Maintaining an Individual’s Confidentiality and Disclosing Concerns Essay

Describe the potential tension between maintaining an individual’s confidentiality and disclosing concerns. Even though parents, children and practitioners have the right to confidentiality there are some occasions where maintaining confidentiality is not possible and must be broken. If there are concerns over a child’s wellbeing, this must be reported or if you are aware of a criminal offence, you are again obliged to report it to the correct authorities. If confidentiality is broken it must be done in the appropriate way and according to the policies of the setting. It can be a very difficult situation to be in, being made aware of abuse or risk to a child can make it difficult for the staff member, but by reporting any concerns in the correct manner you reduce to risk of further harm or danger to the child but also maintain as much dignity for the child and or family involved. Sometimes in the setting, situations arise where, for example, one child has hurt another and the other children may have seen the incident and made their parents aware and they may want information from you or other staff members; this is a difficult situation because you can’t help children discussing things but you need to remember that you still need to maintain confidentiality and not discuss the matter with anyone besides this child involved parent or carer. Another further area that may cause tension is social networks such as Facebook or Twitter, there are now many problems caused by social networking because information can be passed around extremely quickly and without proper control or authority. It is important that any staff members who use these sites do not use their sites to divulge information or responded to any comments made via these networking sites. If they see any problems they should report it to the settings manager so they can speak to the party or pe rsons involved to stop further problems arising.

Bullying in Schools Essay

Bullying is an ongoing problem for many schools and communities. This behavior consists of teasing, threats, and stalking. This behavior is unacceptable and can turn violent, and even worse, deadly. There are many influences in today’s world that promote this behavior such as music, video games, movies, parents and other peers. A bully is a person that’s show strong aggression either physically or verbally and thrives on gaining power over there victim. A bully has no respect for others and will resort to violence if needed. The environment where the child/ youth come from is just part of a factor that makes a bully. A parent and or other adult figure that lives in a hostile environment and displays negative actions or a bully themselves inspire and teach these children this is how to act. Another factor is when a child is being abused they take all their anger, hurt and aggression out on another because it gains them negative self-empowerment. Yet, another factor of bullying could be just an individual trying to fit in to the â€Å"in crowd â€Å"of their peers. Yet, peers fail to see their future will bring them to jail or prison. A victim is the individual who receive the attack. These attacks can be verbal, physical or psychological abuse. Most victims picked on are loner and appear to be very insecure. They tend to not talk back or take action being picked on. A bully finds his victim by either there appearance, shy types or being behind in their academics (low grade point average). Most victims want to gain approval and exception from others and normally make several attempts with the bully. There are several side effects from being bullied such as psychological issues, depression (feeling helpless – worthless), self- harm (cutting skin, hair loss), anxiety (stress), and worst case suicide. Bullying in schools is estimated 160,000 children and teenagers miss school every day out of fear of an attack or intimidation by another peer. Over two thirds of children and teenagers in our schools today have had some type of bullying and responded poorly to the situation. Researches show that bullying occurs more in boys than in girls when it comes to verbal threats. In the year of 1994-1999 there were 253 violent deaths in school, 51 casualties in multiple death events. Bullying is the main factor in school related deaths. (Hunter, 2012) Schools throughout the United States do respond to bullying with reactive meas ZERO tolerance† in place, they have also installed security cameras and have police on staff as well as monitoring hallways. As part of this policy students can be suspended and or expelled for carrying a gun or knife to school as well as bullying. On a recent pole I conducted many teachers and other school board members feel as though suspension and expulsion is an easy way for a child to escape out of education. Our community’s fails to see the school may be the only positive place the child may be able to come, throwing them out is not the answer. The school over the last five years has introduced new programs which also include and family counseling. Programs such as early intervention helps children build social skills and offers anger management. Training for teachers and all staff that are involved daily with the children need to be able to recognize and respond quickly and positively. Teacher need to be able to provide positive environment and stick to the rules of conduct and don’t let no slip up happen, pay attention. Parents need to provide a positive environment and monitor your children and who they associate with. Also look up lyrics to the songs your child hears or watch the movies they watch. If you the parent wither be the victims or bully feels like extra help is needed talk to the school psychologist or the child doctor. Talk to your child, ask how they feel and offer solutions that promote positive help. Some people feel that bullying is just something that happens during your younger days and the child will grow away from their actions. Let’s look here; school shooting is on a rise killing innocent children attempting to get back at their bullies. Suicide as young as third grade destroys homes, families and communities. Drug use is higher than ever and teenager everyday day die from over dosing. Unless society takes steps to fight this disease that peers face daily it will continue to destroys young innocent lives at a downward spiral.

Main Elements of Self Determination Theory Case Study

Main Elements of Self Determination Theory - Case Study Example This implies that SDT focuses on self-motivated and self-determined decisions. Since its inception in the 1970s, SDT has evolved to become a crucial element of social psychology based on empirical research. As mentioned, SDT is mainly anchored on intrinsic motivation. This refers to the need to partake in an activity due to the activity’s satisfactory value. Thus, this need is contrary to extrinsic motivation which refers to the engagement in a given activity in order to fulfill certain goals or obligations. Therefore, SDT can be said to be centered on the following crucial elements: Â  As mentioned, intrinsic motivation refers to the naturally occurring motivation in the event of engaging in certain occurrences (Deci and Ryan, 2005: 49). Therefore, this motivation is highly associated with social development. Cognitive evaluation is a necessary tool in the assessment of the degree of intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation may, thus, be cultivated through the employment of social context events such as rewarding systems. Therefore, intrinsic motivation must be backed by the necessary environment in order to result in the desired self-cultivated drive (Ryan and Deci, 2010: 68). Â  Contrary to intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation is based on external influence. However, external motivations may also be internalized through various processes, thus, contributing significantly to social development. Extrinsic motivation, thus, forms a crucial element of SDT. Extrinsically motivated behaviors may take various forms. However, their integration into an individual’s lives provides the required platform for self-motivation. Â  

Agriculture as the Greatest Water User Research Paper

Agriculture as the Greatest Water User - Research Paper Example The author brings up the issues concerning environment changes and protection of water resources. Water usage in terms of agriculture has increased twice in comparison to the population growth in the past century. It is apparent that water withdrawal is anticipated to rise and more land is being irrigated to feed the increasing population. Many countries are experiencing conflicts as increase of competition in the economic sectors for similar features one of them being limited supply of water. Water wars might well be the main source of conflict in the twenty-first century. Various developing countries and other parts of America, irrigation is used to flood the fields and run water between crops. Almost half of the water is lost through evaporation and seepage from irrigation canals, which brings water to the irrigated fields. Food and agriculture are considered the biggest water consumers, which require more than a hundred times of what people use for personal needs. The 70 % of the water taken from rivers as well as groundwater is all channelled to irrigation with 10% mainly used domestic applications and around 20% by industries. Water conservation remains the adequate solution in fighting water deficient in many countries. Others feel water conservation is a partial solution in that both the past and current conservation methods have reached their realistic limits. As the world population increases across there is a rising demand for safe and dependable water sources to fulfil the expanding population needs.

National Health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

National Health Care - Essay Example However it lags behind when it comes to the quality of the service it renders for the welfare of its citizens. In a report published by World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000. the United States was ranked 37th in the world in health care (Neergaard, 2000). This only shows that America's opulence and superpower status does not mean that it has the healthiest populace. How come that despite the huge budget of Americans, compared to the French and the Japanese, in health care they are still left behind in terms of medical care What are the yardsticks by which we measure the effectiveness of the health care system of a nation According to the same WHO report that mentioned the poor heath care performance of the United States, the criteria that wherein they base their criteria on the three primary goals that a superb health system should do. The first criteria is the status of health of the people, the second refers to the responsiveness of the health care system to the medical needs to the citizenry, and the last refers to the fairness in financing the costs that the public incurs. There are many different indicators that present the overall health status and well being of a country's population. Among the most important of them are infant mortality rates and "disability-adjusted life expectancy ('the number of healthy years that can be expected on average in a given population.'). In 1998, the infant mortality of the United States was 7.2 per 1000 live births. This figure makes US 26th among the industrialized nations. Though, in the same report, the US ranked first in its responsiveness to client/patient health expectations, it does not provide an accurate picture of the real events that take place in the US soil. Though it is true that US health care provides the best service, another unfortunate revelation is the unfortunate fact that US has the most expensive health care system in the world. In 1998, the US spent $4,178 per person on health, more than twice the amount of the median of developed and industrialized countries, which was pegged at $1,783 per person. On top of this is the unequal access of Americans to health care. Millions of Americans do not have insurance or have limited access to finance health care. The United States is one of the two industrialized countries (the other is South Africa) that do not provide health care for all its citizens (World Health Organization, as cited by The University of Maine, pp.2-5). This leaves millions of Americans incapable of enjoying the quality of medical care service that is touted as the best in the world. All the above data were published in a WHO report published in 2000. What is alarming is after seven years this issue has not been resolved. In 2005, more than 46 million US residents are still uninsured and desperately need adequate health care. By increasingly shifting health care costs to employees, employers pass their responsibility of providing health coverage to US workers, leaving them struggling to pay higher premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. Because of this, most of them opted to forgo health insurance, risking their lives to be subjected to health hazards without appropriate and timely financial relief (American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations). Another glaring issue that haunts US health care is the existence of corporate

