Monday, September 30, 2019
Climatic Determinism in Aristotleââ¬â¢s Idea of Natural Slavery Essay
One of the more influential texts in ancient literature is Aristotleââ¬â¢s seminal work on governance, ââ¬Å"Politics: A Treatise on Government. â⬠In ââ¬Å"Politics,â⬠Aristotle sought to establish the superiority of Greek social and political order; particularly the rigid segregation between master and slave, by invoking the patterns of organization observed in nature which he perceived to support the moral and natural correctness of Greek society and institutions. Arguably, Hippocratesââ¬â¢ earlier work, ââ¬Å"On Airs, Waters, and Places,â⬠which emphasized the central role of climatic and environmental factors in the development of human beings and societies, plays a huge influence on Aristotleââ¬â¢s treatise particularly in his defense of slavery. In ââ¬Å"Airs, Waters, and Places,â⬠Hippocrates posits that climatic factors are responsible for differences in the physical, mental, and psychological characteristics of human populations. (Hippocrates, Airs, Waters, and Places, 2. ln. 18-20; 13. ln. 7-15) Arguably, most of Aristotleââ¬â¢s assumptions on the nature of relationships between races, individuals, and societies are based on Hippocratic notions of inherent differences in human physical and psychological constitution that arises from differences in climate and the forces of nature. The role of climatic determinism in Aristotleââ¬â¢s ideas about natural slavery is evident in his belief on the decisive part of a nation or societyââ¬â¢s location on earth in establishing racial superiority. Among the most obvious evidence of this is his reference to the differences between European, Asian, and Greek populations owing to the differences in geographic location and climate. Aristotle argues that Northern Europeans, on the one hand, were made courageous by the cold climate in their countries but the same climate also made them unintelligent and incapable of dominating others; the Asians, on the other hand, were intelligent but their cowardice made them easy to enslave. He then rationalizes that Greeceââ¬â¢ position between Europe and Asia enabled the Greeks to possess a balanced capacity for intelligence and courage that is necessary of conquerors and masters. (Aristotle, Politics, ln. 1327b. 14-20) Thus, Aristotleââ¬â¢s justification of slavery carries with it strains of climatic determinism, which espouses the natural superiority of some races over others brought about by the superiority of the particular climate in their place of habitation. Conversely, the inferiority of the climate leads to the inferior development of human populations. It is worthy to note that in making these claims, Aristotle simply echoes Hippocrateââ¬â¢s earlier observation of the racial dissimilarities arising from regional and climatic disparities. Hippocrates argues, for instance, that Asians display a gentler and more peaceful nature than Europeans because of ââ¬Å"the nature of the seasons, which do not undergo any great changes either to heat or cold, or the like. â⬠(Hippocrates, Airs, Waters, and Places, 16. ln. 2-4) Accordingly, the relative uniformity of seasons in Asia, which causes ââ¬Å"neither excitement of the understanding nor any strong change of the bodyâ⬠(Hippocrates, Airs, Waters, and Places, 16. ln. 5) conditions its inhabitants to a passive existence that predisposes them to slavery. Hippocratesââ¬â¢ ideas therefore serve as the basis used by Aristotle in rationalizing slavery as a natural order among races. Aristotleââ¬â¢s idea of the existence of natural differences between races and the natural superiority of the Greek race makes it easy for him to justify the distinction between Greeks and barbarians that, in his view, justifies the enslavement of the latter by the former. This is illustrated in how Aristotle considers non-Greek cultures and societies as being ââ¬Å"more prone to slavery than the Greeksâ⬠(Aristotle, Politics, ln. 1285a. 13) by virtue of their outsider status relative to Greek civilization. This assumption is clearly based on Hippocratesââ¬â¢ survey of the diverse characteristics of populations of different countries with respect to their position relative to sunlight, winds, soil, and waters. In particular, Aristotle draws his assumption of Greek superiority from Hippocratesââ¬â¢ assertion that a country that is ââ¬Å"blasted by the winter and scorched by the sunâ⬠produces individuals endowed not only with superior physical beauty and composition but also finer thinking skills that make them ââ¬Å"acute and ingenious as regards the Arts, and excelling in military affairs. â⬠(Hippocrates, Airs, Waters, and Places, 24. ln. 40-49) Aristotleââ¬â¢s climatic determinist thought extends to his idea of the qualities that differentiate a superior individual from the inferior one. For Aristotle, the existence of innate differences in human beings owing to the natureââ¬â¢s design justifies slavery as a natural and beneficial societal arrangement (Aristotle, Politics, ln. 1255a. 1-2) Underlying this claim is clearly the belief that nature creates hierarchies between the superior and the inferior, as shown by the fact that climatic forces shape individuals either into conquerors or slaves. He claims, for instance, that ââ¬Å"those men therefore who are as much inferior to others as the body is to the soulâ⬠¦are slaves by nature, and it is advantageous to them to be always under government. â⬠(Aristotle, Politics, ln. 1254b. 11-13) Aristotle attributes the innate inferiority and enslavement of some individuals to ââ¬Å"the first principles of herile and political governmentâ⬠(Aristotle, Politics, ln. 1254b. 2) which shows that ââ¬Å"it is both natural and advantageous that the body should be governed by the soul. â⬠(Aristotle, Politics, ln. 1254b. 4-5) Thus, in the same way, it is proper that ââ¬Å"the soul governs the body as the master governs his slave. â⬠(Aristotle, Politics, ln. 1254b. 3)
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Bmw Films Essay
Where the BMW films a good idea? How successful was the campaign? In my opinion, the BMW films where a great idea at that specific moment in time. The company had no new product launches to promote. Furthermore, budget was available in order to ââ¬Å"experimentâ⬠new ideas and innovative advertising and promotion actions. With this pure branding exercise BMW had little to lose (mainly money) and a huge deal to win. The campaign proved to be an incredibly successful one. In order to measure and justify this effectiveness I have chosen to highlight the following reasons: â⬠¢Number of people who watched the BMW films: The films reached a great amount of people (aprox. 9 million viewers) in the early stages of the campaign. Furthermore, BMW had managed to capture the audience they were targeting â⬠¢Feedback from the viewers: The positive feedback received proved to the marketing team that the campaign had been a success. Comments showed enthusiasm and in some cases even led to action. Feedback from the media: BMW achieved to generate the sufficient interest in order to receive praises from media publications that gave the initiative a ââ¬Å"Hollywood movieâ⬠status. â⬠¢Press activity: The marketing team was overwhelmed when they saw that the press activity was 10 times higher than expected. â⬠¢Viral Campaign: One of the most unexpected achievements of the campaign was to produce a massive chain reaction amongst the viewers. 94% of viewers recommended the films to others. â⬠¢Increase in sales: After the BMW films campaign, sales in 2001 increased almost 12% from the previous year. In this year BMW surpassed the 200,000 sold units barrier for the first time in North America. What was the motivation behind the idea? Given the opportunity to do pure branding the marketing team aimed at achieving through non-traditional promotion a memorable campaign that would remain in peopleââ¬â¢s minds for years to come. The motivation behind the campaign was to ââ¬Å"refreshâ⬠the BMW brand by attracting the interest of a younger demographic segment and leave behind the traditionally yuppie customers related to the brand in previous years. The fact that the campaign was distributed through the Internet shows the commitment of the company to attract these younger customers. The key concepts that the campaign was trying to communicate were the excitement of driving, the performance of the BMW cars and the excitement related in driving the ââ¬Å"Ultimate Driving Machineâ⬠. A key issue for the marketing team was also to explore new possibilities in terms of promotion and to achieve the highest impact possible amongst the target audience. The first mover advantage had been at the core of BMWââ¬â¢s campaigns and the BMW films were to be no exception to that rule. Who was the target market? What was the typical North American BMW customer? Is it the same as its competitorââ¬â¢s typical client? The ââ¬Å"typicalâ⬠BMW customer was about 46 years old with an average income of $150,000, well educate, married and with no children. Most importantly, 85% of BMWââ¬â¢s potential buyers were on the Internet before buying a BMW. Their customers saw driving as a pleasure and tended to be leaders. They enjoyed being in control. The competition was targeting different types of clients. The Japanese manufacturers such as Honda, Toyota and Nissan for example, were mainly targeting lower income level customers. As for the higher end brands such as Mercedes, Porsche and Jaguar they were targeting older customers with higher income level more focused on luxury and comfort. How healthy is the brand in the US compared to previous years? What are the weaknesses? At this point in time the BMW brand was healthier than ever before in the US market. In this period, out of the people that intended to buy a luxury brand, 16% said they would buy a BMW against 11% that intended to buy a Mercedes. This represented a significant turning point in BMWââ¬â¢s operations in the US. The strongest weakness I perceive in the BMW brand is the fact that it relates to people who are passionate about driving and look for the excitement of being in control of a car. Furthermore, I believe it is people who tend to be willing to maximize the cars attributes in order to experiment the whole experience the car can provide. In this sense, the brand is perishable, as customers tend to look for other attributes such as comfort; reliability and prestige tend to focus on other brands such as Mercedes or Jaguar. What should McDowell do? Which option is the correct one? In the short term I would recommend McDowell to produce a few more short films in order to take advantage of the momentum created by the previous films. However, this strategy would not be sustainable in the long term as the competition would start copying this format and the effectiveness of the campaign would be diluted. What I would suggest in the long term would be to organize events in the major US cities that would reinforce the BMW Films concept but more personalized towards the customers. The idea behind this would be to create a lasting bond between both parties. In order to achieve a good segmentation of customers to attend these special events I would use the www. bmwfils. com web page to select (through the previously provided information by the customers) the ones that perfectly fit the brands criteria and the ones that have the most potential of becoming BMW customers. Assuming that BMW in the short term will have new products to launch and that the advertising budget will still be low in comparison with competitors, I believe that these events would be a perfect follow up to the BMW films campaign and that expectation would be created amongst the specialized media. Furthermore, not only would BMW be innovating in non-traditional advertising and promotion formats but they would also have the capability of specifically targeting potential customers. In this way BMW would continue to expand on the BMW Films idea but in this case the customers will perceive that they are the ones at the wheels of the ââ¬Å"ultimate Driving Machineâ⬠.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
How can an eco-house change people behaviour in the culture of Saudi Research Proposal
