Free Essays on Fiber Optics

The Technology of Fiber Optics A fiber optic is a cable that is quickly replacing out-dated copper wires. Fiber optics are based on a concept known as total internal reflection. It can transmit video, sound, or data in either analog or digital form. Compared to copper wires it can transmit thousands of times more data and has many general uses ranging from telecommunications, computing, and medicine. In the summer of 1970, scientists at the Corning Glass Works developed a single mode fiber with a loss of 20 dB/km. This corresponds to over a 99% loss over one km, which may seem useless, but at the time it was a spectacular breakthrough. On October 30, 1986, a fiber across the English Channel became operational. In December 1988, the TAT-8, the first transatlantic fiber cable became fully functional. Currently, the standard losses of fiber are within 0.5 – 0.25 dB/km with a data transfer rate of one trillion bits per second. The basic setup for a fiber optical system is that first, a transmitter receives an electrical signal, usually from a copper wire. The transmitter drives a current on a light source and the light source launches the optical signal into the fiber. Inside the cable, repeaters often amplify the signal due to slight losses in power. Once the signal is through the cable, a light detector receives and converts it back to an electrical signal to send down another copper wire. There are five layers in almost all fiber optic cables. The inner most layer is the optical core. This is the light-carrying element typically made of silica or germania with an index of refraction of 1.48. The layer surrounding the central core is the optical cladding made of pure silica and has an index of refraction of 1.46. It is the boundary between these two layers that the light reflects off of, so the light never actually enters the cladding, it just reflects off the boundary. The next layer is the buffer material that shields the... Free Essays on Fiber Optics Free Essays on Fiber Optics The Technology of Fiber Optics A fiber optic is a cable that is quickly replacing out-dated copper wires. Fiber optics are based on a concept known as total internal reflection. It can transmit video, sound, or data in either analog or digital form. Compared to copper wires it can transmit thousands of times more data and has many general uses ranging from telecommunications, computing, and medicine. In the summer of 1970, scientists at the Corning Glass Works developed a single mode fiber with a loss of 20 dB/km. This corresponds to over a 99% loss over one km, which may seem useless, but at the time it was a spectacular breakthrough. On October 30, 1986, a fiber across the English Channel became operational. In December 1988, the TAT-8, the first transatlantic fiber cable became fully functional. Currently, the standard losses of fiber are within 0.5 – 0.25 dB/km with a data transfer rate of one trillion bits per second. The basic setup for a fiber optical system is that first, a transmitter receives an electrical signal, usually from a copper wire. The transmitter drives a current on a light source and the light source launches the optical signal into the fiber. Inside the cable, repeaters often amplify the signal due to slight losses in power. Once the signal is through the cable, a light detector receives and converts it back to an electrical signal to send down another copper wire. There are five layers in almost all fiber optic cables. The inner most layer is the optical core. This is the light-carrying element typically made of silica or germania with an index of refraction of 1.48. The layer surrounding the central core is the optical cladding made of pure silica and has an index of refraction of 1.46. It is the boundary between these two layers that the light reflects off of, so the light never actually enters the cladding, it just reflects off the boundary. The next layer is the buffer material that shields the...

