Mystic Monk Coffee Essay

Introduction Mystic Monk coffee company is a cloistered monastic environment where monks from the Carmelite monastery of Clark, Wyoming spend their daily manual labour hours roasting coffee (Thompson, 2012, pg. 420). The monks are a religious sect of the Catholic church and are fully dedicated to their religious and spiritual side, which requires most of their daily hours, be spent praying or contemplating in silence; this leaves little time to spend on coffee roasting productions, especially due to the small population of monks that are able to live at the Carmelite monastery. There were many restrictions that the Carmelite monks faced with their coffee productions such as having restricted roasting capacity, inadequate land and partial workers. Father Daniel Mary, the prior of the Carmelite order, had a vision of expanding the small monastery of 13 monks, by creating a new Mount Carmel in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming. There is a nearby location called the Irma Lake Ranch that would include a large house, caretaker house, guesthouse, a gothic church, a convent for Carmelite nuns, a hunting cabin and a dairy and horse barn; this would allow the monks to expand their opportunities, as well as expand their Carmelite monk residents (Thompson, 2012, pg. 421). This vision is everything that Father Daniel Mary ever dreamed, the only thing prohibiting the change, is that the Irma Lake Ranch will cost the monks $8.9 Million. The Mystic Monk coffee company only earns money based on their coffee sales (11% of revenues) and donations from private donators; the Carmelite monastery received a $250,000 donation which they can use at their discretion (Thompson, 2012, pg. 420,423). The following report will take a look at the options that are available to the Carmelite monks and what would be the most strategic plan that should be enforced in order for the monastery to be successful. External and Internal Analysis S.W.O.T. Analysis Strengths * Fair trade/ Organic Arabica beans * Variety of coffee flavors * Accessories (t-shirts, cups, CD’s) * Online shopping is available * Tea has been added to selection * Free labour/ No wages paid * Affordable/ reasonable retail price * Membership â€Å"coffee club† * Favors catholic market (large)| Weaknesses * Limited roasting capability (540 lbs/day) * Limited production due to worship * Cant expand due to limited land * Coffee is not a necessity (trend?) * Caffeine is highly addictive (health) * Purchase beans instead of growing * No business expertise/ experience * No absolute competitive advantage * Poor earnings (11% of revenues)| Opportunities * Expand availability into grocery stores * Collaborations (Keureg, Tassimo) * Other purposes (weight loss, bio fuel) * Increase advertisements * Expand into international market * Start a franchise * Open coffee shops (Starbucks, Tim’s)| Threats * Poor coffee growing season * Natural disaster/ weather * Eco nomic Conditions (recession) * Established competition (Folgers, nabob) * Others’ personal religious beliefs * Dependant on donations/ revenues| (Mystic Monk, n.d., pg. 1) Alternatives The Mystic Monk coffee company has to look at their options before they are able to make a decision regarding the continuation of their business. The two options that are available to the Carmelite monks at this point in time are: 1) stay at the current location of Clark, Wyoming, and continue operations as they are and use some donation money to purchase another roaster to help increase production or 2) see if the owners of Irma Lake Ranch would â€Å"gift† them a portion of the ranch without monetary repayment, as a donation, and they would pay the owners as a lease to own the remaining balance of the land, until a breakeven point has been reached. Discussion of Alternatives The first option is to stay at their current location to continue operations as they are. The advantages of choosing this option are: 1) retaining their donations and revenues to improve their current monastery, 2) there is little to no risk involved. The disadvantages of choosing this option are: 1) there is little opportunity to expand the Mystic Monk Company, 2) they cannot easily increase their Carmelite population. The second option is to move to a nearby area, which would involve purchasing the Irma Lake Ranch. The advantages of choosing this option are: 1) the Mystic Monk Coffee can increase production easily, 2) there is a large opportunity to expand, 3) the new Carmelite monastery would allow its population to double. The disadvantages of choosing this option are: 1) there is a tremendously high level of risk involved, 2) the owners may not gift the monks any land. Recommendation After evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative, a decision has been concluded that the most practical and strategic option would be to receive a portion of the Irma Lake Ranch, as a â€Å"gift† without monetary repayment, then pay the land owners on a lease to own schedule with the increased earnings projected from the new Mount Carmel location. This is the most logical selection if they want to expand and improve their Mystic monk coffee brand, as well as their community; the Carmelites will have no opportunity to grow or expand if they choose to stay where they are and continue on as they have been, as well as soon they will not be able to keep the supply at an adequate level to cover the demand for their products. The Carmelite monastery would have more financial opportunities available with this purchase, such as milk production from the dairy cows, horse rides on the trails through the forest, increased population to help roast and package the coffee. Also, the monks would have sufficient land to be capable of growing and producing their coffee beans without the need of suppliers, which in turn will decrease the cost of goods sold and drastically increase the Mystic Monk’s net profit margin from the current 11% of the sales revenue. The risk on this investment is exceptionally high, but if it is successful, the reward and pay off could be far greater than projected. Action Plan A realistic action plan must now be devised, to ensure that the previous decision is executed correctly, otherwise the Carmelite monks and the Mystic Monk coffee company will not be successful. The monastery is incapable of affording the Irma Lake Ranch with the funds that they currently have, including the $250,000 donation. The Mystic Monk coffee company should confront the current owners of the Irma Lake Ranch and see if they would be willing to â€Å"gift† them a portion of the property without monetary repayment, which could be considered a donation; the remaining balance owing on the land could be contracted as a lease or rent to own situation, where a breakeven point would be reached in a reasonable time frame. Also, because the property has been â€Å"gifted† to the Carmelite monks, they would be eligible to receive a tax break, which would significantly affect their financial status. The new property would be able to offer the monastery an opportunity to expand their brand by introducing tourism, sustainability and other financial opportunities. If the Mystic Monk coffee company decided that they would be capable or growing their own beans on the new land, they would be able to drastically cut costs on the cost of goods sold and eliminate suppliers, which in turn will increase their marginal earnings from the sales revenue. All of these new opportunities are realistic and show that the increased earnings would rapidly and effortlessly be able to pay off the remaining balance owing to the original Irma Lake Ranch owners. Conclusion In conclusion, the Mystic Monk coffee company has been successful with its entrance into the coffee market, however demands are increasing and new opportunities are being presented to the Carmelite monastery. If they wish to grow and expand their business and community, they are going to need to take the risk which is to relocate to a more practical location, ideally the Irma Lake Ranch. Irma Lake Ranch offers many new prospects to the Carmelite monks, which they would not be exposed to if they stay at their current location. This property can allow them to be independent from suppliers and venture into new venture projects such as introducing horse trail rides and milk from the dairy cows. Although the monks are a non-for-profit group, the sales revenue will mostly be paid to the original property owners until the principal amount is depleted, the rest of the money from earnings and donations will be put towards building, growing and maintaining the new Mount Carmel Monastery. References Mystic Monk Coffee | Buy Coffee Beans Online | Online Coffee Store. (n.d.). Mystic Monk Coffee | Buy Coffee Beans Online | Online Coffee Store. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/storefront.php Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., & III, A. S. (2012). Case 1. Crafting and Executing Strategy (18th Edition ed., pp. 420-424). New York: McGraw-Hill/ Irwin.

The Fall of Rome: Political and Economic Corruption

Roman Empire kneeled to the power of political and cone mimic corruption, foreign invasions, along with natural disasters and diseases. The Roman Empire was assumed to be a sturdy empire, however, Rome expel oriented much corruption, both politically and economically. Rome had a total of 19 e emperors from 235285 CE ( Document A ). Thirteen of the nineteen emperors either were, or were assumed to have been, assassinated. A pattern Of assassination in royalty alludes to the FAA CT that people were unhappy with their rulers.Along with that, a constant change of emperors ma ekes it hard for anything to get done, because as the new emperor takes over priorities often change. The Roman economic and justice system was very much in favor of the wealthy: â€Å"†¦ A [wee Itty lawbreaker]†¦ Is not punished for his injustice, while a poor man.. Undergoes I gal penalty. † ( Document E ). This injustice caused for the poor people to reject their own home, the peep eel became less willing to fight to keep their empire thriving.Rome, though viewed as this large, strong, and unbreakable empire, this was not the case. Negligence lead to the abandonment of the customary armor and parade grog undo drills. The Roman soldiers fought without armor because the armor became too heavy, f or the men never wore them.. Michael Grant states that, â€Å"There can be little doubt that the wee nesses of the late Roman army was largely due to the eventual failure† ( Document B ). The lack of trained soldiers resulted in many issues, as illustrated in Document C Rome was open to many different invaders.Rome lacks the natural borders some ancient civilizations such as G rice possessed. Due to the lack of borders The Hunks easily overthrew the Roman people. Sins e â€Å"The Hunks exceed any definition of savagery† ( Document D) he untrained, lazy, and unprotected Roman soldiers had no chance of victory. Natural disasters and plagues caused for a quick drop of Roman population; † Fifty thousand persons had lost their lives in the flood [in the city Of Alexandria all en]†¦ ( Document With so many lives lost the amount of people to help protect the country fell greatly. This lack of people make it even easier for the already brutally superior Hunks to ova retorts the â€Å"almighty' Rome. If Rome had not been affected by such strong disasters and disease more soldiers would have been able to contribute to fighting the Hunks. Rome could have lasted for a longer period Of time if not for the political and economic corruption.The empire may still be striving today if the Roman soldiers would have remained diligent, still practicing their marches. Growing accustomed to their armor so t hey could actually wear it in combat. If it weren't for the lack of natural borders in the large MME ire the Hunks may not have been able to inundate the land. Another document that would be into resting to read would be about how the Hung warriors felt whi le invading and conquering this foreign land.

