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Sunday, November 24, 2019

The Role of O-acetylserine Sulfhydrylase in Cysteine Biosynt essays

The Role of O-acetylserine Sulfhydrylase in Cysteine Biosynt essays The Role of O-acetylserine Sulfhydrylase in Cysteine Biosynthesis in Salmonella tryphimurium: A structural and functional Analysis Pyridoxial 5-phosphate (PLP) acts as a cofactor in many enzymes involved in diverse aspects of amino acid metabolism such as transamination, /-elimination, /-replacement and racemization. In all PLP-dependant enzymes the carbonyl group of the PLP coenzyme binds to an -amino group of a lysine residue in the active site, forming an internal aldimine. O-Acetylserine sulfahydrylase (OASS), isolated from Salmonella typhimurium, belongs to the -family of PLP-dependant enzymes and catalyzes the last step in the cysteine biosynthesis pathway via -replacement, converting O-acetylserine (OAS) to cysteine, upon exchanging acetate in the OAS side chain for sulfide (Fig. 1). The structural and functional framework underlying the reaction mechanism for OASS has been characterized extensively by kinetic studies, site-directed mutagenesis, UV-visible fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy and x-ray structural determination. Three conformationally distinct open, closed, and inhibited s tates were elucidated. Overall Topology and Protein Folding The structures of all proteins can be described in a hierarchical manner relating four levels of organization. The primary level is the amino acid sequence. The secondary level is constructed by motifs in backbone conformations, stabilized by hydrogen bonding, such as helices and -sheets. Tertiary structure describes the complete folded three-dimensional shape of a single chain, and quaternary structure is the association of folded chains to make oligomeric proteins. The nature of the final folded protein, including quaternary structure, is the net result of both enthalpic (H) and entropic (S) optimization to achieve the lowest or most negative free energy (...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

E-Procurement and E-Supply Chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

E-Procurement and E-Supply Chain - Essay Example To survey or to study e business transformations, good understanding of complex adaptive systems is required. For example in weather forecasting there will some inaccuracies. Those inaccuracies are reduced by electronic solution that reduces the chaos. Similarly e business will make a company behaviour to be determined by precise laws. The growth of the company results in loss of control over operations. The growth increases complexity and wide range of business needs extra control that is possible by IT solutions. Cathay pacific can use complexity to transform the problem into a solution to bring order in to the increasing business. The increasing business will result in chaos when there is no control. The control can be obtained by enhanced communication, which results in increase of relationship between management, suppliers and customers. The e procurement and e supply chain makes us to better understand the disorder that affects the business and corrects it to do the business in order. The analysis of the data and the points will enable the firm contemplating of adopting these technologies for enhancing efficiency of their network. In this system some of the processes which are done physically will be made online and the necessity of checking the authenticity of the online transactions will be explored. Care must be taken that the persons other than authorised ones will not take the system into hands and control the e procurement and e supply system.1 1.2 Procedures of the online system and making it authentic: The Cathay Pacific company have two types of goods to be procured. The first type is the technical and the second type is non technical. The engineering goods, the spare parts for the machines and planes come under the technical goods. The furniture and accessories used in the office, the items used for providing facilities for the passengers in the plane and the uniforms and other construction material if any required comes under non technical goods. In e procurement the tender process will be done online. They are assessed and orders will be finalised through network. The supplier will be connected in network of the company.1 The recognition of the finalised papers by the supplier is a key for the authenticity and the legality of the network. The electronic signature which is used in the confirmation of the orders to the suppliers will be supplied to them and can be made secret so as to make it unique. For this the electronic signature must be changed from time to time and for every transaction.2 1.2 Increasing the quality of procurement after adopting online system: The e procurement will increase the self-organisation and self-renewal. This is due to the quality of e procurement that involves the ability of adapting and

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Photographers of the Mixed Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Photographers of the Mixed Media - Essay Example It can be stated, however, that the main genre of her photos, produced with a means of combined media, is a child’s portrait. Many researchers insist on rich theoretical and practical backgrounds of her production, widely ranged from Renaissance (Bronzino), Baroque (Velasquez), Romanticism (Ruge and Friedrich) to Victorian (Carroll) sources of her works. After the brief introduction into her working methodologies and using of mixed media (i.e. combination of painting, analogue photo, and digital manipulation), we need to discuss them on a more solid basis, long before the discussion of how this influenced her work in terms of narrative and perception. ... Then, as it were mentioned constantly by the researchers, she used to exploit in her works a combination of painting, analogue photo techniques, and digital manipulation.  «In fact, Ms. Lux has carefully costumed and photographed her subjects and, after scanning the image, dropped the figures into a separately scanned background often taken from one of her paintings ». (Tully, 2005) So, Lux used analogue technoque firstly, and, getting the figures, dropped them into a seprately scanned background secondly, (i.e. digital manipulation) which is taken from her own paintings. Specifically, her paintings and analogue photos become the main sources for an appropriation, gitting scanned and ultimately combined with a means of Photoshop (for example,  «... Levels control to give the children and their settings a distinctive pallor). (Woodward, 2004) Ultimately, from a point of narration and perception, it should be stated that works of Loretta Lux are organized very well in a classic m anner. Using many old masters as her citation field, she managed to create an atmosphere of mystery. Being mediated by a wide range of techniques, both analogue and digital, and assisted by using of mixed media, her surrealistic children sitting on a sofa of eternity provoke a reader to find an answer to a riddle of absolute in a broad set of interpretations. Paul Shambroom Describing the working methodologies of given photographers, we must begin from the biographical details, then going to a discussion of the chosen formats – analogue, digital or both. Afterwards, are to give our explanations on how this has influenced the works in terms of narrative and perception. Primarily,

