Comparison between Hard Times and the Star

Like the beginning of Hard Times, the Star is about children and the way that they are treated. Although Hard Times was written a hundred years before the Star but both stories have similar messages and implications. The Star and Hard Times both stress what their authors thought about teaching in their times. An important theme in both stories is the importance of imagination. For ‘Sissy' Jupe in Hard Times, her imagination is what makes her herself. For the boy Cameron in the Star his imagination is a way of escape from the dystopian world around him. In both stories, these ideas are more important than the characters: but I think that in Hard Times the characters play a much more important role than in the Star, as they are described in much more detail and depth. Like Hard Times, the surroundings in the Star connote ideas of entrapment and claustrophobia. The phrase â€Å"monotonous vault† in Hard Times suggests a prison like feeling to the schoolroom, while in the Star, â€Å"enclosing tenements† connotes a similar feeling about Cameron's neighbourhood. An important message in both stories is that no matter how hard you try to suppress imagination, it will always resurface. In Hard Times, this is represented by the phrase, â€Å"dost thou think that thou wilt always kill outright the robber Fancy lurking within- or sometimes only maim and distort him! † This message is also reflected in the Star by the child disobeying the teacher and swallowing the star instead of handing it to the teacher. Dickens describes his characters in great detail, using similes and metaphors. For example, there is a lengthily description of Mr. Gradgrind being likened a building in chapter one. In Hard Times, Dickens how a character will act is reflected in their name. â€Å"Gradgrind† suggests gradually grinding, which is what Mr. Gradgrind does; he gradually grinds the children into his image of what a person should be. Dickens also hints to us how we are meant to feel about certain characters in his descriptions of them. I find that Gray doesn't describe his characters in the Star in as much depth as Dickens does in Hard Times. Gray spends more time on the descriptions of the images that Cameron imagines when he looks into the star; such as the snow-flake. â€Å"He brought it close to his eye. In its depth was the pattern of a snowflake†¦ He looked through the flake's crystal lattice into an ocean of glittering blue-black waves under a sky full of huge galaxies. † I preferred Hard Times to the Star because the characters are described in more detail whereas descriptions of the star seem to make up most of the story in the Star. I also find Hard Times easier to understand, probably because it is more blatant than the Star.

Metro Group

Metro Group Executive Summary: Metro has taken initiative to implement RFID tagging to better track its inventory and improve its supply chain management. The palette level tracking which has been implemented at certain stores has proven beneficial and now Metro is considering case level tagging. Given the cost savings, improvement in inventory and store level performance, the case level tagging would yield higher savings as compared to palette level tagging. Since RFID technology is evolving very fast the primary cost – price of tags, would decreases significantly and thereby would increase ROI.Therefore, with the assumptions case level tagging is recommended over palette level tagging. In-Store Logistics problem: One factor that contributes to in store logistic problems is on shelf availability of products. There’s about 6% to 10% out of stock rate in grocery retailing and that is a major problem in loss of revenue and potential loss of customers. The cause of this pr oblem could be that the inventory already exists in store but the in store inventory system is not sophisticated enough to prevent the problem. RFID, however, can help improve inventory data accuracy and stock visibility.Another problem is promotion compliance – because of the numerous promotions going on per store, the stores lack the resources to carry out all the events effectively and that could result in manufacture dissatisfaction due to unsatisfactory promotions. Using RFID can help in pallet and case level by giving accurate stock information so manufacturers can see how their promotions are doing as well as if markets are holding their end of the bargain. Finally, RFID can improve problems in productivity and labor efficiencies. One problem is workers unable to locate items to physically scan them with traditional readers.With RFID, the worker just needs to be within the vicinity so no extra work needed to identify correct pallet from within a case. Another labor pro blem that arises is too much manual work done by workers to scan items when they arrive, with RFID, the pallets can just arrive on location and just be unloaded instead of manually inspecting codes by workers. Process flow of the supply chain: Upon production, the assembly of the pallets is conducted at the manufacturer’s plant. The pallets are stored either at the manufacturer’s warehouse or are shipped to a distribution center (DC).From the DC the pallets are either shipped to one of Metro’s DCs or directly to a Metro store. At the Metro DC pallets are either kept as they arrive or get unbundled and repackaged as mixed pallets. Every pallet contains from 60 to 80 cases with some exceptional cases of 900cases/pallet. The above flow requires high labor force. As a next step, the stock room determines how much of the product should be moved directly to the sales floor and how much needs to remain in the stock room. There are cases where products marked for the sa les floor had to be returned back to the stock room due to lack of display space.The products displayed at the sales floor are also relocated for promotional events. A retail store receives shipments either directly from the manufacturer or from a variety of Metro DCs. In addition to the various locations the shipments originated, the size of the pallets, the pallet mix, the randomness of the delivery schedules there are also cases where a product has to be returned for quality issues or product damage. Business Process Optimization at the pallet level: The major difference between barcodes and RFID tags is that RFID tags do not require a direct line of sight for scanning and processing.This leads to major process automation wherever the process scanning is required, e. g. scan barcode on pallet, scan storage barcode to verify location, forklift driver scans barcode on pallet etc. Whenever a pallet is within a read range from an RFID reader, the scanning automatically takes places, therefore, the employee doesn’t have to physically locate and scan the tag (ultrahigh frequency benefits displayed in Exhibit 3). Apart from that, RFID tags can store information about the object itself (location, case counts, etc. ).This leads to major picking and truck loading process optimization. Whenever a pallet is created, the number of cases and pallet location can be stored in the tag and placed on the pallet. Pallet movement can then be detected by readers placed within the warehouse for improved warehouse visibility. This allows employees to locate the pallets quicker and reduce the time required to move pallets to outgoing docks for shipment. Inbound and outbound pallet inspection during the truck loading process becomes faster, more accurate, and requires less resource utilization.RFID readers at the loading docks will be able to automatically check the identity of a pallet when it is moved onto or off the truck, eliminating in that way the need for manual scanni ng and inspection. Business Process Optimization at the case level: Implementation of RFID tags at the case level reduces the need for forklift readers to count cases on the pallets as the case tags provide immediate signal notification of case count. As pallets are stored in the Metro DC for potential case mixing, current process flow is facilitated by improved efficiency of mixed-pallet picking.In addition, RFID tags identify optimal picking paths for the employees or the best route to take through the warehouse when they search for the products that will consist of the mixed pallet. During shrink-wrapping, the need to label the mixed pallets is eliminated as case tags will verify and notify trucks (headed from Metro DC to Metro stores) for the pallet content. Case level RFID tags also eliminate the 1% mixed pallet case recounting process, a result of too many or too few cases being picked for mixed pallets or wrong cases altogether being picked.The tags on the cases notify employ ees of improper inclusion or exclusion without the need for manual recounts. Process improvement is facilitated through more efficient shelf restocking at the store level. For the first time, employees have improved visibility of what is in the backroom, instead of relying upon memory of backroom items. This will help limit the stock outs but will also improve the inventory-ordering accuracy. Last but not least, storage mapping utilized in conjunction with case level RFID tags limits the time required for searching the replenishment cases.When the point-of-sale data indicates that a shelf is empty, employees are notified that replenishment is required, have clear visibility of the number of that particular item available in the backroom, as well as the exact backroom item location. Cost-Benefit analysis: Exhibit 1 shows the cost benefit analysis for the implementation of RFID either at palette level or case level. In both scenarios, Metro would not be generating enough incremental p rofits as opposed to the investment.Certain assumptions were made regarding average cost of tag, average number of pallets reaching DC and number of DC. In case of palette level tagging, manufacture is set to make huge savings per plant which is evident from per palette saving data as well. But for the case level tagging, Metro will be generating high incremental savings but not more than investment. Assuming that tags and portal bought by Metro runs for 5 years, Metro will break even on its investment in less than 2 years and would earn more than $11M savings per year thereafter.

How can we explain the international expansion of Chinese business Essay - 1

How can we explain the international expansion of Chinese business Discuss using a big business group example(s) to illustrate your argument - Essay Example Both push and pull factors have contributed to the international expansion of Chinese business. China opened up its economy in the 1970s and gained accession to World Trading Organization (WTO) in 1990. Because of the locational advantages that China offered, it received huge inward FDI (foreign direct investment) flows since the mid-1990s which has been one of the reasons for outward FDI (OFDI). Inward FDI resulted in massive foreign currency reserves (Andersson and Wang 2011) while the MNCs in China also provided the much-needed technical know-how, competence and confidence to the domestic companies to venture overseas (Bhuiyan 2011). China no longer remained a magnet for inward FDI but now has become a major source of OFDI (Liu and Buck 2009). Most OFDI was directed towards developing nations with geographical or institutional proximity requiring limited resources. The newly industrialized economies (NICs) of East Asia and Japan engaged in OFDI due to push factors (labour shortages, high operating costs) while China initially engaged in OFDI due to pull factors (natural resource endowments and market potential) (Biggeri and Sanfilippo 2009). The motives to internationalize included enhancing the corporate brand values of Chinese enterprises (OECD 2009). However, as the Chinese government tried to integrate China into the world economy (1979-1985) only the state-owned enterprises (SEOs) were granted approval for internationalization. In the next stage the non-SOEs were allowed to expand abroad through a foreign affiliate. OFDI from China remained highly regulated during the first two decades of the economic reform (Liou 2009). As part of the Go Global Policy outlined in China’s 10th five-year plan in 2001, certain industries like textiles, machinery and electrical equipment, were provided with foreign exchange support and export tax rebates to boost internationalization.