How can an eco-house change people behaviour in the culture of Saudi Arabia - Research Proposal Example This policy has been intended towards securing ample housing for various segments of the citizens within the country. However, the issues of global warming, renewable energy utilisation and efficient use of the natural resources for building houses are also required to be considered for efficient ââ¬Å"sustainable housing implementationâ⬠within Saudi Arabia. There has to be initiative from the government for formulation of policy towards provision of sustainable housing at affordable prices. Any policy in this direction should have to be inclined towards fulfilment of mainly three objectives. Firstly, the policies should generate housing enhancement; secondly, they should empower the poor and finally the policies should be able to provide a feeling of self-privilege to the weaker sections of the people. Provision of sustainable housing has to be therefore concerned with the formation of ecosystem of houses (Choguill, 2007). An appropriate solution to the present problem in the country with respect to economic as well as environmental perspective is the foundation of an architecture model of eco house for the country. The successful implementation of sustainable housing in Saudi Arabia is essential to be supported by the government and to be backed up by the public awareness. The aim of the paper is to derive the best course of investment towards this aspect of the economy that not only finds an eco-house model but also contributes towards the economic aspect of housing policies through the royal order. The aim will be fulfilled with the help of achieving the objective of this research. The objective is to conduct research and identify every possible ways of designing an eco-friendly house that suits within the environment of Saudi Arabia. The methods of building sustainable houses are inclusive of making the best and comprehensive utilisation of the solar power, design of the site of house building, ventilation and natural light. For fulfilling the objec tive of this research, the methods will be analysed and presented for the creation of an eco-friendly house compatible with the Saudi Arabian environmental conditions such as that of availability of natural resources (Susilawati & A-Surf, 2011). The architecture model of an eco-house has been selected as the best option to the Saudi Arabian housing issue because it is an eco friendly house which provides the basis of leading a sustainable life to the people. The architecture model will be developed on the basis of availability and effectiveness of the natural resources within the country (Fields, 2011). With the designing of the most appropriate architecture model of an eco-friendly house for Saudi Arabia, the problem of both the economy as well as the environment can be encountered. The various methods of utilising the natural resources along with their effectiveness will provide the basis of architecture model of an eco-friendly house in Saudi Arabia. Architecture Model of Eco-Hou se for Saudi Arabia The following are the eco-friendly aspects to be incorporated within the houses to be build throughout the Kingdom: Water Storage facilities of rainwater, whenever it occurs should be incorporated in the sustainable houses. As there is scarcity of rain in Saudi Arabia, wells can be dig for gathering natural water from quite underground level which can be further utilised for using in laundry, cleaning and toilet. Various
Friday, September 27, 2019
The history of eyeglasses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words
The history of eyeglasses - Essay Example Despite this early invention, Ilardi indicates that that reason it wasnââ¬â¢t believed that these lenses had been available at this earlier time period rests on a variety of science-related factors, including the late inventions of the telescope and the microscope and a general distrust of the distortions brought forward by the glass. He also presents the text of the documents that had been discovered which consist of a series of letters between Duke Francesco Sforza of Milan to his resident ambassador in Florence, Nicodemo Tranchedini da Pontremoli regarding eyeglasses in which the evidence exists for the wholesale use of these specialized lenses in correcting vision if not in science. Confusing the issue regarding the origin of the eyeglass, though, are reports in China of similar inventions coming to them earlier than the Italian invention. An article from 1936, Kaiming Chiuââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"The Introduction of Spectacles into China,â⬠makes the claim that spectacles may have introduced into China as early as the twelfth century, coming in from Malacca ââ¬Å"in the Western Regions.â⬠According to the author, this date was derived by comparing the original documents and reviewing the probable date regarding when they were written given what is known about the life of the author. This also places spectacles in China at least a century earlier than had been determined based on readings of the Western texts, especially the texts coming out of Italy. A large part of the confusion resides in the several textual errors included in the base work, proven by further date comparisons between when a work was written and when the author lived. Through this analysis , the author concludes that while the majority of spectacles were probably introduced to China in the late 14th century as a result of trade with Western countries, there is evidence that at least one Chinese man owned a set
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Comparing the Windows 2003 Server and Windows 2008 Server Operating Essay
Comparing the Windows 2003 Server and Windows 2008 Server Operating System - Essay Example Windows server also manages domain and its clientââ¬â¢s creation, maintenance and security. Domain of windows refer to the notion of network center where all requests for accessing data and information from peer connections on network are received and processed. The entire data of the domain is stored within the server giving physical protection and control of the users, their activities, authority, rights, positions and privileges. Windows servers come in various editions such as Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, Datacenter Edition and Web Edition. Each type of editions has different purpose and price and the user should select the edition that fits his budget and meets his needs. (Microsoft) It uses .NET technologies which is very powerful state of the art truly object oriented technology. Figure 1 below shows summary of its features, news about updates, requirements, compatibility, interface, installation, variants (editions), and versions. (Theosfiles) The family of Windows Server 2008 includes Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter and Windows Web Server 2008 R2 each one has its own long list of cost and benefits which can be studied separately at Microsoft Website. As a case study, features of Standard Edition are presented here in Figure 3 which includes news, summary, requirements, compatibility, editions and versions, etc. (Theosfiles) Any decision of migration from Windows Server 2003 to 2008 requires critical planning of users account and their rights and data. Complete analysis of compatibility of hardware and software is also required by way of investigating whether each and every inventory item of hardware and software is operational and compatible with Windows Server 2008. Costs of new device drivers, software upgrades and hardware are collected for accurate working. Cost and benefit analysis of upgrading must
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7
Reading response - Essay Example They achieve this by exploring the genesis of biodiversity, as well as the implications of the fields of ecology and conservation biology in terms of shaping biodiversity. Maclaurin and Sterelny seek to define the various forms of biodiversity, which are critical to fields such as taxonomy, ecology, developmental biology and morphology. They construe that biological heritage is rich in all bio-diversities (Krishnamurthy 211). The reading concludes with the authors drawing focus to phenotype diversity by delving into the topic of development. They note that genes serve as paradigmatic developmental, as well as evolutionary resources, and form the basis of what all species depend upon for their fundamental existence. They ask a fundamental question in the field of biology; whether ecosystems of communities typically operate as crucial organized systems on a biological level. Maclaurin and Sterelny (25) argue that if ecosystems fail to function as biologically organized systems, the richness of each species encapsulates ecological diversity. Maclaurin and Sterelny consider the availability of crucial details regarding a species and the presence of vital environmental variables that impact the species as sufficient information to facilitate the comprehension of ecological results. However, the authors argue that these results cannot be attained in organized ecosystems. The authors further delve into the topic of biodiversity conservation through the use of option value theory, a concept derived from economics. Overall, I agree with the authors regarding the importance of diversity in biology. I strongly believe that biodiversity facilitates the existence of life, regardless of the organism found in the ecosystem. Without biodiversity, natural sustainability for every life form would be impossible to achieve. The significance of biodiversity primarily centers on the sustenance of
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Organisational and strategic management project Essay
Organisational and strategic management project - Essay Example 4 1.3 Analysis of Factors Affecting Strategic Planâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦.. 7 2.1 Strategic tools to audit process............................................................................ 8 2.2 Review of stakeholders and their influence........................................................ 9 2.3 Analysis and evaluation of strategic position...................................................... 9 3.1 Alternative strategic options................................................................................. 10 3.2 Justification of Strategic Options for Revised Strategic Positionâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦...... 11 References THE ACQUISITION OF A COMPETING BUSINESS A. Background This strategic management project identifies the strategies, organisational restructuring, auditing practices and potential strategic alternatives required to acquire a competing business in the airline industry. This is industry is con sidered an oligopoly, in which there are few firms, significant dependency on marketing to achieve competitive advantage, and significant rivalry between firms in terms of pricing and service delivery processes (Javanmard 2009; Boyes and Melvin 2006). In order to maximise competitive position, acquisition of existing companies on the market reduces risks to the business and further provides for consolidation of existing processes and services for cost recognition and value chain efficiency. In order to make an airline acquisition successful, the business must identify its key stakeholders, determine the specific aims and objectives for the long-run plan, establish a quality control and evaluation system post-acquisition, and analyse the entire value chain related to operations, supply chain, information technology and human resources. A well-constructed strategic plan includes all dimensions of business processes, systems and culture that will impact the potential synergies achieved through acquisition such as cost, efficiency and productivity. The report highlights all dimensions of a strategic acquisition of a competing airline company in the oligopolistic market with an emphasis on evaluation of strategic plan. 1.1 Current strategic aims and objectives The business acquiring a competing firm is a low-cost carrier with a no-frills service concept with lean characteristics related to supply, service and staffing, and fleet procurement. It is modelled after RyanAir and its low cost model that provides low prices to customers through similar philosophy. The business, by being able to reduce dependency on luxury services in flight and eliminating airport lounge operational costs, gives the ability to offer customers dynamic pricing that outperforms large airline carriers in the market. The aim is to expand the brand presence of the airline to new markets for higher sales revenue through the acquisition of new human capital and fleet availability. The objectives are: Create synergies in cost related to consolidation of existing maintenance crews in relation to training and knowledge sharing of expertise Expand service capacity by incorporating acquired human capital in information technology to improve booking and ticket sales services Improve cultural development through diversification efforts to enhance corporate image, corporate social responsibility, and improve opportunities for external investment through human capital development and culture. In order to make this a success, the airline must devote considerable short-run capital into developing a competent human resources system,
Monday, September 23, 2019
Language processing capacities and learning abilities Dissertation
