Marketing Case Study for Glitz Essay

1. What factors affect the pricing decisions for a product such as Glitzz? Analyze these factors and comment on the range of prices that can be set. The right price must generate enough sales dollars to pay for the costs of developing, producing, distributing and marketing the product as well as earn a profit for the company. There are various factors that affect the pricing decision such as objectives, demands and market forces. We will examine these factors in detail below. 1.1 Company Factors Before embarking on pricing decisions, it is necessary to understand company’s objectives. Lee Jr. and Albert are looking to achieve long-term profit making and sustainability in the market. Higher importance would then be given to obtaining increased market share and sales over immediate profit making. Glitzz needs to focus on gaining foothold in the market, as it would be a new product facing relatively established competing brands and products. As such, Glitzz should not be priced at premiums but instead work to encourage trials, consumer acceptance and return business. If successful, high profits should follow. 1.2 Consumer Factors Consumer factors such as demand for the particular product class, product or brand, price and availability of similar product, price sensitivity as well as perceptions of value can affect pricing decisions and help Lee Jr. and Albert gauge feasibility and acceptability of prices. The demand for the product is extremely important for pricing decisions. The greater the demand, the higher can the product be priced. Demand by consumers is affected by four factors. (1) Consumer Tastes (2) Price and Availability of Substitutes (3) Consumer Income and (4) Price of product. Glitzz can be classified as unsought goods; products that potential consumers do not normally want or know they can buy. These products are not searched for and do not create demand in consumers initially. Consumers of such product only buy when they perceive the necessity for it. As such, creation of awareness and education about product benefits becomes crucial for retailers and creators. This translate to the need for increased budgeting assigned to advertising strategies such as personal selling, relatively aggressive advertising and benefit demonstrations, increasing fixed overhead costs for marketing and distribution. Glitzz would be a complementary product, with its demand somewhat predicated on the prices and sales of relevant product classes such as jewelry, diamonds and watches. There is negative cross elasticity between Glitzz and the above mentioned product class, i.e. the decrease in prices of jewelry, diamonds and watches would bring an increase in demand for cleaning agents such as Glitzz. In times of recession, luxury goods such as the above may not be highly sought after, affecting Glitzz’s ability to sell due to its nature as a derived product. Pricing strategies should take into consideration market trends and demands of these product classes and be adjusted accordingly. Consumers’ perception of values and benefits provided by a product will affect the amount of money they are willing to pay in exchange for the product and their price elasticity. Assessing value involves the judgment by a consumer of the worth and desirability of a particular product relative to its substitutes. At the core level of the product, Glitzz is a jewelry cleaner, delivering to consumers the opportunity to renew and bring back the shine in their precious stones, jewelry and watches. The tangible benefits offered come from the product’s non-corrosive, non-abrasive and gentle on skin nature. Premium natural ingredients used in the making of the product are also marketed as a key attribute. The attribution values of Glitzz will translate into a definitive price that consumers deem worthy for the product. Lee Jr. and Albert have already taken steps to survey consumer market and test product responses. The NUS student researchers found that few consumers are willing to pay more than SGD20 for the product. Price and availability of similar products are also strong molding forces on pricing for new entry products such as Glitzz. Technological advances and increasingly discerning consumers meant heightened awareness about substitute products and prices. The ability to compare similar products and weigh out the benefits against cost, affects consumers’ decision-making and willingness to pay for a product. The way to mitigate such comparisons is to possess strong distinguishing characteristics from its competitors. Glitzz, however, seem to be substitutable by many alternatives in the market. An in-depth competitor analysis is as follow. Brilliant Restorer and Glitzz Brilliant Restorer and Glitzz appear to be offering analogous product benefits and have similar dispensing system and packaging. It is also under a largely established distributor brand, Gordon Max. It is distributed through channels that Glitzz is thinking of using, taking up counters at large departmental stores such as Tangs. It appears to be Glitzz’s main competitor, targeting similar markets, offering similar benefits and marketing in similar channels. Connoisseur and Glitzz Connoisseur practices product differentiation, offering a range of specialized cleaning agents for different kinds of metals. It may lose out on the convenience associated with the all-purpose Glitzz, but can market it’s specialized uses as a plus point. The company has strong advertising roots, marketing its products in mainstream newspapers and online. Glitzz may face threats stemming from Connoisseurs strong advertising efforts. Powervescent and Glitzz Powervescent is a tablet-form cleaning product, offering similar benefits at very low price. It may be less convenient to use when compared to Glitzz’s pump bottle design. Powervescent does not distribute in Singapore and is in process of setting up its e-store. While Powervescent may prove to be a competitor among price sensitive consumers in the future, its low prices may also be viewed as a reflection of its quality. As such, it may not be as big a competition to Glitzz as others. Cleaning Machines and Glitzz The second tiered competitors offer jewelry-cleaning machines with high technology performances such as the Connoisseur Jewelry Bath ($49), Savco Jewelry Cleaner ($95) and OSIM uSonic ($108). It is priced much higher than cleaning solutions such as Glitzz but seem to promise better and more targeted results. The products may be marketed at affluent consumers or retailers mostly. It is not as close a substitute as portable, self-administered cleaning products such as Brilliant Restorer. Other solutions for dirty or tarnished jewelry include common soap and toothpaste as well as free cleaning services provided by retailers as a value-add for purchases. The large number of substitutes makes demand for such products very elastic; i.e. consumers are price-sensitive and decrease in prices will lead to increase in demand for the product. Glitzz would have to pay extra attention to Brilliant Restorer and Connoisseurs as they are close substitutes and their prices will be critical in the pricing decision. Glitzz is a normal good and is relatively price elastic as compared to necessity goods or luxury goods. As such, lowering prices and keeping check with competitors’ prices becomes the key to increasing consumer demand. 1.3 Competitive Factors Pricing for Glitzz is constrained by the type of market in which it competes. Jewelry cleaning products compete in a monopolistic competition market structure. There are a number of competitors competing on both price and non-price factors. For example, Lockhart competes with its low prices in the sector while OSIM offers high technology solution as the unique selling point. Understanding the environment in which they compete will allow a deeper insight into the range of acceptable prices, extent of market differentiation and importance of advertising. In such an environment, Glitzz should allocate more budgets to advertising to distinguish itself from its competitors. This means a rise in costs and subsequently, a necessary rise in pricing. Also, its prices should strive to not deviate too much from the competing products’ prices. To be effective, pricing must work to cover the costs and make profits. It is therefore necessary to take into considerations the various costs involved in producing, packaging, marketing and distributing the product. The cost of production for Glitzz in this case includes the SGD5000 re-packaging consultation fee and the direct production cost of Glitzz cleaning solution and fees associated with packaging it into 30ml pump bottles to achieve sales state. Overhead costs may also include distribution fees such as retailer’s cut in exchange for sales services and media fees to advertise the product. Keen research and delicate mediation of all the above company, consumer and competitive factors will allow conclusion of a feasible price that is most symbolic of the value Glitzz hold. I propose a price range of SGD13 to SGD17. The ultimate upper limit as surveyed by NUS students is SGD20. The ultimate lower limit is established with the unit variable costs and other production costs in mind, which will be SGD5 at the initial stage. The recommended price ranging between SGD13 to SGD17 takes into consideration competitors’ prices, company’s objectives and consumers’ buying responses. The suggested price should work to undercut competitors’ prices and stimulate trials while not deviating too much from the market rate. This way, Glitzz can remain profitable, competitive and achieve a breakeven within a short period of time. 2. What price would you recommend for Glitzz? Why? I would recommend Glitzz be sold at SGD14. In the monopolistic competition market structure, Glitzz cannot simply establish its price as an independent company. It has to be subjected to the market demand and supply forces, causing prices to be relatively similar to its close competitors. To use a demand-oriented pricing approach, Glitzz should engage in penetration pricing. By setting a relatively lower price to its competitors, Glitzz can ensure interest and high levels of appeal during the launch stage in the market. Whether or not penetration market works is predicated on several factors. Firstly, consumer base should be relatively price sensitive. This aspect is fulfilled in the case of Glitzz. With the existence of many substitute products in the market, there is high demand elasticity. Consumers with no immediate preferences or prior experiences may make purchase decisions based on prices. By setting the price at SGD14, Glitzz can subtly undercut its competitors and establish its value. Secondly, as a new product in its introductory stage, Glitzz has to work on overcoming its weakness in terms of its new entry and unknown brand identity. Glitzz’s main objectives should then be to stimulate trials and slowly accumulate market share. Penetration pricing helps to encourage first purchases and can work hand-in-hand with quality control and good brand management to build market share. Increased volume of sales will help maximize profits for Glitzz as unit production and marketing costs falls. That being said, Glitzz products must not be priced too low and deviate too much from similar competitors. Assuming Glitzz eventually decides to market and distribute its product through large departmental stores like Robinsons, its breakeven price for the initial batch of 20,000 where total cost = profit margin will be at SGD10.50. We have to price higher than SGD10.50 to break even and lower than SGD14 to SGD17 to undercut the competition. It is not feasible for Glitzz to price its product closer to the end of SGD10.50. Firstly, it may encourage a price war where competitors engage in successive price-cutting to increase or maintain market share. This can only be detrimental to the entire industry in the long run. Secondly, Glitzz as a new company needs to have buffer in profits to invest in further marketing or advertising efforts, cope with emergency operational issues or save up for brand expansion. Also, the skimming pricing method would not work for Glitzz as its product is too homogenous and not differentiated enough to justify premium pricing. In addition, the pricing of Glitzz cleaning solution at the higher end of the SGD10.50 to SGD14 range ensures Glitzz have future opportunities and space to conduct promotional initiatives such as discounts and still be profitable. Consumers may not take kindly to products increasingly their prices after a successful intitial promotion period where low prices were offered. This may affect their perceived image of the brand and be detrimental to future sales. In essence, Glitzz product pricing must be low enough to undercut competitors to generate interest in consumers and high enough to allow profit maximization. While the penetration pricing strategy can help to build volume, managers must keep close track of the costs and monitor its effects on the market. 3. What strategy would you propose for Glitzz? What costs and expenses would be involved? Calculate the break-even point. Glitzz at its point of entrance would be at the introduction stage of its product life cycle. Here, the marketing objective should be to gain awareness. This objective is further amplified by the nature of Glitzz as an unsought good. There is high level of need for promotional and advertising efforts to inform and educate the public about the presence and benefits of Glitzz. According to past track records, Glitzz did well in promoting with in-store counters and consumer exhibitions. This has roots in the personal selling and benefits-demonstration means of promotion. I would recommend Glitzz to continue with such channels of marketing and to distribute and promote their products with departmental stores such as Robinsons. As a new product, this would allow consumers to experience the benefits of Glitzz first-hand at well-established shopping places, triggering first purchases and trials. To give a concrete example, on top of in-store distribution, Glitzz could hold demonstration booths at shopping mall forums to introduce its products. Free samples could be given out to generate brand awareness and trials. Costs involved and Assumptions made * Production cost of one bottle of Glitzz at SGD5 (Unit Variable Cost) * Branding Consultation Fee at SGD5000 (Fixed Cost) * Promotional Event at approximately SGD25000 (Fixed Cost) Amount from assuming a 3 days (6 hrs/day) promotional event at a shopping mall costing about SGD9000 in rentals, with an estimated 3000 samples to be given out and an employment of 3 sales assistants at SGD100 per day. The event will total up to about SGD$24900 * Distribution Margin for Retailers at its maximum of 50% Profit Margin * One bottle of Glitzz is priced at SGD14 Hence given the list price of SGD14, the newly incurred marketing cost coupled with the sunk cost of consultation fee will result in the breakeven point being at 15 000 bottles of Glitzz, a highly feasible goal. I believe that promotions and demonstrations should be used at the initial stage of the product launch to create awareness and inform consumers of its existence. Subsequently, advertising in other forms should follow to distinguish Glitzz from its competitors and achieve brand recognition and preference. Glitzz would have to reevaluate costs and prices to determine next marketing move then.