THE RITE OF SPRING by Igor Stravinsky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

THE RITE OF SPRING by Igor Stravinsky - Essay Example So on 23rd February at 7:30 pm a huge crowd gathered in Kent Concert Hall in the Chase Fine Arts Centre to watch the performance. Moreover 130 student musicians also participated from Utah State and the University of Utah. There was a joint performance of Utah Philharmonic and USU symphony Orchestra of Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of spring. Stravinsky is the most influential figure in the musical history and people admire him a lot. His compositions were quite rhythmic and clearly depicted links with Russia.Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’ was composed in 1913 which greatly inspired the people and grew popular among the people and in 20th century it turned to be the most influential piece of music. In the end one of the young maiden was chosen by her luck to dance herself to death. After listening to his compositions, one can easily link the past and present of musical history. So the orchestral concert was held in the memory of this great composer welcoming the upcoming spring with open arms. People from distant places travelled to attend this festival. The audience were given 3D glasses while entering the hall. On stage there was a performance of full orchestra and a dancer who was surrounded by invisible 3D stereoscopic cameras. This stunned the whole crowd for a while. The first half of the concert presented a multimedia examination of Igor Stravinsky’s two-part ballet; later his images were also projected. His biography and life history was also presented to make the people know about the background of this popular man and how he began composing in 1913. His life history influenced the listeners. After an intermission, the concert transpired. This was a perfect way to celebrate spring season. The groundbreaking nature of his music, electrified the listeners following the Russia’s folk and classical traditions. The music had depth and was entirely unique and soothing for the listeners. The music captured the attention of crowd which ended in

Starting a Business Online Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Starting a Business Online - Assignment Example It is in this context that reselling of domain names to third parties, as mentioned in the case, is likely to increase the chances of fraudulent and miscommunication in the business process further leading to customer dissatisfaction. This can be considered as a legality constraint while selling a domain name (Clayton & Moore, 2011). In the referred case, the domain name of the organization can be identified playing a vital role to provide a professional appearance in the online business which can be more viable for the enterprise in its future conducts. However, the domain names also transmit some disputes along with it. For instance, the selling of domain names are often identified to increase the risks of subjectivity in terms that the future prospects of generating significant cash flows in future can raise confusions in calculating its proper valuation (Investopedia, 2012). Therefore, considering the future chances of generating larger cash flows and other constraints in terms o f subjectivity and legality, it would be a better decision not to sell the domain name at the quoted price. Answer 2 The catalog display in the e-commerce involve with the facilities to display the products or the features of providing services with regards to online sales. The concept of e-commerce entails with the visual communication about various products/services along with the different varieties, ingredients, and pricing options to the customers. The catalog display of e-business is one of the major tools which communicates and provides browsing options in order to assist the user in acquiring the desired products/services presenting additional and comprehensive information concerning promotional offers (Chopra, n.d.). Similarly, the shopping cart is also regarded as one of the major facets in the e-commerce business model. It assists the customers to maintain a track of the products purchased of those which have been selected for purchased through the electronic shopping car ts. It further allows the customers to check and recheck their purchases adding new items in the cart as well as, if wished, removing any products while making their ultimate purchases. This in turn can assist the organization to build up a productive relationship with its targeted customer group (King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, n.d.). Furthermore, the business transaction processing signifies the set of practice or actions of performed through online or e-commerce software. It is often regarded to act as a system which is performed as a base for other allied operations in the online e-commerce system and thus play a vital role in serving the customers in a better way. As customers are able to obtain superior quality assistance from the marketer through online sites owing to the virtues of transaction processing, organizational are also benefited in terms of enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty (Becherer & Halstead, 2004). Answer 3 In this present competitive sce nario, the online business entrepreneurs must need to look after various criteria to facilitate the customers rendering them ease in accessing the site. Therefore, building the online website as per the customers’ convenience is one of the crucial factors to accumulate and sustain in the current competitive e-commerce portfolio. The initial step of instigating an e-business model is the registration of a special domain which should reflect the registered name of the organization. The next step

SAM 400 UNIT 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SAM 400 UNIT 5 - Essay Example One of the characteristics of this group is having a focused leader who is elected through a democratic and fair process. An effective group should have a visionary leader who has the group’s interest at heart. The leader shifts from on person to the other, at the end of every year, during the group’s general meeting where new leaders are elected into the office. The elected leader should aggressively seek for votes from the members without any intimidation .If the members feel that they can entrust the groups’ mission in the hands of a specific leader, then he or she is duly elected. Our leader portrays good leadership skills and ensures that unity and coherence is achieved within the group. The mission of the Green Community Groups is to promote environment conservation within the school compound. Our vision is to see that environmentally friendly practices are encouraged and adopted by the school’s community. To achieve this goal, all the members led by our leader work alongside the school’s administration and other environment agencies to facilitate environmentally friendly activities such as tree planting and advocacy initiatives. The activities to be undertaken are agreed upon by all the members, every one contribution is highly valued and decisions are reached through a consensus (Manning & Curtis 79). The roles within the group are shared and well balanced. There are smaller groups within the club that are designated various projects to steer head. Within these small groups every member has a role to play .This characteristic creates a sense of belonging and worth among all the members, there are no minority members as everyone feels relaxed and involved. To facilitate coherence within the group, effective communication is highly encouraged. Our group communicates face to face, during meetings, through the club’ social site called â€Å"The Greeners† and through the use of mobile phones. Every member is aware of the Club’s

How should we live on the earth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How should we live on the earth - Essay Example Hence, land is valuable to man and even biblically â€Å"since the days of Ezekiel and Isaiah†. The question of how we should live on earth has been there since the early civilization of man. Through his works, Leopold can be referred to as the founder of establishing how man and the environment should coexist. This is because he is regarded as the first person to invoke the topic on land ethic in the 21st century. He came up with this terminology through his book ‘A Sand County Almanac’. He referred to land ethic as a theory that directs human beings actions in land utilization or when making changes to land (Leopold). It is wise for human beings to safeguard and conserve the land as he lives on earth. Leopold argued that Land ethic is a limitation of the freedom to use land when trying to exist. Further, ethics have developed with evolution of man and ecology. Ethics mean that there are socially acceptable and unacceptable ways of dealing with or utilizing land. The use of land ethics starts from an individual whereby, the individual should cultivate ways of coexisting with the environment. Secondly, land ethics can be exercised by the community that can develop instincts and rules of how it should coexist with land. Therefore, there are various inspirations, theories and explanations that explain how we should live on earth and some of them are highlighted in this essay. ... When we relate this to the current world, these members are all that makes up the earth we live in. Each of these members should live in coexistence with others in a big community. Land ethic in this community inspires changes in the role of human beings on earth from being conquerors of the community, to being members in the community (Leopold). Therefore, human beings should respect the other members of the community to ensure there is coexistence. Secondly, we should ensure that there is harmonious living between the earth and us. As human beings, we should have knowledge and use it to ensure that the earth is in a state of harmony. Humans should embrace education that is focused towards conservation so that they can ensure harmony in the earth. To promote harmony, we should seek to ensure that the ecology in our environment is conserved. To support this, People should join in organizations so that they can step up education about the environment. The knowledge gained through such education should be used to conserve the earth and hence, ensure harmony (Leopold). For example, farmers should be educated on soil conservation methods in order to prevent soil erosion, learn how to use machinery on their fields and good crop farming techniques. They should use this knowledge to ensure that the community (the earth) also benefits from their activities. To live in harmony, we must perceive the earth as a friend, therefore, this will help us to see that the earth provides for our needs, and we should care for it. In addition, we should perceive the earth as one complete living organism, which has various parts that include all the members, who must all cooperate with each other. Thirdly, we should live in the earth by first identifying our position in the

Meditation One and Two by Descartes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Meditation One and Two by Descartes - Essay Example In Meditation 1, he doubts his knowledge for the reason that he might be dreaming (Med1&2, n.p.). He tells of the danger of confusing dreams from reality especially because of the fact that we are very much convinced that whatever is happening in our dreams, no matter how far they are from reality is the truth. This is a very similar principle derived from the concept of the movie â€Å"Inception† which implies that the beginning of what a man will consider true is when he or she is fully awake. But the question is, how will you distinguish being awake in reality or being in a waking dream? Lastly, Descartes questions his knowledge because of the fact that evil is all around us, constantly causing us a slanted view of truth. That is why we all need to be governed by law and not rely on our morals and free will because with the influence of evil, we can have our own versions of the good and bad and rationalize them to fit our selfish interests. However, in Meditation 2, Descartes brings himself out of his doubts because of the fact that he is a being made up of not only of a body but also of a mind, therefore he is a thinking being. Though his concept of knowledge could be marred by the limitations of his senses, dreams, and the influence of evil, he still can go beyond all three because of his mind or his ability to think. In line with this, he claims that mind can be better known than the body for the reason that the body could be easily deformed, perished, or seeped out of its strength with the influence of evil or is just part of the man’s mortal nature but the mind is something that is strong enough to filter the knowledge that is not only based on senses but also derived with prudence.

Academic Dishonesty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Academic Dishonesty - Essay Example In this regard, the aim of the current essay is to proffer pertinent issues affecting academic dishonesty, as a behavior that young people often choose to participate in with their peers, knowing full well that it comes with specific risks, side effects, or hazards. Specifically, one intends to determine how young people justify their decision to participate in academic cheating and the factors that influence this choice. The essay hereby aims to prove that academic dishonesty is the effect of different factors impinging on the performance of students placing the blame on the external factors more than the individual students’ desire to manifest exemplary academic performance. Definition of Terms.The Missouri State’s policy defines academic dishonesty as encompassing any of the four specific acts, to wit: (1) â€Å" Cheating: The term â€Å"cheating† refers to using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise; (2) Fabrication: The term â€Å"fabrication† refers to unauthorized falsification or invention of any information (including research data) or any citation in any academic exercise; (3) Plagiarism: ... ndicates, any or all of the abovementioned acts are considered maladjusted behavior and are usually dealt with the stiffest penalties and sanctions imposed by different schools and universities depending on the extent, degree, level, and frequency of the acts committed. Factors Influencing Academic Dishonesty The study conducted by Lambert, Hogan and Barton (2003) aimed to identify various rationales for cheating. From among those that were revealed through the support of previous researches and studies on the subject, the following factors actually influence academic dishonesty: alienation, low levels of commitment between learning orientations and ideals of higher education, failure to emphasize and recognize ethical implications of the behavior, past cheating behavior, and other crucial variables such as â€Å"competitiveness of their major, course difficulty, the need for professional success, cynicism, and that other students cheat† (Lambert, Hogan and Barton par. 19). Ot her crucial factors that reveal increased propensities to cheat focus on gender, where males have higher tendencies to indulge in academic dishonestly than females. According to Lambert, et al (2003), â€Å"women are socialized differently and view cheating more negatively† (Lambert, Hogan and Barton par. 8). Further, the impact of age was found to be inversely related to cheating behavior. The younger the students, the more they are inclined to cheat due to immaturity and lack of responsibility and accountability for one’s actions. In addition, students with lower GPAs justify the need to cheat hopefully to attain higher grades, if dishonesty is not detected. Finally, the imposition of deterrent sanctions affects the level and extent of academic dishonesty. Schools and universities with strict

