The concentration of hydrochloric Acid Essay Example for Free

The concentration of hydrochloric Acid Essay There are many factors that have an affect on the rate of a chemical reaction. The speed of reaction means how fast the reactants change into the desired product. The consequence of this is that more of the products are made in a certain period of time if it has a high rate of reaction. Factors can only have two affects on a reaction making the reaction happen faster or slower depending on how it interferes with the reaction, the factors never change the outcome of the reaction, the final product. This ability to change the rate of the reaction enables us to control reactions and predict how changing variables affects the experiment. Rate of reaction = 1 _ Time Taken Reacting chemicals must either: Collide with each other.   Collide with enough energy to break the existing bonds. The energy required to break these bonds is called the Activation Energy (EA) There are four main factors that affect reaction these are:   Temperature   Use of a catalyst Concentration   Surface area Temperature. When the temperature is increased the reactant molecules move around faster with a greater amount of energy. This means there will be more successful collisions because it is the amount of energy in the molecules that determines whether a reaction is more successful. More successful collisions resulting in reactants get used up quicker resulting in the reaction time decreasing. Catalyst A catalyst affects the reaction rate by lowering the activation energy for the reaction. This means that more collisions are successful because it is easier to reach activation energy. A catalyst does not get used up during a reaction. It can then be used again, and again. Surface area Grinding up a solid into smaller chunks creates a larger surface area by making the surface area in contact with a liquid or a solid bigger Therefore more collisions can occur which increases the number of successful reactions thus speeding up the reaction. Purpose The purpose of this investigation is to determine how one of the above factors affects a reaction. So we choose only one variable. We were given 3 reactions to choose from, each allowing us to vary a certain factor. After careful consideration we came to the conclusion that due to lack of equipment we could not test catalyst, measuring temperature would be too difficult in the classroom because we could not control the classroom temperature very well it could change over the course of the experiment, and surface area would be difficult to calculate. So we opted for the concentration variable as it was easy to measure accurately the concentration of the reactants. There were three possibilities to choose from and these were: Choice 1. Hydrochloric Acid + Sodium Thiousulphate Sodium Chloride + Water + Sulphur Dioxide. HCl (aq) + Na2 S2 O3 (aq) NACl + H2O + S + SO3 Choice 2 Hydrochloric Acid + Magnesium Hydrogen + Magnesium Chloride HCl (aq) + Mg(s) H(g) + MgCl (aq) Choice 3 Hydrochloric Acid + Calcium Carbonate Calcium Chloride + Carbon Dioxide + Water HCl (aq) + CaCO3 (s) CaCl2 (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l) Preliminary tests To help me decide which one to choose I decided to do some preliminary tests the First I did the reaction between Sodium Thiousulphate and Hydrochloric Acid. This test involved putting a considerable amount of Hydrochloric Acid into a clear beaker on top of a piece of plain paper with a (X) clearly marked in the middle of the glass beaker. Sodium Thiousulphate is then dropped into the solution and the reaction forms a cloudy solution and soon the liquid becomes opaque. The timer starts from when the Sodium Thiousulphate is dropped into the solution and is stopped when the (X) under the beaker is no longer visible. How fast the reaction is depends on how quickly the mark under the beaker is no longer visible. I decided this was not a viable or easily measure test. The measuring comes down to human judgement, which varies from person to person. It would have been possible to use light sensing equipment to accurately measure the time that it takes for the cross to become no longer visible. But as this equipment was not at my disposal I decided that this test would not be accurate enough for me to get a good set of precise results. The second preliminary was the reaction between Calcium Carbonate and Hydrochloric Acid. It involved putting Hydrochloric acid into a beaker and then adding the Calcium Carbonate in the form of larger chunks, the beaker would immediately be attached to a gas syringe, this piece of equipment that measures how much gas the reaction gives off in cm3. This meant we could accurately measure how much gas is given off from the reaction, giving us a precise value rather than estimation like in the first experiment. This experiment was a better possibility because a distinct value could be recorded; human judgement was not an issue which was one of the problems with the first experiment. Unfortunately surface area is the problem with this experiment, the marble chips were difficult to measure to ensure the size of the surface area accurately. This meant that this was constantly a variable but not a variable that we could measure accurately meaning that the experiment would either have unreliable results through estimating surface area or have unreliable results through having two variable factors. The final set of preliminary tests was the reaction between Magnesium and Hydrochloric Acid. This test was set up in a very similar manner as the experiment above, as the aim in both was to measure the amount of gas given off. In this case in was Hydrogen was the gas being given off. The reaction took place in a beaker which was in turn connected to a gas syringe, measuring the Hydrogen produced. The experiment allowed us to control each of the variables. Temperature could be controlled using a water bath as with preliminary test number two. The surface area of the magnesium was much easier to control than the Calcium Carbonate of the previous experiment, this was because the magnesium was in strip form instead of unevenly sized chips. The concentration of the Hydrochloric Acid was also easy to vary, using a burette enabled us to measure the amount of water and acid being put into the beaker. Because of this ability to control all the affecting factors I felt that the Magnesium + Hydrochloric Acid was the experiment that would provide the most reliable set of results. The use of a gas syringe meant that the results collected would be both precise and accurate, with minimum human judgement involved. After choosing to do this experiment I then conducted a further set of preliminary tests. I decided to keep the experiment roughly the same although I improved the method of measuring the magnesium strips because in my original preliminary I just cut them roughly equal sizes but in this preliminary I decided that I would use a ruler to ensure equal sizes this therefore would try and eliminate the factor of surface area so that I am only testing how the concentration affects the rate of reaction by having a similar surface area. Experiment Key 1. 0 Moles 12. 50 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 12. 50 cm3 Water 1. 1 Moles 13. 75 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 11. 25 cm3 Water 1. 2 Moles 15. 00 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 10. 00 cm3 Water 1. 3 Moles 16. 25 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 8. 75 cm3 Water 1. 4 Moles 17. 50 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 7. 50 cm3 Water Test number one Moles 10 Seconds 20 Seconds 30 Seconds 40 Seconds 50 Seconds 60 Seconds 1Test Number two. Moles 10 Seconds 20 Seconds 30 Seconds 40 Seconds 50 Seconds 60 Seconds 2 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