How to implement a new strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How to implement a new strategy - Essay Example In order to prove their point in their article, the authors present the analysis of two different companies, DuPont Engineering Polymers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. These companies â€Å"used the tools of balanced scorecard strategy management to guide the decentralized units in their search for local gain even as they identified ways for them to contribute to corporate wide objectives† (Kaplan and Norton). Quite a few things need to be taken into consideration when a company picks a management system. The authors feel that developing a management system with a balanced scorecard framework is the best way to start with a successful system. Three things should be considered when doing this; the customer perspective, the financial perspective, and the learning and growth perspective. Prioritizing is also important. Several companies have successfully benefited from this approach by picking three to five strategic themes in order to prioritize the different enterprises of the company. Collecting these strategic themes and ideas can help to give the company focus on what it needs to both work on and focus on when developing its strategy. Some important themes can focus around customers; for example, the need to lower cost for customers, the need to attract other customers that may be beneficial to the business, and ways to make relationships with customers even more important by cross-sell ing or providing them with other services that they may need. Executive teams will need to identify strategic initiatives that support each theme and make sure that the resources, mainly the money and the manpower, are there to support each initiative. Scorecard based systems can be very effective for companies. They can help to measure performance and link together goals within the company. These themes help the corporation focus on its goals and priorities. In order to demonstrate this, the article moves into giving

Textual Evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Textual Evidence - Essay Example Ethnocentrism, also popularly referred to as the anthropological concept of cultural relativism does not imply that everything is equal, but is means that we must try to understand the behaviors of other people in the context of their culture before they are judged. Ethnocentrism is basically the belief that one thing which may be a nation, an ethnic group or culture as being superior compared to others. It is evident from the article that the mindset of Benjamin Franklin mirrors the ethnocentric attitude. The statement of Native Americans is purely ethnocentric on its own since Benjamin finds the Native Americans to be savages due to the fact that their manners differ significantly from those of the European race which Benjamin in his own words terms as â€Å"the perfection of civility† (1). The fact that it is general knowledge that manners are a cultural custom which has been found to differ from one group to another makes terming one’s way of doing things as the â⠂¬Å"perfection of civility† when compared to the custom of other cultures as being

Small Business Enterprise Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Small Business Enterprise - Case Study Example Good reputation and experience in the industry. Dues to already established positive reputation, further expansion of business involves less risks. Moreover, the managers have experience in the industry, while lack of experience is one of the top reasons of small business failure (Holmes, S. Haswell, S. 1989). High quality of products served. The major reason of coffee shop success is the high quality of food served that results in positive reputation and word of mouth spread of information about services and products offered. While, undoubtedly, there is a vast number of factors that have a positive influence on business functioning, the coffee shop has significant drawbacks that should be particularly considered when planning expansion. Poor marketing campaign. The business has to concentrate on development of the marketing mix alongside with research of the target audience needs. The issue is particularly relevant due to the fact that the target audience of the gift shop is mainly tourists; consequently, word of mouth recommendations are not sufficient enough. The variety of products offered at the gift shop should also be considered in relation to the target audience needs, perhaps, the products list offered should be expanded. Poor labor specialization. Bob and Jane are the only two employees of the business. While their day to day duties involve simple serving work, obviously, the personnel are too qualified for this type of work. By hiring helpers that would serve at the coffee and gift shop, the managers could devote more time to marketing and planning of their business, thus, the efficiency of the business would grow. This issue is particularly relevant when considering business expansion. In order to neutralize the negative effects of business weaknesses, the identified strengths should be matched against weaknesses and on the base of the received outcome further planning should be implemented (Bannock, G. 2005). The effect of poor marketing campaign can be neutralized by further development of positive reputation of the business in the industry alongside with conducting marketing research in access of funds available in terms of the geographic location of the business. Poor labor specialization can be matched against high quality of products served alongside with positive reputation of the business in the industry, since expansion of the business will most likely result in diminished contacts with clients (Bitner, L. Powell, J. 1987). Part II: Existing Business Improvement and Expansion Consequently, the business should concentrate on development of the marketing mix applicable in the present situation alongside with marketing planning and labor specialization that should be considered in terms of business expansion. While development of the marketing mix and marketing campaign as well as research of the present market should be outsourced to the third party, e. g. marketing agency, such issues as financial planning and staffing should be directly solved by the management. Marketing and promotion is crucial to any business. Development of

Explain how lean just-in-time has broader application to a range of Essay

Explain how lean just-in-time has broader application to a range of manufacturing and service operations - Essay Example In order to react quickly to the ever growing and changing customer demands, there is a need for efficient manufacturing system that are capable of expanding and re-configuring during their course of operation. It should also have the ability to accommodate new procedures in the assembly techniques in such a way that it does not make any investments for manufacturing obsolete products (Fliedner, 2011). The lean manufacturing concept is also applicable to the service operation. There have been huge changes in the service operation too from that of the past. The lean principle for the continuous improvement and respect for the employees are applied to every service. It includes the healthcare services, call centre services, higher education, public and professional services and also in the software development services. The Lean manufacturing approach in both the manufacturing and services operation highly depends on the workplace organization and the flexibility of the production syst em. Lean manufacturing can be defined as an outstanding initial point for the companies those who want to create a fresh and new look for their existing manufacturing system by introducing innovative methods of production. ... The environment is cautiously tuned in accordance with the demands of the manufacturers (McGiven, 2013). The manufacturing of the products are carried out once at a time, after getting confirmation from the customers and are not done in batches, which adds up to the stock of the companies if not sold. The main goal of the lean manufacturing is to produce what is needed and not more than that. As there is production of limited number of products, it is important to change the processes during the day. It is required so as to accommodate various parts of the products and employ maximum effort from the workers, proper utilisation of the equipments and the floor space so as to save the scarce resources (Wincel, 2004). The flexibility that is inbuilt in the manual assembly cells is preferable for the automated assemblies. Thus, there is a prerequisite for the utmost flexibility so as to create unique demands on lean work cells and also, for the mechanism that are used for making the lean work cells. However, it can be observed that the lean approach is not always a resolution for the manufacturing problems. It is realised that it offers unique flexibility to the solutions for the assembling of the complex products. The essay thus elaborates the principle and the techniques of the lean management along with examples (Toyota Production System). It also highlights the lean just-in-time practice that is exercised by the companies. The essay also highlights the assumption whether lean principles can be applied in the low volume high variety manufacturing. Lean Management Principles and Techniques (including Just-in-time) The lean concept originated from the Japanese manufacturing areas. Lean can be described as the group of tools

Urban poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Urban poverty - Essay Example A detailed explanation of the reasons which resulted in formation of several neighborhoods around several cities of Britain is given by them. They have also explained on how the neighborhoods gradually turned out to be poverty ridden areas in the period 1981 to 1998. Some of their proposed solutions are detailed below. (Power & Houghton 2007) Several projects and ‘pilot’ plans were proposed by the government for the renewal of neighborhood and with their success, it has propelled several local authorities of each city to follow the same procedure. Power and Houghton (2007) suggest that the local authorities need to solve the immediate short term problems first than look at the long term problems. This is because, nationwide projects, generally tend to neglect these smaller problems but according to author’s view, they usually pose big threats to life in cities. The other common problem that is being reported by the author is the local crime incidents that happen in the cities that affect the day to day life of the residents. Any city that is clean and that follows the rules will flourish. So, the authors are of the opinion that police personnel are to envisage every doubtful street that could casus crime incidents and ensure strict adherence to rules and regulations by the residents. On the other hand, the author also warns that enforcing of rules by any kind of office personnel is a tough job and even more tough to consistently apply it. But, if applied, it would help the poor and people with low wage incomes to sustain their living. An example of such action was done in the late 1990’s in the city of Manchester. Reports suggest that it helped the city to greatly pull most of its so called waste lands back to business boundaries. The author concludes the analysis with this example to show that neighborhood management helps people t o be safer and to improve their way of living. (Power & Houghton 2007) The picture presented by

Self Esteem Essay Example for Free

Self Esteem Essay The term self-esteem comes from a Greek word meaning reverence for self. The self part of self-esteem pertains to the values, beliefs and attitudes that we hold about ourselves. The esteem part of self-esteem describes the value and worth that one gives oneself. Simplistically self-esteem is the acceptance of ourselves for who and what we are at any given time in our lives. It is very important because it affects how you think, act and even how you relate to other people. It allows you to live life to your potential. There are two sides of self esteem; Low self esteem and high self esteem. What is low self esteem? Low self esteem means poor confidence and that also causes negative thoughts which mean that you are likely to give up easily rather than face challenges. In addition, it has a direct bearing on your happiness and wellbeing. Low self esteem comes from a poor self image. Yourself image is based on how you see yourself. Do you think you are a good, reliable, hardworking, honest or friendly person? Do you like what you see when you look in the mirror or do you believe others look better and dress better than you? Low self esteem feeds your negative thinking and causes you to believe the criticism others make of you. Do you take what others say and not speak up? This can cause you to lose confidence so it is vital to end negative thoughts if you want to build your self esteem. On the other hand, high self esteem is the opposite of low self esteem. If you have a high level of self esteem you will be confident, happy, highly motivated and have the right attitude to succeed. Therefore, when we are happy about ourselves, not caring about what people say about us, we live a happier life, a healthier one, a more successful one Best of all, we live in peak performance. Happier lifestyle comes from within, it enables happy and relaxed cells, and it controls stress. Happy cells lead to a prolonged life expectancy which means extended period to lead an even happier life! What a great attribute if you can only come to terms with who you are, regardless of whatever any person says about you. Remember life is too short to live by other people? s opinions and reflections. It is said that, â€Å"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. †

