Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Reflection Summary Essay Example for Free
Reflection Summary Essay Collaborate with your Learning Team to discuss the previous week’s objectives. Discuss what you learned, what could be applicable to your workplace or personal life, and how your knowledge has increased as a result of what you experienced through the learning activities in the previous week. Submit your team summary of the discussion in a 1-2 page Microsoft  ® Word document. General Questions General General Questions Management Theory and Practice All Weeks, Assignments, Discussion Questions + Final Exam Refrain from plagiarizing as the consequences can be extreme. During your college life, you will likely write a lot of papers. Be certain you do not plagiarize the work of others. Your professors are pros at recognizing plagiarized work, so be sure to write your papers on your own. This file MGT 230 Week 3 Reflection Summary contains review of works during the last 3 weeks Collaborate with your Learning Team to discuss the previous week’s objectives. Discuss what you learned, what could be applicable to your workplace or personal life, and how your knowledge has increased as a result of what you experienced through the learning activities in the previous week. Submit your team summary of the discussion in a 1-2 page Microsoft  ® Word document. General Questions General General Questions Management Theory and Practice All Weeks, Assignments, Discussion Questions + Final Exam Refrain from plagiarizing as the consequences can be extreme. During your college life, you will likely write a lot of papers. Be certain you do not plagiarize the work of others. Your professors are pros at recognizing plagiarized work, so be sure to write your papers on your o To download this material Click this link https://bitly.com/1oJNhBq Refrain from plagiarizing as the consequences can be extreme. During your college life, you will likely write a lot of papers. Be certain you do not plagiarize the work of others. Your professors are pros at recognizing plagiarized work, so be sure to write your papers on your own. General Questions General General Questions Management Theory and Practice All Weeks, Assignments, Discussion Questions + Final Exam
Monday, August 5, 2019
Damages to Mammalian Neural Activity Treatment
Damages to Mammalian Neural Activity Treatment Utilizing Prokaryotic Channels, Organic Biometric Neurons and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin to Reverse and Repair Damages to Mammalian Neural activity Stephen Shay Introduction One of the most detrimental conditions that a patient can acquire is damage to the nervous system. Major damages can include vascular disorders, congenital, degenerative disorders and trauma. These damages and disorders often involve abnormal neurochemical and electrical signaling (Purves et al. 2012). There are currently many treatments available for patients suffering damage to the nervous system. These possible treatments can range from surgery, physical therapy and medications for autoimmune diseases which can help a patient adapt to or possibly provide a small fix for their individual situation but the underlying problem may still subsist. The damages caused to mammalian axons in the central nervous system (CNS) fail to regenerate or repair after injury with issues such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) or demyelinating conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) leading to affected nerve fibers which will no longer work correctly as shown by Mierzwa et al. (2015). This can leave s ites of injury in patients unmanageable and without a clear path to recovery. To remedy this, a toolbox has been proposed utilizing a series of recent research. Nguyen et al. (2016) describe a method which would allow for direct enhancement of electrical excitability in human cells through the overexpression of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC). Simon et al. (2015) developed an organic electronic biometric neuron, which has the capacity to integrate within a malfunctioning signaling pathway. Lim et al. (2016) present that through stimulating neural activity and the cell-growth-promoting pathway of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in mice which their visual neurons silenced would see RGC axons regenerated and re-innervated. Utilizing these tools; engineered prokaryotic channels to increase tissue excitability, organic electronic biomimetic neurons to mimic the function of physiological neurons and bridge the affected zone to the rest of the nervo us system, and utilizing visual neural stimulation along with activation of the mTOR pathway to stimulate axon regeneration, it opens up the possibility to reverse and repair conditions caused by damages and afflictions to the nervous system. Prokaryotic Channels Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are fundamental to cell-to-cell communication in the nervous system, and their loss of function can lead to a variety of different disorders (e.g. neuronal, cardiac and skeletal muscular). These VGSCs, in electrically excitable tissues, allow for the firing and spread of action potentials. Ren et al. (2001) along with Koshi et al. (2003) had provided novel insight into the structure and biophysical properties of VGSCs and a large bacterial family of VGSCs called BacNav. Utilizing this bacteria Nguyen et al. (2016) established a platform to enable stable conversion of primary human fibroblasts into action potential conducting cells which can slowly recover conduction in tissues with pathological conditions. Versatility was shown as Nguyen et al. with applying this technology to human ventricular fibroblasts (HVFs), human astrocytes (Has) and HECK293s into engineered electrically excitable cells (E-HVFs, E-HAs and