Language processing capacities and learning abilities - Dissertation Example Lust and Foley (2004) indicate that the rapid progress in the field of L1 acquisition, combined with the challenge of increasingly interdisciplinary literature, has turned into an overwhelming challenge to all scholars in the field. Their volume contains research into the philosophy and science of language acquisition. Articles include discoveries about the way children acquire abstract systems combining discrete symbolic elements in a language. Lust and Foleyââ¬â¢s selected readings have an emphasis on linguistic theory, and they assert that theoretical positions in the field have often become polarized. Theoretical disputes are interpreted as a sign of vitality in the field.Johnson (2004) focuses on a review of traditional cognitive approaches to second language acquisition research, and offers a more sociocultural perspective. Her work reviews behaviorist, cognitivist, and information processing approaches to SLA. The author makes an overview of Vygotskyââ¬â¢s theory, includ ing discussion of inter- and intrapersonal interaction, the proximal development zone, and the role of language in mental processes development. She emphasizes the need to explore local second language ability, in terms of social environment, local genres, and institutional contexts.Bialystok et al. (2008) performed two studies to investigate lexical access in bilinguals. In the first one, monolinguals performed better than bilinguals on tests of naming and letter fluency, but not on category fluency. No differences existed with regard to vocabulary size
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Economic Impact of the national adoption of Electric and hybrid cars Essay Example for Free
Economic Impact of the national adoption of Electric and hybrid cars Essay The Unites States consumes 25 % of the oil produced in the world and roughly 70% of this is consumed by the demand for transportation. The demand for crude oil in US is primarily driven by the demand for transport fuels with the price elasticity ranging between -0. 12 and -0. 3, as calculated for short-run and long-run elasticity respectively for 2008. Faced with higher fuel prices and the associated environmental hazards, the consumers and the governmentââ¬â¢s focus is shifting towards development and adoption of technology for hybrid cars. The use of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) would reduce the green house gas (GHG) emissions and improve the economics of electrical industry by reducing the US dependency on foreign oil (Scot, Kintner-Meyer, Elliott, Warwick, 2007). The hybrid electric cars are cost effective compared to the conventional vehicles when run on gasoline and are absolutely emission-free in electric-only mode, when their batteries are recharged just by regenerative braking (afdc. energy. gov. ). The potential customer base which is identified as ââ¬Ëearly majority groupââ¬â¢, are motivated to buy electric cars by a desire to reduce oil imports and help protect the environment (LaMonica, 2010). A comprehensive environmental assessment of the key air quality parameters, conducted by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI, 2007), considering the adoption of hybrid electric vehicles outlines the following societal benefits of electrifying transportation include the following: â⬠¢ Reduction in petroleum consumption, leading to reduced dependence on imported oil â⬠¢ Net reduction in GHG emissions â⬠¢ Potential to improve air quality Investing in electric vehicles has been a central tenet of the US. The government plans to invest $2. 4 billion to spur the production of 50,000 batteries a year for plug-in hybrids by 2011. This initiative will not only reduce the US oil imports, it will also reduce the pollution while boosting the economy by generating thousands of jobs for the Americans (AP, 2010). The adoption of Hybrid Electric Vehicles by a larger customer base will be a boon for the environment as well as the economy of the nation. With higher demand for the hybrid vehicles in future, it is expected that the cost of production of such vehicles will also come down due to economies of scale. This would further make the hybrid vehicles popular and thus expand the benefits. .? References AP. (2010, July 15). Obama to Promote Electric Vehicles in Michigan. Cnbc. com. Retrieved from http://www. cnbc. com/id/38259732 Environmental Assessment of Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles. (July 2007). Electric Power Research Institute. Retrieved from http://mydocs. epri. com/docs/public/000000000001015325. pdf Hybrid Electric Vehicles. Alternative and Advanced Vehicles. US Department of Energy. Retrieved from http://www. afdc. energy. gov/afdc/vehicles/hybrid_electric_benefits. html Scott, M. J. ,Kintner-Meyer, M. , Elliott, D. B. , Warwick, W. M. (November, 2007). Impacts Assessment of Plug-in Hybrid vehicles on electric utilities and regional U. S power grids: Part2: Economic Assessment. Retrieved from http://energytech. pnl. gov/publications/pdf/PHEV_Economic_Analysis_Part2_Final. pdf
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Theoretical Positions of Jung Essay Example for Free
Theoretical Positions of Jung Essay While science worked diligently to quantify and validate early structuralist perspectives in psychology, early functionalists were hard at work developing theories that were more qualitative in nature. Although not directly associated with the functionalism movement, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, and William James were clearly most concerned with how psychology could improve the lives of the individual and less inclined to laboratory research. Through each psychologistââ¬â¢s theory, the underlying tone is how one can identify and develop treatment for the vast array of psychological obstacles an individual may encounter. Additionally, each places significant emphasis on the human consciousness as the foundation of all behaviors. Variations in theory focus on the inception of human behaviors and how best to analyze and treat those early behavior motivators. Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud, the father of Psychoanalysis, was a phenomenal man. Freud was a physiologist, medical doctor, psychologist, and one of the best influential thinkers of the early twentieth century. In this theory of psychoanalysis, Freud believed that the best way to view the human mind was through a sexual perspective. The main tenet of his theory was that the human mind consisted of three basic components: the Id, the ego, and the superego. Individually, Freud believed that when these components conflict, shaping personality, only therapeutic treatment would prevent neurosis (Putnam, 1917). Carl Jung Carl Jung is a famous Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of analytical psychology. His interests in philosophy led many to see him as a spiritualist; however, Carl Jung preferred to be viewed as a man of science. He is celebrated for his consideration and developments in individuation, which joined the opposites of conscious and unconscious while maintaining normal functioning autonomy. Furthermore, individuation is the main and central development of analytical psychology. Jung is known today as the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as religious by nature, making it the focal point of his exploration. Carl Jung is also one of the best known researchers to practice in the fields of dream analysis and symbolization. He spent a great deal of his life as a practicing clinician, and explored divergent areas like Eastern and Western philosophy, sociology, astrology, alchemy, literature, and arts. Additionally, many popular psychological concepts were anticipated by Carl Jung, these concepts include the collective unconscious, the archetype, the complex, and synchronicity. Alfred Adler Alfred Adler is best known as the founder of Individual Psychology and for his concept of the inferiority complex. As Adlerââ¬â¢s interest in examining personality arose, he turned his focus to psychiatry and began working with Sigmund Freud. Adlerââ¬â¢s work with Freud led him to contribute greatly to the development of psychoanalysis. Still, rooting his focus on the real life experience of individuals, Adler eventually came to reject Freudââ¬â¢s accentuation on sex, breaking away from Freud to form his own theory. Through this theory, known as Individual Psychology, Adler put forth the idea that personality difficulties are the result of inferiority feelings that derive from restrictions on an individualââ¬â¢s needs for self-assertion (Fisher, 2001). Adler held the belief that each individual acquires an ideal self-image that serves as the motivator behind his or her behavior. His studies led Adler to discover what he came to call the inferiority complex, which is the notion that a personââ¬â¢s feelings of inadequacy are what drive a person to try to overcome what he or she believes is a lack of worth by striving for superiority (Fisher, 2001). According to Adler, this initial state of inadequacy people obtain is the result of factors, such as neglect in their childhood, that significantly influence and shape how a child perceives him or herself as well as the choices he or she makes. Therefore, only through assisting people in identifying the factors that led them to the distorted view of themselves can change, healing, growth, and the development of a new, healthy self-image occur. Playing a major role in child development, among numerous other areas, Adlerââ¬â¢s beliefs and theories became widely accepted within the world of psychology therefore significantly influencing modern day psychology. William James William James was an American philosopher whose work in psychology in the nineteenth century recognized science as a crucial element in the improvement of social and philosophical doctrines (Allen, 1967). His blend of psychology and philosophy refined his concept of pragmatism. This pragmatic approach grasped the meaning of the ideas and truth of his beliefs in an approach that influenced the lives of individuals as opposed to the abstract sense of ideas (Hothersall, 1995). His research also outlined ââ¬Å"the understanding of consciousness and the self, a proactive position and perception of truth, and a number of other beneficial studies of social concerns helped create an outstanding philosophical systemâ⬠(Hothersall, 1995). He referred to consciousness as a stream of thoughts instead of a static or reducible mechanism and felt prickled with the notion of any approach to consciousness in which the mind was reduced into its smaller elements. James believed consciousness to be continuingly changing and a selective and active agent in and of its self. He could not consider conscious to be outside the realm of self consciousness. Nonetheless, he also believed the functionalist understanding of consciousness as an active agent of mental action was more consistent with reality than what he called the meaningless, artificial exercise of identifying the elements of consciousness, which conforms more to the structuralize perspective (Goodwin, 2008). Comparison and Contrast of Theories Freud sought to explain human personality and the underlying issues in a personââ¬â¢s life. He theorized that the human mind consisted of three major components (Goodwin, 2008). Despite Aldersââ¬â¢ theory that all of oneââ¬â¢s activities center on a basic life plan, Freud and Alfred Adler both agreed that personal characteristic begin in childhood. Jung based his theory on individuality, He theorized that individuation was a necessary process leading to individuality by integration of the conscious with the unconscious (Putnam, 1917). William James had a distinctive religious perspective. James viewed religion entirely different from Freud, Adler, and Jung. James believed that everyone should have a religious experience. Freud believed that each person interprets religion differently; Adler believed that people used their religious views to understand the world, and Jung believed that not all people understood religion. Differences among their Perspectives There were disagreements with Freudââ¬â¢s theory of the conscious and unconscious as well his theory of sexual motivation. The main disagreement in perspectives was between Freud and James. Freud believed that behaviors are controlled by the unconscious mind described as dreams and free association. While James believed that self-reflection and introspection was the only way to understand mental life (Goodwin, 2008). Jung and Adler disagreed with Freudââ¬â¢s theory of sexual motivation and psychosexual development. They thought he placed too much emphasis on sexual motivation which made it seem like the fundaments of human behavior relied solely on one motivation. Adler believed that his own notion of the inferiority complex should replace Freudââ¬â¢s beliefs of sexual motivation. Freud focused on internal forces including conflicts, biological disposition, and sexual motivation (Goodwin, 2008). The focus in Adlerââ¬â¢s theory was on social factors. Conclusion Freud, Jung, Adler, and James all shared a deep desire to help improve peopleââ¬â¢s lives through a psychological medium. Each explained psychology using their own theories, and they often differed on the basis of human functioning and its causes. Freud analyzed the world through his idea of psychosexual development, and thought that sexual motivations are the origin of all human behaviors. William James believed that consciousness was a more fluid and distinct entity, which could not be broken up into parts. Adler and Jung thought Freud put too much emphasis on sex as motivation; Adler believed inferiority complexes govern human behavior, while Jung put much more emphasis on religion and its influences. These philosophers and psychologists of the 19th century influenced peopleââ¬â¢s outlook on the world, even to this day. Each of their theories have influenced and furthered our current understanding of the human psyche and how to treat various psychological disorders. References Goodwin, C. J. (2008). A history of modern psychology (3rd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Fisher, M (2001, May). Alfred Adler. Retrieved January 26, 2012 from http:// www. muskingum. edu/~psych/psycweb/history/adler. htm Allen, Gay Wilson. (1967). William James: A Biography. New York: Viking Press. Hothersall, D. (1995). History of Psychology (3rd ed. ). NY: Mcgraw-Hill Putnam,J. (1917). The theories of Freud, Jung and Adler: I. The work of Sigmund Freud. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 12(3), 146-160
