What Is The Value Of Keeping An Accurate Inventory

Inventory keeping plays an important role in the supply chain of many companies and organizations. Efficient inventory control and management to a large extent depends on the way and manner inventory records are kept. Good record keeping makes it easier for inventory to be kept properly, whereas bad or inaccurate record keeping unduly stalls movement of raw materials and finished goods in the supply chain. In this paper, an attempt shall be made to highlight the value of keeping one’s inventory accurate. Helps in achieving Operational excellence The value of keeping one’s inventory records accurate has been emphasized by several research workers (Kok and Shang, 2006; Smaros, Lehtonen, Appelgyist and Holmstrom, 2003; Cachon and Fisher, 2000). Commenting on this subject, Kok and Shang (2006) for example, pointed out that inventory record inaccuracy is a major obstacle to achieving operational excellence. To these authors, for one to achieve operational excellence, every effort should be made to keep one’s inventory records consistently accurate. Helps in lowering total distribution costs According to the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) (1994), total distribution cost is the summation of the costs incurred in transporting, warehousing, order processing and documentation, inventory, packaging, lost sales for failing to meet set standards of goods. The relationship between these variables and distribution can be expressed mathematically as: D= T + W + O + I + P + S where: D is total distribution cost T is transportation cost W is warehousing cost O is order processing and documentation cost I is inventory cost P is packaging cost. S is lost sales as a result of failing to meet required standards From this formula, any undertaking which lowers the cost of these variables in the supply chain would also contribute in making the total distribution cost lower and therefore more cost-effective. Keeping a company’s inventory accurate therefore helps in this direction. The reverse is what takes place when inaccurate inventory is kept. Distribution is component of the classical marketing model known as the 4Ps. Distribution can therefore be a good source of competitive advantage at the marketplace. Companies that make their distribution network more cost-effective can have a huge advantage over their competitors. Helps in building trust in the supply chain In today’s business world, it is not uncommon to find companies share their inventory records with partners, some of which could even be competitors. Some of these information exchanges take place in real time and also defies geographical boundaries. Many of these relationships and arrangements are founded on trust. As such, the value of keeping accurate record cannot be over-emphasized. This is because inaccurate presentations do not only undermine the work of the company in question but also all the significant others which used that piece of information to plan and manage their work. Helps in demand estimation For existing companies, past inventory records greatly assist in estimating future Demand for goods and services at the beginning of the financial year. From such information, the quantity of goods that should be manufactured at any given time can be estimated accurately. Helps in sourcing and procurement for cheaper raw materials. Accurate inventory records also help in sourcing for and procurement of cheaper raw materials for the company. The cost savings from such undertakings can then be passed on to the final customer in cheaper prices. On the other hand, inaccurate records hinder procurement departments in establishing present stock levels and the replenishments that must be procured. Helps in the arrangement of logistics Similarly, inventory records assist the distribution outfit of the company to arrange for transportation and other logistics to convey the manufactured goods to the final customers in the value-chain. In situations therefore, where the inventory information provided to the aforementioned departments are inaccurate, it can seriously hamper their work which can be lead to severe losses to the company. Let us consider a scenario where the company’s stocks are full at the storage depots but her significant partners are informed that stock levels are at 50 percent. A raw material supplier to this company would make arrangements for materials to be sent to this company, only to be told that the company does not need these materials until the present stocks have been cleared. Equally, the company’s outsourced logistics partner would restrict herself to transporting goods equivalent to half the capacity of the company’s warehouse to the retailing units. The transporters get to the warehouse to find that they are not adequately resourced to carry out the logistical task ahead. If they are not fortunate to find that all the available transports have been booked, clearing the warehouse of existing stocks would be a Herculean task, if not impossible to the outsourcee company. Helps in Business planning and coordination. Apart from helping to estimate demand accurately, keeping accurate inventory records also help in business planning and coordination itself. With accurate inventory records, it is easier for a company to plan its way forward. For example, if it is learnt from past inventory records that the company obtained its highest sales in the first quarter of the year and not the last quarter, it can plan to augment its sales personnel during this period. By employing several part-time and temporal workers, it can comfortably fulfill customer demands at such peak periods. Similarly, it can use the low- through periods to train its staff or allow them to take their vacations. Wilson (1995) has pointed out that susceptibility of materials planning systems to record errors reduce their effectiveness. Thus, in situations where remedial steps such as cycle counting programmes are not implemented to correct deficiencies, the performance of the company can seriously deteriorate. Helps in production scheduling The importance of keeping accurate inventory records to the producer in sourcing for raw materials has already been stressed. Another value such an undertaking brings to the producer or manufacturer is in the area of scheduling the production itself. Mass customization of goods has become the order of day in many market sectors and industries. Whereas this system de-emphasizes storage of goods, in some instances it depends on inventory records to determine whether a specific request should be manufactured or one is ready available to be sent to the customer. In that respect, accurate inventory records contribute greatly in scheduling production of goods cost-effectively. Helps in Inventory control. Accurate records help in controlling inventory itself. According to Lamb, Hair and McDaniel (2000) an inventory control system develops and maintains an adequate assortment of materials and products to meet the demands of manufacturers and the final consumer. If the input furnished the inventory is inaccurate, that deficiency can seriously affect the manufacturer and the customer alike. A typical example of this distortion is when too many goods are kept in the inventory. This development leads to increases in storage cost and in some cases losses attributable to theft and spoilage. In the same vein, when goods are under stocked, it can lead to severe shortages and also angry and unfulfilled customers. A reflection of Managerial capabilities The way and manner inventory records are kept in a company is also a reflection on inventory managerial capabilities of the management team of the company or the logistics and distribution department. If available records are full of errors and inconsistencies, it simply tells any cursory reviewer that sufficient supervisory oversight is not being administered. On the other hand, an accurately kept inventory records is indicative that the managerial staff are up to the task. Helps in warehouse management Warehouse management plays a vital role in the supply chain of some companies. They serve as an effective link between manufacturers and market intermediaries such as wholesales, middlemen, retailers, etc. Accurate keeping of inventory records constitutes an integral part of warehouse management. It is difficult to manage warehouses properly if records of inventory are not properly kept. If that occurs the warehouses could be receiving newer stock when in fact they should be rejecting on the basis of present stock levels. In like manner they could be rejecting stocks when they should be accepting them. Any of these scenarios place additional costs to the warehouse manager. In the same vein, it also makes the handling of materials difficult. Helps in the identification, sorting and labeling of goods Accurate inventory records helps in identifying, sorting and labeling goods (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2000) either for storage or to the distribution and manufacturing centers. Goods that are properly identified sorted out and labeled are easier to handle than those which are not. They also save material handlers or workers valuable time and thereby increase their productivity. Helps in securing financial assistance As with every segment of a business entity, good record keeping, including that of inventory, helps greatly in securing financial assistance. For existing companies, the financing institution may review existing records to gain insight into how the company has been managed. If inventory records have been badly kept, it indirectly tells how the company has been managed. Furthermore, if management of inventory were one the criteria being used to decide whether financial assistance should be extended to the company or not, it is obvious that the company with an accurately kept inventory shall receive the assistance whereas those with improperly kept data refused the needed financial help. Inventory records themselves are also useful in the preparation of business proposals and plans for financial assistance. Helps in order processing Keeping accurate inventory records also helps in processing received orders correctly. If an order is received and the information is relayed to the manufacturing centre, whether that order gets fulfilled immediately depends on whether accurate inventory records have been kept. If the inventory records are inaccurate, the customer may be sold a good that does not match his requirements or the fulfillment of that order may be unduly delayed. Helps in Replenishment of stocks Accurate inventory makes replenishment of goods either at the warehouse or in store shelves easier to suppliers, be they manufacturers, wholesalers or retailers. Whereas, if doubts are expressed about inventory records, they make replenishment extremely difficult. The difficulty stems from the fact one is not entirely sure about the quantity of goods that should be supplied at any given period. Consequently, over- and under-replenishment becomes common. This development has cost implication to the supplier. For example, if goods are sent to their desired destination and it is found that there is no space to accommodate them because stock levels were understated, those goods would have to be transported back to the supplier. On the other hand, if inventory records were accurate, the goods supplied would be delivered with no extra cost to the supplier. Helps in lowering supply chain costs Generally, it has been established that accurate inventory records reduces order processing and supply chain costs (Cachon and Fisher, 2000). For example, if the time taken to identify inaccurate inventory records and have them rectified is 20 percent of the total time spent at customer-seller interface by the customer, that figure represents the extent of convenience and also loss of man-hours experienced by the customer and sales personnel, respectively. Helps in providing excellent customer service Accurate inventory records also help in providing excellent services to customers. It makes it easier for goods actually needed by customers to be known and supplied with. Furthermore, it enables the needs of customers to be identified and promptly catered for. It also prevents wastage of store shelves by filling them up with goods that are in great demand by customers. Conclusion From the foregoing account, it has been clearly shown that keeping a company’s inventory accurate is a valuable undertaking. Companies with inventory that adhere to set inventory practices reap several benefits, whereas those which do not incur losses. In an era where inventory building is being de-emphasized, the need for companies to keep their inventory records accurate has become even more paramount.