Women participation in US public Sector/Government

Research on the male-female balance in numbers, power and opportunities in the government and public sector has included several works and research that highlight the dwindling and adverse ratios in female/male working proportions, status and conditions in the US over the decades, which is also observed as a world wide trend. This is in line with the traditional bias against the female worker that has characterized the world employment scenario for the last several years. Notable works that throw light in this regard are that of Mary E. Guy’s Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Backward: The Status of Women’s Integration into Public Management (1993). Guy wrote, â€Å"When tracing women’s integration into public management, we see pattern of rapid progress in the middle and late 1970s, followed by a period of quiescence in the mid-1980s. The late 1980 and early 1990s, however, are showing enhanced progress again. † Still, â€Å"women occupy the lower rungs on the agency ladders and men occupy the upper rungs,† she wrote (Guy,1993. ) Research and data collected in later years by 2 arious agencies such as the US Department of Labor, the Census Bureau, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have corroborated similar viewpoints. Table I below clearly displays the trend of female/male composition in federal employment. Table I Composition of Federal Work Force – Ten-Year Trend: Some Progress, Little Overall Change FY 1997 – FY 2006[5] Work Force Participation Rate 2000 CLF FY 2006 FY 1997 % FY 2006 % Men 1,487,030 58. 35 56. 94 53. 20 Women 1,124,463 41. 65 43. 06 46. 80 As compared to 1997 there is a minor increase in female employment from 41. 65% in 1997 to 43. 6% in 2006. The positions in which women work have a strong influence on their earnings, facilities and career growth opportunities. Women in managerial positions have greater job flexibility as compared to those in lower service jobs. In some states and departments in the US, employment in managerial 3 positions varies by race and et hnicity, however much anti discriminatory policies may have been put in place. Amongst women, only 25% of managerial positions were occupied by American African women while white women held 41% of such positions. Overall, women earn 85. 5% of what men earn. A majority of women still continue to work in traditionally women’s occupations. In this regard recently released Census data collected by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research clearly indicated that workplace payment gap between women and men is gradually getting bad as compared to earlier times. Between 2003 and 2006 the median annual earnings for women workers in government reduced by 0. 6% at $ 35000 while that for men was almost unchanged at $ 44000. However the overall situation has improved since 1960, when the average American woman earned 60 cents against every dollar earned by the American male. Presently the situation has improved to a woman earning about 85 cents against a dollar earned by a man. It can be seen that status of women has improved in general and particularly in the federal government as also evedenced from census figures. Major contributors for this have been the gradual changes made in law, social and business practices. Moreover the US ec onomy has grown more than five times since then whereby more 4 opportunities for women have been created. Jobs have also shifted from physical tasks to cognitive and calibre related functions thus opening wider avenues for women. Measured by 1960 standards the overall status of the American woman has improved considerably, but they have not got their due proportional share in as much as the economy has grown. In this context an additional observation is the fact that women and most minorities in the US as also in most parts of the world represent a higher percentage of employees at lower levels in any department or undertaking of the government while being absolutely underrepresented at the higher end of the ladder, implying that a very small percentage of women make it to the top positions of the government and public sector undertakings. This is clearly evident from Table II 5 Table II Senior Pay Level Representation FY 1997 / FY 2006 Senior Pay Level Positions FY 1997 FY 2006 Number % of SPL Number % of SPL Total SPL Work Force 15,381 20,070 Men 12,124 78. 83 14,814 73. 81 Women 3,257 21. 17 5,256 26. 19 It can be seen that in 1997 there were 21. 17% women occupying the senior positions while in 2006 the position improved marginally only to 26. 19% The Federal work force has for decades reflected patterns that show disproportionately high numbers of women in lower ranks in the public ector and government departments. Similarly there is lot of disproportion in the number of women occupying higher positions. In 2005, only 6. 2% of federally employed women were occupying positions ranked as upper middle management positions (General Schedule [GS]-13 and above). Comparitively male representation was as much as four times higher with 28% of all males employed in the upper level of GS-13 and above. 6 This is often referre d to as the glass ceiling concept and has become an important tool to understand working environment particularly in the American working context. Significantly the Civil Rights Act of 1991 established the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission which was entrusted the task of assessing the barriers that hindered the advancement of women to top ranking decision making positions. It also set into motion measures that would hinder such discrimination. Discrimination issues based on gender have long been a subject of debate at various forums internationally and was strongly taken up in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and in Civil Rights Act of 1964. However it was soon realised by the mid 1980s that although massive changes took place in the emographic, social, and legal aspects of the US society, such discrimination on the basis of gender continued to exist. Hymowitz and Schellhardt used the term glass ceiling to describe this discrimination in 1986. The few women who managed to rise due to their calibre were also blocked by barriers of strongly embedded disrimination practices that continued to exist and they consequently could not break through the glass ceiling. 7 One particular aspect of gender disparity in lowering the status of women workers is the strong pattern in disparity of pay and benefits as figured from he data available from US Federal salary data for positions primarily occupied by females. Figures available from the Department of Labor show that in 2005 the hourly earnings of women were only 76. 5% as compared to men. It is primarily for this reason that women have started to opt out of bureaucratic employment towards entrepreneurship and other part time work. Table III validates the findings of the federal government census. Table III Federal Wage System (FWS) Representation FY 1997 / FY 2006 Federal Wage System (FWS) P ositions FY 1997 FY 2006 Number % of FWS Number % of FWS Total FWS Work Force 243,343 194,858 Men 217,573 89. 41 173,389 88. 98 Women 25,770 10. 59 21,469 11. 02 8 In the light of these stark revelations the Federal government has taken steps to remove the imbalance in gender employment by attempting to make equal opportunity a possibility for women. All government departments have been asked to devise a strategy and adopt policies to remove the glass ceiling that has been pulling back women from rising higher in their careers and to award them with senior management and decision making positions. A strong measure for gender inequality is the salary levels that differentiate the positions occupied by males and females. Data proves that on an average males earn more than females in the federal government. The average salary for male managers in FY 2005 was $45,300; and for females, $35,300. Thus as an average female employees made about 84. 7% of the salary made by her male counterpart. Since Federal pay scales are never based on gender, they are obviously different due to lower ranks occupied by women. It is also clear that majority of the higher positions are occupied by men. Women occupy 1/3 rd positions below the GS-12 level and only 1/6th of positions above G-13 levels thus implying that majority of women are clustered in the lower echelons of the heirarchy. Table IV below illustrates the percentage details of high ranking women with various government agencies. 9 Significantly and in contrast it can be seen that women occupy 75% and 66. 67% of the top positions with the Defense Security Service and Defense Human Resource Activity respectively. Table IV Ranking of Agencies with the Highest Percentage of Women in Senior Pay Level Positions in FY 2006 (Agencies With 500 Or More Employees) Agency Total Work Force # SPL # Women in Senior Pay Level Positions # % Defense Security Service 544 4 3 75. 00 Defense Human Resource Activity 880 12 8 66. 67 Corp. for National and Community Service 558 19 10 52. 63 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 2,195 32 15 46. 88 Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency 1,140 12 5 41. 67 The years that followed 1991 brought significant changes in the American political landscape and in the entire federal work force. New Presidents brought new concepts and practices regarding women in high positions. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice as also Attorne General Janet Reno became the pioneering and powerful women to hold cabinet positions, and other appointees like Donna Shalala as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alice Rivlin at the Office of Management and Budget, and Sheila Widnall as Secretary of the Air Force caused one dignitary to comment that when senior staff members meet at White House 11 meetings half the attendees are usually women. This is however farfetched and isolated compared to the large array of discriminatory evidence available.