ACT What To Do

Are You Smart But Scoring Low on the SAT/ACT What To Do SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you a high achieving student who’s used to getting good grades in school?Were you expecting a similarly high standardized test score and were disappointed whenyou got your scores back? I have two pieces of good news: 1. You are not alone; this problem is a lot more common than you probably think. 2. There are ways to improve your test taking skills and raise your score.This guide will go over the most common reasons smart students get low scores on standardized tests and give step-by-step guidelines for solving the problem. Why Do Smart People Not Always Score Well on Standardized Tests? Getting good grades in schooldoes not automatically translate to doing well on standardized exams because these exams are often quite different from tests you take in school.Unlike most school exams, standardized tests: Cover multiple subjects. Unlike just studying for a math test in high school, standardized tests cover math, literature, writing, and science all in one test. This means that you have to study a much wider variety of subjects than you would for a typical school exam, which can be challengingand time-consuming. Are divided into strictly timed sections. This makes standardized tests more difficult because you need to work through the questions faster and often don't have as much time to check your work. Often include misleading questions and answer choices. Most tests you take in school are fairly straight-forward, but standardized tests often include trick questions or answers, which means that even if you know the material, you can still get fooled and end up choosing the wrong answer. There is also typically a lot more pressure to do well on a standardized exam than there is to do well on any single test you take in school because ACT and SAT scores are an important part of college applications. There is no one reason why smart students sometimes get low scores on standardized tests.Below are five scenarios that cover nearly all the reasons top students may not be getting the scores they want on the ACT or SAT.For each scenario, the underlying problem is explained, and steps are provided to help solve the problem and avoid it in the future. Scenario 1: Studying the Wrong Way This May Be You If: You prepared for the exam, had enough time to answer all the questions, and didn’t feel overly anxious, but still got a lower score than expected. It’s possible, and even fairly common, for you to put in a significant amount of time studying for a standardized test and still not get the score you want. If this is the case for you, and you’ve ruled out the other scenarios as possibilities, then you may need to change the way to study for the test.Even if you are a star math student at school, that doesn't automatically translate to getting a high score on the math section of a standardized test because standardized tests are longer, cover more material, and can ask questions in ways that seem confusing or misleading.This means that your methods of studying for your classes at school may not get you the score you want on a standardized test. How to Solve: If you're studying for a standardized test the same way you study for a test at school and it isn't getting you the results you want, then you need to change your study methods. Unlike school exams, for standardized tests you need to know not onlywhat topics they'll test you on, buthowthey'll test you on those subjects, which means you need to become familiar with standardized test questions and how they are worded. The best way to do this is to answera lot of practice questionsand get used to the way questions are asked. Take officialSAT practice testsor ACT practice tests to have the highest quality and most realistic practice questions. You should also review each of the questions you answered incorrectly or guessed on and learn what mistake you made. Reviewing your answers also lets you see which subjects you need to spend the most time studying so you can get high scores across the test. Check out our guide on the best way to review missed questions on the SAT or ACT.We also have a wealth of resources that cover all aspects of SAT preparation and ACT study tips. If you've been studying on your own and not getting the results you want, you may also want to consider hiring a tutor or using an online resource such as PrepScholar. A tutor may be able to help if you're having difficulty studying on your own. (Tulane Public Relations/Flickr) Scenario 2: Didn’t Study Enough/Overconfident This May Be You If: You took the test without any or a lot of preparation because you didn’t think you needed to practice. You may be used to acing tests and papers in school without ever needing to study beforehand.This attitude is common among high-achieving students, and many expect to do just as well when they take a standardized test. However, standardized tests are a special breed of exam andfor students who don’t have a lot of practice with them, they may not be used to the types of questions being asked.Test makers also make some questions and answer choices deliberately tricky and misleading, and if you aren’t used to that style of exam, you may be falling for their tricks and selecting the wrong answer choices. How to Solve: Practice! Set up a study schedule for yourself so you're better prepared for the next time you take the test.To get you started, check out our guides onhow long you should study for the SATandhow long you should study for the ACT. You should also take3-4practice tests to get used to the types of questions these tests ask and how they ask them. For every question you answered incorrectly, look it over to see what you did wrong and how you canavoid making the same mistake in the future. Scenario 3: Over-Thinking the Questions This May Be You If: You spend a lot of time going back-and-forth between answer choices and struggle to pick the correct option. There are specific answer options on these tests designed to look almost like the right answer, and you may think they could be the right answer if you argue their case enough.In school, you may be able to support your answer with a strong enough argument to get it accepted by the teacher, but this doesn’t work with standardized tests.For these tests, test makers are only interested in the rightanswer, not an almost-right answer. This problem is particularly common on inference questions for ACT and SAT reading sections. In class, you may be able to infer something from other things you’ve readoryour own life experiences, but on a standardized test, every correct reading answer will be supported by the text, even inference questions. This confusion can also happen on other test questions, such as second-guessing yourself on sentence completions, making easy math questions more difficult than they need to be, or assuming there must be an error on every writing question. How to Solve: Remember that each question on a standardized test has only one correct answer, and every other option is unambiguously wrong. For reading questions, evenif you feel that a certain answer choice is better, if you don’t see any evidence inthe text supporting it, then it isn’t the correct answer. You should be able to point to a line or passage in the text to support every answer you choose. For all test questions, ifan answer choice is even the slightest bit incorrect, then it is not the correct answer. Move on to other answer choices and don’t let yourself waste time by trying to convince yourself that it’s correct.Read our guides specifically on inference questions for reading sections of the ACT and SAT. We also discuss how to choose correct answersfor other SAT questions and ACT questions. Don't overthink standardized test questions. Scenario 4: Anxious Test-Taker This May Be You If: You felt confident and prepared before the test, but once you start taking the exam, you get nervous and second-guess yourself. Sometimes you know all the information and tricks, but when it’s test time, you psych yourself out and let your nerves get the better of you.It’s easy to put a lot of pressure on yourself when you take a standardized test becauseit can be very important for your future. Overachieving students can be particularly susceptible to this problem because they feel like they have to get a top score in order to get into the best colleges.Feeling stressed or anxious while taking the test can cause you to make silly mistakes and forget information and strategies you’ve learned. How to Solve: The best way to combat this problem is to take a lot of practice testsandmake the conditions as real to the actual test as possible. We have guidesto help you take practiceSATs and ACTs under the most realistic test conditions. The more familiar something is, the less anxiety it will cause.If you are not yet a senior and feel that you may have a problem with test anxiety, consider taking the PSAT or ACT Aspire. Both of these tests are very similar to the SAT and ACT, respectively, and they will give you a low-risk way to become more familiar with standardized tests. Also remind yourself that your standardized test score is only onepart of your college application, and you are free to take a standardized test more than once.Check out our guide tomanaging SAT anxiety (you can use these same skills for the ACT). Scenario 5: Poor Time Management This May Be You If: You know how to answer the questions, but repeatedly run out of time on exam sections. I struggled with thisproblem for a long time. To prepare for the SAT, I had studied, knew the types of questions I’d be asked, and was ready for their tricks, but I was constantly running out of time.Standardized tests usually cram a lot of questions into a short amount of time, and manystudents have trouble answering all the questions before time runs out. This can be especially difficult if, like me, you’re somewhat of a perfectionist and like to make sure of each answer and double-check everything.I was used to having enough time to finish exams at school, and the time crunch on standardized tests threw me for awhile. How to Solve: The best way to solve this problem is to take a lot of timed practice tests. You’ll get more used to the types of questions that are asked, which means you’ll be able to answer them more quickly. When you take practice tests, make sure you give yourself exactly the same amount of time you’d have for each section on the real test, so that you know how much you need to work on your time management. You should also stop yourself from spendinga lot of time trying to solvea singletest question. Our general rule is that if you’ve spent more than 30 seconds on a question and still have no idea how to solve it, skip it and move on. You can always come back to it if you have more time at the end. We also have more in-depth guides that cover how to stop running out of time on SAT reading and SAT math, as well as for ACT Reading and ACT Math. Keep track of your time while taking a standardized exam. Which Scenario Applies to You? Now that you know the different reasons whysmart students don't always score well on standardized tests, you can determine which scenarios apply to you and start toovercome them. In order to determine which of the scenarios you fit, first findyour standardized test resultsand look over each of your incorrect answers.For each question you answered incorrectly, ask yourself why you got it wrong,and look at the options below todecidewhich scenario best matches your reason for answering incorrectly. On a sheet of paper, make a column for each of the five scenarios, and marka tally under the corresponding column each time a certain scenario explains why you got a question wrong. In some cases, more than one scenario could be the cause. Scenario 1:You wereconfused by the question's wording, even though you knew the material the question was asking about. Scenario 2: You weren't familiar with the subject the question was asking about. Scenario 3: You struggled to choose between 2 or more answer choices because you couldn't decide which was the right answer. Scenario 4: You knew how to solve the problem but answered incorrectly because you were stressed or anxious. Scenario 5: You didn'thave enough time to answer the question but would have gotten it right if you'd had more time. After you have done this for each incorrect answer, look to see which scenarios had the most tally marks.Review those scenariosand their "How to Solve" sections to learn how to avoid making those same errors in the future. You are now on your way to raising your standardized test scores! What's Next? Are you wondering what a good score for the SAT or a good score for the ACT is? Check out our guides to see how your scores measure up. Are you aiming for a perfect standardized test score?We have guides on how to get a perfect SAT score and perfect ACT score, both written by a perfect scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT and ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160+ points or your ACT score by 4+ points. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

The history of North American frontiers from the ninth century to the Term Paper

The history of North American frontiers from the ninth century to the opening of the nineteenth - Term Paper Example In spite of the blood, cruelties and military conflicts, the North American frontier is a great contribution into the modern American culture. In the earliest years the Appalachian mountain range was considered the American frontier. In such a way it was possible to set the borders between civilization and wilderness. The independence of America enabled moving people across the frontier more freely. Therefore, a modern context of different institutions’ development implies an important role of the nation’s change. The laws of American development underline a cyclical advancement of the country along a constantly changing frontier line. On the example of the development of American nation in different historical periods it is shown the way nation managed to cope with inner and outer conflicts, referring to their dignity, strength, self-dependence and the absence of the governmental regulations. The difference between the frontier line of America and the frontier line of other countries is the following: the other countries knew their boundaries and they knew which countries were beyond these boundaries. The North America frontier underlined the unknown land beyond it. In accordance with Calloway: â€Å"†¦fertile valleys, meeting friendly people bedecked in turquoise, and hearing wondrous accounts of the towns to be found in the north† (p. 133). As far as we can see, the diversity of the North frontier is evident. The nature of the diversity can be found in the first settlers’ necessity to deal with natural challenges and remain self-sufficient. The main challenges happened nearly 10,000 years ago, with the corn’s cultivation (Calloway, 2003). The sedentary agricultural societies were shaped and there is an evident overlap of different nations occurred. In the process of development of large chiefdoms the ritualized religion was advanced. With furth er advancement of exchange economies, the chiefdoms grow surplus crops. It cannot be claimed that this system was dominant over hunting/gathering. The New Indians were adopting new strategies of economies and political organizations adoption. The earlier Mesoamericans led to vast cultural and religious. Moreover, in accordance with Calloway native groups are involved into challenged relations with animals. The animals’ rearing was the core element of Indians’ lives shaping. Thus, the main emphasis is made on eco organic relationships. Calloway finds surprising parallels in the relations of the earliest settlers Indians and further relations between Indians and Europeans, Indians and Americans. Indian-European relations across North America were developed as a genuinely comparative synthesis. Further on, relations between Indians and Europeans have changed from inner conflicts among different tribes to the conflicts between the representatives of completely different na tions. It was possible for people living in the frontier to overcome different barriers, because they supported their strong individuality. Thus, this tendency is contributing much to the development of the American mentality. The advancement of the northern frontier was mediated in the sixteenth century by the criollos (Spaniards born in America), mestizos and allied Indians (Calloway, 2003). This fact may be considered as a serious contribution into the modern economy of America. The process of settlement was not involving

