Material of Safety Rolling

Introduction Engineers design and manufacture products from various materials. The materials used in the design must meet some constraints or threshold.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Material of Safety Rolling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The following are some of the requirements these materials must meet; withstand stress and strain or loads, be insulators or conductors of heat and electricity, be magnetic or non magnetic, light transmitters or reflectors, resistant to harsh environmental conditions, cost less, able to serve the purposes and impact less on the environment. Designing things not only requires materials but it also demands the application of correct process. The process should not just be any—the chosen process must be compatible with the material that is used (Ashby Johnson, 2002). Today, almost all the materials used were developed over a hundred years ago Over 200 000 materia ls are available to be chosen by engineers, leaving manufacturers, designers, engineers with a challenge that our forefathers experienced in decisively choosing from this long list of options. Selecting the right material and process is driven by factors including material performance, cost-cutting measures and efficiency, and minimizing environmental damage. Innovative design implies envisaging the use of the properties presented to us by different materials. Today, these properties can be found from well documented engineering books. Nonetheless, advances in computer technology have even made things much easier in terms of storage manipulation, thanks to computer aided design. Thinking strategically is imperative when it comes to matching material to design safety rolling. The shape of the final product made determines the choice of the process and vice versa. The relation is two- way traffic —the process too affects the shape, the size, the accuracy and, the price of a com ponent.Advertising Looking for assessment on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Specifying the shape limits the option of material and process, similarly, specifying the process restricts the materials to be used and the types of shapes they form. The more complicated the design is the more you will be limited to the specifications. This explains the close relationship between the two. The relationship between material, shape and process is at the core of the selection process. Material selection strategy is needed to deal with the problem of designing material of safety rolling. The processes steps to be followed include: Translation: Design constraints, objective and free variables Translation is ‘‘the process of adapting the design attributes for a component into a statement of function, constraints, objectives and free variables’’. Function means the work that the component can perform. A constraint is an indispensable requirement that must be achieved and is presented as a limit on a material or process quality. An objective is the quantity for which limits (maximum or minimum values) are identified, usually cost, mass or volume, among others. Constraints are applied in the process of screening to isolate candidates that are able to perform the function. Objectives are employed in the ranking process to isolate the materials available that can perform the function. Free variables are the limits or constraints of the material that can be changed by the designer. Material of safety rolling must meet some constraints, but at the same time attain the objective of safety on the environment. The constraints of materials of safety rolling include; material of less toxic elements, Maximum use temperature 600 C, corrosive resistant, maximum strength to withstand breakage, stress, strain; and capacity to be manufactured cheaply. Objective: Maximize the strength of safety rolling; hence maximize safety of the material on the environment at the same time making it strong withstand any strain and stress to avoid breakage when rolling. Free variables are the parameters that can be changed to maximize the objective.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Material of Safety Rolling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The designer is at liberty to alter measurements that are limited to the design requirements. The designer is free to select any material for the component. Free variables for material for safety rolling can be the choice of the material and the cross- sectional area (Callister, 2003). Screening: Five feasible materials for preliminary consideration This step gets rid of materials that cannot perform the specified function. It is either because one or more of their characteristics does not fall in the extreme values- maximum and minimum of the constraints. For example, the con straint that â€Å"the constituent must function in boiling water† or that â€Å"the constituent must not be opaque† sets clear maximum value on the aspect of maximum performance heat and optical properties that qualified candidates must fulfill. Based on the design objective of material of safety rolling, materials that can be preliminarily considered include; metals, polymers, elastomers, ceramics, and glasses. Materials includes the family ‘Metals’, which is further classified into smaller classes like ‘Aluminum alloys’, and other sub-classes. Every material is classified based on a set of characteristics, design properties, the ecological impacts and the applications of the material. This is commonly known as property profile. Selection process comprises, marrying the right property profiles of the materials in the world and that which is needed by the design. The materials from a particular family have similar properties. Metals are fairl y stiff, calculated by the modulus, E. Nearly all metals are soft and can be deformed easily in their natural state; this implies that ÏÆ'y is low. Metals can be strengthened by adding alloys and by mechanical and heat treatment, raising ÏÆ'y, however they retain their ductility, making it possible to be made by the process deformation. Generally speaking metals are tough, with a high fracture toughness of K1c. They conduct both heat and electricity. Ceramics are non-metallic, inorganic solids, common ones are porcelain or alumina—the material widely used in spark-plug insulators. They have numerous desirable characteristics.Advertising Looking for assessment on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Their properties include; stiffness, hard and resistant to abrasive force, maintains their strength when exposed to extreme heat, and they are corrosion resistant. Large portions are used as perfect insulators. But they have disadvantages: unlike metals, they can easily break, and have low K1c. This makes it almost impossible for ceramics to withstand low stress levels (such as holes or cracks) or for extreme joint stresses (like a clamp point). As result of this major drawback, it is easier to design with metals than ceramics. The third group of material are the glasses, these materials are solid, non-crystalline (‘amorphous’). Commonly occurring glasses are the soda-lime and borosilicate glasses widely called bottles and Pyrex ovenware. Other materials are abundant. The absence of crystalline structures stifles their plasticity, thus, similar to ceramics, glasses are hard and extremely resistant to corrosion. They are non conductors and are used as conductors, indeed, they allow light to pass through. Nevertheless, ceramics are brittle and susceptible to stress and strain conditions. Polymers are organic solid compounds with long strands of carbon (or, in several, silicon) atoms. Polymers are not heavy—their densities Ï  are low compared with other lighter metals. Their modulus E is approximately 50 times less compared with other materials like those