No Life Without Education Essay

â€Å"Born in San Francisco in 1876 Jack London grew up in a world witnessing the settlement of the last frontier. It was a world in transition. The memory of Jack London’s early life was etched and scarred by the bitterness of poverty. His family was continually on the move to find subsistence. At the age of ten the boy was on the street selling newspapers to supplement the family’s meager income. For fourteen years thereafter — until his first writing success at twenty-four. He became a â€Å"work beast† laboring in a cannery, a jute mill, a laundry, and shoveling coal in a power station. He worked for ten cents an hour, thirteen to fourteen hours a day, six and seven days a week. Is it any wonder that he saw life in terms of man’s unending struggle against a ruthless nature? Is it any wonder that he saw in socialism a chance for the salvation of others as lost as he had once been? Is it any wonder that he hungered for knowledge and success that would lift him above the degrading plain of poverty? Look, then, to the formative years for a clue to the life and works of Jack London. There you will see the birth of that indomitable spirit which could eventually lead him only to a philosophy of individualism. In his heart and sympathies Jack London was a socialist; he could not forget the sufferings of his past. But in his mind and actions he struggled — he was an individualist — he could not forget his achievements. Throughout his life he struggled valiantly to reconcile these conflicting philosophies. While he did not live long enough to begin the autobiography his notes indicate he planned to write, we are fortunate that so much of his writing is autobiographical in nature. Oyster pirate, deep-sea sailor, hobo, Alaskan prospector, all these incidents in his life make fascinating reading. But most important of all Jack London’s adventures was his struggle to become a writer. Without guidance, writing under almost impossible circumstances, for the most part educating himself, and faced with continual economic hardship, he stumbled and groped for three long years in the literary wilderness. In the beginning the rejection slips followed one another with monotonous regularity. Had he been a weaker man he might have succumbed. Certainly the odds were against him. But at the end of his three-year travail success was his. He had conquered his Everest; the world was at his feet! † He became the highest paid, most popular novelist and short story writer of his day. He wrote passionately and prolifically about the great questions of life and death, the struggle to survive with dignity and integrity, and he wove these elemental ideas into stories of high adventure based on his own first hand experiences at sea, or in Alaska, or in the fields and factories of California. As a result, his writing appealed not to the few, but to millions of people all around the world. Along with his books and stories, however, London was widely known for his personal exploits. He was a celebrity, a colorful and controversial personality who was often in the news. Generally fun-loving and playful, he could also be combative, and was quick to side with the underdog against injustice or oppression of any kind. He was a fiery and eloquent public speaker, and much sought after as a lecturer on socialism and other economic and political topics. Despite his avowed socialism, most people considered him a living symbol of rugged individualism, a man whose fabulous success was due not to special favor of any kind, but to a combination of unusual mental ability and immense vitality. Strikingly handsome, full of laughter, restless and courageous to a fault, always eager for adventure on land or sea, he was one of the most attractive and romantic figures of his time. He described his literary success largely to hard work – to â€Å"dig,† as he put it. He tried never to miss his early morning 1,000-word writing stint, and between 1900 and 1916 he completed over fifty books, including both fiction and non-fiction, hundreds of short stories, and numerous articles on a wide range of topics. Several of the books and many of the short stories are classics of their kind, well thought of in critical terms and still popular around the world. Today, almost countless editions of his writings are available and some of them have been translated into as many as seventy different languages. Somehow, he managed to do all these things and still find time to go swimming, horseback riding, or sailing on San Francisco Bay. He also spent 27 months cruising the South Pacific in the Snark, put in two tours of duty as an overseas war correspondent, traveled widely for pleasure, entertained a continual stream of guests whenever he was at home in Glen Ellen, and did his fair share of barroom socializing and debating. In order to fit all this living into the narrow confines of one lifetime, he often tried to make do with no more than four or five hours of sleep at night. By the age of 29 he was already internationally famous for The Call of the Wild (1903), The Sea-Wolf (1904), and other literary and journalistic accomplishments. He was divorced from Bessie, his first wife and the mother of his two daughters, Joan and Little Bess, and he had married Charmian (Kittredge). Summary Buck, a physically impressive dog, is living the good life in California when he gets stolen and put into dog slavery. For him, this means pulling a ridiculously heavy sled through miles and miles of frozen ice with little or nothing to eat and frequent beatings. As the definition of a domestic dog, Buck is out of his element until he begins to adapt to his surroundings, and learn from the other dogs. Buck also starts having strange dreams about the primitive days of dogs and men, before the advent of cities or houses or culture. There are no rules or morality here (interesting, since Buck’s first owner was a judge), save for what is called â€Å"the law of club and fang,† a kill-or-be-killed, ruthless way of thinking. Buck becomes involved in a struggle for power with another dog, Spitz. They end up fighting and Buck wins, taking over as leader of the sled dog team. The team changes human management (new drivers) and the new people don’t seem to be very competent. They’re bad drivers and end up killing everyone, including themselves. Fortunately, Buck is saved by a kind man named John Thornton, moments before the group death in an icy river. Buck becomes attached to Thornton and even saves his life several times. Buck sets off on a journey with his new master and several other men, loving his new life, except for the need to run off and kill things in the woods every once in a while. Buck fights with temptation: stay with Thornton, or kill things? Be civilized, or be wild? And naturally there are several missed phone calls from The Wild and a lot of angry messages (â€Å"Where are you already?†). At the end of Call of the Wild, Thornton is killed by the Yeehat tribe, on which Buck later extracts vengeance. Buck is then free to run with the wild dog packs, but only on the condition that he is leader. Character sketch Thornton Character Analysis Thornton is one of the main human characters in the book. He is important in the life of Buck, but we don’t know much about him. In one sense, Thornton’s role in the story is to help us learn more about Buck – Thornton’s there so we can understand this mysterious call of the wild and why Buck feels torn about whether to stay with humans or go into the wild. Thornton is both the greatest thing that’s ever happened to Buck and the one thing holding back from his true destiny as a wild dog pack leader. One the one hand, Buck is devoted to Thornton in a way that he is not devoted to anyone or anything else – recall how Buck was willing to jump off a cliff for Thornton. On the other hand, Thornton’s presence is preventing Buck from going off into the wild and answering â€Å"the call† that he hears so often. How do you view Thornton’s role in The Call of the Wild? Does he bring out the best in Buck, or does he prevent Buck from realizing his dream? Or is it both? Francois Character Analysis OK, if you’re having a hard time keeping Francois and Perrault straight, Francois is the Robin character in this Batman and Robin-like team. He doesn’t have Perrault’s brains, and defers to his buddy’s decisions. But Francois is a nice guy, as we see when he uses his own shoes to make moccasins for Buck. In short, we’re partial to the guy, and we feel sorry when Buck parts ways with the two men. Buck’s commentary on how the people in his life are always transient becomes all the more sad for us, because we’ve already gotten to like Francois and Perrault.