Monday, November 18, 2019

Visual Literacy in Teaching and Learning Research Paper

Visual Literacy in Teaching and Learning - Research Paper Example It refers to a group of vision competencies which human beings develop by seeing and integrating other sensory experiences at the same time. Apparently, the development of these competences is important to normal human learning. In this regard, when these competencies are developed, they enable people who are visually literate to discriminate and interpret visible actions, symbols, objects, whether or natural or man-made, that they encounter in their environment (Elkins, 2007). Through the creative use of these competencies, people are able to communicate with others effectively. Research has proved that the use of visuals in teaching enhance learning to a larger extent. Proper utilization of visuals results in a greater degree of learning. This paper examines the application of visual literacy in the teaching and learning process as a contemporary issue in visual literacy. Description of visual literacy in teaching and learning In the recent years, there has been a tremendous increa se in the use of visual elements in teaching and learning processes.... In addition, visuals such as graphics, images and other visual strategies used today are designed to increase learners’ comprehension of literary texts. Pictures, charts, maps and diagrams are among the common visual tools which are extensively used for effective learning. Through paintings, comic strips and creating collages, learners are able to demonstrate high levels of comprehension and are able to link visuals with texts (Bull & Anstey, 2006). Tattoos are also used to represent various literary characters. Proper care should always be taken when selecting an appropriate visual tool to use. However, preference should be given to color graphics in that black and white graphics are preferred. Film is also another effective form of visual aid used in teaching and learning. Visuals help students to focus and have full attention to the pictures and the accompanying words. Genesis of visual literacy in teaching and learning It is worth noting that although there has been increa sed integration of visual enhancement in the educational process in the recent years, the idea is not a new one. In this purview, the integration of visual and verbal information is evident throughout history. For instance, renowned educators and philosophers of ancient time clearly displayed appreciation for visual enhancements. Aristotle once noted that it is impossible to think without image (Bull & Anstey, 2006). A renowned ancient painter, Leonardo da Vinci, too, recognized the importance of visuals. He translated words from various aspects into drawings (Bull & Anstey, 2006) Also, alphabetical characters began as pictures that depicted various meanings. These symbols depicted man-made language devoid of distinctions between pictures and words. It is only