Ignition Timing Advance Of The Petrol Engine Engineering Essay

Ignition Timing Advance Of The Petrol Engine Engineering Essay Ignition Timing: as applied to the spark ignition engines (petrol engines) is a process of setting the time at which the spark plug should fire in the combustion chamber during the compression with respect to the piston position and the crankshaft angular velocity. The spark plug should fire before TDC and the flame should terminate after TDC. Setting the appropriate ignition timing is very crucial as it decides the time available for combustion of the air-fuel mixture. Hence, the ignition timing affects many variables including fuel economy and engine power output. Earlier engines that use mechanical spark distributors rely on the inertia of rotating weights and springs and manifold vacuum in order to set the ignition timing throughout the RPM range of the engine; whereas the latest engines consists of an ECU (engine control unit) which uses a computer to control the ignition timing throughout the engines RPM range. Factors influencing ignition timing: Type of ignition system used. Engine speed. Load of the engine: with more load (larger throttle opening) requiring less advance (as the mixture burns faster). Components used in the ignition system. Settings of the ignition system components. Temperature of the engine; lower temperature allows for more advance. The ignition timing to some extent also depends on the octane number of the fuel, and the air-fuel ratio as this determines the speed with which the fuel burns. Usually, any major engine changes or upgrades will require a change to the ignition timing settings of the engine. Timing Advance: refers to the number of degrees before top dead centre (bTDC) that the spark will ignite the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber during the compression stroke. In contrast to that, timing retard refers to the changing in ignition timing, so that the fuel ignition takes place later than the manufacturers specified time. As an example, if the set ignition time was 12Â ° bTDC, then when the fuel ignition starts later than 12Â ° bTDC, it is known as ignition retard; similarly when the air-fuel mixture is ignited at an angle greater than 12Â ° bTDC, it would be known as ignition advance. Timing advance is necessary because it takes time for the combustion of the air-fuel mixture to complete. Igniting the mixture before the piston ends its compression stroke would maximize the limit to which the mixture burns completely, and hence help to build up maximum pressure soon after the piston reaches the TDC. This would ensure maximum power output by maximizing the force with which the piston is pushed down, by maximizing the pressure as soon as the piston starts going down when the power stroke is initiated. Ideally, the mixture should be completely burnt by 20Â ° aTDC (after TDC). If the ignition occurs at a position that is too advanced relative to the piston position, the rapidly expanding air-fuel mixture can actually push against the piston still moving up, causing detonation and lost power; whereas if the ignition is too retarded relative to the piston position, the maximum cylinder pressure will occur after the piston has already travelled too far down the cylinder. This would result in lost power accompanied by high emissions and unburnt fuel. Why is Ignition timing advance required? The ignition timing needs to be increasingly advanced (relative to the TDC) as the engine speed increases, so that the air-fuel mixture has the correct amount of time to burn completely. As the engine speed increases, the time available to burn the mixture decreases while the burning itself proceeds at the same speed; this requires the burning to start earlier to complete in time. The correct timing advance for a given engine speed will allow for maximum cylinder pressure to be achieved at the correct crankshaft angular position. Combustion in SI Engines: The combustion process in SI engines consists of three major parts: Ignition and flame development, Flame propagation, and Flame termination. Consumption of the first 5-10% of the air-fuel mixture is generally considered as the flame development. During the flame development period, the spark plug fires and the combustion process starts, but very little pressure rise is observed (graph-1). Almost all the useful work is produced in an engine cycle during the flame propagation period of the combustion process. During this period 80-90% of the air-fuel mass is burnt; the cylinder pressure is greatly increased which provides the force to produce work in the expansion stroke. The final 5-10% of the air-fuel mass which burns is classified as flame termination. During this time, pressure drops and combustion is finally terminated. The combustion process ideally consists of an exothermic sub-sonic flame progression through a premixes almost homogenous air-fuel mixture. The spread of the flame front is greatly enhanced by the induced turbulence and swirl within the cylinder. Ignition and Flame Development: The process of combustion is initiated by an electric discharge across the electrodes of a spark plug anywhere between 10Â ° to 30Â ° bTDC, depending on the geometry of the combustion chamber. The high-temperature plasma discharge between the electrodes ignites the air-fuel mixture in the immediate vicinity, and the flame spreads outwards from here. Graph . The increase in pressure rise is very slow after ignition during the flame development period. This results in a slow pressure force increase on the piston and a smooth engine cycle. Maximum pressure occurs 5Â ° to 10Â ° aTDC. The combustion starts very slowly due to the high heat losses to the relatively cold spark plug and the gas mixture. The flame can generally be detected at about 6Â ° of crank rotation after the spark plug firing. The applied potential across the spark plug is usually 25,000-40,000 V. overall spark discharge lasts about 0.001 second with an average temperature of about 6000 K. The discharge of the spark plug delivers about 30 to 50 mJ of energy, most of which is lost by heat transfer. Ignition Systems: The few commonly used methods used to produce the high voltage potential, which is required to cause the electrical discharge across the spark plug electrodes, are: Battery-coil combination: Most automobiles use a 12-volt electrical system, including a 12-volt battery. This voltage is multiplied many times by the coil that supplies the very high potential delivered to the spark plug. Capacitor Discharge: Some systems use a capacitor to discharge across the spark plug electrodes at the proper time. Magneto system: Most small engines and some larger ones use a magneto driven off the engine crankshaft to generate the needed spark plug voltage. Some engines have a separate high-voltage generation system for each spark plug, while the others have a single system with a distributor that shifts from one cylinder to the next. The Spark Plug: The gap between the electrodes on a modern spark plug is about 0.7 to 1.7 mm. smaller gaps are acceptable if there is a rich air-fuel mixture or if the pressure is high (i.e. high inlet pressure by turbocharging or a high compression ratio). Normal temperature of spark plug electrodes between firings should be about 650Â ° to 700Â ° C. A temperature above 950Â °C risks the possibility of surface ignition, and a temperature below 350Â °C tends to promote surface fouling over extended time. For older engines with worn piston rings that burn an excess of oil, hotter plugs are recommended to avoid fouling. Hotter plugs have a greater heat conduction resistance than colder plugs. Modern spark plugs have a greater life span than the old ones. Some of the high quality spark plugs with platinum-tipped electrodes are made to last 160,000 km or more. Harley Davidson uses gold-tipped spark plugs. One reason this is desirable is the difficulty in replacing spark plugs in some modern engines due to the complexity and compactness of engine and increased amount of engine equipment. Figure . An NGK spark plug Spark plug firing: When a spark plug fires, the plasma discharge ignites the air-fuel mixture between and near the electrodes. This creates a spherical flame front that propagates outward into the combustion chamber. At first, the flame front moves very slowly because of its original size; it does not generate enough energy to quickly heat the surrounding gases and thus propagates very slowly. As a result of this, the cylinder pressure is not raised quickly and very little compression heating is experienced. Once the first 5-10% of the air-fuel mass is burnt, the flame velocity reaches higher values with corresponding rise in pressure, the flame propagation region. It is desirable to have a rich air-fuel mixture around the electrodes of the spark plug at ignition, as it ignited easily and more readily, has a faster flame speed and initiates the combustion process well. Spark plugs are generally located near the intake valves to assure a richer mixture, especially when starting a cold engine. Latest developments in spark plug/ignition system technology: The efforts to develop better ignition system continue. Spark plugs with several electrodes and two or more simultaneous sparks are now available. They give a more consistent ignition and quicker flame development. One of the modern systems still under development gives a continuing arc after the initial discharge; this additional spark will speed up combustion and give a more complete combustion as the air-fuel mixture swirls through the combustion chamber. Development work has been done to create a spark plug with variable electrode gap size. This would allow flexibility in ignition for different operating conditions. At least one automobile manufacturer is experimenting with engines that use a point on top of the piston as one of the spark electrodes. Using this system, spark ignition can be initiated across the gaps of 1.5 to 8 mm with a reported lowering of fuel consumption and emissions. Flame Propagation: Induced turbulence and swirl causes the flame propagation speed to increase by 10 times than if there were a laminar flame front moving through a stationary gas mixture. These motions also cause the flame front to expand spherically from the spark plug in stationary air and is greatly distorted and spread. As the gas mixture burns, the temperature and pressure rise to high values. Figure . A typical flame propagation pattern. The burnt gases behind the flame front are hotter than the unburnt gases before the flame front, with all the gases at about the same pressure. This decreases the density of the burnt gases and expands them to occupy a greater percentage of the total combustion chamber volume. Compression of the unburnt gases raises their temperature by compressive heating. In addition, radiation heating emitted from the flame reaction zone, which is at a temperature on the order of 3000 K, further heats the gases in the combustion chamber, unburnt and burnt, raising the pressure further. Heat transfer by conduction and convection are minor as compared to radiation, due to very short real time involved in each cycle. The environment inside the combustion chamber is such that the progressive increase in temperature and pressure in taking place, causing the reaction time to decrease and flame front speed to increase. The