the forefront in putting the future in front of its innovations. Therefore, it cannot support an innovation that is detrimental to the social fabric, economic, and environment (Chowdhury 2003). Customers and even companies that seek innovation must not threaten the quality of life currently and that of the future generation. 3M United States Company provides technical advice on any innovative products or services from its clients. It assesses them to determine their value or impact to the environment before its adoption. Sus tainability is also at the core of the 3M United States Company. It has managed to achieve this through the adoption of strategies that do not compromise to the social and environment of human society 3M United States Company 2012). 3M United States Company is one of the companies that have participated in the sustainability of the environment. For instance, the company managed to regulate its volatile organic air emissions. It succeeded in achieving great milestones. For instance, the company managed to reduce these emissions by 95%. In 1990, its emission was 255 million pounds compared to 13 millions in 2011. It has managed to achieve this through â€Å"the development of pollution prevention programs, solvent-less technologies, and use of pollution control equipments† (3M United States Company 2012, Para.16). The company’s efforts have also seen it contribute to the management of climate change. The company has managed to reduce green gas emissions by managing to cu t down the emission by 72% from 1990 to 2011. The company has also managed to keep the environment clean by preventing pollution. It adopted 3p strategy, pollution prevention pays, which has seen the company save around 1.5 US billion besides eliminating around 3.5 pounds of pollution (3M United States Company 2012). The company is also committed to water stewardship. It has reduced the amount of water that it uses. Besides, it releases fewer pollutants to water. This is aimed at sustaining the environment to ensure that every body in the society has a quality life. Furthermore, the company has laid down strategies geared at managing wastes. This has reduced the amount of toxins that are released to the environment. The wastes produced by the company come from unused raw materials, which are sold or reused for other duties. This has a positive impact on the economy, as well as environment (3M United States Company 2012). The company is also engaged in managing the biodiversity aroun d the globe and in their own back yards (3M United States Company 2012). They also help with funding of few methods of keeping wild animals in their own property. This has enabled sustainability of the environment. The company also collaborates with other organisations such as Nature Conservancy to protect critical species. Conclusion Sustainability and innovation are important in the success of individuals and companies. Sustainability is concerned about safeguarding or promoting the environment, social, and economic status for the benefit of the current and the future generations. Innovation is also an important concept in a business environment, as it ensures that organisations adapt to ideas that are beneficial to them. It is therefore paramount that organisations/businesses embrace sustainability to achieve their objectives. Companies cannot achieve innovation without having successfully embraced sustainability because to be innovative requires that one understands what sustain ability entails. The 3M United Sates company has successfully engaged in the sustainability of its environment through various programs that have seen it become innovative in many areas thus impacting positively to the environment, economy, and social structures. Therefore, it is imperative that companies devote their time and resources to sustainability to ensure that the whole society thrives well now in the future. References Chowdhury, S 2003, Design For Six Sigma-The Revolutionary Process for Achieving Extraordinary Profits, FT Prentice Hall, New York. Christensen, C 2003, The Innovator’s Solution-Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth, HBS Press, London. Duygu, K, Jan, C, Nelliene, M 2012, ‘Innovation process of new ventures driven by sustainability’, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 5 no. 8, pp. 89-98. Frank, B, Florian, L 2011, ‘Business models for sustainable innovation: state-of-the-art and steps towards a research agenda’, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 2 no. 5, pp. 56-64. Gobble, M 2012, ‘Innovation and Sustainability’, Research Technology Management, Vol. 55 no. 5, pp. 64-66. Jones, T 2002, Innovating At The Edge – How Organisations Evolve and Embed Innovation Capability, Butterworth, Heinemann. Lead Business Model Innovation?’, International Journal of Business Management, Vol. 7 no. 14, pp. 53-66. Lindgren, P 2012, ‘Business Model Innovation Leadership: How Do SME’s Strategically Taylor, G, Theyel, G 2010, ‘Globalisation, Innovation and Sustainability’, Journal of Corporate Citizenship, vol.1 no. 39, pp. 93-101. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2012, What is sustainability? Web. Yasamorn, N, Phapruke, U 2011, ‘Strategic collaborative capability, business growth, and organisational sustainability: Evidence from tourism businesses in Thailand’, International journal of business strategy, vol. 11 no. 3, pp 1-27. 3M U nited States Company 2012, Sustainability at 3 M, https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/sustainability-us/ This report on Sustainability and Innovation was written and submitted by user Teagan E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Japans Declining Population

Japan’s Declining Population One of the world’s most advanced nations, economically and technologically, is Japan. Yet, economic growth has been stagnant for the past several years, and the long-term view is clouded by a question of demographics. Japan is a densely populated nation; it averages 332 people per square kilometer, as compared to 105 in France and 28 in the United States. (Cutter, Renwick 1999) The problem here however is not overpopulation; it is the decline in Japan’s birthrate. Japan is moving rapidly down the road towards a society with fewer children and an aging population, with a speed unprecedented anywhere else in the world. Japan’s total birthrate is declining year by year, while its average life expectancy is increasing. According to the national census, Japan’s population stood at 125.6 million as of October 1, 1999. (Flakus 2000) In terms of population, Japan now ranks seventh in the world following in order China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil and Russia. As in other industrial countries, Japan’s population growth has slowed in recent years despite a steady decrease in the death rate. The government fears fewer babies – births are down to an all-time low of 1.39 per woman. This will mean a less prosperous, more troubled and lonelier Japan. The trend will increasingly squeeze funds needed to provide for the rapidly increasing numbers of elderly among the approximate 130 million Japanese. (Coleman 2001) The Health and Welfare Ministry announced in June that the current birthrate is far below what is needed to keep population steady. Within a decade, the total population will begin to fall. (Kakuchi 2001) The main reason for low fertility rates, as in most other countries with population problems, is the idea of wealth. Women in Japan are now becoming more independent; the traditional roles of housewives and mother are no longer being instilled in them from an early childho... Free Essays on Japan's Declining Population Free Essays on Japan's Declining Population Japan’s Declining Population One of the world’s most advanced nations, economically and technologically, is Japan. Yet, economic growth has been stagnant for the past several years, and the long-term view is clouded by a question of demographics. Japan is a densely populated nation; it averages 332 people per square kilometer, as compared to 105 in France and 28 in the United States. (Cutter, Renwick 1999) The problem here however is not overpopulation; it is the decline in Japan’s birthrate. Japan is moving rapidly down the road towards a society with fewer children and an aging population, with a speed unprecedented anywhere else in the world. Japan’s total birthrate is declining year by year, while its average life expectancy is increasing. According to the national census, Japan’s population stood at 125.6 million as of October 1, 1999. (Flakus 2000) In terms of population, Japan now ranks seventh in the world following in order China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil and Russia. As in other industrial countries, Japan’s population growth has slowed in recent years despite a steady decrease in the death rate. The government fears fewer babies – births are down to an all-time low of 1.39 per woman. This will mean a less prosperous, more troubled and lonelier Japan. The trend will increasingly squeeze funds needed to provide for the rapidly increasing numbers of elderly among the approximate 130 million Japanese. (Coleman 2001) The Health and Welfare Ministry announced in June that the current birthrate is far below what is needed to keep population steady. Within a decade, the total population will begin to fall. (Kakuchi 2001) The main reason for low fertility rates, as in most other countries with population problems, is the idea of wealth. Women in Japan are now becoming more independent; the traditional roles of housewives and mother are no longer being instilled in them from an early childho...