of metals. They are floppy, strong, and because they are less dense, the strength per unit weight of polymers can be equated to that of metals. Their characteristics are varied based on the changes in temperature hence a polymer that is tough and flexible at room temperature might become brittle at the lower temperatures. But can become tender at boiling point.. Beyond 100 degrees centigrade the strength of polymers becomes useless. You can use these properties in the design. They can be easily shaped (thus the name plastics) thus sophisticated products doing different job are produced from one polymer in just one process. Their characteristics are perfectly suitable for components that stick together, necessitating rapid assembly and less expensive. By precisely determining the size of the mold and prior application of color on the polymer, finishing operations are not required. A well designed process maximizes all the above properties. Elastomers are mostly materials of rubber bands and sports shoes. These are polymers with exceptional properties. The stiffness, determined by E, is very low. Compared with metals, they are 500–5000 times more. The other unique property is that they are capable of being stretched several times their original length but retain their original shape after the stretch. In spite of low stiffness, elastomers are strong and tough. This makes them suitable for car tires (Callister, 2003). Ranking: Comparing the advantages and disadvantages of the five materials After screening, the materials are then ranked using material indices. Mat erial property cannot rule out those that are retained. It only aids in ranking those that remain. In order to achieve it an optimization criterion is required. This is embodied in the material indices developed, which measures how perfectly the material has survived the screening process and hence can perform the function. The ability to perform the job is to some extent constrained by either one or more properties. The property or property class that optimizes the capacity to perform a given function for a particular design is known as material index. There are several indices, with every index designed to maximize specific attribute of performance. They present standards of excellence that permit ranking of materials by their capacity to perform well in certain applications. To sum it up whereas screening eliminates materials that have the ability to perform the work, ranking isolates those materials presented that can perform the job better. Re-examining our materials; metals, p olymers, elastomers, ceramics, and glasses it is possible to rank them from the worst suited to the best suited for the job. Starting with metals, they have several advantages. Metals are stiffer, easily deformed in their pure state, can be strengthened by alloying, retain ductility after treatment, and finally they are good conductors of heat and electricity. They have only disadvantages namely; most are corrosive, some are toxic, cancerous and react with other elements. The ceramics have the following advantages; they are stiff, hard and resistant to abrasive force, retain their strength when exposed to extreme heat, and they are resist corrosion. But ceramics have disadvantages too: unlike metals, they are fragile, and have a low K1c. The Advantages of glasses include: easily available, the materials are plenty, hard, resistant to corrosion, and transparent. The disadvantages of glasses can identified as, poor conductors of electricity and heat, vulnerable to stress concentration s and lastly they are brittle. Advantages of polymers: can be easily shaped, hence sophisticated products doing different job are produced from one polymer in just a single operation and stick together, require no finishing operations. Advantages of Elastomers: stiff, easily stretched and return to original shapes and length, tough and strong. The main disadvantage of elastomers is that they are not stiff. The merits and demerits of the five materials leave us with two materials at the top to be considered. The materials can be ranked from the most preferred based on the number of advantages and design limits and properties. Ranked at the top (most preferred) are metals followed by elastomers, polymers, ceramics and glasses (the least preferred) material to be considered. As was aforementioned, metals have other subclasses like alloys- steel, iron, zinc Lead, aluminium, tin and copper. Documentations: Detailed evidence of the key material related to the design constrictions, objecti ves and free variables Documentation is different from the ordered property information employed in the screening process. Normally, it is a description, graphical presentation or pictures and charts of the case studies of earlier functions of the material, success analysis and facts on the corrosion, data about availability and costs, among others. This kind of information can be retrieved from various sources like handbooks, manufacture’s data sheets, case studies of use, and success or failure studies. Documentation aids in narrowing down the selection choice to a final option, permitting final selection to be made between design constraints and material characteristics. Screening and ranking help to reduce or simply eliminate the materials that are not suitable for the job. Without these two steps, then the choices from which to select is vast hence the volume of documentation becomes cumbersome. Closing eyes and blindly choosing any material is an exercise in futility. H owever, after a reasonable number of materials have been isolated by the screening process and ranking step, an in depth analysis (documentation) can be done for the few remaining materials, and the exercise becomes feasible. Figure 1: A flow diagram of selection a process, which is similar to material selection. Metals: metals have various properties- chemical properties, physical properties, thermal properties and mechanical properties. Mechanical properties A steel ruler can ‘elastically’ bend with ease—‘elastically’ implies that it returns back after being released. The elastic stiffness is because of two factors- shape and property of steel itself. Thin size enables it to bend easily and the elastic modulus E is also high. The point here is the steel ruler can bend elastically, although if it is a good one, it is not possible to make it permanently bend. Permanent deformation is linked to the strength of the material but not stiffness. The ease with which a ruler bends permanently is determined by the shape and the different properties of the steel—namely the yield strength, ÏÆ'y. Materials with huge ÏÆ'y, such as titanium alloys, are difficult to bend permanently even if their stiffness, emanating from E, might be low; metals with low ÏÆ'y, for example lead, can bend without any difficulty. When metals bend they become even much stronger. A concept commonly referred to as ‘work hardening’), of course the extreme limits must not be exceeded, called the tensile strength, ÏÆ'ts, exceeding this limit the material deforms. This property of steel makes it a perfect choice of materials of safety rolling. Thermal properties Metal properties change with changes in temperature, generally for the worse. Metals lose their strength at different heat levels. They can oxidize, degrade or worse of are decomposed. It goes without saying that metals have a limiting temperature known as the maximum service temperatu re, Tmax, beyond this their application is not viable. Stainless steel has a highest Tmax—it may be applied up to 800 °C. But most polymers have relatively low Tmax and are rarely used beyond 150 °C. This difference in properties makes it easy to isolate materials. Electrical, magnetic and optical properties Without electrical conductivity man would not have easy access to