temperature of the burnt gases is not uniform. It is higher near the spark plug where the combustion had initiated. Ideally, the air-fuel mixture should be around two-thirds burnt at TDC and almost completely burnt at about 15Â ° aTDC. This causes the maximum pressure and temperature of the cycle to occur somewhere between 5Â ° and 10Â ° aTDC. A lesser pressure rise rate gives lower thermal efficiency and danger of knock. The combustion process is therefore a compromise between the highest thermal efficiency possible and a smooth engine cycle with some loss of efficiency. Burn angle, Ignition and Ignition advance: The typical burn angle, the angle through which the crankshaft turns during combustion, is about 25Â ° for most engines. If combustion is to be completed at 15Â ° aTDC then ignition should occur at about 20Â ° bTDC. If ignition is too early, the cylinder pressure will increase to undesirable levels before TDC, and useful work would be wasted in compression stroke. If ignition is late, peak pressure will not occur early enough, and work will be lost at the start of power stroke due to lower pressure. Graph . Average flame speed in the combustion chamber. Lean air-fuel mixtures have slower flame speeds, with maximum speed occurring when slightly rich mixture at an equivalence ratio near 1.2 Actual ignition timing is typically anywhere from 10Â ° to 30Â ° bTDC, depending on the fuel used, engine geometry, and engine speed. For any given engine, the combustion occurs faster at higher engine speed. Real time for combustion is therefore less, but real time for engine cycle is also less, and the burn angle is only slightly changed. This slight change is corrected by advancing the spark as the engine speed in increased. This initiates combustion slightly earlier in the cycle, peak temperature and pressure remaining at about 5Â ° to 10Â ° aTDC. At part throttle, ignition timing is advanced to compensate for the resulting slower flame speed. Graph . Burn angle as a function of engine speed. Timing adjustment in Modern engines: Modern engines automatically adjust ignition timing with electronic controls. These not only use engine speed to set the timing but also sense and make fine adjustment for knock and incorrect exhaust emissions. Earlier engines used a mechanical timing adjustment that consisted of a spring-loaded ignition distributor that changed with engine speed due to centrifugal forces. Ignition timing on many small engines is set at an average position with no adjustment possible. Graph . Average combustion chamber flame speed as a function of engine speed for a typical SI engine. Flame Termination: 90 95% of the air-fuel mass has been combusted by 15Â ° to 20Â ° aTDC and the flame front has reached the extreme corners of the combustion chamber. The last 5 10% of the mass has been compressed into a few percent of the combustion chamber volume by the expanding burning gases behind the flame front. Although at this point the piston has already moved away from TDC, the combustion chamber volume has only increased on the order of 10 20% from the very small clearance volume. This means that the last mass of air and fuel will react in a very small volume in the corner of the combustion chamber and along the chamber walls, at a reduced rate. Near the walls, turbulence and mass motion of the gas mixture have dampened out and there is a stagnant boundary layer. The large mass of metal cylinder walls also act as a heat sink and conduct away much of the energy being released in the reaction flame. Both these mechanisms reduce the rate of reaction and flame speed, and the flame is finally terminated as it slowly dies out. Although very little additional work is delivered by the piston during the flame termination, it still is a desirable occurrence. Because the rise in cylinder pressure tapers off slowly towards zero during this flame termination, the forces transmitted to the piston also taper off slowly resulting in smooth engine operation. Self Ignition: During the flame termination period, self-ignition will sometimes occur in the end gas and engine knock will occur. The temperature of the unburnt gases in front of the flame front continues to rise during the combustion process, reaching a maximum in the last end gas. The maximum temperature is often above self-ignition temperature. Because the flame front moves slowly at this time, the gases are often not consumed during ignition delay time, and self-ignition occurs. The resulting knock is usually not objectionable or even noticeable. This is because there is so little unburnt air-fuel left at this time that self-ignition can only cause very slight pressure pulses. Maximum power is obtained from an engine when it operates with very slight self-ignition and knock at the end of the combustion process. This occurs when maximum pressure and temperature exist in the combustion chamber and knock gives a small pressure boost at the end of combustion. Abnormal Combustion: Abnormal combustion is referred to a combustion process in which a flame front may be started by hot combustion chamber surfaces either prior to or after spark ignition, or a process in which some part or all of the charge may be consumed at extremely high rates. Figure . Phenomenon of abnormal combustion The two important abnormal combustion phenomena of major concern are: Knock, and Surface Ignition They are of major concern, because: When severe, they can cause major engine damage; and Even if not severe, they are regarded as an objectionable source of noise by the engine or vehicle operator. Knock: is the name given to the noise which is transmitted through the engine structure when essentially spontaneous ignition of a portion of the end gas. This is when the fuel, air, residual gas, mixture ahead of the propagating flame occurs. When this process takes place, there is an extremely rapid release of much of the chemical energy in the end gas, causing very high local pressures and the propagation of pressure waves of substantial amplitude across the combustion chamber. Surface Ignition: is ignition of the fuel-air mixture by a hot spot on the combustion chamber walls such as an overheated valve or spark plug, or glowing combustion chamber deposit: i.e. by any other means other than the normal spark discharge. It can occur before the occurrence of the spark (pre-ignition) or after (post-ignition). Following the surface ignition, a turbulent flame develops at each surface-ignition location and starts to propagate across the chamber in an analogous manner to what occurs with normal spark ignition. Types of Abnormal Combustion in SI Engines: Spark Knock: A knock which is recurrent and repeatable in terms of audibility. It is controllable by the spark advance; advancing the spark increases the knock intensity and retarding the spark reduces the intensity. Surface Ignition: hot spots combustion chamber deposits: Surface ignition is ignition of the fuel-air mixture charge by any hot surface other than the spark discharge prior to the arrival of the normal flame front. It may occur before the spark ignites the charge (pre-ignition) or after normal ignition (post-ignition). Surface ignition can be of two types: Knocking surface ignition: Knock which has been preceded by surface ignition. It is not controllable by spark advance. Non-Knocking surface ignition: Surface ignition which does not result in knock. Run-on: It is the continuation of engine firing after the electrical ignition is shut off. Runaway surface ignition: Surface ignition which occurs earlier and earlier in the cycle. It can lead to serious overheating and structural damage to the engine. Wild Ping: Knocking surface ignition characterized by one or more erratic sharp cracks. It is probably the result of early surface ignition from deposit particles. Rumble: A low-pitched thudding noise accompanied by engine roughness. It is probably caused by high rates of pressure rise associated with early ignition or multiple surface ignitions. Knock primarily occurs under wide-open-throttle operating condition. It is thus a direct constraint on engine performance. It also constraints engine efficiency, since by effectively limiting the temperature and pressure of the end-gas, it limits the engine compression ratio. The occurrence and severity of the knock depend on the knock resistance of the fuel and on the anti-knock characteristics of the engine. Measures to avoid knocking: The ability of the fuel to resist knock is measures by its octane number; higher octane numbers indicate greater resistance to knock. Gasoline octane ratings can be improved by refining processes, such as catalytic cracking and reforming, which convert low-octane hydrocarbons to high-octane hydrocarbons. Also, antiknock additives such as alcohols, lead alkyls, or an organomanganese compound can be used. The octane number requirement of an engine depends on how its design and conditions under which it is operated affect the temperature and pressure of the end-gas ahead of the flame and the time required to burn the cylinder charge. An engines tendency to knock, as defined by its octane number is increased by factors that produce higher temperatures and pressures or lengthen the burning time. Octane Requirement: can be defined as the octane rating of the fuel required to avoid knock. Thus knock is a constraint that depends on both the quality of the available fuels and on the ability of the engine designer to achieve the desired normal combustion behavior while holding the engines tendency to knock at a minimum. Some major steps: The use of a fuel with higher octane number. The addition of octane-increasing additives in the fuel Ignition Timing Retardation . Use of a spark plug of colder heat range, in cases, where the spark plug insulator has become a source of pre-ignition leading to knock. Reduction of charge temperature e.g. through fuel evaporation inside the cylinder (GDI) Anti knock combustion chamber design. Consequences of engine knock: The engine can be damaged by knock in different ways: -piston ring sticking breakage of the piston rings failure of the cylinder head gasket -cylinder head erosion piston crown and top erosion -piston melting and holing Examples of component damage due to pre ignition and knock are shown below: Stroboscope: A stroboscope in an instrument used to make cyclically moving object appear to be moving slow or stationary. The principle is used for the study of rotating, reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating objects. Machine parts and vibrating strings are common examples. In its simplest form, a rotating disc with evenly-spaced holes is placed in the line of sight between the observer and the moving object. The rotational speed of the disc is adjusted so that it becomes synchronised with the movement of the observed system, which seems to slow and stop. The illusion is caused by temporal aliasing, commonly known as the stroboscopic effect. In electronic versions, the perforated disc is replaced by a lamp capable of emitting brief and rapid flashes of light. The frequency of the flash is adjusted so that it is an equal to, or a unit fraction below or above the objects cyclic speed, at which point the object is seen to be either stationary or moving backward or forward, depending on the flash frequency. Observations: Engine Speed Throttle Position Degree Advance 475 5% 10Â ° 580 8% 17Â ° 657 22% 22Â °