The Express Transportation And Logistics Industry Commerce Essay

The Express Transportation And Logistics Industry Commerce Essay Using examples from FedEx Corporation and your own research on the Global Transportation and Logistics Industry, critically evaluate the: Strategic Vision and visionary Leadership behind FedEx Corporation Federal Express is a global express transportation and logistics company that offers customers a single source for global shipping, logistics, and supply chain solutions. It was founded in 1973 by Frederick W. Smith. Since its inception FedEx pioneered the express delivery industry. The company focused on the core business of express delivery and provided overnight delivery services to the customers globally. However, the transformation of businesses and customers from old economy to the new economy forced FedEx to reposition itself from overnight delivery service to a one-stop-shop for the entire logistics requirement of the business. The company became the logistics service provider of leading organizations, like, General Motors. Background: During the late 1960s, Frederick Smith (Smith) chanced upon an idea to start an airline courier company. During this period, it was common practice to send packages as cargo on commercial carriers like American, United or Delta Airlines. This practice had a number of drawbacks because passenger airlines usually operated during the daytime and were grounded at night. In addition, freight forwarders (the company responsible for carrying the packages from the airport to the destination address) usually did not offer home delivery. Smith felt the need to start an airline courier company that would address all these problems. During his college years, he recognized that the United States was becoming a service-oriented economy and needed a reliable, overnight delivery service company designed to solely transport packages and documents. He wrote a Yale term paper on this idea, and received C grade. His professor thought it would never work. Fortunately for Frederick Smith, he didnt take it to heart and ended up building that company he dreamed of.Smith found investors willing to contribute $40 million, used $8 million in family money, and received bank financing. He started Federal Express with over $80 million, making it the largest company of its time ever funded by venture capital. In the last 36 years, FedEx has expanded horizontally with its five subsidiaries to include FedEx Express (formerly Federal Express), FedEx Ground (formerly Roadway Package System), FedEx Custom Critical (formerly Roberts Express), FedEx Logistics (formerly Caliber Logistics), and Viking Freight. As a result, the FedEx family has been able to compete collectively in the express transportation and logistics industries. FedExs strategy is to corroborate on selling and synergies for all FedEx companies, but run operations separately and keep each companys strengths and markets separate. Today, services offered by FedEx include worldwide express delivery, ground small-parcel delivery, less-than-truckload freight delivery, and global logistics, supply chain management, and electronic commerce solutions. Federal Express is the worlds largest package delivery company today. FedEx began its operations with the sole focus of improving customer segmentation, pricing and quality of services for the overnight delivery market in the United States. Since then, it has grown to provide leading document and freight services for the entire North America and for over 212 countries abroad. Federal Express Corporation had the visionary leadership to become the first mover in the express transportation and logistics industry leaving FedEx with one source of differentiation: their ability to help in the control of the entire supply chain management. FedEx Firsts Company dedicated to overnight package delivery Offer next-day delivery by 10h30 Offer Saturday deliveries Offer a time definitive service for freight Money-back guarantees and free proof of performance services that now extend to its worldwide network The companys ability to use technology and create its own supply of resources has made it difficult for competitors to match the companys standards for service.FedEx has been successful mainly because of their technological advancements. Technology has allowed them to have superior customer service and quality that was unparalleled by any company. No company was able to offer overnight delivery of packages with the speed and precision that Federal Express did. FedExs modeling capability gave them a competitive advantage as they implemented new methods and technology. They currently have a SuperHub with several regional hubs and packages are managed and tracked by a system called COSMOS. COSMOS Customers, Operations and Services Master Online System, a centralized computer system to manage people, packages, vehicles and weather scenarios in real time. This system allowed customers to know where their packages are at all times and was later integrated for web use, allowing customers to track packages over the Internet. In addition, the customized delivery service of the company is unique in the market. Mission Statement The Mission Statement of FedEx is to produce superior financial returns for stockholders, by providing high value-added logistics, transportation and related information services through focused operating companies. Customer requirements will be met in the highest quality manner appropriate to each market segment served. FedEx will strive to develop mutually rewarding relationships with its employees, partners and suppliers. Safety will be the first consideration in all operations. Corporate activities will be conducted to the highest ethical and professional standards. This mission statement shows that FedEx has a clear focus. (1) The main focus is to bring returns to stockholders. (2) They will emphasize adding value above and beyond just their service of transporting an object from one place to another. (3) Their focus of operations will be logistics, transportation, and related information. This mission statement is focused enough to keep FedEx from diversifying into for example, food products; yet vague enough to allow growth in all of those areas.   