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MasterCard Risk Assessment - Essay Example BRAM (Business Risk Assessment and Mitigation) program addresses all the illegal and damaging activities that are affiliated to the use of MasterCard. The program offers and delivers appropriate compliance standards required for safeguarding the use of the company’s services. Risk management usually promotes cost cutting in terms of insurance costs and operational costs that any financial organization often deals with when it comes to identifying and curbing fraud within the MasterCard financial systems (King, 2001). The BRAM (Business Risk Assessment and Mitigation) program was developed by the MasterCard Company in order to minimize the industry and economic risk that comes with the use of MasterCard branded and affiliated cards. One of the economic risks posed on the system include the loss of clients who are not satisfied with the system operation, which subsequently leads to revenue loss for the firm. Addressing end user reliability of the MasterCard system is a vital objective for the MasterCard Company. System reliability can be achieved via ensuring there is constant testing and regular monitoring of the network system. The program warrants compliance through mandating and encouraging access control measures for the network system. Implementing and maintaining a strong security policy aids in protecting the clients information by boosting data security through the management of network systems utilized by the company and safeguarding then from unauthorized access (Gibson, 2004). Additionally, the set policies should limit any form of compromise that would arise even within the company itself, for example, selling of insider information. The payment card industry has common industrial risks for all the companies that deal in payment systems using cards, that is, ensuring constant information security and availability of services or resources to subscribes at all times and places. The BRAM

Oedipus the king by Sophocles by August Wilson Research Paper

Oedipus the king by Sophocles by August Wilson - Research Paper Example The massager conveys information that the culprit is within the town. Oedipus confirms to his people that he will provide a solution for the issue, by cursing and chasing the murderer from the land (Grene 12). In order to solve the issue, Oedipus seeks the services of the prophet who unravels to him that he is himself the murderer. Oedipus does not believe; instead he blames the prophet and his brother of being in cohorts to destroy his kingship (Grene 16). August Wilson’s fences commences with Troy and Brono in their usual drinking place. Troy is inquiring from his employer the reasons behind the black’s denial to drive the vehicle for garbage. Bono has a notion that Troy is unfaithful to his wife. Meanwhile, troy and Rose’s son have have a place in the soccer team (Shannon 14). Their father was once in the team but could not take part in important leagues because he was old at the moment the team could accept blacks. Cory resigns from the job and wants Troy to let him play, but Troy declines telling him to resume work. Later, troy gets a job as driver contrary to his expectation. In this play, Wilson explores the encounters of blacks in the United States by covering various aspects of discrimination against blacks. Cory resigns from the job and wants Troy to let him play, but Troy declines telling him to resume work. Later, troy gets a job as driver contrary to his expectation. In this play, Wilson explores the encounters of blacks in the United States by covering various aspects of discrimination against blacks. In this paper, emphasis is on comparing and contrasting the plays Oedipus the king and fences, taking into consideration thematic and stylistic devices (Shannon 14).... However, he has no idea until the plague befalls his land (Grene 8). Determined to solve the problem, he sends his brother to the oracle to come with a solution for the problem. His brother comes with the news that the murderer of the former king had to flee from the land for the plague to end. The prophecy stated that Oedipus would â€Å"die a victim† after killing his father and sleeping with his mother (Grene 9). When Oedipus learns of the prophecy, he has no powers to change the situation thus he succumbs as the prophecy state. In this case, the Oedipus cannot decide on what to do because there are powers beyond his abilities, he has no free will, and fate has to prevail. The theme of fate attempts to portray how it is impossible to escape fate (Grene 11). From an observers view, it is not right to blame Oedipus for his deeds because they occur without his consent. Moreover, the prophecy must come true. He has no power to overcome the condition hence he lacks the free will to direct his life since it is fate that depicts his life. The play, fences by Wilson portrays the theme of racism where the blacks face immense suffering due to discrimination (Shannon 15). Troy and Brono narrates to each other the problem they encountered when they were young under the southern regime. Their stories indicate how similar and different their times were, in comparison to the times of their children. Bruno and Troy recalls the life during slavery and after slavery when their father participated in immoral issues. Bruno narrates how his father experienced stress to an extent of failing to play his role as a father (Shannon 18). Racism is evident where the blacks cannot participate in major matches of a national team. The first scene occurs with Troy being unable to

International Strategic Alliances(PROJECT TO WRITE IN ACADEMIC REPORT) Essay

International Strategic Alliances(PROJECT TO WRITE IN ACADEMIC REPORT) - Essay Example riteria Decision Making (MCDM) in order to assist the managers of automobile companies when deciding for the best partner alliance and optimize several business goals all at the same time. This report will not only summarize the theoretical foundation of the research but also identify its basic assumptions, research hypothesis, research methodology, and its contribution to the international business literature. In response to globalization, international strategic alliances is now being use as a business strategy in terms of maximizing the companies’ of economics of scale, increasing the efficiency of production in response to the fast changing market environment, empower the business in terms of penetrating a new market, improve the company’s competitive advantage within the domestic and global market, expand the business opportunities of a business organization, reduce the cost of production, and create new business opportunities for the company among others (Czinkota, Ronkainen, & Moffett, 2009, pp. 3 – 6; Wright & Dana, 2003). In line with this, strategic alliances are being used to enable companies establish a long-term business relationship with other companies in order to increase the company’s competitiveness with its competitors (Shahanaghi & Yavarian, 2010). The purpose of the chosen reading will be provided in this report by discussing the main objective of the article. Eventually, the article written by Shahanaghi & Yavarian (2010) entitled â€Å"MODM-MCDM Approach to Partner Selection in Auto Industry. A Case Study on Mazda of Iran† will be summarized in this report. As part of summarizing the theoretical foundation of the research including its basic assumptions or the research hypothesis, research methodology, and the contribution of Shahanaghi & Yavarian’s article in the international business literature will be tackled in details. Shahanaghi & Yavarian (2010) analyzed the international strategic alliances in automobile indusrty