Sociology of sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociology of sports - Essay Example In 2008 Black Americans represented 8.5 percent of the players in the National Baseball League, twenty-nine percent were Hispanics with most of the having a Caribbean origin. Also, racial representation is evident in athletics where most of the athletes who participate in short sprint races are blacks while the whites and Hispanics tend to participate in the long distance races (Floyd, Kimberly and Monika 2013). Edwards (1972) argued that blacks are superior to the whites in terms of physical strength but are inferior in terms of intellectual ability. Hoberman (1997) argued that physical prowess has become a characteristic of African-American community in sports like basketball. This is as a result of the idolization of famous black athletes such as Michael Jackson. This, he argues has reduced the importance placed by African-Americans on their intellectual and social economic development (Jon 2008). The statistics showing that blacks dominate the whites and people from certain places in the world dominate in different forms of sports raises the question whether genetics have a role to play in this. Is the genetic makeup of black people different from the white people hence their dominance in certain sports and not in others? Is the genetic makeup of Jamaicans different so as to dominate the short distance races? People might argue that people with a certain genetic makeup would excel in a certain sport more than people with a different genetic makeup. However, there are several sociological concepts that can correctly explain this phenomenon. The idea of self-fulfilling prophesy argues that what a person believes to be true becomes true due to positive feedback between behaviour and beliefs. Self-fulfilling is in the beginning a false understanding of a situation which then leads to a new behaviour which makes the originally false definition become true. In sports, the misplaced believes that a certain race is best suited for certain sports

Trust between a child and his caregiver Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Emergence of modern man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Emergence of modern man - Essay Example The purpose of this short paper is to explore the influences of evolution and natural selection on modern man and to analyse whether these are continuing to have an effect on our species. The reason that many scientists argue that evolution and natural selection does not continue to exert an effect on modern man is because there are so many protections from nature. Food availability is one of the most important things for a species’ survival (Bootle, 2011), but many humans living in the West do not have to worry about food availability because much of it is available very cheaply and nutrition is found all year round. Many food items can now also be preserved to last through the winter, and these developments have come from a high level of intelligence. This, however, may be one of the problems. Some argue that the effects of obesity on our population may be having an effect similar to that of natural selection in the wild (Bootle, 2011), and could be used as evidence against our collective intelligence. Disease is also another one of the biggest parts of natural selection in the wild (McKie, 2002). However, modern man has developed a number of ways to prevent disease. Even in prehistory, there is evidence that there may have been some attempt at preventative and curative medicine (Regal, 2004), which suggests that man’s high intelligence has a function of preventing parts of natural selection. In modern times, several diseases which would have killed people prior to reproduction (and thus have bred the trait out), such as asthma and diabetes, are present in the population because they can be treated (Regal, 2004). This could also be evidence that natural selection is not as powerful for man as for other species. Perhaps one of the most interesting elements of the human species is that it occupies a huge amount of space on the