DNA fingerprinting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

DNA fingerprinting - Research Paper Example For example, if a single DNA strand looks like this: A-A-C-T-G-A-T-A-G-G-T-C-T-A-G, then the strand of DNA bound to it can be this: T-T-G-A-C-T-A-T-C-C-A-G-A-T-C. the section of DNA can be together represented as follows: DNA fingerprinting is used in differentiating people. This is because the chemical structure of DNA of everyone is the same. The only distinctive feature between people or animals is the base pairs’ order. DNA of each person has many millions of base pairs, and everyone has a distinct sequence. Through the use of these sequences, every individual person can be solely identified by their base pairs’ sequence. The task is however time consuming due to the many millions of base pairs. Scientists have been able to do this through a shorter method due to the repeating patterns in DNA (Pena 97). The patterns however do not give fingerprint of individuals, but can determine whether two samples of DNA are from one individual, non-related people, or related persons. The sequences of DNA used by scientists are known to vary from person to person. This helps them in analysis for probability of a match. Maternity and Paternity: since individuals inherits his or her VNTRSs from the parents, its patterns can be used in the establishment of maternity or paternity of a person. The patterns are very specific, and a parental VNTR pattern can even be reconstructed if the VNTR pattern of the children is known. Analysis of parent to child VNTR pattern has been used widely in solving standard cases of father identification and even complicated cases of legal nationality confirmation, as well as in instances of biological parenthood and adoption. Criminal Identification and Forensics: DNA isolated from skin cells, hair, blood, or any other genetic evidence left at crime scene can be compared via patterns of VNTR, with the criminal suspect’s DNA in order to determine innocence or guilt.

The Story of an Hour Essay Example for Free

The Story of an Hour Essay The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin is an impressive literary piece which touches a readers feelings as well as mind. Although the story is really short, it is very rich and complete, and every word in it carries deep sense and a lot of meaning. The events take place in the 19 century in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard. Speaking about the plot and suspense of  « The Story of an Hour  » we may define such its elements as the exposition, the narrative hook, crisis , the main climax, and the denouement. The plot novel contains all these elements so we can speak of a closed plot structure. In the beginning we find out that Mrs. Mallard is afflicted with heart trouble, and news about her husbands death is brought to her as gently as possible, the second sentence introduce characters to the readers † It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husbands friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallards name leading the list of killed. These sentences are the exposition of the story. When Mrs. Mallard finds out about the death of her husband starts the complication in The Story â€Å"She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sisters arms. † The narrative hook marks the beginning of the collision mentioning some queer changes in Mrs. Mallard’s feelings: â€Å"There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air†. The rising action which adds complication to the story can be found in the part of the novel when â€Å"she was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will—as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been. When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: free, free, free! The main climax is expressed by breaking the narrative in a fragmentary sentence â€Å" Someone was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered†¦ . † In the falling action we find out that â€Å"He had been far from the scene of accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephines piercing cry; at Richards quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife. † The denouement indicates the moment when the doctors state Mrs. Mallard’s death – â€Å"When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of joy that kills. † As for the conflict, it may be pointed out that it is mental or inner between freedom and grief The character of the story are Mrs. Mallard a young woman, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength, Richard her husband friend and Josephine . Mrs. Mallard is the protagonist, her character is dynamic and round as she is the one who goes through a change in one moment. In the beginning, Louise is emotional about the death of her husband, Brently. However, Louise is emotional until she reflects on the death of her husband. Louise departs to her room and reflects on the situation. She sets her feelings aside and analyzes the circumstances. â€Å"She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . She realizes that she does not have to share her life, anymore. Louise is sad about Brently’s death but imagines her life without her husband â€Å"Free!  Body and soul free! †. Louise realizes she does not have to wait on her husband for anything. She can think for herself and say what is on her mind. The narrator describes her emotions in vibrant and powerful words. When Louise’s emotions are described regarding something she is thrilled about, the language becomes lively and rich with color and vibrant images. This stands in sharp contrast to the sections in which she seems indifferent or emotionally unattached. For instance â€Å"And yet she loved him—sometimes. Often she did not† which demonstrates emotional passivity, but as the short paragraph continues and her true emotions come to the forefront, the language comes alive along with her character. â€Å"What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! † It is important to notice not only the language comes to life with the use of words like â€Å"mystery,† â€Å"possession,† and â€Å"impulse† but the very phrasing changing. The initial thoughts in which she was indifferent are short tidy sentences, but as soon as she begins to feel an emotion, the sentences expand and the whole of one massive thought about â€Å"her being† becomes one very long sentence to stand in contrast to the previous one. When her emotions become overwhelming, so do the sentences and language. â€Å"There would be no one to live for in those coming years; she would live for herself† begins the paragraph. There are no lively words, just a matter of fact, unemotional statement without the slightest hint of sadness. In fact, almost as though she suddenly realizes again that she doesn’t need to be sad—that marriage is an unhappy institution for her, she comes to life again through language and sentence structure as seen in a meaningful passage such as, â€Å"There will be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature. † Phrases such as â€Å"powerful will† and â€Å"blind persistence† are much more descriptive and full of energy than any she uses to describe the fact that she had no one to live for. Her emotions goes from calm and passive to wild. Through contrasting language and sentence structures to reveal the emotions of Louise, the reader is able to enter her wild mind just as easily if her every thought was described in an itemized list. The reader is forced focus on her inner-life, which depicts a sad portrait of marriage, indeed. The author doesn’t tell a lot about Richards. Just only that he was a friend of Mr. Mallard. Josephine is a typical sister. She’s extremely worried when it comes to exposing Louise’s fragile heart to pressure and sudden shocks and surprises, which generally shows that she loves her sister wholeheartedly, and doesn’t want something bad to happen to her. But she doesn’t understand that her sister was unhappy in marriage. Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhole, imploring for admission. Louise, open the door! I beg- open the door-you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heavens sake open the door. The story is written from the omniscient point of view. Therefore we know all thoughts and experiences of the main character. We can hear the authors voice through the inner monologue. â€Å"There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air†, â€Å"She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial†, â€Å"No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window. Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. The tone of the story shifts from emotional gloomy to ironically and melancholy tone The story comes off as subtly cruel in that Louises reaction to the death of her husband. She comprehends the news only later, and author shows us little by little how she comes to realize it and what helps her to understand it. She goes to her room, and there stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank (788). Reading these words, the readers suddenly realize that something turns the story to a more positive, reassuring way. What makes us, readers, to think so? Here we see two things, which make us to feel that way a comfortable, roomy armchair as a symbol of security and comfort in spite of her husbands death, and the open window, which here symbolizes connection to the world, to life. The next, fifth paragraph, emphasizes these ideas even more and carries more details and fresh elements of the new, positive turn of the story. Through the open window she can see the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves (788). All these parts of this paragraph show us that Mrs. Mallard gets in touch with life, starts to hear sounds and to smell scents which she didnt feel before. Why? What happened? Does she really start to notice it all only after her husbands death? Yes, and the author gives us even more details, emphasizing it, not yet giving the answer why she starts to feel this way. However, a care ful reader understands the deep sense of the words about patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds . These words didnt appear in the story with no reason. All these details make us to feel the growth of Mrs. Mallards excitement and make us to understand the sign of the meaning of the blue sky a symbol of freedom and future life. In paragraph eight, Mrs. Mallard, young, with a fair, calm face, is sitting in the armchair with a dull stare in her eyes, which indicated a suspension of intelligent thought. (789). Reading these lines, the readers understand that something is going on in Mrs. Mallards head; something is changing everything in her mind. What is it? Mrs. Mallard still doesnt realize it, but she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air (789). We understand, that her soul starts to fill with happiness of freedom; freedom, which is in everything in sounds and beautiful trees around, in blue sky and in songs of the birds. However, for one moment she gets afraid to allow herself to be happy about her freedom she was striving to beat it back with her will (789). This shows us that Mrs. Mallard is a product of her time and has to be dependent on society rules. She realizes that society would determine her thoughts of freedom inappropriate, but she cant stop herself to feel that way. A calm soul is necessary for a human being and is more important than society standards. Feeling happy she just proves this thought. However, she knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death (789) but its just a reaction, which society expects her to have. What can compare to a long procession of years that would belong to her absolutely (789)! Here the author finally opens a reason why Mrs. Mallard feels this way about her husbands death. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature (789). These words show the picture of Mrs. Mallards family life. She was unhappy with her husband; she couldnt have her own opinion and couldnt show her own will, thats why she is happy to be free! Back then society didn t accept a divorced woman, but it accepted widows, and we realize that being a widow it is the only way for Mrs. Mallard to get free. Free! Body and soul free! (789). We read these words and share with Mrs. Mallard her feelings, her excitement and hopes. At this point Mrs. Mallards sister Josephine is looking ridiculous, with her words Louise, open the door! you will make yourself ill. (789) Because practically, Mrs. Mallard, who is a woman, who had numerous years under her husbands will, finally gets an absolutely freedom, a miraculous freedom, which she even didnt hope to get the day before. However, her sister is far from understanding it. Expecting spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own (790), Mrs. Mallard goes out of the room as a goddess of Victory. 790) From the first look, this point of the story seems as the highest culminating moment of the whole story, and here is the irony. The author prepared the main strong culmination right in the end, in three final paragraphs. Mrs. Mallards husband opens the front door with a latchkey (790). He enters composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella (790). He is carrying it composedly, because he doesnt even know about the accident and that his name is on the list of those who died. Even more ironical here are Josephines piercing cry and Richards quick motion to screen (790) Brently Mallard from his wifes eyes. Mrs. Mallard dies of joy that kills (790). These words carry the absolutely opposite meaning, than they read. We understand, that the doctors are wrong, thinking that she dies from happiness of seeing her husband again. She chooses rather to die than to live again under her husbands will, especially after experiencing freedom, even just for one hour. This hour in a comfortable armchair in front of the open window made her feel happy and free, made her to understand the sense of her being, and it was the only real hour of her life.