Canterbury Tales And Lady Bath Essay

Canterbury Tales And Lady Bath Essay Many characters in The Canterbury Tales are only described in the smallest detail. Only a handful are given a physical description and even fewer are actually given names to go by. A character that has a most descriptive detail and also one, whom has a name, is Alice, the Wife of Bath. This majestic lady is very proud of what she has accomplished in life. Also, to defend her ways she uses logic and reason, Chauncer also, never judges her like he does to many other characters, but lets her speak for herself. Although one would imagine the Lady of Bath to be ashamed of her way of life, she simply is not. With her four dead ex-husbands, she has received plenty of money and valuables. While married, Chauncer gives the impression that Alice also had many affairs. These affairs have almost definitely added to her personal wealth. Married now to her fifth husband, who is much younger, because of love and not just dependent on how much money he has. Throughout Alices storytelling, the characters tend to attack her. She simply comes back using simple logic and reasoning. Her basic method of thinking is that if god did not want one to have sex, he would not of given the human race the ability to do so. The ladies behaviour is also very up-front and she enjoys talking a great deal. Yet with having this sort of an attitude, it gives the reader a real look at one of the most described and interesting characters that Chauncer writes about. Most other characters from The Canterbury Tales are judged by Chauncers personal standards and the standards from that particular time period. Alice, the Wife of Bath however, is not judged like this. Chauncer lets the reader decide how to judge her and create her image. He also uses very little irony and sarcasm when he, and other characters talk about Alice. Chauncer simply lets the reader decide how to judge her from telling of her behaviour that was most unusual for that time period. The reader can easily create an accurate judgment of her, mainly because of her up-front attitude towards many aspects of life. As seen, the great Alice, Wife of Bath, is proud of her lifestyle and will go to great lengths to defend it. She is also the only character that the reader can judge for himself or herself with little input from Chauncer. Perhaps being the most described character from the novel gives one the impression that she could also be one of the most important. Her introduction in the prologue, which is one of the longest, also indicated this. All of these characteristics combined; let one visualize a grand picture of this lady.

Risk management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Risk management - Assignment Example Integrating risk assessment in every process at the organization improves the quality of decisions made in avoiding losses and eliminating uncertainties. The approach taken in risk management proposes that organizational processes and decisions adopt a thorough implementation of projected objectives. It therefore implies that risk management principles facilitate the integration of every level of coordination of organizational operations and functionalities. Inclusiveness of every organizational need in the success definition elevates the management of the organization to a vintage point enabling tackling of all challenges. Reliance on the latest form of information and of the best available quality enables the risk management concept an important organization development strategy since it enables anticipation and understanding. Accountability to the human society and every vital stakeholder in the projects under the organization ensures that the organization development is in tandem with the aspirations of the stakeholders and to whom accountability is expected. In a precise description, risk management enables the organization to handle all tasks in a responsible manner, cognizance of internal and external demands on the industry. The main principles as set out in Risk Management Standard AS/NZS ISO 31000 are briefly highlighted below. It is in order to state that risk management creates and protects value. Without risk management, the organization would encounter losses through various avenues including legal, security, and human health. When the organization applies risk management, it takes adequate measures to ensure that its objectives are achieved and losses minimized. Risk management is an important part of the organization’s activities and should be considered by all stakeholders in view of all processes. Without taking risk into account, decision makers would make choices without regard to important priorities. In view of risk management, mana gers and other decision makers cautiously undertake various activities and analyse various options before making choices. Uncertainty is one factor that risk management seeks to explicitly address. This is so considering that many threats and risks that a business encounters come unexpectedly and may bring massive losses to the organization. When risk management is done, the losses that may come with risks are minimized. The effectiveness of risk management depends on how it is done. When properly structured, and systematically and timely done, the results of the process are better compared to when otherwise done. Also, effective risk management involves the analysis of threats and risks based on available data and using the information available to predict possible outcomes of situations and their probabilities. However, in some cases, data is limited and decision makers have to stretch their minds in their risk management efforts. Risk management is not a standard procedure but de pends much on the internal and external environments of an organization. This means that the risk management activities of one organization may not effectively apply for another business. In addition, cultural and human factors must be taken into account if effective risk management has to be done. This is so considering that people working for the organization or those external to the organization can affect the business’

Risk management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Risk management - Essay Example Information about risk communication, and how it helps in the dimension of psychological understanding of risk is included to the paper. The problem of different risk regarding in cycling by different people is raised in the paper. The last section includes concluding response to this problem. The method used is particularized examination of the literature together with the critical summarizing and personal inferences on the topic. It is a widely known fact that every day people engage in some situations that are more or less predetermined risk possibility (Adams, 1995). It depends from person’s occupation, way of life, social environment and many other factors. Still, a big importance hides in person’s perception and understanding of risk. Moreover, relation to risk situations and appropriate communication stay the ground for the risk management. If to talk about the definition of risk in the field of science, we may observe different investigations concerning this term. Rosa (2003) argues that risk is â€Å"a situation or event where something of human value (including humans themselves) is at stake and where the outcome is uncertain†. In other words it is the potential to lose something valuable for the peculiar person. Hazard comes close to the risk theories and this term is defined as some condition with the potential to induce deplorable implications in the risk situations (HSA, 2014). The problem under investigation is the cyclists (push bike riders) and probability of risk in concern to this occupation. The statistic data demonstrates that cycling is rather save occupation in relation to other kind of sports and bicycle is determined as not dangerous vehicle for transporting people. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre (2012) stays the data that â€Å"in 2012, 726 lost their lives in bicycle/motor vehicle crashes, just under two people

The C.I.A Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The C.I.A - Research Paper Example so coincided with the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico, causing many people to believe that the creation of the agency also had to deal with the probability of extra terrestrial visitors. The main task of the Central Intelligence Agency is to gather, process and analyze situations or people, both inside and outside of the United States, that can be threatening or harmful to the United States. If the agency comes upon any information that suggests that someone is doing something harmful at the expense of the United States, they take the proper actions to ensure that nothing comes of these actions and that the person is dealt with accordingly. The agency also looks for threats that may come to an interest that the United States has in the world. In essence, the Central Intelligence Agency seeks out threats and dangers to the United States and the world and does what need to be done to prevent both negative actions and the leaking of the threat to the general public. The CIA also monitors activities that have the potential of turning dangerous, such as a foreign country creating a new nuclear power plant to produce electricity. The CIA would monitor the progress of this plant to ensure that it really is being created for the intended purpose and not for something that can prove to be harmful. The Central Intelligence Agency, in their mission of protecting the United States and the places of interest throughout the world, also helps in making the important decisions surrounding national security. The agency does not make the policies, they simply provide foreign intelligence information for the agencies and groups that do make the policies based on the information provided (Weiner, 2008). At times the agency is allowed to suggest possible policies or changes to current policies as starting points for the groups actually able to make the changes. Their sole job is gathering the information needed to make the decisions that can help keep the United States and

Mathematical Golden Ratio in Nature, Music and Sex Essay

Mathematical Golden Ratio in Nature, Music and Sex - Essay Example The essay "Mathematical Golden Ratio in Nature, Music, and Sex" analyzes the issue of how the mathematical golden ratio is used in nature, music, and sex appeal. The golden ratio is developed by from the extreme and mean ratio rule that states that â€Å"a straight line is said to have been cut in extreme and mean ratio when, as the whole line is to the greater segment, the greater to the lesser†. The ratio of the straight line’s unequal segments is the origin of several natural scenes of mathematics interaction with nature. Only a handful of retrogressive and conservative theorists have risen to offer sensible criticism to the best explanation to mathematical infusion to nature’s inseparable interaction with mathematical theory. Perhaps the best brain that this age has experienced was possessed by Einstein who devoted much of his intense academic work to find out on the natures engagement with mathematics. According to Livio, several natural arrangements remain strictly controlled by the ratio such as the patterns seen in leaf structures and arrangement of the branches (phyllotaxis), seed arrangement patterns on plants as well as the formation of natural crystals. The Fibonacci sequence explains the patterns employed in botanical systems which depict market design and order that no other discipline elaborates on but mathematics. In light of these phenomena, mathematics fascinating facts in nature as dictated by the golden ratio seems to be the best explanation behind nature’s orderliness.

Theme & Introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theme & Introduction - Essay Example The theme "How well do you know the people around you' will help to create a special context of communication because all communication is context bound. We can think of spatial, temporal, relational and sometimes organizational frameworks within which it is embedded. Employees will be divided into several families (mothers, fathers and children despite of their sex and age). The imagined place is a countryside; event - holidays, a picnic. 'Plunged' into this situation, the personal characteristics of the participants together with features of the shared situation act to shape the interaction that transpires and both may be influenced, to some extent, in consequence. Likewise, goals pursued are determined by personal and situational factors (Beebe, Masterson 2000). This theme was selected for training program because many employees lack knowledge and practice of interpersonal communication. The goals people pursue are not always conscious, and indeed one feature of skilled performance is that behavior is often executed automatically. Once responses are learned they tend to become hard-wired or habitual. When employees know how to interact, they no longer have to think about actions such as how to start a talk and how to behave. Skilled behaviors must be interrelated, in that they are synchronized in order to achieve a particular goal.