E-HEK293s, respectively) (Nguyen e t al.). Though this study only focused on the alteration of specific amino acid residues in BacNav, E43 and D60, a variety of possible combinations can be explored to further expand the possibilities of this approach. Organic Biometric Neurons Currently most neurological therapies are based in and rely on medication and electrical stimulation. Larsen et al. (2013) presented how a newer class of technology called iontronics, which is based on polyelectrolytes and à ₠¬-conjugated semiconducting polymers, can work as organic electronic electrophoretic transport devices. Iontronics exhibit a unique combination of ionic and electronic properties, enabling transduction between electronic impulses and biochemical signals. Applying this, Simon et al. (2015) presented an organic electronic biomimetic neuron or artificial neuron with the hopes it can be used to restore use to malfunctioning signaling pathways. These artificial neurons are based on the basic chemical-electrical-chemical signal transduction like projected neurons use in communication with one another hoping to find a potential for long-range neuronal signaling. Simon et al. had concluded their results offered a novel means for auto-regulated neuromodulation bas ed on endogenous substances, enabling malfunctioning neuronal signaling pathways to be restored or augmented, thus returning the damaged area to a chemically and electrically balanced healthy state. The artificial neurons also present a conversion of glutamate-induced descending neuromuscular signals into acetylcholine-mediated muscular activation signals may be obtained, applicable for bridging injured sites and active prosthetics (Simon et al.). Neural Activity Combined with Activated Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Focusing on the eye-to-brain pathway which consists of RGC connections to subcortical targets [as] a widely used model for studying vertebrate CNS regeneration (Vidal-Sanz et al. 1987) (Park et al. 2008), Lim et al. (2016) shows how that the stimulation of RGC activity leading to their axons regeneration and by looking at axon damage in the CNS they observed avenues in which they can regenerate and restore correct connectivity patterns. Lim et al. had found that enhancing neural activity and mTOR signaling in RGCs, we observed long-distance, target-specific RGC axon regeneration in adult mice showing a mechanistic combination that can lead to axon regrowth and repair. This research may prove informative for devising treatments for the damaged visual system, spinal cord or other CNS regions in patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases or physical trauma (Lim et al.). Proposed Method of Combination Therapy and its Prospect of Neuromodulation Through its Application/Discussion There are important functional implications for the anatomical regeneration of the different parts of the nervous system. Utilizing a combination of these tools that these research teams worked on, its possible to come up with a possible combination therapy to reverse or repair serious damages when it comes to the nervous system. A treatment involving these tools would be a personalized therapy requiring costume gene editing for the prokaryotic channels, specialized artificial neurons for the site of damage and while using out-patient or in-patient therapy to stimulate neural activity and enhance mTOR. If done together the possibility is open for neuronal regeneration and chemical and electric stabilization, for affected tissue and site of injury. References Koishi, R., Xu, H., Ren, D., Navarro, B., Spiller, B. W., Shi, Q., Clapham, D. E. (2003). A Superfamily of Voltage-gated Sodium Channels in Bacteria. Journal of BiologicalChemistry, 279(10), 9532-9538. doi:10.1074/jbc.m313100200 Larsson, K. C., Kjà ¤ll, P., Richter-Dahlfors, A. (2013). Organic bioelectronics for electronic-to chemical translation in modulation of neuronal signaling and machine-to-brain interfacing. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) General Subjects, 1830(9), 4334-4344. doi:10.1016/j.bbagen.2012.11.024 Lim, J. A., Stafford, B. K., Nguyen, P. L., Lien, B. V., Wang, C., Zukor, K., . . . Huberman, A. D. (2016). Neural activity promotes long-distance, target-specific regeneration of adult retinal axons. Nature Neuroscience, 19(8), 1073-1084. doi:10.1038/nn.4340 Mierzwa, A. J., Marion, C. M., Sullivan, G. M., Mcdaniel, D. P., Armstrong, R. C. (2015). Components of Myelin Damage and Repair in the Progression of White Matter Pathology After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Neuropathology Experimental Neurology, 74(3), 218-232. doi:10.1097/nen.0000000000000165 Nguyen, H. X., Kirkton, R. D., Bursac, N. (2016). Engineering prokaryotic channels for control of mammalian tissue excitability. Nature Communications, 7, 13132. doi:10.1038/ncomms13132 Park, K. K., Liu, K., Hu, Y., Smith, P. D., Wang, C., Cai, B., . . . He, Z. (2008). Promoting Axon Regeneration in the Adult CNS by Modulation of the PTEN/mTOR Pathway. Science, 322(5903), 963-966. doi:10.1126/science.116156 Purves, D. et al. (2012). Neuroscience. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates. Ren, D. et al. (2001). A Prokaryotic Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel. Science, 294(5550), 2372-2375. doi:10.1126/science.1065635 Simon, D. T., Larsson, K. C., Nilsson, D., Burstrà ¶m, G., Galter, D., Berggren, M., Richter-Dahlfors, A. (2015). An organic electronic biomimetic neuron enables auto regulated neuromodulation. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 71, 359-364. doi:10.1016/j.bios.2015.04.058 Vidal-Sanz, M., Bray, G.M., Villegas-Pà ©rez, M.P., Thanos, S. Aguayo, A.J. (1987). Axonal regeneration and synapse formation in the superior colliculus by retinal ganglion cells in the adult rat. J.Neurosci. 7, 2894-2909.