Cancun Essay -- Essays Papers

Cancun Very little clothing is required. There is very little pressure, very little rush, and very little reminiscent of the world. The Cancun area is undeniably a fabulous place to take a vacation. It has luxurious hotels, exciting activities, and mysterious sightseeing tours. First, Cancun has gorgeous hotels. The architecture of one representative hotel is fabulous. Walking into the entrance of the hotel is like walking through a breezeway because there are no doors. Upon entering, the visitor is mesmerized by the colossal tropical floral arrangement that’s so stunning and full of vibrant color that her mouth drops in awe. Soon, she realizes, after the initial shock, that she is walking on marble floors that look like mirrors reflecting rays of dancing light. Indoor waterfalls accompanied with lavish foliage engulf her; every sense is stimulated. Happily greeted and escorted to her hotel room, she is delighted to see that the hotel’s beauty continues throughout every part of it. Posh describes the room exactly. The bathroom floors, counters, and the shower walls are polished stone, native to Mexico. Surprised, she looks over the balcony to see the S-shaped pool with a floating bar and the bar’s roof covered in bamboo. Walking through the hotel lobby, through the fresh gardens, through the pathway to the pool are picture-perfect peacocks flaunting their beauty, and, indeed, they are very beautiful. Every minute detail of the Grand Hotel is designed to give her an unf...

The Health Benefits of Chocolate

The Health Benefits of Eating Chocolate For centuries, chocolate has been one of the favorite sweet-tasting treat in the world and until not too long ago, also considered unhealthy. Recent studies show that cacao, which chocolate is made, contains potent antioxidants that can actually be beneficial to our health. Cacao is derived from the beans of Theobroma cacao, a tree native to South America (1). Historically cacao was being used by ancient people with various medicinal purposes such as treatment of inflammations, heart palpitation, and prevention of infections.Cacao is an abundant source of flavonoids, a potential antioxidant, which can be beneficial to one’s health. The benefits greatly depend on the type of chocolate that is consumed and the percentage of cacao bean it has. The higher percentage of cacao, more health is the chocolate. The best chocolate is the darkest, which contains 60 to 70 percentage of cacao and small amount of sugar. Dark chocolate is proven to be g ood for the heart. A small bar of it every day helps the cardiovascular system run well.In recent study, it has been demonstrated that the flavonoids present in cacao stimulate the production of nitric oxid (NO) which helps the dilatation of the blood vessels allowing the easy blood flow to the heart and brain reducing the blood pressure(2). When blood pressure is lowered, there is a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Additionally, the flavanoids affect the cholesterol decreasing the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your blood and increasing significantly the good cholesterol (HDL), which cleans and mops up the blood vessels from the harmful fats.Also, dark chocolate improves the body’s ability to use insulin which helps to prevent Type-II diabetes, the type that is caused by the body’s inability to deal with sugar. Cocoa can increase nitric oxide levels to help with insulin-stimulated uptake of blood sugars. The increase in nitric oxide also improves the health of the bl ood vessels, limiting the damage of diabetes on the small vessels. Like the heart and blood vessels, dark chocolate consumption can be good for the brain.More recently, it was discovered that a compound in dark chocolate, called epicatechin (a flavonoid), may decrease the risk of stroke by increasing cellular signals that shield nerve cells from damage. A stroke is similar to a heart attack, but occurs when the blood supply to your brain becomes blocked or reduced. This can cause your brain cells to begin to die within minutes because it deprives your brain of necessary oxygen and nutrients.Furthermore, dark chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine that stimulates the nervous system giving to people a feeling of pleasure, serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant which makes you feel good after eating chocolate and theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants that can increase your mental awareness. Good for the memory, flavanoids, can help boost brain power and mem ory. The beneficial brain effects appear to result from flavanoids impact on the blood system. In essence, the chemicals stimulate an increase of blood flow to the brain.Chocolate may also prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. The antioxidant flavonoid helps protect the skin against sun’s harmful UV rays and pollution, soothes inflammation such as acne, and prevents wrinkles by increasing the blood flow, restoring collagen and improving the appearance of the skin. (3) Also, some studies conducted in Europe, Asia, and North America have found that people who eat a diet rich in flavonoids from chocolate have lower incidents of cancer than those who eat fewer flavonoids. Lastly, dark chocolate can help reduce weight gain in the body.Rich in fiber, dark chocolate can actually help keep you full, so you can resist eating more food than you need. It also can take longer to chew, giving your brain time to get the signal that you have had enough to eat. To Sum up, eating dark chocolate has various health benefits. It contains high concentrations of beneficial flavonoids that may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancer. However it should be consumed in moderation to receive the full potential of these health benefits. References: 1. Dillinger TL, Barriga P, Escarcega S, et al. Food of the gods: cure for humanity?A cultural history of the medicinal and ritual use of chocolate. J Nutr 2000; 130(suppl):2057SÂ ±2072S 2. http://www. aarp. org/health/medical-research/info-03-2011/dark-chocolate-can-help-lower-your-blood-pressure. html 3. http://www. cnn. com/2006/HEALTH/12/20/health. chocolate/ 4. http://img. pathfinder. gr/clubs/files/4093/6835. pdf 5. http://mydrchocolate. soundconcepts. com/research/rs_rwhateat. htm#cardio 6. http://www. dark-chocolate-antioxidant. com/ 7. http://EzineArticles. com/844267 8. http://mydrchocolate. soundconcepts. com/research/rs_rwhateat. htm#other