Philosophy Federal Express holds a People-Service-Profit philosophy. The People goal is the continuous improvement of managements leadership. The Service standard is 100 percent customer satisfaction. The Profit goal is much like any other companys goal, and is essential to long-term viability. This philosophy governs how FedEx runs its business, and defines strategies. Federal Express Five-Point Strategy Federal Express has five strategies that govern business tactics. These are to improve service levels, lower unit costs, establish international leadership and sustain profitability, get closer to the customer, and maintain the People-Service-Profit Philosophy. The unique FedEx operating strategy works seamlessly and simultaneously on three levels. Compete collectively  by standing as one brand worldwide and speaking with one voice. Operate independently  by focusing on our independent networks to meet distinct customer needs. Manage collaboratively  by working together to sustain loyal relationships with our workforce, customers and investors. Values People: We value our people and promote diversity in our workplace and in our thinking. Service: Our absolutely, positively spirit puts our customers at the heart of everything we do. Innovation: We invent and inspire the services and technologies that improve the way we work and live. Integrity: We manage our operations, finances and services with honesty, efficiency and reliability. Responsibility: We champion safe and healthy environments for the communities in which we live and work. Loyalty: We earn the respect and confidence of our FedEx people, customers and investors every day, in everything we do Transportation and logistics infrastructure within FedEx Corporation FedEx started its operation by sending eight packages on the first night, of which 7 were trial run addresses from one employee to another. The company has since grown to handling an astonishing 9.8 million shipments per day. An overview of FedExs Infrastructure: Handling 9.8 million shipments per day More than 700 aero planes, Daily lift capacity of 12 million kilograms Servicing more than 220 countries through 375 airports Workforce of more than 140,000 permanent employees worldwide 500,000 calls are dealt with professionally With this Infrastructure and new ones being added over time , the Purple Promise of I will make every FedEx experience outstanding is achieved with the collection and delivery of each shipment. Physical goods when transported over trucks on a highway usually travel the most frequented routes. But as more vehicles start traversing that highway, and as the trips become longer, packages get delayed, go astray, arrive spoiled, or dont arrive at all. To solve this problem, faster, more attentive carriers with their own hardware and infrastructure came into being: FedEx, UPS, Airborne Express, and so on. These new carriers pay attention to speed, tracking, billing, quality of service and automation. They also devised systems that didnt travel through the middle of town, except for final delivery, and didnt change hands en route. And finally, they offered lots of optional services to make life easier for both shipper and recipient. Home delivery infrastructure: As part of Infrastructure expansion plans of its U.S. delivery network, FedEx Corp. will add another 9 distribution hubs, bringing its total number of hubs to 39. In addition, a new home-delivery facility planned for Florida will be able to process more than 10,000 packages per hour. The three hubs that are under construction are in Dallas, Cincinnati and Hagerstown, MD, the fourth hub in Memphis, TN. The hub expansion project will also expand the 30 existing hubs; this will nearly double the companys average daily hub package volume capacity by the end of its 2010 fiscal year. The expansion project will support a sharp growth in FedExs shipments to consumers on behalf of online retailers. The new Florida satellite distribution center, in Pompano Beach near Fort Lauderdale, will be three times the size of the two existing facilities combined, and will open with a workforce of approximately 356 employees and independent contractors, an increase from the current combined figure of 200 employees and independent contractors. FedEx Smart Posts best-of-breed technology ensures swift package processing and delivery. This technology provides shipment visibility throughout the delivery process of the packages while they are en route to their destinations. This enables to know always where the packages are and where theyre going next. Advanced control systems, sophisticated automated sorters, and state-of-the-art data-collection devices enable FedEx to collect detailed information about every package. And the highly proficient logistics team is fully equipped to sort hundreds of thousands of packages each day. The client tools are housed on a secure Web site, customized to meet the unique needs of each client. These tools provide timely access to package delivery information, logistics analysis, manifest detail, and billing statements, as well as the ability to create necessary reports needed in planning the package delivery strategy. As a leader in the package delivery industry, FedEx provides with data and reporting needed to examine and enhance logistics operations on an ongoing basis. Virtual information infrastructure at FedEx Corporation. Though FedEx began as an express air delivery company in the early 1970s, it has successfully transformed itself into an integrated transportation and logistics service provider. A major part of FedExs success is directly attributed to its committed use of information technology (IT). IT has not only facilitated its business processes like operations, customer service and employee training but also integrated its information network with that of its clients to provide them with seamless logistic and supply chain solutions. Dennis Jones, former Chief Information Officer (CIO) of FedEx says IT (information technology) is a function that has a strategic value because the essence of our business is taking a basic service and adding information technology services to transform into a value added product. And that is very important. Any company can move freight from point A to point B. But the way you make it a valuable product to your customer is to wrap it with intensive information technology capabilities. Leveraging Information Technology In the late 1970s, FedEx saw a great benefit in using IT to simplify its business processes. Smith had very early on understood that speed, reliability and customer service was an essential factor for success in the global transportation industry. IT in Human Resources FedEx had in place Interactive Video Instructions (IVI) that allowed employees to take advantage of slack periods to train themselves at any time of the day. The program was used for training and test preparation (Customer service employees at FedEx were tested twice a year on job knowledge). IT in Customer Service FedEx also used IT to improve upon its customer service, by monitoring various aspects of a customers transaction. The goal was to achieve 100% accuracy, quality, and customer satisfaction on all transactions. One such system that FedEx used was the Service Quality index (SQI) that quantified every part of a transaction like Was the package undamaged? Was the customer billed correctly? Using the Internet The widespread use of the Internet from the early 1990s threw open significant opportunities for FedEx. Since the company already had an EDI based system on which it had spent a lot of money, FedEx decided to use a combination of Internet and the EDI. One example was the implementation done for the purchasing of products. FedEx purchased a product from a company called Ariba. Ariba was a requisitioning system that was housed on the FedEx intranet. The