HAWT Technology Research
HAWT Technology Research Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT), are the most commonly used wind turbine.HAWTs have a similar design to a windmill, with blades that look like a propeller, spinning around a horizontal axis.                                  Figure 1 Typical HAWT All the components (blades, shaft, gearbox, generator) are located at the top of the tower. The blades must face into the wind and yaw into position every time the wind direction changes. The shaft axis is horizontal to the ground. The wind hits the blades of the turbine where lift causes rotation. The shaft has a gear on the end coupled to a gearbox which turns a generator. The generator produces electricity and sends this either to power grid or electrical equipment requiring power. The wind turbine also has some key elements that adds to its efficiency. Inside the Nacelle (or head) is an anemometer, wind vane, and controller that read the speed and direction of the wind. As the wind changes direction, a motor (yaw motor) turns the nacelle so the blades are always facing the wind. The power source also comes with a safety feature. In case of extreme winds the turbine has a break that can slow the shaft speed. This is to inhibit any damage to the turbine in extreme conditions. See F igure 2.                Figure 2 Internal components of a typical HAWT The merits of horizontal axis wind turbine over vertical axis wind turbine can be seen in                               Table1 Benefits of HAWTs vs VAWT HAWT VS VAWT NO POWER GENERATION EFFICIENCY HORIZONTAL AXIS VERTICAL AXIS 1 POWER GENERATION EFFICIENCY 50% 60% ABOVE 70% 2 ROTATING SPEED HIGH LOW 3 EFFECT ON BIRDS GREAT SMALL 4 GEAR BOX ABOVE 10KW: YES NO 5 BLADE ROTATION SPACE QUITE LARGE QUITE SMALL     6 NOISE 5-60 Db 0-10 Db 7 STARTING WIND SPEED HIGH(2.5-5m/s) LOW (1.5-3 m/s)  Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Blade The blade is one of the most important components of a wind turbine. It is required to have the best materials, manufacturing, analysis and testing to endure aerodynamic loads, gravitational loads, inertia loads and operational loads throughout its lifetime. Therefore, the structural design process has a decisive and critical influence on the overall performance of the blade. The structural design of a HAWT blade involves many considerations such as strength, stability, cyclic loading, cost and vibration. Reducing the mass is a key requirement for a successful blade design. A lighter blade will not only exert lower loads on the remaining components of the HAWT, but also reduce the cost. This is a benefit to the entire turbine system, including the support body and the foundation. However, the recent approach results in material layup with high component thicknesses. Blade mass as a result often does not exhibit a satisfactory structural response. There is huge potential to reduce the amount of material used in the blades manufacture to minimise its mass. The process of structural blade optimisation to reduce mass and increase its mechanical properties is an important area of development worthy of in-depth research. Table 1 details various HAWTs and their rotor weights.                   Table 2 Selection of turbine size and weight configurations Turbine Name Pitch or Stall Rotar dia (m) No of Blades Nacelle and Rotor Weight (kg) Weight per Swept Area (kg/m ²) Mitsubishi MWT-1000 (1 MW) P 57 3 unspecified Nordex N90 (2.3 MW) P 90 3 84,500 13.3 Nordex N80 (2.5 MW) P 80 3 80,500 16 Repower 5M (5 MW Siemens P 126 3 unspecified SWT-3.6-107 (3.6 MW) Siemens P 107 3 220,000 24.5 SWT-2.3-93 (2.3 MW P 93 3 142,000 20.9 Gamesa G90-2MW (2 MW P 90 3 106,000 16.7 Gamesa G58-850 (850 kW) P 58 3 35,000 13.3 Enercon E82 (2 MW) P 82 3 unspecified GE wind 3.6sl (3.6 MW) P 111 3 unspecified Vestas V164 (7.0 MW) P 164 3 unspecified Vestas V90 (2 MW) P 90 3 106,000 16.7 Vestas V82 (1.65 MW) P 82 3 95,000 18 Advantages of HAWT over VAWT Axis of Rotation It is the main and biggest difference. As the name states, Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine has its axis of rotation parallel to the ground and Vertical Axis Wind Turbine has its axis of rotation perpendicular to ground. Number of blades working at a time If we take a 3-bladed wind turbine for example, then in a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine, all three blades work at once. whilst in a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine only blade works at a time. Working wind direction VAWTs are omni directional and work in all wind directions while HAWTs only works in a specific wind direction and have to yaw to face the wind before they can begin operation. When wind direction changes the stops, and has to yaw into position. Efficiency at a given wind speed Because all the blade of HAWT work at the same time, its efficiency is much greater than the VAWT. REFERENCES Peter J. Schubel * and Richard J. Crossley Faculty of Engineering, Division of Materials, Mechanics and Structures, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK Veritas, D.N. Design and Manufacture of Wind Turbine Blades, Offshore and Onshore Turbines; Standard DNV-DS-J102; Det Norske Veritas: Copenhagen, Denmark, 2010. Dolcera.com(online)