American History to 1877 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American History to 1877 - Assignment Example l Army in the Battle of Brooklyn, the British Government requested to meet the Congress representatives to negotiate for a bloodless resolution to the armed hostilities. This opened the possibility of a peaceful compromise. The colonials were willing enough to send a delegation, which included Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, and talk the matter out with the British imperial army led by Admiral, Lord Richard Howe (The History Place, n.d.). For five years negotiations were ongoing even as the war continued, but the opportunity dissolved when the colonials refused to renounce the Declaration of Independence. The unyielding attitude of both parties finally resulted to the termination of a possible compromise upon American victory in 1781 (Lanning, 2008, p. 246). (2) Union policy over slavery changed throughout the course of the war because of internal rifts between the Northern and Southern states, which were in a tight competition for political power. First, the Southern states wanted slaves to be counted in the census so as to have more representatives in Congress than the North, but this was vetoed by the North. The result was a compromise that each slave was only worth three-fifths of a white Southerner. Second, the South wanted to expand slavery into the newly acquired territories from the Mexican War but Northern states were strongly against this move. Finally, Northern states were angered by the Supreme Court decision to free a slave named Dred Scott, who was brought to a free state by his owner (Oracle ThinkQuest, n.d). These rifts sowed the seeds of the civil war. Abrahalm Lincoln, whose own inconsistent decisions on the slavery issue contributed to the changing policies of the Union, depended on the progression of these rifts befo re he finally conceded to how slavery contradicted the constitutional mandate that â€Å"all men are born equal† and declared war (Taylor, 2008; Public Broadcasting Service, n.d.). (3) America made a lot of transformations from

Evergreen Naturals Market Essay Example for Free

Evergreen Naturals Market Essay There were numerous factors that contributed towards the constant success of Evergreen Natural Markets. The company’s methodology towards growth and expansion is one of the integral factors. Where most companies seek to grow by re-investing their profits back into their businesses (ploughing back), Evergreen adopted a more radical approach by acquiring other competing companies or companies that show potential of growing rapidly. Evergreen designed a strategy that was twofold in nature. By bringing in rival companies under the Evergreen umbrella, the approach simply eliminated any competition, increased the resources and financial base and made it easier for Evergreen to have a wider scope and reach. Granted, acquisitions have issues with integration of management and operations. However, this approach has been steadily used by Evergreen, and this has resulted in its prosperity as an organic food distributor. As the latest addition to the Evergreen umbrella, Aragula Grocers serve to make the effect of the mother company increasingly widespread. The recent acquisition can allow the company to lower its prices and engage in aggressive marketing that will make Evergreen more successful. 2. Why do stores improve their performance after being acquired by Evergreen? The main reason for the increased performance after joining the Evergreen was the approach adopted by Evergreen. On the surface, they may seem like clear acquisitions. However, the acquired stores are allowed to maintain their functional systems and procedures. In this way, Evergreen owns the stores but allows them to continue operating in the same way. The slight modifications that at times were made on the administration and management included branding, change in sales approach, and other minor issues. Using the operational systems of the different stores, Evergreen was able to utilise their combined efforts and attain massive profits. On the other hand, the smaller stores also got to prosper under the Evergreen because of two arch factors. One was the fresh infusion of capital and administrative support provided by Evergreen. Evergreen offered increased investment opportunities by providing the capital, human resources, and other assistance. The second factor was an advantage of working under a larger company that allows one to work without much competition from the outside. 3. How well does the acquisition of Arugula Grocers align with Evergreen’s established approach to integrating new stores? What modifications, if any, should Norton make? The acquisition of Aragula Grocers is an advantageous addition to the Evergreen group as it offered new opportunities in Nevada, Las Vegas. However, several modifications would serve to improve the situation in their relations. Firstly, Mrs. Norton should introduce more effective communication measures that will ensure that the link between Evergreen and Aragula Grocers is not severed. It was discovered that the link between these two parties was weak, and this will lead to confusion and dilution of the vision of the mother company. Secondly, Norton also needed to rectify the financial status of the store before investing in it seriously. Aragula Grocers was acquired amid a series of financial issues and complications that showed signs of mismanagement. Adopting these problems will lead to failure of the store and eventually, losses for Evergreen. Mrs. Norton should also consider making modifications to the management style in Aragula Grocers. The changes should reflect the three proposals that she made concerning all acquisitions under Evergreen. These changes involved investing in improving human resources, maintaining the local setting, and caring about the welfare of the employees and customers. These three proposals would serve to change the atmosphere and approach taken by the Aragula management as they start operations under Evergreen.