system was set up so that suppliers could maintain a database of catalogs that could be accessed by any FedEx employee. The company website hosts more than 6.3 million unique visitors per month and handles on an average over 2.4 million package tracking requests daily. More than 2 million customers connected with the company electronically every day, and electronic transactions accounted for almost two-thirds of the more than five million shipments FedEx delivered daily. FedEx operates one of the worlds largest computer and telecommunications networks- more than 75,000-networked computers and thousands of hand-held computers that recorded and tracked shipments. FedExs data center processes more than 20 million information management system transactions daily, more than any other US company. The company is involved in connecting 39 hubs across the globe, operating 677 planes and 90,000 vehicles, monitoring 200,000 employees and delivering six million packages daily in 220 countries where every second was important. This is the FEDEX EDGE, for which the company is known for. FedEx transformed both customer and business transportation model with higher speed, reliability, application of information technology, improved material handling system and streamlined logistics network. The company popularized the concepts of just-in-time and build-to-order which reduced customers lead time and increased productivity. Apart from venturing into logistics solution provider the company was able to maintain its leadership position in small package and light freight market through its unique hub and spoke model. The role information technology has played in FedExs strategy is exciting. By using IT as a major part of its business, FedEx has reached an almost entirely new group of people. It has maintained its reputation and increased its business at the same time. IT has created a greater opportunity for customers in the global market. They can now request service, pay for that service, and track the package online. Customers no longer need to speak to FedEx. They are now free to order as they need, twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. Because of this, FedExs strategy has changed. It is now focused on the use of the Internet and other technological advances. Because this is such a critical aspect of the strategy, the implementation of the strategy had to be almost immediate. To compete with other major businesses in the industry, FedEx had to provide a service to customers that could be accessed using technology. They also had to provide a package tracking service. As they develope d this service, their reputation and business grew. FedEx has done several things with its value chain to develop new business. First they have always recognized the need to have technology and IT work to communicate the logistics that they run. They have developed internet technologies that work simply and efficiently to enable customers and sellers to use FedEx as a go between. This has enabled many companies to integrate FedEx technology into their own web sites for customers to use. Question Two: Branding and business structure up until 19 January 2000 Using information from the case study and your own research, critically evaluate the benefits and limitations of Merger and Acquisition (MA) strategies in the Global Transportation and Logistics Industry. Discuss how FedEx Corporation managed the acquisition of Caliber Systems in 1998, and determine whether or not the acquisition of Caliber Systems was a success or failure? Mergers acquisitions in the Transportation Logistics industry The Transport and Logistics (TL) sector is characterized by a significant level of privatisation, finance-raising and merger and acquisition activity. Transactions are often complex and impacted by the regulatory environment, competition issues, or need for contracted subsidies to support operations. We have witnessed many privatizations of bus companies, ports and airports which have created successful private sector groups that have continued to grow via further acquisitions. In other segments there is ongoing global consolidation within and between operators from the courier, parcel, freight forwarding and contract logistics arenas. Postal organizations and railway companies that have historically been more nationally oriented are now seeking opportunities to expand into cross-border markets driven by a more commercial focus and liberal regulatory regime. Transportation Logistics The Transportation Logistics (TL) industry forms the backbone of global supply chains. Postal operators as well as large logistics providers play a dominant role as key stakeholders in the TL industry. In recent years some former national Posts have undergone an extensive transformation to emerge as multinational providers of complex logistics and financial services. These evolved entities face new competition in their core markets of mail delivery through the liberalization of markets and privatization. At the same time, former Posts may be able to leverage their years of experience in collecting, processing, transporting and delivering national and international mail in order to develop and provide a broader palette of logistics based services, upstream with direct mail activities and downstream with package delivery and payment services. Further, many existing logistics and express companies have expanded well beyond simple delivery services and are now managing all aspects of the supply chain. These ongoing trends have changed the face of an industry which has become increasingly focused on serving customers in all parts of the world. Mergers and Acquisitions: Three types Merger: A transaction where two firms agree to integrate their operations on a relatively coequal basis because they have resources and capabilities that together may create a stronger competitive advantage. Acquisition: A transaction where one firm buys another firm with the intent of more effectively using a core competence by making the acquired firm a subsidiary within its portfolio of businesses. Takeover: An acquisition where the target firm did not solicit the bid of the acquiring firm. Problems in Achieving Success Integration Difficulties/Cultures Inadequate evaluation of target Too much diversification Large or extraordinary debt Inability to achieve synergy Managers overly focused on acquisitions Too large Increased market power Overcome ent entry barriers Lower risk compared to developing new products Cost of new product development Increased speed to market Increased diversification Avoid excessive competition Acquisitions Reasons for Acquisitions Benefits of Acquisitions Increased Market Power: Acquisition intended to reduce the competitive balance of the industry Overcome Barriers to Entry: Acquisitions overcome costly barriers to entry which may make start-ups economically unattractive Lower Cost and Risk of New Product Development: Buying established businesses reduces risk of start-up ventures Increased Speed to Market: Closely related to Barriers to Entry, allows market entry in a more timely fashion Diversification: Quick way to move into businesses when firm currently lacks experience and depth in industry Reshaping Competitive Scope: Firms may use acquisitions to restrict its dependence on a single or a few products or