The Ka and Molar Mass of a Monoprotic Weak Acid

The Ka and Molar Mass of a Monoprotic Weak Acid Chemistry Lab 152 Professor: James Giles November 7, 2012 Abstract: The purpose of this experiment was to determine the pKa, Ka, and molar mass of an unknown acid (#14). The pKa was found to be 3. 88, the Ka was found to be 1. 318 x 10 -4, and the molar mass was found to be 171. 9 g/mol. Introduction Acids differ considerable as to their strength. The difference between weak and strong acids can be as much as 10 orders of magnitude.Strong acids dissociate more completely than weak acids, meaning they produce higher concentrations of the conjugate base anion (A-) and the hydronium cation (H30+) in solution. HA(aq) + H20 (( A- + H3O+ With the following formula the degree to which an acid dissociates (Ka) can be calculated and given a numerical value. Ka = [A-][H3O+] / [HA] Ka is the conventional way of measuring an acid’s strength. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the Ka of an unknown acid, along with its pKa and mol ar mass. Experimental The unknown acid for this experiment was #14.The experiment began with the preparation and standardization of NaOH solution. It was calculated that 2. 00 grams of NaOH pellets were needed to prepare 0. 5 L of 0. 1 M NaOH solution. The solution was then standardized by conducting three titration trials. It was calculated that 0. 7148 grams of KHP were necessary to neutralize 35 mL of the 0. 1 M NaOH. Three samples of KHP were weighed approximating this number (Table 1). Each sample was mixed with 40 mL of deionized water and 2 drops of phenolphthalein in 3 Erlenmeyer flasks. Each flask was then titrated with the NaOH to a light pink endpoint.The volumes of NaOH were recorded, averaged, and the standardized. The molarity of the NaOH was found to be 0. 0981. Assuming a molar mass of 100 g/mol, it was calculated that 0. 3930 g of acid was needed to neutralize 40 mL of the standardized NaOH solution. This amount was weighed out on an electronic balance to full preci sion and added to a clean 250 mL beaker. The acid was first diluted with 10 mL of isopropanol and then 90 mL of water. A pH meter was immersed in the acid solution and an initial pH reading of 2. 61 was recorded.A buret filled with the NaOH solution was incrementally added to the acid solution and the changing pH values were recorded (Table 2). As the pH meter approached the equivalence point the amount of NaOH added each time was reduced. As the Table 2 shows, the pH rose significantly with the addition of little NaOH over this interval. This information was plotted using Graphical Analysis producing a titration curve graph of pH vs. NaOH (Graph 1). Additional calculations and graphs were produced to help identify the equivalence point: ? pH/? V vs. NaOH (Graph 2) and Vtotal x 10-ph vs. NaOH (Graph 3) Tables and CalculationsPreparation of 500 mL of 0. 1 M NaOH M = moles / volume 0. 1 M NaOH = moles NaOH / 0. 5 L H20 = 0. 05 moles NaOH 0. 05 moles NaOH x 39. 986 g/mol NaOH = 1. 99 g NaOH Preparation of KHP 0. 1 M NaOH = moles NaOH / 0. 035 mL NaOH = . 0035 moles NaOH 0. 0035 moles KHP x 204. 233 g/mole KHP = 0. 7148 g KHP Table 1: NaOH Titration Trials |Trial |KHP |NaOH (to titrate to endpoint) | | |(grams) |(mL) | |1 |0. 7159 |35. 75 | |2 |0. 7147 |35. 65 | |3 |0. 7149 |35. | | | | Avg. 35. 66 | Standardization of NaOH 0. 0035 moles NaOH / . 03566 mL NaOH = 0. 0981 M NaOH Table 2: pH vs. NaOH Values |NaOH |pH |NaOH |pH |NaOH |pH |NaOH |pH | |(mL) | |(mL) | |(mL) | |(mL) | | |0 |2. 61 |19. 2 |4. 54 |22. 15 |6. 56 |25. 4 |9. 74 | |2 |2. 94 |19. 4 |4. 58 |22. 2 |6. 2 |25. 9 |9. 82 | |4 |3. 18 |19. 6 |4. 61 |22. 25 |6. 87 |26. 4 |9. 96 | |5 |3. 3 |19. 8 |4. 65 |22. 3 |6. 98 |26. 9 |10. 02 | |6 |3. 4 |20 |4. 68 |22. 35 |7. 06 |27. 4 |10. 11 | |7 |3. 49 |20. 2 |4. 72 |22. 4 |7. 14 |28. 4 |10. 21 | |8 |3. 58 |20. 4 |4. 77 |22. 5 |7. 24 |29. 4 |10. 1 | |9 |3. 66 |20. 6 |4. 84 |22. 6 |7. 44 |31. 4 |10. 46 | |10 |3. 73 |20. 8 |4. 88 |22. 7 |7. 58 |33. 4 |10. 58 | |11 | 3. 88 |21 |4. 94 |22. 8 |7. 73 |35. 4 |10. 67 | |12 |3. 91 |21. 2 |5. 02 |22. 9 |7. 89 |36. 4 |10. 75 | |13 |3. 97 |21. 4 |5. 11 |23 |8. 03 |39. 4 |10. 87 | |14 |4. 04 |21. |5. 25 |23. 1 |8. 17 |42. 4 |10. 96 | |15 |4. 11 |21. 7 |5. 32 |23. 2 |8. 38 |44. 4 |11. 02 | |16 |4. 19 |21. 8 |5. 45 |23. 3 |8. 51 | | | |16. 5 |4. 24 |21. 85 |5. 52 |23. 4 |8. 65 | | | |17 |4. 29 |21. 9 |5. 62 |23. 6 |8. 92 | | | |17. 5 |4. 34 |21. 95 |5. 71 |23. 8 |9. 9 | | | |18 |4. 4 |22 |5. 86 |24. 1 |9. 27 | | | |18. 5 |4. 45 |22. 05 |6. 1 |24. 4 |9. 39 | | | |19 |4. 52 |22. 1 |6. 4 |24. 9 |9. 62 | | | Graph 1: pH vs. NaOH Titration Curve [pic] Estimated volume of NaOH at equivalence point based on titration curve: 22. 30 mL NaOH. Table 3: ? pH/? V vs. NaOH Values |NaOH |? pH/? V |NaOH |? pH/? V |NaOH |? pH/?V |NaOH |? pH/? V | |(mL) | |(mL) | |(mL) | |(mL) | | |2 |0. 12 |19. 2 |0. 2 |22. 1 |3. 2 |24. 4 |0. 46 | |4 |0. 12 |19. 4 |0. 15 |22. 15 |3. 2 |24. 9 |0. 24 | |5 |0. 1 |19. 6 |0. 2 |22. 2 |3 |25. 4 | 0. 16 | |6 |0. 09 |19. 8 |0. 15 |22. 25 |2. 2 |25. 9 |0. 28 | |7 |0. 9 |20 |0. 2 |22. 3 |1. 6 |26. 4 |0. 12 | |8 |0. 08 |20. 2 |0. 2 |22. 35 |1. 6 |26. 9 |0. 18 | |9 |0. 07 |20. 4 |0. 35 |22. 4 |1 |27. 4 |0. 1 | |10 |0. 15 |20. 6 |0. 2 |22. 5 |2 |28. 4 |0. 1 | |11 |0. 03 |20. 8 |0. 3 |22. 6 |1. 4 |29. 4 |0. 075 | |12 |0. 06 |21 |0. |22. 7 |1. 5 |31. 4 |0. 06 | |13 |0. 07 |21. 2 |0. 45 |22. 8 |1. 6 |33. 4 |0. 045 | |14 |0. 07 |21. 4 |0. 7 |22. 9 |0. 1 |35. 4 |0. 08 | |15 |0. 08 |21. 6 |0. 7 |23 |1. 4 |36. 4 |0. 04 | |16 |0. 1 |21. 7 |1. 3 |23. 1 |2. 1 |39. 4 |0. 03 | |16. 5 |0. 1 |21. 8 |1. 4 |23. 2 |1. |42. 4 |0. 03 | |17 |0. 1 |21. 85 |2 |23. 3 |1. 4 | | | |17. 5 |0. 12 |21. 9 |1. 8 |23. 4 |1. 35 | | | |18 |0. 1 |21. 95 |3 |23. 6 |0. 85 | | | |18. 5 |0. 14 |22 |4. 8 |23. 8 |0. 3 | | | |19 |0. 1 |22. 05 |6 |24. 1 |0. 4 | | |Graph 2: ? pH/? V vs. NaOH [pic] Estimated volume of NaOH at equivalence point based on ? pH/? V vs. NaOH graph: 22. 30 mL NaOH. Table 4: Vtotal x 10-ph vs. NaOH Values |NaOH |Vtotal x 10-ph |NaOH |Vtotal x 10-ph | |(mL) | |(mL) | | |19. 8 |0. 000443 |21. 6 |0. 000121 | |20 |0. 000417 |21. 7 |0. 000104 | |20. 2 |0. 000385 |21. 8 |7. 70E-05 | |20. 4 |0. 000346 |21. 85 |6. 60E-05 | |20. 6 |0. 000298 |21. 9 |5. 0E-05 | |20. 8 |0. 000274 |21. 95 |4. 30E-05 | |21 |0. 000241 |22 |3. 00E-05 | |21. 2 |0. 000202 |22. 05 |1. 80E-05 | |21. 4 |0. 000166 | | | Graph 3: Vtotal x 10-ph vs. NaOH [pic] Estimated volume NaOH at equivalence point based on Vtotal x 10-ph vs. NaOH graph: 22. 20 mL NaOH Calculating Ka of Unknown Acid pH at ? equivalence point volume: 3. 88 Ka = 10 -3. 88 = 1. 318 x 10 -4 Ka = 1. 318 x 10-4 Calculating the Molar Mass of the Unknown Acid 0. 0981 M NaOH = moles acid / . 02330 L NaOH = 0. 023 moles acid 0. 3930 g acid / 0. 0023 moles acid = 171. 9 g/mol Analysis of Error There is a high degree of agreement among the 3 graphs and therefore a low degree of error in this experiment. According to the Graphical Analysis program, Graphs 1 and 2 indicated that the total volume of NaOH at the equivalence point was 22. 30 mL. Graph 3 indicated a volume of 22. 20 mL, a difference of 0. 1 mL. Discussion Based upon the range of possible values for Ka, anywhere from 3. 2 x 109 for Hydroiodic acid (one of the strongest) to 5. 8 x 10-10 for Boric acid (one of the weakest), this experiment’s unknown acid solution (Ka = 1. 18 x 10-4) falls roughly in the lower quarter of strength. This estimate fits its titration curve. In general, strong acids quickly go from a very low pH to a very high pH, e. g. , 2 to 12, while weak acids quickly go from a lower pH to a higher pH, e. g. , 6 to 10. The unknown solution for this experiment jump from 5 to 10 pH, which is consistent with a Ka of 1. 318 x 10-4 and a weaker acid. References Darrell D. Ebbing and Steven D Gammon, General Chemistry, 9th ed. Cengage Learning: Ohio, 2009. Department of Physical Science—Chemistry, Mesa Community College. The Ka and Molar Mass of a Monop rotic Weak Acid (handout).

