Management Consulting Assignment Research Proposal

Management Consulting Assignment - Research Proposal Example Each type of their product has a specific focus. This paper is intends to provide a clear understanding of what Taylersons Malmesbury Syrups brand is, why and how it is managed, and what are the dynamics involved in managing brands in the present context of competitive market. Taylersons Malmesbury Syrups is a privately owned company, incorporated in April 2007. All of their product processing is done at their plant in Maple Heights, Ohio. They own the real estate, building etc, and all of the manufacturing equipment are a debt free, profitable operation. Taylersons Malmesbury Syrups is inspected, and approved, by the Federal FDA, State Agricultural Department and local Health Department. The company's primary business is the manufacturing of concentrated fruit juices, cocktail mixes and beverage syrups sold to the Food Service market and to national restaurant chains, hospitals, and nursing homes. They are constantly researching and developing new products that fulfil the customers' requirements. TAYLERSON'S MALMESBURY SYRUPS are flavoured syrups, using the finest ingredients including pure Madagascan Vanilla or natural Apple & Cinnamon. The company makes it a point to use only the finest ingredient of purely natural components as raw materials in production. Another salient features of their products is that these are very easy to prepare, and are healthy for human consumption. TAYLERSON'S MALMESBURY SYRUPS Products Taylersons Malmesbury Syrups produce a wide range of flavours of Malmesbury Syrup, including: Amaretto flavouring for coffee, on ice cream, as a white wine mixer or Frappes' (Ice, milk and flavour) or fruit desserts. Apple & Cinnamon makes great coffee or flavours hot water, tea, or can be used as a dessert topping. Caramel for flavouring coffee, Frappes', ice cream, pancakes, or hot milk. Cinnamon puts a zing in apple pie and it tastes great in coffee and hot milk too. Espresso for coffees, cakes, ice cream, Frappes' Fine Vanilla on

World War I - Why did the Senate choose to Ratify the Treaty of Essay

World War I - Why did the Senate choose to Ratify the Treaty of Versailles - Essay Example Article 10 of the League Covenant required a pledge that all the Nations in the League come to help one another in case of an attack against any of them. The lack of a clause that such action could only be materialized through a unanimous vote of the council infuriated the Senate. Clearly the only solution was to stay away from any European conspiracy and conclude a separate peace with Germany. While Wilson’s Fourteen Points forced Germany to sign a blank check as an account for the damages of the War, they had to go through an inevitable bout of isolationism, which could have resulted in the rise of Hitler and the II World War. Moreover the major European nations like Britain, France and Italy felt that Wilson’s view of the League of Nations may affect their national interests – thus impeding his vision of a World Parliament. The Senate’s opposition was based mostly on its fear that the situation will lead to other major European conflicts, which was not at all unfounded. Moreover, America as a nation had an isolationist stance at that time, never wanting to get involved in international political turmoil. The Senate wanted to be left alone and not be dragged into the new world order. They were strongly against the Versailles Treaty and refused to ratify