Production of Mutant Based Epsilon Toxin (ETK) Vaccines

Production of Mutant Based Epsilon Toxin (ETK) Vaccines Vaccines improve the immune system of an animal or human by stimulating the production of antibodies to fight and combat bacteria, protozoan or viruses effectively creating immunity against disease (Salisbury 1997). Vaccines commonly contain weakened or dead strains of a virus, bacteria or protozoan which elicits the body’s immune system upon recognition to respond by producing antibodies to fight against the invading antigen. In effect, the vaccine introduces the disease or its causative agent into the body to gain a defence response; as a result if the disease enters the body in the future the body can produce the requisite antibodies to fight the disease faster, as it remembers measures taken to fight against the disease previously. Consequently, the time taken to recognize the disease, provide active measure against the disease and minimize any possible signs or symptoms associated with the causative virus, bacteria or protozoan. Building on this function of vaccines this essay critiques the study and subsequent paper of Li et. al. investigation into the production of mutant based epsilon toxin (ETK) vaccines which can provide protection against intoxication. Costridium perfringes a Gram positive spore forming bacterium, is ubiquitously found in the environment and the intestines of humans and animals. Furthermore, it is commonly found in raw meat and poultry and is also linked to foodborne illnesses and food poisoning (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2014). Presently, there are five known strains of C. perfringes which produce a minimum of twelve known protein toxins (The Centre for Food Security and Public Health 2004). To this end, the epsilon toxin (ETX) is produced by the type B and D strains (The Centre for Food Security and Public Health 2004). Moreover, ETX is a pore forming protein which damages cell walls leading to potassium and fluid leakage from cells and it increases the permeability of the cell membrane resulting in ion imbalance; as such ETX has been suggested as a possible biological weapon (Stiles, et al. 2013). Arizona Department of Health (2004) speculates that in the event of a biological attack the epsilon toxin can be spread through food, water or by aerosolization. While all five strains have the capacity to infect wounds in any species; type B and type D have the ability to cause severe enteritis, in young foals, lambs and piglets, and enterotoxemia in young calves, lambs, goats, sheep and foals just to mention a few (Arizona Department of Health Services 2004). The toxin is also known to cause pulmonary edema and neurological symptoms including recumbence hyperesthesia, convulsions, paddling, dyspnea and loss of conciseness when intravenously injected into animals. They are few reported cases on the toxicity of ETX in humans as the type B and D strains rarely infect humans. However, evidence suggest that it can affect the G-402 and ACHN cell lines of the human kidney highlighting its possible toxicity to humans (Li, et al. 2013). The epsilon toxin is secreted as an inactive prototoxin from the cytosol into the environment as a result of a 32 amino acid residue leader sequence. It is then activated by extracellular serine type proteases of the host such as trypsin or chymotrypsin; which subsequently results in the loss 10-13 amino terminal and 22 or 29 carboxy terminal residues depending on the protease used (Stiles, et al. 2013). Moreover, maximal activation results in the loss of 13N-terminal residues and 29 C-terminal residues producing the third most potent toxin of the clostridia class, loss of these two terminals results in the formation of a more acidic protein which possibly favours more productive receptor interactions (Hunter, et al. 1992). Bokori-Brown et al. (2011) states that the prototoxin can also become activated by C. perfringens ÃŽ » – protease. When activated the toxin becomes relatively resistant to proteases in the gastrointestinal tracts of mammals (Stiles, et al. 2013).The effects of the toxin on the cell membranes lead to cell dysfunction, cell death and suffering in the host which can sometimes be fatal. Proteolysis induces a conformational change in the toxin facilitating homo-oligomerization of the activated toxin on the external surface of the cell (Stiles, et al. 2013). After binding to a cell ETX acts quickly. Two groups of pore forming toxins exist, to this effect ETX is a beta pore forming toxin as it forms a beta-hairpin structure to facilitate membrane insertion (Stiles, et al. 2013). Moreover, the toxin has three domains with implications in the function of the toxin. The first domain, domain I-amino terminus, functions in receptor binding, the central domain or domain II functions in membrane insertion and channel formation (Stiles, et al. 2013). The final domain, domain III located at the carboxy terminus functions in proteolysis activation and act as monomer to monomer interaction sites. Subsequent to the loss of the C terminal peptide from the protoxin monomer-monomer interactions leads to homo-heptamer formation. ETX cause pore formation in cell membranes by detergent-resistant, cholesterol-rich membrane domains that promote aggregation of toxin monomers in homo-heptamers (Stiles, et al. 2013). Evidence from research highlights ETX forms transmembrane pores less than two nanometr e in diameter that facilitates the passage of molecule 1kDa in size, increase intracellular chloride and sodium levels and decreased intracellular potassium levels. Furthermore, secondary effects of the toxin include cytoskeletal dysfunction which affects the integrity of cell monolayers (Stiles, et al. 2013). The general layout and presentation of the paper was good and easy for readers to follow. However, the materials and methods should have occurred before the results and discussion to familiarise the readers with the methods used in the experiment. In doing this readers would have an idea of the type of results to be presented or expected. Furthermore, if presented earlier the procedure could be borne in mind in order to help readers understand the information presented in the results and discussion sections and the relevance of the information to the aim of the research. Additionally, if the methodology is placed earlier in the paper it helps readers to determine the extent of the internal validity of the study, as readers can determine for themselves the extent to which results can be interpreted accurately and with confidence with regards to the methods used to obtain the presented findings. Reliability, a necessary condition for validity, is related to consistency of results and t he extent to which the research can be independently replicated by other researchers (Leacock, Warrican and Rose 2009). Based on the information provided the study is reliable and can be replicated independently by researchers with the relevant resources. In addition the use of graphs, tables and photographs of the gels used in the experiment are good means of presenting information. To this end, it presents data in a concise format allowing readers to easily identify pertinent information and reduces the possibility of readers being overwhelmed if this information was to be fully present using only text. It is also important to note that the use of the photos form the SDS-PAGE and the immunoblotting aids in reader visualisation and acts as a point of reference for readers when examining the results and discussion. The introduction presents a good base for the readers but would have benefited from more in depth explanation on the mode of action and structure of ETX and more background information on mutant based vaccinations. Also a proper comparison of the proposed mutant based vaccine and how it would essentially function in contrast to the existing vaccine which only protects against enterotoxemia caused by the disease would have increased the reader’s knowledge about the topic and reinforce the importance of find a viable vaccine with low toxicity. It is important to note that the introduction provided supportive information from previous research about the amino acid residues present in the structure of ETX and their function. By extension the introduction also highlights the chosen sites for mutation in the toxin based and evidence also presented in the paper. A brief synopsis of the methods used with reference to article presented by Li et al. are as follows; sited directed mutagenesis of ETX in the pTIG-trx plasmid, with the obtained sequence being confirmed using nucleotide sequence analysis. Following this the pTIG-mETXs were transformed into competent E. coli for expression which was also driven with a T7 promoter. The bacteria was then collected and purified through a combination of centrifugation, buffer washes, resuspension, sonification, chelation and elution. The purified protein were subsequently analysed using SDS-PAGE, with the highly purified proteins undergoing dialysis and concentration. The next step employed ELISA to identify the antigenicity of the mETXs and rETX using anti-rETX monoclonal antibodies. After electrophoresis the purified mETX protein were transfer from the SDS-PAGE gel using the western blot technique. The ELISA and western blot