Formula 1 Constructors

Introduction The Formula One World Championship was started in 1951 by private sportspersons. Today, Formula One is the world’s biggest motor sports event and is arguably the second most popular sport in the world. It consists of ten teams, with two cars each, contesting a 17-race series. It involves two titles, the Driver’s Championship and the Constructors Championship. Formula One today is a highly dependent on technology (Denison and Henderson, 2004). This article will discuss the resources, capabilities and attributes required by Formula One constructors.This article will also analyse the reasons for the dominance of different constructors during different periods, by using one of the methods of identifying competitive advantage. It will analyse the reasons behind their inability to sustain their dominance and also suggest ways by which these constructors could have sustained their competitive advantage. â€Å"A firm is said to have competitive advantage when it i s implementing a value creating strategy not simultaneously being implemented by any current or potential competitors. (Barney, 1991:99) Resources, capabilities and attributes required by Formula One Resources can be classified as financial, physical, human, technological and organisational (Grant, 1991). The financial resources required by Formula One constructors are vast (close to $1 bn), the human resources required are a staff of around 450-800. They need highly qualified staff like race engineers, designers, aerodynamicists, composite experts and system specialists. They require physical resources including their own testing and development equipment like wind tunnels, test tracks and other equipment.They also need to constantly change their strategies to counter strategies of the other teams. All the teams and members need to work as a cohesive unit. Based on Porter (2004) we can identify factors important for competitive advantage in the Formula One industry. Technology deve lopment is crucial to competitive advantage in the racing industry. Technology development involves steps to improve the racing car in aspects like power, stability and drag. It involves steps like research, product design and servicing procedures.Human resource management is also key to competitive advantage in the racing industry. Human resource management involves activities like recruitment, training, and development of employees. In Formula One human resource management involves choosing the right drivers, engineers and designers who are expertds in their fields and also good team players. It also involves training new drivers, engineers and designers and keeping them satisfied and motivated so that they don’t leave and join other competitors. Firm infrastructure involves activities like general management, planning, finance and accounting.This can also be an important source of competitive advantage as management and planning are crucial to success in the racing industr y. Value linkages are also an important source of competitive advantage in the racing industry. Linkages can be both internal and external. Internal linkages include co-ordination between various departments within the firm like the design team, racing team and the technical team. External linkages include co-operation and co-ordination with component suppliers and sponsors(Porter, 2004). Attributes are qualities or skills possessed by constructors.Attributes include trust, relationships, history and management structure within a firm (Barney, 1995). These skills relate to ways in which they do things. These skills and qualities are not easily transferable, as they cannot be easily copied. These skills and qualities are generally developed over a long period of time. Formula one constructors require attributes like knowledge, experience and flair for innovation. A firm’s capabilities are based on the resources it has. Capability means the ability of a firm to perform certain tasks based on the resources it has.Capability is created by the integration of many key resources and attributes. Resources and attributes alone do not lead to competitive advantage, but capabilities are a source of competitive advantage. The key resources of an organisation need to be identified, and capabilities, due to a combination of particular resources that need to be identified. Capabilities involve efficient interaction between people and other resources. Formula One Constructors require engine manufacturing, car design and technological capabilities. Key capabilities are those that are not shared by the firm’s competitors.Strategy of an organisation has to be based on its resources and key capabilities to gain a competitive advantage (Grant, 1991). For example, Ferrari had the unique capability of manufacturing engines, which its other competitors did not have. Hamel and Prahalad, (1990) describe key capabilities, which lead to competitive advantage as ‘core competencies’. Ferrari’s success in the mid 1970s Ferrari was the dominant Formula One Constructor’s Championship in the mid 1970’s. Using one of the many approaches to determine competitive advantage, the reasons for Ferrari’s dominance can be identified.Some approaches to determine competitive advantage are explained below: Porter’s (1980) five forces model helps to position a firm in the best way to tackle competitors. This model helps in understanding the competition and formulating strategy accordingly. Carl Shapiro’s (1989) approach is based on making competitive firms act in unproductive ways. This theory can only be used where competitors are closely placed. Barney’s (1995) resource based approach believes that competitive advantage is due to unique resources. The capability of the firm is based on its unique resources.He suggests that it is important to understand the firm’s internal strengths and weaknesses to understand how exactly competitive advantage can be gained. Barney’s (1995) approach is based on SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. Barney’s (1995) approach implies that only those firms that use their internal strengths to make use of the available opportunities gain competitive advantage. Strengths and weaknesses can be understood by 1. Continuously checking whether resources and capabilities of a firm help it in the changing environment. 2.Checking whether these capabilities and resources are unique to the firm. 3. Understanding if the resources and capabilities of the firm are difficult to imitate. 4. Checking if the firm’s processes make use of the resources and capabilities effectively. Teece (1997) suggests that dynamic capabilities are a source of competitive advantage. â€Å"Dynamic refers to capacity to renew resources so as to achieve congruence with the changing business environment. † (Teece et. al, 1997:515). A ccording to Teece (1997) dynamic capabilities of a firm depend on its processes, position and path.Processes mean the way things are done in the firm, position means the technology, assets and customer base the firm has, path means the ways available to the firm to do things. These dynamic capabilities of the firm lead to competitive advantage. Porter (2004) introduced the concept of value chain to determine competitive advantage. It was based on identifying the primary and secondary activities of the firm. Primary activities include activities like inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales and service.Secondary activities include firm infrastructure, human resource management, technology development and procurement. It then identifies and separates activities that are unique strengths of the firm in relation to the competition. Spanos and Lioukas (2001) argue that Porter’s value chain is based on external factors of competition and ignores the cr ucial internal resources and capabilities of the firm. Rumelt (1984) also argues that strategy of a firm should be based on its unique resources and capabilities.McWilliams and Smart (1993) argue that Porter’s value chain theory lead managers the wrong way by suggesting to develop unique activities based on the resources, even though the activities may not be beneficial to the firm. From the various views it can be seen that Barney’s (1995) approach, based on identifying and focusing on unique resources and capabilities, based on SWOT analysis, is more relevant in analysing competitive advantage in Formula One. Using SWOT analysis we can identify that one of the strengths of Ferrari was the use of component knowledge as a source of competitive advantage.Component knowledge means skills, resources and knowledge related to particular parts of a system. For example, in Formula One it means technical and design skills related to engine, chassis and gearbox. (Pinch et al, 2 003). The Ferrari 12-cylinder engine and 312-T car was a result of component knowledge. In 1975, Ferrari designed a new car 312T, which had a wide low body, powerful 12-cylinder engine and a revolutionary transverse gearbox. All these improved the balance and handling of the car. 312T had a chassis, engine and gearbox combination, which could not be matched by the engine, gearbox combination of the competing cars(Johnson, G et. l, 2008). The component knowledge behind this engine and car could be easily understood, but could not be easily transferred because it was based on firm specific component knowledge and because it didn’t fit in with the systems of other manufacturers; hence it was not used widely. The other strength that was the reason for Ferrari’s success was the use of architectural knowledge as a competitive advantage. Architectural knowledge considers the whole system and the interaction between component knowledge of its various parts (Matusik and Hill, 1 998).It is difficult to transfer architectural knowledge between organisations because it is distinct for each organisation and develops over time. The highly efficient practices introduced by Montezemolo were the architectural knowledge of Ferrari. Montezemola ensured that each team concentrated on a specific task, for example, chassis, gearbox, engine and suspension. This helped avoid conflicts and helped in getting a great car made. The system of having each team concentrating on a specific task to avoid conflicts was also a part of architectural knowledge of Ferrari.Architectural knowledge also helps in determining the ability of organisations to acquire new knowledge. (Zahra and George, 2002). Human resource management was another strength, which was a factor of competitive advantage in Ferrari’s success, as Montezemola recruited the right driver in Nicki Lauda, who could communicate effectively with the technical team. Another of Ferrari’s strengths were the uniq ue resources that it had, like its Maranello factory where it made its own engines and the test track in Fiorano, which is one of the most advanced and sophisticated test tracks in the world, which enabled it to test and develop cars.All these strengths were the reason for Ferrari’s dominance in the 1970’s. McLaren’s domination in the late-1980’s In September 1980 Dennis was appointed as the team principal. Dennis bought in Barnard as a car designer. Barnard had ideas of making the racing car chassis of carbon fibre, instead of metal. Barnard left in 1986 but a lot of progress in car design had been made by then. By SWOT analysis we can identify the strengths of McLaren, which endowed it with competitive advantage. One of McLaren’s strengths during this period was the efficient and disciplined way in which the organisation