markets Problems with Acquisitions Only a financial team assembled and they make the decision (should have two teams: one financial and one organizational where the organizational Team says Yes or No Integration Difficulties: Differing financial and control systems can make integration of firms difficult Inadequate Evaluation of Target: Winners Curse bid causes acquirer to overpay for firm Large or Extraordinary Debt: Costly debt can create onerous burden on cash outflows Inability to Achieve Synergy: Justifying acquisitions can increase estimate of expected benefits Overly Diversified: Acquirer doesnt have expertise required to manage unrelated businesses Managers Overly Focused on Acquisitions: Managers may fail to objectively assess the value of outcomes achieved through the firms acquisition strategy Too Large: Large bureaucracy reduces innovation and flexibility FedEx Corporation has made 31 acquisitions while taking stakes in 3 companies. FedEx Corporation has 22 divestitures during this period. FedEx-Caliber Merger: Reason for Merger: FedEx and Caliber believe that the combination of the two companies will permit their customers to take advantage of a broader portfolio of services and choices at a level of excellence unmatched by any competitor. Stockholders of both companies will become stockholders of a $15 billion powerhouse in global transportation and logistics. When FedEx announced in October 1997 that it was buying Caliber System for $2.4 billion, observers warned that the merger could disrupt FedExs already profitable express shipping business. Observers were wrong. FedEx finalized its Caliber System merger in January 1998, and by the end of that year, the new company, FDX, was posting a seven percent increase over the same quarter the year before. Domestic income grew 30 percent that period, from $168 million to $217 million. The company claimed that its tough cost controls and low fuel prices contributed to this short-term growth. FedEx subsidiaries that came from Caliber Systems also grew. RPS, the largest subsidiary besides FedEx, grew 14 percent for the period, while Viking Freight grew seven percent. In the long-run, the merger strengthened FedExs overall health. UPS largely rebounded from a crippling 15-day strike in 1997, and now the two companies compete head-to-head for the express-shipping business in most markets. While FedEx does battle, several smaller companies continue their reliable service for niche markets, such as logistics operations, business-to-business transportation, overseas shipping, and small package delivery. FedEx has ensured its long-term survival by buying several of these smaller companies. After the Caliber System merger, FedEx included six operating divisions: FedEx; RPS, the second-largest small-package shipping business; Roberts Express, the worlds largest express trucking firm; Viking Freight, a leading regional trucking company; Caliber Logistics, a logistics outsourcing firm; and Caliber Technology, an order fulfillment operation. Question Three: Events leading up to the January 2000 reorganisation Using appropriate examples from FedEx Corporation, critically evaluate FedExs financial and non-financial performance in the context of developments in the Internet market and e-tailing up to the January 2000 reorganisation. Financial Performance Analysis FedEx has an impressive performance record. In 1998 they had revenues of $15.9 billion grown 15 percent from 1997. Sales have been growing steadily for the past five years. The net income, though, isnt that impressive. It even declined in 1997, from the rising fuel costs during that year. However, in 1998 it grew from $200,000 to $500,000. That could be from reduction in operating costs, or from the acquisition of the subsidiaries which had lower operating costs compared to Federal Express. FedExs financial statements shows that its assets have not been utilized as well as other firms in their industry, but their profitability is better than other industry firms. Still they must decrease selling and administrative expenses while increasing sales. Many of their technological advancements have been financed primarily with internal cash, which decreases long-term debt. Future assets possibly and should be invested in the international market and new businesses, while still investing a decent percentage for technological advancements. Today FedEx has a competitive advantage over other firms and if they continue the practices that they have in the past, while also opening up to new ideas, FedEx will remain a powerhouse in the package delivery industry. The financial ratios for FedEx clearly show that it is the market leader in this industry, have outstanding sales, a healthy profit, and a safe amount of debt. These ratios over time show a steady increase, except for year 1997, where fuel costs hurt FedEx deeply. Company Analysis In this section we shall discuss FedExs strengths and weaknesses as a company, opportunities and threats. S.W.O.T. Analysis Company Strengths and Resource Capabilities: Globalism: Federal Express operates on a global scale in 211 countries. They provide services that appeal to most of the world, realize tremendous revenues and also achieve global economies of scale. Innovation: Federal Express took airplanes and trucks and used them differently than any other company before them. This is innovation. They have first-mover advantage in name recognition because of this innovation. This has helped them to remain the industry leader since 1973. Technology and Communication: Federal Express uses and continues to search for new technology. They allow spending of $1billion a year, 10% of total revenues, for information technology. That commitment keeps customers from switching to other providers. Federal Express also has excellent communication with their customers. They use tracking devices on all shipments, and customers can find out where their shipment is through many different avenues including a user-friendly Web site. Federal Express customers are assured that FedEx will always be on top of technology. Strategic Vision: Federal Express will always have competent top managers in charge of strategic direction. Frederick Smith built an industry leader, and kept it in that position since 1973. First-Mover Advantage: Federal Express has had first-mover advantage in several areas. (1) Being a global express transportation company. (2) Advanced technology and communication throughout the companys operations. (3) Incorporating smaller companies with similar operations under its belt to synergize and control more of the market. Strong Brand Image: In 1990, Federal Express became the first company awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in the service category. In 1994, Federal Express became the first global express transportation company to obtain simultaneous system-wide ISO 9001 certification in international quality standards. Federal Express has also developed their own quality system that matches their customers standards. Company Weaknesses and Resource Deficiencies: Rising Prices: Federal Express prices are above their competitors. This can be a weakness if their customers do not perceive a difference between Federal Express and its competitors services. Labor Disputes with Pilots: Federal Express pilots have formed the