Features of Internet Banking

Features of Internet Banking 2.0 Overview Based on previous chapter, this study examines the factor influencing undergraduate student adoption of internet banking. In order to gain a clearer better understanding, it is meaningful to explore the related literature regarding adoption internet banking. Section 2.1 will discuss about the basic of electronic banking. Section 2.2 understanding about internet banking, section 2.3 conception of internet banking, section 2.4 traditional banking versus internet banking, section 2.5 will discuss the characteristics of internet banking, section 2.6 Technology Acceptance Model, section 2.7 in Malaysias internet banking and section 2.8 factor influencing undergraduate adoption of internet banking. 2.1 Basic of Electronic Banking The term of electronic banking is almost generic in its nature and therefore it is mostly used without any further definition or explanation. Electronic banking is not equal to the term of internet banking although the latter is most widespread type of it. Electronic banking is a construct, which consists of several distribution channels. Electronic banking is a bigger platform than just banking via internet. Although, most general type of electronic banking in our times is banking through internet or internet banking. Electronic banking this term can defines in many ways. Most simple form is mean the provision of information or service via a bank to its customers by a computer, television, telephone, or mobile phone. Electronic banking includes several traditional services like telephone banking, credit cards, debit cards, ATMs. Burr (1996), for example, describe of an electronic connection between bank and customers in order to manage, prepare and control financial transactions. Internet banking also allows their customer access bank accounts for doing their banking transactions. At another progression level internet banking called transactional online banking, because of it involves the provision of facilities such as transfer of funds, view account balances and transaction, buying financial products or service online. Now a day internet is the main channel of electronic banking. Electronic banking is also known as electronic fund transfer (FET) and basically is simple the use of electronic means to transfer fund directly from one account to another account.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition, electronic banking is said to have three different mean of delivery: PC, telephone and the internet. From Daniel (1999) there, he already introduces four types of channels for electronic banking: PC banking, internet banking, managed network and also TV-based banking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most important is to know that internet banking is dissimilar from PC Home banking. The apparent difference is that internet banking is browser-based, whereas PC Home banking requires customers to install the software package assigned by the bank on their PC. Furthermore, PC Home banking allows customers to do their banking services only on PCs that have been installed the assigned software package.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Telephone banking, TV-based banking and managed network do not play such role in banking today. However, in the future delivery platform is expected to shift from wired internet connection to wireless mobile technologies. 2.2 Internet banking Internet banking defines as banking services such as transfer of fund, loan application, account balance inquiry, fixed deposit placement and view transaction histories provided by bank via internet. (Pikkarainen, Pikkarainen, Karjaluoto, and Pahnila, 2004, p.224) defines internet banking as an internet portal, through which customers can use different kind of banking services ranging from bill payment to making investment. Now a day, banking services really give many types of service through internet; it is also another stage for banking industry goes to higher levels. Beside that cash withdrawal, internet banking gives undergraduate customers many types of banking transaction can be done through at the click of mouse only. Undergraduate student using mouse to click already can be done several banking transaction compare to traditional banking. To be sure, use of new alternative channel for distribution of financial services has become a competitive necessity instead of just a way to achieve competitive advantage with the advent of globalization and fiercer competition. All banks using internet as an additional channel or a bank using only the internet as the delivery channel are now equal footing to offer their banking services on the internet and to complete for customer around the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Internet banking has the advantage for bank to maintain competition, to save costs, to enhance mass customization, marketing and communication activities, and to maintain and attract consumer. The primary advantage of internet banking is to save time and cost. Indicated that internet banking allows the consumer easier access to their bank accounts with lower services changes and also time saving. Moreover, showed that internet banking had a low transaction cost and a high speed of service when compared to other banking services. 2.3 Conception of internet banking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Internet banking is conducting banking transaction via internet, such as fund transfer, account balance inquiry, history transaction, loan application and so forth. In terms of banks ideals are as below: Provided with ICT equipment such as notebooks and internet connection, the user can access anywhere anytime. (e.g. home, hotspots zone, workplace and so forth) It required basic software from PC such as Internet explorer which allows users to sign-in into their e-banking services from the websites. All transactions done through website will store in banker server from internet. Banking services are ready can anytime. Users can print the bank statement or check the transaction history or observe the incoming fund anytime. Meanwhile we should alert that the differences among internet banking and PC Home banking. Internet banking is through browser-based, but PC Home Banking needed to install a software package assigned by the bank. 2.4 Internet banking versus Traditional banking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many years ago, when a user wanted to open a bank account, he or she must be presented to bank branches. And, the business transaction, automatic teller machine (ATMs) and customer services also provided by face to face basis which so called traditional banking. Traditional banking offer real life people to people interaction. Fixed schedule, inconvenient locations and limited financial products offer are caused some of users drawback from traditional banks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For internet banking, the easiest way to open a saving account or internet checking is by linking to an existing account. Business transactions can be carrying out by just a click. Without any verbal communications and no long queue at the counter, the users still can manage any accounts by staying at home. Internet banking is more convenience; 24 hours in 7days of banking service and flexibility are the main advantages of internet banking. It can provide the undergraduate students on all banking services convenience anywhere. Thus, internet banking is probably our benefits. 2.5 Characteristics of internet banking Internet banking is beneficial for both the provider and the customer. Stated that rationales of banks usage of the internet banking technology from the bank perspective are mainly to saving cost. Banks use internet banking is because it is the cheapest delivery channel for banking products. This kind of services can save time and money of the bank with an added benefit of minimizing the likelihood of committing errors by bank tellers. Internet banking offer services to their customers to use at their conveniences. Mostly, undergraduate students are like conveniences, easy and fast, somehow internet banking usage for undergraduate still not so much. From the figure is show that age 16-24 is lower compare to age 25 onward. While younger peoples continue to make up the greater part of online users, due to internet banking users greater proportion of new internet banker is age 55. (Karjaluoto et al. 2002, p.261) argued that banking is no longer bounce to time and geography. Customers over the world have relatively easy access to their account, 24 hours per day and seven days a week. This author argue that, with internet banking services, customers branch banking took too much time and effort are now able to make the transaction using click of their fingers. Competition is yet another important rationale with increasing competitive pressures from existing firms and new entrants in the market. At the same time, internet banking strategy has been an interesting way to retain existing customers and attract more new customers. The use of internet banking become an alternative channel has also been allowing banks to target different demographic segment more effectively. (Robinson, 2000) believe that supply of internet banking services enable bank to establish and extend relationship with customers. Benefit for the users are numerous as well and include convenience of the services, lower cost of transaction and more frequent monitoring of accounts among others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The basic characteristics of internet banking are: To help bank perspective to save costs. To save time and money. To minimize the likelihood committing errors. To fulfill undergraduate students convenience. To lower the transaction costs. 2.6 Technology Acceptance Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), are introduced by Davis 1989. Goal of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is determinants of able of defining user behavior across a wide range of end-user computing technologies and computer acceptance. A key intent of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) provides a basic of trace the affect of external factor on attitudes and intention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which has been extend and applied to different information technologies and end users. In TAM, Davis proposes that the influence of other variables on technology acceptance in mediated by two individuals belief: perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived useful (PU). Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), suggest that a prospective users overall feelings or attitudes toward using a given technology based on system or procedures represent major determinants to use the system. Technology acceptance model (TAM) proposes that attitudes predict intention, and intention predict behavior. Adoption behavior is determined by the intention to use a particular system and intention is determined by attitude, which in turn is determined by the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of the system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perceived usefulness is defined as using a particular system will improve on job performance. Perceived ease of use defined as using a particular system will be free of effort. Offer instance of external variable may affect an individuals perceived usefulness. Two computer programs are given, which are equally to use and will produce better quality or improve users productivity will have a higher affect on an individuals perceived usefulness ,regardless of ease of use equality. 2.7 In Malaysia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All banking services and financial services in Malaysia is regulated by Central Bank; Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). June 2000, internet banking was introduces in Malaysia when Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) allow local banks to offer internet banking service in Malaysia. This facility was extended to foreign owned banks during 2002. Until Jan 2008, there were 23 banks offering internet banking in addition to their traditional services. Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) provided Minimum Guidelines on the Provision of Internet Banking Services by Licensed Banking Institution (MGIB) 2000 after the BCBS recommendations. Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) defines internet banking as product and services offered by licensed institution on the internet through access devices, including personal computer and other intelligent devices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Banking institution are legal entities licensed under the Banking and Financial Institution Act (BAFIA) 1989. The aim for Minimum Guideline on the Provision of Internet Banking Service by Licensed Banking Institution (MGIB) is main purpose is to protect both consumer and the bank themselves from the risk associated with such banking. 2.8 Factor influence Internet Banking 2.8.1 Security   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the main factors that determining the decision of undergraduate students using internet banking is security. (ABF, 1997) shows that undergraduate student and banker will keep away from internet banking are security concern. More undergraduate students and households will be willing to conduct their banking transaction via the internet, unless improvement of security. US banks believe that security concern is main barrier for internet banking is concluding by the banks. Main reason for slow growth of internet banking were discover by the security concern, this is conducted by study in Australia. New innovation of the level of the security or risk associated will influence the acceptance and adoption. Where internet banking has been long set up, the main significant factors that will slow down the progress of this new innovation is the main concern for security over the financial transaction via internet. Most of peoples including undergraduate student, they will first considered secure and safe of the internet banking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Initially, as an undergraduate student they will think whether this banking transaction through internet isnt secure enough for doing the transaction. Lack of security and reliability of transaction via internet is the main reason for they agree to refuse to use the internet banking. Security and privacy issues are concern by individual because they are still reluctant to use.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Sathye 1999), concern about the security and safety of the banking transaction via the internet, Australian consumer are reject to adopt internet banking. Due to also found out that substantial reason that influence internet banking in Malaysia security anxiety. Security failure at a banking institution may cause large losses could generate lack of confidence in banking innovation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tan and Teo (2000) establish that risk will be the main factor, Ndubisi et.al. (2004) also agree the importance of adequate of security in order to raise the confidence of public to utilize the system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Banks ability is to manage internet-based transaction through undergraduates confidence. Poor security is inadequate to protect customers personal data. Computer privacy and security issues are those undergraduate students concern about. Internet banking service must be more responsive security requirements only can attract more and more undergraduate users. 2.8.2 Trust   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Mayer, Davis Schoorman, 1995) Trust is defined as a willingness to be susceptible to the action of the others. Define trust as an necessary components in a relationship especially whenever risk and uncertainty exist. Say that when an individual trust a person, will expect in that person will not take advantage of reliance upon him or her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Context of internet banking, trust has been suggested to be the one of the barrier that will hinder individuals from adopt the technology say by. Security issues will indirectly have further influence undergraduate students trust level of internet banking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Moorman et.al, 1992) Defined trust as a willingness to rely on an exchange partner in whom one has confidence and perception of confidence in the exchange partners reliability and integrity say by. These both directly underline in the exchange partners reliability in the conception of trust. Normally undergraduate student do not trust Internet Technology for these three reasons, first is security of the system, second is distrust of the provider and third is reliability of internet service.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trust in the internet increase long term internet usage in the adoption decision. Trust will give undergraduate student guarantee safety for using internet banking. Undergraduate student attitude toward internet banking system may be related with trust on judgment on the security and privacy also. One of the important reasons is lack of trust make undergraduate student do not using internet banking, so must improve application security and privacy only can give undergraduate student confidence for using internet banking. Trust is an antecedent of perceived usefulness, also perceived ease of use is an antecedent of trust. Trust has a directly and indirectly effect on behavior intention to use. Determinants of perceived usefulness is trust, particularly in an online environment, part of guarantee that undergraduate student will sense the expected usefulness from the website. Trust will have a positive effect on perceived usefulness, while trust allow undergraduate to ensure they gain the expected useful services. 2.8.3 Privacy protection Defined privacy as the protection of personal information so it is not reveal to or used by others. Undergraduate normally aware of the privacy issues, including whether personal information would be used by the banks or third parties to market new services to them. Privacy has been an important factor in the choice not to use internet banking. Effective privacy protection laws will consider the internet environment will help to build trust and confidence. To improve privacy issues, first banks must provide consumer reassurance and information, ensure consumer information would not disclose to other or third parties. Banks need to improve the application security and privacy and ensure bank information security and privacy. To assist consumer in development secure internet banking practice and risk management procedures. 2.8.4 Attitude Define attitude as person positive and negative feeling about internet banking adoption. Age will affect the attitude of individual toward internet banking. Attitude toward adoption and use of internet banking might give undergraduate student a positively image assuming security of internet transaction is safety enough. Positive technology attitude enable faster diffusion of internet based services.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attitude build received its first serious attention from Darwin 1872. Darwin defined attitudes as a physical expression of an emotion or motor concept. According to defined attitudes as an individuals positive and negative feeling to perform a target behavior. defined as a persons general feeling of favorableness and unfavorable for that recommends that different dimension of attitudinal belief toward innovation appraise by five perceived attributes. Five attributes are relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, observability, and trialability. At the same time behavior intention to use internet banking is highly related to attitude. Personal banking experiences will affect attitude toward internet banking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Internet to users banking needs to relate to the advantage the mount up to the user of the technology. show that relative advantage is very important factor to influence adoption of new innovation. Commonly, perceived relative advantage is positively connected to the rate of adoption. According to defined complexity as degree to which an innovation is measured comparatively is hard to understand, found and use it to negatively affect the adoption of internet. Shows that complexity is view the accurate opposite of ease of use, that have been establish to directly crash the adoption of internet. Stated that, system requires less operational effort and technical skills will more probable to adopt it. Found that an innovation was more possible to be adopting when it was compatible with individuals value system and job responsibilities. Privacy is an important view to performing internet banking and therefore observing individual performing internet banking is not only hard also hard to unacceptable. found out observation and description analysis of undergraduate internet banking users, the problem such as slowness and so forth. Stated that trialability got the potential adopter of new technology, and who will allow to test it, whether will comfortable to be more likely to adopt it. Attitudes combine with these five innovations, these five innovations will directly and indirectly affect undergraduate student to adopt internet banking as well. 2.8.5 Perceived ease of use   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Defined perceived ease of use as degree to which person believes that adopt internet banking would be free of effort. Define ease of use as one of important characteristics from undergraduates perspective for adoption of innovation services. A study has been conducted by a company called Cyber Dialogue has revealed that as many as 3.1 million USA adult have discontinued their use of internet banking because of they feel the services was too complicated or were dissatisfied with the level of customer services. Propose that it is essential for the internet to be ease of use to increase the adoption rate of internet banking. Function of internet banking ease of use, it will be attract more undergraduate students adopt it. Now a day, undergraduate student really got the potential to help grow the rate of adopt internet banking rate. To help success implementation internet banking, banks must make sure that the service of the system are simple, ease and of sufficiently high quality to confirm undergraduate level satisfaction in order to maintain undergraduate usage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Show that general computer self efficiency considerably influence the perceived ease of use at all the time, while the usability of system will directly influence undergraduate users perception after they have experience with the system 2.8.6 Awareness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Explanation of Awareness can be the acceptance and continued to use the service, product or idea. show that undergraduate go via a series of process in knowledge, decision, conviction and confirmation before they are ready to adopt new service or products. The adoption or rejection of an internet banking start when the undergraduate becomes aware of the internet banking. Consumer must become aware of new service or new product is emphasizing by. Normally when come out one new services or new product consumer will not dare to try or buy it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of awareness is the most common and important factor that negatively influence adoption of internet banking stated by. This is situation; we are able to argue that if the undergraduate student not adopting internet banking service due to the unawareness of the availability of such a service. Lack of awareness of internet banking and its benefit, here some recommendation suggest by. To attract more undergraduate student attention to internet services through a better marketing, let undergraduate better understand the process. Try to inform the undergraduate student about the features, advantage and the benefit of internet banking, for undergraduate student they normally are more prefer everythings conveniences. Reduce the undergraduate concern about technology and support.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of internet awareness is due to the internet banking services are still unaccepted. It is believe that undergraduate are not fully confidence with using internet banking. Greater awareness could show them the benefit and also encourage them to adopt internet banking services provided from banker. Awareness of internet banking services is necessary in the early adoption stages, as internet banking services is consider new in Malaysia. 2.8.7 Cost and Accessibility   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stated that cost as a characteristics of internet banking. Price or cost is one of the important factors that will affect the undergraduate adoption of innovation. Two types of costs are involved in the internet banking, first is bank charge and cost, second is the normal cost that associated with the internet activities. Before adopting internet banking, undergraduate will concern about the cost, to help in increase the rate of adoption of internet banking. Banks must lower the transaction cost, to help undergraduate student save costs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If want to attract more undergraduate student to use new technologies, then first the technologies must be reasonable priced relative to alternatives. All price charged must be reasonable, with a reasonable price undergraduate just willing to adopt internet banking or else the acceptance of the new technology may not be viable from the point of view of the undergraduate. Being on the internet has allowed banks to cut costs on transaction, by the way banks also can improve their image on the market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point out that internet banking is very beneficial to undergraduate because of the savings in cots, time and space it offers; and also it is quick feedback to all the complaints. It also can build undergraduate identification of internet banking to emphasize the benefit of internet banking services; such as low cost service, conveniences, information availability and time saving. Saving transaction cost can improve customer service, increasing market reach and reducing costs are now basic expectation of internet banking services.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Availability of access to computer or internet is a precondition for adoption of internet banking. Show that the more widespread the access to computer or internet then the greater possibility of use of internet banking adoption. found that lack of access to computer as one of the reason for slow adoption of internet banking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Show that accessibility to computer or internet will affect the decision to adopt internet banking. Relationship between the accessibility and internet banking is important and the outcome show that accessibility has a positively relationship with internet banking adoption intentions.