was run.They prepared carefully for all the races. Many elements that contributed to McLaren’s success are still unknown . This is an example of architectural knowledge being used for competitive advantage. (Pinch et. al, 2003). Good human resource management can be seen to be another strength, which was the reason for McLaren’s success as McLaren had the right people for the job in Dennis and Barnard. Dennis had good managerial skills while Barnard had highly innovative design skills. Dennis, in turn, recruited the best drivers in Senna and Prost, who were crucial to McLaren’s success.Senna was fast and determined whereas Prost was fast and good at tactics. Another of McLaren’s strengths was the use of external linkages of value chain as a competitive advantage, by its collaboration with Honda for engines. All these strengths helped McLaren dominate F1 from 1988 to 1991. Williams’ success in the mid 1990’s Williams developed on the ideas of ground effect, carbon composite monocoque, semi-automatic gearbox and active suspension. Williams considered the driver to be o nly part of the system.Using SWOT analysis we can determine that one of the strengths of the Williams team can be attributed to use of cluster level architectural knowledge as a source of competitive advantage. Cluster level architectural knowledge refers to knowledge shared by groups of organisations in a particular geographical area. Cluster level architectural knowledge also involves common ways of thinking and habits among organisations in the cluster. Hence it becomes difficult for organisations outside the cluster to copy the technologies developed in the cluster.An example of cluster level architectural knowledge can be seen in UK’s ‘Motorsport Valley’. Many technologies used in Formula One cars have been developed here, for example, the use of carbon composite materials, traction controls and active suspension systems (Henry and Pinch, 1999). Brown and Duguid (2001) argue that component knowledge is the ‘cargo’ that is moved around on the â⠂¬Ëœrails’ of cluster level architectural knowledge. The ‘Ground effects’ technology was developed in Motorsport Valley and was first used by Lotus.The Williams team that was in the same area was the one that applied the ‘ground effects’ technology efficiently. Thus, all the technologies developed in the ‘Motorsport Valley’ were transferred to and adopted by Williams, this contributed greatly to its success. (Pinch et. al, 2003). Thus it can be seen that Williams developed strong and unique capabilities in the designing of the car body, chassis and gearbox. Human resource management was another strength, which also acted as a source of competitive advantage. Frank Williams was the founder of Williams and he appointed Patrick Head as the Technical Director.The attributes of entrepreneurial energy and technical excellence helped them to succeed. Patrick Head appointed good drivers like Senna and Prost. Another strength of Williams was thei r external linkages. Their linkage with Renault helped them use the powerful and reliable Renault engine, which complemented their FW15 chassis. All these strengths that acted as sources of competitive advantage led to William’s domination from 1992 to 1994. Ferrari’s return to winning ways after 1999 Montezemela was brought back to Ferrari, as CEO in 1992. He set up a new design department with 50 people.Ferrari’s focus shifted from engine to integration of main parts. The strengths of Ferrari, identified using SWOT analysis, was that value linkages (Porter, 2004), both externally and internally became a source of competitive advantage for Ferrari. Internal linkages were the co-operation between the departments manufacturing engine, chassis and the aerodynamics department. These were crucial in integrating all components of the car efficiently. External linkages were the collaboration with Bridgestone for making customised tyres for Ferrari and with Shell for f inancial and technical support.Another strength identified was good human resource management, which also acted as a competitive advantage by Ferrari’s appointment of Montezemela as chief executive and Schumacher as the driver. Ferrari recruited Schumacher in 1996, who was a great driver and motivator. He communicated well with the engine technicians. The core competency (Hamel and Prahalad, 1990) of Ferrari was the capability of manufacturing powerful engines. Since Ferrari manufactured its own engines they were able to integrate engine, chassis and aerodynamics early in the process. This was the most significant and unique strength of Ferrari.All these factors helped Ferrari win the constructors championship in 1999, after a gap of 12 years. Reasons for Ferrari, McLaren and the Williams teams not being able to sustain their success Using SWOT analysis we can see that one of the major weaknesses of Ferrari, due to which they could not sustain their success, was their lack of dynamic capabilities. Dynamic capabilities mean the ability of firms to adapt their competencies to the changing times and changing external environment. Ferrari needed the dynamic capability to create newer cars, which were more powerful, had better balance and had great aerodynamic properties.Penrose (1959) and Teece (1982) were the first to suggest that, to sustain competitive advantage, firms will need to utilise their firm specific capabilities and also develop new capabilities. Deeply ingrained ideas of architectural knowledge prevent the organisation from acquiring new knowledge. (Henderson and Clark, 1990). Another weakness of Ferrari was their strongly ingrained architectural knowledge that prevented them from initially accepting the ground effects technology, as it was concentrating only on engine design. (Pinch et. al, 2003). Lack of dynamic capabilities to adopt the ground ffects technology and bad human resource management that led to loss of Nicki Lauda from Ferrari, were major reasons due to which Ferrari was unable to maintain its success after 1979. One of the weaknesses of McLaren, identified by SWOT analysis, due to which they were unable to maintain their competitive advantage, was the pulling out of Honda from Formula One. McLaren were not prepared for this and did not have any other good engines to replace Honda. Thus the lack of ability to maintain external linkages as a source of competitive advantage was the one of the reasons for the failure of McLaren.The other significant weakness identified was their not continuing to use human resource management as a source of competitive advantage. The loss of Senna to Williams in 1993 was a big blow to McLaren and they had not developed any new drivers to replace him. The main weakness that was the reason for the decline of Williams was the use of technologies developed by them by other competitors, like Benetton. Their competitors easily replicated their component knowledge. Since their capab ilities could be easily copied they could not maintain competitive advantage in the long term.The death of Senna in an accident left Williams without a good driver. Another weakness was the lack of dynamic capabilities that led to their not having a good replacement for Senna. Renault’s decision to supply engines to Benetton also meant loss of competitive advantage. The inability of Williams to maintain external linkages as a source of competitive advantage was another weakness identified. The main weakness that was the reason for the decline of Ferrari after 2004 was they were not able to adapt their capabilities and external linkages to the changed rules.The strategies that could have been developed by each of these teams to further sustain their period of dominance. Spanos and Lioukas (2001) and Wenerfelt (1984) suggest that Porter’s value chain and the Resource based view are complementary and considering both together can help in sustaining competitive advantage. But from empirical studies conducted by Spanos and Lioukas (2001) it was found that focusing on unique resources and capabilities was more beneficial in sustaining competitive advantage than focusing unique activities in relation to competition.Thus it can be concluded that it is important to consider both your firm specific unique resources and capabilities and to develop activities that are unique in relation to competition in developing strategy, to sustain competitive advantage. Capabilities that are not easily transferable, that cannot be easily copied, that are not transparent and those that last a long time act as significant sources of long-term competitive advantage (Grant, 1991). Walker, (2007), suggests that to sustain competitive advantage a firm must use tactics of offence and defence.Offence involves working towards dominating the competition and defence involves taking steps to maintain the dominant position. Ferrari could have continued their dominance from the 1970à ¢â‚¬â„¢s if they had used opportunities identified using SWOT analysis to develop dynamic capabilities to adopt new technologies like ‘ground effects’ and to recruit other good drivers to replace Nicki Lauda. Miller (2003) suggests that the differences between firms are a source of sustained competitive advantage.Hence it can be said since from all the racing constructors only Ferrari made their own engines and other parts, they could integrate the parts much better. This was another opportunity for Ferrari to use this capability as a long-term competitive advantage and helped extend their period of dominance. McLaren could have used opportunities identified to maintain external linkages as a source of competitive advantage by persuading Honda against quitting Formula One or by developing other external linkages for supplying engines, as a replacement for Honda. They needed to develop dynamic capabilities to have good alternative drivers for Senna.Teece et. al (1997) su ggests that competitive advantage can be sustained by improving efficiency. Hence, considering this theory McLaren could sustain their competitive advantage by improving their efficiencies continuously. Williams could have used the opportunities identified to develop strong architectural knowledge, which would not have been easily replicated by their competitors. The fact that all new technologies like ground effect, active suspension and semi-automatic gearbox were first developed by Williams was the differentiating factor from other racing constructors.Hence by Miller (2003)’s theory Williams needed to use that capability to sustain their competitive advantage. They needed to develop their innovative capabilities in a way that they could not be easily copied. They also needed to develop dynamic capabilities, in terms of other drivers, so that they had a replacement for Senna. To sustain competitive advantage after 2004, Ferrari needed to have dynamic capabilities, which wou ld help adapt their capabilities to the new rules. ConclusionFrom the study of the periods of dominance of various Formula One constructors, it can be concluded that each of the constructors had individual strengths, which they could have used as their core competencies and developed dynamic capabilities to be ahead of the competition. They need to focus on their unique resources, capabilities and develop unique activities, in relation to the competition, to gain competitive advantage. Success in Formula One is dependent on a variety of factors like the cars, the drivers, the management etc. Hence the constructors need to continuously improve their cars and retain their good drivers, to succeed.