Friday, November 15, 2019

Framework of research methodology

Framework of research methodology Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to describe the Framework of research methodology followed in this thesis in detail. The elaboration along with the discussion on various types of research will be discussed to explain the approach and methods for the presentation of research work. From the view point of many researchers that Research Methodology is a design process which consists of step by step approach leading towards the conclusion of substantial results. Based on different view point evaluation the researcher of this thesis project suggest that Research Methodology is just a design or step by step approach but its a complete frame work of components which consist of the following: Identify the problem Propagate the idea for possible solution / Brain Storming process Data Collection from the variable sources Evaluate the sample data Conclude the results Finalized the Theory In other words from one of the researcher provides his statements as â€Å"Research design provides the glue that holds the research project together. A design is used to structure the research, to show how all of the major parts of the research project the samples or groups, measures, treatments or programs, and methods of assignment work together to try to address the central research questions.† [http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/design.php] The Research Hypothesis Behind every research work there is certainly some hypothesis always involved, therefore in the same way there are many hypotheses are provided by the different researchers in various research papers about the research methodology, to provide elaboration under the light of those hypothesis the researcher has taken them over here as reference. â€Å"The research or scientific hypothesis is a formal affirmative statement predicting a single research outcome, a tentative explanation of the relationship between two or more variables. For the hypothesis to be testable, the variables must be operationally defined. The is, the researcher specifies what operations were conducted, or tests used, to measure each variables. Thus the hypothesis focuses the investigation on a definite target and determines what observations or measures are to be used† [Research methodology: techniques and trends by Dr. Y.K Singh and Dr. R.B Bajpai Book] The philosophy of the research methodology is to achieve the desired results, for which it is necessary to adopt certain steps, which is also known as Frame work of study. There fore the development in the research can be done. Many Researchers have argued that these research hypotheses by the researcher includes those assumptions which should be vital and in which the researcher views the world so that these assumptions will support the researcher strategy and methods he selected as a part of that strategy. Where as the research can done in various ways , based on the requirements of the thesis projects, but to streamline and to get the most out come of the research there should be a frame work of the thesis has to be adopted. [Self] â€Å"Such philosophies are considered as a tool to find the best way of having research done, and these philosophies enable the researcher to get a well balance conclusion† [Stiles, J. (2003) ‘A Philosophical Justification for a Realist Approach Qualitative Market Research: An International journal, Volume 6, Number 04] The Aims and Objective The aims and objective of this research is to produce a document over a Meta analysis on GPON and EPON technologies with the questionnaire based surveys. For this purpose a customized methodology / framework has been adopted based on the standards provided by the researcher for this nature of work. Types of techniques There are two types of research pattern techniques provided by the researchers one is called Qualitative research and the second is called quantitative research. Sinuff et al. (2007, p.105) defined Qualitative research as â€Å"A Qualitative research offers descriptive models of behaviour, social organization, and social interaction that can be used to improve behaviour and experiences. It is well suited to exploratory investigations of problems which about little are known†. According to Amaratunga et al. (2002), qualitative approach concentrates on words and observations to find a conclusion and it also attempts to design the people in the social sciences. On other side, quantitative research mainly is based on the numbers that represents the opinions and concepts about the particular research. They further argued that the richness and holism of qualitative data can provide strong support for revealing complexities in research process. Furthermore, the information for qualitative research is normally collected over a longer period of time therefore it makes researching more broad. According to Amaratunga et al. (2002) quantitative research design has been considered as appropriate for examining the behavioural component. It has been concerned with measuring the true value of the propositions. It allows the flexibility in examining the data, in terms of statistical analysis, comparative analyses and repeatability of data collection for confirming validity of the research. [Amaratunga Dilanthi, Baldry David, Sarshar Marjan and Newton Rita (2002) ‘Qualitative and Quantitative Research in the Built Environment: Application of â€Å"Mixed† Research Approach, Research Paper, 51(1): 17-31.] Web link: [http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=8AC83587644A027D31356889353AAD04?