Business System Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business System Technology - Essay Example These three operations can be accessed from the top level menu shown in the screenshot below. The first option allows the user to enter the details of a rental by selecting the appropriate rental type, the place of issuing the rental, the date and duration of the rental period as also the name of the customer. With this, the details can be registered in the system. Also, the users can get an estimate on the sales achieved by each rental outlets for the preceding 7 days on a segment as well as on an overall basis by selecting the appropriate outlet from the drop down list. The application can further be enhanced by developing it across several perspectives. Firstly, several aspects of the operations of the company can be included into the system as separate modules. For instance, the cost of operation, maintenance of cars, the inventory, spare parts used, the wages paid out to workers in the company etc. can be managed by the system. as the capabilities of the system grow, it is advisable to transfer the database from an Access application to a highly capable SQL Server or any other database server as this allows for more features apart from improving the overall performance and quality of the system. the application can be migrated to the web, so as to allow customer to be able to log in and make online bookings. Such a feature will eliminate the need to maintain several offices and further relieve from the need to enter every sale made as the system could then be configured to handle sale and purchase features automatically. As such, these are some of the areas where the application can be enhanced further. Visual Studio is one of the most magnificent applications ever to have been used by software developers. Unlike competitors such as Eclipse or Borland, Visual Studio, a product from Microsoft has succeeded in capturing a major chunk of the market. Three major

Scenario Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scenario Analysis - Research Paper Example Owing to their reduced vision and hearing troubles, most aged students should be seated in the front rows and youngsters should be made to sit in the rear of the class. Sociological models explain the process of development in adults from a social and cultural perspective. People’s tendency to learn is influenced by their cultural traits and social interactions. Some people are inspired by their ideals. In an attempt to follow them, they tend to seek education. Sociological models cover such factors as class, gender, race, and sexual interests of the adults and study their impact on their development tendency (Imel, 2001). Psychological theoretical model explains the sequence of development and the effect of life experiences and phases on an individual’s tendency to learn. Generally, young people are much more enthusiastic about learning and developing their career as compared to old people. They have a whole life in front of them and they are keen to learn as much as t hey can in order to do their best in their professions. On the other hand, old people tend to be more selective in their learning areas. A vast majority of old people would rather choose to learn about religion than economics. One’s choice and preferences alter with age and they have a direct impact on one’s tendency to learn.

Lebanon's Confessional System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lebanon's Confessional System - Essay Example To bring together Lebanon's diverse religious and political groups into an organized political system that could equally distribute power as well as harmonize with the system of the neighboring Arab countries is definitely a pain. The forces pulling Lebanon apart seemed to be stronger than those of holding it together. Initially, the objective of the French commander, General Henri Gouraud in proclaiming the creation of Greater Lebanon is to safeguard the Maronite community. These are Christians that has the largest religious community in the state. The self-proclaimed protector of the Christian communities in Lebanon wanted to make sure these Maronites won't be absorbed into a Syrian Muslim state. And to ensure they will be dependent of France, several predominantly Muslim areas were added to this new state. Hence, the Maronites do not compose the majority of the population. Political power was based on sectarian affiliations. The Maronites, dependent on French backing to keep their political dominance, assumed political and economic supremacy in their homeland and accepted the Franco-Mediterranean cultural orientation in consequence turned their back to the Arab world. On the contrary, the Sunni Muslims wanted unity with Syria and looked upon the Arabs for their source of cultural identity. The conflict appeared to be endless. Lebanon, dependent of France, does not have good relationship with the Arabs.

Human Resource Management and Development Case Study

Human Resource Management and Development - Case Study Example Currently, siemens has a staff of more than 400,000 employees. (Siemens Worldwide, n.d) Siemens recognizes that its employees are the key to its success. It thus concentrates on knowledge and learning. "Our corporate culture is defined by diversity, by open dialogue and mutual respect, and by clear goals and decisive leadership." The research on Siemens was done via an interview with the HRM manager of the Riyadh Office of Siemens, Saudi Arabia. He gave informative insight various aspects of HRM including recruitment, training and development, promotions, and salaries and benefits. According to the HRM manager interviewed, Siemens looks for employees who are innovative, and have the capability to come up with new and creative ideas and solutions. Innovation is the key to survival for a company such as this, as it faces fierce competition by numerous firms, e.g. ABB Ltd, General Electric Co., and Schneider Electric SA. (YAHOO Finance, 2008) Siemens carries out workforce planning which is similar to that of National Grid, as outlined in the Case "Developing skills in a large organization through training and development". ... Confidence; to put forward unconventional ideas and have the ability to argue in their favor. Ability to work effectively in a team; the candidate must be an active and productive team player. This can be gauged from past proffesional or academic experience. Leadership qualities Reaction to crisis situations; how will the candidate respond to an unexpected crisis, how fast will he/she take to bounce back, and will he/she be able to effectively lead others through trying times Technical skills; the candidates must be proficient in working with required Information Technology. All these qualities are important as they are believed to contribute to a competive advantage to the firm. Workforce Planning Siemens carries out workforce planning which is similar to that of National Grid, as outlined in the Case "Developing skills in a large organization through training and development". Siemens evaluates its workforce, and on the basis of that evaluation determines whether or not it has the required technical man power to achieve its objectives for a given period of time. If it does not, it either plans out a training program for its existing employees, or recruits new ones. Training Training for new recruits falls into two categories: 1. Fresh graduates with no professiona work experience udergo a training programme with lasts 12 months. 2. New recruits who hace had prior work experience in other organizations for a period of more than a year undergo traning for a period of 6 months. This training method is somewhat similar to the one carried out by Marks and Spencer's, as outlined in the Case "The role of training and development in career progression", in that they, too, have a specific training period