Sunday, August 4, 2019
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: essays research papers
In the opening chapters of â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird,†Harper Lee introduces several subtle instances of racism. However, when Jem and Scout are welcomed into Cal’s Church in chapter 12, the reader really gets to travel behind the false disguise of Maycomb County’s white society to see the harsh realities of the injustices suffered by the blacks. The black community is completely separate from the whites -- in fact, Cal lives in a totally different part of town! Another example of total racial segregation is the fact that Jem and Scout have never been to â€Å"that part of town,†so they are unfamiliar with the Church’s way of singing hymns (â€Å"lining†), and they don’t understand â€Å"nigger talk.†Even Lula, one of the black church members, says, â€Å"they got their church, we got our’n.†Poverty is another injustice suffered by the blacks. Their First Purchase Church is very old and worn out. The paint is cracked and peeling, it has no ceiling, there’s a rough oak pulpit, and cheap cardboard fans must be used to keep the congregation cool. There is no piano, organ or church program in sight, and the whole church has to share one hymnbook! The graveyard contains only a few expensive headstones, with most graves merely outlined by broken glass. A further degradation occurs during the rest of the week, when the church building is used by whites for gambling. A majority of the black community is illiterate because there are no schools for blacks in Maycomb County. Their only way of learning is from their parents or another elder. For example, Mrs. Buford taught Cal, and Cal taught her son, Zeebo. Consequently, only four blacks in the whole church can read. In Tom Robinson case, he has virtually no chance of winning strictly due to his race. During his trial, Bob Ewell accuses Tom of raping his girl. Even though the Ewells are considered to be the â€Å"white trash†of Maycomb County, nearly all of white community supports them because they are white and Tom is black. Despite all of these injustices, Chapter 12 also creates a feeling of support and sympathy for the black community. For example, even though they’re oppressed, the black community still has a sense of pride. Their church is called First Purchase because it was paid for with the first earnings of freed slaves. This shows the black’s great devotion to their religion.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Bedstones Gentrification Essay -- Papers
Bedstone's Gentrification Firstly I feel it would be a very sensible idea to write down my definition of gentrification, as at the end of the day that is what this coursework is about. "Conversion and renovation of redundant farm buildings into dwellings or different crafts by changing the structure (faà §ade) of them to get it up to date, essentially modernisation. This is often done by wealthier people moving in from the outside community and results in a raise of the settlements' socio-economic status, i.e. the community goes from a working class one into a middle class one due to people moving in. Also there is a change of a villages' function\ purpose to its community." However, has Bedstone undergone gentrification at all? Yes, I feel it has and by quite a considerable degree. Using my definition above I will investigate the many factors involved to come to an intelligent decision. Bedstone originated as an agricultural functioned village and the local area was covered with working farms. The population was also quite large, much more than it is today (at its highest in 1821 it was 165). This is backed by the variety of industry that was stationed here in the late 19th and early to mid 20th century. The village population was able to support a diary (1876- approx 1940's), a school until the 1940's, an inn until the 1930's, a blacksmith and a carpenter. The village used to be a bustling agricultural village, which through time has slowly diminished. Numbers have fallen steadily to the present day and is only now are they starting to grow. Now the village is solely a residential functioned village with no shops, inn, .. ... relatively new resident of the village has told me of further developments around the village indicating further gentrification and growth of the village. Unfortunately this further development will bring many problems with it, too numerous to mention and it is unclear what the future holds. However what is clear is that gentrification has happened in Bedstone and to a considerable degree, which hopefully has been shown. Bedstone has been through the whole process of gentrification of conversion and renovation of buildings, a rise in its socio-economic class, as well as a massive influx of people from the outside community. The trend is still going strong and I see no reason why the factors just mentioned won't continue far into the future. We should ask ourselves however, what does the future hold for Bedstone?