steps served to illicit the antigenicity of the mETX which both involving the use of goat anti-mouse IgG during incubation periods. A cell culture and cytotoxicity assay was conducted to determine rETX activity by defining its effects on MDCK cells. Three dimensional structure of two mETXs, mETXF199E and mETXH106P, were generated for structural analysis. The two mentioned not-toxic mETXs were used to vaccinate six week old female mice with the same dosage of antigen being given on days 17 and 38 a week later the mice were injected with active recombinant mETX and observed for 72hours. The following step involved the measurement of sera antibody titers. The final step of the experiment tested mice for passive protection against rETX. The use of ELISA is a good means of detecting the presence of ETX and is one of the assays highlighted by the Arizona Department of Health Services for detection of the toxin due to its high detection rates (Stiles, et al. 2013). ELISA combines the specificity of antibodies with the sensitivity of simple enzyme assay by coupling the two, in the experiment it was us to detect the presence of antibodies which recognize ETX (Sino Biological Inc 2014). Additionally, the use of coloured tags indicate a positive reaction when the substrate interacts with the enzyme which also gives visual confirmation of the presence of the antigen or antibody which would have useful implications for this study. Furthermore, it is effective as it produces relatively fast results, which is especially relevant as samples can degrade over time, deterioration may also have implications for the levels of antibodies present. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry uses inmmunoaffinity beads to concentrate ETX or prototoxin from a complex matrix and is also a method commonly used to determine the presence of ETX and may be given consideration if the study is replicated (Stiles, et al. 2013). While ELISA and mass spectrometry are commonly used in the detection they do not determine if the toxin is biologically active. The use of titration was effective as it determined the amount and levels of antibodies required to neutralize the toxin. Random assignment to treatment groups is good as it gives each mouse the same change of being assigned to a group and reduces possibility of bias. However, as only three mice there were used in each group there are possible implications for the analysis of the results, as for experimental research the minimum recommended number is 15 participants for each group, as a sufficiently large sample size is required to produce results among variables that are significantly different (Leacock, Warrican and Rose 2009). A bigger sample size may also be effective in gi ving better credence to the obtained results for each treatment. The use of only female rats can have implications for the generalization of the results and by extension the validity of the study. Furthermore, all of the mice used in the experiment were six weeks in age this does not provide variation and as such does not account for the possible effects age can have on the function of the vaccine and results of the rETX challenge. Validity applies to the generalization of research and the vaccines is aimed for use in animals and humans and these populations contain both males and females, thus the use of one sex in the experiment have implications for generalization of results. The study may have also benefited from longer observation period after the mice were injected with the rETX. Despite the potential market for the vaccine including humans the research was conducted using mice due to ethical considerations. Additionally, the creation of pharmaceutical therapies require severa l animal experiments to be conducted using the treatment under before the ability for a clinical study using humans and the vaccine being offered to the public. The result section has sub headings corresponding to the methods used which aids in easy identification for readers. Some of the significant findings of the research include the yield of six mETXs and up to 98% purity was obtained after purification measures. Additionally, the results showed that the toxin mutants retained the same antigenicity as the rETX. Four of the toxin mutants showed decreased cytotoxicity, while mETXS111Y and mETXS111YF199E showed a slight decrease in toxicity and higher toxicity when compared to rETX thus the researchers excluded the latter two from further analysis. Also of importance is immunization and the subsequent ELISA results of the anti-mETX antibody titres highlighted mETXH106P and mETXF199E showed similar titres and there was no significant difference between the two; but antibody titers also increased after booster immunization. The most significant results demonstrated that mice when challenged with active rETX with dosages up to 100 x LD50 survi ved. In contrast all with dosage of 500 x LD50 or 1000 x LD50 died which have implications for use of the vaccine and provides grounds for further research to obtain vaccines which have a better response to higher dosage of rETX. Investigation into passive protection showed anti-mETXH106P or anit-mETXF199E can completely neutralize a 10 x LD50 dose of activated rETX. The discussion highlighted supporting facts from various sources but there was limited discussion to certain findings of the paper. A possible suggestion is that the authors provide a more in depth discussion about their findings instead of a synopsis. The discussion may have also benefited from a comparison of the mutant based vaccine with the effectiveness of current ETX related treatments. Furthermore in depth explanations of the findings would help readers understand the significance of the findings and implication for future production and use of the tested vaccine. A significant finding highlighted in the discuss ion is that modifications of various amino acid residues result in varying cytotoxicity of the ETX. To this end, the researchers should have discussed why all of the obtained mETX were not tested in the immunization phase. A recommendation is the use of all of the obtained mETXs in the vaccination section of the experiment to determine the possibility of its use as a vaccine to provide immunity against the epsilon toxin. The study did record some success in meeting its aims as two of the mETXs, mETXsH106P and mETXF199E as possible candidates for vaccines against the toxin as they showed strong immunogenicity and safety. However, mETXF199E still has toxicity, as a consequence the researchers have made a possible suggestion to improve the vaccination and lower toxicity. In concluding this article has led to the advancement of the body of knowledge pertaining to protection against ETX. The information from the study despite some limitations is a good read for persons interested in the topic. To this effect, it also provides a theoretical and empirical basis for further study about therapeutic measures to combat the epsilon toxin. It is important to note that it provides a preventative method against the toxin where as other treatments tend to target the ETX related diseases and related symptoms of the toxicity of the toxin, which some treatments delaying the onset of the toxin’s effects or delayi ng or preventing death (The Centre for Food Security and Public Health 2004). References Arizona Department of Health Services. 2004. Epsilon Toxin of Clostridium perfringens Bioterrorism Agent Profiles for Health Care Workers. August. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/emergency-preparedness/documents/zebra-manual/zm-s5-epsilon-toxin.pdf. Bokori-Brown, M, C G Savva, S P Ferandes da Costa, C E Naylor, A K Basak, and R W Titball. 2011. Molecular basis of toxicity of Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin. The FEBS Journal 278 (23): 4589-4601. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014. CDC- Clostridium perfrines Food Safety. January 29. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/clostridium-perfingens.html. Hunter, S E, I N Clarke, D C Kelly, and R W Titball. 1992. Cloning and nucleotide sequencing of the Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin gene and its expression in Escherichia coli. Infection and Immunity 60 (1): 102-110. Leacock, C J, S J Warrican, and G Rose. 2009. Research Methods for Inexperienced Researchers. Kingston: Ian Randle Publisher. Li, Qing, Wenwen Xin, Shan Gao, Lin Kang, and Jinglin Wang. 2013. A low-toxic site-directed mutant of Clostridium perfringens Ɇº-toxin as a potential candidate vaccine against enterotoxemia. Human Vaccines Immunotherapeutics 9 (11): 2386-2392. Salisbury, David M. 1997. Some Issues Related to the Practice of Immunization. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 1 (3): 119-124. Sino Biological Inc. 2014. ELISA Principle. Accessed March 20, 2015. http://www.elisa-antibody.com/ELISA-Introduction/ELISA-Principle. Stiles, G Bradley, Gillian Bartg, Holger Barth, and Michel R Popoff. 2013. Clostridium perfringens Epsilon Toxin: A Malevolent Molecule for Animals and Man? Toxins (Basel) 5 (11): 2138-2160. The Centre for Food Security and Public Health. 2004. Epsilon Toxin of Clostridium perfringens. January. Accessed March 20, 23015. http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/epsilon_toxin_clostridium.pdf.