Outline the key factors influencing viability of desirable development Essay

Outline the key factors influencing viability of desirable development in Croydon, and discuss how they might be effectively mediated by the local planning authority - Essay Example Lastly, are my recommendations of policies to the council and justify them. Urban planning is best defined as a form of state intervention in a development process dominated by the private sector (David, P.2). As David stated, any form of planning including bargaining, negotiation, controlling is in the purpose of producing a better urban environment for people living in the area. It is a means to achieve sustainable development including the use of scarce resources, better social inclusion, long-term economic growth, which ensures better lives for ourselves and a better environment for future generations (NPPF, 2012). Solving the existing physical and social issues by making relevant policies, planning authorities are participating into the market in the role of moderately improving the situation towards a more acceptable position. Croydon Unitary Development Plan was the development plan for the borough until the LDF comes into force in 2012. Croydon, as the largest London borough, has the highest population among all London boroughs. It has a wide variety of residential areas. The residential neighborhoods comprise distinct communities that focus on established centers. Croydon has a significant commercial city center, which is built in the purpose of regional, as well as national importance in the Vision 2020 for Croydon Metropolitan Center. It has a fully developed infrastructure including convenient traffic linking to London and efficient public transportation. UDP (2006) indicates, the development strategy takes the Croydons location, role in the economic activity, and present situation into account. The city needs to grow positively by providing a certain amount of housing to meet the market demand, a series of jobs to meet employment needs, and the implementation of the Vision 2020 for Croydon Metropolitan Centre. Meanwhile, the plan also looks for opportunities for fully development

Potential for market manipulation in commodities futures markets, the Essay

Potential for market manipulation in commodities futures markets, the implications of such activities and the ability of regulators to combat this behaviour - Essay Example He exclaimed that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) should be more active and empowered for adapting affirmative regulations apart from doing their predefined activities. The regulations will maintain an orderly and fair market. Thus, the CFTC will be requiring more resources than before. Markham has argued that these will reduce market manipulation and the additional cost will have limited effect on the total manipulation. The paper elaborates the effects of manipulation on commodity futures markets and also lays emphasis on its potential to cope up with the manipulation level. The paper also highlights on the trading behaviour of the major participants of the market like the customers and dealers. The elaboration of the topic is based on the futures trades that are reported to the governmental regulators by the various dealers and exchanges. The response of the prices is selective to the trading actions of the group which is selected as the market participants which a re relevant at the time (Attari, Antonio and Martin, 2005). The growth of the future market in the past thirty years has been explosive. The volume of future trading was about 3.9 million in 1960. The volume of contracts increased with the time which was due to the modifications and changes in the monetary policy. Inflation during 1960 and 1970s had also created dramatic impact on the commodity prices and thus there is huge development in the financial future contracts. The trading in the futures market has outstripped the trading in agricultural commodity future market (Pirrong, 2010). Along with the increasing trading volume in commodity future market, many issues were raised against the trading system. The commodity futures market in United States have developed to a great extent in the past but at the end of the Civil War the contracts for the delivery of grains were switched into convertible contracts that were often used for offsetting each other. Thus, the speculators

Oil and Business Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Oil and Business - Term Paper Example International trade slowed, but still rose because of emerging economies, particularly China and India. However, trade has been affected by the recent hike in oil prices. Furthermore, the publication states that fuel products (oil) saw a relatively lower growth than in previous years, which was due to the high prices of oil in the world market. However, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has increased oil demand growth for 2010 (Brock). Oil is a major commodity in international trade and is one of the most influential commodity to impact business, trade and hence, economies. Today, we will analyze the economics of oil, which would include a detailed analysis into oil prices, and its effects on business and international trade. In the international market, price for every good is determined by market forces. The capitalistic system gives freedom to the market forces, and prices are determined by demand and supply. Demand is the willingness of the consumer to buy at a particular price, whereas supply is the willingness of the producer to produce at a given price. For instance, an increase in demand for oil would increase prices, and an increase in supply of oil would contain or reduce prices. Significant growth in countries like China and Brazil has increased recovery prospects, and hence increased demand. Thus, oil prices have been rising. Oil prices have declined since July of 2008 because of a slump in demand due to a severe global recession. This was also one of the reasons why developed economies consumed less fuel than usual. b) Relationship between Oil and the U.S. Dollar Although the price of oil in the international market is determined by market forces, it is also affected by the U.S. dollar. Oil and the greenback share a negative relationship. Traditionally, an increase in dollar value causes a decrease in crude price, and vice versa. People might wonder as to why oil affects the dollar and the other way round, but how come other currencies and oil price are not related. Commodities such as Oil and Gold are traded in the international market in U.S. dollars, and this has been agreed upon by the Organization of Oil-Exporting Countries (OPEC). Before 1971, the U.S. dollar was backed by gold, and changes in price of oil didn't have an effect on producer profits, as gold had intrinsic value. The U.S. Dollar could be liquidated into gold almost immediately. However, after 1971, dollar was made a fiat currency, and was printed without gold backing. This made it easy for the American government to print money, and hence increase supply. In the last 35-40 years, dollar value has declined significantly amid ever-increasing money supply in the U.S. economy. Therefore, when dollar falls (real value decreases), producers ask for more money to compensate the loss in their real value assets, which are based on U.S. dollars. Thus, a decrease in the dollar has pushed oil prices up in the past decade or so. c) The role of the OPEC Besides these factors, the OPEC, which holds two-thirds of the world's fuel reserves, plays a vital role. Refining is done on a large scale in these countries, and they contribute a lot to the world's oil