Friday, August 2, 2019
Monsoon Insurance
IMPACT OF INDEX MONSOON INSURANCE IN INDIA Literature review †¢AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE IN INDIA-A PERSPECTIVE By Dr. A. Amarender Reddy Scientist (Agricultural Economics) Indian Institute of Pulses Research, com/about-kanpur/" class="ilgen">Kanpur-208024. Abstract Background the paper reviewed the innovative techniques in agricultural/rural insurance, which overcome some of the disadvantages of yield based group insurance and suggests rainfall (weather) index insurance as a better alternative/complement to the existing agricultural insurance scheme.The weather (rainfall) index based insurance is also more compatible with reinsurance practices worldwide, which make primary insurers to cover their local/regional risks by reinsuring themselves with international reinsures. †¢Agriculture & Rural Development Working Paper 9 Innovative Financial Services for Rural India Monsoon-Indexed Lending and Insurance for Smallholders Ulrich Hess The World Bank Agricultural and Rural Dev elopment Department Abstract This paper was prepared by Ulrich Hess.It draws extensively from author’s work on weather insurance and rural finance in India and Morocco †¢Townsend, and James Vickery, Barriers to Household Risk Management: Evidence from India,†Harvard Business School Working Paper, 2010, 09 (116). Abstract What types of households buy index insurance? What factors prevent the remaining households from participating? And does the purchase of index insurance result in more efficient risk taking? †¢Rainfall Index Insurance in India Daniel Stein Dissertation submitted to the Department of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Economics atThe London School of Economics and Political Science September 2011 Abstract This thesis provides three works which each contribute to understanding of the promising yet struggling market for rainfall index insurance in India Findings of the study †¢Post impact of monsoon index insurance in stabi lisation of farmer’s income. †¢Comparison of growth between states having index monsoon insurance with the states without monsoon insurance †¢Overall economic development of Indian economy due to index monsoon insurance †¢Penetration of monsoon insurance in India. Purpose of the research (or rationale for the study)For the rural poor in India, formal financial services would enable them to maximize returns on their surplus, smooth their consumption, and reduce their vulnerability to risk. However, their financial service needsâ€â€which include consumption credit and cash savings are seldom met due to systemic problems in the financial sector and monsoon risk. In 1991, a comprehensive household survey addressing rural access to finance revealed that barely one-sixth of rural households had loans from formal rural finance institutions (RFIs). Beyond credit, most of the rural poor also lack access to the banking system for savings.Farmers respond to the lack o f formal financial services by turning to moneylenders; reducing inputs in Farming; over capitalizing and internalizing risk; and/or by over diversifying their activities which leads to sub-optimal asset allocation. The combined effect of these coping strategies is a poverty trap. Smallholders cannot risk investing in fixed capital or concentrating on the most profitable activities and crops, because they cannot leverage the start-up capital and they face systemic risks that could wipe out their livelihoods at any point in time.The challenge for banks is to innovate a low-cost way of reaching farmers and helping them better manage risk . Agricultural activity is inherently risky due to pest or disease-induced harvest failure, price volatility in commodities markets, or extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods. Smoothing consumption across years or seasons is a significant challenge for agrarian households in developing countries. Parchure (2002) estimated that in India ab out 90% of variation in crop production levels is caused by variation in rainfall levels.In response to these problems, innovative index-based weather insurance was developed, in which the payment schemes are based on an exogenous publically observable index, namely local rainfall. This mitigates problems such as moral hazard and adverse selection and eliminates the need for in-field assessments, lowering the cost of providing insurance. The purpose is to study the effect of insurance in the farmer’s income and how insurance helps in agriculture risk mitigation in Indian context.Coverage for crops and also schemes pertaining to monsoon insurance are also studied and its penetration in Indian market. Aim To study economic development due to monsoon insurance 1. Objectives †¢To study the effect of insurance in the farmers income †¢How insurance helps in agriculture risk mitigation in Indian context †¢To study coverage for crops and also schemes pertaining to mons oon insurance †¢To study Overall economic development of Indian economy due to index monsoon insurance †¢To compare and study agricultural growth pre and post effect implications of monsoon insurance in Indian economyHypothesis (or key questions) Index monsoon insurance has overall created a positive impact on Indian economy. Research Methodology Stage 1 Literature Research A comprehensive review of the relevant literature including a computer assisted search will be Undertaken in order to develop an understanding of previous work related to index monsoon insurance. Stage 2 descriptive research Review of literature in the field of agriculture and insurance to understand the growth of both the fields Stage 3 article researchEffect of insurance is studied by reviewing different articles and case studies related to monsoon insurance impact on specifies states which are more exposed to extreme climatic conditions Stage 4 statistics research A review of current as well as past statistics related to agricultural sector to analyse the trend Stage 5: Writing Up This stage involves writing up the content of the dissertation and should cover their chapters proposed Proposed Contents of the dissertation 1. Introduction 2. Agricultural sector and its challenges 3. Index monsoon insurance and its different schemes 4. Theoretical Framework of the study . Implications of monsoon index insurance 6. Interpretation and conclusion 7. Bibliography Work Plan/Diary First and second week -Review of Literature Second and third week- case study research Next 2 weeks- analysing the statistics Next 4 weeks – interpretation of statistics Next 2 weeks- collecting information from experts in the field of insurance Next 2 weeks – writing up the case study Next 2 weeks – Submission of soft copy for approval http://www. cirm. in/events/agriculture-index-insurance-conference-2012 -imp http://www. cgap. org/blog/lessons-india-weather-insurance-small-farmers