Pay It Forward Essay

Pay It Forward An act of kindness can develop values for both the person receiving the aid and the person offering the support as well as community development. In this summary key points are discussed on altruism. The summary stems from an act of kindness, which was conducted by the author as a student of Capstone Course in Psychology/Psy 490. I presented money to a person who needed money for his or her next meal, without expecting anything in return. A person does not realize the degree of emotions involved in experiencing need nor true concern until he or she begins to offer support with no desire of reward. Altruism, Personal and Professional Social Responsibility, and Codependency Altruism is the act of aiding another without thought of self or reward. Altruism is also the moral obligation to help others (Myers, 2008). These are selfless acts, which grant something to someone else; the ego also desires to develop a responsible identity of self. People also need to identify with personal and professional social responsibility to become mature individuals. According to Chickering and Braskamp (2009), â€Å"a civic and moral identity and sense of obligation to society are more apt to behave in ways, which fulfill individual and social responsibilities† (p. 27). When we cannot fulfill our desires of responsibility codependency can become a reactionary problem where individuals react to problems, pains, lives, and behaviors of themselves and others instead of acting in ways, which are adaptive (Morgan, 1991, p. 724). Applying Altruism to Psychology or Psychological Principles Psychological principles are designed to follow the Code of Conduct and its principles. Psychology practices ethical and humane practices within research as well as promoting mental health. The Code of Conduct is followed strictly by professionals of psychology to uphold the rights of consumers, and to offer help to many of life’s problems. Although psychological approaches are not always acts of giving with no reward, many consumers view psychological interventions as acts of moral obligation. Professionals possess personal and social responsibilities to those in need in the communities. Altruism as it Improves the Human Condition Helping others with no desire for reward is beneficial for the human condition. Performing the act of kindness of providing money for food to someone in need helped to build moral character for both parties involved. The person in need, perhaps has gained knowledge he or she is not alone and others do care about what happens to him or her. The person receiving the gift may reciprocate the act by searching for jobs or applying for social support. The person giving the gift has become responsible to help others; this act can lead to bigger acts in the community of aid to others. Many people in the community practicing altruism can be beneficial in teaching social responsibility to others. In such efforts to promote altruism limits exist in persuading others to become responsible in the plight. Personal and Professional Responsibilities Related to Altruism Altruism is a moral obligation or duty to help others. Responsible individuals are obligated to help those in need, and help provide the direction so he or she may learn independence and responsibility. Psychological professions must uphold a moral character for the reputation of psychology whereas always striving to help clients and patients with social problems. The Future of Psychology in Contemporary Society Society will become more responsible because of psychological interventions. Those individuals who have developed personal and social responsibilities will help others to learn to help themselves. Human society is full of problems, societies’ members cannot expect others not to receive help for their problems. Psychology will play the role of meeting these problems with professional attitudes and awareness. New interventions to promote stronger individual experiences will come from psychology. Altruism will help to mold a society, which eventually will be self-sufficient. Conclusion In conclusion, altruism is a selflessness motive to help others, which can promote betterment for society and lead to personal and social responsibility. Human identity formation must be enriched by experiences, knowledge, and insight or reactionary problems such as codependency can occur. Personal and professional responsibilities to altruism should be conducted without obligation and with awareness of respect and competence. The benefits of altruism to the human condition are immense. Trust and integrity can be learned from acts of kindness. Persons and professionals should always engage altruistic acts for the betterment of social avenues. Psychology’s concepts of preserving future experiences will rely on altruistic codes to promote a healthy future for each member of communities. References Chickering, A., & Braskamp, L. A. (2009). Developing a global perspective for personal and social responsibility. Peer Review, 11(4), 27-30. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/216586612?accountid=458 Morgan, J. (1991). What is codependency? Journal of Clinical Psychology, 47(5), 720-729. Myers, D. G. (2008). Social psychology. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

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Insurance law - Research Paper Example al law of contract.2 This essay discusses the relevance of the doctrine of utmost good faith in the face of a fast-changing business environment that requires flexibility and equal commitment from all parties to a contract. In order to achieve this, the author provides a background to the topic, and discusses the application of the doctrine in face of both the insurance and contract laws. Stages of the contract process are then interrogated to seek the different and similar requirements that necessitate application of the doctrine. Further, the views of scholars on the doctrine are explored so as to shed light on the apparent controversy that the doctrine has created among researchers and practitioners. The author remarks that the explored literature does not provide a strong basis to warrant a review of the doctrine. Consequently, its applicability in insurance law should remain as it is, even as more modern provisions of law are sought. The U.K. has some of the oldest, formalized insurance laws governing the insurance sector. The law on insurance has been evolving fast over the last century, with major developments intended to rhyme with the evolving geo-political scenes taking centre stage.3 For instance, the Maritime Insurance Act (1906) has recently been overhauled and the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act (2012) enacted as the industry’s new regulatory framework in order to respond to a growing significance of previously non-existent industries and harmonize the various provisions of the insurance law.4 While different countries have adopted slightly varying versions of the insurance law, the maritime insurance law appears to follow a close-global script. The general script is largely similar to the UK Marine Insurance Act (1906) whose framework has been widely consulted to create equally competent laws for insurance industries in other jurisdictions.5 Perhaps this apparent similari ty in the way different jurisdictions draft their

Tumour Immunotherapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tumour Immunotherapy - Essay Example One such treatment option is known as immunotherapy (also known as biologic therapy or biotherapy) in which the body's immune mechanism is utilized to fight against cancer. Immunotherapy includes active immunotherapy (cancer vaccines) and passive immunotherapy (monoclonal antibodies). Active immunotherapy stimulates the body's own immune system to fight the disease; on the other hand passive immunotherapy utilizes immune system components (such as monoclonal antibodies) which have been created outside the body (Waldmann, 269). Active immunotherapy against cancer has been much less active against cancer in comparison to other infectious diseases. Even though vaccines (targeted against cancer antigens) for providing protection against various cancers, (especially cancer cervix) have been developed, their efficacy has yet not been significantly proven (Waldmann, 270). Besides the limited success with active immunization, there may be many challenges which may reduce the efficacy of active immunization. The review of literature by Waldman (269-272) discusses some of these challenges and the ways to deal with them. One of the main challenges is identification of antigens on tumour tissue (tumour rejection antigens) which can produce rejection in the host by producing an elaborate T-cell response. Some of the tumour rejection antigens include tumour specific antigens, the results of mutations, viral antigens in cancers associated with viruses and tumour specific differentiation antigens (Waldmann, 269).One meth od of defining cancer associated antigens is to define antigens recognized by the tumour bearing host by identifying the circulating antibodies developed against tumour antigens in the host. Technique of serological identification by recombinant expression cloning called SEREX is used to identify circulating IgG that are specific to the tumour antigens. Screening cDNA libraries from tissues using tumour reactive T-cell lines and clones, followed by mass spectrophotometeric analysis is another approach that can be used (Waldmann, 269, 270).Other ways of improving the efficacy of active immunization include: enhancement of the function of antigen presenting cells by inducing the maturation of dendridic cells using agents like GM-CSF, IL-4, TNF-, etc. Efforts have been made to enhance the function of T-cells. Certain cytokines have been introduced into the vaccine preparations in order to improve their efficacy. Assays of measuring vaccine efficacy by measuring their cytotoxicity, cyto kine secretion etc have also been developed (Waldmann, 272). Challenges associated with passive immunotherapy Inactivation of transferred anti-tumour T cells for immunotherapy by the "hostile" immunosuppressive microenvironment created by the tumour tissue has currently limited the scope of passive immunotherapy. However in future there is a possibility to develop better and more effective immunotherapies by adopting inactivating mechanisms, which would protect anti-tumor T cells in the tumour microenvironment, thereby resulting in the destruction of the cancerous tissue. One such immunosupressive mechanism involves cAMP-elevating Gs-protein coupledA2 receptors. These receptors