Physical Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Physical Science - Essay Example Notably, the conclusion of scientific trails usually emphasizes on a given number of trials so that the findings of the investigation are valid, accurate, and applicable to the natural world (Gauch 58). The fundamental scientific method elements include objective, consistent, observable, pertinent, parsimonious, falsifiable, and reproducibility. Falsifiable – this is concerned with the fact that the hypothesis should sometimes be proven incorrect using observable data set within the experiment; otherwise, the experiment is never pegged on the research hypothesis fully. Consistent – this element requires the use of law of reasoning in formulating the hypotheses and the same should be made consistent with broader and currently understood scientific laws (Murty 43). It is worth noting that it is only in rare cases that the hypothesis within a broader usually turns to be incomplete or incorrect. It is worth noting that effective application of the scientific method elements is significant in eliminating biases, unnecessary complications, and inconsistencies thereby helping in creating an accurate theoretical framework and structure that describe the natural world (Gauch 78). In essence, the scientific method elements usually help in regulating research work and exemplifying the scientific method

Theories of Ageing Essay Example for Free

Theories of Ageing Essay Major theories of ageing in relation to the development of an individual As an individual grows older they get more withdrawn from the rest of society. The society actually rejects older people from a lot of activities. It is part of growing older and it is a way of distancing yourself from people before you die. Therefore the two major theories examine what causes an individual to distance themselves from this the rest of the people. The social disengagement theory basically examines the development of an individual and how it influences their development as they grow older. The activity theory of ageing examines how an individual continues to be attached to their normal routine of life. The two theories suggest two different things which two different individuals might have an impact on. The social disengagement theory would affect the personality of an individual because they are disengaging from the rest of the society and they become lonelier. Loneliness would impact in their lives because they have no one that pays interest to what they want and what makes them happy. Once the individual isolates themselves from the rest of the society, everybody who was close distances themselves. The social disengagement theory suggests that it is normal for older people to withdraw from the society and it becomes part of their life. This would not be very accurate because it causes the individual to be more stressed. They would be more stressed because they are disengaging from the society and they are getting hold of the fact that they might be dying and nobody cares about their existence anymore. This would be depressing to the individual and it would be more appropriate that they be active as the time to live would be less and it would be healthier not to be stressed and depressed from being lonely and disengaging from the society. The suggestion of the disengagement theory does not help the individual to feel good about them but it makes them feel that they are being isolated and they are getting hold of the fact of death. The activity theory suggests that an individual continues to feel great about their attitude towards their life. This helps the individual to feel the need to be positive about their life. The activity theory suggests that an individual’s self-esteem is not affected by ageing as long as activities e. g. work are replaced with new activities. The more the individual socialises the more they have an active life and they are happier in their in old age. This does not make the individual feel that they are being left out because they are personally involved in the activities that make them feel happier in their lives. The activity theory has an impact in the development of an individual because the more they are happy at their old age; the more they get the opportunity to spend as much time with close relatives and friends. This is helps majorly in the development because the individual can see that people are there for them and it becomes easier for the individual to come to terms easily to that they might die. The acceptance of their death makes the individual be happier and they want to live their life to the fullest. The theory assumes a positive relationship between activity and life satisfaction. Activity theory reflects the functionalist view that the balance that an individual develops in middle age should be maintained in later years. The theory predicts that older adults that face role loss will substitute former roles with other alternatives. This would help them to continue their daily lives as normal. This would be a huge advantage to the individual than disengaging from the society. This is so because they get to be fit in their physique, that’s if they choose to start having an exercise routine or they may want to take up course because they feel the need to expand their knowledge. If the individual disengages from the society, it becomes difficult for them to engage in any form of activities. The social disengagement theory might be the only option of the individual if they are really terrified of being out. This would also be an option if the service user feels that they are better in that situation when they have no friends and family. Therefore the social disengagement theory would be an option if the service user does not feel good about their self-esteem. The activity theory is best theory because it keeps the elderly person in touch with everything and everyone that is around them. Therefore residential homes should encourage service users to physically and mentally active as it would contribute to their social life in the society.