Friday, September 20, 2019
The ability of a metal
The ability of a metal < The ability of a metal to deform plastically and to absorb energy in the process before fracture is termed toughness. The emphasis of this definition should be placed on the ability to absorb energy before fracture. Recall that ductility is a measure of how much something deforms plastically before fracture, but just because a material is ductile does not make it tough. The key to toughness is a good combination of strength and ductility. A material with high strength and high ductility will have more toughness than a material with low strength and high ductility. Therefore, one way to measure toughness is by calculating the area under the stress strain curve from a tensile test. This value is simply called material toughness and it has units of energy per volume. Material toughness equates to a slow absorption of energy by the material. There are several variables that have a profound influence on the toughness of a material. These variables are: train rate (rate of loading). Temperature. Notch effect. A metal may possess satisfactory toughness under static loads but may fail under dynamic loads or impact. As a rule ductility and, therefore, toughness decrease as the rate of loading increases. Temperature is the second variable to have a major influence on its toughness. As temperature is lowered, the ductility and toughness also decrease. The third variable is termed notch effect, has to due with the distribution of stress. A material might display good toughness when the applied stress is uniaxial; but when a multiaxial stress state is produced due to the presence of a notch, the material might not withstand the simultaneous elastic and plastic deformation in the various directions. There are several standard types of toughness test that generate data for specific loading conditions and/or component design approaches. Three of the toughness properties that will be discussed in more detail are: Impact toughness. Notch toughness. Fracture toughness. Impact Toughness: The impact toughness (AKA Impact strength) of a material can be determined with a Charpy or Izod test. These tests are named after their inventors and were developed in the early 1900s before fracture mechanics theory was available. Impact properties are not directly used in fracture mechanics calculations, but the economical impact tests continue to be used as a quality control method to assess notch sensitivity and for comparing the relative toughness of engineering materials. The two tests use different specimens and methods of holding the specimens, but both tests make use of a pendulum-testing machine. For both tests, the specimen is broken by a single overload event due to the impact of the pendulum. A stop pointer is used to record how far the pendulum swings back up after fracturing the specimen. The impact toughness of a metal is determined by measuring the energy absorbed in the fracture of the specimen. This is simply obtained by noting the height at which the pendulum is released and the height to which the pendulum swings after it has struck the specimen . The height of the pendulum times the weight of the pendulum produces the potential energy and the difference in potential energy of the pendulum at the start and the end of the test is equal to the absorbed energy. Since toughness is greatly affected by temperature, a Charpy or Izod test is often repeated numerous times with each specimen tested at a different temperature. This produces a graph of impact toughness for the material as a function of temperature. An impact toughness versus temperature graph for a steel is shown in the image. It can be seen that at low temperatures the material is more brittle and impact toughness is low. At high temperatures the material is more ductile and impact toughness is higher. The transition temperature is the boundary between brittle and ductile behavior and this temperature is often an extremely important consideration in the selection of a material. Fracture Toughness: Fracture toughness is an indication of the amount of stress required to propagate a preexisting flaw. It is a very important material property since the occurrence of flaws is not completely avoidable in the processing, fabrication, or service of a material/component. Flaws may appear as cracks, voids, metallurgical inclusions, weld defects, design discontinuities, or some combination thereof. Since engineers can never be totally sure that a material is flaw free, it is common practice to assume that a flaw of some chosen size will be present in some number of components and use the linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approach to design critical components. This approach uses the flaw size and features, component geometry, loading conditions and the material property called fracture toughness to evaluate the ability of a component containing a flaw to resist fracture. A parameter called the stress-intensity factor (K) is used to determine the fracture toughness of most materials. A Roman numeral subscript indicates the mode of fracture and the three modes of fracture are illustrated in the image to the right. Mode I fracture is the condition in which the crack plane is normal to the direction of largest tensile loading. This is the most commonly encountered mode and, therefore, for the remainder of the material we will consider KI. The stress intensity factor is a function of loading, crack size, and structural geometry. The stress intensity factor may be represented. Role of Material Thickness: Specimens having standard proportions but different absolute size produce different values for KI. This results because the stress states adjacent to the flaw changes with the specimen thickness (B) until the thickness exceeds some critical dimension. Once the thickness exceeds the critical dimension, the value of KI becomes relatively constant and this value, KIC , is a true material property which is called the plane-strain fracture toughness. The relationship between stress intensity, KI, and fracture toughness, KIC, is similar to the relationship between stress and tensile stress. The stress intensity, KI, represents the level of stress at the tip of the crack and the fracture toughness, KIC, is the highest value of stress intensity that a material under very specific (plane-strain) conditions that a material can withstand without fracture. As the stress intensity factor reaches the KIC value, unstable fracture occurs. As with a materials other mechanical properties, KIC is commo nly reported in reference books and other sources. Plane Strain: A condition of a body in which the displacements of all points in the body are parallel to a given plane, and the values of theses displacements do not depend on the distance perpendicular to the plane. Plane Stress: A condition of a body in which the state of stress is such that two of the principal stresses are always parallel to a given plane and are constant in the normal direction. Plane-Strain and Plane-Stress: When a material with a crack is loaded in tension, the materials develop plastic strains as the yield stress is exceeded in the region near the crack tip. Material within the crack tip stress field, situated close to a free surface, can deform laterally (in the z-direction of the image) because there can be no stresses normal to the free surface. The state of stress tends to biaxial and the material fractures in a characteristic ductile manner, with a 45o shear lip being formed at each free surface. This condition is called plane-stress and it occurs in relatively thin bodies where the stress through the thickness cannot vary appreciably due to the thin section. However, material away from the free surfaces of a relatively thick component is not free to deform laterally as it is constrained by the surrounding material. The stress state under these conditions tends to triaxial and there is zero strain perpendicular to both the stress axis and the direction of crack propagation when a material is loaded in tension. This condition is called plane-strain and is found in thick plates. Under plane-strain conditions, materials behave essentially elastic until the fracture stress is reached and then rapid fracture occurs. Since little or no plastic deformation is noted, this mode fracture is termed brittle fracture. Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness Testing: When performing a fracture toughness test, the most common test specimen configurations are the single edge notch bend (SENB or three-point bend), and the compact tension (CT) specimens. From the above discussion, it is clear that an accurate determination of the plane-strain fracture toughness requires a specimen whose thickness exceeds some critical thickness (B). Testing has shown that plane-strain conditions generally prevail when: When a material of unknown fracture toughness is tested, a specimen of full material section thickness is tested or the specimen is sized based on a prediction of the fracture toughness. If the fracture toughness value resulting from the test does not satisfy the requirement of the above equation, the test must be repeated using a thicker specimen. In addition to this thickness calculation, test specifications have several other requirements that must be met (such as the size of the shear lips) before a test can be said to have resulted in a KIC value. When a test fails to meet the thickness and other test requirement that are in place to insure plane-strain condition, the fracture toughness values produced is given the designation KC. Sometimes it is not possible to produce a specimen that meets the thickness requirement. For example when a relatively thin plate product with high toughness is being tested, it might not be possible to produce a thicker specimen with plain-strain conditions at the crack tip. Plane-Stress and Transitional-Stress States: For cases where the plastic energy at the crack tip is not negligible, other fracture mechanics parameters, such as the J integral or R-curve, can be used to characterize a material. The toughness data produced by these other tests will be dependant on the thickness of the product tested and will not be a true material property. However, plane-strain conditions do not exist in all structural configurations and using KIC values in the design of relatively thin areas may result in excess conservatism and a weight or cost penalty. In cases where the actual stress state is plane-stress or, more generally, some intermediate- or transitional-stress state, it is more appropriate to use J integral or R-curve data, which account for slow, stable fracture (ductile tearing) rather than rapid (brittle) fracture. Uses of Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness: KIC values are used to determine the critical crack length when a given stress is applied to a component. Orientation: The fracture toughness of a material commonly varies with grain direction. Therefore, it is customary to specify specimen and crack orientations by an ordered pair of grain direction symbols. The first letter designates the grain direction normal to the crack plane. The second letter designates the grain direction parallel to the fracture plane. For flat sections of various products, e.g., plate, extrusions, forgings, etc., in which the three grain directions are designated (L) longitudinal, (T) transverse, and (S) short