Malcolm X Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley was published in 1965. It is national best seller about the life and times of Malcolm X. On May 19, 1925 Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska. His father was a preacher who spoke out about the unity of black people. This caused several white racists to strike out against Malcolm’s father and his family violently. His family moved to Lansing, Michigan where Malcolm, his parents, brothers, and sisters were shot at, burned out of their home, harassed, and threatened. When Malcolm was 6 years old, his father was murdered by a white man. After his father’s death his mother had a nervous breakdown and the family got split up by welfare agencies. Malcolm was placed in a lot of different schools and boardinghouses. He was a good student and wanted to be a lawyer someday, but a teacher told him that because he was black he should take up carpentry instead. At age 15 he dropped out of school and moved to Boston to live with his half sister Ella. He quickly sees the fast pace life of Detroit. To get money he shined shoes, worked at a soda fountain, worked at a restaurant and on a railroad kitchen crew. Later he moved to the black Harlem section of New York City where he sold drugs, became a thief, and was involved with a lot of hoodlums and pimps. He moved back to Boston and got arrested for burglary. While he was in prison he learned about the Nation of Islam and later joined the Islamic religion. He was released from prison in 1952 and went to be with his brother in Detroit where he replaced his last name, Little, with X to symbolize his lost true African family name. The Islamic religion taught that white people were devils so Malcolm went around speaking out against whites at universities and other places. He returned to New York and became minister of the Harlem temple. For 12 years he preached that the white man was the devil and Muhammad was God’s messenger. In 1964 he left the Nation of Islam and said "I feel like a man who has been asleep somewhat and under someone else’s control. I feel what I’m thinking and saying now is for myself. Before, it w as for and by guidance of another, now I think with my own mind."(Haley 312) He was 38 years old when he left the Islamic religion and started his own group, Organization of Afro-American Unity. He went to Mecca, known as the Hajj, and this is a religious... ...t of drug addiction, self-hatred and poverty. He restored a sense of pride in our African heritage to millions of black Americans. He offered his own view of civil rights issues, and it was totally different from the views held by other leaders, who were thought to be more moderate. If he had lived, many people think that he would have become one of the most powerful political figures this nation has known. At the end of the book Malcolm said, "I know that societies often have killed the people who have helped to change those societies. And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America then all of the credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine." Book Report: The Autobiography of Malcolm X Chidima Keke April 13, 2004 African American History II Professor Lewis Works Cited Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Ballantine Books: New York.1965 D.Hine, W.C. Hine, Harrold Stanley. The African American Odyssey. 2nd edition. Vol.2.Perason Education, Inc: New Jersey. 2003