Fedex Pilots Association. This organization demanded changes in the pilots salaries, retirement benefits, and the fact that Federal Express outsources some foreign flights instead of giving their own pilots the job. The pilots have a Web site where news is posted and feelings are discussed. During the busy Christmas season in 1998, the pilots threatened to strike. Federal Express and the Fedex Pilots Association have developed a tentative agreement, which is published on the pilots Web site. However, the pilots do not believe this agreement fully meets their expectations. This dispute is definitely an internal weakness for Federal Express, considering they have 3,500 pilots employed with them. Their operations would suffer if there were strikes. When UPS employees went on strike in 1997, Federal Express took the extra 800,000 shipments a day. If Federal Express employees went on strike, their competitors could gain an advantage. Running Subsidiaries Separately: FDX has deliberately chosen to keep their companies separate. In FDXs 1998 Annual Report, CEO Frederick Smith states, Simply layering the unique resource and operating requirements of a time-definite, global, express-delivery network onto a day-definite, ground small-package network would surely result in diminished service quality and increased costs. Under the FDX umbrella, we will leverage our shared strengths while operating each delivery network independently, with each focused on its respective markets. Frederick Smith is confident this will be a strength, instead of a weakness. Time will tell. Company Opportunities: Expansion Globally: Federal Express can continue to expand globally, including the other companies under FedEX. Expansion Internally: Federal Express can continue to acquire more companies, and expand into new technologies or areas in their industry. Run Subsidiaries Together: If FDX doe

Porphyria’s Lover, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory Essay -- Robert

Porphyria’s Lover, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory In this essay I hope to prove that Robert Browning’s murder mystery poems are fulfilled with intrigue and excitement. I also hope to prove that in his poems he creates vivid characters and uses poetic techniques to expose a world of madness and wickedness. To show that the statements above are true I will be writing about the characters, the poetic features in each poem and the madness and wickedness in each poem. This essay will include three of Robert Browning’s poems; they are Porphyria’s Lover, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory. Robert Browning was born on the seventh of May in eighteen twelve in Camberwell a suburb of London. He was the first child of Robert and Sarah Anna Browning. His mother was an accomplished pianist and his Father was a clerk in the Bank of England. Robert Browning was largely self-taught. He was an extremely bright child and a voracious reader. By the time he was fourteen he had learned Latin, Greek, French and Italian. He attended the University of London in eighteen twenty eight but left in discontent to pursue his reading at his own pace. In eighteen forty six he married Elizabeth Barrett and moved to Florence, Italy. He moved back to London in eighteen sixty one but spent his final years with his only son back in Italy. He died in eighteen eighty nine and is buried in Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey. He wrote his first poem ‘Pauline’ in eighteen thirty three. Browning wrote during the romantic era in the nineteenth century. In this era romantic poets such as Robert Browning wrote about dramatic events in unusual ways, using different ideas and forms. All of Browning’s poems are dramatic monologues; he was the fir... ... the poison to be attractive so when it is horrible it is more of a shock. ‘The colour’s too grim. Why not soft phial’s, enticing, dim? Let it brighten her drink, let her turn it and stir, and try it and taste, ere she fix and prefer’. She also shows her wickedness again in the fact that she wants her lover’s mistress to die in pain with him watching her die. I enjoyed all three of the poems but I especially liked reading and studying The Laboratory because I thought it was interesting the way someone could have such a cold attitude to killing someone and actually be eager to do so. All three poems were written as dramatic monologues and they were all about a lover or husband killing their lover or wife because of stupid reasons. I enjoyed the way the poem was written because you felt like you were actually there and they were speaking to you. Porphyria’s Lover, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory Essay -- Robert Porphyria’s Lover, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory In this essay I hope to prove that Robert Browning’s murder mystery poems are fulfilled with intrigue and excitement. I also hope to prove that in his poems he creates vivid characters and uses poetic techniques to expose a world of madness and wickedness. To show that the statements above are true I will be writing about the characters, the poetic features in each poem and the madness and wickedness in each poem. This essay will include three of Robert Browning’s poems; they are Porphyria’s Lover, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory. Robert Browning was born on the seventh of May in eighteen twelve in Camberwell a suburb of London. He was the first child of Robert and Sarah Anna Browning. His mother was an accomplished pianist and his Father was a clerk in the Bank of England. Robert Browning was largely self-taught. He was an extremely bright child and a voracious reader. By the time he was fourteen he had learned Latin, Greek, French and Italian. He attended the University of London in eighteen twenty eight but left in discontent to pursue his reading at his own pace. In eighteen forty six he married Elizabeth Barrett and moved to Florence, Italy. He moved back to London in eighteen sixty one but spent his final years with his only son back in Italy. He died in eighteen eighty nine and is buried in Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey. He wrote his first poem ‘Pauline’ in eighteen thirty three. Browning wrote during the romantic era in the nineteenth century. In this era romantic poets such as Robert Browning wrote about dramatic events in unusual ways, using different ideas and forms. All of Browning’s poems are dramatic monologues; he was the fir... ... the poison to be attractive so when it is horrible it is more of a shock. ‘The colour’s too grim. Why not soft phial’s, enticing, dim? Let it brighten her drink, let her turn it and stir, and try it and taste, ere she fix and prefer’. She also shows her wickedness again in the fact that she wants her lover’s mistress to die in pain with him watching her die. I enjoyed all three of the poems but I especially liked reading and studying The Laboratory because I thought it was interesting the way someone could have such a cold attitude to killing someone and actually be eager to do so. All three poems were written as dramatic monologues and they were all about a lover or husband killing their lover or wife because of stupid reasons. I enjoyed the way the poem was written because you felt like you were actually there and they were speaking to you.