Oman Cement Company

Oman Cement Company Oman Cement Company (SAOG) was formed in 1978. Rusayl Cement plant was completed in 1983 with an annual integrated cement production capacity of 624,000 tons, of cement. In 1999 clinkering capacity expanded to a total of 1.2 million tons per year. The second production line came on stream in mid 1998. Presently the company is working on expanding the capacity of plant form 1.26 MTS per year to 1.70 MTS per year by upgrading production line No. 1 and No. 2. The company facilities are: 1- Computerized Manufacturing Oman cement manufacturing process is fully computerized. This avoids major hazards in manufacturing and needs less manpower. 2- Central Laboratory The Quality Control is supported by central laboratory consisting of robotics, X-ray spectrometers, laser particle size analyzers and computerized physical properties testing equipment. 3- Quality Management System and Environmental Management System oman cement Quality Management System is in accordance with the Quality Assurance Procedures of ISO 9001 : 2000 certification. 4- Pollution Control. The Oman cement company produces many types of cement which are: 1- Ordinary Portland Cement: It is type I Portland cement. Its uses are reinforced concrete buildings, bridges and railway structures. The typical compound compositions of this type are: 55% (C3S), 19% (C2S), 10% (C3A), 7% (C4AF), 2.8% MgO, 2.9% (SO3), 1.0% Ignition loss, and 1.0% free CaO. 2- Sulphate Resistant Cement: It is type V, is used where sulfate resistance is important. Its typical compound composition is: 38% (C3S), 43% (C2S), 4% (C3A), 9% (C4AF), 1.9% MgO, 1.8% (SO3), 0.9% Ignition loss, and 0.8% free CaO. 3- Moderate sulphate resistant: It is type II cement. This type of cement can be used in structures of considerable mass, such as large piers, heavy abutments, and heavy retaining walls. Its use will reduce temperature rise especially when the concrete is subject to hot weather. Its typical compounds composition is: 51% (C3S), 24% (C2S), 6% (C3A), 11% (C4AF), 2.9% MgO, 2.5% (SO3), 0.8% Ignition loss, and 1.0% free CaO. 4- Oil Well Cement Oil well cement, used for oil wells grouting, usually made from Portland cement clinker or from blended hydraulic cements. It is used for cementing work in the drilling of oil wells where they are subject to high temperatures and pressures. Its typical compound composition is: MgO: 6.0% SO3: 3.0% Loss On Ignition: 3.0% C3S: 48%-65% C3A: 3.0% Insoluble Residue: 0.75% C4AF+2C3A: 24% Production methods: There are four stages to produce cement that Oman cement using which are: 1- Preparation of the raw material at quarries 2- Heating and cooling to produce clinker 3- Preparation of the cement 4- Cement packing Process description: 1- Preparation material at quarries The raw material contains of limestone (80% of raw material), silica, aluminate and iron ore. The quarries located around the Oman cement plant. At quarries the raw materials are extracted with heavy equipments. Then the limestones are crushed with mobile crushers connected with long conveyer belt to transport them to storage passing the auto lab to analysis the samples with x-ray each two hours. After that the raw material are moved to reservoirs. Then they are moved with conveyor belt to the raw mill to grind the raw materials. Finally the grinding raw materials are moved to mixture reservoirs to get proper mixture before fed them to kiln. 2- Heating and cooling to produce clinker The raw materials are moved to channel, where heat exchange is occurred between these material and the raising hot gases from kiln, then the materials are separated from the gases. After that the material moved to calciner where the limestone is converted to calcium oxide, and then the calcined materials arefed to the kiln where the temperature about 1400 c and then leave from kiln to get clinker. Then the clinker leaves from kiln to air to reduce its temperature to 100 c to be ready to be moved to cement mill. Kiln process 3- Preparation of cement The clinker that came out of the cooler will be transported by the bucket chain conveyor to the silo. The bag filter on the top of the silo is sized for the feeding by the bucket chain conveyor and thermal air expansion in the storage. The clinker extracted from the silo is transported by belt conveyors to the cement proportioning. The gypsum is added to the clinker. Then the proportioned materials are conveyed via belt conveyor to cement grinding. Materials ground by ball mill are transported separator by bucket elevator. The coarse particles separated return to ball mill for regrinding while the fine product is collected by the bag filter behind the separator and then conveyed to cement silo with an air slide and bucket elevator. Cement silos is used to store the cement. Cement mill 4-Cement packing The cement from extraction systems under the cement silo is delivered to the buffer bin by air slide and the bucket elevator and vibrating screen, before being fed into each packer. The bagged cement can be loaded directly or stored in storehouse temporarily. Machinery and Equipments: No. Name function 1 Limestone Crusher used in stone quarry to crush limestone 2 Clay crusher used in stone quarry to crush clay 3 Limestone Stacker Used to move limestone to preblending stockpile 4 Limestone reclaimer Used to take preblended mixture from preblending stockpile 5 Coal and iron ore Crusher Used to crush additive materials 6 Coal and iron ore Stacker Used to move iron ore to conveyor belt then to proportioning station 7 Coal iron ore reclaimer Used for reclaiming all additive materials and coal 8 Raw mill used for raw materials grinding and drying 9 Raw mill fan Used to adjust the mill inlet temperature. 10 Preheater fan used to dry the raw materials 11 Preheater and precalciner Preheater used for preheating and partial decarbonation, and precalciner for calcination 12 Rotary kiln used to raise raw materials to a high temperature 13 Grate cooler Used for quenching 14 Cement mill Used to grind cement 15 Bag filter Used to collect dust 16 Coal mill Used for coal drying 17 Bulk loader for truck Used to load the bulk 18 Cement packer Used to pack cement product Quality control system: The quality control department in the Oman cement company function is to monitor product quality in every stage of production starting with extracting the limestone from the quarry till the stage of cement mills, by taking samples and analysis them. 1- The computer and x-ray analysis: The automation lab consists of robot, x-ray spectrometers, laser particle size analyzer and computerized physical properties. The samples will be taken by an automatic sampler from a point between the raw mill and homogenizing silo and then transported manually to the central auto lab, where it will be semi-automatically prepared and sent to an X-Ray analyzer. The results analyzed will be sent to a proportioning computer. The computer will calculate the ratio of raw materials and send out the set value to constant feeder according to the chemical compositions and raw meal module required. 2- Physical analysis: To test the fineness, soundness, setting time, strength, specific gravity, heat of hydration and loss on ignition of the cement to achieve the American specifications requirement. Maintenance procedure: The department functions are: -Checking all machinery and equipments are work properly. -Scheduling and planning for preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance. Coordinating with all departments for daily problem. Planning, coordinating of preventive and breakdown activities for achieving high plant availability to meet production target. The procedure that the Oman cement follows in case of breakdown, preventive and shutdown maintenance are: 1. Breakdown maintenance In case of any breakdown maintenance in the production department, they give information regarding the breakdown to the maintenance department, and maintenance workers are sent to the production plant to fix machine failures. 2. Preventive maintenance here, a team of maintenance workers is sent directly to the production plants to check out whether there is any failure in the machinery or not. 3. Shutdown maintenance When the plant is shut down the employees in the production department sent a letter to the maintenance department and successive steps are taken by maintenance department to solve the failures. The plant shutdown occurs every 6 month in March and September. The process of operating and monitoring production lines and machines instantly, so they can watch the failure and damage of the machines and equipments to repair them or replace them. Technical management The technical management responsibility is to supervise all the mechanical, electrical things and maintain the various equipments and everything that related to maintenance procedure, and this management divided in many sections: a- The machine section The responsibility of this section is prepare emergency and planning schedule and do it to all the equipments and report it to diagnose the unusual failure and fix it. Inspect the machinery, check with drawings and specifications and rectification. It contacts with store section to provide the required replacement parts and also contacts with other sections to maintain the equipments at the workshop. At the workshop they fix the equipments in emergency conditions, check the equipments if they work properly and routinely, takes care the equipments and help to clean them. b) The machine operation section The responsibility of this section fabricate the replacement parts, make an order outside the company to get new parts, lathe the machine parts the required the workshops. c) The immediate machine maintenance section The responsibility of this section is to check and fix the production lines. d) The electrical section The electricity department is responsible to repair and ensure the continuation of the work of all electrical and electronic equipment and precision instruments on the production line and also supervises contact with other sections to that the electricity working properly.