Choking in Sports Essay

In 2007, Reeves, Tenenbaum, and Lidor conducted research in order to study what causes talented athletes to often fail to perform to the best of their abilities when placed under stressful situations. The purpose of the study was to discover whether athletes who participate in self-consciousness training adapt to pressure situations better than players who do not. To measure this, the researchers examined â€Å"choking† during kicking a soccer ball with participants of two different skill levels, low-skill and high-skill. The participants had to complete two different tasks, kicking a soccer penalty and a breakaway. They were placed under two pressure situations, both low and high, and the experimenters also had three different training conditions – single task, dual task, and self-consciousness. The high-skill players were members of a NCAA Division 1 women’s soccer team at a southeastern, United States university with at least ten years playing experience. There were 18 participants in the high-skill group ranging from 18 to 22 years of age. The low-skill players were junior varsity girl soccer players from two southeastern high schools. There were 19 participants in this group, ranging from age 14 to age 16. All of these participants were randomly assigned to one of the three training conditions. On the first day of the experiment, participants were told the purpose of the study and were asked to fill out performance information sheets as well as sign informed consents. Participants then warmed up and began performing the simple task of penalty kicks under low-pressure conditions. Before each kick, participants filled out the part of the psychological grid for that kick, and then performed the task. On the second day, the participants were split into two teams and told they would be competing for a prize. They were told that their competition would be videotaped and that a sports psychologist would evaluate their mental performance in front of the goal. The psychological grid was again filled out before each penalty kick. On the third day, the participants completed the complex task (breakaways) under low pressure conditions. On the fourth day, participants were told that the competition involving penalty kicks was unfair and that the competition needed to be replayed but with breakaways. The researchers found that choking occurred in the simple task of penalty kicks, but not in the more difficult task of breakaways. Also, the single-task and dual-task treatments experienced a decrease in performance under high-pressure situations. Meanwhile, participants who underwent self-consciousness training improved their performance under high-pressure situations. Reeves et al. used a repeated measure ANOVA with skill level and treatment as between-subjects factors and pressure condition and task complexity as within-subjects repeated measures on perceived pressure. This ANOVA was used to check for the effect of pressure on the participants, and a significant effect was found (F (1,31) = 32. 32, p < . 001). Repeated measures ANOVAs were also used to assess performance and perceived performance during the shooting tasks. There was a significant interaction of task difficulty and pressure condition on performance such that participants performed the simple task better under low-pressure (M = 12. 63, SD = 3. 35) than under high pressure (M = 11. 17, SD = 3. 24). However, they also found that the more difficult task was performed equally well under low- (M = 11. 08, SD = 2. 64) and high-pressure (M = 11. 25, SD = 2. 90) conditions. A significant interaction was also found between pressure condition and treatment as they affect performance. Participants in the dual-task treatment suffered decreases in performance when shifting from low- to high-pressure situations, whereas participants in the self-consciousness treatment group increased performance. The single-task treatment had the highest decreases in performance from low- to high-pressure situations. Significant interactions were also found between skill level and treatment condition such that low-skill players given self-consciousness and dual task training perceived their performance as higher than those in the single-task condition. However, high-skill players in the self-consciousness treatment perceived their performance as being lowest of all three treatments. Yet another analysis of the data showed a significant interaction between pressure and treatment on perceived arousal and pleasantness levels. One limitation of this particular study is that it only examined the effects of high pressure situations in female soccer players. Although this study did account for differences in skill level, players of a different sport may have had dissimilar results. Also, there may be gender differences when it comes to choking during performance. The authors discussed the possible limitations of this study in the discussion section. There it says, â€Å"Further explanation of what constitutes a simple and complex task under pressure situations and of the ability to generalize to other task types is needed to enhance our understanding of the choking phenomenon. The researchers go on to say that there was no significant difference in skill level shown. The results reported by the experimenters and the discussion section did seem to be consistent in their findings. Using the statistical analysis and results from the ANOVAs, the researchers explained what they found using previous theories on choking in high pressure situations. The results of this study supported the explicit monitoring theory to explain choking under pressure in proceduralized skills. On the other hand, distraction theories explain choking under pressure in cognitive skills. Both of these conclusions were supported by data in the results section of the paper. This study not only has implications for athletes, but for everyday life as well. Athletes should be aware of the pressure they are experiencing in different situations and be able to regulate their arousal when necessary. If an athlete is facing a difficult task under high pressure conditions, they should consider undergoing self-consciousness training to help increase their performance. Similarly, if a student is studying for an extremely difficult exam that will determine whether they pass or fail a course, they should use self-consciousness training to help them obtain the best grade possible. For simple tasks, both athletes and students should realize that being under an increased amount of pressure can result in lower performance. Therefore, when completing mundane tasks, athletes and students alike should decrease their arousal and be under as little pressure as possible to achieve optimum performance. In a study by Wang in 2004, researchers were examining â€Å"dispositional self-consciousness and trait anxiety as predictors of choking in sport. Sixty-six basketball players completed the Self-Consciousness Scale and the Sport Anxiety Scale prior to completing 20 free throws in low-pressure and high-pressure conditions. A manipulation check showed that participants experienced significantly higher levels of state anxiety in the high-pressure condition. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses supported the hypothesis that self-conscious athletes were more susceptible to choking under pressure. The best predictors of choking were private self-consciousness and somatic trait anxiety that together accounted for 35% of the explained variance. † If one is self-conscious, they are putting themselves under even more pressure than the situation at hand already is. Therefore, these athletes are already at a disadvantage when it comes to reaching optimum performance. The best athletes in the world have no trouble stepping onto the biggest stage and performing well on a consistent basis. Also, in terms of choking, another factor that seems to be important is how high one’s approach motivation is. Choking is the concept that one performs worse than expected in a situation that carries great importance. This is Michael Jordan hitting a game winner in game six, or Mr. October Reggie Jackson going yard to give the Yankees the lead, or even a young intern at the FBI figuring out the biggest case of his life that makes his career; except it’s not. Choking is bricking that shot, grounding out to the second baseman, and having someone else figure out your case for you and thus getting your promotion. Recent questions have been raised about the major causes of choking. Some believe that â€Å"motivation to avoid failure often may predict choking under pressure† (Jordet 2008). â€Å"In achievement motivation theories, avoidance motivation typically refers to behavior directed by negatively valenced events, whereas approach motivation refers to behavior directed by positively valenced events† (Jordet 2008). People who avoid failure often get worried more and are more likely to perform poorly (choking). People who approach it, are often more confident and have less anxiety and thus, tend to have better performance (Dweck 1988). In this study, the researchers hypothesized that, â€Å"elite performers who are in negative valence situations engage in avoidance behaviors and these behaviors may contribute to low performance† (Jordet 2008). This study uses the high pressure situation of a penalty kick in a soccer match to fill the gap in knowledge on real-world choking. A penalty kick occurs when two teams are tied after two overtime periods. Especially in big games such as the World Cup final, these shots are very high pressure moments. Studies on these shots suggest that the more important the shot, the worse people performed because of elevated stress and anxiety levels. Researchers for the current study hypothesized that players in negatively valenced situations would attempt evading the situation, while players with positively valenced shots would take their time to look at the goal keeper, line up their shot, and take the necessary time to prepare. The negatively valenced shots would have their back turned to the goal keeper and would get the shot over with as quickly as possible (Jordet 2008). The results of this study showed that whether one takes an approach or avoidance motivation can have an effect on whether professional athletes choke under high pressure situations. They found that soccer players especially tended to use avoidance behavior and thus made 30% less shots than with the positively valenced shots (Jordet 2008). Despite prior research that suggested that professionals who choked tended to take longer to shoot, the present study found that the athletes who shot quickly actually performed worse. There are two possible situations. Either, through hurrying up, the athlete is able to time their shot and put it where they want, or they rush their preparation and don’t focus in enough on where they need to place the ball and can therefore choke. Jordet states that more research needs to be done on the relationship between dreading the shot, waiting to shoot, and the result or performance on the shot. Researchers in this study included a neutrally valenced condition in which they found it was most related to the negatively valenced condition. Therefore they concluded that athletes in the positively valenced group simply strive under pressure i. Michael Jordan, etc. Jordan approached failure face to face and more often than not came away successful as a result. It is all dependent on what sort of success and patterns a player has developed over his or her career (Dweck 1988). If a player shows a pattern of stepping up and hitting a key shot, you can expect that he or she will perform better on a big stage because they are self-confident. If I were to perform further research on this subject, I would first attempt to create a model that would help explain the complex reasons for choking while performing tasks during different situations. This would help other teachers, coaches, and researchers use this information to foster the highest level of performance in athletes and others. Another possible direction for these findings is to have three conditions in a study, one in which a participant completes a proceduralized task, one for a cognitive task, and one for a task that is both cognitive and proceduralized. Using this design, I would be able to examine if the two theories interact or if they are separate. Another possible direction for research is to see if low-, moderate-, or high-skilled players are more likely to choke under pressure rather than simply studying the choking habits of just elite athletes. Finally, a personality psychologist could assess if different personality dispositions make an athlete more or less likely to choke than others. With further research and increased understanding of the choking phenomenon, sports psychologists could discover a technique to help decrease the chances of choking under high-pressure situations. This could help improve athletes’ confidence, self-esteem, and performance while competing.