Is Wal Mart Good For America Essay Example for Free

Is Wal Mart Good For America Essay The growth and dominance of Wal-Mart over the years has indeed turned it into an economy all its own. There is no single corporation in the world that has as much impact as Wal-Mart has, save perhaps for oil corporations, on any single domestic or even international economy. The volume of sales which Wal-Mart generates is enough to keep the rest of the world happily employed and is also enough to keep the consumerist population of the United States happy in their spending habits. Every single commodity manufacturer who is interested in surviving must be able to gain the good graces of Wal-Mart. The impact of Wal-Mart is such that it â€Å"has life-or-death decision over [almost] all the consumer goods industries that exist in the United States (Gereffi 2006). † This virtually unbridled power of the life or death of consumer goods industries, however, presents the question of whether or not Wal-Mart is indeed good for America. While it certainly does create jobs and sustains the consumer goods industries of America, it also has the same power of taking such benefits away and perhaps leaving the American economy in a far worse off situation than it is at the present. Wal-Mart has become so powerful that any shift in its purchasing and production policies will certainly result in some imbalance on a certain economy in the world. An example of the power of Wal-Mart is the fact that because of the immense volume of sales that Wal-Mart generates it is able to dictate where goods are to be manufactured in the world despite the fact that it is not a producer but simply a retail-chain. For a retail chain to be able to dictate to suppliers where they are to produce their items in order to be able to sell to Wal-Mart at a lower cost means that the retail chain has either a huge stake in the ownership of the supplier or buys so much from the supplier that it is able to dictate the price that it is willing to buy at and by doing so dictate where such goods are to be produced. In determining whether or not Wal-Mart is good for America, the basic economic principles of any market must be analyzed. Every market is governed by two basic forces, supply and demand. Wal-Mart is able to control both these forces because of the immense size that it has. It controls supply by deciding what items it chooses to retail. It also decides the demand for the item by pricing competitively. In its early years, Wal-Mart provided jobs for most Americans because a majority of the goods supplied were produced in the United States. With globalization and the theory of a flat world, other countries have become more competitive industrially and have now taken those production jobs that were previously held by Americans. The outsourcing of consumer goods industries to other countries can be theorized to have been created by the Wal-Mart demand for cheaper products from their suppliers. The problem with this scenario is that it creates unemployment for Americans who are the main buyers from Wal-Mart. In order to counteract this scenario, Wal-Mart must then reduce prices lower to meet the increasing lower income bracket of unemployed Americans who have lost their jobs because of the global production tilt to other countries. As this trend continues, it may be theorized that Wal-Mart will eventually strangle itself by driving the prices of goods down too much without protecting its major market which is the United States. The status of Wal-Mart, therefore, as either a boon or a bane for the American economy solely depends on whether or not it is willing to protect its major market which is the United States. Wal-Mart not only determines which consumer goods industries are to survive but also which economies are to benefit.

The History Of The Transformational Leadership Education Essay

The History Of The Transformational Leadership Education Essay Theories of leadership, over decades have explored a wide variety of concepts. Much research has been undertaken keeping in mind the western society both relating to organizations as well as political and other leaders. There is a dearth of a systematic leadership study in regards to either organizations or political leadership in third world countries especially in Pakistan. Journalistic appraisals are commonly done but theoretical analysis is sorely missing. Also, not much work has been done to explore the concept of transformational leadership among politicians both here and abroad. This paper wishes in some way to minimize this lack. When reading about Bhuttos life, the easiest course of action would have been to view her from the perspective of traits or simply charisma. The paper explores the contemporary concept of transformational leadership with regards to Benazir Bhutto. Her assassination formed the motivational factor to conduct such a research particularly on a personalit y known nationally and internationally as a leader. In addition, quantitative small scale researches are usually conducted from time to time, but very little attention is given to qualitative/descriptive/documentary research. Four aspects of transformational leadership that were studied include idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration. Keywords: Transformational leadership, there are 4 main factors: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration. 1. Introduction Leadership is not easy. It is never meant to be easy. It is born of a passion, and it is a commitment-a commitment to an idea, to principles, to fundamental human values. Benazir Bhutto 2. Transformational leadership: An overview The term though coined by Downton (1973), the concept first emerged with the work of Burns (1978) which linked the role between leadership and followership. This new theory of leadership had intensive interest for two reasons. Western companies, like ATT, IBM, GM, ventured into transformations and in the 1970s and 1980à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s the business world became very much dynamic, more competitive and less stable. Fast technological changes, great international competition, commercial deregulation, too much capacity in capital intensive industries, unsteadiness of oil cartels, demographic labour changes etc., are some of the factors which brought to such a state (Stoner and Freeman, 1992). Second, leaderships theoretic base rested on the trait theory, behaviouristic theory of leaders and contingency theory of leadership which did not take into consideration untypical qualities of leaders which required a new leadership concept. Therefore the transformational theory of leadership gave forth a new dimension to leadership studies. Burns (1978) concept distinguished between two types of leadership, namely transactional and transformational. Transactional refers to the exchanges between leaders and followers, where as transformational is when the person engages with others and creates a connection which raises level of motivation in both the leader and the follower. Some of the examples of internationally known transformational leaders include Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King. One question that comes to mind is about leaders like Hitler who also transformed society? Can they also be called Transformational leaders? When people transform society in negative ways and do not raise level of morality in others, they are described as Pseudo transformational leaders. They are self consumed, power oriented and exploitative with warped moral values. There has been some research done on political leadership but the focus of these studies have usually been on just one aspect namely charisma (Bligh, Kohles and Meindl 2004 a&b; Emrich, Brower, Feldman and Garland, 2001; Mio, Riggio Levin and Reese, 2005; Seyranian and Bligh, 2007) and especially keeping in mind high profile leaders such as United States presidents (House, Spangler and Woycke, 1991). Most of such research has a quantitative analysis where the analysis may not overlook creative insights but also due to its frequent usage it is made to be more meaningful and most often words can be taken out of context. (Bligh et al., 2004b; Insch et al., 1997; Morris, 1994) 3. Transformational leadership of Bhutto This research on Bhutto will be assessed on four parameters of idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration which have been summed up as stated earlier. Each quality will first be individually analyzed and then compared to what journalists and others have stated on Bhuttos behalf. 3.1 Idealized influence According to this concept transformational leaders often serve as role models for their followers. The leaders are admired respected and trustedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦having extraordinary capabilities, persistence and determination (Bass and Riggio, 2006). Not only this, but leadership theory should also stress on incidents where a leader has exerted exceptional influence on their followers so as to obtain favourable results (Bass, 1985; Mumford, 2006). This concept of idealized influence is based on leadership that has a future oriented vision and provides meaning and direction to a particular cause (Bass, 1990; Shamir, House and Arthur, 1993). Recent research also gives emphasis on ideological leadership where leaders seek followers who believe in the goals and value systems that give emphasis on the prescriptive mental model being given (Mumford, 2006). A current research which examines three areas of leadership has ideological factor as one of the main components (Mumford, Antes, Caughro n Friedrich, 2008). Thus, keeping all these factors in mind the assessment of Bhutto as having idealized influence on her followers has been undertaken. 3.2 Inspirational motivation According to this concept transformational leaders motivate and inspire those around them by providing meaning and challenge to their followers work. (Bass and Riggio, 2006) Such leaders envisage a future goal, a shared vision which they want their followers to share and achieve with them. Apart from this, such leaders portray great charisma which allows them to bind their followers to themselves and lead them towards social change. This concept of charismatic leadership is also not a new but a much researched one. It is one of the way in which one can understand an aspect of effective leadership (Hughes, Ginnett and Curphy, 2003). As previously stated the concept was initially used by Weber (1947) to understand and describe the characteristics political religious and military leaders. Later the concept was expanded by others to give and different conceptualization of charismatic leadership (House, 1977; Sashkin,1988; Shamir, House and Arthur 1993) and also became a part of transform ational leadership in the theories of Bass and Avolio.(1994) Concept of charismatic leadership which becomes a part of the motivational factor has been studied. The concept of visionary charismatic leadership is very important especially in times of crises as indicated in the study of Hunt, Boal and Dodge (1999). Two further aspects came to the forefront with on the one hand followers prefer leaders who portray charisma in conditions of crises (Pillai and Meindl, 1998) and followers attributing self sacrificial behaviour of the leader under crisis conditions who were more likely to portray charisma (Halverson, Holladay, Kazama,and Quinoes (2004). Such studies portray the fact that stressful conditions do affect both the leader and the follower in how they are inspired and view charisma. Another aspect of inspirational motivation is to deal with how such leader appeal to their followers. Emotions of people are appealed to and self worth is enhanced (Emrich, Brower, Feldman and Garland, 2001; House, Spangler and Woyke, 1991) Bhuttos inspirational motivation can be analyzed into two areas, namely to motivate and empower others on a shared vision and her charisma. On the count of motivating others, many authors have given glowing tributes. Gordon Brown (2008) calls it a part of her legacy that women are empoweredà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and would use her for future role models; Miliband (2008) and Schofield (2008) describe her commitment towards democracy as a motivating factor; Lamb (2008) recalls her spouse Zardari calling his wife the queen bee whose workers needed her alive to continue their struggle; Gopal (2008) realizes that Bhutto did inspire a generation both in life and in death to struggle for democracy; Prasannarajan (2008) states that despite threats she never shrank from her responsibility, took up challenges and made personal sacrifices for her vision and that such motivation is rarely seen; Baker (2008) sees the signing of the charter of democracy between two political opponents namely Bhutto and Sh arif as a factor to restore decent politics and cjoining hands on a common denominator; Chua-Eoan (2008) despite critical comments concedes that Bhutto both in life and death drew millions. remember her party official Babar Awan calling her beautiful that day, in all the ways that a woman like her -bright energetic bursting with ideas and hope-could look beautiful. Such charisma denotes why Bhutto had many staunch supporters. 3.3 Intellectual stimulation Such transformational leaders stimulate their followers efforts to be innovative and creative. Followers are encouraged to try out new ideas and such ideas are viewed in the light that a better solution to the problem may be realized. Followers are not criticized if their ideas are in any way different from the ideas of the leader (Bass and Riggio, 2006). This concept has been explained differently and in various contexts. Some call it as a quality of a pragmatic leader. Such a leader does require their workers to unite and work for common goals (Mumford and Van Doorn, 2001). In a recent study Mumford et al (2008) realized that for the emergence of pragmatic leaders there has to be a minimum level of group cohesion. Apart from this, the same study also indicated that pragmatic leaders may seek to minimize political conflict due to the detrimental effects of intense conflict on the effective application of complex problem solving skills. This factor is an important aspect of intellect ual stimulation as such a quality can harness together differing viewpoints and opinions even from the opposition. Emotionally intelligent leadership is also an attribute of great leadership (Goleman, 1995) Practical intelligence and the need to modify any environment to suit the situation is also what transformational leaders need to do. Another aspect of intellectual stimulation can be accessed through the lens of aesthetic perception. This recent qualitative study by Ladkin (2008), embodies and focuses on leading beautifully and will lead to a different direction for leadership studies in the future. Followers can get stimulated in a wide variety of ways. The power to arouse ones followers intellectually can have lasting effects. An example of it would be Obamas books being published before the election campaigns. 3.4 Individualized Consideration Once again transformational leaders pay attention to followers needs for achievement and growth by acting as a coach and mentor. New ways and opportunities of learning are evolved and individual desires and needs are seen to. The individual is regarded as a whole person rather than just an employee, and the task of the leader is to develop the followers. (Bass and Riggio, 2006) This aspect is seen under two areas. The first one is her immense kindness to others and her concern for them. Schofield (2008) speaks of her 33 year association with Bhutto and states that as a friend, she was kind and generous. Barak (2008) recalls his own incident of injury and her kindness to him which must have endeared her to people the world over. In a similar manner, Thapar (2008) too remembers Bhutto giving regular calls when his own wife was seriously ill. Lamb (2008) too speaks of Bhuttos hand written will which she had written prior to her death as how to dispose of her belongings with details of how even her shoes and clothes should be distributed among her employees.