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkpdfcontentId=851373] Amaratunga et al. (2002) have summarized some of the strengths of quantitative research, which are shown as follows; Its process is quick and also economical. The subject under study is analyzed and observed independently. In quantitative research the comparison and replication is allowed. The reliability and validity can be obtained more objectively than the qualitative. In Quantitative research, data is collected from the large sample that may have a huge influence on the policy decisions. The subject under study is analyzed and observed by adopting the objective methods rather than just been focused on the subjectivity through sensation and reflection. [Amaratunga Dilanthi, Baldry David, Sarshar Marjan and Newton Rita (2002) ‘Qualitative and Quantitative Research in the Built Environment: Application of â€Å"Mixed† Research Approach, Research Paper, 51(1): 17-31.] [http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=8AC83587644A027D31356889353AAD04?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkpdfcontentId=851373] Research Approach (Qualitative Vs Quantitative) The research approach can be either Qualitative or Quantitative, whereas both have there advantages and disadvantages in different scenarios. A quantitative approach consists of the knowledge which will measure, describe and explain all the processes, this type of approach are applies to scientific researches, where the data is taken as sample and to obtain the results. A Qualitative approach is the one in which knowledge is tested to investigate, interpret and to comprehend the processes. In the below given table a comparison can be seen. Research techniques As in previous it is stated by the researchers that there are various techniques adopted to get the most output of the research work. There fore as in case of this thesis which is based on Meta analysis the following listed steps will be followed. Literature Review Questionnaire based Survey Survey Analysis Conclusion / Result set Data Collection, Surveys and Questionnaire Data Collection Methods Data can be collected for the research purposes in two methods, primary data collection and secondary data collection, which are defined below: Primary Data In this kind of research the researcher has to collect all the information related to the topic, by interacting himself with different professionals related to the research topic. Data can be collected for various reasons, such as doing research from the organisations perspective, where the researcher has to carry out interviews and prepare questionnaires that are useful to obtain relevant information (). Primary research can be very hectic and time consuming as the researcher has to attain the knowledge from the people who are indirectly or directly related with the topic which is being researched. The reason for not to use primary research is because retail sector is very vast sector, and requires thorough understanding of its operations. Primary research need to be carried out when there are lack of information available through secondary research, which can be obtained thorough primary research by conducting telephonic interviews, mailed questionnaires or by focus group that is a nother reason why the researcher choose the method of secondary research to gather all the relevant information. [Quinton, S. and Smallbone, T. (2006), postgraduate research in business: a critical guide, London: Sage publications] If the research is of primary data collection then there are two types of observations, participants observations which is more emphasis on qualitative and the second is structured observations which is more attached to quantitative (). [Saunders, M. Lewis, P. and Thornhill A. (2000), Research Methods for Business Students, 2nd Edition, England: Pearson Education] Participant And Structured Observations â€Å"Participant observation is a major research strategy which aims to gain a close and intimate familiarity within a group of individuals, and their practices† (wikipedia, 2007). Their intensive involvement is also required with the people in their natural environment. [online] Available at: [Accessed 10th dec 2006]. Collection Of Primary Data Use of interpersonal interviews and purposeful questionnaires are the most authentic ways of collecting data unlike observations and case studies, which makes the data more reliable and realistic. In collection of primary data use of questionnaires and interviews help to make the research more significant [Saunders, M. Lewis, P. and Thornhill A. (2000), Research Methods for Business Students, 2nd Edition, England: Pearson Education]. In primary data collection the researcher has to interact with individuals or groups in order to obtain required data, which is not being collected before and is exclusive. [Quinton, S. and Smallbone, T. (2006), postgraduate research in business: a critical guide, London: Sage publications] Collection And Design Of Questionnaires Design of questionnaires should be precise and understandable. Before giving feedbacks everyone would like to know who you are (having contact numbers or address), what type of research you are doing and what will be the outcomes. The list of questions should appear clear and not very lengthy, try to make answerer not to work hard and except giving long answers they can carry on with simple ticks, or circles []. [Brent, primary data collection methods, [online], Available at: http://brent.tvu.ac.uk/dissguide/hm1u3/hm1u3text3.htm]. According to Bryman: (2003: pp. 161, Bryman, A. and Bell. E. (2003), â€Å"Business research methods†, New York: Oxford University Press.), it is necessary to keep in mind that the questions which are being prepared for the research, should be asked in different ways, such as: Personal questions, which include the private information from the participant like age, gender, etcetera (2003 pp. 161-164, Bryman, A. and Bell. E. (2003), â€Å"Business research methods†, New York: Oxford University Press). Factual question but this includes the information about others. Informer factual questions which includes the information other then private. Questions about what the respondent beliefs regarding certain aspects are. Question about attitudes are very common in asking for the research information (Bryman, 2003 pp. 161-164). Questions about topic mean that whether participant has the knowledge and experience regarding specific area or not (Bryman, 