transverse, the six principal fracture path directions are: L-T, L-S, T-L, T-S, S-L and S-T. Fatigue Properties: Fatigue cracking is one of the primary damage mechanisms of structural components. Fatigue cracking results from cyclic stresses that are below the ultimate tensile stress, or even the yield stress of the material. The name fatigue is based on the concept that a material becomes tired and fails at a stress level below the nominal strength of the material. The facts that the original bulk design strengths are not exceeded and the only warning sign of an impending fracture is an often hard to see crack, makes fatigue damage especially dangerous. The fatigue life of a component can be expressed as the number of loading cycles required to initiate a fatigue crack and to propagate the crack to critical size. Therefore, it can be said that fatigue failure occurs in three stages crack initiation; slow, stable crack growth; and rapid fracture. As discussed previously, dislocations play a major role in the fatigue crack initiation phase. In the first stage, dislocations accumulate near surface stress concentrations and form structures called persistent slip bands (PSB) after a large number of loading cycles. PSBs are areas that rise above (extrusion) or fall below (intrusion) the surface of the component due to movement of material along slip planes. This leaves tiny steps in the surface that serve as stress risers where tiny cracks can initiate. These tiny crack (called microcracks) nucleate along planes of high shear stress which is often 45o to the loading direction. In the second stage of fatigue, some of the tiny microcracks join together and begin to propagate through the material in a direction that is perpendicular to the maximum tensile stress. Eventually, the growth of one or a few crack of the larger cracks will dominate over the rest of the cracks. With continued cyclic loading, the growth of the dominate crack or cracks will continue until the remaining uncracked section of the component can no longer support the load. At this point, the fracture toughness is exceeded and the remaining cross-section of the material experiences rapid fracture. This rapid overload fracture is the third stage of fatigue failure. Factors Affecting Fatigue Life In order for fatigue cracks to initiate, three basic factors are necessary. First, the loading pattern must contain minimum and maximum peak values with large enough variation or fluctuation. The peak values may be in tension or compression and may change over time but the reverse loading cycle must be sufficiently great for fatigue crack initiation. Secondly, the peak stress levels must be of sufficiently high value. If the peak stresses are too low, no crack initiation will occur. Thirdly, the material must experience a sufficiently large number of cycles of the applied stress. The number of cycles required to initiate and grow a crack is largely dependant on the first to factors. In addition to these three basic factors, there are a host of other variables, such as stress concentration, corrosion, temperature, overload, metallurgical structure, and residual stresses which can affect the propensity for fatigue. Since fatigue cracks generally initiate at a surface, the surface condition of the component being loaded will have an effect on its fatigue life. Surface roughness is important because it is directly related to the level and number of stress concentrations on the surface. The higher the stress concentration the more likely a crack is to nucleate. Smooth surfaces increase the time to nucleation. Notches, scratches, and other stress risers decrease fatigue life. Surface residual stress will also have a significant effect on fatigue life. Compressive residual stresses from machining, cold working, heat treating will oppose a tensile load and thus lower the amplitude of cyclic loading. The figure shows several types of loading that could initiate a fatigue crack. The upper left figure shows sinusoidal loading going from a tensile stress to a compressive stress. For this type of stress cycle the maximum and minimum stresses are equal. Tensile stress is considered positive, and compressive stress is negative. The figure in the upper right shows sinusoidal loading with the minimum and maximum stresses both in the tensile realm. Cyclic compression loading can also cause fatigue. The lower figure shows variable-amplitude loading, which might be experienced by a bridge or airplane wing or any other component that experiences changing loading patterns. In variable-amplitude loading, only those cycles exceeding some peak threshold will contribute to fatigue cracking. S-N Fatigue Properties. There are two general types of fatigue tests conducted. One test focuses on the nominal stress required to cause a fatigue failure in some number of cycles. This test results in data presented as a plot of stress (S) against the number of cycles to failure (N), which is known as an S-N curve. A log scale is almost always used for N. The data is obtained by cycling smooth or notched specimens until failure. The usual procedure is to test the first specimen at a high peak stress where failure is expected in a fairly short number of cycles. The test stress is decreased for each succeeding specimen until one or two specimens do not fail in the specified numbers of cycles, which is usually at least 107 cycles. The highest stress at which a runout (non-failure) occurs is taken as the fatigue threshold. Not all materials have a fatigue threshold (most nonferrous metallic alloys do not) and for these materials the test is usually terminated after about 108 or 5108 cycles. Since the amplitude of the cyclic loading has a major effect on the fatigue performance, the S-N relationship is determined for one specific loading amplitude. The amplitude is express as the R ratio value, which is the minimum peak stress divided by the maximum peak stress. (R=ÃÆ'min/ÃÆ'max). It is most common to test at an R ratio of 0.1 but families of curves, with each curve at a different R ratio, are often developed. A variation to the cyclic stress controlled fatigue test is the cyclic strain controlled test. In this test, the strain amplitude is held constant during cycling. Strain controlled cyclic loading is more representative of the loading found in thermal cycling, where a component expands and contracts in response to fluctuations in the operating temperature. It should be noted that there are several short comings of S-N fatigue data. First, the conditions of the test specimens do not always represent actual service conditions. For example, components with surface conditions, such as pitting from corrosion, which differs from the condition of the test specimens will have significantly different fatigue performance. Furthermore, there is often a considerable amount of scatter in fatigue data even when carefully machined standard specimens out of the same lot of material are used. Since there is considerable scatter in the data, a reduction factor is often applied to the S-N curves to provide conservative values for the design of components. Introduction to Materials: This section will provide a basic introduction to materials and material fabrication processing. It is important that NDT personnel have some background in material science for a couple of reasons. First, nondestructive testing almost always involves the interaction of energy of some type (mechanics, sound, electricity, magnetism or radiation) with a material. To understand how energy interacts with a material, it is necessary to know a little about the material. Secondly, NDT often involves detecting manufacturing defects and service induced damage and, therefore, it is necessary to understand how defects and damage occur. This section will begin with an introduction to the four common types of engineering materials. The structure of materials at the atomic level will then be considered, along with some atomic level features that give materials their characteristic properties. Some of the properties that are important for the structural performance of a material and methods for modifying these properties will also be covered. In the second half of this text, methods used to shape and form materials into useful shapes will be discussed. Some of the defects that can occur during the manufacturing process, as well as service induced damage will be highlighted. This section will conclude with a summary of the role that NDT plays in ensuring the structural integrity of a component. In materials science, fracture toughness is a property which describes the ability of a material containing a crack to resist fracture, and is one of the most important properties of any material for virtually all design applications. It is denoted KIc and has the units of . The subscript Ic denotes mode I crack opening under a normal tensile stress perpendicular to the crack, since the material can be made thick enough to resist shear (mode II) or tear (mode III). Fracture toughness is a quantitative way of expressing a materials resistance to brittle fracture when a crack is present. If a material has a large value of fracture toughness it will probably undergo ductile fracture. Brittle fracture is very characteristic of materials with a low fracture toughness value. [1] Fracture mechanics, which leads to the concept of fracture toughness, was largely based on the work of A. A. Griffith who, among other things, studied the behavior of cracks in brittle materials. Crack growth as a stability problem: Consider a body with flaws (cracks) that is subject to some loading; the stability of the crack can be assessed as follows. We can assume for simplicity that the loading is of constant displacement or displacement controlled type (such as loading with a screw jack); we can also simplify the discussion by characterizing the crack by its area, A. If we consider an adjacent state of the body as being one with a larger crack (area A+dA), we can then assess strain energy in the two states and evaluate strain energy release rate. The rate is reckoned with respect to the change in crack area, so if we use U for strain energy, the strain energy release rate is numerically dU/dA. It may be noted that for a body loaded in constant displacement mode, the displacement is applied and the force level is dictated by stiffness (or compliance) of the body. If the crack grows in size, the stiffness decreases, so the force level will decrease. This decrease in force level under the same displacement (strain) level indicates that the elastic strain energy stored in the body is decreasing is being released. Hence the term strain energy release rate which is usually denoted with symbol G. The strain energy release rate is higher for higher loads and larger cracks. If the strain energy so released exceeds a critical value Gc, then the crack will grow spontaneously. For brittle materials, Gc can be equated to the surface energy of the (two) new crack surfaces; in other words, in brittle materials, a crack will grow spontaneously if the strain energy released is equal to or greater than the energy required to grow the crack surface(s). The stability condition can be written as; Elastic energy released = surface energy created: If the elastic energy releases is less than the critical value, then the crack will not grow; equality signifies neutral stability and if the strain energy release rate exceeds the critical value, the crack will start growing in an unstable manner. For ductile materials, energy associated with plastic deformation has to be taken into account. When there is plastic deformation at the crack tip (as occurs most often in metals) the energy to propagate the crack may increase by several orders of magnitude as the work related to plastic deformation may be much larger than the surface energy. In such cases, the stability criterion has to restated as; Elastic energy released = surface energy + plastic deformation energy; Practically, this means a higher value for the critical value Gc. From the definition of G, we can deduce that it has dimensions of work (or energy) /area or force/length. For ductile metals GIc is around 50 to 200 kJ/m2, for brittle metals it is usually 1-5 and for glasses and brittle polymers it is almost always less than 0.5. The I subscript here refers to mode I or crack opening mode as described in the section on fracture mechanics. The problem can also be formulated in terms of stress instead of energy, leading to the terms stress intensity factor K (or KI for mode I) and critical stress intensity factor Kc (and KIc). These Kc and KIc (etc) quantities are commonly referred to as fracture toughness, though it is equivalent to use Gc. Typical values for KIcare 150 MN/m3/2 for ductile (very tough) metals, 25 for brittle ones and 1-10 for glasses and brittle polymers. Notice the different units used by GIc and KIc. Engineers tend to use the latter as an indication of toughness. Transformation