Stainless Steel Rods: Young’s Modulus and Shear Modulus

Stainless Steel Rods: Young’s Modulus and Shear Modulus Valentin Haemmerli Experimentally determine Young’s modulus, shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio of stainless steel rods using magnetostrictive resonance Abstract Young’s modulus (E) and the shear modulus (ÃŽ ¼) of thin stainless steel rods, as well as Poisson’s ratio (ÏÆ'), were experimentally found by determining the longitudinal and torsional resonant frequencies for different known lengths of rods using magnetostrictive resonance. Young’s modulus was found to be 140 GPa  ±17 and shear modulus 59.2 GPa  ±5.7. Poisson’s ratio was found for the rods of varying length and three of these were within right range at: 0.23 ±0.07 for the 0.417m rod, 0.13 ±0.04 for the 0.411m rod and 0.11 ±0.03 for the 0.251m rod. Introduction This experiment aimed to determine Young’s modulus (E) and the shear modulus (ÃŽ ¼) of thin stainless steel rods, as well as Poisson’s ratio (ÏÆ'), by finding the longitudinal and torsional resonant frequencies for different known lengths of rods using magnetostrictive resonance. A drive coil connected to a power amplifier was used to vary the driving frequency and excite the steel rods. The vibrations of the steel rods due to the changing magnetic field were measured using a stereo cartridge connected to an oscilloscope. Theory Magnetostriction is the effect observed when magnetic materials in an external magnetic field increase in length very slightly, due to the alignment of the microscopic domains. By rapidly reversing a magnetic field around a ferrous rod, such as the steel rods examined in this experiment, it is possible to induce vibration by the motion of the domains [1]. Young’s modulus and the shear modulus of a material determine the frequency at which it resonates in different modes. Solids can experience three main modes of vibration; longitudinal, torsional, and flexural [2]. The modes examined in this experiment are longitudinal and torsional. Longitudinal vibrations are â€Å"stretching and contracting of the beam along its own axis† [3, p. 182] of the material when a driving frequency is applied, while torsional is a twisting motion of the material. Young’s modulus determines longitudinal resonance and shear modulus determines torsional resonance. The natural frequencies for longitudinal and torsional vibration of a steel rod are given by , (1) , (2) where , L is the length of the rod, and C are the wave velocities: (3) and (4) respectively, where E and ÃŽ ¼ are Young’s and shear moduli and Ï  is density. These equations are used to relate f to 1/L and thus find the elastic moduli. Poisson’s ratio, ÏÆ', is the ratio of change in dimensions laterally and longitudinally of a material â€Å"placed under a uniform longitudinal tensile (compressive) load† and is normally around 0.3 [3, p. 4]. Davis and Opat give this as , (5) where ÃŽ ³ is given by [2] . (6) Method The method was adapted from that used by Davis and Opat in â€Å"Elastic vibrations of rods and Poisson’s ratio† [2]. Six stainless steel rods of varying lengths between 0.102 and 0.417 m were individually clamped at their centres by three pointed screws to reduce contact and thus damping. The rods were then positioned to pass through a drive coil, also close to their centre, and finally the stereo cartridge stylus was positioned at the top of the rod, off centre on the flat end, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Clamp stand with rod clamped in the centre, coil clamped slightly above, and the stereo cartridge positioned above the rod to pick up vibrations. Foam used under clamp stand to attempt to reduce back ground vibrations. This positioning allowed for the detection of and distinction between longitudinal and torsional resonances. The two outputs of the stereo cartridge each respond to different component of motion of the stylus at 45ËÅ ¡ to the horizontal. Figure 2 is a diagram of the stereo cartridge stylus and placement on the end of the rod from Davis and Opat [2] which shows how it was possible to differentiate between longitudinal and torsional modes. Whenever resonance occurred and the two channels were in phase it was longitudinal as both directions of motion moved up and down at the same time. When resonance occurred out of phase it was torsional as the rotation meant the two directions of motion were outputting opposite signals. Figure 2: From Davis and Opat’s â€Å"Elastic vibrations of rods and Poisson’s ratio† [2]. Stereo stylus design (a) and placement on the rod (b) The drive coil was connected to a power amplifier and the output frequency was varied. The two outputs of the stereo cartridge were connected to the two channels of an oscilloscope. In this way, it was possible to vary the frequency until the amplitude shown on the oscilloscope was a maximum and record the frequency. This was repeated for rods of different length. Also recorded were the mass and diameter of each rod analysed in order to find the density since each steel rod had slightly different composition. Results Figure 3 shows the resonant frequency plotted against the reciprocals of the lengths of steel rods. Also plotted is a line of best fit by least squares method with intercept 0 as a result of equation (1), if 1/L =0, f=0. The error bars on the frequency are the standard errors found by regression. Error in the equipment for frequency was 2Hz and insignificant compared to the large random error. Error bars in the reciprocal length comes from the percentage error of the measurements due to an equipment error of  ±0.003m. As can be seen, the line of best fit