Global Warming: Technical Solutions

Global Warming: Technical Solutions Evaluate the Technological Solutions Available to Ameliorate Global Warming Introduction Global warming has been proven to be the direct result of anthropogenic causes or man-made interventions with nature. Starting with the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th Century, technologies have been developed that resulted in the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which trap the sun’s radiant energy. This enhanced greenhouse effect gradually raises the earth’s surface temperatures and is projected to create irregular environmental conditions, namely: the melting of polar ice caps, rising of sea level, profound agricultural changes resulting from climate change, extinction of species, abnormal weather conditions, increased incidence of tropical diseases, disappearance of ecological niches and disruption of drinking water supply, (Global Warming, 2004). Since global warming offers a great potential to create catastrophic effects on the environment as a whole, it becomes a global issue, requiring the involvement of the whole international community in finding ways to ameliorate its adverse effects, (Baird, 2006). Global greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global warming come from different sectors. Figure I below shows the global greenhouse gas emissions by sector data: Land use change and forestry contribute the highest greenhouse gas emission rate (19%); followed by electricity (16%); agriculture (14%); transport (13%); other fuel combustion (11%); manufacturing and construction (10%); waste (4%); and industrial (3%) and combined heat and power (3%). The Pew Center on Global Climate Change (Undated, p. 1) asserts that â€Å"because there are so many sources of these gases, there are also many options for reducing emission.† This paper evaluates the available technological solutions to ameliorate global warming by presenting the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Moreover, such solutions will be presented on a sectoral basis, starting with land use, forestry and agriculture; followed by electricity, and finally by the transportation sector. Land Use, Forestry and Agriculture Sector Technology Land use and forestry technology includes carbon accounting, sequestration, and biofuel production. 1. Carbon Accounting and Sequestration According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC (2000), carbon stock enhancement from land use, land –use change and forestry activities are reversible and therefore require careful accounting. Carbon accounting technology, which involves land-based accounting and activity based accounting, provides accurate and transparent data on carbon stocks and/or changes in greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sink. These data are required to assess compliance with the commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Moreover, carbon accounting will help determine relevant carbon pools that can be used in the production of an alternative source of fuel, such as biofuels. Changes in carbon stocks can be technically determined with the use of activity data, remote-sensing techniques, models derived from statistical analysis, flux measurement, soil sampling and ecological surveys. However, the cost of carbon accounting increases as precision and landscape heterogeneit y increases, (IPCC, 2000). As a result of careful carbon accounting, excess carbon can then be captured or sequestered in order to be utilized as fuel source. An example of carbon sequestration technology is the Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle Process or IGCC, which allows for easy sequestration of carbon for long term storage in underground geological formations. However, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (Undated), cautions that further research is needed to test the viability of large scale underground storage of carbon in a long term scale. 2. Biofuel Technology Biofuel production or biomass gasification ensures lower greenhouse gas emission levels by converting waste wood and biomass into biofuels that could replace fossil fuels. The report of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (Undated, p. 4), maintains that agricultural lands can be planted with carbon-dioxide fixing trees that can be used for fuel production. This will result to land use changes that may have multiple indirect benefits such as improvement of soil, air and water quality; and increase in wildlife habitat. However, study findings suggest that the cultivation of corn and soybeans for biofuel production produces adverse environmental impacts, such as the leaching of pesticides and nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers into water resources, (Manuel, 2007). Moreover, biofuels are from two to four times more expensive than fossil fuels and are not believed to compete well in the marketplace. For example, â€Å"a fuel –cost comparison indicates that while gasoline could be refined for 15 to 16 cents per liter (in the late 1980s), the cost of biofuels ranged from an average of about 30 cents per liter (for methanol derived from biomass) to 63 cents per liter (for ethanol derived from beets in the United Kingdom)†, (Barbier et al. 1991, p. 142; cited in Johansen, 2002, p. 266). Electricity Sector Technology According to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change Report (Undated), power plants and coal combustion that supply electric power account for the greenhouse gas emissions on the electricity sector. Technological solutions available for this sector to address global warming include: 1. Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle Process The Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle Process or IGCC, is a power generation technology that improves the efficiency of electric power and heat generation with the use of a combination of fossil fuels and renewable energy. It enables clean gas production and the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions with the use of high performance gas turbines, (Abela, et al., 2007). Moreover, air pollutants such as particulate matter, sulphur, nitrogen and mercury are removed from the gasified coal before combustion, (Abela, et al., 2007). However, the major disadvantage of using this technology is its high cost of operation, which is about 20% more than the operating cost of a traditional coal plant, (Wikipedia, undated). 2. Renewable Energy Sources Renewable energy sources such as the wind, solar and water can produce electricity without releasing greenhouse gases and are thus important in the amelioration of global warming. a. Wind Power Wind power technology harnesses the power of the wind which is an indirect form of solar power, to supply energy. Some have propeller type devices, while others have vertical axis designs, which possess the ability to accept wind from any direction. According to Elliott (2003), wind power is already an essential source of energy; and that in 2002, the total generating capacity has reached 24,000 megawatts, with costs decreasing significantly with technology development. However, this technology often has large space requirements, due to the need of the wind turbines to be grouped together in wind farms, in order to facilitate sharing of connections to the power grid. Moreover, there should be a separation of about 5 to 15 blade diameters between individual wind turbines, in order to â€Å"prevent turbulent interactions in wind farm arrays† , (Elliott, 2003, p. 135). b. Solar Power Radiant energy can be captured and utilized to generate electricity which may be used to operate solar batteries or may be transmitted along normal transmission lines. Radiant energy is collected in a photovoltaic cell, which is a bimetallic unit that allows direct conversion of sunlight to electricity. The only drawback of utilizing photovoltaic cells is its high cost. However, recent â€Å"developments in the semiconductor industry have significantly brought down prices†, (Elliott, 2003, p.132). Electric power generation has also been accomplished with the use of big solar heat-concentrating mirrors and parabolic troughs and dishes that track the sun across the sky and focus its rays so as to raise steam, (Elliott, 2003, p130), and consequently produce electricity. One major disadvantage of using solar power technology is that it works only during the day and requires electrical storage mechanisms at night. Additionally, radiant heat is insufficient in cold regions and in ar eas with extensive cloudy periods, resulting in low amount of energy collection. c. Water Power Hydropower is the world’s biggest renewable source of energy. It is deemed as one of the most acceptable and cleanest technologies whereby a unit of water produces hydropower cumulatively by passing through the turbines of many dams along the descent of a river†, (Gibbons, 1986, p. 86). According to Elliott (2003, p. 151), â€Å"there is around 650 GW of installed capacity in place, mostly in 300 large projects. However, in recent years, there have been social and environmental concerns about large hydros, and some new projects have met with opposition†. Its adverse environmental impacts include the destruction of large areas of natural vegetation and agricultural land for water storage; biodiversity loss, flooding and displacement of population, (Elliott, 2003). 3. Geothermal Power Geothermal power is not considered a renewable resource when used at rates of extraction greater than their natural replenishment. With sustainable use, however, geothermal power can be effectively harnessed to provide electricity. Geothermal energy comes from the heat of the earth and can be categorized into geopressured, magma, hydrothermal and hot dry rock, (Wright, 2002, p. 362). According to Hobbs (1995, cited in Wright, 2002, p. 362), commercial operations are mostly in the form of hydrothermal systems â€Å"where wells are about 2000 metres deep with reservoir temperatures of 180 to 270 °C.† Although geothermal systems produce less than 0.2 percent of the carbon dioxide produced by coal or oil-fired plant, they also emit non-condensable gases such as small quantities of sulphur dioxide, methane, hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen and hydrogen. Additionally, such systems cause induced seismicity and ground subsidence. They are also capital-intensive investments that require f inancial and technical assistance, (Wright, 2002, p. 362). Transport System Technology The transportation sector has one of the highest greenhouse gas emissions rate, after land use and forestry, electricity and agriculture sectors. The Pew Center on Global Climate Change (Undated), recommends the use of â€Å"off the shell† technologies that are currently available in the market, which significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions of conventional cars and trucks. These â€Å"off the shell† technologies focus on increasing energy efficiency, fuel blending and the use of advanced diesels and hybrids. Additionally, long term technological options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are now gradually being developed which include the use of biofuels, electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells. a. Fuel Blending Fuel blending involves the mixing of ethanol and other biofuels with gasoline to produce more-environment friendly fuels. The Pew Center on Global Climate Change (Undated, p. 4), asserts that corn-based ethanol can reduce greenhouse emissions to at least 30% â€Å"for each gallon of regular gasoline that it