A Financial Analysis Of 3m Finance Essay

A Financial Analysis Of 3m Finance Essay Currently, 3M operates in more than 65 countries. The company produces a large variety of products, such as: adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, dental products, electronic materials, electronic circuits and optical films. 3M started operating on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Two Harbors, Minnesota in 1902. Five businessmen (Henry S. Bryan, Hermon W. Cable, John Dwan, William A. McGonagle, Dr. J. Danley Budd) came together to mine a mineral deposit used for manufacturing grinding-wheels. As it turned out, the deposit didnt have much of a value, so they opted to concentrate on sandpaper products. In 1914, 3M launched its first exclusive product: Three-M-ite cloth. Few other innovative products followed: waterproof sandpaper, masking tape, and the very well known Scotch brand tape. In 1929, 3M decided to expand its business internationally and started operating in Europe. The same year, the companys stock was first traded over the counter. In 1946 the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MMM). The company is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and of the SP 500.  [1]   1.2 Company Profile 3M Company is an American transnational enterprise based in Maplewood, Minnesota, and represents one of the major players in the conglomerate industry. Below are presented some of the highlights that compose the companys profile: 3M Co.  [2]   3-M Center St Paul, MN  55144-1000 Index Membership: Dow Jones Composite Dow Industrials SP 100 SP 500 SP 1500 Super Comp Sector: Conglomerates Industry: Conglomerates Employees (last reported count): 74,835 1.2.1 Organizational Structure 3Ms general offices and research laboratories are located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Locally, 3M has nine sales offices and operates 74 manufacturing facilities. Outside the United State, 3M has 148 sales offices and 93 manufacturing .3M owns all of its physical properties.  [3]   Key Executive: Bellow, there are presented few of the key people that are currently running this enterprise: Mr. George W. Buckley, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Mr. Patrick D. Campbell, Chief Financial Officer and Senior VP Mr. Inge G. Thulin, Executive VP of International Operations Mr. Brad T. Sauer, Executive VP of Health Care Business Mr. Jean Lobey, Executive VP of Safety Security Protection Services Business.  [4]   2. Major lines of business  [5]   3M serves its customers through six business segments: 1. Consumer and Office (15% of total sales). 3M is providing its customers with a large variety of products such as house cleaning materials and office supplies. Some of the most popular ones are: Post-it ®, Scotch ®, Scotch-Brite ®, Filtreteà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, O-Cel-Oà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, Nexcareà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, and Commandà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ 2. Display and Graphics (13.5%). As a top technological innovator, 3M provides its customers with products such as: display enhancement films; reflective materials, graphics, and projection systems. 3. Electro and Communications (9.8%). Due to its continuous innovative efforts, 3M managed to provide solutions for customers in many fields: electrical, electronics and communications. They contribute to reliable sources of electrical power, high-performance electronic devices, and reliable, high speeds telecommunications network. 4. Health Care (18.6%). 3M is considered a global leader in medical and oral care products, drug delivery and health information systems, providing its customers with innovative and trustful products that help care professionals improve the quality of care services. 5. Industrial and Transportation (30.8%) The company supplies a large variety of innovative products such as tapes, abrasives, adhesives, specialty materials and filtration systems to different markets: from automotive to aerospace to renewable energy to electronics. 6. Safety, Security and Protection Services (13.8%). 3Mproducts-personal protective equipment, safety and security products, substantially contribute to the safety, security and productivity of people, facilities and systems around the world. 1.3 Operating Strategies 1.3.1 Mission Statements and Management Objectives: The main mission statement and management objectives, as presented in the companys annual report are: Demonstrate uncompromised honesty and integrity in all activities and relationships. Promote individual initiative , innovation and leadership, Establish and maintain a culture dominated by fairness and trust, where respect and responsibility, are valued and recognized. Create a safe workplace for 3M employees. Satisfy customers with high quality products and services. Provide investors with an attractive return. Respect the social and physical environment worldwide. 1.3.2 Business model and Strategies 3M business model is based on the ability to not only develop unique products, but also to manufacture them efficiently and consistently around the world (3M).   [6]   3M is a diversified technology enterprise with an international presence in different businesses, such as: industrial and transportation, healthcare, display and graphics, consumer and office, safety, security and protection services, and electro and communications. The industrial and transportation business includes products such as food and beverage, personal care, and automobiles. Industrial products include polyester, foil, and tape. Transportation sector provides the market with different types of insulation components and catalytic converters. The health care segment produces supplies and equipment for medical and dental use. The display and office business supplies stationary products, and home-improvement products. Besides the already mentioned business sections, 3M also manages a safety segment and an electro and communications segment. In order to remain a respected leader in its field, 3M employs a series of strategies. The company is continuously trying to increasing market share and the popularity of their brands. Also they make significant efforts to maintain existing customers and attract new ones. This is a very important issue considering the number of substitute products currently available on the market. Besides the already mentioned strategies that 3M employs in order to run a successful business, they also practice a very interesting hedging strategy .Instead of concentrating on a single industry, 3M operations are spread over a large variety of sectors. So, at any point in time, the effect of a slow growth sector is counteracted by the prosperity of another sector. Due to this hedging strategy, the company stock price manages to maintain relative stability.  [7]   Also, they continue to spend significant amount of funds on RD, which is critical for their image as a leading innovator, pay dividends, buy back stock and raise shareholders equity, the chief aim being the ability to offer a good return to all their investors. This is a solid company, with a very high degree of liquidity in an extremely good financial health. Another strategy that makes 3M well known is there acquisition strategies. On an average, the company performs ten to twenty acquisitions every year. This enables 3M to continuously grow, penetrate new markets and explore new technologies. Other strategies that 3M employs refer to continuous innovation, in order to introduce new products to various markets that company operate in, gaining market share in the existing markets and aiming to become more and more important to the end customers. 1.4 SWOT Analysis SWOT is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a business.  [8]   3M SWOT analysis:  [9]   Strengths: The company operates in a large variety of business sectors: industrial and transportation, healthcare, display and graphics, consumer and office, safety, security and protection service, electro and communication. Strong research and development capabilities. (According to 3M 2009 Annual Report, the company spent more than a billion dollars in RD). Multinational presence. The company operates more than 65 countries. Solid financial condition. (A complete Income Statement and Balance Sheet are presented in the annexes). Weaknesses: Low inventory turnover, which impacts inventories and margins. Some key segments are registering inferior performance. Strong and aggressive competitors. Opportunities: Acquisitions in key operating areas. 3M performs an average of 20 acquisitions every year. Continued global expansion. Healthcare spending levels in the US are increasing. Security concerns caused by a weak US economy, combined with some unfortunate events that are threatening the safety of American people, (9/11/2001, N1H1 virus infection) brings new opportunities for 3M security business. Threats: The fluctuation of commodity and energy prices (increasing).In order to mitigate this risk, the company is engaging in a multitude of forward physical contracts and price agreements. Exchange rates fluctuations. The company operates worldwide, so the exchange rates and any fluctuations of it may negatively impact the companys results. Environmental regulations. People are becoming more and more aware of the importance of respecting the environment. Any new rules and regulation may require additional funds to be invested in order to work green. 1.5 Core competencies A core competence represents the companys collective knowledge about how to coordinate diverse production skills and technologies (C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel).  [10]   3M runs an extremely diversified business, spread over numerous sectors: industrial, transportation, display and graphics, security etc. In order to manage and keep all this different types of businesses together, the company holds competencies in substrate, coating and adhesives. Besides possessing these competencies, the company also created a multitude of ways to share and apply them. The result of such combination of technology, skills and knowledge, allows 3M to participate on a multitude of businesses and markets. The literature points out that the core competencies of any company should benefit the end customer of the product and should be very difficult to copy by the competitors. 3M is aware that the stronger the customer perception in recognizing the superiority of their products, the less likely the threats of substitutes. The company makes continuous efforts to differentiate its products among the multitude of similarities offered by the competitors and their efforts are successful due to the fact that they are supplying high quality, innovative and reliable products at competitive prices. Moreover, it is a companys core competencies that keeps the businesses together. This aspect is crucial for 3M, as the company operates in multiple business sectors, worldwide. It seems that 3M fully understood this concept and its enormous advantages, because they are investing consistently in their core competencies and ability to innovate, the chief aim being to provide the market and the end customers with innovative products that really stand out. 2. Industry analysis 2.1 Industry Definition, Structure and Major Competitors. The Industrial Conglomerate industry consists of large organizations engaged in multiple business lines within the industrial sector, where at least two business lines comprise a substantial portion of the companys total operation (The New York Times, Oct 1, 2010).  [11]  The industrial conglomerate industry contains the following sectors: Basic Materials, Consumer Cyclical, Consumer Non-Cyclical Energy, Health care, Industrials and Transportation, Technology, Telecommunication, Utilities. Exhibit1. Direct Competitor Comparison  [12]   MMM AVY DD JNJ Industry Market Cap: 63.58B 4.02B 42.30B 174.16B 9.47B Employees: 74,835 31,300 58,000 115,500 28.26K Qtrly Rev Growth (yoy): 17.70% 15.40% 21.80% 0.60% 14.50% Revenue (ttm): 25.39B 6.31B 30.43B 62.59B 10.28B Gross Margin (ttm): 48.78% 28.26% 29.94% 69.98% 33.80% EBITDA (ttm): 7.03B 695.10M 5.42B 19.70B 1.63B Operating Margin (ttm): 23.18% 6.96% 13.08% 26.90% 12.29% Net Income (ttm): 3.94B 250.90M 3.13B 13.53B N/A EPS (ttm): 5.48 2.37 3.43 4.84 1.92 P/E (ttm): 16.28 16.04 13.60 13.06 19.15 PEG (5 yr expected): 1.28 1.44 1.61 2.09 1.28 P/S (ttm): 2.50 0.63 1.38 2.78 1.27 AVY = Avery Dennison Corporation produces pressure-sensitive materials, office products, tickets, tags, labels, and other converted products. DD = EI DuPont de Nemours Co. (DuPont) operates as a science and technology company worldwide. JNJ =Johnson Johnson engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices and Diagnostics. Industry = Conglomerates Exhibit2. Comparison between 3M, the Conglomerate Industry and the direct competitors, benchmarked against DOW and SP 500. Source: http://finance.yahoo.com 2.2 Industry profitability and growth. In order to get an idea about the main characteristics of the players in this industry, I have selected few key statistics. The financial indicators listed bellow shows the fact that this are large companies, highly leveraged (most of them), providing the investors with a small to average return. Market Capitalization: 366B Price / Earnings: 13.5 Price / Book: 4.1 Net Profit Margin: 7.5% Price to Free Cash Flow: 27.4 Return on Equity: 12.5% Total Debt / Equity: 242.3 Dividend Yield: 2.4% Exhibit 3. Comparison between the evolution of 3M common stock and the industry. Source: http://finance.yahoo.com 2.3 PEST Analysis of the External Factors affecting the Industry PEST analysis stands for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management.  [13]  Performing such an analysis and applying the findings will give any company a significant competitive advantage. The model identifies four factors that have a major impact on the companys macroeconomic environment:  [14]   Political Economical Social Technological Political Factors: Among the most significant political factors that can affect 3Ms business are: tax policies, employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions and tariffs, and political stability. 3M is making all the necessary investments in order to comply with these laws. In 2009, 3M spent around $15 million for projects regarding the protection of the environment. The mentioned funds have provided among other things, pollution control devices at all its properties. Economical Factors: economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates, inflation rate. Due to large geographical presence, and the fact that 63 percent of its revenue is generated from outside the United States, the companys results may be affected by exchange rates and their fluctuation. In order to mitigate this risk, the company engages in a multitude of forward contracts. Also, the Companys business may be negatively affected by other factors, both internal and external that are beyond its control, such as instability and downturns in financial markets or economies in some countries or regions, in which the Company operates. Social Factors: population growth rate, age distribution, health and safety awareness, career attitude. 3M, through its business policies is aiming to create a safe workplace, to encourage individual initiative and innovation in an atmosphere of flexibility, cooperation and trust, promoting a culture where promise keeping, fairness, respect and personal accountability are valued, encouraged and recognized.  [15]   Technological Factors: RD activities, automation, technology incentives, rate of technological change. Research and development activities constitute an important part of 3Ms business and have been a significant contributor to the companys sales growth. Research, development expenses accounted for $1.2 billion in 2009, $1.4 billion in 2008 and $1.3 billion in 2007.  [16]   2.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis of the Industry Competition Porters five forces is a framework for the industry analysis developed by Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979 .The model is based on the idea that competitive advantage came from the ability to earn a return on investment that was better than the average for the industry sector(Thurlby,1998). The model identifies five forces which would impact on an organizations behavior in a competitive market: The rivalry between existing sellers in the market. The threat of new entrants on the market. The threat of substitute products available in the market The bargaining power of the suppliers. The power of the customers in the market. Full comprehensions of each of these five forces and the impact they have on the companys business, provide organizations with the necessary information to enable them to choose the right operating strategy in order to be successful in their market.  [17]   2.4.1. The rivalry between existing sellers in the market The conglomerate industry, although very complex, extending over a multitude of business, seems to be dominated by few key players, and 3M Co is one of them. In order to gain competitive advantage, 3M is aiming to stay ahead of the trend by continuously providing the market with new products and technologies. Given its strong balance sheet, the company is able to react fast to any negative changes in the market (lower the price of its products), in order to maintain existing customers and attract new ones. Moreover, in facing competition the company is offering well differentiated products, well known and trustful brands, the chief aim being extra value added products and services for the end customers. 2.4.2. The Threat of new entrants The threat of new entrants is dictated by the market entry barriers. The entry barriers exist whenever it is difficult or not economically feasible for an outsider to replicate the incumbents position (Porter, 1980b; Sanderson, 1998). Such barriers refer to: Cost of entry: In order to enter this industry and compete against the existing firms, the cost of capital required would be extremely high. 3M is a well known company, with an aggressive mergers and acquisition strategy, holding an impressive market share. Distribution channels: 3M products are sold through numerous distribution channels, including wholesalers, retailers, and dealers in many countries around the world. The company has established a large and very well defined distribution network, developed through long association with skilled marketing and sales representatives. Cost advantages not related to the size of the company, like contacts and expertise play a major role in the companys performance. Government legislations: for example, introduction of new laws might weaken companys competitive position; 3M had to improve their environmental performance via new environmental, health and safety policies in order to comply with new government standard and regulations. Many times this requires additional funds, changes into production processes, products, and that some firms may find it difficult to do so without increasing the prices of their products and services. Differentiation: 3M is a well known brand that already gained customer respect and loyalty and the products that represent this company have a high ratio of value to price. 2.4. 3. The Threat of Substitutes Products available on the market Although the threat of substitutes in this sector is high, due to the fact that there is a large number of a substitute product available in the market, 3M products differentiate themselves through superior quality and innovativeness. The firm invests strongly in RD, in order to insure that they deliver extra -added value products, and the existing customers will not be tempted to choose from the many available substitutes. Other aspects that should be considered when trying to mitigate the risk of losing customers to substitute products refer to: relative price performance of substitute, buyer switching costs, ease of substitution, substandard product, and quality depreciation. 2.4.4. The bargaining power of suppliers In the conglomerate industry, the power of supplier is relatively modest, due to the fact that the companies in this industry are very large corporations. This companies act on an international scale, having access to an increase number of suppliers and the buying is done in bulk, immense quantities. There is still some risk regarding the price fluctuation of commodities, like oil, oil derivatives, energy, due to possible shortage. 3M is trying to mitigate this risk engaging in prices agreements and forward physical contracts. 2.4.5. The bargaining power of buyers. When trying to assess the power of buyers, two aspects need to be considered: size and concentration of the customers correlated with the concentration of the competitors. In the conglomerate industry, the bargaining power of the buyers is relatively high due to the fact that all the players in the market are targeting the same customers via similar products. Also, the end customers are more and more informed, and their expectations are continuously growing. Another aspect that should be considered in this case is that the cost of switching between suppliers is relatively low. A buyer has many options; therefore 3M makes a continuous effort to insure that their products are permanently aligned with customer preferences and needs. 2.5 Summary The nature of competition in an industry is strongly affected by the above mentioned forces. As a rule we can state that, whenever buyers and suppliers have high degrees of power, the result translates into a high competitive industry. The industry of conglomerate is moderate to high competitiveness, due to the fact that new entries are difficult (high capital requirements), but this effect is counteracted by the fact that the players in this sector are extremely large and diversified corporations, with solid resources and very aggressive financial strategies. 3. Economic Outlook 3.1 Global Outlook There is no doubt that we are on the path of economical recovery, but the speed of things moving in the right direction is slow, considering the severity of the financial crisis. In advanced economies, such as U.S., small improvements in labor markets, housing markets, and corporate bonds market generated some positive developments in the overall economy. In the emerging and developing economies, (such as China, India, and Brazil) the recovery process seems to be much faster. Even among the advanced economies, the recovery process happens at different speeds, depending of the way that the local government has chosen to deal with the crisis. If we compare The United States with Europe or Japan, we see that the American economy is doing much better than the other two. This phenomenon may have something to do with some of the following: fiscal stimulus was larger in US, the nonfinancial corporate sector is less reliant on bank credit, bond markets have improved which stimulated investments, and many financial and nonfinancial organizations went radical restructuration and improved productivity. In Japan, due to the appreciation of the yen, the countrys exports f eel dramatically, which ultimately impacts the recovery process. Similar situation can be observed in Europe. Some of the economies of this region suffered a major contraction, not only because of the financial crisis, but the real estate too. Overall the economical and financial conditions present themselves as fragile and difficult. There are some signs of recovery, especially in the emerging economies, and is expected that this will help along the recovery process of the advanced economies.  [18]   3.2 Regional outlook Asia is leading the global recovery and the regions contribution to global growth will continue to exceed that of other regions in the next two years, (Source: The International Monetary Fund). China registered 8.4 percent growth last year, and the projections for the next year are similar (9%growth in GDP for 2010). In the region, the GDP has increased 6.8 percent in 2009. The recovery process has been driven by exports combined with low internal demand and ultimately low household consumption. The inflow of capital in the region has increased, stimulating investments and speeding up the recovery process. According to IMF, for the next period of time, Asias main policy challenge will remain to achieve a rebalancing of growth from external to domestic sources. On global level, there is a political and economical issue regarding the Chinese government decision not to appreciate their local currency, and the way this decision is affecting the world trade. Europe, especially the emerging nations, was strongly hit by the financial crisis. In this region the GDP decreased by approximately 4.6 percent in 2009. The projections for 2010 GDP show an increase of 2.3 and 2.2 percent in 2011. The growth rates in most economies in the region will remain slow, due to major contraction in exports and weak capital inflow. Besides the already mentioned factors, other variables such as : high unemployment, real estate crisis, bank restructuring operations, tight credit policies, and high interest rates will also restrain the recovery process. Other regions, such as Latin America and the Caribbean seem to be dealing with the crisis a little bit better than other countries .The last year GDP registered a 2.6 percent drop, and the prognosis for 2010 and 2011 are quite optimistic showing a growth of 3.1 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively. The recovery process is still relatively slow, due to weaker investment and not enough tourism, both important sources of external finances. The lack of tourism may be explained by high unemployment in United States and other high-income countries. The Middle East and North Africa region experienced, an overall GDP growth slowing to 2.9 percent in 2009. The forecasts for 2010 show an increase in GDP of 3.7 percent in 2010 and 4.4 percent by 2011. These projections regarding the recovery process are based on few assumptions such as: the global demand for oil will increase, and oil prices will stabilize. The financial and economical crisis and their effects were not felt as deep in the region of South Asia. In this area, the GDP registered 5.7 percent growth in 2009. This represented a slowing of growth comparing to the boom period, mainly due to a significant decrease in investments, correlated with low domestic demand. The projections for 2010 and 2011 look optimistic: 6.9 and 7.4 percent respectively. 3.4 Local outlook According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the US economy is still growing, but at a slower pace than the first quarter of 2010(2.4% versus 3.7% in the first quarter of 2010). Some of the reasons that will restrain the recovery process are the following: The financial institution will need to recover from losses due to loan defaults. In order to boost the recovery process, the government offered numerous stimulus packages. The housing market registered slight improvements, but failed to meet the expectation. The main disruption in the housing sector was caused by a dramatic drop in house prices, and hou