How To Write A Process Essay, with Topics and Outline

How To Write A Process Essay, with Topics and Outline Writing a Process Essay Topics Outline example How to start How to write body How to conclude A process essay is a form of writing which explains how to do something. Some of the most common process essays are recipes that demonstrate how food should be prepared. In this type of paper, the reader should be able to follow the sequence and successfully achieve what you are explaining. A process essay serves to: Explain how something is done. It gives a sequence which should be followed to achieve a particular goal. Explain how something works. It tells someone how something is done, for example explaining how to plant a garden. This article gives tips to help the student on how to write a process essay. Topic Choice Choosing the topic for a perfect writing requires a lot of thought. It should be something you regularly do, or have had an experience with it/ this is because the reader should achieve the same results as you after following all the steps. Be specific about your topic. Decide whether you want to tell your readers how to do something or explain them how something works. In case you are stuck in choosing a good process essay topics for your  task, there are some topics you can choose from: How to write a CV; How to grow a kitchen garden; How to cook a Spanish omelet; How to start a business; Preparing dinner for the in-laws; What to do when on a blind date; The process of saddling a horse; Steps to follow when operating a manual generator; The negotiation process; The grieving process; What to do to avoid procrastinating; Designing a tuxedo; Creating a design from scratch; The process of making a cocktail; How to tie a shoe; How to raise a healthy dog; How to file tax returns; The sedimentation process; How to organize a baby shower; How to pack light for the holidays. Common  Structure Keep in mind that there are different outlines for a process essay as every process is different. For this reason, thesis may differ from time to time and may not always look alike. The example below does not have a conclusion as it doesn’t need one. Outline example: How to cook homemade dry cured bacon Ingredients: Pork belly cut 500g of plain salt 100g of brown sugar Handful of juniper berries A spring of fresh rosemary Handful of black peppercorns Four bay leaves Zest of an orange Process: Grind the pepper and juniper berries Combine all the dry ingredients apart from the orange zest Zest the orange onto the belly Rub into the meat and refrigerate for 24 hours Remove from fridge and flip the belly over Bacon can be cured anything from 3 days to a week. The longer it stays the saltier it becomes and lasts longer When finished, take it out and wash all the cure mixture. Pat it dry. Rinse all over with white vinegar to prevent mold from growing Wrap in cotton and keep it in the fridge. Remember to change the cloth weekly Serve on a sandwich and takeout How to start  a process essay The first step to writing a good process essay introduction when making an article on a process is to figure out what you want to write about. Having some previous knowledge on the topic ensures you to become more competent and research widely. Have a global structure- this helps you have a coherent sentence and flow of ideas. The process essay draft tells you whether your content will be enough and lets you know if you have the know-how on how to go about the topic. As people often want to know the origin of something, the introduction for a process essay should begin by giving a little background information about what you are writing. It helps the reader develop a sense of purpose for the article. The first step in a perfect essay writing is to ensure you have all the facts right. Tell the reader what the process is about beforehand. Next, let the reader know what they need to have before beginning the process. Have a checklist of all items needed by listing them. Give the time frame approximated. This is to help the reader be aware how long the task will take and manage their time well. Tips on writing the body (length, paragraphs, and transitions) Have knowledge and understanding of your topic. Do not write a subjects which will have no content. Show that you understand all specifics of what you are doing. The reader does not want to try something, then end up with negative results. Ensure that all the facts are accurate. Write in a sequence. The purpose of the essay is to give guidelines to follow. Ensure that you mark the steps in order. Do not mislead the reader by skipping processes. Explain every step clearly. Remember, every step will vary from the previous one in that some will be lengthier than others. Do not forget to account for the purpose of every action. The aim of this is to make the reader feel that they are learning. Do not make assumptions that they know why. When writing the body, you can use a diagrammatic representation of how it should look like and diagrams make it easier to understand and for the reader to see that they are using it right. The diagrams should be broken down as the steps go. If there are different methods of doing something, mention that to the reader and advice on why you chose the particular process. Give the reader a reason to believe that your process is the best by listing some advantages. How to conclude a process essay Like all other essays, conclsuion  is underrated. After the reader has followed the steps as directed by you, the result should be as stated. Focus on the main result of the process. Explain what the main results should be. If possible, insert a picture of the final result and explain to the reader what they can do with it. This makes the reader feel motivated like they have completed a challenge. Make your steps easy to follow. The reader should understand the process without struggling. This is achieved by using very simple language and short sentences. In conclusion, you might explain to the reader some of the challenges they might experience which will make them not get the desired outcome. Finalizing the task The final step in writing the conclusion for a process essay is proofreading. Proofread to correct spelling, punctuations, and other grammatical errors. Ensure the steps are well sequenced and there is no missing step. Check out for plagiarism. This is especially for processes that have been copied from the internet. There is various process writing help sites for when you get confused which give different tips for an assignment  writing. Ensure that the process essay outlining followed as required. After following this tips in the handbook, your article is now ready for submission and presentation. Be prepared for criticism from your audience.