Initial Public Offers for Global Firms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Initial Public Offers for Global Firms - Essay Example Initial Public Offers for Global Firms: Risks and Laws for Mitigating the RisksRisks Associated with Global Firms’ IPOsGlobal firms face relatively more challenges when launching IPOs because of the diversity of environments they trade in. For instance, an IPO may face the risk of failure due to negative perceptions by investors of the firm’s country of inception. The legal requirement for full disclosure ensures investor confidence, thereby shielding against this type of risk. Equally, countries face political risk; a risk emanating from a change in host country’s policies towards the country of inception. The Byrd Amendment cautions firms against discriminate treatment on political grounds since such is also the violation of the rights of American investors in a foreign firm (Tolar et al, 2011).Foreign Exchange RisksWhen floating an IPO in a foreign country, there is the relative risk of losing out due to unstable currency exchange rates. To effectively elimina te the risk of losing investment money through currency fluctuations, the management of the global firm may decide to trade in a more stable currency. Alternatively, the firm’s management may decide to price their investments and commodities at prices that reflect the foreign exchange projections over a safe period of time. The firm could also arrange for a forward exchange contract. Â  

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Last but not the least, effective and competitive remuneration and reward packages have to deployed to employees as happy employees result in happy and satisfied customers. Introduction The hospitality industry is a service industry and most of its products are in the form of intangibles which make both their quality management and measurement a difficult job. Different dimensions of operations management apply to hotels and can be implemented to ensure customer satisfaction. The hospitality service is as old as time but the hotel industry is ever changing and ever evolving. Techniques of operations management in hotels must change with changing circumstances. But still there are four broad areas of management in hotels which also serve as four key functions of the hotel. These four include 1) Food production or buying, 2) Food and beverage services, 3) Housekeeping and 4) Front office receptions. Research methodology Most of the research used is secondary research and the qualitativ e results of the different researches which have already been done in this field. Qualitative and quantitative studies were combined to form a higher quality of research which linked the great importance of hotel marketing to seize market opportunities. Both qualitative and quantitative research is thought of as complementary to each other and therefore they were mixed. (Malhotra, 2007, p. 176)Examples are also taken from the best practices of different hotels and the causes of their successes have been analyzed and then suggested to be implemented in the hotel functioning. As a business system, a hotel is a complex, dynamic, open and organizational system which seeks to interact with both its customers and the environment. The aim of such a system is guest satisfaction which it tries to achieve by making its functions efficient and effective and providing both its services that is food and beverages; and boarding and lodging at its best. Overall a hotel is supposed to instill a fee l-good element in its customers which can be achieved not only by interiors but also by the ambience, the service quality and additional services. These can be also achieved by integrating the latest technology and the latest operational practices with supply chain management, human resource management and quality controls. These activities also revolve around producing a competitive advantage for the hotel. The key features of the hotel environment are employee performance, customer demand and asset protection which are achieved by increasing productivity, providing service and deriving a high income. The result of all these activities if performed well is the optimum quality of service provided to customers. (Peter Jones, 2002, p. 30) Hotel design The environment created by the hotel building is fundamental to the hotel experience. The creation of this environment entails not just the physical safety of the guests but also tending to the comfort needs of the guest. The modern hote l is much more than a place to sleep. It is capable of providing an escapist experience by its design, spectacles and amenities it provides. (Klumbis, 2009) No longer is staying in a hotel retained to getting a clean and comfortable room but today hotel design and environment also play a major role in whether guests receive the ultimate guest experience during their stay. Thus aspects such as noise levels, lighting and other

Fahrenheit 451 Essay Example for Free

Fahrenheit 451 Essay Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury and in this book I will be talking about on how this book is related to the theme censorship. I will be proving why censorship is related to the book. So why is the theme censorship important in the novel? Point IÂ  Censorship was a very important theme in Fahrenheit 451 in a lot of different ways one of them is since people are not allowed to read books, so that is the most extreme form of censorship that exists. So according to Montag he said I just want someone to hear what I have to say. And maybe if I talk long enough, itll make sense. This means that nobody understands him the way Clarisse does. Here is another one, so in this statement Captain Beatty says Its real beauty is that it destroys responsibility and consequences. So he is saying that books don’t open people’s minds they destroy them it doesn’t show how they learn, but we know that it’s not true, since some books do help us in life. And one very interesting fact about the book is when Ray Bradbury wrote about the book it was in the McCarthy era, and he as concerned about the censorship in the United States. So he got an idea about it and thought about it, and so Fahrenheit 451 was born. Point II In the paperback edition released in 1979, Ray Bradbury wrote a new coda for the book containing multiple comments on censorship and its relation to the novel. The coda is also present in the mass market paperback, which is still in print. At other times, Ray Bradbury explained the theme of the book differently. Bradbury observed that the novel touches on the alienation of people by media. Another thing is that this book and theme does have a message for all of us, it’s that the anticensorship message has often been cited by opponents of book banning in the United States. This means people also have to look out on what they are reading. ` Point III Another thing that I would like to point out is that the book explains on how Firemen also burn books, that there is censorship since they are using their materials not for job purposes but for just burning books. And that Captain Beatty there leader just cares about how his firemen finish the job, that another censorship since Beatty only cares about the money. Also how in one of the quotes a pointed out was when Montag wishes that he could be heard, he wishes that people can understand him better. That is another sign of censorship, you also can’t even touch a book, well you can but people say that they are scared of books, and even owning a book is illegal so this book does have a lot of censorship on it. Here is one very good statement in the book that I thought was good it was said by Captain Beatty according to him he said What traitors books can be! You think theyre backing you up, and they turn on you. Others can use them too, and there you are, lost in the middle of the moor, in a great welter of nouns and verbs and adjectives. Which is significant because he is saying that when you read books you keep on learning which is good but for Beatty it’s just nonsense and these books can turn you into something good, but for Beatty he thinks that you’ll turn into a bad influence for children. Conclusion: So all in all this is why the books main theme is censorship lots or burning books, no one can even own or touch a book and how people don’t even know if books are bad or good.

Faust and Job Essay Example for Free

Faust and Job Essay While he was yet speaking , there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee† (Bridge Builder’s Bible, Job. 1.12-16). Job loses his possessions, his children,and he suffers health wise. He becomes very ill, but no matter what life brought him he still remained faithful to God. Job could have easily given in as Faust did. In this life we have choices to make whether they be good or evil. We must suffer the consequences for every wrong deed we choose. It takes a strong will power to be determined to do right like Job. Faust believes there is a narrow limitation on the world in which he have been living until he interacts with Mephistopheles. Faust feels he knows enough about philosophy and heros of old legends. He now recalls for a divine law that proves that this action is the ruling force of the universe. This pact deal that was made was set up to fail Faust. Faust did not believe in a heaven or hell, which means he is betting his life rather than selling his soul. In Faust’s mind he is not sure if a eternal life even exists. If he gave up the world that he was living in he really felt that he would be just giving up something that dissatisfied him any way. Faust’s desires is not so much an evil one, but the idea that he has made this pact deal with the devil brings on many concerns about this decision he has made. The devil is unsure of his own ability to fulfill all the request that Faust made to him. However, the devil accepts these challenges and make sure the pact deal is signed in blood. Faust is very eager at this point to taste all the aspects of life that he thinks he have neglected. Although at first Faust rejects the offers made by Mephistopheles, he still ends up given in to this temptation. Faust should have kept his belief when saying, â€Å"the world’s pleasures cannot end his doubts or satisfy his needs† (Cliffnotes:Faust study iii). Faust is being taking advantaged of because Mephistopheles knows Faust’s weaknesses. He knows that Faust is striving to understand the universe and his place in it, while Mephistopheles has something totally different in mind from Faust. Faust just happened to be at the crossroads in his life. He was a very well-esteemed man and an intelligent scholar who was highly looked on. The book of Faust came out during the eighteenth centuries, so attitudes then may have had an impact on how people, in particular Goethe may have viewed life. During that time attitudes were focused more toward earthly life and beyond. Looking at Faust attitude compared to Job’s, I see that Job was strong while Faust was weak. I find them to be different from each other just by viewing who gave in to this trick. It is plain to see that Faust gave in and Job stood his ground. It means a whole lot when someone can stand their grounds and not be moved by nothing in this world. Job’s world was in turmoil, but this did not interfere with his faith nor the confidence he had. Satan was concerned with getting souls that he can keep for eternity. He used any tactics he could to seduce Faust. The Devil offered earthly things to blindfold Faust. The Lord did let Mephistopheles know that when he grants him permission to engage in Faust’s life, Faust will be fully aware of the righteous path, whether he chooses it or not. I believe at this point Faust is beginning to see Mephistopheles for who he really is. I had came to this conclusion personally when I read these lines: â€Å"Your real being no less than your fame Is often shown, sirs, by your name, Which is not hard to analyze When one calls you the Liar, Destroyer, God of Flies. Enough, who are you then? Part of that force which would Do evil evermore, and yet creates the good. What is it that this puzzle indicates? I am the spirit that negates. And rightly so, for all that comes to be Deserves to perish wretchedly;’Twere better nothing would begin. Thus everything that your terms, sin, Destruction, evil represent- That is my proper element. You call yourself a part, yet whole make your debut† (Goethe 705)? Mephistopheles was a smooth talking and slick which reminds me of Satan himself. Job at some point in his life wished he had never been born. How can anyone fault Job for feeling the way he did after going through these horrible storms in his life. He had to face these mountains and conquer his fears. I do understand Job was human, so he had a right to feel saddened or possibly even lonely. Faust longs to find something absolutely enduring so that he can end his alienation. He rather ignore reality just to have pleasures fulfilled for a few years rather than having something that will please him forever. Faust understands life, but he wants to dig deeper into the truth about supernatural things. In return for his search on this he turns to magic which leads him to making this pact deal with the devil in the first place. Satan plan he had for Job did not work as God said. Mephistopheles tries to criticize God by saying he made an imperfect world. However, he did help God carry out his will through using this pact deal with Faust. Satan main goal and purpose is to defeat God by taking over every soul. It is evidently true just reading: â€Å"And in return, what do you hope to take? There’s so much time so who insist? No, no! The Devil is an egoist And would not just for heaven’s sake Turn into a philanthropist. Make your conditions very clear; Where such a servant lives, danger is near† (Goethe 711). It is obvious that Mephistopheles is not on Faust side. Once he get him right where he wants him he is going to surely take his life. What good can come from someone when they encourage another human being to take their life. No friend would want to see you die. I consider that to be for someone who hates you and they must be cold-hearted. One comes to know good by knowing evil. A person can not come to know God without knowing this knowledge. True knowledge is gotten only from experience. Just like the Devil Mephistopheles often speaks the truth to get what he wants. Faust wanted much and he was never satisfied so greed began to take over his life. Job was satisfied with what God had given him and that is how he was able to stand on the word of God. He return for Job’s pain God restored to him everything that he had lost. He gave him back more than what he had before. Faust struggle with self worth causes him to have an inability to have faith in God. However, God does not give up on Faust. Believe it or not God gives us many chances in this world today because he has not given up on us either. God knew Faust struggled, but he allowed him to reach his low point in order to draw him back. Mephistopheles duty was to lead Faust down a dark road. If Satan could have done the same thing to Job he would have, but Job was too strong for him. Therfore, Satan fault a loosing battle with Job. In the process Faust is responsible for three deaths in this story, although he was influenced by Mephistopheles. God has given us the spirit of unlimited belief.The battle really begins in our mind. It is our will and emotions that control what we do or think. We must stop limiting God by the level of our faith or belief. He is and will always be the God of the impossible. People must demand that Satan leave them alone and not just ask this. It is good to know that by the power of the holy spirit we have authority over Satan to tell him what to do. Satan must be put in his place. Satan is a great pretender, so don’t be deceived by his fierce growl. I am encouraged knowing this scriptures, â€Å"and put on the whole armor of God so that ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked† (Bridge Builder’s Bible, Ephesians6.11-18). After being tested it feels good to know t hat someone passed their test and did not fail. I must be strong myself and not get caught up in the crossroads of my own life. People must have faith in order to make it in this world. Nothing can compare to what God has to offer us in heaven. God is amazing and he is the almighty whom we must answer to. It is great to have Job like attitude and not Faust attitude towards life. I encourage people to be strong in the Lord, having much faith. Works Cited Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Faust. New York:W.W Norton Company, 1984. Lawall, Sarah, ed. The Norton Anthology of world literature .London: Castle House, 1909. Rod Parsley. Bridge Builder’s Bible. Deerfield: International Christian Publishers, 1997. Cliffs Notes -The Fastest Way to Learn. Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2000-2010 Faust, Parts 1 and 2. 11 November 2010 .