2003 pp. 161-164). [Bryman, A. and Bell. E. (2003), â€Å"Business research methods†, New York: Oxford University Press] Advantages And Disadvantages Of Primary Data Collection It is also advantageous if data is being collected by the use of primary research. Keeping in view that it could only happen if the sample questionnaire is simple and relevant, and there is no replication or irrelevancy in questionnaires. Disadvantages include the expensive procedure having time constraint. There is also a possibility of participants being bias when answering the questionnaire which may result in data being misinterpreted. Secondary Data Secondary data collection is a kind of research where there is no need for the researcher to be involved directly or physically with the live experiences. In this research the data is available in different forms such as printed material or electronic versions and contain all the past experiences, experienced by individuals or organizations. Comparatively secondary data collection is much easier and hassle free for the researcher who wants the research to be based on past experiences (Quinton, 2006: pp. 67-69). According to research compliance (no date) â€Å" Data, documents, records, or specimens that have been collected, or will be collected solely for non-research purposes and are in existence prior to the beginning of the study†. Resources Of Secondary Data For the collection of secondary data research there are various indefinite resources through which information can be collected. The researcher must be using the data which is being collected prior to do the research and may be used for some other reasons before. The most commonly resources from which data could be collected are: newspapers, magazines, articles, journals (manuals and e journals both), financial reports and some internal organisational documents could be a part of secondary data. Data Collection Techniques Techniques tell us by what means the data will be collected. Following section shows the methods used by the researcher to collect data. Multiple sources.( different societies) Survey data (statistical census reports and governmental data) Multiple Sources While working on this dissertation the researcher had gone through some of the Vendor based white papers to have more clear idea of the technology, also gone through the Research papers provided by the various researchers. Survey Data Survey data means what so ever information or data being collected prior to the research from any specific resources, like literature or review being published could be used as a part of secondary data collection Collection Of Secondary Data While the data is gathered from secondary sources, it is not always possible to fulfill all the desired results, that a researcher is expecting as these informations can be published for some other purposes, but have some-what relevance to the work on which researcher is working, so these datas can benefit the researcher (Saunders et al. 2000: p. 200). When gathering data from news papers, there is likelihood that news papers can have some printing mistakes, it is very rare that they publish some reports which might be proved wrong in future; even then news papers are and will always be a great resource of secondary data. With web links, some of the websites are amendable by anyone, in that case the research can be affected because data is not authenticated (Saunders et al, 2000). Advantages Of Secondary Data There is no doubt that Secondary research is more advantageous as described by Ghauri et al: (1995) [] that, in search of solution of the research questions and aims, secondary data enables the researcher to gather existing data through various resources, in desired amount of money and time. Secondary data take less time in analysis and give more chance to think about synergy. Whereas, Steward and Kamins: (1993) [] argues that in comparison with primary data secondary data is the most quickest way of gathering knowledge, and seems to be the more viable alternative and is of high quality in nature and easier to measure. [Ghauri et. al., (1995, citing in Saunders et al. 2000), research methods for business students, England: Pearson Education limited.] [Karmins and Stewarts, (1993, Cited by Saunders et al. 2000), research methods for business students, England: Pearson Education limited.] Disadvantages Of Secondary Data According to Denscombe (1998), â€Å"there are some disadvantages of choosing the secondary based research, the data, which is being used, may be of old version and not reflect objectives and research questions.† In other words this method can also be inappropriate because the data collected may have interpretations that are not exactly following the said topic aims. Resources Used Secondary based research is comprised on the data which is previously available via different acknowledged resources, therefore the researcher come across to different reliable resources in order to collect the relevant data such as: Resources for e-journals Business Process Management Journal, Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management ) Emerald (articles) Search Engines Google advance search. Google ( scholar search, online books and Literature) Books. Articles. Magazines. Professional in the field of Network Access Technology [Saunders, M. Lewis, P. and Thornhill A. (2000), Research Methods for Business Students, 2nd Edition, England: Pearson Education] [Denscombe (1998, Citing by Saunders et al. 2000), research methods for business students, England: Pearson Education limited.] [Ghauri et. al., (1995, citing in Saunders et al. 2000), research methods for business students, England: Pearson Education limited.] [Bryman, A. and Bell. E. (2003), â€Å"Business research methods†, New York: Oxford University Press] [Brent, primary data collection methods, [online], Available at: http://brent.tvu.ac.uk/dissguide/hm1u3/hm1u3text3.htm]. [Quinton, S. and Smallbone, T. (2006), postgraduate research in business: a critical guide, London: Sage publications]