Causes and Effects of the French Revolution :: European Europe History

Causes and Effects of the French Revolution Revolution? The major cause of the French Revolution was the disputes between the different types of social classes in French society. The French Revolution of 1789-1799 was one of the most important events in the history of the world. The Revolution led to many changes in France, which at the time of the Revolution, was the most powerful state in Europe. The Revolution led to the development of new political forces such as democracy and nationalism. It questioned the authority of kings, priests, and nobles. The Revolution also gave new meanings and new ideas to the political ideas of the people. The French Revolution was spread over the ten year period between 1789 and 1799. The primary cause of the revolution was the disputes over the peoples' differing ideas of reform. Before the beginning of the Revolution, only moderate reforms were wanted by the people. An example of why they wanted this was because of king Louis XIV's actions. At the end of the seventeenth century, King Louis XIV's wars began decreasing the royal finances dramatically. This worsened during the eighteenth century. The use of the money by Louis XIV angered the people and they wanted a new system of government. The writings of the philosophes such as Voltaire and Diderot, were critical of the government. They said that not one official in power was corrupt, but that the whole system of government needed some change. Eventually, when the royal finances were expended in the 1780's, there began a time of greater criticism. This sparked the peasants notion of wanting change. Under the Old Regime in France, the king was the absolute monarch. Louis XIV had centralized power in the royal bureaucracy, the government departments which administered his policies. Together, Louis XIV and the bureaucracy worked to preserve royal authority and to maintain the social structure of the Old Regime. At this time in French history, the social classes played an important role in the lives of the people. The social structure of France was divided among three groups: the First Estate, the Second Estate, and the Third Estate. Each social group had a varied type of people within their structure, which presented the different views of the people. The First Estate was the Church. During the ancien regime, the church was equal in terms of its social, economic, and spiritual power. The First Estate owned nearly 10 per cent of all land in France.

Describe The Elements Of Death :: essays research papers

Describe the elements of war and death in Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage. This book is divided into two parts. In the first part the main characters, Henry Flemings. illusions disappear when confronted by the reality of battle(WAH 642). During the first battle he sees vague figures before him, but they are driven away. In the next battle he is so frightened that he runs away becoming one of the first heroes in literature to actually desert his fellow soldiers in the field. While Henry is separated from his fellow soldiers, he wanders through the forest. There he experiences the kind of illusions that predominate in all of the writings of Crane (WAH 642). First he tells himself that nature does not blame him for running. Next he finds himself in a part of the woods that he believes is religious. The insects are praying and the forest takes the appearance of a chapel. Henry is comfortable with this until he finds a dead soldier in the heart of the â€Å"chapel†. Henry sees an ant carrying a bundle across the face of the dead soldier. That view is beautiful in the sense of conveying great emotion through minute detail(WAH 643). As he moves back henry sees a line of injured soldiers including his friend Jim Conklin,who is badly wounded and another friend called â€Å"the tattered man†. Trying to make up for deserting his friends, Henry tries to help Jim Conklin who is dying.After Conklin dies, the tattered man probes deeply into Henry’s conscience by repeatedly asking â€Å"where ya hit†(Bowers 132). Henry deserts the tattered man. When Henry stops another soldier he asks him the novels most important question which is â€Å"why† The soldier hits henry on the head for starting trouble. Ironically this wound becomes Henry’s â€Å"Red Badge of Courage†. Henry is then lead back to his regiment by a â€Å"cheery soldier† who helps wandering soldiers. This leads Henry into the second half of the book. Henry’s wanderings are over. Not until the end of the book does he ask questions. Most of the repudiations are complete: heroes do not always act like heroes; no one understands the purpose of life or death; nature may be malevolent, probably no different, but is certainly not the benevolent pantheist realm of the transcentalists, and God, is simply nowhere to be found(Weatherford 32). In the second part of the novel Henry beco0mes a â€Å"war devil†, the hero that he wanted to be originally when another battle is over, all Henry has accomplished is negated. Many critics found the last chapter confused and muttled, Henry’s feelings range from remorse to the â€Å"sin† which is not responsible

Technology and Education Essay -- Teaching Education Essays

Technology and Education The use of technology in schools has a great effect on not only students, but teachers as well. Today, we mostly think of technology as computers, but it is much more than that. In fact, one of the first technologies used in the classroom was the chalkboard. Most students today use technology throughout their school day. Uses for technology can be found for every subject matter a student has. Some of the most widely used tools are found in the English and Language Arts classes. Writing on word processors allows students to cut-and-paste, save their work, and use spell checkers and thesauruses. With technology students are also given advantages in learning how to read. Reading programs use drill-and-practice techniques to help with reinforcing young students’ reading skills. Technology is also used in science education. Scientific hardware such as handheld computers, thermometers, and sensors allow for out of class experimentation. Students are now able to telecollaborate with other students, and scientists, from places all around the world. This communication with others allows for the understanding of experiments. Social studies education also includes the use of technology. Databases are used to organize information, which if done by hand could take hours longer to accomplish. Online archives and simulations [1] are also used. One of my favorite technologies used in the social studies field is the ability for students to go on virtual fieldtrips. According to Ryan and Cooper (2004), these â€Å"provide a wealth of opportunities to extend learning† (p. 192). Mathematics education also uses technology to aid students. Tutorial software can provide instruction to stude... ...in the classroom. (p. 1) This five-phase study [2] concluded with the results supporting Grimes’ and Smith’s (2004) â€Å"supposition that dollars spent on technology professional development increased a teacher’s integration of technology into the classroom† (p. 5). There are so many aspects of technology that positively affect students, teachers, and the educational system. I can’t imagine my life without my own personal uses of technology. I check my email regularly, use my graphing calculator in math class, search the World Wide Web for information, and I’m using a word processor right now. I am going to school to become an elementary school teacher and I am excited to be able to use these sources of technology to help teach my students. I’m sure by the time that I am a teacher, my students will be teaching me a thing or two about computers and technology. Technology and Education Essay -- Teaching Education Essays Technology and Education The use of technology in schools has a great effect on not only students, but teachers as well. Today, we mostly think of technology as computers, but it is much more than that. In fact, one of the first technologies used in the classroom was the chalkboard. Most students today use technology throughout their school day. Uses for technology can be found for every subject matter a student has. Some of the most widely used tools are found in the English and Language Arts classes. Writing on word processors allows students to cut-and-paste, save their work, and use spell checkers and thesauruses. With technology students are also given advantages in learning how to read. Reading programs use drill-and-practice techniques to help with reinforcing young students’ reading skills. Technology is also used in science education. Scientific hardware such as handheld computers, thermometers, and sensors allow for out of class experimentation. Students are now able to telecollaborate with other students, and scientists, from places all around the world. This communication with others allows for the understanding of experiments. Social studies education also includes the use of technology. Databases are used to organize information, which if done by hand could take hours longer to accomplish. Online archives and simulations [1] are also used. One of my favorite technologies used in the social studies field is the ability for students to go on virtual fieldtrips. According to Ryan and Cooper (2004), these â€Å"provide a wealth of opportunities to extend learning† (p. 192). Mathematics education also uses technology to aid students. Tutorial software can provide instruction to stude... ...in the classroom. (p. 1) This five-phase study [2] concluded with the results supporting Grimes’ and Smith’s (2004) â€Å"supposition that dollars spent on technology professional development increased a teacher’s integration of technology into the classroom† (p. 5). There are so many aspects of technology that positively affect students, teachers, and the educational system. I can’t imagine my life without my own personal uses of technology. I check my email regularly, use my graphing calculator in math class, search the World Wide Web for information, and I’m using a word processor right now. I am going to school to become an elementary school teacher and I am excited to be able to use these sources of technology to help teach my students. I’m sure by the time that I am a teacher, my students will be teaching me a thing or two about computers and technology.