toughening: Composites exhibiting the highest level of fracture toughness are typically made of a pure alumina or some silica-alumina (SiO2 /Al2O3) matrix with tiny inclusions of zirconia (ZrO2) dispersed as uniformly as possible within the solid matrix. (*Note: a wet chemical approach is typically necessary in order to establish the compositional uniformity of the ceramic body before firing). The process of transformation toughening is based on the assumption that zirconia undergoes several martensitic (displacive, diffusionless) phase transformations (cubic ââ â tetragonal ââ â monoclinic) between room temperature and practical sintering (or firing) temperatures. Thus, due to the volume restrictions induced by the solid matrix, metastable crystalline structures can become frozen in which impart an internal strain field surrounding each zirconia inclusion upon cooling. This enables a zirconia particle (or inclusion) to absorb the energy of an approaching crack tip front in its nearby vicinity. Thus, the application of large shear stresses during fracture nucleates the transformation of a zirconia inclusion from the metastable phase. The subsequent volume expansion from the inclusion (via an increase in the height of the unit cell) introduces compressive stresses which therefore strengthen the matrix near the approaching crack tip front. Zirconia whiskers may be used expressly for this purpose. Appropriately referred to by its first dicoverers as ceramic steel, the stress intensity factor values for window glass (silica), transformation toughened alumina, and a typical iron/carbon steel range from 1 to 20 to 50 respectively. Conjoint action: There are number of instances where this picture of a critical crack is modified by corrosion. Thus, fretting corrosion occurs when a corrosive medium is present at the interface between two rubbing surfaces. Fretting (in the absence of corrosion) results from the disruption of very small areas that bond and break as the surfaces undergo friction, often under vibrating conditions. The bonding contact areas deform under the localised pressure and the two surfaces gradually wear away. Fracture mechanics dictates that each minute localised fracture has to satisfy the general rule that the elastic energy released as the bond fractures has to exceed the work done in plastically deforming it and in creating the (very tiny) fracture surfaces. This process is enhanced when corrosion is present, not least because the corrosion products act as an abrasive between the rubbing surfaces. Fatigue is another instance where cyclical stressing, this time of a bulk lump of metal, causes small flaws to develop. Ultimately one such flaw exceeds the critical condition and fracture propagates across the whole structure. The fatigue life of a component is the time it takes for criticality to be reached, for a given regime of cyclical stress. Corrosion fatigue is what happens when a cyclically stressed structure is subjected to a corrosive environment at the same time. This not only serves to initiate surface cracks but (see below) actually modifies the crack growth process. As a result the fatigue life is shortened, often considerably. Stress-corrosion cracking (SCC): Main article: Stress corrosion cracking: This phenomenon is the unexpected sudden failure of normally ductile metals subjected to a constant tensile stress in a corrosive environment. Certain austenitic stainless steels and aluminium alloys crack in the presence of chlorides, mild steel cracks in the present of alkali (boiler cracking) and copper alloys crack in ammoniacal solutions (season cracking). Worse still, high-tensile structural steels crack in an unexpectedly brittle manner in a whole variety of aqueous environments, especially chloride. With the possible exception of the latter, which is a special example of hydrogen cracking, all the others display the phenomenon of subcritical crack growth, i.e. small surface flaws propagate (usually smoothly) under conditions where fracture mechanics predicts that failure should not occur. That is, in the presence of a corrodent, cracks develop and propagate well below KIc. In fact, the subcritical value of the stress intensity, designated as KIscc, may be less than 1% of KIc, The subcritical nature of propagation may be attributed to the chemical energy released as the crack propagates. That is, Elastic energy released + chemical energy = surface energy + deformation energy: The crack initiates at KIscc and thereafter propagates at a rate governed by the slowest process, which most of the time is the rate at which corrosive ions can diffuse to the crack tip. As the crack advances so K rises (because crack length appears in the calculation of stress intensity). Finally it reaches KIc , whereupon fast fracture ensues and the component fails. One of the practical difficulties with SCC is its unexpected nature. Stainless steels, for example, are employed because under most conditions they are passive, i.e. effectively inert. Very often one finds a single crack has propagated while the rest of the metal surface stays apparently unaffected. See also: Fracture. Fracture mechanics. Brittle-ductile transition zone. Charpy impact test. Izod impact strength test. Toughness of ceramics by indention. Stress corrosion cracking. Toughness. References: Hertzberg, Richard W. (1995-12). Deformation and Fracture Mechanics of Engineering Materials (4 ed.). Wiley. ISBN 0471012149. AR Boccaccini, S Atiq, DN Boccaccini, I Dlouhy, C Kaya (2005). Fracture behaviour of mullite fibre reinforced-mullite matrix composites under quasi-static and ballistic impact loading. Composites Science and Technology 65: 325 333. doi:10.1016/j.compscitech.2004.08.002. Other References: Anderson, T.L., Fracture Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications (CRC Press, Boston 1995). Davidge, R.W., Mechanical Behavior of Ceramics (Cambridge University Press 1979). Lawn, B., Fracture of Brittle Solids (Cambridge University Press 1993, 2nd edition). Knott, Fundamentals of Fracture Mechanics (1973). Foroulis (ed.), Environmentally-Sensitive Fracture of Engineering Materials (1979). Suresh, S., Fatigue of Materials (Cambridge University Press 1998, 2nd edition). West, J.M., Basic Corrosion Oxidation (Horwood 1986, 2nd edn), chap.12. Green, D.J.; Hannink, R.; Swain, M.V. (1989). Transformation Toughening of Ceramics, Boca Raton: CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-6594-5. http://www.sv.vt.edu/classes/MSE2094_NoteBook/97ClassProj/exper/gordon/www/fractough.html. http://www.springerlink.com/content/v2m7u4qm53172069/fulltext.pdf sriram. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracture_toughness A fracture is the (local) separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress. The word fracture is
Thursday, September 19, 2019
The Colonies of Culture:The Postcolonial Self in Latin America and Afri
The Colonies of Culture:The Postcolonial Self in Latin America and Africa The colony is not only a possibility in the geographical; it is a mental dominance that can imperialize the entire self. Entire continents have be domineered, resources completely dried, and at colonialismââ¬â¢s usual worst, the mental devastation of the indigenous culture has left a people hollow. Indigenous culture is no longer that. In the globalized world, no culture is autonomous; culture cannot breathe without new ideas and new perspectives, perspectives that have traditionally come from the people who have lived within the culture. But, the imposition of dominant cultures has certainly benefited from cultureââ¬â¢s own vulnerability, as global similarities now exist throughout most different, yet not separate cultures. Postcolonialism is imperialism with a mask on, nothing less. As Franz Fanon puts it ââ¬Å"that imperialism which today is fighting against a s true liberation of mankind leaves in its wake here and there tinctures of decay which we must search out and mercilessly expel from our land and our spirits.â⬠Postcolonial power is a hidden monster, it still do this day dominates the economies and pyschologies of Latin America and Africa. This has led to violence, both guerilla and dictator violence, and this violence is an unforgettable part of the past of African and Latin American culture. Culture and the self exist symbiotically, one cannot exist without the other. Culture is the all encompassing social-structure of a given society. It is the child of people, a child that grows to adulthood quickly, and begins to control its parents molding of itself, it encompasses those who create it. Culture is fluid. Violence is an essential part o... ... has been labeled ââ¬Å"terroristicâ⬠, yet this was completely overshadowed by the colonial government and vigilantes killing over 11,000 suspected rebels. The Mau Mau movement and the heavyhanded response helped to bring an end to British rule, but when Kenya was granted independence, Mau Mau had nothing to do with it. The poor people of Kenya were terrified as the government responded to the Mau Mau movement, the armed forces didnââ¬â¢t know where to attack, so they used terrorist tactics in response, murdering whoever they could find, destroying entire villages, in order to stop the Mau Mau. These culture of violence created a self in fear, a self that has been trained that it is under attack. The self of the indigenous person has been enslaved, labored, tortured and murdered, all due to the violent power colonialism and postcolonialism spread throughout the world.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
12 Angery Men :: essays research papers
12 Angry Men Paper à à à à à The jury member I chose to do my paper on was Mr. Davis (the member who voted not guilty first), because he used many task messages, did not allow physical factors to affect his decisions, and was a successful emergent leader at some points in the case.These three points made Mr. Davis a very effective communicator. Using task messages made Davis effective because he kept the group moving along towards it’s goal. Not allowing physical factors into his decisions allowed him to make better choices. Being an emergent leader made Mr. Davis effective because he showed leadership when it was needed. Mr. Davis is an effective communicator because he used assorted task messages, did not allow physical factors into his decisions, and became an emergent leader at certain times in the discussion. à à à à à The first thing that made Mr. Davis an effective communicator was that he used many task messages. One type of task message he used was initiating. An example of this would be when he first voted not guilty and everyone else did, and had everyone tell him why they thought the boy was guilty. Another type of task message Mr. Davis used was gathering information. This would be when he asked everyone à à à à à at the table to give their opinion on why the boy was guilty or not. Although the task messages he used were the most obvious reasons why Mr. Davis was an effective communicator, another important point is that he did not allow petty physical factors into his judgment. à à à à à The second most obvious way in which Mr. Davis was an effective communicator was how he kept physical factors out of his decisions. One physical factor that he kept out his decisions was time. Some of the jury members allowed the time for discussion to affect their decisions, by wanting to get the case over with. Another physical factor Mr. Davis did not take into account was his personal goals. Unlike some of the other jury members, Mr. Davis wanted to find out if the boy really was guilty or not. The fact that Mr. Davis did not allow physical factors into his decisions was an important point, but equally important was how he emerged as a leader at critical points. à à à à à Another important part of Mr. Davis’ effective communication was how he arose as a leader during the case. One such time was at the beginning when Mr.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Critique: the Scottsboro Boys – an American Tragedy