replaces†. b. Diesels and Hybrids Diesel and hybrid engines offer excellent fuel economy and overall fuel efficiency. However, they also emit air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulates. Newer diesel engine models, however, use very sophisticated fuel-injection systems, which result in vehicles that have better acceleration with reduced emissions, vibration, and noise†, (Doyle, 2000, p. 383). Moreover, because diesels and hybrids afford excellent fuel economy, they use less gas on a per mile basis, thereby producing less greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional cars and trucks. â€Å"When both technologies are combined in a diesel hybrid vehicle, it can yield a 65-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per mile†, (Green and Schafer, 2003; cited in The Pew Center on Global Climate Change Undated, p.6). c. Biofuels As previously mentioned, biofuels offer cleaner emissions than regular gasoline. Agricultural and forest products can be processed to produce ethanol that may be combined with gasoline and enable significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Corn-based, cellulosic and sugar-cane-based ethanols have been proven to significantly reduce emissions, (The Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Undated). d. Electric Vehicles Electric vehicles offer cleaner emissions by reducing the amount of pollutant and greenhouse gas release in the air. They release â€Å"30 percent less hydrocarbons and 15 percent less nitrogen oxides† than conventional vehicles, (Doyle, 2000, p. 289). In the past, electric cars needed advances in battery storage. Thus, the â€Å"plug-in† hybrid was developed in order to solve the battery storage problem. The â€Å"plug-in† hybrid â€Å"is a gas- electric vehicle that can be charged at home overnight†, (The Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Undated). e. Hydrogen Fuel Cells Hydrogen fuel cells â€Å"produce power by combining oxygen with hydrogen to create water†, (The Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Undated, p.6). Hydrogen is obtained from natural gas by reforming and is combined with oxygen that is readily available in the air, which generates electricity continuously. The fuel cells replace combustion turbines in integrated cycles, resulting in increased fuel efficiency of 46-55 percent. However, there is a need to find ways to produce hydrogen with minimal emissions, (The Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Undated). Conclusion A careful analysis of the global greenhouse gas emissions by sector is essential in identifying the needed technological solutions to help curb or reduce gas emissions. By focusing the effort to reduce emissions of the higher contributing sectors, the overall efforts to address global warming effects can be effectively channeled. Thus, it is imperative to focus on the available technologies that address the adverse effects of global warming on the following sectors: land use and forestry, electricity, agriculture and transport. In its comprehensive report on technological solutions for climate change amelioration, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (Undated, p.2), claims that â€Å"there is no single, silver bullet technology that will deliver the reductions in emissions that are needed to protect the climate†. It further recommends the integration of a portfolio of solutions wherein the identification of useful technologies should be based on the analysis of key economic sectors. Moreover, it suggests that policy makers should prioritize the creation of incentives that will release the power of the marketplace in developing solutions. In the final analysis, further research and development of more exact and cost-effective portfolio of technologies that ameliorate global warming effects must be advocated. References: Abela, M., Bonavita, N., Martini, R., 2007. Advanced process control at an integrated gasification combined cycle plant. Available from: http://library.abb.com/GLOBAL/SCOT/scot267.nsf/VerityDisplay/62CF14177B1A39D2852572FB004B4EB3/$File/AC2%20ISAB_ABB.pdf. [Accessed: 11 August 2007]. Baird, S. L., 2006. Climate Change: A Runaway Train? The Human Species Has Reshaped Earths Landscapes on an Ever-Larger and Lasting Scale. The Technology Teacher, 66(4), 14+ Doyle, J. 2000. Taken for a Ride: Detroits Big Three and the Politics of Pollution. New York: Four Walls Eight Windows. Elliott, D., 2003. Energy, Society Environment. New York: Routledge. Gibbons, D. C., 1986. The Economic Value of Water. Washington, DC: Resources for the Future. Global Warming. 2004. In the Columbia Encyclopedia (6th Ed.). New York: Columbia University Press Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2000. IPCC Special Report: Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry. Summary for Policy Makers. Available from: http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc/spmpdf/srl-e.pdf. [Accessed: 10 August 2007}. Johansen, B. E., 2002. The Global Warming Desk Reference. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Manuel, J., 2007. Battle of the Biofuels. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(2), 92+. The Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Undated. Climate Data: A Sect oral Perspective. Climate Change 101: Understanding and Responding to Global Climate Change. Available from: http://www.pewtrusts.org/pdf/pew_climate_101_techsolutions.pdf. [Accessed: 10 August, 2007]. Wikipedia. Undated. Combined Cycle. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_cycle#_note-0. [Accessed: 11 August 2007]. Wright, R. M., 2002. Energy and Sustainable Development. In Natural Resource Management for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean, Goodbody, I. Thomas-Hope, E. (Eds.) (pp. 307-385). Barbados: Canoe Press.