Existentialism :: essays research papers

Existentialism is perhaps one of the world’s oldest philosophies. It has been dated back to nineteenth-century Danish and Greek philosophers. It is a simple idea, yet it has so many different ideals within it that it is almost impossible to define. There are many parts that make up one whole, basic idea. The many parts have been defined by famous existentialist artists and writers such as, Nietzsche, Chamfort, Sartre, and Kafka. These works have all proven many points about existentialism; however, even the pros cannot decide on one basic idea. That is why there are so many different interpretations of this famous ideal. If there were a single definition it would have something to do with having your own ideas and being free to choose any path.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you were a believer in existentialistic ideals chances are you would not participate in society and/or your own life very much. Albert Camus believed that to be a true existentialist you had to remove yourself from society as much as possible since a belief in the foundation of government was to conform. Conforming to society norms is considered bad, it doesn’t allow the individual to progress and reach his own decisions Camus realized, however, that restricting himself from all social conformity was impossible. In his award-winning book, The Stranger, Camus depicts a man with very little emotion. Once in a while he shows a bit of heart, but for the most part, he is gives a robotic appearance. This character is based on existentialistic views, he tries to stay out of society as much as he can. He does the same thing from day to day. The character expresses no feeling about anything except that light is a sign of evil or annoyance, while the dark becomes a place of calm and seriousness. In society, the common idea is that light is good and evil grows in the darkest of places, but in Albert Camus’ novel, evil is good and the light is bad. They’re many other parts of existentialism. Camus influenced many of the writings on this subject although he did not stand unchallenged.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many existentialists believed that man had no reason for life. In other words, there was no God and no reason to live life with rules of any kind because there is nothing in the end anyway. This thought did not gain the existentialist popularity with many religions.

Communism Essay -- Communism Essays

In the beginning Communism seemed to the people of Russia as a utopian ideal. The promise of the elimination of classes, of guaranteed employment, "The creation of a comprehensive social security and welfare system for all citizens that would end the misery of workers once and for all." Lenin's own interpretation of the Marxian critique was that to achieve Communism there would first have to be a socialist dictatorship to first suppress any dissent or protest. Through coercive tactics this new government seized power and in 1917 Lenin came to power. Under his "rule" Russia underwent radical changes in it's economic doctrines adopting a mixed which was termed the New Economic Policy, also referred to as NEP. This economy called for some private ownership of the means of production, but the majority of industry was made property of the people, which meant the majority of the means of production was controlled by the government. Lenin's government made many achievem ents. It ended a long civil war against the remnants of the old Tsarist military system and established institutions in government. During this period, censorship and the subordination of interest groups such as trade unions was imposed to stop dissension and increase conformity to the new government policies. After Lenin's death in 1924, Joseph Stalin quickly gained control of the Communist party and the oppressive reforms started by Lenin were continued and at length became completely totalitar...

What is an Hypothesis?

I believe my hypothesis needs to be strengthened to be better than its rivals. When utilizing the chart on page 64 of our text I do find several areas for improvement. After going through the checklist I believe that a better hypothesis would be made after an Minimal analysis of the percentage of late payments and the minimum credit scores. A hypothesis could then be created that is more specific and testable as well as analyzed against other statistics such as the percentage of late payments for a higher, specified credit score.If research shows 70% of customers that have late payments have a credit score below 600 a stronger hypothesis would state: If the local car dealership that offers In house flagging requires a credit score higher than 600 for approved financing the percentage of late payments they receive will be less than 70%. Adequacy for its purpose I *Does the hypothesis reveal the original problem condition? I Yes, the problem is a large amount of accounts that are past due. I *Does the hypothesis clearly Identify facts that are relevant I It clearly states facts grading financing approval but does not I and those that are not?I Include any other facts. Relevant or not. I I *Does the hypothesis clearly state the condition, size, or I It only states that lenient profiles are used, this should be I distribution of some variable in terms of values meaningful I made stronger by listing a specific minimum credit score I to the research problem? I required. I *Does the hypothesis explain facts that gave rise to the need I Yes, late accounts require explanation and analysis to I for explanation? I continue to operate the equines at a profitable level.I I *Does the hypothesis suggest which form of research I Yes, a causal-predictive study would be appropriate. I design is likely to be most appropriate? I Raising the minimum credit requirement to determine if late I I payments decrease would be appropriate. I *Does the hypothesis provide a framework for org anizing I Yes, the hypothesis indicates that statistics should be I the conclusions that result? I analyzed and shown by credit scores and late payments. I Testable I *Does the hypothesis use acceptable techniques? I Yes, the hypothesis Is late payments.I *Does the hypothesis require an explanation that is plausible I Yes, a plausible explanation would utilize financial applications. I given known physical or psychological laws? I I *Does the hypothesis reveal consequences or derivatives that I The consequence is stated and does not need to be deduced. I can be deduced for testing purposes? I I *Is the hypothesis simple, requiring few conditions or I Yes, no assumptions are required. I assumptions? Better than its rivals *Does the hypothesis explain more facts than its rivals?