The Scottsboro Boys: An American Tragedy The author or producer of this documentary film was smart in setting the scene for the viewer. He showed scenes of the area and described the sounds of the train, gravel, and attempted to give the viewer a snapshot of the attitude of the inhabitants of Northern Alabama. This takes you from the comfy surroundings of your home, the accessibility to transportation to the hardships of the 1930ââ¬â¢s and the dismal state of life for blacks, especially poor blacks. The theme of Scottsboro: An American Tragedy was that blacks were so hated that one well-placed lie destroyed the lives of nine young men.Only one of these boys lived long enough to have a family and to fight for a pardon. The judicial system of that time was so terribly flawed (not that it isnââ¬â¢t now) with racism and bigotry that when facts were presented they were not heard because they wanted the boys to be guilty. Clearing the Scottsboro Boys were not in the plan! The key pla yers were the Scottsboro Boys but historians, relatives of Judge Horton, citizens of the area, photos, video clips, and newspaper articles all came together to tell the historical story which spanned from the 1931 to 1976.This may have been the best way to tell the story since none of the Scottsboro Boys were still alive when this was filmed. Several men of Scottsboro were interviewed and it was interesting that they wished the incident had happened 30 miles away (Huntsville) so the stigma that is associated with their little town would belong to another town. Jokingly, they said then they would have been called the Huntsville Boys and that would have been fine with us.So from those statements, I believe that many of the townââ¬â¢s citizens are embarrassed of the notoriety this incident has placed upon their little town. One aspect, I found missing and would have liked to known more of the effect that the trials and imprisonment had on their families, especially their siblings an d mothers. I, however, was most intrigued with Judge Horton and the stand he finally took regarding the boys and the political fallout for him. The Scottsboro Boys case, how it began, handled, and ended is really scary to me.Now that I know more of the details, it reminds me of the recent execution of Troy Davis of Georgia. In several ways, the two cases are similar. The tragedy in the Davis case is that he did serve around 17 years and he did die for a crime that he may not have committed while the Scottsboro boys served time and were eventually freed and/or broke parole. Due to support given them by northerners, they were allowed to remain free as long as they stayed in the North. Ruby Bates recanted her accusations of rape and later helped the mothers fight for the sonsââ¬â¢ release.Seven of the nine that testified against Troy Davis recanted but he exhausted all his appeals and was executed anyways against the number of organizations that protested against it. We can also go back a few months, to where a black woman was charged more time for jaywalking than the man that was driving drunk that hit her, her daughter, and killed her son. He was black but it since it was black on black crime, the young mother was treated as an example. In general, the judicial system is not a friend to the black American. This is 2011, isnââ¬â¢t it?Has anything really changed? Are we going backwards? This is supposed to be a different day. We have a black president which, in my opinion, has only given certain groups in our country to more openly exhibit their racism and bigotry. Since they cannot get to him, any black that runs afoul of the law become enemy number one just as the Scottsboro Boys were the enemy of the time back in 1931. This film was not entertaining to me at all but it was educational and eye-opening in that no matter how much we like to think that times have changed so much is still the same.I can see in many ways how far we have come but once you liste n to the news and see just what is going on around you, you can almost see the 1930ââ¬â¢s again. That is why I used the word ââ¬Å"scaryâ⬠earlier in my critique to describe the Scottsboro Boys story. Concern about the future for the black community, myself, and more importantly, our children, has increased and we must become better informed about the world in which we live, the judicial system we must work within, and the consequences of it all.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Changes in technology Essay
Technology enhances globalization. In past two decades, technology burst out like an explosion, definitely, the improvements of technology make our lives much more convenience. And, the advanced technology in microprocessors, Internet, and transportation enable the spreading out of globalization. Hill, C., (2001) stated ââ¬Å"Globalization has two main components: the globalization of markets and the globalization of product.â⬠In other words, the changing in technology would lead to an influence on globalization of markets and globalization of production. The widely use in microprocessors and telecommunications increasing the amount of information being transferred, but lower its cost. This is very helpful in merging markets. The opportunities for companies to expend businesses are raised, due to plummeting in global communication cost. Updated data can be collected, and monitoring overseas markets trend would become easier. Moreover, population of using Internet grows continuously since 1995 (Hill, C., 2001). This helps to create a global audience; advertisings are not restricted by geographic region anymore. Products can sold at overseas, such as Hill, C. (2001) pointed out customer can buy Leviââ¬â¢s jeans in Paris; McDonaldââ¬â¢s restaurant located in Tokyo. And, the cost of transportation plummeted, due to the revolutionized in transportation business, also helpful for expansion of business. Manufacturers can transport products at a lower cost and in a shorter time. As the trendy of globalization of production, productive activities spread out over the world, invention and widely use of microprocessors and Internet help supervisor to control the productive activities, and easier to communication to other in the process. The dispersal of production, for instance Hewlett-Packard separated its operations activities to different places, but reducing cost at the same time (Hill, C. 2001). As the decreasing cost in transportation, many businesses move their manufacturing plants to nations that provide cheaper raw materials and nature resources, in order to diminishing their production cost. Summering the above points, the three main changes in technology (microprocessors, Internet, and transportation) have a great supportive toà the globalization of markets and production. If the lower cost of communication does not exist, people around the world would not have so many chances to connect with others and business would not be willing to put money to widen their markets. If the world without Internet and the World Wide Web, people might not able to get the most updated information, the production skills cannot be improved and productive activities cannot be shared. Without the convenience transportation system, customer and provider would not connect each other; products cannot transfer to overseas market. Therefore, people would lose the opportunities to enjoy different products from all around the world. Finally, markets from different countries should not be merged together, and the production process should not spread out. Thatââ¬â¢s why the technology essential and enhance globalization. The above assignment is coming from the resources of Hill, C., ââ¬Å"Globalizationâ⬠, International Business, 2001, 3rd ed, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, New York.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Biological Psychology Worksheet Essay
Answer the following questions in short-essay format. Be prepared to discuss your answers. 1. What is biological psychology? Biological psychology is the scientific study of the biology of behavior. This study is also known as biopsychology, psychobiology, behavioral biology, and/or behavioral neuroscience. 2. What is the historical development of biological psychology? The historical development of biopsychology is traced as far back as the ancient Greek era. It became the Roman church who dictated much of the human behavior according to their religious beliefs. After the Dark Ages subsided a new way of thinking was born and this period is called the Renaissance era. With this era came new ways of studying things, ways to see things by observing them and this was how modern science was founded. 3. Name one to three important theorists associated with biological psychology. One theorists related to the study of biological psychology is Rene Descartes. Rene Descartes elaborated on a theory in which the pneumatics of bodily fluids could explain reflexes and other motor behavior. Rene Descartes also was the first to identify, clearly, that the mind has a consciousness and is self-aware, which leaves the brain to be a tool for intelligence. 4. Describe the relationship between biological psychology and other fields in psychology and neuroscience. Whether it is the study of biopsychology and other fields of psychology or neuroscience, all psychologists and scientists are trying to understand the functions of the brain. The body and mind connection and how it reacts to certain behaviors or illnesses. Biological psychology is defined as the scientific study of the biological bases of behavior and mental states. Neuropsychology is a division of the science that attempts to understand the way structure and function of the brain relate to behavior and psychological processes. 5. Describe the major underlying assumptions of a biopsychological approach. Mental illnesses can cause biological consequences. Biological events cause mental illnesses. Trauma is something that can cause any person to experience some type of mental illness. Some believe that they are two things go hand in hand and cannot be separated and are completely linked to each other.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Marketing Mix of Mcdonalds
Marketing Mix Marketing mix must focus on the product, pricing, promotion, and placement of item in order to make it successful. Marketing strategies must feature customer orientation, input, and accessibility in the fight to the top of the market. McDonald's is no different. An example of this is illustrated with a comparison of McDonalds and Wendy's. At first glance, they may appear to have roughly the same marketing mix and target markets. Both are fast food and provide similar products. However, looking closer, one can recognize that McDonald's primary target market is children ages 3-11 and their parents. McDonald's understood that the parent was making the purchasing decision, most likely based on price. What McDonald's marketing executives did was ingenious. They put a $. 50 toy in with the hamburger, french fries, and drink and gave it a special name, the ââ¬Å"Happy Mealâ⬠. Then McDonald's marketed the Happy Meal to the kids. If you have you ever asked your child where to buy a Happy Meal, they will tell you that there is only one place you can buy one, and that is at Fun McFactsWhen Was Your McDonald's Favorite Introduced? 1955 ââ¬â Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries, shakes, soft drinks, coffee and milk 1963 -Filet-O-Fish 968 -Big Mac and Hot Apple Pie 1973 -Quarter Pounder and Egg McMuffin 1974 -McDonaldland Cookies 1977 -Breakfast Menu 1978 -Sundaes 1979 -Happy Meals 1983 -Chicken McNuggets 1986 -Biscuit Sandwiches 1987 -Salads 1998 -McFlurry Desserts 1999 -Breakfast Bagels 2000 -Chicken McGrill and Crispy Chicken 2001 -Big N' Tasty 2003 -Premium Salads, Newman's Ownà ® salad dressings and McGriddles 2004 -2004 Chicken Selectsà ® Premium Breast Strips McDonald's. McDonald's has Ronald McDonald, playgrounds or PlayPlaces, ââ¬Å"Happy Meals,â⬠and fun advertisements with brightly colored ââ¬Å"Fry Guysâ⬠or the ââ¬Å"Cheese Burgerlerâ⬠. Contrastingly, Wendy's targets a more adult market and the restaurants represent a more mature atmosphere with carpet floors and Dave Thomas advertisements. Wendy's does have children's meals that offer a toy, but overall the atmosphere attracts a different demographic group. McDonald's restaurants have a variety of strategies that apply to product, placement, promotion, and price that makes them one of the most successful, well-recognized organizations in the world. Product Strategies McDonald's marketing strategies should be looked at historically in order to see the larger picture of the firm's success. There have been so many strategies since the inception of the firm that it is difficult to account for them all, the two most memorable are the development of the ââ¬Å"Golden Archesâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Ronald McDonaldâ⬠. These two icons have given customers a mental image of what to look for when they want quality food for a low price fast. The firm revolutionized the fast food industry and positioned itself as the market leader with low-priced, quality food and provided an entertaining atmosphere for the children. These things were what that the market wanted at the time and the firm answered in spades. The perceived secret of McDonald's success is the willingness to innovate, even while striving to achieve consistency in the operation of its many outlets. For example, its breakfast menu, salads, Chicken McNuggets, and the McLean Deluxe sandwich were all examples of how the company tried to appeal to a wider range of consumers. The long history of innovation and experimentation resulted in new profit centers like Chicken McNuggets and the breakfast menu. Innovation and experimentation also produced some disappointments like the McLean Deluxe, but