Free Essays on Idle Hands

Idle Hands? In Sherwood Anderson’s â€Å"Hands,† the character of Wing Biddlebaum subconsciously expresses the emotions he is feeling through the actions of his hands. He is a very sheepish and timid character. Anderson feels that â€Å"the story is a story of hands,† which play an enormous role in Wing’s life (217). Nervous and â€Å"fiddling about† swiftly, Wing’s hands also demonstrate confidence through firm and assured movements. He rarely uses these solid motions, but when he does, it is when he is with his only friend George Willard. Wing seems to become disdainful toward his hands when later they seem to always find him trouble. Throughout Wing’s life, he is faced with many problems that his hands cause him to overcome. Wing’s hands are what place him in his state of solitude. Being a school teacher, Wing touches the shoulders of the young boys and plays with their hair, yet Wing means no harm. He loses his job as a school master and almost loses his life, all because he uses his hands to comfort the young boys. He has altered his lifestyle to avoid everyday problems, concerning his hands. He does not know why he resents his hands, but he knows that his hands are to blame for his everyday predicaments. Wing lets his hands control almost every aspect of his life. In the past, Wing’s hands have caused him to lose his job and his pride. In order to regain a strong sense of self and live a normal life, Wing must overcome the past. Society shuns him and he wonders everyday what he has done to deserve this mistreatment. He tries things as futile as changing his name, yet he cannot seem to satisfy his need to be content. Wing presently lives in constant dismay, desperately trying to realize or remember what his hands did to force him to live in such misery and solitude. In this certain time, it is rare that a man holds the position of an elementary school teacher. This shows that Wing is a caring and ... Free Essays on Idle Hands Free Essays on Idle Hands Idle Hands? In Sherwood Anderson’s â€Å"Hands,† the character of Wing Biddlebaum subconsciously expresses the emotions he is feeling through the actions of his hands. He is a very sheepish and timid character. Anderson feels that â€Å"the story is a story of hands,† which play an enormous role in Wing’s life (217). Nervous and â€Å"fiddling about† swiftly, Wing’s hands also demonstrate confidence through firm and assured movements. He rarely uses these solid motions, but when he does, it is when he is with his only friend George Willard. Wing seems to become disdainful toward his hands when later they seem to always find him trouble. Throughout Wing’s life, he is faced with many problems that his hands cause him to overcome. Wing’s hands are what place him in his state of solitude. Being a school teacher, Wing touches the shoulders of the young boys and plays with their hair, yet Wing means no harm. He loses his job as a school master and almost loses his life, all because he uses his hands to comfort the young boys. He has altered his lifestyle to avoid everyday problems, concerning his hands. He does not know why he resents his hands, but he knows that his hands are to blame for his everyday predicaments. Wing lets his hands control almost every aspect of his life. In the past, Wing’s hands have caused him to lose his job and his pride. In order to regain a strong sense of self and live a normal life, Wing must overcome the past. Society shuns him and he wonders everyday what he has done to deserve this mistreatment. He tries things as futile as changing his name, yet he cannot seem to satisfy his need to be content. Wing presently lives in constant dismay, desperately trying to realize or remember what his hands did to force him to live in such misery and solitude. In this certain time, it is rare that a man holds the position of an elementary school teacher. This shows that Wing is a caring and ...

10 Facts about Christchurch, New Zealand

10 Facts about Christchurch, New Zealand Christchurch is one of the largest cities in New Zealand and it is the largest city located on the countrys South Island.  Christchurch was named by the Canterbury Association in 1848 and it was officially established on July 31, 1856, making it the oldest city in New Zealand. The official Maori name for the city is Otautahi.Christchurch has recently been in the news due to a large magnitude 6.3 earthquake that hit the region on the afternoon of February 22, 2011. The massive earthquake killed at least 65 people (according to early CNN reports) and trapped hundreds more in rubble. Phone lines were knocked out and buildings all over the city were destroyed - some of which were historic. In addition, many of Christchurchs roads were damaged in the earthquake and several areas of the city were flooded after water mains broke.This was the second large earthquake to hit New Zealands South Island in recent months. On September 4, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit 30 miles (45 km) west of Christchurch and damaged sewers, broke water and gas lines. Despite the earthquakes size however, there were no fatalities reported. 10 Geographic Facts About Christchurch It is believed that the Christchurch area was first settled in 1250 by tribes hunting the now-extinct moa, a large flightless bird that was endemic to New Zealand. In the 16th century, the Waitaha tribe migrated to the area from the North Island and began a period of war. Shortly thereafter however, the Waitaha were driven out of the area by the Ngati Mamoe tribe. The Ngati Mamoe were then taken over by the Ngai Tahu who controlled the region until Europeans arrived.In early 1840, whaling Europeans arrived and established whaling stations in what is now Christchurch. In 1848, the Canterbury Association was founded to form a colony in the region and in 1850 pilgrims began to arrive. These Canterbury Pilgrims has goals of building a new city around a cathedral and college like Christ Church, Oxford in England. As a result, the city was given the name Christchurch on March 27, 1848.On July 31, 1856, Christchurch became the first official city in New Zealand and it quickly grew as more E uropean settlers arrived. In addition, New Zealands first public railway was constructed in 1863 to make moving heavy goods from Ferrymead (today a suburb of Christchurch) to Christchurch quicker. Today the economy of Christchurch is based largely on agriculture from the rural areas surrounding the city. The largest agricultural products of the region are wheat and barley as well as wool and meat processing. In addition, wine is a growing industry in the region.Tourism is also a large part of Christchurchs economy. There are a number of ski resorts and national parks in the nearby Southern Alps. Christchurch is also historically known as a gateway to Antarctica as it has a long history of being a departure point for Antarctic exploration expeditions. For example, both Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton departed from the port of Lyttelton in Christchurch and according to Wikipedia.org, the Christchurch International Airport is a base for the New Zealand, Italian and United States Antarctic exploration programs.Some of Christchurchs other major tourist attractions include several wildlife parks and reserves, art galleries and museums, the International Antarctic Centre an d the historic Christ Church Cathedral (which was damaged in the February 2011 earthquake). Christchurch is located in New Zealands Canterbury region on its South Island. The city has coastlines along the Pacific Ocean and the estuaries of the Avon and Heathcote Rivers. The city has an urban population of 390,300 (June 2010 estimate) and covers an area of 550 square miles (1,426 sq km).Christchurch is a highly planned city that is based on a central city square that has four different city squares surrounding the central one. In addition, there is a parklands area in the center of the city and this is where the historic Cathedral Square, home of the Christ Church Cathedral, is located.The city of Christchurch is also geographically unique because it is one of the worlds eight pairs of cities that have a near-exact antipodal city (a city on the exact opposite side of the earth). A Coruà ±a, Spain is Christchurchs antipode.The climate of Christchurch is dry and temperate that is highly influenced by the Pacific Ocean. Winters are often cold and summers are mild. The average January high temperature in Christchurch is 72.5ËšF (22.5ËšC), while the July average is 52ËšF (11ËšC).To learn more about Christchurch, visit the citys official tourism website.SourceCNN Wire Staff. (22 February 2011). New Zealand City in Ruins After Quake Kills 65. CNN World. Retrieved from: cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/02/22/new.zealand.earthquake/index.html?hptC1Wikipedia.org. (22 February). Christchurch - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christchurch