A Report On Cadbury Management Essay

A Report On Cadbury Management Essay The successful development of new product is the way in which companies can achieve competitive advantage. In NPD process there is a great. More than 40% of all new product introductions fail at launch. For effective NPD has to innovative corporate culture so that everyone in organization is confident to be innovative in their work. Cadbury takes innovation very seriously and it is a major part of Cadbury strategy for success. There are many ideas and some of them generated by chance. But, only few of the products make it through to the end of process. Further a product goes through this process, the more expensive it becomes. As products progress, the company is making an increasing commitment in terms of resources. Once a product is developed, the launch marketing costs are significant so a company must carry out extensive market research ensure a product has the best chance of appealing to the market. The following research reports suggest that Cadburys should launch a breakfast Bread aimed at the children and adult indulgence sectors of the market. Cadbury are used two types of research method. This known as Secondary Research and Primary Research Methods for customer research. 1. Secondary Research Method Secondary research is a method of research carried out by another company or organization. Secondary research is research done by a third party company. The information gained is then analyses and made available for companies such as Cadburys. The company may have to purchase this data from the third party source. More often than not though the government publishes papers with all the data and these are free for companies to view. Secondary research is often used because it saves time. It saves time because you do not have to go out and collect the data and then analyses it. It also saves money; fewer people are required to carry out the research. Cadbury using secondary data because it will save time and can prove to be better than collecting the data first hand. Cadbury intend to use the Out sources of data because they contain relevant information that require on the breakfast Bread market. Market Research Source 1 In the market overview of breakfast Bread. The report clearly shows that the market has grown. The most growth in the market in between 2001-2003 where the market grew by 6.0%. The 6.0% growth was well above the compound annual growth rate in between 2004-2006. The compound annual growth rate this period was 3.7%. This research is significant to Cadburys because it shows the breakfast Bread market has been growing for the past 5 years. The figures also give reason to believe that the market will keep growing for years to come but at a slower rate. The research report supports the argument that Cadburys should launch a new breakfast Bread. The figures show an increase in growth. Market Research Source 2 In Second market research executive summary of the breakfast Bread market, the market is referred to as being a well established grocery sector. This means it is going to have to be something big to stop growth and induce a steep decline in the breakfast Bread market. The research also shows that breakfast Bread sales account for an estimated 63% this is almost two thirds of the sector. The research says that the breakfast Bread market has become static it gives reasons for this. The main reason being because of intensive price cutting initiatives. The breakfast Bread manufactures have also diversified into other areas of the market, mainly aiming new products at people who skip breakfast or eat their breakfast at their desk in the office. This report shows that In this sector Cadburys want to launch their breakfast Bread, the main growth has come from niche products. The main breakfast Bread growth has come from organic Bread and adult indulgence products. The report states that breakfast Bread have shown a volume growth but have shown a decline in value growth. This means people are buying more Bread but due to lower prices the value has declined. This report estimates there will be a decline in volume growth over the next few years as well. This report however does show that there is still a lot of life left in the breakfast Bread market in some sectors with the childrens varieties and adult indulgence favoring very well. The UK retail sales of these two areas of the market show a growth over the past few years and it is estimated by this report. This growth will continue. This Report shows that Bread Partner lead the way in two areas of market, the share of the manufacturers market and share of the retail market. This means that Bread Partner is the top dog in the breakfast Bread market. Bread Partner has however seen a decline in their share of the market over the last two years. The Bread Partner range leads the way in the breakfast Bread market with the main Bread Partner label Brad taking 9.0% of the market. This is not the best selling breakfast Bread though. The best selling breakfast Bread is the Bread Partners Shredded Wheat range. The range takes in 11.1% of the total retail sales. The report supports the argument of Cadburys launching a breakfast Bread as long as it is aimed at the correct segment of the market. That of course is being the childrens varieties and adult indulgent. Due to the competition in this area of the market Cadburys may not enter the market. 2. Primary Research Method Primary research is data retrieve by doing some fieldwork. Primary research can often prove more relevant than secondary research because the primary research can be co-ordinate to the facts and data you want to retrieve. Cadbury using primary research to get data because often secondary sources are used by other companies as well, for Cadburys this could mean that Nestle and Mars are using the same research. These are not good because they could find a niche market before Cadbury has and take the custom. Primary research means all the data that is collected is kept confidential within Cadburys and the competitors do not know what has been collected. Primary research is often better because the questions and data collected can be different from that of the competitors and therefore can prove to be more rewarding in finding a gap in the market and to launch a new product. The main findings from this primary research are as follows: Cadburys need to work on the promotional aspects of his products. There are not enough competitions for the consumers. Cadburys also need to be more competitive with the pricing of their products. Overall though the taste of the products, Packaging on the products and the current advertising is very good. Cadburys should really aim to provide a Bread, which tastes as good as the current range of products, but also be healthy and have good nutritional content. The price to begin with should be very low and competitive to attract new customers and then as the product becomes much better established the product price should increase. In this part produce a SWOT and PEST analysis to analyse the factors that may prevent Cadburys launching a product into the breakfast Bread market. A SWOT analysis is a general and quick examination of a company so they can get accurate information on their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It analyses the internal strengths and weaknesses, and the external opportunities and threats Cadburys has a world known brand name that is associated with quality. Cadburys also have a large distribution and its bars can be found all over the world. Cadburys has a very good customer service centre and has a large variety of chocolate bars to suit everyones taste. Cadburys is the biggest name in the chocolate market and is the market leader. Cadburys has very effective promotions on their products. Cadburys has a very good research and development department leading to new products. Cadburys has built its name around a high quality almost faultless product quality. Cadburys has its products priced higher than most of its other competitors. A large range of the Cadburys products has reached the maturity stage of its life cycle. The costs of the company are too high. Cadburys are making a low profit per bar due to the high costs. Cadburys has still got a lot large room for expansion into South Africa, Asia and South American regions. Cadburys could look to develop new products in new markets. Due to the growing product range Cadburys could launch new products. Cadburys could diversify into new markets e.g. Breakfast Bread Market. Cadburys have got a lot of competitors in the market and must be wary of their position as market leader. The pricing on their products is too high Cadburys could lose sales if a competitor was to launch a new product to rival Cadburys best sellers. Legislation on ingredients could cause huge problems. Healthier options could cause problems to Cadburys with trends tending to favour the new healthier options. New products from competitors could cause problems to Cadburys as they could begin to lose their market share. A PEST analysis shows the external factors outside a company that could affect the business. PEST stands for Political, Economical, Social and Technological. This part of the PEST analysis deals with the government influences. These are the laws and the recent changes in the laws: The main laws that will affect Cadburys are the consumer protection law. These influence changes in food labelling. The food labelling shouldnt be too influential as expect Cadburys to label all their goods properly to begin with. Changes in manufacturing laws will also greatly influence Cadburys as they may have to change the way they produce their Bread. This could lead to the introduction of new mechanical equipment being required or more thorough checks on the current equipment. If new equipment is required it could prove to be very expensive. The Weights and Measures Act: This act should not affect Cadburys a great deal as all the equipment and scales used should already be at that of the highest standard. The Trade Description Act- This again should not affect Cadburys, as all the labelling on the products should be correct and thorough giving all the ingredients.The Sale of Goods Act:- These state that Cadburys should not mislead the consumer. There are currently 3 conditions. If the government was to introduce a few more it could prove to affect Cadburys. On the whole though the main act Cadburys should be aware of is the Weights and Measures