Same sex marriage Essay Example for Free

Same sex marriage Essay By making marriage the apex of intimate relationships and the primary site for interpersonal rights and responsibilities. Marriage is not â€Å"just† anintimate relationship or sacred institution but a nexus of the personaland the instrumental, the emotional and the legal. It can be whimsy andromance, but it can also be strategy and financial respite.Until your lifepartner lies dying in the hospital and you are barred from the room, oryou lose your job for taking time off to care for (and possibly grieve for)her, it may not be so immediately and painfully apparent how instrumentalmarriage rights are. It is striking, in fact, how quickly â€Å"rights†come to the forefront of the discourse for everyone, when the matterfor discussion is not simply (presumably heterosexual) â€Å"marriage† butis instead qualified as â€Å"same-sex marriage.† Put these phrases into everyday conversation and ones sees the point of departure: in a conversationamong heterosexuals, the word â€Å"marriage† is most likely broughtup when someone is talking about a â€Å"happy marriage† or a â€Å"bad marriage†Ã¢â‚¬â€an upcoming wedding or, perhaps, a marriage falling apart. Itis notably personal and relational. Add â€Å"same-sex† to the word â€Å"marriage†instead, and a political debate is invoked. It is no longer simplya personal relationship but a civil right, a â€Å"wedge issue,† or a subject oflitigation. The articulation of marriage as a right—and specifically one denied to gays and lesbians as a class—is not itself without controversy. Is the Philippines ready to frame thepursuit of marriage equality as a pursuit of â€Å"special rights† for gays and lesbians? 1.1 Statement of the problem 1. What are the factors that trigger same-sex marriage? 2. How many percent of the population are against or in favor in same-sex marriage? 3. How same-sex marriage affects society? 4. What would be the effect of same-sex marriage to Philippine society? 1.2 Significance of the study Thisstudy will help to prevent the idea of allowing two persons of the same gender to enter marriage. This prevents the trigger of dismemberment of each family. It will help the youths for not planning to enter same-sex marriage. It also helps them to recognize that same-sex marriage is showing immorality.

Class Scheduling System Essay Example for Free

Class Scheduling System Essay College and university campuses frequently struggle with the task of getting academic classes and the wide variety of non-academic meetings and events that they host into the appropriate rooms. Ensuring the availability of the necessary services and resources can also be difficult. How Class Schedule Maker Software Can Help You A class schedule maker will go a long way in making life easier for students as this automates the process of scheduling classes to some extent. It is a useful tool that will save a lot of time. College days are tough as students have to juggle time between studies and part-time jobs to keep them afloat meanwhile and some students also have to participate in sports and athletics. And classes are only available at certain times and students have to wrap their schedule around these. A tool that will help with scheduling will be really helpful for students and teachers alike. College teachers have some of the best and most respected jobs. But enriching the intellect of young minds takes a lot of responsibility as the competence of the teacher plays a part in deciding to what extent the student will excel in that subject. And for this teachers have to spend a lot of time preparing proper study material. And if you put yourself in the academician’s shoes, you will see that this is quite difficult. Plus, there is the added responsibility of scheduling classes. This would be unnecessary added stress to the teachers and an electronic aid to help them will prove to be really helpful. A graphic representation of data is always useful and this is one of the benefits of a class schedule maker. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and nowhere is this truer than in the case of pie charts and bar graphs which say a lot in a very few words. By creating customized graphic layouts, you can easily view schedules at a glance and manage your time accordingly. Instead of wasting time scheduling the studies, teachers can now focus on the actual studies and this results in increased productivity gains for both students and teachers who can now utilize their time more efficiently. A Genetic Algorithm Based University Timetabling System The annual construction of an Exam Timetable is a common problem for all institutions of higher education. Quite often it is done by hand or with the limited help of a simple administration system and usually involves taking the previous year’s timetable and modifying it so it will work for the new year. Many British institutions are now introducing the concept of the modular degree. This gives the students much greater flexibility in what courses they take as well as giving a much greater choice. For the timetable, this, and the recent growth in student numbers, means that the timetable will be more constrained than ever. It is no longer good enough to use the previous year’s timetable. Every year a new timetable must be produced to take account of staff, student and course changes causing a necessarily large amount of administrative work. COMPLETE CAMPUS SCHEDULING With EMS Campus, all the functionality necessary for handling the many facets of campus-wide space management – academic scheduling, event management, meeting scheduling, resource tracking – is seamlessly integrated into one â€Å"complete campus scheduling† product. For the academic departments and registrars working to ensure that every class meets in a location and at a time that is acceptable to professors and students, the system provides automatic room assignment within user-supplied parameters, integration with your SIS/ERP software and efficient online collaboration tools. It also simplifies final exam scheduling. Meeting and event staff have access to a powerful array of tools for booking single- or multi-day events, reserving the services and resources required for those events, producing operational and statistical reports, and tracking financial transactions. For those tasked with publishing a web calendar for the campus, the Virtual EMS component of the system makes it simple. ACADEMIC SCHEDULING SOFTWARE VS TIMETABLING SOFTWARE Unlike timetabling software or timetable software, which is typically used to create a class schedule from scratch each semester, academic scheduling software allows you to roll existing schedules forward and modify them, making the scheduling process more efficient. Simple data entry It is quick and easy to enter all subjects, classes, classrooms, teachers and their contracts. The application also enables creating all specific divisions of classes into groups. It is possible to unite more classes into one lesson or to have more teachers for one lesson. Automatic generating In few minutes, the program generates a complete timetable that fulfills all your requirements. The program follows all psycho hygienic and organizational requirements such as: * The minimization of gaps in teachers schedules the limitation of maximal number of gaps in teachers schedules, as well as the limitation of days, when teachers teach. * A class of a subject has to be distributed equably in the entire week. * Verification of succession of entire and divided classes. * Placing lessons into allowed classrooms. * And many more Verification of the timetable The program verifies the data entered and helps you remove standard entry errors. It also verifies, whether the created timetable fulfills all conditions. You can make changes to the timetable, and the program notifies you, in case of illegal changes. Complete print You can print your timetable. The program automatically creates timetables for each class, teacher or classroom. It creates summary timetables of classes, teachers or classrooms for the entire school. Once printed it helps you easily assign substituting teachers when necessary. You can specify which classes, teachers or classrooms you want to print in each summary timetable.