Natural and Shale Gas Monetization

Natural and Shale Gas Monetization According to the US Central Intelligence, Russia has the highest proven reserves of Natural gas in the world, being this approximately 24.2% of them. Followed by Iran, Qatar and United States (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016) It is good to mention that United States has bigger reserves in comparison to earlier years, because of the Shale Gas Boom, which is not included in the other countries reserves. Table 1: 4 first World Natural Gas Producers Rank Country (Cu m) Date Total World 197,200,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est. 1 Russia 47,800,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est 2 Iran 34,020,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est 3 Qatar 24,530,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est. 4 United States 10,440,000,000,000 1 January 2016 est. 1.1. Natural Gas Resources Very small quantities of Soviet gas had been exported to Poland since the late 1940s, the idea of large-scale imports of Soviet gas into Western Europe seemed to some both unworkable and unwise. The focus of Soviet natural gas production was moving from the Volga/Urals, North Caucasus and Ukraine, to Siberia, which would require additional transportation amounting to several thousand kilometers. (Stern, 2001) The transport problem was resolved by the Siberian gas development of the 1970s and 80s based on the super-giant fields discovered at Medvezhe, Urengoy and Yamburg. With multiple strings of largediameter pipeline being built from Siberia to the Ukraine, it required only a relatively short extension for one or two pipelines to reach Europe (map 2). Between 1970 and 1980 deliveries of Soviet gas to Western Europe increased from 3.4 Bcm to 26 Bcm. By 1990 gas exports had risen to 109 Bcm and Western Europe, with 63 Bcm of imports, was the largest customer for Soviet gas. (Stern, 2001) Figure 1: Old and New Pipelines In the context of increasing demand and declining supply, the importance of Russia as a partner in European gas becomes abundantly clear. The opportunity for a much closer natural gas partnership between Russia and Europe is based on firm foundations (Stern, 2001): Russia has huge discovered resources of gas available for development. Russia has gas reserves of 48 trillion cubic metres (TCM) according to the Russian A+B+C1 classification. Gazprom estimates that it has 28 TCM of reserves in fields in production or being prepared for development, compared with an international estimate of 18.5 TCM of proven and probable reserves in those same fields. Whichever estimate is chosen, it is clear that Russian reserves overwhelm all other gas reserves available to Europe with the exception of Middle East countries. Russian gas production of over 600 Bcm of gas in 2003 is projected to increase to 730 Bcm by 2020 (Stern, 2001). Over the past 35 years, pipeline infrastructure has been established for delivery of very substantial volumes of gas from Russia to Europe (Stern, 2001). As far as Russian exports to Europe are concerned, compared with the position in 1973 when just four countries were supplied with less than 7 Bcm of gas, thirty years later nearly 140 Bcm was exported to nineteen countries (Stern, 2001). Russian gas exports to Europe passing through Ukraine from where a number of pipelines travel west, delivering gas to central and northern Europe. Some lines travel south through Moldova to south eastern Europe and Turkey; others pass through Hungary delivering to the Balkan countries. In 1999, the Yamal pipeline began transporting gas through Belarus and Poland to Germany, providing an alternative to the routes through Ukraine. There is also a pipeline which passes via St Petersburg taking gas into Finland. Another major pipeline takes Russian gas across the Black Sea to Turkey; the Blue Stream pipeline which started transporting gas in 2002 set a new record by laying pipeline in water depths exceeding 2000 meters (Stern, 2001). The next major pipeline bringing additional Russian gas to Europe is expected to be the North European Pipeline (NEP) running from Vyborg in north west Russia via the Baltic Sea to Germany and potentially on to the UK. The possibility of the North European pipeline being able to deliver gas to Sweden and Denmark is also under consideration (Stern, 2001). Figure 2: New Pipelines from Russia On May 2 1, 2014 the media reported that China and the RF reached a 30-ycar gas deal worth about $400 billion. Some sources said the deal had been in the making for about a decade. On Nov. 10, 2014 China and the RF signed a second gas deal in which the RF would supply China with 30 Bern of natural gas via the western route over 30 years. This would require construction of the pipeline Power Sibcria-2. Gazprom signed the 30-ycar contract with Chinas National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) (Reineberg, 2017). The two combined natural gas deals between Russia and China would amount to about 68 Bern which is considerably more than the 45 Bcm the RF provides Germany each year. The gas deals would make China Russias most important customer, second only to Germany (Reineberg, 2017). Figure 3: New Pipelines to China In December 2014 the South Stream pipeline project to supply gas to the south eastern part of Europe was argued in yet another sign of the weakening and decreasing of Russias energy collaboration with Europe EU. The diagram above is available from Gazprom and displays what the scheme would have seen like once completed (Ashton, 2015). This project was intended to reduce risk involved in transporting gas to the Europe by evading Ukraine, much as Gazproms northern gas pipeline to Germany has done. But a flagging political condition means the European units no longer focusing only supply risk and is also focusing on transportation risk. To mitigate the risk of supply, Europes goal is to reduce volume of Russiass supplies (Ashton, 2015). Figure 4: New Pipelines to EU 1.2. Natural Gas Reserves In 2015 Russia`s natural gas reserves (ABC1) amount to 50.2 tcm, which is one percent more than in 2014. The largest gas fields are located in Western Siberia oil and gas bearing province. The growth in gas reserves was provided by gas fields in the Yamal Peninsula Bovanenkovo, Kharasaveyskoye, Yuzhno-Tambeyskoye, Eastern Siberia Kovyktinskoye, Russian Far East Chayandinskoye and on the Arctic Shelf Shtokman, Kruzenshternskoye. In European Russia the central gas reserves are concerted in Astrakhan field and Orenburg areas. In the following graph we can see the reserves and their defined amount . Figure 5: Russia`s largest natural gas fields: reserves About 80% of Russia`s NG natural gas production is developed in the Nadym-Pur-Taz region, Yamalo-Nenets AO. In 2014, three gas fields Zapolyarnoye, Urengoy, Yamburg accounted for more than 40% of country`s gas production. In 2012, gas production was started at the Bovanenkovo field (Yamal Peninsula), and it accounted 42.8 bcm in 2014. It is expected that to 2020 Bovanenkovo will be the largest gas producing field in Russia. Positive production dynamics also featured on Yurkharovskoye field and Beregovoye field (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016). Table 2: Major producing gas fields in Russia Major producing gas fields, (bcm) 2013 2014 Zapolyarnoye 117,5 97,9 Urengoy 90,6 85,5 Yamburg 75,3 62,8 Bovanenkovo 22,8 42,8 Yurkharovskoye 38,4 39,0 Yuzhno-Russkoye 25,1 25,0 Lunskoye 16,4 16,6 Orenburg 16,9 16,3 Beregovoye 10,8 11,2 Astrakhan 11,7 11,1 Medvezhye 12,2 10,4 In 2015, Russia`s natural gas and associated petroleum gas production amounted to 633.4 bcm, which is 0.9% less than in 2014. The decrease was caused by significant reduction of natural gas consumption in Russia. In 2010-2015, the gas supply to the domestic market decreased by 24.8 bcm, or by 5.3%. In 2015, Russia`s natural gas exports increased by 7.1% year on year to 200 bcm. Natural gas imports of the major importers of Russian gas remained relatively stable. A significant decrease was recorded in supplies to the Ukraine. (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016). Figure 6: Natural gas in Russia: production, consumption and exports (2011-2015) In 2015, 79.2% of natural gas production in Russia was provided by Yamalo-Nenets, AO, which is 1.1 pp lower than in 2014. In 2010-2014, YNAO share in Russia`s gas production was 80-83%. In 2015 to 2014 gas production significantly increased in Krasnoyarsk region and Sakha. The largest drop was observed in YNAO (-2%, or -11.6 bcm). Table 3: Russias natural gas production by region Region 2015, bcm Yamalo-Nenets 501 Khanty-Mansi 33 Sakhalin 28 Orenburg 20 Krasnoyarsk 11 Others 41 1.3. Natural Gas Consumption and Production In 2014, the production of electricity and heat energy provided 48.3% of Russia`s natural gas consumption, which is 3.5 pp less than in 2013. Gas consumption decreased by 6.4% in these two sectors, by 2,2% in industry and increased by 0.1% in residential sector (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016).. Figure 7: Russia`s natural gas consumption by sector, 2014, mtce Russia`s LNG Liquid Natural Gas exports and production is developed in a single plant on Sakhalin Island, with a capacity of 9.6 mtpa. LNG is exported by sea to the Asia-Pacific countries, mainly to Japan. There are LNG Liquid Natural Gas plants projects in Russia. The plant on the Yamal Peninsula is under construction, with an installed capacity of 16.5 mtpa, start at 2017-2018. It is also planned to implement projects in Vladivostok and the Baltic Sea and Sakhalin Island (Rosneft). In 2015, Russias share in the global LNG market was 4% (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016).. Figure 8: LNG production and exports in Russia (2009-2015), bcm Russia`s CNG consumption is 450 mcm, or about one percent of the world total. The natural gas consumption in transport is a priority of Russia`s gas industry development. State subsidies for regions are aimed to stimulate the growth of CNG consumption. Gazprom plays the main role in development of the Russian NGV market. Other participants are Rosneft and Novatek (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016).. Figure 9: CNG consumption in road transport, 2008-2015, bcm 1.4. Natural Gas Industry The current Russian gas industry is tightly related to the Soviet gas industry structure as it evolved in the 1970s and 1980s. It was characterized by exploitation of huge deposits and long distances between production sites and consumption centers, which required construction of a comprehensive trunk pipeline network. These characteristics lent themselves to economies of scale and in line with Soviet thinking a unified industry structure intended to minimize costs of extraction and transportation of natural gas. In the centrally planned economy gas was prioritized in electricity and heat production, thereby making more oil available for highly profitable export. The regulated domestic price of natural gas was very low. Natural gas was distributed according to priorities in the centrally planned economy. Consumption of various users power stations, industrial burners and cooking in vast apartment complexes were usually not measured but estimated according to technical standards o f energy needs. The prioritization of natural gas in electricity and heat generation is clearly evident in the consumption structure today; use of gas in the power sector amounts to 40 percent of total gas consumption in Russia (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015). In the 1970s and 1980s extraction and transportation of gas were organized within the Soviet Ministry of the Gas Industry. Then in 1989 a new entity, Gazprom, was established. It got control of the entire Soviet unified gas supply system and was also given a regulatory role. This type of agency was something new an entity outside the ministry structure although it was state owned. When the economic reforms in Russia started for real in 1992, an important element was the creation of new industry organizations. Notably this happened in the oil industry where several new companies were formed and subsequently privatized. In the gas sector the situation was different. The top management of Gazprom maintained that the technical characteristics of the gas industry required a centralized organizational structure. These arguments won over reformers who argued that a split-up of the production side was desirable. In 1992, Gazprom was transformed into a jointstock company, which was subsequently partly privatized. The state, even if it had a minority stake of some 40 percent, retained key control, but generally the company became independent. The new company obtained ownership of all the major physical assets of the Russian gas industry for free. In addition, the functions of the new company were extended to include roles which had earlier been covered by bodies outside the industry: investment and output targets, which had previously been decided by central planning organs, now became part of the internal processes in Gazprom. Distribution to final consumers, which used to be the remit of a separate structure, now became a business activity of Gazprom. Gas exports, which earlier were managed by a special foreign trade organization outside the gas industry, now became part of the activities of the company. In the end, the gas industry became more centralized and monopolized than it had been in the Soviet system. Gazprom did not only get new privileges, it also inherited old obligations. It was expected to continue to supply gas domestically at very low prices, but in exchange the company was allowed to keep a considerable share of the export revenues. Thus a situation emerged were domestic supplies became almost a secondary activity compared to exports, where the big money was earned. Domestic supplies were, however, in volume terms about four times higher than exports to Europe. This arrangement can only be understood in the context of the serious economic crisis and restructuring taking place in the 1990s. Maintaining stable gas supplies was of paramount importance for social stability, and low gas and electricity prices were important instruments to ensure this goal. Gas continued to be distributed like in the centrally planned economy: consumers had to obtain permission to take gas in certain volumes, and new consumers could not freely choose energy sources. Gas was, more than other fuel s, a subsidized commodity and was de facto rationed (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015). 