light, heat, power, control and communication. Metals are good conductors. Copper and aluminum top the list of cheap conductors. Although conductivity to some extent is undesirable fuse boxes, switch casings, the suspensions for power transmission lines all need to be insulted. Materials with high resistivity, Ï e, are required the reverse the electrical conductivity ÃŽ ºe. Many plastics and glass have high resistance thus are used as insulators—although, with special treatment, they can become conductors. There is a close relationship between electricity and magnetism. Electric currents genera te magnetic fields; a rotating magnet creates an electric current to any close conductor (Bralla 1998). Chemical properties Most of the time metals operate in antagonistic environments, subjected to corrosive substances like fluids, to hot gases or to even radioactive radiation. Conditions that corrode metals include damp air, water, the sweat on people’s hands and other corrosive environments. Therefore, for the material or metal to withstand the corrosion, then it must be designed with materials that are less corrosive or at times can be coated with materials which can withstand the environments where they are used. Common surroundings include fresh and salt water, acids and bases, organic solvents, and oxidizing flames (Ashby Johnson, 2002). Final Choice The choice of process is limited by the choice of the material selected. For instance, compared with other materials it is easy to mould polymers. Elastic materials can be forged, rolled and drawn as opposed to materials that are delicate and hence must be shaped in other ways. Materials that thaw at relatively low temperatures and low-viscosity liquids can be cast, while others can be processed by other methods. The shape of the material and product also determines the choice of process. Slender shapes can be designed easily by rolling or drawing but not by casting. It is hard to make hollow shapes by forging, but they can be made by casting or molding. There are different classifications of processes. Manufacturing processes are categorized under the following heading; Primary processes which creates shapes. Primary forming processes include: casting, molding, deformation, powder methods, methods for forming composites, special methods including rapid prototyping. Next are the secondary processes which aim at modifying the shapes or properties. In most cases they are depicted as ‘machining’, which adds some features to an already shaped product, and ‘heat treatment’, whic h improves surface or bulkiness of the properties. Under these we have joining and, lastly, surface treatment (Bralla, 1998). Just like the flow diagram of the selection process of material, a step by step of a manufacturing process can be drawn. Nevertheless, the arrangement of the steps can vary based on the constraints of the design. Basically, three process families have been identified moving from shaping to joining and finally to finishing. It is critical to revisit our major goal of safety rolling i.e. the material being friendly on the environment and at the same time meets some constraints, of safe rolling, material of less toxic elements, maximum use temperature 600 C, corrosive resistant, maximum strength to withstand breakage, stress, strain, and the capacity to be manufactured cheaply. But of course the Objective remains: to maximize the strength of safety rolling; hence maximize safety of the material on the environment at the same time making it strong to withstand any strain and stress to avoid breakage when rolling. Comparing lead and Aluminium, the latter can be the most preferred metal with such properties which is less hazardous both to the environment and human beings. Moreover, it can be safely rolled because it is less ductile. But coating as a way of finishing, increases the cost of the manufacturing process. On the contrary, coating as a finishing process is justified because it hardens, safeguards, or makes the surface more attractive thereby increases its value. In a nutshell, materials have properties like density, strength, cost, and the ability to resist corrosion. Proper design demands a particular profile. It is imperative to begin with the whole set of choices of materials as options. Without going through the steps selection process, the entire process is doomed from the start. The process of engineering design is a multifaceted process for which there is hardly ever a precise right accurate solution. An in depth knowledge o f the loop connecting or linking the function, materials, processes and the shape of materials is inevitable. The right choice of material can minimize costs, and damage on the environment. References Ashby, M.F. and Johnson, K. (2002). Materials and Design the Art and Science of  Material Selection in Product Design, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK. Bralla, J.G. (1998) Design for Manufacturability Handbook, 2nd edition, McGraw- Hill, New York, USA Callister, W.D. (2003) Materials Science and Engineering, An Introduction, 6th edition, John Wiley, New York, USA. This assessment on Material of Safety Rolling was written and submitted by user Xavi A. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Qualifications, attributes, ethics, and responsibilities of Air Traffic Controllers

Qualifications, attributes, ethics, and responsibilities of Air Traffic Controllers Ever wondered how planes travel in the air and never clash with each other like cars do? The safety of planes and their passengers lie in the hands of air traffic controllers. Air traffic controllers are professionals who are in charge of how air traffic moves so that planes can maintain a safe distance between each other.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Qualifications, attributes, ethics, and responsibilities of Air Traffic Controllers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition to ensuring safety of planes and their passengers, air traffic controllers are also responsible for ensuring that planes are not delayed and that they depart from their destinations and alight at their destinations at the allocated times. There are different types of air traffic controllers, each performing special roles. The terminal controllers are in charge of planes when they are in an airport’s airspace. The main duty of te rminal controllers is to ensure a smooth movement of airplanes into and out of airports. They mainly do so by observing. If all is well, they sequence the arriving airplane to land and give clearances for the departing airplanes. They also give advice to pilots about weather and runway conditions so that accidents resulting from such conditions can be avoided (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2011). Before a plane leaves an airport, many different air traffic controllers are involved in the process. For instance, the tower flight data controller makes use of the data plan for departure to organize the departure procedure in sequence. The clearance controller on the hand gives clearance to an airplane for departure while the ground controller uses the data plan in form of flight strip to control the flow of airplanes on the airport’s surface. A similar procedure is followed when a plane wants to land. When the plane is about 50 miles from its destined airp ort, the airport’s terminal radar arrival controller creates a sequence for the airplane along with other airplanes that want to land at the same time. Once everything is in order, the controller gives an approach clearance to the pilot who is then cleared to make contact with the tower. The clearance to land on the airport is then given by the local controller. The ground controller then takes over and guides the aircraft along the taxiways (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2011). The work of air traffic controllers is therefore crucial for the safety of airplanes. It requires attention to details (especially for the local and ground controllers who make use of visual observation) and high levels of skills and expertise. Air traffic controllers must be efficient and swift in action because every second counts and can mean the difference between life and death. They need to be intelligent and have a good memory because they receive a lot of information at any given time which they have to quickly understand, interpret and remember.Advertising Looking for term paper on aviation? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strong decision making abilities are also required of air traffic controllers because they are often faced with situations which force them to make quick decisions, for instance, when the weather condition suddenly changes contrary to previous expectations. Air traffic controllers need to have a long concentration span because they have to make decisions in the midst of numerous distractions such as noise and poor visibility. They need to have active listening skills so that they can hear and understand what is being conveyed to them. In addition to listening skills, they require strong speaking abilities so that they can convey crucial information to pilots and concerned parties quickly, loudly and clearly. They need critical thinking; problem-solving; and judg ment skills to enable them weigh the merits and demerits of various options and make the most appropriate decision. Like any other profession, the profession of air traffic controllers is also ethically bound more so because the lives of passengers and staff in the airplane are at stake. Air traffic controllers must therefore adhere to the ethical obligations set by the ethics committee (Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions, 2011). In order for someone to qualify to become air traffic controller, he or she must have a college degree in air traffic control or aviation-related course. There are numerous colleges which offer such degrees and they differ from country to country and state to state. Besides the academic qualifications, air traffic controllers who wish to work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have to take a computer-administered test which normally lasts 8 hours. Before being employed, candidates should also pass a drug-screening test. The site  https://www.bls.gov/home.htm (by Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2011)) is a good site with invaluable information about all aspects of air traffic controllers. It has information not only about the nature of the work done by air traffic controllers, qualifications and attributes but also information on the job outlook, projections and remuneration. The site also provides information about occupations that are related to air traffic control as well as sources of additional information. The site  https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/53-2021.00 (by O*NET Online, 2010) also offers adequate information about air traffic controllers. The good thing about this site is that the information is organized in a simplistic manner that makes it easy for its readers to read. Reference List Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2011). Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Air Traffic Controllers. Web.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Qualifications, attributes, ethics, and responsibilities of Air Traffic Controllers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions (2011). Air Traffic Control Association. Web. O*NET Online. (2010). Summary report for: 53-2021.00_Air Traffic Controllers. Web.

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling Fast Food Waste

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling Fast Food Waste Dear EarthTalk: What are the fast-food chains doing to cut back onor at least recyclethe huge amount of paper, plastic and foam they use daily? Are there any laws or regulations to force them to be good environmental citizens? Carol Endres, Stroud Township, PA Currently there are no federal laws or regulations in the U.S. specifically aimed at getting fast food chains to reduce, reuse or recycle their waste. Businesses of all kinds must always obey local laws pertaining to what must be recycled versus what can be discarded. And a small number of cities and towns have local laws specifically designed to force businesses to do the right thing, but they are few and far between. Voluntary Fast Food Waste Reduction Makes HeadlinesThere have been some strides in the fast food business with regard to packaging materials and waste reduction, but it has all been voluntary and usually under pressure from green groups. McDonald’s made headlines back in 1989 when, at the urging of environmentalists, it switched its hamburger packaging from non-recyclable Styrofoam to recyclable paper wraps and cardboard boxes. The company also replaced its bleached paper carryout bags with unbleached bags and made other green-friendly packaging advances. Some Fast Food Chains Offer Vague Policies on Waste ReductionBoth McDonald’s and PepsiCo (owner of KFC and Taco Bell) have crafted internal policies to address environmental concerns. PepsiCo states that it encourages â€Å"conservation of natural resources, recycling, source reduction and pollution control to ensure cleaner air and water and to reduce landfill wastes,† but does not elaborate on specific actions it takes. McDonald’s makes similar general statements and claims to be â€Å"actively pursuing the conversion of used cooking oil into biofuels for transportation vehicles, heating, and other purposes,† and pursuing various in-store paper, cardboard, delivery container and pallet recycling programs in Australia, Sweden, Japan and Britain. In Canada the company claims to be the â€Å"largest user of recycled paper in our industry† for trays, boxes, carry out bags and drink holders. Fast Food Recycling Programs Can Reduce Waste and Save MoneySome smaller fast food chains have garnered accolades for their recycling efforts. Arizona-based eegee’s, for instance, earned an Administrator’s Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for recycling all paper, cardboard and polystyrene across its 21-store chain. Besides the positive attention it has generated, the company’s recycling effort also saves it money in garbage disposal fees every month. A Few Communities Require Fast Food Waste RecyclingDespite such efforts, though, the fast food industry is still a large generator of waste. Some communities are responding by passing local regulations requiring recycling where applicable. Seattle, Washington, for example, passed an ordinance in 2005 prohibiting businesses (all businesses, not just restaurants) from disposing of recyclable paper or cardboard, though violators only pay a nominal $50 fine. Taiwan Takes a Hard Line on Fast Food WastePerhaps policymakers in the U.S. and elsewhere could take a lead from Taiwan, which since 2004 has required its 600 fast-food restaurants, including McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC, to maintain facilities for proper disposal of recyclables by customers. Diners are obliged to deposit their garbage in four separate containers for leftover food, recyclable paper, regular waste and liquids. â€Å"Customers only have to spend under a minute to finish the trash-classification assignment,† said environmental protection administrator Hau Lung-bin in announcing the program. Restaurants that don’t comply face fines of up to $8,700 (U.S.). GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalkemagazine.com. EarthTalk is a regular feature of E/The Environmental Magazine. Selected EarthTalk columns are reprinted on About Environmental Issues by permission of the editors of E.