The use of Microwave Remote Sensing

The use of Microwave Remote Sensing INTRODUCTION Microwave remote sensing at wavelengths ranging from 1 cm to 1 m has gained a lot of importance over the plast decade for a wide range of scientific applications with the availability of active radar imaging systems. Its potential in spatial applications use has been scientifically established in various sectors like forestry, agriculture, land use and land cover, geology and hydrology. A variety of applications have been carried out world over using microwave data like discrimination of crop types, crop condition monitoring, soil moisture retrieval, delineation of forest openings, estimation of forest above ground biomass, forest mapping; forest structure and fire scar mapping, geological mapping, monitoring wetlands and snow cover, sea ice identification, coastal windfield measurement, wave slope measurement, ship detection , shoreline detection, substrate mapping, slick detection and general vegetation mapping (Kasischke et al., 1997). There is an emerging interest on microwave remote sensing is, as microwave sensors it can image a surface with very fine resolution of a few meters to coarse resolution of a few kilometers. They provides imagery to a given resolution independently of altitude, limited only by the transmitter power available. Fundamental parameters like polarization and look angle can be varied to optimize the system for a specific application. SAR imaging is independent of solar illumination as the system provides its own source of illumination. It can operate independently of weather conditions if sufficiently long wavelengths are chosen. It operates in a band of electromagnetic spectrum different from the bands used by visible and infrared (IR) imageries. Microwave applications in Forestry Applications of microwave remote sensing in forestry ha ve also been reported during the recent past. Recent reviews on the application of radar in forestry show that SAR systems have a good capability in discriminating various types of (tropical) forest cover using multi-temporal and multi-frequency SAR data (Vander Sanden, 1997; Varekamp, 2001; Quinones, 2002; Sgrenzaroli, 2004). These studies showed that the biomass dependence of radar backscatter varies as a function of radar wavelength, polarization and incidence angle. Also recent studies have demonstrated that synthetic aperture radar (SAR) can be used to estimate above-ground standing biomass. To date, these studies have relied on extensive ground-truth measurements to construct relationships between biomass and SAR backscatter (Steininger, 1996; Rignot et al., 1997). Many studies demonstrated the use of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) remote sensing to retrieve biophysical characteristics from forest targets (Richards, 1990). Although radar backscatter from forest is influenced by their structural properties (Imhoff, 1995), earlier studies derived useful relationships between backscattering coefficients and the above-ground biomass (Baker et., 1994; Le Toan et al., 1992; Dobson et el., 1992; Imhoff; 1995). These relationships may provide a method of monitoring forest ecosystems which play such a vital role in carbon storage and NPP. Microwave remote sensing has the advantage of all weather capability coverage overcoming the persistent problem of cloud cover in satellite images like in optical data. Optical remote sensing is being used very successfully in various applications related to earth resources studies and monitoring of the environment. However, optical remote sensing is not suitable for all atmospheric conditions. It cannot penetrate through clouds and haze. In many areas of the world, the frequent cloud conditions often restrain the acquisition of high-quality remotely sensed data by optical sensors. Thus, radar data has become the only feasible way of acquiring remotely sensed data within a given time framework because the radar systems can collect Earth feature data irrespective of weather or light conditions. Due to this unique feature of radar data compared with optical sensor data, the radar data have been used extensively in many fields, including forest-cover identification and mapping, discrimi nation of forest compartments and forest types, estimation of forest stand parameters and monitoring of forests. In areas where vegetation cover is dense, it visually covers the underlying formation and it is very difficult to detect structural limiting the use of optical sensors. Radar however, is sensitive enough to topographic variation that it is able to discern the structural expression reflected in the tree top canopy, and therefore the structure may be clearly defined on the radar imagery. Based on this background, the current thesis work has been carried out to explore the potential of microwave data in addressing core areas of tropical forestry viz., vegetation classification , a bove ground biomass estimation etc., and to provide the users/researchers a meaningful data base of SAR applications in tropical forestry, specifically over the India region. Research questions: Which SAR wavelength/frequency band is appropriate for vegetation classification in tropical forests? To what extent above ground biomass can be measured in tropical forests? Which frequency band and polarization are suitable for above ground biomass estimation? Is there any enhancement in vegetation classification with polarimetric / interferometric data than stand alone amplitude data? Research hypothesis: Based on this background,the previous studies and earlier mentioned Rresearch questions, we understand that the backscatter increases with the increase in above ground biomass and depends on wavelength bands, polarizations used and on the study area, topographic variations and species composition. So, the present study attempts to derive the application potential of airborne and space borne SAR data in the quantification of the forest resources in tropical regions like India, both as a complementary and supplementary role to optical datasets. Different techniques such as Regression analysis, multi-sensor fusion, texture measures and interferometric coherence characterize different biomass ranges of the test sites and classification of major land cover classes. This study would facilitate scope for future research in tropical regions to explore the potentials of SAR data in land cover classification and above ground biomass estimation using the polarimetric and interferometric techniq ues. OBJECTIVES: Based on this background, the present study aims at the following objectives: Vegetation type classification using polarimetric and interferometric SAR data. Forest above-ground biomass estimation using multi-frequency SAR data and ground inventoried data. Vegetation classification is necessary to understand the diversity of species in a given area which gives above ground biomass with measured parameters. Hence, vegetation classification enhances the estimation of the above ground biomass. Forest biomass is a key parameter in understanding the carbon cycle and determining rates of carbon storage, both of which are large uncertainties for forest ecosystems. Accurate knowledge of biophysical parameters of the ecosystems is essential to develop an understanding of the ecosystem and their interactions, to provide input models of ecosystem and global processes, to test these models and to monitor changes in ecosystem dynamics and processes over time. Thus, it is a useful measure for assessing changes in forest structure, comparing structural and functional attributes of forest ecosystems across a wide range of environmental conditions. Knowing the spatial distribution of forest biomass is important as the knowledge of biomass is required for calculating the sources and sinks of carbon that result from converting a forest to cleared land and vice versa, to know the spatial distribution of biomass which enables measurement of change through time. Field sampling is the most followed conventional method for vegetation type classification. The identification of different species in field yields good results in the estimation of the above ground biomass. It is very time consuming, expensive and very complicated. With the use of multiple sensors, varied data collection and interpretation techniques, remote sensing is a versatile tool that can provide data about the surface of the earth to suit any need (Reene et al, 2001). Remote sensing approach for vegetation classification is cost effective and also time effective. Though the identification of the tree species is possible only from the aerial imagery, major forest types can be identified from the airborne and the spaceborne remote sensing data. Visual image interpretation provides a feasible means of vegetation classification in forests. The image characteristics of shape, size, pattern, shadow, tone and texture are used by interpreters in tree species identification. Phenological correlations are useful in tree species identification. Changes in the appearance of trees in different seasons of the year some times enable discrimination of species that are indistinguishable on single dates. The use of multi-temporal remote sensing data enabl es the mapping of the different forest types. SAR has shown its potential for classifying and monitoring geophysical parameters both locally and globally. Excellent works were carried out on the classification using several approaches such as polarimetric data decomposition (Lee et al., 1998), knowledge based approaches considering the theoretical backscatter modeling and experimental observations ( Ramson and Sun , 1994) ; Backscatter model-related inversion approaches ( Kurvonen et al., 1999), neural networks and data fusion approaches ( Chen et al., 1996). Dong et al. (2001) have shown that the classification accuracy of 95% for the vegetation classes could be achieved through the segmentation and classification of the SAR data using Gaussian Markov Random Field Model (GMRF). Many methods have been employed for classification of polarimetric SAR data, based on the maximum likelihood (ML) (Lee et al. 1994), artificial neural network (NN) (Chen et al. 1996, Ito and Omatu, 1998), support vector machines (SVMs) (Fukuda et al. 2002), fuzzy method (Chen et al. 2003, Du and Lee 1996), or other approaches (Kong et al. 1988, Lee and Hoppel 1992, van Zyl and Burnette 1992, Cloude and Pottier 1997, Lee et al. 1999, Alberqa 2004) Among these methods, the ML classifier (Lee et al. 1994) can be employed for obtaining accurate classification results, but it is based on the assumption of the complex Wishart distribution of the covariance matrix. Assessing the total aboveground biomass of forests (biomass density when expressed as dry weight per unit area at a particular time) is a useful way of quantifying the amount of resource available for all traditional uses. It either gives the quantity of total biomass directly or the quantity by each component (e.g., leaves, branches, and bole) because their biomass tends to vary systematically with the total biomass. However, biomass of each component varies with total biomass by forest type, such as natural or planted forests and closed or open forests. For example, leaves contribute about 3-5% and merchantable bole is about 60% of the total aboveground biomass of closed forests. Many researchers have developed various methods based on field inventory and remote sensing approaches for the estimation of above ground biomass (Kira and Ogawa, 1971). Traditionally, field-measured approach is considered as the most accurate source for above-ground biomass estimation. It has been converted to volume, or biomass, using allometric equations that are based on standard field measurements (tree height and diameter at breast height). Different approaches, based on field measurement (Brown et al. 1989, Brown and Iverson 1992, Schroeder et al.. 1997, Houghton et al., 2001, Brown, 2002); remote sensing (Tiwari 1994, Roy and Ravan 1996, Tomppo et al., 2002, Foody et al., 2003, Santos et al., 2003, Zheng et al., 2004, Lu, 2005); and GIS (Brown and Gaston 1995) have been applied for AGB estimation. Traditional techniques based on field measurement are the most accurate ways for collecting biomass data. A sufficient number of field measurements is a prerequisite for developing AGB estimation models and for evaluating the AGB estimation results. However, these approaches are often time consuming, labour intensive, and difficult to implement, especially in remote areas and are generally limited to 10-year intervals. Also, they cannot provide the spatial distribution of biomass in large areas. For the above reasons, the perspectives of using remote sensing techniques to estimate forest biomass have gained interest. Remote sensing data available at different scales, from local to global, and from various sources, optical to microwave are expected to provide information that could be related indirectly, and in different manners, to biomass information. The possibility that aboveground forest biomass might be determined from space is a promising alternative to ground-based methods (Hese et al., 2005). The advantages of remotely sensed data, such as in repetivity of data collection, synoptic view, digital format that allows fast processing of large quantities of data, and the high correlations between spectral bands and vegetation parameters, make it the primary source for large area AGB estimation, especially in areas of difficult access. Therefore, remote sensing-based AGB estimation has increasingly attracted scientific interest. In general, AGB can be estimated using remotely sensed data with different approaches, such as multiple regression analysis, K nearest-neighbour, and neural network (Roy and Ravan 1996, Nelson et al. 2000a, Steininger 2000, Foody et al. 2003, Zheng et al. 2004), and indirectly estimated from canopy parameters, such as crown diameter, which are first derived from remotely sensed data using multiple regression analysis or different canopy reflectance models (Wu and Strahler 1994, Woodcock et al. 1997, Phua and Saito 2003, Popescu et al. 2003). Spectral signatures or vegetation indices are often used for AGB estimation in optical remote sensing. Many vegetation indices have been developed and applied to biophysical parameter studies (Anderson and Hanson 1992, Anderson et al. 1993, Eastwood et al. 1997, Lu et al. 2004, Mutanga and Skidmore 2004). Vegetation indices have been recommended to remove variability caused by canopy geometry, soil background, sun view angles, and atmospheric conditions when measuring biophysical properties (Elvidge and Chen 1995, Blackburn and Steele 1999). Radar remote sensing has potential to provide information on above ground biomass. The information content of SAR data in terms of the retrieval of biomass parameters will be assessed based on an understanding of the underlying scattering mechanisms, which in turn are derived from observations and modeling results. For this purpose, an analysis of data acquired by multiple frequency, incidence and polarisation systems and by interferometric systems is carried out. It has been proved that the sensitivity to biomass parameters differ strongly at different frequencies, polarisations and incidence angles. In general, long wavelength SAR backscatter (P and L band) is more sensitive to forest biomass than shorter wavelength C-band backscatter and the relationships saturate at certain biomass levels ( Imhoff 1995b). The strength of the relationships and the saturation levels are dependent on the type of forest being analysed (Ferrazoli et al. 1997). The saturation levels for the estimation of above ground biomass depend on the wavelengths (i.e. different bands, such as C, L, P), polarization (such as HV