Neil Postmans Technopoly Essay -- Neil Postman Technopoly Essays Pape

Neil Postman, writer, educator, critic and communications theorist, has written many books, including Technopoly. Mr. Postman is one of America's most visible cultural critics, who attempts to analyze culture and history in terms of the effects of technology on western culture. For Postman, it seems more important to consider what society loses from new technology than what it gains. To illustrate this, Postman uses the Egyptian mythology called "The Judgment of Thamus," which attempts to explain how the development of writing in Egyptian civilization decreases the amount of knowledge and wisdom in the society. He traces the roots of technology to show how technology impacts the moral and intellectual attitude of people. Postman seems to criticize societies with high technologies, yet he seems naive to the benefits technology has given society. Postman can be considered fairly conservative in his views regarding technology. His lucid writing style stimulates thoughts on issues in tod ay's technological society; however because of his moral interpretations and historical revisions, his ethos is arguable. For every good insight he makes, he skips another mark completely. Postman divides history into three types. He begins his argument with discussion of tool-using cultures. In these cultures, technology has an "ideological bias" to action that is not thought about by users. He says that this is a time of "logic, sequence, objectivity, detachment, and discipline," where historical figures such as Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, and others clung to the theology of their age. This was a world with God, which was concerned with truth and not power. Postman remarks that the mass production of books and the invention of the printing pre... ... Review. v42 n18 (Sept. 14, 1992) Copyright National review Inc. :58. Lubar, Steven." Engines of Change: The American Industrial Revolution 1790-1860." Smithsonian Institution. http://www.si.sgi.com/organiza/museums/nmah/homepage/docs/engin10.htm ( 1986). Mack, John. Out of Many, v 2, Prenther- Hall, Inc (1995) : 405-423. Moulthrop, Stuart. "Very Like a Book" Wired Subscribe. Wired ventures LTD.http://www.hotwired.com/wired/3.11/departments/moulthrop.if.html (1995). Ravvin, David. "Without Judgement or Morality, Technology becomes God" (I couldn't connect on-line so couldn't get the addess again when I went to do it- it kept saying the file was not found). Star, Alexander. "Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology." New Republic. v207 n5 (July 27, 1992):59. Weir, Stuart. Nation. v255, n6 ( Aug. 31, 1992) The Nation Company Inc.: 216.