Ratio Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ratio Analysis - Essay Example Suppose we want to assess the financial health of a very large or small firm, how can we analyze the firm so our analysis can provide an insight into the basic prospects for profitability of a firm? Is the firm losing or is it profitable? Are there prospects for making the firm profitable? Is the firm worth buying? Should we sell the firm? If we are to sell the firm, at what price should our purchase price be? How large are the firm’s debts? What are its prospects for profitability? What is the firm’s net worth? These are some of the questions in which ratio analysis can help provide an answer. Gibson (1982, p. 18) pointed out that the financial â€Å"ratios can be grouped into four categories: liquidity, debt, profitability, and other† financial ratios. The liquidity ratios include the working capital ratio, and the current ratio (Gibson 1982, pp. 18-19). Some of the broad debt ratios include the debt-to-capital and the debt-to-equity ratios. The debt-to-capital ratios used by many firms include the long term debt-to-long term debt plus stockholders’ equity, short term debt plus long-term debt-to-short term debt plus long-term debt plus stockholders’ equity, and several other ratios (Gibson 1982, p. 22). ... It also plausible that ratios can be devised based on one’s objectives although there are financial ratios that are conventionally or more popularly used to assess firm performance and status. As pointed out by Gibson (1982, p. 22), for example, â€Å"firm executives have many different opinions on how a firm debt position should be determined from the balanced sheet.† Profitability ratios include measures for earnings per share, return on equity, profit margin, return on capital, return on assets, gross margin, pre-tax margin, and operating margin (Gibson 1982, p. 23). Each type of ratio on profitability can include several specific types of measures. For example, the specific measures or ratios for profit margin include net income-to-sales, income from continuing operations-to-sales, income before minority share-to-sales, net income-to-total revenues, income before extraordinary item-to-sales, income from continuing operations and before extraordinary item-to-sales, a nd income before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle-to-sales (Gibson 1982, p. 24). The tone of Gibson (1982) indicates that a financial analyst may improvise ratios or measures as long as they are helpful to analysis but there are ratios that are conventionally or more popularly used by analysts for assessing liquidity, profitability, debt, or other aspects of firm or business operations. The formulas of the more popular ratios are contained in financial and accounting textbooks. Meanwhile, the ratios identified by Gibson (1982) for drawing insights on firm or business operations include dividend per share, book value per share, effective tax rate, dividend payout, price earnings ratio, and labour per hour. However, surely there are other measures that can be developed depending

IT in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IT in business - Essay Example Now despite the competitive edge ensured by IT, once every company begins to cut costs and aims at doing so at an increasing rate, they tend to hire different agents to do this task for them. At this point they become dependent on an agent who might be working for their rival firms as well and the means for seeking information advantages itself becomes a strategic disadvantage for the concerned company. 2. Carr rightly diagnoses that the strategic advantage of information is not everlasting for a firm. Even Porter and Miller argue that IT has the power to change all the Porter’s five forces. But three different companies or business organizations like Orkut, Facebook and Twitter, though based upon similar idea do not have the same number of clients. Here one might say that first entrant into a specific segment using information technology might have more advantage over the others. An individual having an account with Orkut might have the same with the other two as well and hen ce identifying a strategic advantage at this point is almost impossible unless based on time of entry. 2. Porter and Miller elaborate upon the industry’s attractiveness and alterations of the products, as they become information intensive. However, as information technology progresses, so will the need and risk to security of a firm’s data.