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Roles of Anglo-Saxon Women Essay -- Women Females Roles Essays

The Roles of Anglo-Saxon Women The roles Anglo-Saxon women played in their society depended on the status they had in their community. As in most cultures, the roles of women in Anglo-Saxon society included mother, wife, caregiver, and teacher. Because Anglo-Saxon women had many different roles, I will only focus here on marriage, divorce, and their daily life in their society. Where marriage was concerned, Anglo-Saxon women had the possibility of marrying anyone they chose. Sometimes marriages were arranged to keep peace between two clans, but the women still had the right to refuse the proposal. Since women could own land in this early culture, morgengifu (morning gifs) like land were given to a prospective the wife to persuade her to marry. Because husband and wife, if they wer...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Marketing Plan Soft Drink Company 1st Half Essay

The following plan is intended to provide a basic marketing communications plan for a fictitious company. The company in question operates in China and produces soft drinks, particularly adult soft drinks. The information in the plan has been sourced from various textbooks and online research including the National Bureau of Statistics China. It has been found that the company should target the market aged 18 to 44, married, living in urban China, and purchasing for personal use. In order to address and leverage the current internal and external situation, the recommended marketing communications objectives have been set as follows: 1. Increase awareness of the brand name to 50% of the target market 2. Increase awareness of the portability and attractive design of the product to 25% of the target segment Introduction The following plan has been compiled in order to provide the basis for a comprehensive marketing communications plan for a fictitious. The company produces and sells soft drinks. It specializes in adult soft drinks. The company and brand are new to the market. In order to provide a useful plan, the target segment has been identified and defined, a SWOT analysis has been carried out for the brand and organization, and marketing communications objectives have been set. The plan identifies the target market through segmentation variables. Following this is an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that the company must either address or leverage. Finally the marketing communications objectives are set in the final section. Segmenting the Market In order to develop a sufficient marketing communications plan, it is necessary to first know the target market that marketing messages will be directed toward. The market for this company’s offering can be defined according to the segmentation variables discussed by Schiffman et al(2005). The variables most relevant to this market are age, family life cycle, geography, awareness level, and user-situation(Schiffman et al, 2005). By using these variables it is possible to define the market as aged between 18 and 44, single or newly married, living in urban areas, unaware of the brand, and buying for personal use. Within this market it is possible to further segment the preferred target market for this company’s offering. Age can be used to further segment the market. Although older members of the family have a large influence on purchase decisions in China, Duncan(2005) implies that these older people are part of the ‘late majority’ group, which is not an attractive group for new products(Duncan, 2005 p229). Therefore the age of the target segment will be 18 to 44, as these individuals should be more likely to adopt new products or at least be influenced by ‘early adopters’(Duncan, 2005 p230). These individuals make up almost 35% of the total population(National Bureau of Statistics China, 2004), and so form a profitable target segment. The target segment can be further limited to those in the ‘young marrieds’ and ‘parenthood’ stages of the family life cycle(Schiffman et al, 2005). Geography is another useful variable. The target segment will live in the inner city or suburban areas of cities, and not on the outskirts of major urban areas or in rural areas. The income gap between urban and rural areas is substantial, with urban households averaging CNY9421. 6 per annum, and rural households CNY2936. 4, in 2004(National Bureau of Statistics China, 2004). By using the above segmentation variables we now have a target segment at which to direct the marketing communications strategy. SWOT Analysis In order to reach useful marketing objectives it is necessary to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that can be leveraged or addressed by the communications effort. This is known as a SWOT analysis(Duncan, 2005). The external environment will be considered first. According to an analysis of the external environment, two major opportunities exist. These are an increase on sales of adult soft drinks over the past year, and a minimum of new adult soft drink products being marketed by competitors. According to an article in China Daily(2006), sales of adult soft drinks increased by 47% in 2006. This shows that there is an increasing market for ‘adult’ soft drinks. Internal factors are also evaluated in the SWOT analysis. Analysis of this company has revealed two major strengths and one major weakness. The strengths are a devotion to customer service, and the design and innovativeness of the products. Customer service is something that is still at a basic level in China in terms of building relationships with new customers. This company offers outstanding after sales service, with teams located in every major Chinese city who are available 7 days a week and after hours on weekdays. This level of after sales service is not common among drink manufacturers in China. The company also has a follow-up strategy that includes phone calls and emails to new customers giving them the chance to open dialogues with the firm. The other strength, the design and innovativeness of the products, is more tangible. This company produces only adult soft drinks and is therefore able to allocate more time and resources to improving only one line of product, unlike other soft drink manufacturers. The look of the adult soft drinks in this company’s range is modern, using metallic colours on slim bottles, rather than the traditional images of fruit. There is one major internal weakness that should be addressed by any marketing communication efforts: brand awareness. Being a new brand, there is 0% awareness of this company’s brand in the target segment. This will almost certainly present a weakness that will have to be addressed by the marketing communications effort. The above SWOTs can be prioritized to reveal which should be leveraged or addressed by the marketing communications effort. These are brand awareness, the appearance and functionality of the product, and the lack of attention to the adult soft drinks in the market. These factors will now be considered in relation to marketing communications objectives. Marketing Communications Objectives According to Duncan, marketing objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, and challenging(2005, p180). In order to address the major weakness of the brand, increasing brand awareness should be a high priority. According to the AIDA decision making hierarchy(Duncan, 2005), communications cause customers to begin a process which moves from awareness to interest to desire to action. Since there is 0% awareness of the brand, communications will begin by creating brand awareness, particularly awareness of the brand name. This will be the first of the company’s marketing communications objectives: Increase awareness of the brand name to 50% of the target market. The achievement of this objective will create awareness, which will be transformed into interest and desire through the second objective. The second objective will be: Increase awareness of the portability and attractive design of the product to 25% of the target segment. According to the AIDA hierarchy, ‘making people aware of a brand is much easier than persuading them to buy a brand or take some other action’(Duncan, 2005 p182). The figure of 25% is set due to this theory. Aiming to create awareness of the products tangible qualities will ideally create interest in the brand, which may result in action on behalf of the target segment. With these objectives set it will be possible to create marketing messages that are directed and can be evaluated in terms of their effectiveness and ability to achieve the company’s objectives. The objectives have been set in close attention to the SWOTs that were revealed earlier, in order to maximize the effect of the marketing communications effort. Conclusion In conclusion it can be seen that the first half of the marketing communications plan has been completed. The target market has been identified as aged between 18 and 44, married or married with children, residing in urban areas in major Chinese cities, and purchasing the product for personal use. The SWOT analysis revealed that the company’s major advantages are the lack of attention to the adult soft drink market in China, and the attractive design and functionality of the product. The company’s major disadvantages are the domination of the market by major manufacturers, and the lack of brand awareness. However, the marketing communications objectives set in the plan will ideally address and leverage each of the pros and cons that exist in the situation. References Schiffman, L.et al, 2005, Consumer Behaviour, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest. China Daily, 2006, Soft drink sales cooling down, www. chinadaily. com. cn, viewed 4th April 2008 http://www. chinadaily. com. cn/china/2006-10/06/content_702416. htm Duncan, T. 2005, Principles of Advertising & IMC (2nd ed. ), McGraw-Hill/Irwin, New York. National Bureau of Statistics China, 2004, www. stats. gov. cn, viewed 4th April 2008 at http://www. stats. gov. cn/tjsj/ndsj/2005/indexeh. htm.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Admissions