is outside of the error boxes created by these errors and this suggests that the data is not very reliable and that there are not enough points for the line of best fit to be very accurate. Figure 3: Resonant frequencies (kHz) of longitudinal vibrations for n=1 (fundamental) plotted against the reciprocals of the lengths of the rods (m-1). The gradient of the fitted line in Figure 3 is 2.095 kHz  ±0.129. Using equations (1) and (3) with n=1, this gives E=140 GPa  ±17 using Ï steel =7970 kg m-3 [3, p. 435], or using the average of the densities of steel recorded (Ï  =8020 kg m-3  ±700) E=141 GPa  ±20. Similar to Figure 3, Figure 4 shows the fundamental resonant frequencies for torsional vibrations of the same rods. Figure 4: Resonant frequencies (kHz) of torsional vibrations for n=1 (fundamental) plotted against the reciprocals of the lengths of the rods (m-1). The gradient of the fitted line in Figure 3 is 1.363 kHz  ±0.066. Using equations (2) and (4) with n=1, this gives ÃŽ ¼= 59.2 GPa  ±5.7 using Ï steel =7970 kg m-3 [3, p. 435], or using the average of the densities of steel recorded (Ï  =8020 kg m-3  ±701) ÃŽ ¼=59.6 GPa  ±7.8. Poisson’s Ratio (ÏÆ') is found from the longitudinal and torsional resonant frequencies of the same rod and the same mode (n=1) using equations (5) and (6). This quantity varies for each rod, again evidence of a large random error in the resonant frequencies. Table 1 shows the different values of ÏÆ'. The errors for Poisson’s ratio are calculated based on the random error in each of the resonant frequencies. Table 1: Poisson’s Ratio for different lengths of rods for mode n=1 from equations (5) and (6) Discussion Young’s modulus and shear modulus are in the same order of magnitude as literature values, with experimentally determined E=140GPa compared to a literature value of around 180 GPa for stainless steel [4] or 194 according to Blevins [3]. Experimentally determined shear modulus was found to be ÃŽ ¼=59.2GPa compared to 77.2Gpa [5]. The result for the shear modulus is more accurate, and this is confirmed by the smaller random error. The errors due to the equipment for these measurements are very small, since the frequency could be varied to within 0.1 Hz and differences in amplitudes on the oscilloscope could be observed within 2Hz. However, with only 5 points, and no modes higher than n=1 to confirm the resonant frequencies, as well as a limited few lengths, there are not enough points of data to obtain a truly accurate result. For Poisson’s Ratio, there is a large variation between the values for each rod, which is in part linked to the large random error in the frequency values themselves, but which may also be due in part to the differences in the type of steel used in each rod. They are almost all of the right order of magnitude, and some are very close to the literature value of 0.265 [3, p. 435]. One major problem encountered was the fact that no resonant frequencies above 15kHz were observed. Whether this is a limitation of the stereo cartridge or due to the extremely small width of the resonances at these high frequencies, or a combination of both, is unclear. However, it may be possible to detect resonances at higher frequencies with a more sensitive stereo cartridge or a more accurate power amplifier. While the power amplifier used was adjustable to 0.1Hz at low frequencies, above 10kHz this was reduced to 1Hz. Another improvement to the method is to use more and longer rods. This is similar to the problem addressed above of high frequency resonances being difficult to detect. No resonances were found for the shortest rod available because all, including the n=1 mode, were too high. With longer rods, and more data points, a more accurate result could be In some cases, it was difficult to record data accurately or to detect resonances due to background vibrations. For example, the movement of a chair 5m away was enough to create a very unstable oscilloscope trace due to the sensitivity of the stereo cartridge to low frequencies. This was the case despite efforts to reduce the background vibrations by placing the clamp stand set up on foam. An extension to non-ferrous materials was attempted by using a small piece of steel with two longer pieces of aluminium attached with screws on either side. However, only one strong resonance was detected, which was not close to the predicted resonance of aluminium, and since the issues mentioned above meant that it was difficult to obtain enough data even for steel rods it was decided not to pursue this. As Davis and Opat put it, â€Å"Inhomogeneities in the structure of the rod can lead to coupling of the different vibrational modes and the description of the oscillating rod rapidly becomes more complex.† [2]. A more appropriate method for generating vibrations in rods of non-ferrous materials is outlined by Meiners and may be found in â€Å"Physics Demonstration Experiments† on page 439 [6]. Conclusion The longitudinal and torsional resonance frequencies for stainless steel rods of varying known length were measured and used to determine Young’s modulus of 140 GPa  ±17 and shear modulus of 59.2 GPa  ±5.7 using literature values for density of steel. Poisson’s ratio was found for the rods of varying length and three of these were within right range at: 0.23 ±0.07 for the 0.417m rod, 0.13 ±0.04 for the 0.411m rod and 0.11 ±0.03 for the 0.251m rod. The random error in the resonance frequencies was large, which meant that none of the results are very accurate. The accuracy could be improved with more data form more rods. References Acknowledgements Thanks to collaborator in Data Collection: Bivu Nepaune 1