Act, and the Food Safety Act. I have mentioned these two as being the most important because Cadburys are a straight forward, honest company. They dont want to jeopardise their reputation by doing some dodgy business. Thats why changes in the weights and measures act and food safety act are all they should be aware of. They should check their equipment regularly and check the food safety regulations. This part of the PEST analysis deals with a range of external factors in the economy. The state of the economy is the main factor. If the country were to go into recession the consumer spending would also drop due to the unemployment. The recession would bring down the sales of a lot of goods mainly the expensive things, which are not a necessity. (E.g. the food manufacture industry would have a major decline in sales, as would the tourism industry and the clothes industry.) The current economy is well in favour of Cadburys launching a breakfast Bread. The interest rates are low and consumer spending is very high. Other economic factors that could affect Cadburys launching a product would be a rise in inflation. This is a rise in price over time. There is a variety of different social influences, which could affect the consumer, and in turn Cadburys. A good example of this is the change in eating habits. The primary and secondary research both show that consumers are moving towards healthier eating habits. The research shows people want a healthy breakfast Bread. The increase in computers and the Internet could influence sales. The number of transactions taking place over the Internet is high and people can now buy their shopping over the Internet. The use of automation in factories could influence Cadburys as they could produce more Bread with a smaller work force. The main factors, which could stop Cadburys launching a breakfast Bread, are the strength of its competitors. As per primary research and some secondary research show that the top 3 in the breakfast Bread market are Kelloggs, Weetabix and Bread Partner. Cadbury spending money on research and development for remove some potential problems later in to the process of creating a new product. Cadbury make sure about ingredients and machinery that available and product reach to customer in good condition. Legal Compliance advise on the product is safe and legal. The product name is unique and international use. The product lives up to the claims being made about it. Involving this department Cadbury safe his self and away from trouble. Cadbury fell more confident about launching product. Cadburys used all latest technology. Development teams up to date with all the latest developments in technology. So it can make it possible to create innovative products or packaging. New materials and finishes present new design opportunities and possibilities. Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools are used to produce designs. It can be used to create an image of how a product might look on the shop shelf to see how well it will stand out. Before the introduction of computer control, manufacture involved a series of operations individually supervised at separate control points. Now, many processes on the production line can be undertaken by machinery, supervised by one person from a control room full of computer screens. The use of computers to perform fast, accurate, repeatable production processes reduces the possibility of human error and helps make sure that the product is always exactly the same. The training production department have expense on sources and buy ingredients row material. They sets up and monitors the machines and perform quality control test Like Product weight, Temperature and sampling the final product. Sales team works for contacting potential suppliers to encourage them to stock the product. They negotiate contracts and sales agreements and maintain relatationships with distributors. Cadbury uses choose Cadbury to highlight the positive emotional value of their brand however Cadbury has various product range that meets the needs of every consumer from adult down to the children, they also produce different range of products during different seasons/ festive period, for example: Christmas, Easter, and other calendar landmark to motivate their customers. The choose Cadbury strategy is used to build a link between chocolate and different events to ensure theres a Cadbury chocolate product suitable and available for every occasion. This is the distribution channel used to get goods to customers. It must be in place before a product is launched. Cadburys already had an wide network of wholesaler and retailers. These provided a distribution system for breakfast Bread. The breakfast Bread should be marketed strongly in supermarkets and convenience stores as these are the places where Bread tend to be bought. With all elements in place breakfast Bread was launched in March 2010. New product development is both a lengthy and expensive process. It always contains an element of risk. However if carried out correctly product development leads to increased sales and profits. For Cadbury the process has resulted in a unique new product being successfully developed and integrated into the product portfolio. Snowflake has made a successful launch in the marketplace and will undoubtedly contribute to Cadburys future success. Cadbury continuing to develop the chocolate bar in order to increase the marker share of the confectionary market sector. Cadburys is a well known quality product and has used this as its unique selling point. However, competitors are now also being associated with quality and brand names. For instance, Mars has developed Galaxy a milk chocolate bar similar to Dairy Milk which is also a milk chocolate bar, this product is also associated with quality and developed a brand name for itself. Cadbury Schweppes reorganizing its business by separating in to two brands to make its self more efficient and add more value to the company. Cadbury could be worth around  £7bn and Schweppes could be valued at  £9bn so by doing that Cadbury can get better results in sweet business and Schweppes can be more profitable in beverage business. As a result of breaker in to two company shareholders will have two different shares, if everything goes well shareholders rise their profit much more than past Cadbury Schweppes one of the most important long term strategy is expanding its market share and make its brand more global, because of that Cadbury Schweppes bought Turkish gum giant which has nearly 50 per cent Turkish gum market. Also it aim to control and reach Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia markets. In addition, Cadbury wants to get valuable cutting-cost techniques from Turkish company by adopting its business. Cadbury is very successful at this as it just about always satisfies their customers needs. Like for the Flake it mostly appeals to women so on occasions such as Christmas, Easter and Valentines Day the Flake is far more popular in all of the confectionery shops. This shows that Cadbury is successfully selling their products at the right time, of which this also the time periods of their peak sales. Cadbury are also very well known for their very competitive prices which are reasonable and in some cases far cheaper and healthier than other leading brands such as Nestle and Mars For instance, consumers now demand foods that are low in fat or calories and salt. The role of managerial judgement in making due allowance for intangibles is clearly important, and could materially be affected if the Cadbury recommendations were followed. The majority of firms felt that existing methods of appraising AMT investments did allow a fair comparison with conventional alternatives, 87 per cent taking this view with only one in eight finding their methods at fault. While respondents might not be expected to condemn practice in their own companies, the size of the affirmative response may reflect the view that sufficient informal flexibility is used. If so, judgement may simply override financial appraisals rather than being incorporated in a more sophisticated manner.(1993, Pike, p.141) The survey confirmed trends in the use of appraisal methods and showed the distinct perceptions of influencing factors held by firms. A slow pace of adjustment was revealed within companies and the financial environment to capital investment decision making and the financi al requirements on such investments.(1991, Primrose, p.45) The effects of interest rate changes on investment decision making are muted and, with exceptions, more indirect than direct. This at best damped adjustment is not necessarily illogical for individual firms, but the effects are more widespread. With manufacturing investment at lower than desirable levels, economic recovery is jeopardized by capacity constraints and macroeconomic responses to consequent inflationary and balance of trade pressures.

Human Nature: Good Or Evil? Essay -- essays research papers

Human Nature: Good or Evil?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many things can be said about the gallons of blood, miles of entrails and seemingly endless array of bones, muscles and other fascinating odds and ends that we call our human bodies. For instance, as you break down the body into different categories each part can be examined endlessly. Such can be said about a very intricate part of the body. This is the most important part and without it the rest of the body would have no direct, this part is the brain. The brain contains many chambers, ones that trigger memories, hunger, sexual arousal, and so forth. However, there is one part of the brain that is rather ambiguous to human being. This section of the brain is where we get our instant reactions to act how we do. This isn’t as simple as it seems though. Do we act kindly and well natured by instinct? People like Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Theresa would like to thinks so. Or do we act in a negative, more primitive and bloodthirsty way, like Adolph Hitler, or Ted Bundy. I feel that human nature is more evil than good, because of the examples that people like the ones I mentioned have acted, by our primitive urges that we have inherited from our Neanderthal fore-fathers, and by our instinct to protect ourselves over all others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adolph Hitler, almost single handedly, killed off hundreds of thousands of Jews, and so-called imperfect people in Germany during the 1...