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Admissions Admissions at Indiana University of Pennsylvania are generally openaround nine out of every ten  applicants are accepted each year. Students can apply online or on paper, and will also need to submit scores from the SAT or ACT and high school transcripts. Be sure to check out the schools website for more information, including important deadlines. Will You Get In? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) Indiana University of Pennsylvania Acceptance Rate: 92%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 420 / 530SAT Math: 420 / 520SAT Writing: - / -(what these SAT numbers mean)ACT Composite: 17  / 23ACT English: 15 / 23ACT Math: 17  / 23(what these ACT numbers mean) Indiana University of Pennsylvania Description Founded in 1875 as Indiana Normal School, Indiana University of Pennsylvania is now a large public university that offers 145 undergraduate degree programs and 71 graduate programs. The University frequently receives national recognition for its educational value. IUP is made up of numerous colleges and schools with the College of Health and Human Services having the highest undergraduate enrollment. Student life is active with over 220 student organizations including 18 fraternities and 14 sororities. In athletics, IUP competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division II level. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 12,971  (10,743 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 44% Male / 56% Female93% Full-time Costs (2016  - 17) Tuition and Fees: $11,368  (in-state); $22,377 (out-of-state)Books: $1,100 (why so much?)Room and Board: $12,246Other Expenses: $2,288Total Cost: $27,002  (in-state); $38,011 (out-of-state) Indiana University of Pennsylvania Financial Aid (2015 - 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 91%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 65%Loans: 80%Average Amount of AidGrants: $6,753Loans: $8,367 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Business Administration, Communication Studies, Criminology, Elementary Education, Health and Physical Education, Marketing, NursingWhat major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 75%Transfer-out Rate: 30%4-Year Graduation Rate: 37%6-Year Graduation Rate: 54% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Track and Field, Swimming, Baseball, Football, Golf, Cross Country, BasketballWomens Sports:  Basketball, Swimming, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Track and Field, Soccer, Lacrosse, Cross Country Data Source National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Indiana University of Pennsylvania, You May Also Like These Schools Clarion University: Profile  Duquesne University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Pittsburgh: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDrexel University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDelaware State University: Profile  Lock Haven University: Profile  Seton Hill University: Profile  Temple University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWest Virginia University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphRobert Morris University: Profile  Edinboro University of Pennsylvania: Profile  Slippery Rock University: Profile  Pennsylvania State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Indiana University of Pennsylvania Mission Statement read the complete mission statement at  iup.edu/upper.aspx?id2065 Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a leading public, doctoral/research university, strongly committed to undergraduate and graduate instruction, scholarship, and public service. Indiana University of Pennsylvania engages students as learners and leaders in an intellectually challenging, culturally enriched, and contemporarily diverse environment...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Flores Surname Meaning and Origin - About Genealogy

Flores Surname Meaning and Origin - About Genealogy The surname Flores has existed in Spain since the 12th century, but a common origin has not been found. It is believed to most likely derive from the given name Floro, meaning flower from the Latin flos. Flores is the 55th most popular surname in the United States and the 15th most common Hispanic surname. Surname Origin:  Spanish Alternate Surname Spellings:  FLOREZ, FROYLEZ, FROLAZ, FLORIZ, FLORAZ, FLOR, FLORAN, FLORIAN, FLORIO, FLORIS, FLORI Famous People With the Surname FLORES Pedro Flores - inventor of the yo-yoFrancisco  Flores  Perez - former president of El SalvadorJuan Josà © Flores  - first president of EquadorMarco Antonio Flores  - Guatemalan writer and poetJosà © Asuncià ³n Flores  - Paraguayan composerSalvador Flores -  Alamo defender; recruiter of volunteers in support of the Texas Revolution Where Do People With the FLORES Surname Live? The surname distribution data at  Forebears  ranks Flores as the 167th  most common surname in the world, identifying it as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest density in Honduras. The Flores surname is actually the most common surname in the nation of Bolivia, and also ranks among the top ten last names in Peru (2nd), El Salvador (4th), Honduras (5th), and Guam (10th) and Mexico (10th). It is also common within Guatemala, Chile, Venezuela, Belize and Argentina.  Within Europe, Flores is most frequently found in Spain, according to  WorldNames PublicProfiler, especially the western provinces of  Badajoz and  Cceres. The Flores surname is also found throughout the United States, where it is most common in the states of California and New Mexico. Genealogy Resources for the Surname FLORES 100 Most Common Spanish SurnamesHave you ever wondered about your Spanish last name  Ã‚  and how it came to be? This article describes common Spanish naming patterns, and explores the meaning and origins of 100 common Spanish surnames. How to Research Hispanic HeritageLearn how to get started researching  your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean and other Spanish speaking countries. Flores Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Flores family crest or coat of arms for the Flores surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   Flores Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Flores surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Flores query. FamilySearch - FLORES GenealogyAccess over 6.3 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Flores surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FLORES Surname Family Mailing ListsThis free mailing list for researchers of the Flores surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. DistantCousin.com - FLORES Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name FLORES. The Flores Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Flores from the website of Genealogy Today. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Critically examine why financial liberalisation brought financial Essay