Comparison Of Dorian Gray To Lord Henry And Sibyl Vane Essay -- essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Comparison of Dorian Gray to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lord Henry and Sibyl Vane   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oscar Wilde’s 19th century The Picture of Dorian Gray portrays a young, naà ¯ve man, Dorian Gray, who begins to change because of Lord Henry Wotton’s negative influence on him; likewise, Dorian influences Sibyl Vane as a result of Henry’s influence on him. Because of Henry’s influence, Dorian’s attitude towards women and his respect for women change for the worse. Because of Dorian’s influence on Sibyl, she commits suicide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wilde first portrays Dorian as a sweet, sensitive man whom everyone admires. He was described as a â€Å"wonderful young man.† He was not concerned with money or power. One day Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton through a mutual friend, Basil Hallward. This is the beginning of the end for Dorian because Lord Henry’s influence pollutes his mind. Although Lord Henry states that, â€Å"all influence is immoral,† he nonetheless changes Dorian. Lord Henry gives Dorian a book about a man who seeks beauty in evil pleasures. Dorian becomes this man. Lord Henry tells Dorian, â€Å"Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, men represent the triumph of mind over morals.† Lord Henry means that women are beautiful, but stupid and men are smart but have no morals. Lord Henry’s theory cor...

Arthur Miller :: essays research papers

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman American Dream Corrupted   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Intially into the play, I was captivated by the theme, a man driven to suicide due to work. This occurs almost on a daily basis because our culture is so consumed on being consumed, I cannot understand why. Why would someone commit themselves to such unhealthy lifestyles and for what reason? Did Willy want his family to have everything money could buy, very rich in monetary value, but very poor in family values? I suppose the Loman’s might have had plenty of monetary items, as a result of the lying and cheating that occurred through the short span of the life we read about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What the Loman’s lacked in were plenty of family values. It’s hard for me to read about a family who allows their children to steal a football or cheat on a test. Corrupting them and allowing them to do what is blatantly wrong. I was raised on those fundamental principles that lying and cheating bring no good into the world, or into your life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ironically having more does not make things better. More things simply mean more bills, more work and leaving less time with the family. In a way Willy Loman wanted all these things so his way of life could be improved and perhaps that of his family as well. He worked like a mad dog, not appreciating that the little things in life are important. Willy was exposed to this on a daily basis and that drove him mentally insane, creating images and situations that were not physically there. All of Willy’s outburst and personality waves affected his two kids greatly. Leading one of the kids to momentarily break ties with the family, and making the other child attention driven.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The memories recalled in the play are almost always disappointing for Willy. The inevitable occurred to Willy with the most Ironic twist, he committed suicide and now he is finally at peace. The insurance money from his suicide has allowed the family to pay of the bills and live debtless for the time.

Potiki And The Art Of Telling Stories :: essays research papers

This is an explorative essay on the theme in Patricia Grace’s novel Potiki that ‘telling and retelling stories is an important and valuable part of being human’. An important theme in Potiki is the enduring idea that creating and sharing stories as a central part of being human is important. It is a significant theme because the novel is heavily imbued with Maori culture, in which the stories and spoken teachings are given prominence, and also because it is a popular belief that people need narratives to give meaning, structure and value to their lives. This theme is displayed resolutely and poignantly in Potiki’s plot, characters, setting and symbolism, as the people of a small rural New Zealand community rediscover themselves through stories spoken and found in Maori carvings. The idea that humans need narratives is the core theme in Potiki, and it is used also to link other themes and aspects of the novel; it is in this way that we know the idea of storytelling is an intrinsic part of the novel’s structure. The idea that ‘creating and sharing stories is important as a central part of being human’ is shown in Potiki’s plot and characters when the mother of the main family in the book, Roimata, decides to let two of her children learn at home instead of at school. Instead of teaching them herself in the style of a traditional European education system, both Roimata and the children learn naturally from stories and histories which are shown as being part of everyone's life. For example, Roimata says, â€Å"It was a new discovery to find that these stories were, after all, about our own lives, were not distant, that there was no past or future that all time is now-time, centred in the being.† (Pp39.) In this way Roimata and the children are essentially learning in a way in which all people learn to some extent: by sharing stories. The idea that the telling and retelling of stories sustains, enlarges and defines our view of the world is shown in Potiki when Roimata continues, â€Å"They were not new stories to us, except that stories are always new, or else there is always something new in stories.† (Pp132.) The character is emphasising the moral and educational value of stories in human development and understanding by saying that there is always something to learn from stories, even when they are retold repeatedly.