inevitably experimentation in limited outlets provides McDonald's a way to retain its key strengths-quality and consistency-while continuing to evolve. The use of franchising, again, provides various perspectives that, in turn, lead to innovation for products and solutions. Franchisees agree to operate their restaurants in the ââ¬Å"McDonald's wayâ⬠but there remains room for innovation. Many ideas for new menu items come from franchisees responding to customer demand. Developing new products is crucial to any business even those that successfully relied on a limited menu for many years. As consumer tastes change, menu innovation injects enthusiasm allowing the firm to explore markets previously overlooked or ignored. The ââ¬Å"Egg McMuffinâ⬠, for example, was introduced in 1971. This item enabled McDonald's to accommodate consumers of the breakfast market. Filet-o-Fish, Drive-thrus, and Playlands were all products or concepts developed by franchisees. McDonald's tries a few new concepts simultaneous in different parts of the country to find the most promising new menu item. Those with the most potential could be rolled out further, while the ineffective ideas could be left to die quickly. This strategy may be expensive, but the potential to unleash new areas of growth in a maturing market seems to be right in line with what McDonald's has always done. In addition to the local flavors that have been created in the US, McDonald's international restaurants have been conforming to local, regional, and ethnic tastes, too. In a recent McDonald's case study this was explained further: ââ¬Å"For example, ââ¬ËMaharaja McBurger' is a vegetarian burger marketed in India. The special requirements for ââ¬ËKosher' foods are followed in Israel. Similarly, McDonald's offers ââ¬ËHalal' food in Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. During promotions, McDonald's also introduces several other products. For example, its ââ¬ËProsperity Burger' is popular in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore at the time of the Chinese New Year celebrations. In order to respond to the growing phenomenon of health consciousness, McDonald's has moved in favor of lean ground beef, 100% vegetable oil, 1% low-fat milk, low sodium, and low fat This product strategy shows that McDonald's is interested in becoming part of the culture and is looking for ways to appeal to the market internationally. McDonald's menu is based on five main ingredients: beef, chicken, bread, potatoes and milk. Their main products are hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and beverages. In addition, they serve a variety of breakfast items and desserts. Every McDonald's is uniform; you know exactly what you will get no matter what store you go in to. Although McDonald's has thousands of restaurants around the world, it standardizes menus and operating procedures in these restaurants to insure consistency throughout. To maintain consistency in the current menu while the firm tests new products to expand the product line, McDonald's relies on test marketing new menu items in pilot locations. New products are rigorously market tested so that the franchisee will have a reasonable idea of its potential before it is dded to the menu. The introduction of new products, which have already been researched and tested, considerably reduces the risk for the franchisee. The franchisees additionally benefit from the extensive national market research programs that assess consumer attitudes and perceptions. What products do they want to buy and at what price? How are they performing compared to their competitors? This approach allows the firm to id entify which items are likely to prove popular with consumers while ensuring that the company can deliver new products with consistent quality nationwide. McDonald's already has a history of doing this so it will not require major changes to its operations strategy-at least initially. If the product line-up gets too large, then the task of maintaining quality becomes exponentially harder. The trick is to consider how to eliminate some of the existing menu items when you introduce new ones, while making sure the staff is fully trained in how to execute these products successfully. McDonald's serves the world some of its favorite foods ââ¬â Fries, Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets, and the Egg McMuffin. To this end, McDonald's had done well with a limited product range. Declining per unit sales and competitors gaining ground, may indicate that McDonald's menu needs a face-lift. One way to do that is by inserting a couple of new, highly promoted menu items. This would refresh the product menu and provide new, satisfying experience for dinner consumers. McDonald's has the opportunity to apply its core competencies of rigorous adherence to quality standards and continual promotion of experimentation in new venues. Imagine McDonald's opening a new casual dining restaurant under a different name, like Mac's, and sliding away from the fast food industry. The firm could franchise that concept nationwide and target the market of consumers who have grown past fast food. McDonald's, or Mac's, meticulous approach to operations would ensure that consumers everywhere would experience the same dining experience at each restaurant. This consistency presents a wonderful advantage for consumers who don't want to be surprised with a bad meal. Consumers would expect the same as they do currently with McDonald's-the Big Mac in Minneapolis is the same as the one in Beijing . Placement Strategies McDonald's focuses on store placement and are always looking for the best locations. This strategy created some weakness in the last 10 years because it seemed that too many stores were put in some areas, cannibalizing sales from the other McDonald's. The company has also made convenience a focus, not only through how fast it serves customers, but also in the location of its outlets. Freestanding restaurants are positioned so that you are never more than a few minutes away by foot in the city or by car in the suburbs. In addition, McDonald's is tucking restaurants into schools, stores, and more . Because McDonald's has pretty well saturated the U. S. arket, it's only real opportunities for growth lie abroad, where the competition is not so cutthroat or by introducing new restaurant concepts under brands other than McDonald's. The organization's overall objective is to increase market share. In this instance, the focus is purely on localization with different strategies for different countries. Pricing could not possibly be standardized across the globe without aliena ting many countries with poorer economies, thus defeating the initial objective. McDonald's set an appropriate price for their product by looking at its competitors in each country. McDonald's is attempting to localize marketing communications due to the realization that it couldn't possibly appeal to all countries at the same time. The firm sees the necessity to ââ¬Å"brand globally, act locallyâ⬠. For example, in China it was recognized that advertising on television would be a waste of money because commercials between programs are generally ignored. Instead, McDonald's uses newspapers and magazines to promote its image. Similarly, in East Asia, McDonald's targets children in order to gain optimum results. Of course, the ultimate message (brand) is the same; the medium is what is strategically modified. Pricing Strategies McDonald's strategy is to offer quality food quickly to customers at a good value. The pricing structure for McDonald's over years has supported this message. The company strives to differentiate itself from other fast food restaurants by offering a variety of menu items that appeal to a variety of people from those who just want great hamburgers, to those who just want a quick healthy meal. McDonald's differentiates itself by offering a dollar menu, combination meals, and a free toy with Happy Meals McDonald's, over the years, has also ran many promotions to increase traffic or product sales. For instance, the most recent roll out has been the 2004 Chicken Selects premium Breast Strips. Right now, you can go to your local McDonald's and ââ¬Å"try them free. â⬠With this new product is offered a variation of the ââ¬Å"usualâ⬠sauces for the Chicken Nuggest ââ¬â a Chipotle Barbeque sauce is most commonly advertised. Another promotion was the ââ¬Å"Campaign 55â⬠where diners could buy a featured sandwich, like the Big Mac in April, for 55 cents when purchased with fries and a drink. This campaign wasn't as successful as the fast food giant found would have hoped. Many other promotions with food, toys, collectibles, videos, and other prizes have been used by McDonald's restaurants over the past 50-plus years. These promotions, some better than others, have helped to keep McDonald's growing and gaining in the fast food world. Value has been an area in which McDonald's has strengthened over time, not only with customers, but within their distribution, channel management, and logistics strategies as well Distribution, Channel Management, and Logistics. A company the size of McDonald's requires the value chain to be increasingly important. Not only does McDonald's want to add value for the customers, but also the firm looks for ways to improve the operations that makes McDonald's a more efficient business. Promotion Strategies McDonald's knows that some customers go to its stores to take a quick break from their day's activities and not because McDonald's made the food ten seconds faster than their competitors could. Therefore, McDonald's marketing executives then put together the phrase, ââ¬Å"Have you had your break today? â⬠They continued to develop this idea with ââ¬Å"You deserve a break today,â⬠and now are in the ââ¬Å"I'm Lovin' It! mantra. ââ¬Å"I'm Lovin' It! â⬠doesn't seem to have as much punch as the earlier catch phrase, which still seems to be the favorite. McDonald's sees the use of these catch phrases and the use of the Golden Arches as a very successful way of differentiating the restaurants from other fast food competitors. McDonald's has taken price competition out of the picture because the customer feels they have gotten quality, convenience, service, and value ââ¬â and McDonald's still makes you feel like you are getting a break in your hectic day. Creating catch phrases are only one kind of promotion, and McDonald's uses many kinds of promotions to keep the restaurants at the top of the industry. With the rise of health consciousness it has become more difficult McDonald's to compete because their reputation brands them as cheap food served fast . The firm's response to obesity claims against the organization and other unfavorable public sediment is to add healthier items to their menu and promote and offer health-conscious alternatives to the ââ¬Å"would you like fries with thatâ⬠legacy. In addition, McDonald's has modernized their advertisements, pamphlets, and website to include nutritional information and addressing diet restrictions. Breaking the unhealthy association is difficult on its own, but with media and movies such as ââ¬Å"Supersize Meâ⬠adding to the fray, McDonald's has had to look for alternative strategies to keep consumers happy. Another promotional strategy McDonald's uses is the huge investment in sponsorship. This is also a central part of the image building process. Sponsorship of the 1998 football World Cup, the Premier League and the European Championships increases awareness of McDonald's brand . However, McDonald's still follows Ray Kroc's community beliefs today, supporting the Tidy Britain Group and the Groundwork Trust, as well as local community activities. McDonald's has become a known community partner with Ronald McDonald Houses across the nation for the use of families whose children are hospitalized and getting treatment far from home. This organization has created an image of partnership and community investment with these and other kinds of philanthropic activities . Rob Leavitt, ITSMA e-zine editor, reported in the June 2004 edition that Larry Light, McDonald's Chief Marketing Officer, railed against those claiming brands must have only one identity that appeals to increasingly fragmented audiences. Leavitt also reported, ââ¬Å"Identifying one brand positioning, communicating it in a repetitive manner, is old-fashioned, out-of-date, out-of-touch brand communication,â⬠he said. A brand is multidimensional. No one communication, no one message can tell a whole brand story. â⬠According to Light, marketers that continue to follow a simplistic mass marketing approach are committing ââ¬Å"brand suicideâ⬠. Determining which way to market McDonald's and its products is a very important decision that can either cause products to fail or take flight. These same decisions must be made in regards to the ma rketing of the company as a whole. Strategy is the name of this game.
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