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Environmental Knowledge
1. INTRODUCTION * The aim of this report is to discover the elements that give impact on their operations according to the principal elements of a dynamic business environment. In this report present two companies that I choose which is The Body Shop and Harley Davidson. Nature of business The Body Shop is about beauty product. They will produce product by use a nature and against animal testing. Besides that, nature of business Harley Davidson is manufactures heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycles.The company operates through two segments: the Motorcycles segment and the Financial Services segment. In this report, I will discuss about the important of environment knowledge which is explicit and tacit and explain their SWOT analysis on both companies. SWOT is a planning tool used to identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats involved in a business. It is used as part of Strategic Planning Process.Reason I choose The Body Shop and Harley Davidson company is because I’m user of this product, so when I do a research about this company, I can know more about the company and about their product. 2. COMPANY BACKGROUND 2. 1 THE BODY SHOP * The Body Shop International PLC known as The Body Shop, has 2,400 stores in 61 countries. The company, which has its headquarters in Littlehampton, West Sussex, England, was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick and is now part of the L'Oreal corporate group.The Body Shop mission are, to dedicate our business to the pursuit of social and environmental change, to creatively balance the financial and human needs of our stakeholders: employees, franchisees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders, to courageously ensure that our business is ecologically sustainable: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the future, to meaningfully contribute to local, national and international communities in which we trade, by adopting a code of conduct, which ensures care, honesty, fairness and respect, to passion ately campaign for the protection of the environment, human and civil ights, and against animal testing within the cosmetics and toiletries industry and lastly to tirelessly work to narrow the gap between principle and practice, whilst making fun, passion and care part of our daily lives. Anita Roddick. Human Rights Activist. Founder of The Body Shop, state that the vision is â€Å"I just want The Body Shop to be the best, most breathlessly exciting company – and one that changes the way business is carried out. †2. 2 HARLEY DAVIDSON * Harley-Davidson Inc often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer.Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression. Harley-Davidson also survived a period of poor quality control and competition from Japanese manufacturers. The company sells heavyweight (over 750 cc) motorcycles designed for cr uising on highways. Harley-Davidson motorcycles (popularly known as â€Å"Harleys†) have a distinctive design and exhaust note. They are especially noted for the tradition of heavy customization that gave rise to the chopper style of motorcycle.Except for the modern VRSC model family, current Harley-Davidson motorcycles reflect the styles of classic Harley designs. Harley-Davidson's attempts to establish itself in the light motorcycle market have met with limited success and have largely been abandoned since the 1978 sale of its Italian Aermacchi subsidiary. Harley-Davidson sustains a loyal brand community which keeps active through clubs, events, and a museum. Licensing of the Harley-Davidson brand and logo accounted for $40 million (0. 8%) of the company's net revenue in 2010.Mission statement for Harley Davidson is â€Å"To fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public and expanding line of motorcycles and b randed products and services in selected market segments†. For vision is Harley Davidson corporate conscience and it helps us to eliminate short term thinking, such as â€Å"cashing in†on the intense demand for our motorcycles by giving quantity precedence over quality to save a few dollars per unit. It also encourages every employee in our organization to be acutely aware of his or her role in satisfying our stakeholders. . THE IMPORTANT OF ENVIRONMENT KNOWLEDGE 3. 1 THE BODY SHOP 3. 2. 1 Explicit knowledge – academic knowledge or ‘‘know-what’’ that is described in formal language, print or electronic media, often based on established work processes, use people-to-documents approach * Work Process – The worldwide employees of The Body Shop are creating a global brain of explicit knowledge to include cultural differences. Their repository of global ’’best practices’’ is founded on sharing and documenti ng knowledge. They approach business issues from an array of perspectives.No matter where in the world a problem occurs, there is ’’no one right answer’’ but many workable approaches. The Body Shop view knowledge objects as templates of core insights that can be used in any cultural environment * Learn – The Body Shop gives the employees on the job training and makes a trial and error. Senior will guide the others employees. From this, The Body Shop will meet goals and objectives set by organization. * Share knowledge – The Body Shop employees will extract knowledge from person, code, store and reuse as needed for customers by e-mail, electronic discussions or forums . 2. 