Eddie Carbone Essay

Eddie Carbone is a hard working, caring man but he is also jealous, over-protective and he exaggerates the idea of honour and masculinity which result into his own downfall. He is presented to the audience in contrast when he meets Alfieri compared to in his own house. However still the audience can manage to portray Eddie’s character by the way he talks, how others react to him and how the stage directions enhance his own actions. Eddie’s irrational and stereotyping nature can be seen along with his characteristic of respecting others and also honour. When Eddie is sitting beside the desk with his â€Å"(cap in hand)† it can be seen that he has a lot of respect for Alfieri. This trait appeals to the audience that he is not all a bad person and that he does have some good qualities within him. This comes important throughout the play because Miller has had to portray every character with some empathy from the audience otherwise there will be no reason to follow this character. Also, he takes honour very seriously and this can be seen when he tells Catherine the Vinny Bolzano story. This can be applied where Eddie is talking to Alfieri as well. For example, when Eddie is trying to explain to Alfieri the kind of person Rodolfo is, he â€Å"(takes a breath and glances briefly over each shoulder)†. This tells us as the audience that he needs to keep things confidential otherwise if this is out into the public, people may already suspect of him doing any wrongdoings later, like snitching. Eddie’s talks can only go as far as speculative and irrational. He cannot back up anything he says substantially. He makes Rodolfo seem homosexual by, â€Å"He ain’t right† and â€Å"If you came in the house and you didn’t know who was singing you wouldn’t be lookin’ for him, you would be lookin’ for her†. This shows us that he lacks in articulation and he can’t get his words right when he wants to prove something. This gives a strong sense of desperateness from Eddie and that he really wants Alfieri to do something about it. Because Eddie is hot tempered, he needs to be calmed down and Alfieri tries explaining to Eddie about Rodolfo. This is done through God by saying, â€Å"God mixes up the people†. Since Eddie is from an Italian background he would have strong religious beliefs as well. Therefore, Alfieri finds it easy to go past Eddie from religion’s point of view. However, Eddie replies back â€Å"(sardonically)† showing the audience that Eddie does not want to listen to anyone and that his stubbornness takes over his mind. Alfieri tells him there is no law on his side, and that he understands how Eddie feels, but he has to let Catherine go â€Å"sometimes there is too much love for the niece† but this makes Eddie angry – â€Å"a son-of-a-bitch punk like that†¦ I give him my house to sleep! I take the blankets off my bed for him, and he takes and puts his filthy hands on her like a goddam thief! † This use of strong language indicates Eddie’s belligerent character. He is verbally-limited so he uses strong language and this soon comes out into actions when he can’t express what he wants to say verbally. He wants to do everything physically which is his masculine attribute. This is very significant as it is the first time Eddie has let his true feelings known, and his raw emotion shows through, illuminating the flaw he retains.

Analyze Ducati’s Essay

As the case mentioned, Ducati was experiencing a financial crisis before 1996. Just right before Ducati’s bankruptcy, Texas Pacific Group took over the company and appointed Minoli as the leader for the new management team. Despite having high tech motorcycles, Ducati suffered from lack of high quality reputation due to poor management and inefficient production. Under Minoli’s management, he successfully established Ducati’s core logic as a sports bike leading brand, and set company’s core goals as to increase growth as well as maintain profit margin. Minoli began this goal-oriented strategic decision and pointed out a blueprint in order to reshaped Ducati from head to toe. He not only made Ducati to be perceived as a brand to compete in its niche sports segment, but also reeducated the public’s thoughts toward Ducati as a lifestyle and entertainment rather than just motorcycles alone. One key to branding is to maintain customer retention. As mentioned in the case, since 55 percent of Ducati’s customers tend to purchase more than one motorcycles, it is essential for Minoli to establish a high customer loyalty in order to have repurchase intentions. With that aim in mind, Minoli launched levels of investments in customer retention activities to accompany his branding strategy. Implementations include things such as advertising to broaden customer base, creating customer service for quality satisfaction, bike customization for brand niche segmentation, and building Ducati heritage to reconstruct customer loyalty. In addition to branding, Minoli also reorganized production system by outsourcing majority of Ducati’s basic components to maintain the flexibility and efficiency for the production process (76 to 87 bikes produced per worker in 3 year) . Standardizing cylinders and crank cases for different models, acquiring accessories and apparel company also allowed Ducati to yield a higher profit margin (12%) and turnover rate. Furthermore, Minoli also started a new distribution strategy by reorganizing dealerships. To improve the quality and control of the dealerships of Ducati, Minoli began to limit dealerships by carrying only Ducati motorcycles and accessories. Although this act subsequently reduced a number of dealerships in the region, total annual registration still had increased by more than 300% from 2310 to 9750 within 4 years in Italy. In sum, Minoli’s turnaround program has allowed it to create core competencies in brand, product, and R&D technologies by implementing strategies mentioned above. Lowering the cost as well as raising the revenue made Minoli’s goal of long term profit sustaining possible. work cited:Gavetti, Giovanni: Ducati page 11.