Cybercrime technology Essay

People rationally choose to participate in criminal   acts;  in order to   prevent these acts from occurring people need to know that consequences will outweigh the benefits. If people believe that the consequences outweigh the benefits t hen they will   freely choose not to participate in the criminal behavior. On the other hand the positive   school of criminology believes that individuals participate in crime because of forces beyond individual control and relies on the scientific method to prove   it s theories (Cullen & Agnew, 2006  ). Individuals should not  be held solely responsible for their actions   because not everyone is rational. Outside factors can play an important part in determining one‟s participation in crime. Now that we have exami ned the two most   dominant schools of criminological theory we can examine how two theories, self –  control and routine activity, have been applied to the study of cybercrime and cybercrime victimization. Self – Control  Theory  One general crime theory that has been applied to the study of cybercrime is  self –  control theory. Self –  control theory was first proposed by Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson in their 1990 publication A General Theory of Crime  . Self  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  control theory   beli  eves that criminal motivation is rampant, but that people act on this motivation only when they possess low self  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  control   (Cullen & Agnew, 2006)  . This paper will discuss the   basic elements of self –  control theory, as well as research that has provided eviden ce to   support the validity of this theory. Then this section will review empirical studies that have applied self  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  control theory  to the stu  dy of cybercrime and cyber victimization  and   will dis  cuss the benefits  of applying this theory to the study of cyberc  rime. Cybercrime 28 In their book, A General Theory of Crime , Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson describe the major characteristics that define individuals with and without self – control (1990). Individual‟s with low self – control are â€Å" impulsive, insensitive, physica l (as opposed to mental), risk –  taking, short sighted, and nonverbal, and they will   tend therefore to engage in criminal and analogous acts .† (Hirschi & Gottfredson, 1990) People with characteristics of low self –  control may be more likely to participate in  deviant acts because they want immediate gratification. As compared to individuals who lack self –  control, individuals with self –  control are able to delay immediate gratification   and are more likely to be vigilant, emotional, verbal, and long –  term orientat  ed (Hirschi &   Gottfredson, 1990). Individuals who possess characteristics of self –  control may be better   able to appreciate the consequences of participating in   deviant acts and have the control  necessary to delay their gratification. In conclusion, those who lack self –  control are more   likely to possess characteristics such as impulsivity a  nd short –  sightedness, that make  crime and its immediate gratification more attractive to them, as compared to those who possess characteristics of high self –  control such   as being cautious and long –  term   orientated.   This brings up an important question, does an individual‟s level of self –  control   develop over time or is someone born with one level of self –  control that remains the same  throughout his or her lifetime  . According to Hirschi and Gottfredson individuals are  not  born with one certain level of self –  control,   rather   they learn self –  control most often   through their parents (  Hirschi & Gottfredson, 1990  ). An individual does not have only   on  e  level of self –  control, as they grow older they may develop a different level of self –  control then when they were younger. However, they do suggest that, â€Å"†¦individual Cybercrime 29  differences may have an impact on the prospects for effective socialization† ( Hirschi & G  ottfredson, 1990  ). For example, individuals with mental health problems may have a higher probability of not being effectively socialized. The authors believed that self –  control is learned through life, but especially while you are a child. The authors   al  so addressed why some individuals possess characteristics of self –  control. They suggest that individuals develop characteristics of self –  control as a result of   their upbringing (Hirschi & Gottfredson, 1990). While   parents do not intentionally  teach   their c  hildren  to not have  self –  control, the authors  suggest that â€Å"  in order to teach the child   self –  control, someone must (1) monitor the child‟s behavior; (2) recognize deviant behavior when it occurs; and (3) punish such behavior†¦all that is required to activat e the   system is affection for or investment in the child  .† (Hirschi & Gottfredson, 1990) They   suggest that a deficiency in any one of these categories will inadvertently allow the child to develop characteristics of low self –  control (Hirschi & Gottfredson , 1990).   Characteristics of low self –  control can be the result of ineffective parenting. Low self –  control makes crime more attractive to individuals who possess learned characteristics such as impulsivity and lack of responsibility. Good parenting is impo  rtant in developing   individuals who possess high levels of self –  control, however good parenting can only   occur if parents care about their children and are able to monitor, recognize, and effectively punish their children for deviant behavior. Self  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  control theory  has been the subject of many empirical studies, which have   attempted to test the validity of the theory in explaining crime (Pratt & Cullen 200 0; Pratt, Turner & Piquero 2004; Perrone, Sullivan, Pratt, & Margaryan 2004 ; Turner,   Piquero, & Pratt 20  05; Reisig &Pratt 2011;   Deng & Zheng 1998 ) . In 2000, Pratt and