2 Tacit knowledge – practical, action-oriented knowledge or ‘‘know-how’’ based on practice, acquired by personal experience, seldom expressed openly, often resembles intuition. * Evaluation – The Body Shop make an evaluation by encour aging overlapping teams to share interests and values. All employees submit a confidential evaluation of everyone with whom they have worked closely. Compensation is attached to the network of peer relationship and is directly tied to cooperation and sharing of knowledge. Employees are also evaluated on how ell they immerse themselves in various projects, work with different groups to meet priorities and meet clients’ needs. When there are enough close personal team contacts, it is possible to draw a truly multifaceted picture of an individual’s performance. * Teach – Every employee at The Body Shop have their own mentor. Mentor will guide them how to do work done well. Besides that, this company will have a internships to their employee. * Type of thinking – Their employee must have a creative, flexible, unchartered thinking. This because they always make a new product and they need satisfy their customer. . 2 HARLEY DAVIDSON 3. 3. 1 Explicit knowledge à ¢â‚¬â€œ academic knowledge or ‘‘know-what’’ that is described in formal language, print or electronic media, often based on established work processes, use people-to-documents approach * Share Knowledge – Harley Davidson created elaborate ways to codify, store and reuse explicit knowledge. Its ’’people-to-documents’’ approach extracts information from the person who developed it and makes it independent of its developer. All client sensitive information is removed and selected information is reused.Information is transformed into a proven, successful solution that can be used in the same or similar industry. * Relationships – Harley Davidson use a top-down approach. This makes their employee feel a good relationship between their top management. 3. 3. 2 Tacit knowledge – practical, action-oriented knowledge or ‘‘know-how’’ based on practice, acquired by personal experience, seldom ex pressed openly, often resembles intuition * Documentation – Harley Davidson used a common documentation method to facilitate lateral communication.Technicians write up ’’war stories’’ to teach each other how to diagnose and fix machines. Service reps access over 5,000 tips a month for a 5 percent saving on both parts and labor. Field service reps create and maintain the tacit knowledge base by contributing and renewing all the tips and information and maintaining the system. Each time reps contribute a tip, their name goes on the system. * Technology – Harley Davidson shares its explicit knowledge through Internet. This electronic system links to worldwide offices.Harley Davidson network connects more than 85 percent of its professionals through data, voice and video interlinks. Customers’ problems from anywhere in the worlds are posted on Harley Davidson electronic bulletin board. This request is followed up on with visual and data c ontacts that instantly self-organize around that specific problem. Centrally collected and carefully indexed subjects, customer references and resource files are accessed directly through Internet or from CD-ROMS distributed to all offices. Sets of possible solutions are created and sent to customers. 4. SWOT ANALYSIS 4. 1 THE BODY SHOP Body Shop International (Body Shop) is a multinational company which is mainly producing ecological skin and hair products. Their products are solely based on natural ingredients and manufactured according to an ethical code which is opposed to animal testing. The cosmetics franchise is considered to be one of the biggest around the globe with a well established reputation in 54 countries. L’Oreal, the dominant company in the beauty industry, acquired Body shop in 2006. Although Body Shop has become a subsidiary of L’Oreal S. A it still acts according to its own policy, values and ethical code.The acquisition has solved Body Shopâ€℠¢s financial problems and has provided the means for expansion to a bigger market share. 4. 1. 1 Strength for The Body Shop are: * Brand Loyalty – Body Shop is greatly dependent on its brand reputation which is a critical factor in sales. Due to its unique products, it has come out to be seen as one of the most environmentally friendly retailers. * L’Oreal’s support – By being a subsidiary of L’Oreal, Body Shop appears to have an increase in sales. Furthermore, L’Oreal’s experience in advertisement and marketing can boost overall sales. Niche marketing – Body Shop targets a niche market. By stating that it is not testing its products on animals and by appearing to have an ecological profile, it has appealed to customers with ethical issues. Being the only shop in the shopping centre that sells ecological products, has given it advantage in the local market. * Charity support – Body Shop provides financial aid in charitie s by giving small amount of money from particular products they sell. Body Shop’s support in local charities and non-profit organizations enhances its image in the local society. . 1. 2 Weakness for The Body Shop are: * Slow service – Body Shop’s location, inside a shopping centre where it is always crowded, in combination with the fact that there is inadequate personnel results in slow service for the customers. Customers may be discouraged and might prefer a retail outlet in a central location. * Political – Unstable political factors in the countries that supply the company with ingredients and the company doesn’t have the monopoly anymore * Consumer – The loss of trust from a part of the consumers 4. 1. Opportunities for The Body Shop are: * Product development – Body Shop can take advantage of L’Oreal’s experience in research methodology and efficiency in order to improve and develop their own existing products. Lâ €™Oreal’s takeover can bring financial and expertise or consulting support * The male grooming products – The increase in the usage of male grooming products indicates that there is a demand on this particular niche market. Therefore the supply of a wider range of products for men can increase overall sales. 4. 1. 4 Threat for The Body Shop are: Brands comparison – L’Oreal can prove to be harmful for Body Shop’s reputation. The public perception of Body Shop as ethical can be altered due to the fact that L’Oreal is considered to be unethical. * Competition – Body Shop can face competition in any country if a company that also produces natural based products e. g. LUSH, ELIANTO decides to open an outlet inside the shopping centre. * Legal – New legislation about animal testing can raise the competition in the so far monopolist market and difficulties in distribution because of the new legislation about chemical ingredients. . 2 HARLEY DAVIDSON * The Harley-Davidson Corporation has been dominating the motorcycle industry for many decades. Today, it continues to have a strong presence in the American market. Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company for the group of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Buell Motorcycle Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Harley-Davidson Motor Company manufactures five families of motorcycles: Sportster  ®, Dyna Glide, Softail  ®, Touring and VRSC.Buell Motorcycles Company produces sport motorcycles, including four big-twin XB models, and the single-cylinder Buell Blast  ®. Buell also offers a line of motorcycles parts, accessories, apparel and general merchandise. 4. 2. 1 Strength for Harley Davidson are: * This year, Harley-Davidson celebrated its 100-year anniversary. Over the past century, the company has created a strong brand image and a loyal customer base. It maintains a close relationship with its customers through a vari ety of program, such as Hog Owners Group (H. O. G. , product offerings and events such as Daytona, motor shows, and rallies. In addition, Harley-Davidson has a strong financial position, excellent supply chain management, and a superior product line, which are enabled through creative engineering technology and design. Due to the decline in the market share to Japanese companies in the seventies, Harley-Davidson phased out its weak models, becoming more selective in targeting a specific customer segment and limiting sales and promotion. This strategy created a niche market for their bikes in which the company enjoys a strong position today. . 2. 2 Weakness for Harley Davidson are: * The Harley-Davidson company has several weaknesses. First, the company is in its maturity stage and, unless it manages to protect its position, it will be faced with the decline period again. Secondly, the company’s products are expensive, which limits them to a specific niche in the market and ma kes it difficult to grow their customer base. They also have a wait-list for certain products, which can create a substitute effect. Lastly, they are lacking a strong presence in Europe. 4. 2. 3 Opportunities for Harley Davidson are: There are various opportunities in the market for Harley-Davidson today, especially with the introduction of the new V-Rod motorcycle. The company has the innovator status advantage in the Performance Cruiser class market segment. They are expanding their partnerships with various European manufacturers, which should increase the presence of Harley-Davidson products in Europe. The corporation is well positioned to attract younger customers, and the company has plenty of room for growth due to the high demands for its products. 4. . 4 Threat for Harley Davidson are: * Harley-Davidson is facing rigorous competition from Japanese manufacturers, specifically Honda and Yamaha. Yamaha targets the low-end market by providing a variety of products at affordable costs. Yamaha’s core competencies are small engines, electronic control, and fiberglass reinforced plastic. Yamaha is currently focusing on increasing its global competitive position. Honda is one of Harley-Davidson’s strongest competitors and is responsible for one-third of all motorcycle sales in the U. S.It has a strong financial base and reliable products. It continues to improve the performance of its motorcycles by focusing on fuel efficiency and lower emissions. In addition, Honda is beginning to increase its performance in the market by introducing information technology tools through its dealerships. These tools help increase dealer performance and create a more positive experience for the customer. * Financial position – Harley Davidson currently holds a strong position in the market. However, it is in tight competition with Honda and Yamaha. . CONCLUSION * As a conclusion, SWOT analysis provides strategic insight on recommendations and opportunities for The Body Shop and Harley Davidson to map out a strategic plan. As an actionable management tool, the SWOT helps the both companies in on the right course of action to leverage the business's unique characteristics. By turning threats into strengths, and matching strengths with opportunities, they can make the most of their power in the current marketplace and maximize their chances of success.Other than that, both companies and environmental knowledge will benefit from the huge potential of knowledge management if they pursue the suggestions of how to integrate knowledge management aspects in their environmental information systems. A further winner, and may be the most important. Environment knowledge can help to further improve the effectiveness of their companies. Besides that, The Body Shop and Harley Davidson that recognize and use their employees’ steadily growing wealth of tacit and explicit knowledge to solve problems and achieve goals have a major competitive adv antage.However, both companies need to improve how they acquire and share tacit and explicit knowledge. 6. REFERENCE * http://www. thebodyshop. com * http://www. harley-davidson. com * http://www. e-referate. ro/referate/Harley_Davidson_-_SWOT_analysis2007-10-01. html * http://swottowsanalysis. blogspot. com/2011/08/tows-analysis-swot-analysis-body-shop. html * Text book: The Business Environment by Adrian Palmer & Bob Harley, Seventh Edition * Sir Mohamad Basari Bin Sapar 7. APPENDIX The Body Shop In 1985, in its first year as a public company, The Body Shop sponsor posters for Greenpeace. A year later, it creates an Environmental Projects Department of its own, while the first major window campaign for The Body Shop is â€Å"Save the Whale†with Greenpeace, in 1986. Harley Davidson * MARCH 17, 2003 Former racing director, Dick O’Brien, passed away. Dick O'Brien was arguably the most successful racing directors in Harley-Davidson history. Born in 1921, he worked as a mechanic and racer for the Puckett Motors Harley-Davidson in Florida.Hired by Harley-Davidson in 1957, he led the company's racing team to 16 Grand National Championships and 183 individual championships over the course of his career. In response to stiff competition from Japanese and British dirt and road bikes, O'Brien supervised the development of the XR-750. This innovative motorcycle went on to become the most successful dirt track motorcycle in AMA history. He also worked with Willie G. to develop the Sportster Streamliner, which set record-breaking speeds at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. He retired in 1983 after 26 years with the company.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)