Critically examine why financial liberalisation brought financial crisis in most of the Asian countries (for example South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thaila - Essay Example Transactions in financial markets are affected by the efficiency of intermediaries such as brokers who put buyers and sellers together and professionals who keep the market in operation, ranging from clerks who keep records and financial analysts who allow information to flow within, to, and from the market (Howell et al., 2002). Historically, financial markets evolved under the close supervision, regulation, and protection of governments for the good of market agents (the suppliers and users of funds). Through laws, suppliers of funds such as depositors or lenders were protected from swindlers who ran away with the money, whilst users or funds borrowers had to be protected from usurious lenders. Whilst the government also made it difficult for a small number of market agents to establish an oligopoly, it also saw the need to create monopolies mainly for legitimate reasons such as the regulation of prices, public protection, and to stimulate market competition. However, when governments become too complacent, these legitimate reasons become intertwined with political factors and became illegitimate and burdensome, and instead of improving market efficiency it had the opposite effect: markets became too costly, prices were too high, artificial, and not competitive, and therefore highly inefficient. Inefficiency is tantamount to a lack of freedom in the operations of markets, so the call for market liberalisation is in effect a strategy to "free" the market from government regulations. Liberalisation is the removal of government interference in economic markets and barriers to trade (Stiglitz 2002: 59) and is supposed to improve a nation's economy by forcing resources to move from less to more productive uses, thereby raising efficiency in the use of resources. Liberalisation is not necessarily a bad thing because in fact and intention, it is for the benefit of market agents. However, like most other realities of life, if it is not done well it can end in disaster. Just to give some examples easy to understand: you don't ask a young man who just received his driver's license to race against David Coulthard or expect the Manchester school district's soccer champions to play well against Manchester United. Yet, this is what liberalisation attempts to do: the best way to improve the efficiency of financial markets is to let it free, which usually means allowing competitors both local and foreign to slug it out in open competition. The good ones will adjust, learn, and survive, whilst the poor ones will disappear. The financial markets of Southeast Asia before the crisis shared the characteristics of a market that was not free and of being under the influence of government regulations that stifled competition. The foreign exchange market was protected by a government that intervened in transactions to keep the local currencies artificially high. Bank interest rates were kept artificially low to favour local borrowers, which included local governments and favoured conglomerates. Awash with cheap funds, wanton borrowing and wild lending happened side by side to construct golf courses and buildings and purchase Porsches. How Inefficiency breeds Crisis The Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998 has been one of the well-studied

Friday, November 1, 2019

The difference between the firm's operating cycle and its cash Essay

The difference between the firm's operating cycle and its cash conversion cycle - Essay Example It would only include time for the initial payment of cash by the company and the receipt of cash from the customers. Operating cycles are either short or long and both of these have serious implications for the company. An operating cycle which is short would mean that the company`s return on investment is rapid. A longer operating cycle, on the other hand, means that the company is not getting a quick return on investment and this probably affect the company in the long run. Operating cycles also differ according to the nature of the economy. If there is an economic downturn, then the operating cycle of a company would probably last longer than the one during a period of an economic growth. The operating cycle of a company is also helps in the estimation of the amount of the working capital required by the company to maintain its growth. There are a number of factors influencing the duration or the time period of the operating cycle and these include the payment terms extended to t he company by its suppliers. Also, a higher order fulfillment policy would increase the duration of the operating cycle. The credit terms and payment policies of the company also affect the time period of the operating cycle. Therefore, operating cycles of a company are often affected the policies and decisions of a company as well as the policies of other companies towards the said company. The cash conversion cycle of a company is the time period required for a company to convert its resources cash flows. This cycle shows the time, in days, which a company takes to sell inventory, collect its receivables as well as pay all its bills. This process of cash conversion shows the financial position of the company during a certain period of time. The cash conversion ratio is calculated through the collection of three ratios which are related to the inventory turnover which is the accounts receivable. This cycle shows how long an investment is in the production stage before being turned into cash. This cash conversion cycle is also known as the net operating cycle of a company. A company`s cash conversion cycle lengthens when it takes a longer time in collecting its accrued payments. For small businesses especially, longer cash conversion cycles show the difference between its profits and bankruptcy as these companies highly rely on cash from such sales of inventories. One of the major differences between an operating and a cash conversion cycle is the difference in the calculation of both of these. In order to calculate the operating cycle, the duration of each component of the operating cycle needs to be determined and this includes raw materials, finished goods, work in progress etc. the operating cycle is found out by summing these individual components. The requirement for working capital would be higher if the operating cycle is longer. On the other hand, cash conversion cycle is calculated using the days payable outstanding ratio as well as those elements us ed in the operating cycle calculation. The days payable outstanding is the average time taken by a company to pay its suppliers. The formula for cash conversion is days inventory outstanding + days sales outstanding – days payable outstanding. All of these activity ratios are expressed in days and show the cash conversion cycle of the company. Both operating cycles and cash conversion cycles are really important for an owner as well as the company as the whole. The cash conversion cycle is extremely important for the financial analysis being done by the owner. This is because it shows the factors related to cash which is really important