Can Science and Religion Co-exist? Essay -- Religion

Science and theology have diverged lines amongst several of the world’s phenomenon with the two greatest differences being human and world development. Although there are differences in the beliefs of these two groups, they are ultimately attempting to solve the same puzzles that consume the minds of members of both disciplines. In the end one might say, both disciplines are working to solve two different puzzles that may be really different, but ultimately are aspects of the same puzzle. Both the method and the aims of science and religion seem to be different. Science is considered to be more linked to the material aspect of all things, where religion is concerned with the spiritual. These are just two of the differences to be discussed in this paper, as I attempt to answer the question of â€Å"Can science and religion co-exist?† Science and religion both create feelings ranging from suspicion, distrust, and conflict to those of respect, tolerance, and conciliation. The feelings created are often dependent on an individual’s level of involvement with the corresponding discipline of study. Extremist in either discipline would be most likely to develop the negative feelings listed above, while those with knowledge of both studies would lean towards the feelings associated with respect and tolerance. Another group of individuals who would typically respect and tolerate the beliefs of both studies are those nestled in the roots of the rabbit’s fur (Gaarder, 2007). These would be those who are content living their daily lives not looking to solve the unknown questions of the world’s development. The contradiction amongst science and religion is found between those who look to find the missing pieces of the puzzle through means of myt... ... co-exist peacefully through conciliation is preferred, and for the most part is the norm. Works Cited Sickler, B. (2009). Conflicts Between Science and Religion, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 2/27/12 from http://www.iep.utm.edu/sci-rel. Shaikh, A.B. (2011). Science and Religion at the Crossroads: Conflict or Conciliation? Journal for Interdisciplinary Research on Religion and Science, No. 9, July 2011. Dennett, D.C. (2011). Science and Religion: Are They Compatible? Oxford University Press. Deem, R. (2006). Does the Bible Say God Created the Universe in Six 24-Hour Days? Retrieved 2/26/12 from http://www.godandscience.org/youngearth/sixdays.html. Gaarder, J. (2007). Sophies World. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC. Palmer, D. (2010). Looking at Philosophy: The Unbearable Heaviness of Philosophy Made Lighter, 5th ed.. McGraw-Hill.

“A Secret Sorrow” by Karen van der Zee and “A Sorrowful Woman” Gail Godwin Essay

In both the excerpts from Karen van der Zee’s novel â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† and in Gail Godwin’s short story â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman,† the plots center on ideas of marriage and family. Conversely, marriage and family are presented in very different lights in the two stories. Karen van der Zee presents marriage with children as perfect and completely fulfilling; it is what Faye, the protagonist of â€Å"A Secret Sorrow†, wants and what is necessary to her happiness. For Godwin’s unnamed protagonist, marriage and family are almost the antithesis of happiness; her home life seems to suffocate hear and eventually leads her to death. â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† directly endorses and encourages marriage, whereas â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† indirectly questions and discourages it. Both of the female protagonists in the two stories experience a conflict. In â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† Faye’s conflict comes before the marriage. She is struck with misery and torment because she cannot have children and fears that this will prevent her from marrying the man she loves. Both she and her beloved, Kai, desire marriage with children, and van der Zee suggests that only with these things will they truly be happy. Faye feels that her inability to have children is a fatal flaw that cuts her off from Kai’s love. â€Å"Every time we see some pregnant woman, every time we’re with somebody else’s children I’ll feel I’ve failed you!† (Zee 35). Faye’s anxiety and fear are based on the thought of losing her beloved Kai, accompanied by never having children. In â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman,† however, the conflict comes after the marriage, when the woman has already secured her husband and child. Unlike Faye, who would be ecstatic in this woman’s situation, the protagonist of Godwin’s story is not. Oddly enough, her husband and son bring her such sorrow that eventually she is unable to see them at all, communicating only through notes stuck under her bedroom door. Godwin’s character has a loving husband and child, yet in spite of this, she is still filled with grief. This sense of defeat is unimaginable when compared to a Harlequin romance because it goes against the assumption that the rest is happily ever after. In â€Å"A Secret Sorrow†, marriage is portrayed as the resolution. Van der Zee works to present the reader with the idea that only with this aspect will Faye be fulfilled and happy; it is what the entire story, with all the plot  twists and romantic interludes, works toward. Marriage is also the end in â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† but not as expected: it is quite literally the end of the woman’s life. Though one doesn’t see what her life was like before her emotional crisis, there are hints of it. When she moves into a new bedroom, away from her husband, she mentions seeing the streets from a whole new perspective, which suggests the previous monotony of her daily life. In addition, when the woman bakes pies and bread and washes and folds the laundry, her son says, â€Å"She’s tired from doing all our things again,† (Godwin 42). This gives the reader the idea of what â€Å"our things† was and what the woman did with her time before her crisis. The monotony of marriage is absent in â€Å"A Secret Sorrow.