Philosophy-Who needs it :: essays research papers

1. Is there anything you would willingly die for?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to answer the question â€Å"is there anything I would willingly die for† I would want some reassurance that what I was dying for would be successful. But without some type of guarantee it would be hard to know for sure if I would be able to complete my promise. Of course I would like to be able to say that I would die for any of my beliefs but I have to admit that if I was forced to choose dying for my religion or declaring another I would superficially accept the other religion to save my life. I would hope however that I could continue to practice my religion in secret without loosing my life. I would be willing to die for the ones I love mainly my family but in the same aspect I would want to know that my death was not in vain. When the question was posed to the class most students responded with an answer similar to my own. Many of the students stated that they would be willing to die for their family and the people they loved but when it came down to a death that did not ensure the outcome they desired many people seemed to loose their conviction. Many people did believe that they could donate a vital organ or give their life to save a loved one. As in my own mind it would be more difficult to say that you could give your life on the off chance of success. I do believe that it is much easier to say that one could die for something or someone but in truth when at the final moment of decision it would be hard to knowingly give your life. Socrates was able to give his life for his beliefs and â€Å"went willingly to his death†. The Greeks would often choose death over shame of their fellow countrymen and for centuries death (in certain circumstances) was seen as noble and brave. It all seems to come down to the fact that there is no clear-cut way to define what one would die for but that it is more a matter of questioning what it is you are dying for and how your life will change the lives of others. 4. Do you believe in God?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe in my God.

Disadvantages of monopoly Essay

†¢ Higher prices and lower output Monopolies often mean that prices will be higher and output lower than is the case for an industry where competition prevails. Firms in one industry are producing under conditions of perfect competition, while the other firm is operating under conditions of monopoly. The costs of production are the same for each industry. †¢ Excess profits High profits made by the monopolist are not necessarily an indication of efficient methods of production. The monopolist may, in fact, be using its market power to raise prices above marginal costs in order to increase its revenues. †¢ Higher costs and x-inefficiencies Under competition, firms strive to minimize their inputs to produce a given level of output. Firms do not necessarily have to produce at the minimum efficient scale to be technically efficient, as long as they produce at the lowest costs for their given scale of output. Firms which produce on the average cost curve are technically efficient or x-efficient. In other words, they produce at the lowest cost possible given their respective sizes. Competition normally implies that firms will be x-efficient. However, if firms are insulated from competition, as is the case for monopoly, then there is less incentive to minimize costs. Firms may instead adopt ‘expense preference’ behavior by investing in activities to maximize the satisfaction of senior managers, at the subsequent sacrifice of profitability. †¢ Price discrimination Monopolists as sole suppliers can discriminate between different groups of customers (based on their respective elasticity’s of demand) separated into different geographic or product segments. A monopolist can practice price discrimination in several ways: †¢ First-degree price discrimination. Often referred to as perfect price discrimination, this involves the monopolist charging each customer what he or she is willing to pay for a given product. By doing this the monopolist can increase revenue and erode any consumer surplus which consumers might enjoy. †¢ Second-degree price discrimination. The monopolist charges customers different prices based on their usage. In other words, consumers might be charged a high price for initial usage, but lower prices for subsequent units consumed. This type of pricing has been used in industries such as electricity, gas, water and telephony. †¢ Third-degree price discrimination. In this case, the monopolist separates customers into markets based on different demand elasticity’s. Customers with inelastic demand are charged higher prices than those with elastic demand. †¢ Restrictive practices Monopolists often use unfair practices to keep potential rivals out of the market. Even if rivals are successful in entering the market, the monopolist may choose to eliminate these firms by various restrictive price and non-price strategies such as predatory pricing and vertical restraints. †¢ Limited technical progress Some evidence suggests that technical progress is often slow when a single firm or group of firms dominates an industry. As they face no real competitive pressures, monopolists are under no real pressure to spend any abnormal profits earned on research and development of new product and processes, which is often seen as a risky investment. Consequently, technical progress in these industries is likely to be slow. Reference: http://classof1. com/homework-help/economics-homework-help/.

How the Environment Plays a Role in Learning? Essay

During the 1990s, considerable interest has been generated in the design of constructivist learning environments. The promise of these systems to leverage capabilities of technology, empower learners to pursue unique goals and needs, and re-conceptualize teaching-learning practices has sparked both provocative ideas as well as heated debate. Yet, problems in grounding designs within established theory and research are commonplace, as designers grapple with questions regarding epistemology, assumptions, and methods. Problems in implementation and practice are also commonplace, as pragmatic constraints surface and conflicting values emerge. We suggest three key issues that are likely to dominate the constructivist learning environment landscape. Inertia and the Tyranny of Tradition: Old Dogs, New Tricks? Although as educators we espouse support for constructivist approaches to teaching and learning, we continue to rely on familiar pedagogical approaches such as lectures, worksheets, and rote learning practices. At the moment, educators perceive such approaches as more compatible with traditional expectations and methods of student assessment and better supported by existing infrastructures. Stated differently, it is easier and more efficient to maintain current practices than to promulgate approaches for which significant shifts–epistemological, technological, and cultural–are required. (Swef, 2002) In truth, few designers have acknowledged, much less successfully negotiated, the hurdles associated with transforming a highly traditional community of educational practice. Yet, as constructivist learning environments are repurposed to fit traditional classroom practices, mismatched theoretical foundations, assumptions, or methods may result. Instructional methods or assessment practices are often added to (or taken away from) original designs to make them more compatible with classroom pragmatics and constraints. In essence, constructivist pedagogy is applied to attain traditional goals, and the environment becomes an instance of what Petraglia ( 1998) refers to as â€Å"domesticated constructivism† (cited in Karyn, 2003). For instance, a teacher may intend to use a constructivist environment within  a climatology unit to support hypothesis generation, prediction, data collection, and analysis. The environment may also employ powerful visualization tools and complex sets of meteorology databases and resources (perhaps from the WWW) in ways that are consistent with the environment’s constructivist foundations. (Swef, 2002) Yet, as pedagogical methods are considered, they may be tempered by the prevailing cultural values of high standardized test scores and mastery learning of basic skills. Consequently, rather than engage in prediction, interpretation, and data analysis, learners instead search databases to find specific answers to questions established in advance (e.g., find the temperature in San Diego; define the greenhouse effect; what is the coldest day on record in Los Angeles). Pragmatic influences may also intervene. (Karyn, 2003) Activity may be limited to the traditional two 50-minute class meetings per week and conventional tests and assessments of the unit’s meteorology content. Perhaps only a single computer is available, and consequently the teacher chooses to project and demonstrate the tools and resources rather than allow students to define, solve, and collaborate on weather prediction problems. (Zevenbergen, 2008)Learned Helplessness and Learner Compliance: â€Å"Will This Be on the Test?† In typical constructivist learning environments, students establish (or adopt) learning goals and needs, navigate through and evaluate a variety of potentially relevant resources, generate and test hypotheses, and so forth (Oliver, 1999). Teachers clarify rather than tell, guide rather than direct, and facilitate student effort rather than impose their own approaches. For both teachers and learners, these represent radical departures from conventional school-based learning activities. Teachers have traditionally possessed the required knowledge, determined what is correct and what is incorrect, and set and enforced grading standards. (Goodyear, 2001) Students are told what knowledge is required, which answers are correct and which are incorrect, and the standards that separate good from bad students, average from substandard performance, and robins from bluebirds. A pact between teacher and student is tacitly struck and enforced: Good teachers make the preceding explicit and direct student effort accordingly, while good students learn quickly to detect and comply with the standards. Research in the late 1990s on student engagement in constructivist learning environments has underscored several disturbing patterns. Land and Hannafin (1997), for instance, examined how seventh graders used the ErgoMotion (Karyn, 2003) roller coaster micro world to learn about force and motion concepts. Despite numerous and varied features and opportunities for learners to hypothesize, manipulate, and test predictions, many learners failed to either connect key concepts well or internalize their understanding. In lieu of the teacher, and perhaps in an attempt to identify what the system required of them, most relied exclusively on the explicit proxy structure provided by the system. They frequently queried the researchers as to whether or not responses were correct or whether they had â€Å"done enough yet.† Students were dependent on, and sought compliance with, external agents to tell them what, when, and in what order to respond, as well as to judge the quality, accuracy, and completion of their efforts–skills essential to constructivist learning environments. (Kember, 2007)Similarly, numerous compliant strategies in web-based, hypermedia environments were reported among middle school (Oliver, 1999) and adult students. Learners tended to use externally provided questions almost exclusively to navigate the system and find â€Å"answers† to open-ended problems (Kember, 2007). Similarly, Karyn (2003) reported that children attempted to apply traditional strategies to presumably web-based inquiry-oriented learning tasks. They tended to view the activity as finding the correct answer to their research question and â€Å"thus reduced the task to finding a single page, the perfect source, on which the answer could be found†. In these instances, learners invoked methods that do not typically support or promote open or inquiry-based learning–ironically the strategies required for successful performance in formal education. In the late 1990s, constructivists have emphasized the importance of scaffolding learner self regulation and strategic processes to help learners manage the complexity of the environment (Karyn, 2003). It is important to determine how learners use available scaffolds and to adapt accordingly. Without strategies appropriate to student-centered learning tasks, learners may fail to either invoke the affordances of the environment or to develop the strategies engendered by them. The Situated Learning Paradox. â€Å"I Know What I Know.† Although prior knowledge and situated contexts enhance transfer potential (Oliver, 1999), they also engender incomplete, naà ¯ve, and often inaccurate theories that interfere with rather than support learning. Paradoxically, these are precisely the types of thinking constructivist learning environments build upon. Most learners, for instance, believe that heavier objects sink and lighter objects float; their personal experiences confirm this intuitive theory. The resulting misconceptions, rooted in and strengthened by personal experience, are highly resilient and resistant to change. Although personal theories are considered critical to progressive understanding, they can become especially problematic when learners become entrenched in faulty theories to explain events that cannot be tested within the boundaries of a system or fail to recognize important contradictory evidence. (Cunningham, 2008)Learners referenced pri or knowledge and experiences that either contradicted or interfered with the environment’s treatment of the concepts of force and motion (Zevenbergen, 2008). In one case, theory preservation seriously limited the ability to learn from the system. One student failed to either detect system-provided information or seek confirmatory data due to the intractability of his beliefs; he was so entrenched in his beliefs that he failed to seek and repeatedly overlooked counterevidence (Karyn, 2003). In another case, a learner recalled an operator remarking that roller coaster brakes and clamps would terminate a problem run immediately. Consequently, she mistakenly perceived the coaster to be slowing down around curves, falsely confirming her belief that brakes were applied when they were not. Because they were strongly rooted in personal experience and could not is tested using the available tools, faulty conceptions endured. Thus, the completeness of a system’s representation of simulated phenomena is critical because learner’s access related prior knowledge and experiences that may contradict the environment’s treatment of th ose concepts. In sum, several perspectives regarding design of learning environments have emerged in response to interest in alternative epistemologies. Although considerable progress has been made to advance researchers’ understanding, many questions and issues remain. Whereas some studies have identified  problems and issues related to the design and implementation of constructivist learning environments, others have reported noteworthy benefits. It is imperative that efforts continue not only to ground design practices more completely but also to better understand the promise and limitations of constructivist learning environments. References Cunningham, Billie M. (2008) Using Action Research to Improve Learning and the Classroom Learning Environment. Issues in Accounting Education, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p1-30,Goodyear, P., Salmon, G., Spector, J. M., Steeples, C. & Tickner, S (2001) â€Å"Competences for Online Teaching: A Special Report†, Educational Technology, Research & Development, Proquest Education Journals, pp 65-72Karyn Wellhousen, Ingrid Crowther (2003) Creating Effective Learning Environments. Florence, KY: Delmar Cengage Learning. Kember, David; Leung, Doris Y. P.; Ma, Rosa S. F.. (2007) Characterizing Learning Environments Capable of Nurturing Generic Capabilities in Higher Education. Research in Higher Education. Oliver, R. (1999) Exploring strategies for online teaching and learning. Distance Education, 20, 2, Proquest Education Journals, pp 240-54Swef Chiew Goh, Myint Swe Khine. (2002) Studies in Educational Learning Environments: An International Perspective. New Jersey: World Scientific Publishing Company. Zevenbergen, Robyn; Lerman, Steve. (2008) Learning Environments Using Interactive Whiteboards: New Learning Spaces or Reproduction of Old Technologies? Mathematics Education Research Journal, Vol. 20 Issue 1, p107-125