and VV), and the characteristics of vegetation stand structure and ground conditions. C-band can measure forestry biomass up to app. 50 tons/ha, L-band can measure up to 100 tons/ha and P-band can measure up to 200 tons/ha (Floyd et al., 1998). The combination of multiple channels and polarizations provides greater advantage for estimating total biomass (Harry Stern, 1998). RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY: The present study is the part of Radar Imaging satellite Joint Experiment Programme (RISAT-JEP) for forestry applications undertaken by Forestry and Ecology Division of National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), as a pilot campaign with specific objectives of above ground biomass estimation and vegetation type classification using airborne DLR (German Aerospace Center) carrying ESAR (Experimental Synthetic Aperture Radar) data for Rajpipla (Gujarat) study site and space borne ENVISAT (Environmental Satellite) carrying Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) data for three test sites viz., Rajpipla (Gujarat), Dandeli (Karnataka) and Bilaspur (Chattisgarh), India. SCOPE OF THE STUDY: The specific objectives of the present study are above ground biomass estimation and vegetation type classification using airborne DLR (German Aerospace Center) carrying ESAR (Experimental Synthetic Aperture Radar) data for Rajpipla (Gujarat) study site and space borne ENVISAT (Environmental Satellite) carrying Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) data; ALOS (Advanced Land Observing Satellite) carrying Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) for three test sites viz., Rajpipla (Gujarat), Dandeli (Karnataka) and Bilaspur (Chattisgarh), India. Different techniques such as Regression analysis, multi-sensor fusion, texture measures and interferometric coherence were used to characterize different biomass ranges of the test sites and to classify the major land cover classes using spaceborne C-band ENVISAT-ASAR data and L-band ALOS- PALSAR data. Polarimetric signatures, polarimetric decompositions, multi-sensor fusion techniques etc. were used for the classification of different vegetation types in the Rajpipla study area using the airborne DLR-ESAR data. The study has its uniqueness and gains importance in the application potential of SAR interferometry over tropical regions like India, both in terms of an alternate/substitute to optical data sets due to persisting cloud cover and to the lack of availability of any earlier scientific work over the study region. This study is useful for the applications of to be launched Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) in 2010. The study has amply demonstrated the application potential of airborne and space borne SAR data in the quantification of the forest resources in tropical regions like India, both as a complementary and supplementary role to optical datasets. The study would facilitate future research in tropical regions to explore the potentials of SAR data in land cover classification and above ground biomass estimation using the polarimetric and interferometric techniques. LITERATURE SURVEY: During the last decade, many potential applications of SAR in different frequency bands have been studied for forestry applications using data acquired by both airborne and space-borne systems. Various techniques like Polarimetry, Interferometry and Polarimetric-Interferometry enhanced the use of SAR data in forestry applications. The backscatter from vegetation is used to infer information about amplitude data for forest cover mapping and estimation of above ground biomass in regenerating forests. Use of SAR polarimetric data delineated vegetation classes within the forest and also enhanced the capability in estimating the above ground biomass. The use of repeat pass interferometric data enables to calculate the forest stand height and also used for the land cover classification. The emerging Pol-InSAR technique is used to derive the three dimensional forest structures. Forest cover maps were prepared for the boreal, temperate and tropical forests using SAR data. Forest was separated from non-forest regions using multi-temporal C-band ERS SAR data on the test sites of United Kingdom, Poland and Finland (Quegan et al., 2000). The study applied a threshold value to separate forest from other classes. Tropical rainforest of Borneo was mapped from SIR-B data of different incidence angles (Ford and Casey, 1988). Different vegetation covers along with wetlands and clear-cut areas were distinguished. Forest cover mapping was done with JERS-1 SAR data on the coastal regions of Gabon (Simard et al., 2000). The study used decision tree method utilizing both radar amplitude and texture information. Forest cover map was prepared for Southern Chittagong using JERS-1 SAR data (Rahman and Sumantyo, 2007) and the study separated forest, degraded forest, shrubs, coastal plantations, agriculture, shrimp-farms, urban and water. Although radar backscatter from forest is influenced by their structural properties (Imhoff, 1995a), many studies have demonstrated useful relationships between backscattering coefficients and the areal density of above-ground biomass within particular types of forest (Baker et., 1994; Le Toan et al., 1992; Dobson et al., 1992; Imhof et al; 1995b). Many airborne and spaceborne SAR systems have been used to carry out a large amount of experiments for investigating the forest ecosystems. The airborne systems, such as the NASA/JPL AIRSAR, DLR-ESAR, etc., operating at P, L and C band, has been flown over many forest sites (Zebker et al., 1991; Le Toan et al, 1992; Beaudoin et al., 1994; Rignot et al.; 1994; Skriver et al., 1994; Ranson et al., 1996). The experiments of the Canadian CV-580, as well as the European airborne system, mainly operating at C and X band also have been carried out in North America and Europe (Drieman et al., 1989; Hoekman, 1990). Spaceborne SAR is being used from regional to global monitoring in a periodic basis. The spaceborne systems, such as the Seasat SAR, SIR-B, SIR-C/X-SAR and ERS-1, ERS-2, ENVISAT-ASAR, RADARSAT etc., were used for investigations of boreal, temperature and sub-tropical forestry test sites (Ford et al., 1988; Dobson et al., 1992; Ranson et al., 1995; Stofan et al., 1995; Rignotet al., 1995). These experiments and studies have shown that radar is sensitive to forest structural parameters such as diameter at breast height (dbh) and tree mean height including above-ground biomass (Dobson et al., 1992; Pulliainen et al., 1994; Skriver et al., 1994; Ferrazzoli et al., 1995; Ranson et al., 1996). Earlier studies has shown the potential of radar data in estimating AGB (Hussin et al. 1991, Ranson and Sun 1994, Dobson et al. 1995, Rignot et al. 1995, Saatchi and Moghaddam 1995, Foody et al. 1997, Harrell et al. 1997, Ranson et al. 1997, Luckman et al. 1997, 1998, Pairman et al. 1999, Imhoff et al. 2000, Kuplich et al. 2000, Castel et al. 2002, Sun et al. 2002, Santos et al. 2003, Treuhaft et al. 2004). Kasischke et al. (1997) reviewed radar data for ecological applications, including AGB estimation. Lucas et al. (2004) and Kasischke et al. (2004) reviewed SAR data for AGB estimation in tropical forests and temperate and boreal forests, respectively. Different wavelength radar data have their own characteristics in relating to forest stand parameters. Backscatter in P and L bands is highly correlated with major forest parameters, such as tree age, tree height, DBH, basal area, and AGB (Leckie 1998). In particular, SAR L-band data have proven to be valuable for AGB estimation (Sad er 1987, Luckman et al. 1997, Kurvonen et al. 1999, Sun et al. 2002). However, low or negligible correlations were found between SAR C-Band backscatter and AGB (Le Toan et al. 1992). Beaudoin et al. (1994) found that the HH return was related to both trunk and crown biomass, and the VV and HV returns were linked to crown biomass. Harrell et al. (1997) evaluated four techniques for AGB estimation in pine stands using SIR C- and L-Band multi-polarization radar data and found that the L-Band HH polarization data were the critical elements in AGB estimation. Kuplich et al. (2000) used L-band JERS-1/SAR data for AGB estimation of regenerating forests and concluded that these data had the potential to estimate AGB for young, regenerating forests. Sun et al. (2002) found that multi-polarization L-Band SAR data were useful for AGB estimation of forest stands in mountainous areas. Castel et al. (2002) identified the significant relationships between the backscatter coefficient of JERS- 1/SAR data and the stand biomass of a pine plantation. The study observed the improvement in AGB estimation results for young stands, compared to estimation for old stands. Santos et al. (2002) used JERS-1 SAR data to analyse the relationships between backscatter signals and biomass of forest and savanna formations. This study concluded that forest structural-physiognomic characteristics and the radars volume scattering, double bounce scattering are two important factors affecting these relationships. The saturation levels of backscattering co-efficient with respect to AGB depend on the wavelengths (i.e. different Bands, such as C, L, P), polarization (such as HV and VV), and the characteristics of vegetation stand structure and ground conditions. Luckman et al. (1997) found that the longer-wavelength (L-Band) SAR image was more suitable to discriminate different levels of forest biomass up to a certain threshold, indicating that it is suitable for estimating biomass of regenerating forests in tropical regions. Austin et al. (2003) indicated that forest biomass estimation using radar data may be feasible when landscape characteristics are taken into account. The radar backscattering coefficient is correlated with forest biomass and stem volume (Le Toan et al. 1992, Israelsson et al. 1994, Kasischke et al. 1994, Dobson et al. 1995). The sensitivity of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data to forest stem volume increases significantly as the radar wavelength increases (Israelsson et al. 1997). The imaging process makes SAR suitable for mapping parameters related to forest biomass, like stem volume (Baker et al, 1999; Fransson et al, 1999; Hyyppa et al, 1997; Israelsson et al., 1997; Kurvonen et al, 1999; Pulliainen et al, 1996), total growing stock (Balzter et al, 2000; Schmullius et al, 1997), LAI (Imhoff et al, 1997), or above ground net primary productivity (Bergen et al, 1998). Le Toan et al., (1992) used multi-polarisation L- and P-band airborne radar data, and found that the dynamic range of the radar backscatter corresponded highly with forest growth stages and is maximum at P-band HV polarization. The analysis of P-band data indicated a good correlation between the radar backscatter intensity and the main forest parameters including trunk biomass, height, age, diameter at breast height (dbh), and basal area. Dobson et al., (1992) showed an increasing range of backscatter with changing biomass from C to P-band, as well as higher biomass levels at which backscatter relationships to biomass saturate. Hoekman, (1990) found poor relationships between X- and C-band backscatter and volume and other stand parameters. The spaceborne systems, such as the Seasat SAR, SIR-B, SIR-C/X-SAR and ERS-1, ERS-2, JERS, ENVISAT-ASAR and recently ALOS-PALSAR etc. were used for investigations of boreal, temperature and sub-tropical forestry test sites (Ford et al., 1988; Dobson et al., 1992; Ranson et al., 1995; Stofan et al., 1995; Rignot et al., 1995). These experiments and studies have shown that radar is sensitive to forest structural parameters including above-ground biomass (Dobson et al., 1992; Pulliainen et al., 1994; Skriver et al., 1994; Ferrazzoli et al., 1995; Ranson et al., 1996). Kasischke et al., (1997) reviewed radar data for ecological applications, including AGB estimation. It is being reported in literature that the radar backscatter in the P and L bands is highly correlated with major forest parameters, such as tree age, tree height, DBH, basal area, and AGB. In particular, SAR L-Band data have proven to be valuable for AGB estimation (Sader, 1987; Luckman et al., 1997; Kurvonen et al., 1999; Sun et al., 2002). Kuplich et al., (2000) used JERS-SAR data for AGB estimation of regenerating forests and concluded that these data had the potential to estimate AGB for young, regenerating forests. Luckman et al., (1997) found that the longer-wavelength (L-Band) SAR image was more suitable to discriminate different levels L-Band backscatter shows no sensitivity to increased biomass density after a certain threshold, such as 100 tons ha-1, indicating that it is suitable for estimating biomass of regenerating forests in tropical regions. The radar backscattering coefficient is correlated with forest biomass and stem volume (Le Toan et al. 1992; Israelsson et al., 1994; Kasischke et al., 1994, Dobson et al., 1995). The sensitivity of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data to forest stem volume increases significantly as the radar wavelength increases (Israelsson et al., 1997). The imaging process makes SAR suitable for mapping parameters related to forest biomass, like stem volume (Baker et al., 1999; Israelsson et al., 1997; Pulliainen et al., 1996), total growing stock (Balzter et al., 2000; Schmullius et al., 1997), LAI (Imhoff et al., 1997), or above ground net primary productivity (Bergen et al., 1998). The dependency of backscatter on above ground biomass was observed and related to the penetration of the radiation into the canopy and interaction with the trunk, where most of the volume, therefore, biomass of the vegetation is concentrated (Sader 1987, Le Toan et al. 1992, Dobson et al. 1992). HV polarization in longer wavelengths (L or P band) is the most sensitive to above ground biomass (Sader 1987, Le Toan et al. 1992, Ranson et al. 1997a) because it originates mainly from canopy volume scattering (Wang et al. 1995), trunk scattering (Le Toan et al. 1992) and is less affected by the ground surface (Ranson and Sun 1994). As forest backscatter in different wavelengths and polarizations originate from separate layers of a canopy, the use of multiple channels or multi-step approaches (e.g., Dobson et al. 1995) could be used to estimate total above-ground biomass (Kasischke et al. 1997). Sun and Ranson (1994) estimated biomass in mixed conifer temperate forest upto 250 Mg/ha. Band ratios (HH/HV and VV/VH) were also used for the above ground biomass estimation. However, Dobson et al. (1995) considered these band ratios too simplistic (as the corresponding backscatter will be much higher for the few tall trees than for the many short ones), although effective in estimating biomass at higher ranges. In spite of this, a combination of bands and polarizations in a multi-step approach made possible the mapping of biomass in a mixed temperate forest upto 250 Mg/ha (Dobson et al. 1995). Establishing a strong link between backscatter and forest variables is an important part of the successful estimation of forest biomass from backscatter. Models are often used to explain the relationship between forest variables, scattering mechanisms and SAR configuration parameters (Richards 1990, Kasischke and Christensen 1990). Another approach is the use of statistical analysis, where forest variables are related to SAR backscatter by regression models (Sader 1987, Le Toan et al. 1992, Rauste et al. 1994). The combination of the two approaches, in most cases to assess the results of the predicted biomass or backscatter via regression (Ranson and Sun 1994, Ferrazzoli et al. 1997, Franson and Israelson 1999). Statistical procedures such as stepwise regression analysis were also used to determine the best set of bands and pola