† Faye’s inability to have children does not end Kai’s love for her, instead, the two go on to marry and adopt children. Faye’s married life is described in a very idyllic way: she raises her son and two daughters in a â€Å"white ranch house under the blue skies of Texas† (Zee 37). Once she is married and has children, there is no more anxiety because the plot leads one to the conclusion that marriage solves all problems and is a source of unending happiness. This greatly differs from Godwin’s tale, which takes place in winter and maintains a sense of cold. Whenever Godwin describes the family, it is in terms that suggest weight, guilt, or failure. The child’s trusting gaze makes the protagonist begin â€Å"yelping without tears† (Godwin 39). Any sign of life or love increases her sorrow and makes her want solitary. One case in point is when the hired girl brings her son to visit her with a grasshopper he’s found–something both alive and from the outside world; she gets very upset and forces her husband to fire the girl. It would appear that the girl is too much of an infringement on her space, too much of a reminder of what she can no longer be. The discrepancy between the two authors’ illustrations of marriage is most apparent when both women are viewing their families. Faye, sitting with her husband and watching her children play, feels that â€Å"life was good and filled with love† (Zee 37). Godwin’s protagonist, on the other hand, articulates, â€Å"The sight of them made her so sad and sick she did not want to see them ever again† (Godwin 38).When Kai, now her husband, embraces Faye, she feels,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"There was love in his embrace and love in his words and in her heart there was no room for doubt, no room for sorrow† (Zee 37). When Godwin’s heroine feels the loving touch of her husband’s arm and the kiss of her child, she cannot bear it any longer and cuts off all direct contact with them. The situation of her marriage forces her into a self-imposed imprisonment and indolence. She feels agonizingly poignant because she can no longer be who they want and need her to be. She avoids them not because she does not love them but rather because she loves them so much that it is too painful to see them and too troublesome for them to feel her failure. The axiom to Godwin’s story tells us that â€Å"Once upon a time there was a wife and a mother one too many times† (Godwin 38). The addition of â€Å"one too many times† to this traditional story opening forces the idea of repetition and monotony; it suggests that it is not the state of being a wife and mother that is innately dreadful but rather the fact that that is all Godwin’s character is. Day in and day out, too many times over, the woman is just a wife and a mother, and it isn’t enough for her. In van der Zee’s story there could be no such thing as too much motherhood or too much of being a wife. When Faye’s fears of losing Kai are assuaged, and she is happily married, it is as though a great weight has been lifted off her. Alternatively, Godwin’s character feels her marriage as a great weight pressing on her which results in her immobilization. When she leaves her room for a day and puts out freshly baked bread for her husband and son, they express their happiness in the notes they write to her that night, and â€Å"the force of the two joyful notes†¦pressed her into the corner of the little room; she hardly had space to breathe† (Godwin 42). Faye can be a traditional wife and mother, so her family is a source of joy. However, in Godwin’s character’s case, she can no longer be the traditional wife and mother, the representation of her own failure, which inevitably draws her guilt to push her further and further into herself un til she can retreat no further and ends her life. The closing stages of the two stories are powerful illustrations of the differences between them. In the end of â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† the author shows the reader Faye’s feelings â€Å"beautiful, complete, whole† (Zee 38) in her role  as a wife and mother. Godwin, on the other hand, leaves the audience with the protagonist dead on her bed. Godwin seems to give the reader hope by showing all that the woman has done when she says, â€Å"the house smelled redolently of renewal and spring† (Godwin 42). This makes the misfortune even harder when one discovers, along with the husband and child, the woman’s death. The ambiguous way the death of Godwin’s unnamed protagonist is dealt with reinforces the author’s negative tone towards marriage. It isn’t explicitly written as suicide; however, Godwin seems to encourage her readers to see it as the inevitable consequence of her marriage. Van der Zee creates a story full of emotional highs and lows, but one that leads up to and ends with marriage. After the marriage all of the plot twists and traumas come to a halt, replaced with peace and happiness. Faye is brought to new life by her marriage and children; she finds fulfillment of all of her desires in them. Godwin’s story, however, is full of post marital anguish and confusion. The character she creates is stifled and unquestionably unfulfilled by her marriage. A burst of creative energy right before her death produces, among other things, â€Å"a sheath of marvelous watercolor beasts accompanied by mad and fanciful stories nobody could ever make up again, and a tablet full of love sonnets addressed to the man† (Godwin 42). It is clear that the woman had talents and desires not met by the routine duties of her marital life. For Faye, the protagonist of â€Å"A Secret Sorrow†, marriage is the happily-ever-after ending she has wanted all of her life; for Godwin’s protagonist, marriage is just a monotonous and interminable ever after. In any case, humans cannot bear too much reality. Works Cited: Godwin, Gail. â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman.† 38-42. Van der Zee, Karen. â€Å"A Secret Sorrow.† 30-38. â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† by Karen van der Zee and â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† Gail Godwin Essay In both the excerpts from Karen van der Zee’s novel â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† and in Gail Godwin’s short story â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman,† the plots center on ideas of marriage and family. Conversely, marriage and family are presented in very different lights in the two stories. Karen van der Zee presents marriage with children as perfect and completely fulfilling; it is what Faye, the protagonist of â€Å"A Secret Sorrow†, wants and what is necessary to her happiness. For Godwin’s unnamed protagonist, marriage and family are almost the antithesis of happiness; her home life seems to suffocate hear and eventually leads her to death. â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† directly endorses and encourages marriage, whereas â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† indirectly questions and discourages it. Both of the female protagonists in the two stories experience a conflict. In â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† Faye’s conflict comes before the marriage. She is struck with misery and torment because she cannot have children and fears that this will prevent her from marrying the man she loves. Both she and her beloved, Kai, desire marriage with children, and van der Zee suggests that only with these things will they truly be happy. Faye feels that her inability to have children is a fatal flaw that cuts her off from Kai’s love. â€Å"Every time we see some pregnant woman, every time we’re with somebody else’s children I’ll feel I’ve failed you!