1.5. Natural Gas Pricing Starting rather early in the 1990s, gas prices were in fact increased but from a very low level. By 1996 the average official gas price was around 250 roubles per 1000 m3 (corresponding roughly to 45 USD). But with a deep economic crisis most of Gazproms customers were not able to pay the increasing bills. Many turned to surrogates for payment: goods, shares in enterprises and various services. Others did not pay at all. Gazprom reported that in 1998 their domestic consumers paid for 28.5 percent of the gas deliveries only. According to OECD , only 16 percent of these deliveries were paid in cash. This was the nadir of Gazprom. Then the situation improved: After the economic crisis in 1998 and subsequent rouble devaluation, both Russian exports and the general economy picked up. Gazprom was now allowed to take tougher measures against non-paying customers, and cash payment was widely enforced in the state sector. The companys take-over of local distribution organizations also helped increasing the share of paying customers. By 2000, 62 percent of the delivered gas was paid for, see OECD, and by 2004 Gazprom reported that 98 percent of the domestic deliveries were paid in cash, see OECD (2004). This development also reflects that gas prices had been allowed to fall in real terms: by 2000 gas prices were 62 percent below the 1996 level, see OECD (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015). In the transition from the centrally planned economy to a market oriented system, Gazprom had been given production infrastructure and pipelines that had been built and financed by the Soviet state (see discussion above). Thus Gazprom had very low capital costs and the company could therefore handle losses in the domestic market as long as it kept the export income. But as years went by the need for renewal of the pipeline network as well as investment in production capacity grew. Gazprom therefore started paying more attention to the domestic market, first by devising schemes for payment when cash was lacking, and then, as the general economic crisis subsided in the early 2000s, to argue for domestic price increases: prices should cover operating costs and also allow for accumulation of investment funds. Gazproms argumentation was helped by Russias negotiations to become a WTO member: the Russian government committed to reduce subsidies to domestic customers and raise gas prices to USD 37-42 per 1000 m3 by 2006, and further to USD 49- 57 by 2010, see OECD. Despite the decision to increase the price of gas from 2000, by the end of 2003 the regulated average gas price for industry customers was still low: it corresponded to USD 24 per 1000 m3, see OECD. A plan for raising the regulated gas price to European netback parity European price minus the extra transportation costs and duties on export was authorized by the Russian government in May 2007,); this plan addressed both the concerns of the WTO and Gazproms request. The government foresaw a stepwise increase whereby the domestic price for industry would reach European netback parity by 2011. In 2007, experts considered the plan as feasible even though the price for industrial consumers corresponded to USD 44 per 1000 m3 -the netback price would have been USD 145 per 1000 m3. However, the international oil price increases in the following years implied that the target gas price was steadily increasing because the export gas price was linked to oil. In 2013, the netback price would have been USD 230 per 1000 m3, see Henderson and Pirani, a price level that would have had a detrimental impact on most Russian consumers. In the end the government therefore postponed the netback goal, first to 2014 and later to 2018 (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015).. By 2013 the regulated price had reached USD 105 per 1000 m3, see IEA. Still, according to Gazprom this was not enough to cover investments needed to sustain production in the long run. Gazprom continued to argue that a European netback price should be the goal in order to secure the viability of the gas industry as well as enhance economic efficiency: undervalued prices negatively affect the domestic economy, because there is no favorable environment for promoting gas- and energy-savings as well as for developing high-tech industries. For some years the governments policy was more or less in line with Gazproms wishes: in 2010 the government decided to increase gas prices by 15 percent annually until 2015 (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015).. There was, however, growing concerns that higher domestic gas prices would weaken the competitive position of the manufacturing industry and hamper economic growth. These concerns were enhanced by the significant fall in gas prices in the United States because of the shale gas revolution.3 In the end the policy was adjusted: in the fall of 2013 the government decided to freeze gas prices until, then index the price to inflation, and after 2016 let gas prices grow slowly, see Table 1. According to this plan, gas prices to industry users may on average increase by 3.2 percent annually between 2016 and 2030,. This is supposed to result in a domestic industry gas price slightly above 70 percent of the netback price by 2030. For households, the plan is to increase prices at a rate slightly higher than the one for industry 3.5 percent (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015).. Table 4: s Gas price development plan. Annual growth rates 2016-2020 2021-2025 2026-2030 2016-30 Industry price 4.4 2.9 2.1 3.2 Household price 4.5 3.5 2.6 3.5 To sum up, after the establishment of Gazprom in 1989 the gas industry first became more centralized and monopolized than it had been in the Soviet system. Since 1990, prices of gas have increased considerably but they are still far below the netback price. Whereas Gazprom for years has been pushing for a higher price, the most recent plan for domestic Russian gas prices indicates only a moderate increase in prices (Aune, Golombek, Moe, Rosendahld, 2015).. 1.6. Natural Gas Monetization Techniques The foundations of Russias gas export business were laid during the Cold War. The trade was able to develop despite political opposition partly because West European governments believed gas could be a force for peace and partnership and prosperity. The other main reason has been the excellent track record of first Soviet, and then Russian, gas deliveries to Europe over the past 35 years. With the passing of the Cold War and the increasing need for Europe to develop strong relationships with its energy suppliers, the European Commission proposed an energy dialogue with Russia. In 2001 (Stern, 2001): à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The EU imported 21% of its net oil imports (equal to 16% of consumption) and 41% of gas imports (equal to 19% of consumption); à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 53% of Russias oil exports and 36% of its gas exports were delivered to the EU, and 45% of Russias exports to the EU were energy products. Within the framework of the dialogue, the EU has agreed to recognize certain Russian gas projects as energy infrastructure projects of common interest, specifically: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the North European gas pipeline for which the EU has agreed to co-finance a feasibility study; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the Yamal pipeline; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the Shtokman gas field; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the Druzhba-Adria oil pipeline link. In 2015, the gas price in the major markets fell by 30-40% compared to the previous year. The causes for the falling gas prices were decreasing oil prices, warm winters in the USA and Europe and fierce competition inside the industry with other gas producers, as well as competition with producers of other energy resources, such as coal and renewable ones (Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation, September 2016). In Green Line we can see the price of Russia comparing in Marron with the price of US. Figure 10: The World Prices of Natural Gas (2005-2015) $/1000 Cubic meters Among the prices from the natural gas in Russia we have the cost for the last 4 months in United states dollars per MBTU (Indexmundi, 2017) Table 5: Prices of the Last 4 Months in Dollars per MBTU Month Price Exchange Rate oct. 2016 4,01 1,26 % nov. 2016 4,54 13,22 % dic. 2016 5,16 13,66 % ene. 2017 5,14 -0,39 % 1.7. Impact of Natural Gas in Russia Economy According to the following graph, Russia got for 2013 73 Billon of Dollars, which is 14% of its total income; the other products are oil and derivatives of oil. Figure 11: Russia gross export sales 2013 (Billon of US Dollars) Russia is a major exporter of crude oil, and natural gas. Sales of these fuels accounted for 68% of Russias total export revenues in 2013, based on data from Russias Federal Customs Service. Russia received almost 4 times as much income from exports crude oil exports and natural gas as petroleum products (Metelitsa, 2014).. Europe, including Turkey, receives all exports of NG natural gas. Asia, particularly China receives substantial volumes of liquefied natural gas or LNG from Russia. Lately, Russia finalized a 30 year, for about $400 billion to supply China with natural gas from fields in Siberia, which later will increase Russian export incomes. North America imports some Russian petroleum products, particularly oils that are unfinished, used in refineries. Although Russia exports less crude oil and less natural gas than it consumes locally, domestic sales of crude oil and natural gas are lower in value than exports because of the vertical integration of the NG and oil industry and also the subsidized domestic prices (Metelitsa, 2014). Almost all Russian oil firms are vertically integrated, owning oil fields and refineries that process crude oil, giving them power in making decisions and regulating price. That is why, these firms can sell crude oil directly to their own refineries at very low prices. Domestic natural gas prices are subsidized too, forcing Russian companies to use export revenue to fund investment in new infrastructure and projects. The energy agency estimates that Russian domestic sales of natural gas and crude oil were nearly about $20 billion in 2013 (Metelitsa, 2014). Although revenue from local sales of crude oil and natural gas in the year 2003 was significantly low than revenue from exports. (Metelitsa, 2014). Oil and natural gas activities make up a large portion of Russias federal budget. According to the Ministry of Finance, 50% of Russias federal budget revenue in 2013 came from mineral extraction taxes and export customs duties on oil and natural gas (Metelitsa, 2014).. 1.8. Future of Natural Gas in Russia and its global impact Gas demand across Europe increased highly over the past 30 years, most of it used for power generation shaped by environmental and commercial advantages enjoyed by gas à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is the key to continued growth over the next several decades. Imports of gas will be needed increasingly as Europes indigenous supply declines and Russia is in a very good position to expand its market share due to its resource endowment, established infrastructure and markets, and track record as a secure supplier (Stern, 2001). These advantages have been recognised and reinforced politically by an energy partnership between the EU and Russia which recognizes Russias growing role as a source of energy and its contribution particularly in terms of gas and oil supplies. In summary, the Russian contribution to European energy balances both oil and gas is substantial