The Importance Of Biodiversity And Conservation Environmental Sciences Essay

Environmental issues such as dirt debasement, worsening biodiversity, solid waste jobs, chemical pollution, planetary clime alteration and usage of fossil fuels have become jobs of non merely a individual state but of full humanity. Issues of environment are recognized globally because of the trans-boundary nature of jobs that emanates from environmental debasement. The impact of environmental debasement does non halt at one state provinces ‘ boundary line, but have a far reaching impact at another topographic point. Environmental debasement has long been attributed to human activities since the beginning of industrial revolution. An recognition to the trans-boundary impact of such activities on the environment was foremost witnessed in the 1970 by the sensing of the depletion of ozone bed above the Earth ‘s ambiance. Subsequently, other environmental issues such as the dangers of risky waste, clime alteration, and loss of bio diverseness were taken up at the planetary degree. Taking biodiversity as one such issue, this thesis will turn to this issue in the context of trans-boundary preservation attempt. Here the function of scientific community, local based cognition and national authorities ( s ) attempt at preservation will be examined. To this, an epistemological attack of government theory will be employed to understand the nature of preservation in the Singalila Range which lies between India ‘s Darjeeling territory and Nepal ‘s Ilam ‘s territory. Biodiversity is the diverseness of works and carnal species in an environment. The more diverse a home ground, the better opportunity it has of lasting a alteration or menace to it, because it is more likely to be able to do a reconciliation accommodation. Habitats with small biodiversity ( e.g. , Arctic tundra ) are more vulnerable to alter. Harmonizing to the Britannica concise encyclopaedia, biodiversity is defined as â€Å" Diversity of works and carnal species in an environment † The Convention of Biodiversity 1992, defined it as â€Å" the variableness among populating beings from all beginnings including, inter alia, tellurian, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological composites of which they are portion ; this includes diverseness within species, between species and of ecosystems † ( Convention On Biological Diversity 1992: Article 2 ) . In the â€Å" Global Biodiversity Strategy † of 1992 formulated by the World Resources Institute, World Conservation Union, and United Nations Environment Programme, biodiversity is defined as â€Å" the entirety of cistrons, species, and ecosystems in a part † ( p3 ) Closely linked to the thought of biodiversity is the construct of preservation. Conservation of biodiversity agencies planned direction of a natural resource or of a peculiar ecosystem to forestall development, pollution, devastation, or disregard and to guarantee the future serviceability of the resource. In the West, preservation attempts day of the month back to 17th-century European woods when increasing demands for fuel and edifice stuffs was deemed unsafe to forest resources. National Parkss, foremost established in the nineteenth century, were dedicated to the saving of uncultivated land non merely to supply a safe oasis to wildlife but besides to protect watershed countries and assist guarantee a clean H2O supply. Thus, national statute law and international pacts and ordinances aim to strike a balance between the demand for development and the demand to conserve the environment for the hereafter. Wild life preservation is the ordinance of wild animate beings and workss in such a manner as to supply for their continuation. Attempts are aimed at forestalling the decrease of present populations and guaranting the continued being of home grounds. To accomplish this, techniques involve constitution of sanctuaries and controls on hunting, usage of land, importing of foreign species, pollution, and usage of pesticides was adopted. In the context of preservation, it is of import to observe that life scientist demands to understand that civilization forms an of import feature in preservation, particularly in countries, where bulk of the dwellers are autochthonal community who for centuries adapted to the eco-system of that part, every bit good as practiced age old traditional methods of preservation. Globally, there have been many instances where local communities forms an of import portion of preservation attempt. In others, biodiversity preservation among the communities was facilitated by the scientific community. In the Himalayas, the function of scientific discipline can non be ignored particularly when taking into history of job of clime alteration, increasing urbanisation, and loss of biodiversity. However, at the same clip, this part imbibed the function of traditional cognition in protection of bi-diversity. The present of sacred grove and animistic believe testify to 1s such man-nature relationship. Therefore, it is the purpose of this thesis to analyze the interface of between the scientific discipline and tradition in preservation patterns in the Singalila scope of the eastern Himalayas ; the part surrounding India ‘s Darjeeling territory and Nepal ‘s Illam territory. RATIONALE OF THE STUDY Singalila Ridge is a North-South running mountain ridge between Darjeeling territory of West Bengal, India and Illam District of Nepal. This scope extends up to North Sikkim District in Sikkim. The country of survey will concentrate on the Maneybhanjyang-Phalut stretch which is portion of India ‘s Singalila scope. The survey will besides include the immediate small towns of Illam territory which autumn under Nepalese ‘s Singalila scope ( see Map, fig 1 ) . This scope is celebrated for its trekking paths and peculiarly the Maneybhanjyang- Phalut trek path which offers brilliant position of Mt. Kanchenjunga and pristine landscapes. Thick bamboo, oak, magnolia and rhododendron wood between 2000 and 3600 metre cover the Singalila Ridge. There are two seasons of wildflower bloom-one in spring ( March-April ) when the Rhododendrons bloom, and another in the post-monsoon season ( around October ) , when the lower woods bloom ( Primula, Geranium, Saxifraga, Bistort, Senecio, Cotoneaster and legion orchids ) . Sandakphu is known as the â€Å" mountain of toxicant workss † due to the big concentration of Himalayan Cobra Lilies ( Arisaema ) which grow there ( Department of Forest, West Bengal ) . There are many preservation attempts traveling on around this part. On the Indian side of the scope and within the district of West Bengal lies the Singalila National Park. This country was declared a national park in the twelvemonth 1992. This park is celebrated for the assortment of rhododendrons and other bio species. The park has a figure of little mammals including the Red Panda, Leopard Cat, Barking Deer, Yellow-throated Marten, Wild Boar, Pangolin and the Pika. Larger mammals include the Himalayan Black Bear, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Serow and Takin. Bird species like the Scarlet Minivet, Kalij Pheasant, Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Brown and Fulvous Parrotbills and Rufous-vented Tit etc are besides found in this part. ( Department of Forest, West Bengal ) Towards the North of this park, lies the Varsey Rhododendron Sanctuary which falls under Sikkim, a provincial province of the Indian brotherhood. The average one-year temperature in this part varies from 7degree Celsius to 17 grade Celsius in summer and in winter it varies from 1 degree Celsius to 10 grade Celsius. Mean one-year rainfall in this part is about 350 centimeter. and moderate storms accompanied by hailstones are common in this country during March- April. This country besides receives snowfall which can get down anytime between the terminal of November to January/ February and sometimes even continues up to late April. Within the Singalila scope there are many small towns which exist outside the national park country and most of these small towns are located in the Nepali district. However two small towns viz. Foktey and Gorkhey are still bing within the national park. The traditional beginning of income for these small towns is subsistence agribusiness and farm animal raising. However, in recent old ages touristry has replaced these traditional beginnings as the chief beginning of income for support. Agricultural merchandise includes corn, veggies like murphies, radish, cabbages etc. and farm animal includes sheep, caprine animals and yacks. Few yak Herders can be seen around Sabarkum and Phalut ( 3600m ) . Adventure tourism-has flourished in this country and the month of March- April and October-November is the best season to see. Between the months of June to September the forest sections in the Indian side do non let any tourer to see this part as this is the engendering season of wild life. Movement of tourer is restricted as non to upset the animate being ‘s genteelness. Furthermore, trekking during the monsoon season is the non feasible as the trail becomes really unsmooth and difficult to undertake because of heavy rainfall. While the Indian side of the Singalila scope there is a national park with no human habitation allowed inside the park, in Nepal ‘s district there is no national park antonym, but preservation in the district is based on communitarian pattern of preservation. In the Indian side of the scope, the lands which falls outside the legal power of the national park was declared as the territorial wood from where colonies were non removed but within these districts excessively no new colonies are allowed. Previously colonies which came under the district of the national park was removed, nevertheless, there is a little small town located in the vale of Gorkhey were little Numberss of population are non removed. But at the same clip, no new building of houses is allowed in this small town. Eco development Community and Forest Protection Committeehas been instrumental in supplying public assistance to the people in forest small towns and has besides been instrumental in conveying preservation consciousness among the local population. Along the Nepali district, community forestry is taking stairss for preservation. Many small towns[ 1 ]are located in this belt hence ; the forest section in Nepal has to take attention of non merely the preservation issues but besides has to negociate the quandary of community development and biodiversity preservation. The community forestry plan in Nepal emerged in 1978 to forestall deforestation and forest debasement. This attempt bit by bit developed into a participatory forestry plan which was now based on institutional development ( Kanel et.al 2005: 80 ) . The Community Forest Division ( CFD ) comes under the Department of Forests of Nepal and is responsible for steering policies, back uping the executing of these policies, and besides oversing the community forest plan and undertakings in Nepal. This undertaking is headed by the Joint Secretary degree division who supervises the CFD ( Kanel et.al. 2005: 75 ) . Despite the presence of conservatory attempt, the Singalila scope which encompasses two national boundaries faces figure of menaces to its biodiversity. There has been habitat debasement in this part. The biodiversity debasement in this part can be attributed to unsustainable extraction and usage of natural resources, impacts from unregulated touristry, and presence of para-military cantonments within the forest scopes of India. Some 65 works, 19 mammal, and 11 bird species are already threatened in this part ( Chettri 2000 ) . Furthermore, the difference in political and administrative scenes in Nepal and India to a big extent jeopardizes preservation issues and precedences. The hit-or-miss land-use patterns outside the protected country of the National park have resulted into the insufficiency of preservation policies. Most of the environmental degrading activities happen on the peripheries of the National park. Such debasement on the peripheries of the national park occurs because of the absence of a buffer zone between the national park and human home ground. Before 1992, unregulated boundary line graze inside the park was common. However, with the constitution of the National Park, croping inside the park country was prohibited and many cowss Stationss were removed from the park country. Therefore, it can be seen that the constitution of a buffer zone is hard if non impossible because the construct of preservation in this country itself is new, and neither was there any natural barrier ( example-river ) to move as a buffer zone. In the last few old ages at that place has been attempt to beef up this preservation attempt non merely within the country of the national park of single states but besides beyond it. This new attempt is trans-boundary in its attack which includes the function of Non-Governmental Organisations ( NGOs ) , International Non Governmental Organisations ( INGOs ) , academics establishments, and most significantly, the local communities of the part both in India and Nepal. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze this transboundary preservation attack by concentrating on the function of the epistemological communities.[ 2 ]Harmonizing to Peter Haas, an epistemological community is a â€Å" web of professionals with recognized expertness and competency in a peculiar sphere and an important claim to policy-relevant cognition within that sphere or issue-area † ( Haas 1992: 27 ) . Hass besides defines epistemological communities as â€Å" channels through which new thoughts circulate from societies to authoritiess every bit good as from state to state † ( Haas 1992: 27 ) . This survey will nevertheless non curtail the definition of Peter Hass ‘ ‘epistemic community ‘ merely to the scientific community and expert based cognition but will besides see traditional cognition of the autochthonal communities of preservation as another signifier of a knowledge-based society. In the Himalayan parts, traditional cognition of biodiversity preservation has been existed for 100s of old ages where the community ‘s life is closely dependent on nature. This symbiotic relation between the community and nature is manifested through the assorted signifiers of community life. Environmental protection is by and large manifested through the community ‘s faith and folklore where preservation is practised through constitution of sacred Grovess, worship of mountain divinities, pattern of traditional healing system, and community usage of resources. It is in the importance of such symbiotic dealingss that any perturbation to the physical environment is deemed damaging to the life of the community. And many a times, any effort to make so is duly resisted ; the instance of Chipko motion in Uttranchal and the Lepcha ‘s opposition to the building of Teesta Dam in the Dzongu country of Sikkim is a instance in the point. Therefore for the intent of this survey, epistemological communities will include both the western and traditional construct of knowledge-based society ; both holding the expertness in the given issue countries of biodiversity preservation. The principle of following such attack is to non merely to recognize traditional cognition base but besides to speculate the hazards of exclusion of these traditional communities from bio diverseness preservation. In most instances, failure in preservation attempt or struggle over preservation attempt is chiefly because of the exclusion of local community ‘s cognition towards preservation instead than their rights to the usage of resources within the countries of preservation. Using this attack, the principle of this survey is to research the function played by the ‘epistemic community ‘[ 3 ]in biodiversity preservation in the Singalila scope. Such apprehension will enable us to place the broader jobs faced by India and Nepal in transboundary preservation attempt in this part.Methodological APPROACHES RE-CONSIDEREDEpistemic COMMUNITIES: Methodological APPROACHES RE-CONSIDEREDBiodiversity Conservation and Epistemic CommunitiesIncreasing globalisation has brought mutuality between provinces. This has brought internationalisation of a given topic. This besides leads into issue-interlinking which in peculiar makes it harder for provinces to take a policy-decision on some given issues. Domestic issue-areas may hold an impact on a broad aggregation of other issue-area – domestically every bit good as internationally oriented 1s. This in bend agencies that most traditional issue-areas may be included in the epistemological community attack, for in our instance we have included the issue of preservation which traditionally has been a portion of domestic issue country. ( Sundstrom, 2000 ) The epistemological community is a beginning for cognition in a given issue-area, from where the policy-shapers can pull. The grade to which policy-shapers demand advice depends on the degree of information-complexity, which once more depends on the sum of information and the sum of ( perceived ) information interconnectedness ( Sundstrom, 2000 ) . The degree and grade of information is huge every bit good as complex which requires policy shapers to organize and understand the function of the scientific community and traditional cognition based communities. Recognition of the presence of these communities in understanding preservation is spread outing quickly as portion of sustainable development attack. Functions are besides being supplemented by the function of the administrative officials whose policy-based cognition is necessary for implementing preservation policy. Haas gives the illustration of the turning proficient nature of jobs and the turning figure of administrative offic ials functioning in authorities sections in determining policy on a issues countries â€Å" have fostered an addition in the respect paid to proficient expertness, and in peculiar, to that of scientists † ( Haas 1992: 9- 11, ) The cardinal belief of the epistemological community attack is, to some grade, the community positions comes before the positions of single members, therefore connoting that the single members will probably to be faithful to the community. Such belief derives from the simple hypothesis that the community and the single portion basic community-norms. At any given point, if difference between the community members, it can â€Å" either be dismissed as extraordinary, and statistically unimportant, single exercisings, or as wholly ‘extra communal ‘ activities. † ( Sundstrom, 2000 ) Harmonizing to Peter Hass, members of the epistemological community may be from a assortment of subjects and backgrounds but must hold: 1 ) A shared set of normative and principled beliefs, which provide a value-based principle for the societal action of community members. 