Coca Cola's Logistics System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Coca Cola's Logistics System - Essay Example However, as the number of products increased, it was not possible to load one stock keeping unit with one product. With the increase in the number of stock keeping units and retail stores, the traditional system could not be continued (Banker, 2010). The trucks carrying the Coca Cola’s products go through the various retail stores and unload. The products are delivered on the basis of order. Hence, the truck drivers work as order takers. The warehouses are stocked with exactly the amount of delivery orders. For better delivery of the products to the retailers, Coca Cola brought trucks with special facilities. The company has succeeded in having an efficient supply chain and it helps to lower its cost of distribution. It knows from experience the kind of trucks needed for its fleet, hires experienced drivers and ensures that they are extremely productive. The logistics requirements of no two businesses are similar. Therefore, logistics, which is a key component of strategy and an important ingredient of marketing, can be tailored to suit the requirements of business and by implication the customers (Fuller & Et. Al., 1993). Logistics can be an important service differentiator. Coca Cola has segmented its customers in Japan based on their logistics requirements. The segmentation is done based on the store needs and the vending machines as the customers are comfortable with. The delivery drivers deliver the products based on the store type. The company is attempting to segment the customer to save the logistics cost. However, accurate segmentation of the customer is not always possible. Some stores want accurate delivery. Coca Cola has opened a new warehouse that is operated automatically. The reason behind opening it is to save on operational cost and better management of inventory. The benefits that this warehouse provides are that it provides better on-site facilities

Company Background - Microsoft Corporation Essay

Company Background - Microsoft Corporation - Essay Example The essay "Company Background - Microsoft Corporation" discusses company background of Microsoft Corporation. In the 21st century the company has diversified into other business sectors such as the video game industry. The firm in 2001 released the X-Box and subsequently in 2005 created the X-Box 360 which has sold millions of units worldwide. Microsoft has grown a lot during the last 28 years. The firm has a global workforce of 94,000 employees and a market capitalization value of $266.2 billion. The firm’s common stocks are sold in the NASDAQ under the symbol MSFT. As of April 25, 2013 the price of Microsoft common stocks was $31.94. During fiscal year 2012 Microsoft generated total revenues of $73.72 billion. The net income of Microsoft during 2012 was $16.98 billion. I selected Microsoft because I have been a customer of the firm for over a decade. My preferred game console is the X-box 360 and I have Windows 8 installed in both my computers at home. This analysis will hel p me determine whether Microsoft would be a good investment option for my personal investment portfolio. The common stocks of Microsoft are considered blue chip stocks. A blue chip stock can be defined as a stock issued by a well-known company with an established record of making money and paying dividends. A ratio analysis of Microsoft is illustrated below Ratio Analysis. Accountants and business analysts can utilize ratio analysis to evaluate the financial performance of an enterprise. Ratio analysis uses the input from the common size. financial statements of a company in order to insert that data into financial formulas. The five major categories of ratio analysis are profitability, market value, liquidity, leverage, and efficiency. One of the benefits of using ratio analysis is that any person with basic math knowledge can use the formulas to calculate the ratios of a company. The financial statements that must be used to calculate ratios can be retrieved from the annual report of public firms. One of the limitations of ratio analysis is that its results are not forward looking since they focus on the historical performance of a company. This report will focus on three financial ratios: net margin, asset utilization, and return on assets (ROA). The results of Microsoft are going to be compared against one of its main competitors and against the industry. The competitor chosen for comparison purposes was Oracle. The liquidity position of the company will also be analyzed by calculating the free cash flow ratio and through analysis of the cash flow statement of the company. The net margin measures the profitability of a company. The formula to calculate net margin is net income divided by the total sales. Microsoft had a net income in 2012 of $16.98 billion and total sales of $73.72 billion. The net margin of Microsoft in 2012 was 23.03%. Microsoft’s net margin in 2011 was 33.10% which implies that the company’s profitability decreased by 10.0 7%. When compared to Oracle the net margin of Microsoft was 3.85% lower than Oracle’s 26.89% result. The industry standard net margin in the software industry is 4.50% (Dun & Bradstreet, 2012). The software industry is classified under SIC code 7372 (Prepackaged software). Microsoft’s profitability was superior to the industry by 18.53%. The asset utilization is a ratio that measures how effective the company has been at using its assets to generate sales. During 2012 Microsoft had an asset utilization of 1.65. The asset utilization of the company has declined by 0.09 since the previous fiscal year. Oracle had an