Fresno State :: essays research papers

Fresno State coach Jerry Tarkanian will announce his retirement from coaching Friday after a 31-coaching career, the past seven seasons at Fresno State, a source close to Tarkanian told ESPN.com on Thursday. Tarkanian's attorney met with Fresno State president John Welty Thursday and the three are expected to meet again later Thursday to finalize the details of his retirement. A source close to the 71-year old Tarkanian said he would be retained as a consultant at Fresno State -- his alma mater -- at an estimated salary over $100,000 for two years. A source also said the floor at the Save Mart Center, set to be finished in 2003, would also be named for Tarkanian. A source close to Tarkanian said he was worn down after Wednesday night's first-round postseason NIT loss to Temple at Selland Arena. Tarkanian will end his career with 778 wins and 202 losses in 31 seasons. He entered the season as the fourth active winningest coach in Division I and he entered the season as the top active winningest coach by percentage at .802, but that dropped to .794 after the 19-15 season. The 19 wins prevented him from getting his 30th 20-win season. Tarkanian took three different teams at Long Beach State, UNLV and Fresno State to 18 NCAA Tournaments. He went to four Final Fours, including one national championship with UNLV in 1990. He took Fresno State to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2000 and '01, the first time the Bulldogs had been to the NCAAs since 1984. The program had only been to the NCAAs three times prior to Tarkanian's arrival. He also raised the first $1 million for the Save Mart Center. Fresno State ended its season Wednesday night with an 81-75 loss to Temple in the NIT.

FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE :: Essays Papers

FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE In my 205 I was asked to consider how and why my writing changes from one community to another. This essay represents the results of that exploration. My writing style changes greatly between the communities of academia and newspaper journalism. In both academic and newspaper writing I am compelled to include as much information as possible, yet the two call for completely different styles. I think this difference exists because the two forms of writing have different objectives. The general objectives of a newspaper article are to examine a story or issue, to introduce the public to the issue, and to provide a forum for others' opinions. With a few exceptions, newspapers don't have the time or the space to delve into an issue; instead they introduce it and possibly follow it up later with another story. The general objective of most academic writings I have done is to comprehensively answer a question. This involves a far more exhaustive exploration of an issue. Often in academic writing, the question itself provides the objective and defines the content of the writing. The fundamental differences in purpose between newspaper and academic forms of writing manifest into more clearly defined differences. The most obvious difference between the two forms of writing is structure. By using the term "structure," I am referring to the length and context of the piece of writing. Structure is an important factor because it sets the ground work for my writing. In academic writing, I try to cite numerous examples or personal experiences to illustrate a point. Newspaper writing requires that I condense my points. The writing is supposed to be simple, yet informative, and is crammed into a few inches of type. Writing to fill six inches of type is quite different than filling six double-spaced pages. Structure also translates into differences in word usage. Because of space constrictions, every word counts when writing for a newspaper. The key is to say as much as possible in the fewest words possible. There is a specific "newspaper style" which calls for short paragraphs, constant attribution of information, active voice, and numerous other writing guidelines. According to newspaper style, paragraphs should be one or two sentences long, with each paragraph including a complete statement or thought. This allows the reader to move from point-to-point quickly, without becoming bored and losing interest in the story. Information in newspaper articles must always be attributed.

Mark Twain :: Essays Papersw

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorn Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, was born in 1835. Twain was and still is a famous renowned writer of his time and still today. At an early age, Twain’s father died, forcing him to leave school to find a job to support his family. He was forced into â€Å"poor boys college†, into an apprenticeship at a printing press in his home town. As much as Twain didn’t like his job, he learned valuable information. While working at the printing press, he picked up good writing techniques, and learned from mistakes in bad writings. While learning in the printing press, he was also learning about life through his fathers mistakes. Twain concentrated on the importance of time. Twain felt that his father had died bankrupt from financing his money in things that failed because of bad timing. He soon learned the techniques of timing. Twain left his apprenticeship at the printing press and found another job apprenticing himself on a steam boat on the Mississippi River. Twain felt that this was valuable training and that it was the first time he really got to use his mind. Working on the steam boat made Twain become well known with nature. He also became aware of his ability as a writer and went to Navada. Twain dreamed of the riches his father never had. He often switched jobs looking for wealth. He worked a newspaper job and in gold fields, but his career was soon to be in writing. â€Å"The Lincoln of literature† is what Twain was soon called. His first famous writing was The Celebrated Jumping Frog. Twain would use personal past experiences in his writings from his boyhood, for example in his book Hannibal. Twain soon became the most famous man alive of his time, Twain, of course, gives all credit to his inner source of timing.

Environmental Movement Essay

Environmentalists advocate the sustainable management of resources and stewardship of the environment through changes in public policy and individual behavior. In its recognition of humanity as a participant in (not enemy of) ecosystems, the movement is centered on ecology, health, and human rights. The environmental movement is represented by a range of organizations, from the large to grassroots. Due to its large membership, varying and strong beliefs, and occasionally speculative nature, the environmental movement is not always united in its goals. At its broadest, the movement includes private citizens, professionals, religious devotees, politicians, and extremists. History of the movement The roots of the modern environmental movement can be traced to attempts in 19th-century Europe and North America to expose the costs of environmental negligence, notably disease, as well as widespread air and water pollution, but only after the Second World War did a wider awareness begin to emerge. The US environmental movement emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, with two key strands: preservationist such as John Muir wanted land and nature set aside for its own sake, while conservationists such as Gifford Pinchot wanted to manage natural resources for human use. Among the early protectionists that stood out as leaders in the movement were Henry David Thoreau, John Muir and George Perkins Marsh. Thoreau was concerned about the wildlife in Massachusetts; he wrote Walden; or, Life in the Woods as he studied the wildlife from a cabin. John Muir founded the Sierra Club, one of the largest conservation organizations in the United States. Marsh was influential with regards to the need for resource conservation. Muir was instrumental in the creation of Yosemite national park in 1890. Muir was also personally involved in the creation of Sequoia , Mount Rainier , Petrified Forest and Grand Canyon national parks. Muir deservedly is often called the â€Å"Father of Our National Park System. â€Å" During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, several events illustrated the magnitude of environmental damage caused by humans. In 1954, the 23 man crew of the  Japanese fishing vessel Lucky Dragon 5 was exposed to radioactive fallout from a hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll. The publication of the book Silent Spring (1962) by Rachel Carson drew attention to the impact of chemicals on the natural environment. In 1967, the oil tanker Torrey Canyon went aground off the southwest coast of England, and in 1969 oil spilled from an offshore well in California’s Santa Barbara Channel. In 1971, the conclusion of a law suit in Japan drew international attention to the effects of decades of mercury poisoning on the people of Minamata. At the same time, emerging scientific research drew new attention to existing and hypothetical threats to the environment and humanity. Among them were Paul R. Ehrlich, whose book The Population Bomb (1968) revived concerns about the impact of exponential population growth. Biologist Barry Commoner generated a debate about growth, affluence and â€Å"flawed technology. † Additionally, an association of scientists and political leaders known as the Club of Rome published their report The Limits to Growth in 1972, and drew attention to the growing pressure on natural resources from human activities. Meanwhile, technological accomplishments such as nuclear proliferation and photos of the Earth from outer space provided both new insights and new reasons for concern over Earth’s seemingly small and unique place in the universe. In 1972, the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm, and for the first time united the representatives of multiple governments in discussion relating to the state of the global environment. This conference led directly to the creation of government environmental agencies and the UN Environment Program. The United States also passed new legislation such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act- the foundations for current environmental standards. By the mid-1970s anti-nuclear activism had moved beyond local protests and politics to gain a wider appeal and influence. Although it lacked a single co-ordinating organization the anti-nuclear movement’s efforts gained a great deal of attention. In the aftermath of the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, many mass demonstrations took place. The largest one was held in New York City in September 1979 and involved 200,000 people; speeches were given by Jane Fonda and Ralph Nader. Since the 1970s, public awareness, environmental sciences, ecology, and technology have advanced to include modern focus points like ozone depletion, global climate change, acid rain, and the potentially harmful genetically modified organisms . Scope of the movement Before flue-gas desulfurization was installed, the air-polluting emissions from this power plant in New Mexico contained excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide. Environmental science is the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment. * Ecology, or ecological science, is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of living organisms and how these properties are affected by interactions between the organisms and their environment. Modern environmentalism Today, the sciences of ecology and environmental science, rather than any aesthetic goals, provide the basis of unity to most serious environmentalists. As more information is gathered in scientific fields, more scientific issues like biodiversity, as opposed to mere aesthetics, are a concern. Conservation biology is a rapidly developing field. Environmentalism now has proponents in business: new ventures such as those to reuse and recycle consumer electronics and other technical equipment are gaining popularity. Computer liquidators are just one example. In recent years, the environmental movement has increasingly focused on global warming as a top issue. As concerns about climate change moved more into the mainstream, from the connections drawn between global warming and Hurricane Katrina to Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth, many environmental groups refocused their efforts. In the United States, 2007 witnessed the largest grassroots environmental demonstration in years, Step It Up 2007, with rallies in over 1,400 communities and all 50 states for real global warming solutions. Many religious organizations and individual churches now have programs and activities dedicated to environmental issues. The religious movement is often supported by interpretation of scriptures. Most major religious groups are represented including Jewish, Islamic, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, Christian and Catholic. Radical environmentalism Radical environmentalism emerged out of an ecocentrism-based frustration with the co-option of mainstream environmentalism. The radical environmental movement aspires to what scholar Christopher Manes calls â€Å"a new kind of environmental activism: iconoclastic, uncompromising, discontented with traditional conservation policy, at time illegal †¦ Radical environmentalism presupposes a need to reconsider Western ideas of religion and philosophy (including capitalism, patriarchy[10] and globalization)[11] sometimes through â€Å"resacralising† and reconnecting with nature. [10] Greenpeace represents an organisation with a radical approach, but has contributed in serious ways towards understanding of critical issues, and has a science-oriented core with radicalism as a means to mediaexposure. Groups like Earth First! take a much more radical posture. Criticisms A study reported in The Guardian concluded that â€Å"people who believe they have the greenest lifestyles can be seen as some of the main culprits behind global warming. † The researchers found that individuals who were more environmentally conscious were more likely to take long-distance overseas flights, and that the resulting carbon emissions outweighed the savings from green lifestyles at home.