Transition Metals

Transition Metals 1a) The d-orbitals of a free transition metal atom or ion are degenerate (all have the same energy. ) However, when  transition metals  form  coordination complexes, the d-orbitals of the metal interact with the electron cloud of the ligands  in such a manner that the d-orbitals become non-degenerate (not all having the same energy. ) The way in which the orbitals are split into different energy levels is dependent on the geometry of the complex. Crystal field theory  can be used to predict the energies of the different d-orbitals, and how the  d-electrons  of a transition metal are distributed among them.When the d-level is not completely filled, it is possible to promote and electron from a lower energy d-orbital to a higher energy d-orbital by absorption of a photon of electromagnetic radiation having an appropriate energy. Electromagnetic radiations in the visible region of the spectrum often possess the appropriate energy for such transitions. The magnitude of the splitting of the d-orbitals in a transition metal complex depends on three things: * the geometry of the complex * the oxidation state of the metal * the nature of the ligands(Kotz, J.C 1987) Kotz, J. C. ; Purcell, K. F. Chemical and Chemical ReactivitySaunders: New York, 1987, Chapter 25. Rodgers, G. E. Introduction to Coordination, Solid State, and Descriptive Inorganic ChemistryMcGraw -Hill: New York, 1994, Chapter 4. b. The origin of colour in complex ions containing transition metals Complex ions containing transition metals are usually coloured, whereas the similar ions from non-transition metals aren't. That suggests that the partly filled d orbitals must be involved in generating the colour in some way.Remember that transition metals are defined as having partly filled d orbitals. Octahedral complexes For simplicity we are going to look at the octahedral complexes which have six simple ligands arranged around the central metal ion. The argument isn't really any different if you have multidentate ligands – it's just slightly more difficult to imagine! | When the ligands bond with the transition metal ion, there is repulsion between the electrons in the ligands and the electrons in the d orbitals of the metal ion.That raises the energy of the d orbitals. However, because of the way the d orbitals are arranged in space, it doesn't raise all their energies by the same amount. Instead, it splits them into two groups. The diagram shows the arrangement of the d electrons in a Cu2+ion before and after six water molecules bond with it. Whenever 6 ligands are arranged around a transition metal ion, the d orbitals are always split into 2 groups in this way – 2 with a higher energy than the other 3.The size of the energy gap between them (shown by the blue arrows on the diagram) varies with the nature of the transition metal ion, its oxidation state (whether it is 3+ or 2+, for example), and the nature of the ligands. When white lig ht is passed through a solution of this ion, some of the energy in the light is used to promote an electron from the lower set of orbitals into a space in the upper set. Each wavelength of light has a particular energy associated with it. Red light has the lowest energy in the visible region.Violet light has the greatest energy. Suppose that the energy gap in the d orbitals of the complex ion corresponded to the energy of yellow light. The yellow light would be absorbed because its energy would be used in promoting the electron. That leaves the other colours. Your eye would see the light passing through as a dark blue, because blue is the complementary colour of yellow. | | | Examples: http://www. chemguide. co. uk/inorganic/complexions/colour. html#top 2. Transition metal compounds are  paramagnetic  when they have one or more unpaired  d  electrons. 15]  In octahedral complexes with between four and seven  d  electrons both  high spin  and  low spin  states a re possible. Tetrahedral transition metal complexes such as  [FeCl4]2? are  high spin  because the crystal field splitting is small so that the energy to be gained by virtue of the electrons being in lower energy orbitals is always less than the energy needed to pair up the spins. Some compounds are  diamagnetic. These include octahedral, low-spin,  d6  and square-planar  d8  complexes. In these cases,crystal field  splitting is such that all the electrons are paired up.Ferromagnetism  occurs when individual atoms are paramagnetic and the spin vectors are aligned parallel to each other in a crystalline material. Metallic iron and the alloy  alnico  are examples of ferromagnetic materials involving transition metals. Anti-ferromagnetism  is another example of a magnetic property arising from a particular alignment of individual spins in the solid state (. adapted from ‘’Transition Metalsa,’’ 2012, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wik i/Transition_metal#Coloured_compounds) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Transition_metal#Coloured_compounds) 3.Catalytic properties The transition metals and their compounds are known for their homogeneous and heterogeneous  catalytic  activity. This activity is ascribed to their ability to adopt multiple oxidation states and to form complexes. Vanadium(V) oxide (in the  contact process), finely divided  iron  (in the  Haber process), and  nickel  (in  Catalytic hydrogenation) are some of the examples. Catalysts at a solid surface involve the formation of bonds between reactant molecules and atoms of the surface of the catalyst (first row transition metals utilize 3d and 4s electrons for bonding).This has the effect of increasing the concentration of the reactants at the catalyst surface and also weakening of the bonds in the reacting molecules (the activation energy is lowering). (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Transition_metal#Coloured_compounds). The d orbitals ar e what give transition metals their special properties. In transition metal ions the outermost d orbitals are incompletely filled with electrons so they can easily give and take electrons. This makes transition metals prime candidates for catalysis.Transition metal catalysts can be very useful for oxidation/reduction reactions because their outer electrons are especially susceptible to oxidation and reduction. If an oxidized transition metal runs into a molecule it can take electrons from that molecule, thereby oxidizing the molecule. If a reduced transition metal runs into a molecule it can give the molecule electrons and reduce it. Because transition metals are easier to oxidize and reduce than other elements, this process goes faster!Transition metals can both lend electrons to and take electrons from other molecules. By giving and taking electrons so easily, transition metal catalysts speed up reactions. (http://www. chemeddl. org/resources/TSTS/Stahl/Stahl9-12/Transitionorbital s9to12. html) Transition metals as catalysts Iron in the Haber Process The Haber Process combines hydrogen and nitrogen to make ammonia using an iron catalyst. Nickel in the hydrogenation of C=C bonds This reaction is at the heart of the manufacture of margarine from vegetable oils.However, the simplest example is the reaction between ethene and hydrogen in the presence of a nickel catalyst. Transition metal compounds as catalysts Vanadium(V) oxide in the Contact Process At the heart of the Contact Process is a reaction which converts sulphur dioxide into sulphur trioxide. Sulphur dioxide gas is passed together with air (as a source of oxygen) over a solid vanadium(V) oxide catalyst. Iron ions in the reaction between persulphate ions and iodide ions Persulphate ions (peroxodisulphate ions), S2O82-, are very powerful oxidising agents.Iodide ions are very easily oxidised to iodine. And yet the reaction between them in solution in water is very slow. The reaction is catalysed by the pr esence of either iron(II) or iron(III) ions. * http://www. chemguide. co. uk/inorganic/transition/features. html#top 4. Test For Gases & Ions : http://www. pearsonschoolsandfecolleges. co. uk/Secondary/Science/14-16forEdexcel/EdexcelIGCSEBiologyChemistryPhysics/Samples/ChemistryRevisionGuide/ChemistryRevisionGuideChapter16. pdf Also Refer to Slide !