Eco 372 Week 2 Individual Paper

Week 2 Fundamental Macroeconomics October 22, 2012 ECO/372 There are several factors that affect our economy, gross domestic product (GDP), real GDP, nominal GDP, unemployment rate, inflation rate, and interest rates. All of these factors have influences over how we purchase groceries, weather there will be massive layoffs of employees, and decrease in taxes. Gross domestic product is the market value of final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. Which this is commonly considered an indicator of the standard of living within a country.Real GDP on the other hand is measure of the value of economic output that adjust for price changes. Nominal GDP is a gross domestic product figure that has not been adjusted for inflation. Unemployment rate is the measure of the prevalence of unemployment and is calculated as a percentage by dividing the number of unemployed people by the individuals that are currently in the labor force. Inflation rate is the percentage rate of change in price levels over time, usually one year. An interest rate is the rate which interest is paid by a borrower for the use of money that they borrow from a lender.All of these factors are related to our everyday lives and how we manager our money, what we spend our money on, and when we spend our money. Buying groceries sounds like a simple task but when you are on a budget it can be pretty stressful. The cost of groceries affects the government because this is a good that is produced and sold within our country; which affects GDP, real GDP, and nominal GDP. This is directly related to consumer spending and in times of a recession consumers pull back on their spending and go into savings mode.When consumers go into savings mode this affect every type of business because production is down and this could cause layoffs. Buying groceries affects households because thousands of people struggle everyday to provide for their families and when the cost of goods constantly goes u p but wages don't this makes it really difficult to live. Massive layoffs affect people's standard of living and that is what the GDP is centered around; as it measures the standard of living in that country.Massive layoffs will definitely affect the unemployment rate and a higher unemployment affects the economy because this means more people are on unemployment so there salaries are down so what they are spending is down. Massive layoffs has a vicious cycle and globally in 2012, 200 million people are without employment and this shows the slowdown in employment growth, which means companies aren't hiring and people aren't spending like the where. Massive layoffs affect the economy dramatically because it has a huge impact on consumer spending which in my opinion makes the world go around.If no one is buying then production is down and that's how layoffs happen, and this affects households, businesses, and the government. Tax decreases can stimulate economic growth because if peopl e are paying less in taxes, they have more money to spend. It has been proven over the years that tax decreases generate economic growth and federal revenue will always rise. From a personal standpoint I always spend more during tax season because I usually get a good return; since I am a single parent and full-time student, therefore, I qualify for various tax breaks.These obviously affect my household because I am more disposable income. Tax decreases can help a business if their taxes are decreased the organization will payout less and have more income. As we compare GDP, nominal GDP, real GDP, unemployment rates, inflation, and interest rates, it is obvious that all of these factors affect us everyday. They show how we spend our money and these factors give indications of recession. Buying groceries, layoffs, and tax decreases are all a reflection of these factors.Daily acts, such as, buying groceries has huge impact on our economy because it is directly related to consumer spen ding, which is a driving force. Massive layoffs affect our households, business, and government because this causes consumer spending to go down. Tax decreases on the other hand has a positive influence on all six factors. Plus it will benefit your household, business, and the government. References Colander, D. C. (2010). Macroeconomics (8th ed. ). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin http://www. forbes. com

Brains vs Beauty

In the Tales from the Thousand and One Nights the wo custody ar equal as fraudulent, cunning geniuss using their conjure activity to their benefit. Some of these wo manpower argon portrayed as deceitful harlots, while others h geniusstly c altogether their sly wits and beauty to their purposefulness to obtain what they proneness. In the time of the Tales, pistillate sexuality was prevalent, so its non absurd to read ab surface on on the whole the infidelity and sexuality in these stories unless it is interesting to see how separately female character uses that to her benefit.Some women figure to be aversion minded while others hold back non bad(predicate) intentions. Throughout the Tales from the Thousand and One Nights, thither are divergent stories that Shahrazad tells, depicting the women in different manners. Some women were represented as deceitful whores, much(prenominal) as the wives of the exp cardinalnts in the Prologue of the Tales, others used th eir wit and knowledge to form their desire, for example, Shahrazad, the story teller of the book. Shahrazad uses these women as examples to show tycoon Shahriyar and his brother, Shahzaman that non all women are untrustworthy.They just know how to use what they run by means of sexually and intellectually to gain control condition of a situation. By sexually, I take for grantedt mean throwing themselves at different men men are feeble and leave easily fall for anything a char says if he thinks he leave behind benefit from it. In The Tale of female monarch Shahriyar and his Brother Shahzaman the two kings find out that their wives were frolicking about having affairs with different men. This is in the Prologue of the Tales, the two kings went on an expedition and ran into a cleaning woman, who handed to be the wife of a Jinnee, she be the brothers to please her or she shall wake the Jinnee.Once the wench woman was d matchless using the kings for her plea positive(pred icate), she proceeded to puff of air out a st battalion with ninety-eight rings on it. Each ring represented a man she had slept with. The kings were astonied but at the same time relieved, If such a thing could happen to a efficacyy Jinnee, then our tough luck is light indeed(19). In the descent stories, women look like they are the villains in the book, because they portray themselves to be indecent harlots. The kings at this point come to the conclusion that all women are they same, so they devise a jut out to be with a consummate(a) every night and kill her the abutting morning.The brothers get out never feel the irritation of a broken heart again. inner fidelity has always been the core mixer concern. Some of these tales prove that to be true. The kings disown to let that happen to them again, so they come up with this plan. So as one substructure see, the women so far in the Tales hold a bad reputation, until top executive Shahriyar met the Viziers daughter, Sh ahrazad. Shahrazad, is to a fault the storyteller of the Tales she begs her commence to let her marry the king despite the fact that he wishes to kill her in the morning. She was very confident that she could sway the kings decision of her dooming remnant.She devised a plan with her sister in high hopes that it will save her career. Shahrazad was going to ask for her sister, Dunyazad to ring her a farewell, and she was to ask Shahrazad to tell a tale of marvel, so that the night may pass pleasantly(23). The king agree. In this story Shahrazad proves to use her wit to her utility, although she knows that her death is possibly near she shows strength and confidence. She knows that if she can pull this off, not only will she save her own life and the life of any other of the kings victims, but also she will be made the wife of the king.She cunningly uses her knowledge to prolong her death. Shahrazad presents a number of representations of women throughout the stories in the Tale s and does not rely on the stereotype presented at the beginning of the book when all women are perceived as harlots. In the story, The charr and Her Five Lovers a foursome-year-old woman falls in love with young man who gets into a brawl and is imprisoned. The woman is distraught and thinks of a plan to still her lover. She goes to basketball team men to help her arrive at her goal. She goes to the Governor, the Vizier, the Cadi, and the King asking them to sign a petition to free her lover.Instead of telling them that he is her husband, she tells them that he is her brother and her sole support. The four men are so at awe with her beauty and sexual style that they agree, but only if they can have her for one night. She convinces these men to meet her at her house, it is more fitting that I should grasp for you at my house, were there are uncomplete slaves nor maidservants to intrude upon our privacy(107). She then goes to a carpenter and asks him to build a loo of four l arge compartments, he verbalise hed do it with esteem and free of charge if she would give him one night to himself.The sly woman agreed and in the midst of leaving told the carpenter she forgot she needed five cupboards, not four. The carpenter did as she ordered. One by one the men started to show at her house, she greeted each man kissing the ground in front him and saying slick remarks such as, outgrowth take of your clothes and your turban. You will be much more comfortable in this light robe and bonnet(109). non soon after thered be a knock at the door, the woman would tell the men to chop-chop jump into the cupboard because that was her husband at the door.They all ended up in the cupboard, but the woman made sure to have all petitions signed so that her husband could be freed. Once the men were locked up, she rescued her lover. In this specific story, Shahrazad showed the King that not all women are unfaithful. She did use her sexuality to her benefit to connive these men into her last goal, to free her lover. She used her wit just as Shahrazad had. This particular character in the book goes against the perception in the beginning of the Tales that all women are unfaithful.She might have been wrong per se because she deceived the five men, but she did it for her lover, which in turn, makes her a heroine in her lovers eyes. The idiocy of the men to fall for her seductive demeanor leads them to an unpleasurable breathe locked in a cupboard. In the time the Tales were told in, it was the norm for woman to be seductive, women knew that they had an advantage because men are weak when it comes to the desire of a beautiful lady. So in these tales, it is not unusual to read stories of such perversity.Some of the women used their sexuality as a tool for their own pleasure, while others well-thought-of their lover and bodies and used their brains to obtain their ultimate goal. These were the wise women of the stories. Most of the other women who were ca ught being unfaithful were killed, which again was routine penalisation for their deceit. The women who used their brains over their bodies were rewarded with respect and love. Ultimately, Shahrazad, through her lessons in the form of stories, she depicts women as not simply whores and tricksters, but as receptive of wit, intelligence, and much more beyond sex and infidelity.