Research Paper About Education Essay

Etymologically, the word â€Å"education† is derived from the Latin Ä“ducÄ tiÃ…  (â€Å"A breeding, a bringing up, a rearing†) from Ä“dÃ… «cÃ…  (â€Å"I educate, I train†) which is related to the homonym Ä“dÃ… «cÃ…  (â€Å"I lead forth, I take out; I raise up, I erect†) from Ä“- (â€Å"from, out of†) and dÃ… «cÃ…  (â€Å"I lead, I conduct†).[2] The role of government A right to education has been created and recognized by some jurisdictions: Since 1952, Article 2 of the first Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights obliges all signatory parties to guarantee the right to education. It does not however guarantee any particular level of education of any particular quality.[3] At the global level, the United Nations’ International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 guarantees this right under its Article 13.[4] Throughout history various governments have made it illegal to educate children privately or at home. Various totalitarian regimes, for example, have mandated indoctrination through propaganda in the Hitler Youth and propaganda in education under various communist regimes. Systems School children line, in Kerala, India Systems of schooling involve institutionalized teaching and learning in relation to a curriculum, which itself is established according to a predetermined purpose of the schools in the system. Schools systems are sometimes also based on religions, giving them different curricula. Curriculum Main articles: Curriculum, Curriculum theory, and List of academic disciplines School children in Durban, South Africa. In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses and their content offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults. A curriculum is prescriptive, and is based on a more general syllabus which merely specifies what topics must be understood and to what level to achieve a particular grade or standard. An academic discipline is a branch of knowledge which is formally taught, either at the university–or via some other such method. Each discipline usually has several sub-disciplines or branches, and distinguishing lines are often both arbitrary and ambiguous. Examples of broad areas of academic disciplines include the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences, humanities and applied sciences.[5] Educational institutions may incorporate fine arts as part of K-12 grade curricula or within majors at coll eges and universities as electives. The various types of fine arts are music, dance, and theater.[6] Preschools Main article: Preschool education The term preschool refers to a school for children who are not old enough to attend kindergarten. It is a nursery school. Preschool education is important because it can give a child the edge in a competitive world and education climate.[citation needed] While children who do not receive the fundamentals during their preschool years will be taught the alphabet, counting, shapes and colors and designs when they begin their formal education they will be behind the children who already possess that knowledge. The true purpose behind kindergarten is â€Å"to provide a child-centered, preschool curriculum for three to seven year old children that aimed at unfolding the child’s physical, intellectual, and moral nature with balanced emphasis on each of them.†[7] Primary schools Main article: Primary education Primary school in open air. Teacher (priest) with class from the outskirts of Bucharest, around 1842. Primary (or elementary) education consists of the first 5–7 years of formal, structured education. In general, primary education consists of six or eight years of schooling starting at the age of five or six, although this varies between, and sometimes within, countries. Globally, around 89% of primary-age children are enrolled in primary education, and this proportion is rising.[8] Under the Education For All programs driven by UNESCO, most countries have committed to achieving universal enrollment in primary education by 2015, and in many countries, it is compulsory for children to receive primary education. The division between primary and secondary education is somewhat arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about eleven or twelve years of age. Some education systems have separate middle schools, with the transition to the final stage of secondary education taking place at around the age of fourteen. Schools that provide primary education, are mostly referred to as primary schools. Primary schools in these countries are often subdivided into infant schools and junior school. In India, compulsory education spans over twelve years, out of which children receive elementary education for 8 years. Elementary schooling consists of five years of primary schooling and 3 years of upper primary schooling. Various states in the republic of India provide 12 years of compulsory school education based on national curriculum framework designed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training. Secondary schools Main article: Secondary education Students working with a teacher at Albany Senior High School, New Zealand Students in a classroom at Samdach Euv High School, Cambodia In most contemporary educational systems of the world, secondary education comprises the formal education that occurs during adolescence. It is characterized by transition from the typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education for minors, to the optional, selective tertiary, â€Å"post-secondary†, or â€Å"higher† education (e.g. university, vocational school) for adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period, or a part of it, may be called secondary or high schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, middle schools, colleges, or vocational schools. The exact meaning of any of these terms varies from one system to another. The exact boundary between primary and secondary education also varies from country to country and even within them, but is generally around the seventh to the tenth year of schooling. Secondary education occurs mainly during the teenage years. In the United States, Canada and Australia primary and secondary education together are sometimes referred to as K-12 education, and in New Zealand Year 1–13 is used. The purpose of secondary education can be to give common knowledge, to prepare for higher education or to train directly in a profession. The emergence of secondary education in the United States did not happen until 1910, caused by the rise in big businesses and technological advances in factories (for instance, the emergence of electrification), that required skilled workers. In order to meet this new job demand, high schools were created, with a curriculum focused on practical job skills that would better prepare students for white collar or skilled blue collar work. This proved to be beneficial for both employers and employees, for the improvement in human capital caused employees to become more efficient, which lowered costs for the employer, and skilled employees received a higher wage than employees with just primary educational attainment. In Europe, grammar schools or academies date from as early as the 16th century, in the form of public schools, fee-paying schools, or charitable educational foundations, which themselves have an even longer history. MLC Kx12 in Portland, Oregon Autodidacticism Main article: Autodidacticism Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) is self-directed learning that is related to but different from informal learning. In a sense, autodidacticism is â€Å"learning on your own† or â€Å"by yourself†, and an autodidact is a self-teacher. Autodidacticism is a contemplative, absorbing process. Some autodidacts spend a great deal of time reviewing the resources of libraries and educational websites. One may become an autodidact at nearly any point in one’s life. While some may have been informed in a conventional manner in a particular field, they may choose to inform themselves in other, often unrelated areas. Notable autodidacts include Abraham Lincoln (U.S. president), Srinivasa Ramanujan (mathematician), Michael Faraday (chemist and physicist), Charles Darwin (naturalist), Thomas Alva Edison (inventor), Tadao Ando (architect), George Bernard Shaw (playwright), and Leonardo da Vinci (engineer, scientist, mathematician). Vocational Main article: Vocational education Vocational education is a form of education focused on direct and practical training for a specific trade or craft. Vocational education may come in the form of an apprenticeship or internship as well as institutions teaching courses such as carpentry, agriculture, engineering, medicine, architecture and the arts. ]Indigenous Main article: Indigenous education Indigenous education refers to the inclusion of indigenous knowledge, models, methods and content within formal and non-formal educational systems. Often in a post-colonial context, the growing recognition and use of indigenous education methods can be a response to the erosion and loss of indigenous knowledge and language through the processes of colonialism. Furthermore, it can enable indigenous communities to â€Å"reclaim and revalue their languages and cultures, and in so doing, improve the educational success of indigenous students.†[9]