2 ) Shared causal beliefs, which are derived from their analysis of patterns taking or lending to a cardinal set of jobs in their sphere and which so serve as the footing for clarifying the multiple linkages between possible policy action and desired results 3 ) Shared impressions of validity-that is, intersubjective, internally defined standards for weighing and formalizing cognition in the sphere of their expertness 4 ) A common policy enterprise- that is, a set of common patterns associated with a set of jobs to which their professional competency is directed, presumptively out of the strong belief that human public assistance will be enhanced as a effect. ( International Organization, Vol 46, p.3. ) As discussed earlier, epistemological communities is a knowledge-expert based community which focuses on a peculiar issue country which is dependent on four variables of â€Å" type of issue-area, issue-relevant information complexness, community coherence, and links to policy-shapers † ( Sundstrom, 2000 ) . In the country of environmental protection, Peter Hass has highlighted the Mediterranean part as a perfect illustration where a function of epistemological communities was efficaciously implemented in commanding transboundary Marine pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. The widespread pollution of the Mediterranean is the effect of high coastal population emphasis, unregulated industrial, municipal, and agricultural emanation patterns. To control this job, a co-ordinated attempt of all the coastal provinces was needed for a common pollution criterion for pollutants from oilers, offshore dumping, and a assortment of land based beginnings ( Hass 1989: 377- 403 ) . Pollution of Mediterranean Sea was widely regarded as a corporate job, since pollutants of both developed and developing states in the Mediterranean country could disperse up on its neighbour ‘s beaches. Pollution was recognized by all provinces in the part but no such action or was taken or agreed upon because of conflicting involvement and deficiency of scientific informations on the nature of the job and its solution. However, it was merely when the scientific community of ecologist and expert came in that the Mediterranean Plan was successfully negotiated. ( Hass 1989: 377-403 ) . These experts who served in UNEP ‘s secretariat had limited control in the determination devising of their several states and were given duty for implementing and administrating pollution control measures. These experts became supporter for following the government following with it, and beef uping it to cover with more pollutants from the beginnings. With the engagement of these new histrio ns, province involvements reflected their environmental position, and province behaviour came to reflect their involvement as good, as was obvious from province investing forms and diplomatic actions ( Hass 1989: 377- 403 ) . The instance of Mediterranean Plan shows that if a group with a common point of view is able to acquire clasp of and keep control over determination devising, the associated government will go stronger and provinces will move in conformity with it. Such groups will besides be consulted during crisis, particularly when the policy shapers are incognizant about the proficient dimensions of the job at manus or are unsure about the cost and benefits of international cooperation ( Hass 1989: 377- 403 ) . Added to this, the flow of information is undeniably a critical portion of the epistemological communities. The hunt for information is the chief stimulation for steadily turning epistemological co-operation every bit good as connexion to the decision-making construction ( Sundstrom 2000 ) . Epistemic communities besides play a critical function in regime formation. Epistemic communities are important â€Å" channels through which new thoughts circulate from societies to authoritiess every bit good as from state to state † ( P. Haas 1992:27 ) . They are non merely aimed at supplying information to the determination shapers but besides seeking to convey about â€Å" better policy † by looking for entree to regulating constitution ( Hasenclever Andreas et Al. 1996, 177-228 ) . Because of revolution in transit and communicating in a globalized epoch, there is a free flow of information internationally ; resultantly these webs of experts maps transnationally. New findings are shared and discussed across national boundary lines. When members of an epistemological community reach understanding on an issue in their field of survey, they become a comparatively independent beginning of scientific grounds and authorization ( Hasenclever Andreas et Al. 1996: 209 ) . A transnationally interacting epistemological community therefore becomes a Centre for international acquisition ( Hasenclever Andreas et Al. 1996: 209 ) . Harmonizing to Peter Haas ( 1992 ) , there are three conditions that determine whether the epistemic community will hold an impact on international government. First, there must be a high grade of uncertainness among policymakers. Most of the clip determination shapers do non recognize that they have an deficient cognition of complex issues. It is merely during the clip of a crisis they realizes their failing and seeks aid from an epistemological community ( P. Haas 1992:14 ) . Second, no sound policy advice can be given unless a high grade of consensual cognition exists among the members of the epistemological community ( P. Haas 1992: .23 ) .When â€Å" scientific grounds is equivocal and the experts themselves are split into postulating cabals, issues have tended to be resolved less on their proficient virtues than on their political 1s † ( P. Haas 1992: 11 ) . Third, members of the epistemological community must hold adequate entree and control in the determination devising in order to act upon regime formation and execution ( P. Haas 1992: 27 ) . An epistemological community must go portion of the determination devising ( Hasenclever Andreas et Al. 1996: 209 ) . An effort at understanding biodiversity preservation in the Himalayas and function played by different histrions in germinating an epistemological community will be of import in easing regime formation. The importance of this country stretches beyond India and Nepal, it involves other states like Bhutan and China excessively. Beyond the Singalia scope lies the Kanchendonza eco-system that cut across these states. Therefore better apprehension of the cognition of this country will affect conceptional procedures in the creative activity and consolidation of epistemological communities ( Bloodworth 2008 ) . It is merely through the apprehension of this conceptional procedure that thoughts and norms in international dealingss emerges, and most significantly in their effects on policies of trans-boundary jobs ( Bloodgood, 2008 ) . In simple words, this conceptional procedure based on epistemic apprehension of the jobs by histrions can ease the formation of transboundary biodiversity prese rvation government in the eastern Himalayas.Traditional Knowledge BasedKnowledge of preservation and biodiversity can be understood merely when civilization is taking into history. Sharing of cultural cognition on preservation would take to beef uping of the already acquired scientific discipline based cognition. Knowledge depends on the epistemic places and methodological attacks which we hold and both of these depend on our already acquired values ( Bloodgood 2008: 3 ) . Autochthonal traditional cognition becomes an acquired value through the continuity of cultural pattern over clip and infinite. In recent old ages, certification of the traditional ecological cognition has become of import for modern applied research non merely to continue traditional cognition but besides to profit from these aged old traditional patterns to germinate new thoughts and theoretical accounts for an ecologically sound usage of the natural environment. Conservation attempts in the Singalila scope have been initiated with the duty shared by governmental establishments, NGOs, INGOs and local communities. In the Indian side of the boundary line, the authorities of India has been instrumental in bordering constabularies for preservation following the protected wood scheme in conserving the biodiversity of the topographic point. By declaring the part as a National Park in1992, the authorities of India ‘s preservation scheme is that of a protected wood scheme which mandated rigorous steps to preservation is applied. In contrast to the Indian scheme, the Nepalese ‘s scheme of preservation is community based attack which focuses on the engagement of the local community in preservation and resource use. In both states, NGOs like ATREE, DLR Prerna, FOSEP, NCDC has been executing a transboundary function, therefore they can be described as â€Å" Transboundary NGOs ( TBNGOs ) † in biodiversity preservation. The TBNGOs though registered in one state but their functions in preservation encompasses the geographical boundary of the two states. For illustration, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment ( ATREE ) is an Indian registered environmental NGO working in the country of environment direction and sustainable support. ATREE, though registered in India, its legal power does non restrict to India ‘s district merely, nevertheless, its activities has been to advance environmental direction and preservation within the Singalila scope of Nepal ‘s district every bit good. Besides the function of these TBNGOs, other INGOs like WWF and ICIMOD have been active in preservation attempts in the Singalila scope. Here the function of ICIMOD is more relevant. ICIMOD has been vocal about transforming the informal function of TBNGOs into a formal one, therefore commiting the transboundary preservation non merely between India and Nepal but the whole of the eastern Himalayas. So far ICIMOD has been playing the function of a facilitator for the development of an epistemological community by supplying expertness to the authoritiess, local communities, and NGOs on bio diverseness preservation in the Himalayas. A inquiry might originate as to why the function of epistemological community is given accent in this survey of preservation in the Singalila scope? Further inquiry on the linkages between ICIMOD ‘s scientific discipline based cognition and the local community ‘s traditional cognition may originate. The former being a scientific discipline based cognition facilitator and the subsequently as a traditional cognition facilitator. Such linkages need to be examined in order to understand the importance of traditional norms, values and civilization of traditional communities in biodiversity preservation patterns. For centuries India and Nepal have shared deep cultural and spiritual ties which can be traced back to the ancient text of Ramayana and Mahabharata. However, over the period of clip particularly from the mediaeval period onwards Nepal has maintained its independent position with small intervention from India. Despite the formation of a new Nepal land in the 18 century, cultural and spiritual was ne'er severed off. These ties continue to boom through people to people contact. Post 1947, these ties was cemented by the sign language of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1950. The pact provides for an unfastened boundary line between the two states, leting free and unrestricted travel of people and goods.[ Thursday ]The pact besides grants equal rights in footings of support and chance for people in both states. Despite the deep historical and economic ties between these two neighbors, there has been countries where cooperation is hard to get at. Biodiversity preservation i s one such country where cooperation between the two is missing. In the context of survey on cooperation in international dealingss, the weak coaction between India and Nepal in footings of preservation can be attributed to the complete accent of two broad thoughts, that is, neo-liberalism and neoliberal institutionalism. In both these strands of liberalism, market and formal establishments instead than civilization is given more importance to convey about cooperation ( See Keohane, R. ‘International Institutions: Two Approaches ‘ , in International Studies Quarterly 32, 1988 ) . The failure to convey about civilization is to ignore the importance of constructed cognition of the communities over their milieus. Thus the constructions of human association are determined non merely by constructions of stuff forces but chiefly by shared thoughts ( Wendt 1999: 1 ) . In the Himalayas, over the last few old ages, thoughts and involvement over preservation is shared by NGOs, TBNGOs, INGOs and national authorities holding similar individualitie s and involvement over biodiversity protection in the country. However, the attacks and methods of preservation differs which farther alienate traditional knowledge-based communities from the procedure of preservation. Therefore if â€Å" shared cognition, material resources, and patterns † are to be implemented, there is a demand for rapprochement between the function of the epistemological communities and that of traditional communities ( see Wendt 1992: 73 ) This thesis hence efforts at gestating preservation in the context of scientific cognition based community and the bing traditional cognition. It assumes that a one dimensional attack of looking at scientific cognition based community as the lone facilitator of preservation is flawed and parlous. In the history of preservation in autochthonal countries, it has been through empirical observation proved that a one dimensional attack without the support of local community has been a failure. The importance of understanding local community ‘s traditional cognition is hence imperative to preservation. Traditional system of preservation has been existed for 1000s of old ages but with of all time increasing alteration in scientific discipline and engineering, such cognition has been challenged in two foreparts ; one is the loss of this cognition and the other is version to modern cognition and engineering of preservation. It is in this scheme, gestating preservation should take into h istory of both the traditional based cognition and the scientific cognition based attack. In other words, re-thinking epistemological community-a community of autochthonal cognition and scientists-‘policy-shapers ‘ .[ 4 ] Methodology: This thesis looks at the function of epistemological communities of the part with respect to preservation issues of biodiversity of this topographic point, what have been their attempts so far? How far has they been able to act upon their several authorities? And what are the chances of incorporating traditional based cognition into the western attack of preservation hereafter? As epistemological community attack to see international cooperation bridges the rationalist and the station rationalist institutional attack so both qualitative and quantitative methods has been applied in this research. Methodology applied in this research is literature reappraisal of the bing literature on epistemological communities. Another tools used for roll uping informations was interview. So far 11 NGOs and 15 scientists are identified as the members of epistemological communities but due to clip constrain merely three NGO members and two scientists were interviewed. It was found out that they have non sat together in any conventions or meetings to discourse the issue of preservation so far and the web of epistemological community has non formed nonetheless we can state that it is the epistemological community in doing. Sing personal interview of the scientists and the members of NGOs semi structured type has been applied. The research docket, here excessively as identified by Peter M. Hass in his work â€Å" Introduction: Epistemic Communities and International Policy Coordination † pp.34 ( 1992 ) , involves placing community rank, finding the community members ‘ principled and causal beliefs, following their activities, and showing their influence on determination shapers at assorted points in clip. Comparative surveies of organisations are necessary, where the community is present in a certain policy country and has been active and those in which it has non been active or entirely absent. Epistemic community ‘s influence can be seen through a comparative survey of provinces and organisations in which the community has been active and those in which it has non. What can be seen following is the policies and actions of the authoritiess and organisations, before and after the stages during which a community is active so as to happen out both the outgrowth and influence of the community if there had been any. ( Haas 1992: 1-35 ) Fig. 1. Map of Singalila National Park, Darjeeling Beginning: Pradhan S. , et al. , Biological Conservation 98 ( 2001 ) p 11-18