Philadelphia :: essays research papers

This movie caused a lot of hoopla when it was released back in ’93, for it was the first Hollywood studio movie to fully tackle the subject of AIDS. Now, I don’t want to take anything away from the film, because it is still quite entertaining, but it certainly doesn’t come off as a groundbreaking film anymore. Even back when it was released, I personally didn’t think it was that big of a deal because by that time we’d already seen the subject matter covered for years, in news reports, documentaries and independent films; so when PHILADELPHIA finally came along, it seemed like it was just a little overdue†¦ What the film does succeed in doing is taking a deep look at a new kind of discrimination that grew as AIDS became more prevalent in the minds of the general public and how some people’s hatred towards gays got even more fueled as this new disease became a harsh and frightening reality in the world. I was a bit surprised to see the qu ote â€Å"An emotional powerhouse!† on the back cover of the DVD because as it does have its share of emotional scenes, they’re far from overwhelming and it isn’t likely that that is what you’ll take away from it in the end. The most memorable, powerful scenes, in fact, are those awkward moments that are examined as we see how people around Andrew react upon learning of his illness – the most famous ones being Washington’s reaction to Hanks in his office and the confrontation in the public library between Hanks and an employee there. Demme also does an admirable job in making the City of Brotherly Love a real presence in the movie. The opening credit sequence is a beautiful montage of all the great sights of the city and its people, giving us a real sense of the metropolis. From the rich neighborhoods to the slums, from the working class to the homeless sleeping on the streets – it all plays wonderfully as we witness many of them waving to the camera, all from different backgrounds, cultures and races, and all very proud to be Philadelphians. To me, it’s one of the best opening credit sequences in recent memory. Bruce Springsteen’s â€Å"Streets of Philadelphia† plays over it all and it’s still as emotionally involving as it was back when it was ruling the airwaves in ‘93.