Bom Paper

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION NO MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY SECOND TRIMESTER FINAL EXAMINATION, 2009/2010 SESSION BOM 2O64 – QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT (All Sections / Groups) DECEMBER 2009 a. m. – a. m. (2 Hours) INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENT 1. This Question paper consists of 9 pages with TWO SECTIONS. 2. Attempt ALL questions in Section A and B. The marks for each question are given. 3. Answer Section A in the OMR Form provided, and answer Section B in the Answer Booklet provided. BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 SECTION A Answer ALL questions in this section. 40 Marks) 1. Manufacturing work sent to other countries is called: __________________. A) downsized B) outsourced C) internationalization D) vertical integration E) entrepreneurial ship 2. Production systems with customized outputs typically have relatively: ____________. A) high volumes of output B) low unit costs C) high amount of specialized equipment D) fast work movement E) skilled workers 3. Which of the following is not emphasized in a lean production system? A) falling prices B) high quality C) worker involvement D) continual improvement E) customer satisfaction 4.Which of the following is not a benefit of using models in decision making? A) They provide a standardized format for analyzing a problem. B) They serve as a consistent tool for evaluation. C) They are easy to use and less expensive than dealing with the actual situation. D) All of the above are benefits. E) None of the above is a benefit. 5. Which of the following is not an ongoing trend in manufacturing competition? A) globalization B) quality improvement C) flexibility and agility D) mass production for economies of scale E) technological advances . Product design and choice of location are examples of ______________ decisions. A) strategic B) tactical C) operational D) customer focused E) design Continued†¦ TPK page 1 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 7. A productivity in crease in one operation that doesn’t improve overall productivity of the business isn’t:__________________. A) effective B) efficient C) politically justified D) productive E) financially justified 8. Which of the following is true? A) Corporate strategy is shaped by functional strategies.B) Corporate mission is shaped by corporate strategy. C) Functional strategies are shaped by corporate strategy. D) External conditions are shaped by corporate mission. E) Corporate mission is shaped by functional strategies. 9. The external elements of SWOT analysis are: ___________________. A) strengths and weaknesses B) strengths and threats C) opportunities and threats D) weaknesses and opportunities E) strengths and opportunities 10. For an organization to grow their market share, they must: _______________.A) advertise using multi-media B) lower their prices C) meet minimum standards of acceptability for their products or services D) establish an internet website E) broaden thei r mission statement 11. A disadvantage of global teams for product design is that:_______________. A) Customers may have different needs in different countries B) The product designed may have increased marketability and utility C) The diversity of an international team may be a detriment D) Ease of face to face meetings is absent since members are located everywhere E) Technology allows constant contact with team members 12. One step that isn’t part of service lueprinting is: _______________. A) Eliminate boundaries for the service and decide on the level of interaction needed B) Identify and determine the sequence of customer and service actions and interactions C) Develop time estimates for each phase of the process D) Understand the time variability involved E) Identify potential failure points and develop a plan to minimize them Continued†¦ TPK page 2 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 13. The process of dismantling and inspecting a compet itor's new or revised product for the purpose of gleaning design ideas is called: ____________________.A) design by imitation B) product analysis C) reverse engineering D) benchmarking E) disassembly 14. Which of the following is an issue that designers must take into account in product and service design? A) legal, environmental, and ethical issues B) reliability C) standardization D) range of operating conditions E) all of the above 15. A formal way to document customer requirements is: __________________. A) consumer surveys B) quality function deployment (QFD) C) focus groups D) Delphi technique E) sales/marketing matrix 16. Which of the following is not a goal of supply chain management?A) fewer suppliers and long-term relationship B) small lot sizes C) on time deliveries D) lowest possible transportation costs E) delivery often to the place of use 17. Vendor analysis has the greatest potential for savings for items which have: ____________________. A) low cost per unit B) low annual cost-volume C) high cost per unit D) high annual usage E) high annual cost-volume Continued†¦ TPK page 3 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 18. Which of the following is not true of vendor analysis? A) It involves an examination of the function of purchased parts or raw materials.B) Its purpose is to reduce costs and/or improve performance of purchased goods or services. C) It is usually performed only periodically. D) Representatives from design and operations may work with purchasing. E) If improvements are identified, purchasing implements those that purchasing agrees are justified. 19. Which of the following would not usually be a main factor in selecting a vendor? A) location B) price C) quality D) inventory turnover E) vendor services 20. Which of the following is part of the purchasing cycle? (I) Purchasing selects a supplier. II) Orders from vendors are received. (III) Purchasing receives a requisition. A) B) C) D) E) II and III I, II, and III I only I and II I and III 21. An operations strategy for inventory management should work towards: _________. A) increasing lot sizes B) decreasing lot sizes C) increasing safety stocks D) decreasing service levels E) increasing order quantities 22. Which one of the following is not generally a determinant of the reorder point? A) rate of demand B) length of lead time C) lead time variability D) stockout risk E) purchase costContinued†¦ TPK page 4 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 23. The fixed order interval model would be most likely to be used for this situation: A) A company has switched from mass production to lean production. B) Production is done in batches. C) Spare parts are ordered when a new machine is purchased. D) Grouping orders can save shipping costs. E) none of these 24. All of the following are possible reasons for using the fixed order interval model except: ___________________. A) Supplier policy encourages use.B) Grouping orders can save in shipping costs. C) The required safety stock is lower than with an EOQ/ROP model. D) It is suited to periodic checks of inventory levels rather than continuous monitoring. E) Continuous monitoring is not practical. 25. The need for safety stocks can be reduced by an operations strategy which: A) increases lead time B) increases lead time variability C) increases lot sizes D) decreases ordering costs E) decreases lead time variability 26. The comprehensive approach used in JIT systems to deal with quality includes: ________________.A) designing quality into products and processes B) insisting vendors provide high quality materials C) making workers responsible for producing high quality D) A, B and C E) 100% inspection of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods 27. Which of the following is not a benefit of small lot sizes in JIT systems? A) In-process inventory is considerably less. B) Each product is produced less frequently. C) Carrying costs are redu ced. D) There is less clutter in the workplace. E) Inspection and rework costs are less. Continued†¦ TPK page 5 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 28.Which of the following is not characteristic of preventive maintenance in JIT systems? A) maintaining equipment in good operating condition B) replacing parts when they are worn but before they fail C) workers maintaining their own equipment D) eliminating supplies of spare parts to reduce capital investment E) perceiving breakdowns as an opportunity for improvement 29. The Kaizen Philosophy applies to: _______________. A) Employee development B) Safety stock C) Waste D) Supply Chain Management E) MRP III 30. An operations strategy toward the JIT philosophy of production should recognize that JIT: __________________.A) is most suited for non-repetitive manufacturing B) cannot be implemented sequentially C) requires a wholesale commitment from the outset D) may provide a competitive advantage E) all of th e above SECTION B Essay and Calculation Questions: Answer ALL THREE questions. (60 Marks) QUESTION 1 The general manager of a building materials production plant feels that the demand for plasterboard shipments may be related to the number of construction permits issued in the country during the previous quarter. The manager has collected the data shown in Table 1. 1. a) Review the scatter diagram (Figure 1. ) to see whether the data can be satisfactorily described by a linear equation. b) Determine the linear regression equation for the data [2 marks] [15 marks] c) Determine a point estimate for plasterboard shipments when the number of construction permits is 30. [3 marks] [Total Marks = 20] Continued†¦ TPK page 6 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 Table 1. 1 Construction Permits (X) 15 9 40 20 25 25 15 35 Plasterboard Shipments (Y) Shipments Y 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 Permits X 6 4 16 6 13 9 10 16 igure 1. 1 QUESTION 2 a) What are the principles underlying TQM? 10 marks] b) Discuss the long-run effects of quality improvement on a firm's profitability. [10 marks] [Total marks = 20] QUESTION 3 The Goliaq Tool Company produces slip – ring bearings, which look like flat doughnuts or washers. They fit around shafts or rods, such as drive shafts in machinery or motors. At an early stage in the production process for a particular slip – ring bearing, the outside diameter of the bearing is measured. The company has taken 10 samples (during a 10 – day period) of 5 slip – ring bearings (i. e. , n = 5) and measured the diameter of the bearing.The individual observations from each sample are shown as follows: TPK page 7 of 9 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 Continued†¦ Sample k 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 5. 02 5. 01 4. 99 5. 03 4. 95 4. 97 5. 05 5. 09 5. 14 5. 01 Observations (Slip – Ring Diameter, cm) 2 3 4 5. 01 4. 94 4. 99 5. 03 5. 07 4. 95 5. 00 4. 93 4. 92 4. 91 5. 01 4. 98 4. 92 5. 03 5. 05 5. 06 5. 06 4. 96 5. 01 5. 10 4. 96 5. 10 5. 00 4. 99 5. 10 4. 99 5. 08 4. 98 5. 08 5. 07 5 4. 96 4. 96 4. 99 4. 89 5. 01 5. 03 4. 99 5. 08 5. 09 4. 99 [6 marks] [10 marks] [4 marks] a) Determine all sample means and the mean of all sample means. ) Calculate upper and lower control limits. c) Is this process in control? [Total marks = 20] Relevant Equations 1) CL = X UCL, LCL (X – bar) = X ? A2 R UCL ( R) = D4 R LCL ( R) = D3 R Table for X – bar & R Charts No of Observation In sub group n 2 3 4 5 6 2) UCL ? = c + 3v c LCL ? = c – 3v c Continued†¦ TPK page 8 of 9 A2 1. 88 1. 02 0. 73 0. 58 0. 48 D3 0 0 0 0 0 D4 3. 27 2. 57 2. 28 2. 11 2 BOM 2064 QUALITY AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DECEMBER 2009 3) p = Total No of Defective from All Samples/ (No of Samples X Sample Size) Sp = v [ p (1 – p )/n] CL = p LCL = p – 3 Sp UCL = p + 3 Sp ) Capacity Utilization = Capacity Used / Best Operating Level 5) r ? n ? XY ? X ? Y ? ?n ? X 2 ? X ? 2 ? ?n ? Y 2 ? Y ? 2 ? ? ? ? ? a ? Y ? bX b= ? XY ? n X Y ? X 2 ? nX 2 6) Exponential smoothing Forecast for the month t: Ft = Ft – 1 + ? (At – 1 – Ft – 1) 7) Exponential smoothing with trend adjustment Forecast for the month t: Ft = ? (At – 1) + (1 – ? )(Ft – 1 + Tt – 1) Trend for the month t: Tt = ? (Ft – Ft – 1) + (1 – ? )Tt – 1 FIT = Ft + Tt 8) Inventory Management: EOQ = Q * ? 2 DS H 2 DS H p p ? u TC ? Q D H? S 2 Q EPQ = Q0 ? I max ? Q ( p ? u) P TC= I m ax D H? S 2 Q End of Page TPK page 9 of 9