A Strategic Analysis of GE Healthcare Essay

GE Healthcare is a unit of the wider General Electric Company. It has a global orientation, employing more than 46, 000 staff committed to serving healthcare professionals and patients in over 100 countries. It is headquartered in the United Kingdom (UK)-the first GE business segment outside the United States. It has a turnover of approximately $ 17 billion. The headquarters hosts GE healthcare corporate offices as well as finance, sales, global sourcing departments, X-Ray marketing, manufacturing, design and shipping. The finance and sales departments at the headquarters handle GE Healthcare’s high level decisions, but each modality often has its own similar departments. The global sourcing department handles all purchasing for the firm. GE Healthcare provides a variety of products services namely Technologies in medical imaging, diagnostics in medicine, systems for monitoring patients, solutions for improving performance, discovering drugs, and technologies to manufacture bi opharmaceuticals. It also provides X-Ray products which include; radiography, fluoroscopy, vascular, cardiology, and the Mobile C-Arm machine. At present, GE Healthcare has six major business units; Global Diagnostic Imaging Unit: with its headquarters in the US, its business includes; digital mammography, X-ray services, Magnetic Resonance, Computed Tomography and technologies in Molecular Imaging. Integrated IT Solutions (IITS). Also headquartered in Barrington USA, IITS offers solutions in clinical and monetary information technologies, such as IT Products and service for departments, systems for picture Archiving and Communications, Information System solutions in Radiology and Cardiovascular in addition to practices and systems for managing revenue cycles. Medical Diagnostics Business Unit. This is headquartered in USA and its business includes; Researches in Medical Diagnostics, manufacturing and marketing imaging agents used in medical scanning techniques to view human body organs and tissues. Clinical Systems Unit. Also Headquartered in the US, this business offers a variety of healthcare services and technological solutions for medical officers and managers of healthcare systems. These include; Ultrasound, technologies for monitoring patients, bone densitometry, incubators, respiratory care and management of anesthesia. GE Healthcare Life Sciences Unit. This is headquartered in Sweden. It produces technologies for discovering drugs, biopharmaceutical manufacturing and cellular technologies. This division also manufactures equipment for the purifying biopharmaceuticals. GE Healthcare Surgery Business Unit. This division offers equipment and technologies for surgical care interventions, cardiac, systems and technologies for diagnostic monitoring, systems and data management technologies, to systems for mobile fluoroscopic imaging, instrumentations on 3D visual systems and navigation. Its headquarters are in Utah, USA, GE Healthcare has offices in different parts of the world. It also has primary regional operation centers in Paris, Japan, and India. (GE Healthcare Website; Retrieved December 2010) Business Strategy and Organizational Structure Analysis The world business environment is constantly changing, presenting new opportunities and challenges. This calls for competitive strategies in order to remain competitive. This section evaluates the opportunities and challenges presented by GE Healthcare organizational structure. In the Financial Year (FY) ending December 2007, the company recorded revenues of $16, 997 million; an increase of 2.7% over 2006. The operating profit was $3,056 million in 2007; drop of 2.7% from 2006. This GE business unit recorded revenues of $16,015 million, during the Financial Year (FY) ended December 2009. This reflected a decrease of 7.9% over FY 2008. The operating profit for the FY ended December 2009 was $2,240 million a decrease of 15.1% over FY 2008. Analysts attribute to both the complex internal and external environments of the company. I evaluate this argument by undertaking a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of the company and integrating it to the Porters Fiv e Forces Model. Internal Analysis GE healthcare is one of the best firms in leadership development. The firm’s Human Resources Department is keen in developing a strong workforce that responds to changing global needs. It employs strategically employs and motivates the best qualified talents globally. It invests more than $100 million annually on educational training and staff development. The GE Healthcare Institute provides advanced training for GEHC employees and customers. It combines Technical training, Applications and Leadership trainings. More than 70 laboratories with the latest equipment provide GE and customers world class instruction in all areas of equipment maintenance and operation. The Training in Partnership curriculum provides a full range of training programs. GE managers are considered one of the firm’s distinctive competencies and strengths. The challenge is maintaining employee motivation through better remuneration in a time of global economic meltdown and declining profits for the firm. GE Healthcare is capable of changing and constantly re-inventing itself to deal with changing business needs. Setting new standards for management, organizational design, Research and Development has been the pillar of the firm. This is evidenced by the establishment of the six distinctive business units stated above. Exploiting the resources that the firm has, this competency can be meant un-substitutable. The firm is continually innovating to develop solutions to customer changing needs. As Jeffrey Immelt stated, the firms’ employees â€Å"have an ability to live in the moment†. This quality is rare and not easily imitated. This organizational culture ensures that employees continue with innovation and development of new ideas. The firm has a global orientation, with production facilities outside the US and UK, a wider customer base, a superior brand, sales, marketing, IT and Production departments within every modality. This ensures efficiency of service within each business unit. To ensure financial accountability in outsourcing and procurement, decisions regarding this are handled by offices at the headquarters. GE Healthcare operates within the Rubric of the well known and established General Electric; this promotes sharing of management knowledge and experiences. General Electric is a well known Brand with a global touch. This strong internal structure has been at the core of the firm’s success. However Organizations function as systems, they interact and respond to the surrounding environment (Barnard 1938). This calls for an external analysis of this firm. External Analysis Competitor Analysis Analysts argue that competitors can ensure that similar firms remain productive. Though this can be healthy for consumers, small competitors and substitute product can drive giants out of the market. Siemens AG competes against GE group in communications, power, transportation, medical, and lighting industries. Siemens and HE Healthcare are most competitive in the healthcare industry. Siemens Medical Solutions happens to be largest supplier of healthcare equipment globally. Siemens AG is distinctive in its innovativeness and provision of complete solutions to its customers. Siemens is actually larger, with close to 440,000 employees, 70,000 of which are located in the U.S. Despite the fact that GE Healthcare outdoes Siemens AG in healthcare ($9.4 billion) and energy ($15.3 billion) it is a competitor that cannot be ignored. Both operate at virtually global scale. Other competitors include FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA, Inc. Hitachi Medical Corporation Nihon Kohden Corporation Schiller AG TOSHIBA Medical Systems Corporation Philips Healthcare Philips Respironics, Inc. Industry Analysis General Electric’s firms including the Healthcare unit have been analyzed using porters five forces model to determine which industry is more attractive. GE Healthcare industry is challenged by competitors and new market entrants. Consumers constantly demand low prices at a high quality leading to intensive bargaining. Retailers have to bargain with suppliers to fix the prices of their products. The GE retail industry also faces the threat of substitute products. For more on the competency strategy, SWOT analysis an the forces model see Appendix 1 and 2. Recommendations GE Healthcare already has a global orientation, large customer base. The success of GE Healthcare lies at how best it chooses its business focus. There is need to focus on a specific market niche. Too much diversification and provision of a wide variety of products may be a step forward but it can also become a mechanism for reversal. Much diversification can lead to lose of business focus. It is evident that new technology and the creation of a global virtual market offer an opportunity for the firm to grow its business. African and some Asian markets are still virgins to the firm. There is need to identify and exploit this business markets. Where favorable, establish production facilities. Advertising and strategic marketing remains a superior option to strengthen the firm’s brand identity. With increasing human rights concerns and demands for accountability, there is need for education and corporate social responsibility, as consumers are becoming more sensitive to scientific information. Nevertheless challenges of environmental accountability abound and cannot be ignored. Works Cited Barnard, C.I. The Functions of the Executive, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1938. Print. Barnard, C.I. Organization and Management: Selected Papers, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 1948. Print. Brady, Diane. GE: When Execs Outperform the Stock. Business Week 17 Apr. 2006. Goel Sanjay et al .General Electric: Strategic Management.