A Historic vs. An Historic

A Historic vs. An Historic A Historic vs. An Historic A Historic vs. An Historic By Maeve Maddox My post A Useful Reminder About ‘An’ prompted an outpouring of emails asking, â€Å"How about an history or an historic?† Some points of English usage stir strong feelings. Placing the indefinite article â€Å"an† in front of the words historical or historic is one of these. Here are some comments prompted by a post I wrote on this topic several years ago: When people use â€Å"an historical† on NPR, it’s because [they’re] snooty. Only a Cockney or an hidiot [would say] â€Å"an historic.† [People who defend â€Å"an historic†] are pseudo-intellectual, American linguistic â€Å"posers.† For certain Americans, it’s all about self-consciously pompous affectation! I  would never ever use â€Å"an† in front of any word with an aspirate H at the beginning. That just isn’t what it’s for, and it sounds pretentious. The simple facts about the use of â€Å"an historical† and â€Å"an historic† are these: 1. Style guides like The Chicago Manual of Style, The AP Stylebook, and The Penguin Writer’s Manual regard the following as correct in modern usage: â€Å"a historical event† â€Å"a historic event.† 2. Many speakers still say and write â€Å"an historical†Ã¢â‚¬â€œand they do so with no intention of sounding affected, pompous, or pretentious. Pronunciation changes from generation to generation, but never in one fell swoop. Pockets of older forms continue to exist even after the majority of speakers have made the switch and authorities have recorded the new rules. The Google Ngram Viewer provides an interesting look at the progress of â€Å"an historic† vs â€Å"a historic.† In 1800, â€Å"a historic† barely shows. It begins its rise in the 1820s. In 1869, â€Å"a historic† is neck and neck with â€Å"an historic.† The two travel along fairly close together until the First World War when â€Å"an historic† pulls ahead and dominates until 1938. After that, â€Å"a historic† becomes the clear winner, although â€Å"an historic† and â€Å"an historical† remain in use. Here are two recent examples of the use of â€Å"an historical† in the context of educated English: Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to the truth of what actually happened during an historical event or time period.  (Note on the New York University library site.) The Making of Southern Europe: An Historical Overview (title of a recent publication of the London School of Economics) Clearly, modern usage prefers â€Å"a historic† and â€Å"a historical,† as well as a before other â€Å"h words† that readers asked about: â€Å"a hotel,† â€Å"a horrible accident,† and â€Å"a horrific statistic.† The word herb (succulent plant used for seasoning) is pronounced both with and without an aspirated h. â€Å"A herb† is modern British pronunciation, although British author Edith Nesbit (1858-1924) wrote â€Å"an herb† in one of her novels. Many Americans–although by no means all–say â€Å"an erb† and write â€Å"an herb.† Unquestionably, accepted current practice is to use the indefinite article a in front of all but a very few words that begin with the letter h. The most common exceptions are: an heir to the throne an honorable man an honest man an hour or two Speakers who say â€Å"an historic† are not necessarily being â€Å"pretentious or snooty.† It could be that they learned the usage from family members and teachers educated in earlier generations. Follow the style guide of your choice. Save your linguistic wrath for things like, â€Å"Me and my brother graduated from Georgetown.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Creative Writing 1015 Brainstorming Strategies for WritersAppropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt

Monetary Policy Framework in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Monetary Policy Framework in the UK - Essay Example This essay stresses that there are a number of guiding principles like price stability, exchange stability, full employment and maximum output and a high growth rate etc, in framing the Monetary Policy for an economy. This paper declares that the monetary policy of any country refers to the regulatory policy, whereby the monetary authority maintains its control over the supply of money for the realization of general economic objectives. This involves manipulating the supply of money, the level and structure of interest rates and other conditions affecting the availability of credit. However, in the context of developing economies monetary policy acquires a wider role and it has to be designed to meet the particular requirements of the economy. This involves not merely the restriction of credit expansion to curb inflation, but also the provision of adequate funds to meet the legitimate requirements of industry and trade and curbing the use of credit for unproductive and speculative purposes. The monetary policy of an economy operates through three important instruments, viz. the regulation of money supply, control over aggregate credit and the interest rate policy. Economic growth is dependent on m obilizing savings and directing them into productive channels. In this process, money supply can only play a limited role. However, the role establishes an important connection between money supply, output and price level (ICFAI Center for Management Research (ICMR)). These relationships cannot be ignored even if the primary concern of the government is mobilization of real factors that ultimately lead to economic growth. UK Monetary Policy regime A principal objective of any central bank is to safeguard the value of the currency in terms of what it will purchase. Rising prices - inflation - reduces the value of money. Monetary policy is directed to achieving this objective and providing a framework for non-inflationary economic growth. As in most other developed countries, monetary policy operates in the UK mainly through influencing the price of money - the interest rate. In May 1997 the Government gave the Bank independence to set monetary policy by deciding the level of interest rates to meet the Government's inflation target - currently 2% (Bank of England). The 1998 Bank of England Act made the Bank independent to set interest rates. The Bank is accountable to parliament and the wider public. The legislation provides that if, in extreme circumstances, the national interest demands it, and the Government has the power to give instructions to the Bank on interest rates for a limited period (Bank of England). In the period from the floating of the exchange rate in June 1972 to the granting of operational independence to the Bank of England in May 1997, UK monetary policy went through several regimes. These included the period in the 1970s when monetary policy was considered subordinate to incomes policy as the government's primary weapon against inflation; an emphasis on monetary targeting in the late 1970s and early 1980s; moves from 1987 toward greater management of the exchange rate, culminating in the UK's membership of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) from

Did Lebanon fall apart in the 1970s and 1980s because of the Essay

Did Lebanon fall apart in the 1970s and 1980s because of the Arab-Israeli conflict - Essay Example The Arab-Israeli conflict had a direct hand in the political instability which developed in Lebanon since, as an Arab country, it came to be pulled into the conflict.i Lebanon, in an attempt to show solidarity with the Palestinians because of Israeli occupation got themselves in the wars, which the Arab states of Jordan, Egypt, and Syria launched against Israel. Despite the fact that the Lebanese army did not do much during this conflict and its success was minimal, it came to become one of the havens for the Palestinian liberation movements. While these groups were provided with a safe haven in Lebanon, their strength within the country grew so much that they started getting involved in the local political affairs. The arrival of these groups as well as the influx of Palestinian refugees increased the sectarian tensions, which were lurking just beneath the surface of the Lebanese society. One of the most significant events that developed from the Arab-Israeli conflict and came to be a contributing factor in the destabilization of Lebanon is that which led to the Black September in Jordan.ii When the Jewish state was formed in 1948, the remaining Palestinian territories came under the control of Jordan and Egypt, with the former occupying the West Bank for maintaining its own security. Jordan had quite a large number of Palestinian refugees, who formed about half of its population, and when it occupied the West Bank, the Palestinian population doubled to form one third of the total Jordanian population. This country suddenly found itself in a situation where its native population had become a ruling minority. This situation inevitably led to a conflict between the two groups that formed the population of Jordan, especially when the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) established itself within the country. Black September is the conflict, which arose between the Jordanian government of King Hussein, and the