The Stem Cell Dilemma Essay -- Stem Cells Medical Health Science Genet

The Stem Cell Dilemma Every day, nearly 3,000 people die while waiting for an organ transplant (D’Agnese). Moreover, 66,000 people are still on an organ donor list in the United States, few of which will ever see their name come up on that list (â€Å"Improving†). Many people believe nothing can be done about this sad fact. However, this is not the case. Studies on stem-cell research point toward a solution to this deadly problem. With efficient use of stem cells, many diseases and medical problems could be solved. Stem-cells are very young, specialized cells. Usually coming from a human embryo, they have the ability to develop into more specialized groups of cells or tissues (â€Å"Stem Cells: A Primer†). As of 2001, scientists could develop stem-cells into more than 110 different types of tissues, such as blood, brain or heart tissue (Robinson). If these cells could be so useful in the medical field, why are they not being used now? First of all, the research on stem-cells is still ongoing, though if given funding this research may have already been accomplished. According to Gary Stix, a writer for Scientific American, on November 5th, 2001, a company called Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) was the first to actually clone embryonic cells. This is not cloning in the most common sense, though. Stem-cells have previously been obtained from tissues of early stage embryos. With this experiment, scientists tried to use a new technique in making stem-cells so that real embryos need not be used. The scientists injected cells into eggs which had their nuclei removed, rather than making an actual copy of the cell. These cells developed, though the furthest development was from the one cell to eight cells, which is not enough to provide stem-cells (Lauritzen). This may not seem like much, but it is seen as a small step on the path to greater and more efficient use of these cells. So, one factor in the question of why do we not use stem-cells is that certain people do not approve of the use of embryonic tissue in research. There are many reasons, however, in which it could be seen as feasible to use embryonic stem-cells in the sake of medicine. For example people with heart disease or kidney failure could be cured with a relatively cheap operation. Today organ transplants are quite expensive and sometimes a matching donor can not even be found if a patient had ... ... Bibliography D’Agnese, Joseph. â€Å"The Debate Over Stem Cells Gets Hot†. Discover 23 (Jan. 2002): 1. Draper, Eric. â€Å"Remarks by the President on Stem Cell Research.† Aug. 9 2001. Feb.10 2002. â€Å"Improving the Nation’s Organ Transplantation System.† US Department of Health and Human Services. 18 Oct. 1999. 16 Feb. 2002. Lauritzen, Paul. â€Å"Broadening the Debate on Cloning and Stem Cell Research.† America 186 (4 Feb. 2002): 22 Academic Search Elite. Ebscohost. University of Louisville Ekstrom Library. 6 Feb. 2002. Lee, Jacqueline. â€Å"Embryonic Stem Cells: The End Doesn’t Justify the Means.† Claretian Publications Jan. 2002. Proquest. University of Louisville Ekstrom Library. 6 Feb. 2002. Robinson, B.A. â€Å"What are Stem Cells?† 29 Aug.2001. Feb 16 2002. Safire, William. â€Å"The Crimson Birthmark.† New York Times 21 Jan. 2002. Proquest. University of Louisville Ekstrom Library. 6 Feb. 2002. â€Å"Stem Cells: A Primer† National Institutes of Health. May 2000. Feb. 16 2002. Stix, Gary. â€Å"What Clones?† Scientific American 286 (Feb. 2002): 18. Academic Search Elite. Ebscohost. University of Louisville Ekstrom Library. 6 Feb. 2002.

How do politicians use history today in Bulgaria Essay -- Bulgarian Hi

From 1945 until 1989 Bulgaria had followed with consistency the same foreign policy line of attachment to the Soviet Union and the Eastern Block, gaining the reputation of the most loyal ally/‘satellite’ of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe (*1) . The country’s given position in the international system was unchallenged, as was the dominant ideology (communism) that defined Bulgaria’s regime. After November 1989 however, and the fundamental geopolitical changes that started to take place throughout Eastern Europe, Bulgaria too entered in an era of full-scale political and economic transformation. The end of the Cold War, the disbandment of the Warsaw Pact in 1990 and the termination of Bulgaria’s close relations with the Soviet Union in 1991, meant in addition the loss of all the political, diplomatic and military advantages that the country had enjoyed since 1945: as other former members of the Eastern Block, Bulgaria had to find a new role and to create new alliances in the new geopolitical situation prevailing in Europe (*2) . Thus, Bulgaria had no other choice, after 1989, than to turn towards the West. All Bulgaria’s political forces were unanimous about the need to improve and develop the country’s relations with the West (*3) . Even the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the former communists, who had maintained power after the first democratic elections in 1990, agreed in that (*4) . II. Joining the EU II.1. From the outset of relations with the European Community until the Helsinki Summit (1988 – 1999) The signing of a Joint Declaration for establishing diplomatic relations between the European Community (EC) and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), in June 1988, is generally regarded as the beginnin... ...position was strengthened even more. The European Summit in Helsinki, in December 1999, decided to invite Bulgaria to open accession negotiations with the EU in February 2000. Although the European Council recognized the important progress that Bulgaria had made fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria , the decision to invite Sofia to begin negotiations was to a large extend a political decision. Firstly, because following the events in former Yugoslavia, there was growing concern that the whole region could be destabilized, and there was a need to support countries like Bulgaria and Romania, which was also invited to begin accession negotiations in February 2000 . The second reason had to do with France’s insistence to invite Romania. From the moment that Romania had been invited, it would have been highly insulting to Bulgaria to leave it outside and not to invite it .

Social Significance of Architecture

Social Significance of Architecture The use of architecture to improve society dates back as far as any records go. Whether it was the Romans building coliseums, Egyptians constructing pyramids, or the Indians putting up teepees, architecture was a very important aspect of people's lives. Since the earliest of times, architecture has been used to design homes and shelters, as well as centers of gathering for the public.These structures were very well respected by society, and for many years were the only thing for the public to take pride in. Architecture proved to have a huge impact on the lives of people many years ago. But over the past century, the social significance of architects and architecture in our society has been going down. The importance of well designed, eye-pleasing buildings has begun to be overlooked. The hard work and dedication that many architects put in everyday is being ignored by today's society.But I believe that architecture strongly influences the choices that people make in their daily lives, helps aid the economy, and gives architects critical thinking skills that allow them to make decisions that could have a significant impact on society. The most straight forward way that architects affect today's society is that they design the structures that people use everyday for businesses, sports events, and homes. Architects make a community much more livable and attractive for those who view it.For an architect, it is vital to ensure and dignify the lives of those who live in it (Heyer). For this reason, communities will expand greatly do to the aesthetic quality of the buildings and homes. Along with the sense of visual appeal, another factor that comes into play are the mental aspects that many people subconsciously have while viewing a structure. Several people will make decisions not only off the look, but also the sense of security and safety that they feel about a certain structure.Local architect, Kelly McMurphy, said in a person al interview that â€Å"the aesthetic quality of the design comes second to the precautions that must be taken to ensure the safety of the people†. The mindset of the viewer can be strongly influenced by the architect, and will in turn encourage or discourage a person towards the piece of work. Another way that architecture has an impact of society is that it aids in boosting and supporting the economy. An architect must assume a vital role in protecting the economic state of a community, state, or country (Heyer). As businesses urchase buildings to further their market and families purchase homes to move into, money is shoved into the economy in large portions. With more and more people looking for venues to start or continue their industry, the need for architects rises to new heights. The economy is stimulated greatly by the investments of these structures, and it all begins with an architect designing the structure to be purchased. Architects can also have a significant r esponsibility in society by the decisions that they make and the role that they play in the community that may effect the public.The architecture programs and job fields often facilitate the development of critical thinking skills that can often be applied to solving problems and addressing situations beyond the realm of design (Jubany). The ablility to plan, order, and discipline is quite characteristic of modern architects (Heyer). Architects play a significant role in improving the well-being of the community by being involved in nonprofit organizations and raising critical awareness of social issues (Jubany).Because of this, architects can influence society in ways outside of the studio that do not require their professional skills, but rather their critical thinking and ability to process situations in an educated fashion. The last way that architecture displays an impact on society is the fact that it sheds a new light on the modern art. In a time where the arts are beginning to dwindle out, architecture helps portray the importance of having respect and knowledge of modern art. Along with the increase in the public respect of art comes the increase in respect of the arts by the government.In recent years, the government has begun to make nationwide cuts on art funding. Funding of art programs by local and national governments have been cut nearly in half over the last ten years (Heyer). The rise of respect and knowledge for art will help in encouraging the government to put more funding towards art and art related groups. Many may argue that an occupation in architecture is not as important to society as a teacher or a doctor because is does not have as direct of an impact.But when it is looked into deeper, the jobs of doctors and teachers are only possible because an architect provides them with a place to carry out their occupations. Improving education, treating the ill, and imprisoning the criminals would not be an option if it were not for the desi gning and planning of an architect. The importance of an architect in today's society is strongly overlooked by most people. Architects provide visual appeal to a community and give people a sense of protection and security.They are also capable of affecting society outside of the studio by providing educated decisions to the community. Without architects, many other businesses and occupations would struggle to expand, or not be possible at all. Works Cited Jubany, Helena L. â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Architects. † DesignIntelligence. Di. net, 9 June 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. . Heyer, Paul. Architects on Architecture; New Directions in America. New York: Walker, 1966. Print. McMurphy, Kelly. Personal interview. 22 Apr. 2012.