† (Zee 35). Faye’s anxiety and fear are based on the thought of losing her beloved Kai, accompanied by never having children. In â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman,† however, the conflict comes after the marriage, when the woman has already secured her husband and child. Unlike Faye, who would be ecstatic in this woman’s situation, the protagonist of Godwin’s story is not. Oddly enough, her husband and son bring her such sorrow that eventually she is unable to see them at all, communicating only through notes stuck under her bedroom door. Godwin’s character has a loving husband and child, yet in spite of this, she is still filled with grief. This sense of defeat is unimaginable when compared to a Harlequin romance because it goes against the assumption that the rest is happily ever after. In â€Å"A Secret Sorrow†, marriage is portrayed as the resolution. Van der Zee works to present the reader with the idea that only with this aspect will Faye be fulfilled and happy; it is what the entire story, with all the plot  twists and romantic interludes, works toward. Marriage is also the end in â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman† but not as expected: it is quite literally the end of the woman’s life. Though one doesn’t see what her life was like before her emotional crisis, there are hints of it. When she moves into a new bedroom, away from her husband, she mentions seeing the streets from a whole new perspective, which suggests the previous monotony of her daily life. In addition, when the woman bakes pies and bread and washes and folds the laundry, her son says, â€Å"She’s tired from doing all our things again,† (Godwin 42). This gives the reader the idea of what â€Å"our things† was and what the woman did with her time before her crisis. The monotony of marriage is absent in â€Å"A Secret Sorrow.† Faye’s inability to have children does not end Kai’s love for her, instead, the two go on to marry and adopt children. Faye’s married life is described in a very idyllic way: she raises her son and two daughters in a â€Å"white ranch house under the blue skies of Texas† (Zee 37). Once she is married and has children, there is no more anxiety because the plot leads one to the conclusion that marriage solves all problems and is a source of unending happiness. This greatly differs from Godwin’s tale, which takes place in winter and maintains a sense of cold. Whenever Godwin describes the family, it is in terms that suggest weight, guilt, or failure. The child’s trusting gaze makes the protagonist begin â€Å"yelping without tears† (Godwin 39). Any sign of life or love increases her sorrow and makes her want solitary. One case in point is when the hired girl brings her son to visit her with a grasshopper he’s found–something both alive and from the outside world; she gets very upset and forces her husband to fire the girl. It would appear that the girl is too much of an infringement on her space, too much of a reminder of what she can no longer be. The discrepancy between the two authors’ illustrations of marriage is most apparent when both women are viewing their families. Faye, sitting with her husband and watching her children play, feels that â€Å"life was good and filled with love† (Zee 37). Godwin’s protagonist, on the other hand, articulates, â€Å"The sight of them made her so sad and sick she did not want to see them ever again† (Godwin 38).When Kai, now her husband, embraces Faye, she feels,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"There was love in his embrace and love in his words and in her heart there was no room for doubt, no room for sorrow† (Zee 37). When Godwin’s heroine feels the loving touch of her husband’s arm and the kiss of her child, she cannot bear it any longer and cuts off all direct contact with them. The situation of her marriage forces her into a self-imposed imprisonment and indolence. She feels agonizingly poignant because she can no longer be who they want and need her to be. She avoids them not because she does not love them but rather because she loves them so much that it is too painful to see them and too troublesome for them to feel her failure. The axiom to Godwin’s story tells us that â€Å"Once upon a time there was a wife and a mother one too many times† (Godwin 38). The addition of â€Å"one too many times† to this traditional story opening forces the idea of repetition and monotony; it suggests that it is not the state of being a wife and mother that is innately dreadful but rather the fact that that is all Godwin’s character is. Day in and day out, too many times over, the woman is just a wife and a mother, and it isn’t enough for her. In van der Zee’s story there could be no such thing as too much motherhood or too much of being a wife. When Faye’s fears of losing Kai are assuaged, and she is happily married, it is as though a great weight has been lifted off her. Alternatively, Godwin’s character feels her marriage as a great weight pressing on her which results in her immobilization. When she leaves her room for a day and puts out freshly baked bread for her husband and son, they express their happiness in the notes they write to her that night, and â€Å"the force of the two joyful notes†¦pressed her into the corner of the little room; she hardly had space to breathe† (Godwin 42). Faye can be a traditional wife and mother, so her family is a source of joy. However, in Godwin’s character’s case, she can no longer be the traditional wife and mother, the representation of her own failure, which inevitably draws her guilt to push her further and further into herself un til she can retreat no further and ends her life. The closing stages of the two stories are powerful illustrations of the differences between them. In the end of â€Å"A Secret Sorrow† the author shows the reader Faye’s feelings â€Å"beautiful, complete, whole† (Zee 38) in her role  as a wife and mother. Godwin, on the other hand, leaves the audience with the protagonist dead on her bed. Godwin seems to give the reader hope by showing all that the woman has done when she says, â€Å"the house smelled redolently of renewal and spring† (Godwin 42). This makes the misfortune even harder when one discovers, along with the husband and child, the woman’s death. The ambiguous way the death of Godwin’s unnamed protagonist is dealt with reinforces the author’s negative tone towards marriage. It isn’t explicitly written as suicide; however, Godwin seems to encourage her readers to see it as the inevitable consequence of her marriage. Van der Zee creates a story full of emotional highs and lows, but one that leads up to and ends with marriage. After the marriage all of the plot twists and traumas come to a halt, replaced with peace and happiness. Faye is brought to new life by her marriage and children; she finds fulfillment of all of her desires in them. Godwin’s story, however, is full of post marital anguish and confusion. The character she creates is stifled and unquestionably unfulfilled by her marriage. A burst of creative energy right before her death produces, among other things, â€Å"a sheath of marvelous watercolor beasts accompanied by mad and fanciful stories nobody could ever make up again, and a tablet full of love sonnets addressed to the man† (Godwin 42). It is clear that the woman had talents and desires not met by the routine duties of her marital life. For Faye, the protagonist of â€Å"A Secret Sorrow†, marriage is the happily-ever-after ending she has wanted all of her life; for Godwin’s protagonist, marriage is just a monotonous and interminable ever after. In any case, humans cannot bear too much reality. Works Cited: Godwin, Gail. â€Å"A Sorrowful Woman.† 38-42. Van der Zee, Karen. â€Å"A Secret Sorrow.† 30-38.