Motorola inc. six sigma approach

Motorola inc. six sigma approach EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The first part of the project contains information about Motorola.   The information includes the companys mission, vision statement, their values of Motorola and a brief view of their TQM beliefs. Motorola, Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications company, headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, United States. The main purpose of this report is to analyze Total Quality Management (TQM) tools and techniques practiced by Motorola, Inc. for achievement of competitive edge in this intense competitive environment. The second part of the project talks about Motorolas Total Quality Management practices like Six Sigma Approach, Continuous improvement, Employee involvement and Customer focus, Quality standards, Management, Supplier standards, Counterfeit products etc. The third part of the project contains information about Motorolas key performance indicators and quality standards. The final part of the project talks about Motorolas successes and weaknesses. All the information I used for this project was received at www.motorola.com. INTRODUCTION Motorola Inc. is one of the largest telecommunication manufacturer companies of the world. Motorola is in telecommunication industry for more than 80 years.   Motorola net sales in 2008 were U.S. $ 30.1 billion and it employed approximately 65,000 people all over the world. The company manufactures telecommunication products like Microprocessors, Mobile phones, Smartphones, Two-way radios, Networking systems and Satellite phones etc. This report examines the efficiency and effectiveness of the TQM tools practice by Motorola i.e. Six Sigma Approach, Continuous improvement, Employee involvement and Customer focus etc. It also analyzes the quality standard of Motorola, Inc. Product quality for Motorola is the most important factor of business profitability and importance of ensuring the quality of the products cannot be underestimated. Strategy of quality improvement usually increases innovative products that meet the expanding needs of Motorola customers around the world and also increases market share of company. Motorola sees things from a global perspective, always motivated to create and produce innovative products of the highest quality at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction. Motorola is also trying to develop environmental friendly products in order to show responsible corporate citizen image. Furthermore, new ways are found out by Motorola to reduce raw material requirements and at the same time keep wastage level at minimum. Vision Statement: Our history is rich. Our future is dynamic. We are Motorola and the spirit of invention is what drives us. Mission Statement: We are a global communications leader powered by a passion to invent and an unceasing commitment to advance the way the world connects. Our communication solutions allow people, businesses and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Values of Motorola:  § Receive customer loyalty by delivering on our promises.  § Build quality associations with companies that contribute to our values.  § Take care of the investment of our shareholders as if it were our own.  § Compete aggressively but with integrity.  § Provide products and services that benefit people.  § Business decisions must be based on the best interests of Motorola.  § Report business conduct concerns immediately.  § Business must be conducted legally and ethically, without accepting or giving bribes. Strategy: As a global corporate citizen, Motorola tries to create products and technologies that benefit society by making things smarter and life healthier for people around the world. Motorola is devoted to operate ethically, defending the environment and supporting the communities in which Motorola do business. They are guided by our Code of Business Conduct, which is based on our key beliefs of unbending reliability and constant respect for people. As a global corporate citizen, Motorola strives to:  § Create innovative technological solutions that benefit people at home, at work and on the move.  § Increase shareholder value through profitable growth, technological innovation and market leadership.  § Operating with precision and the top standards of ethics and law.  § Protect the environment by improving our environmental performance and designing environmentally conscious products.  § Maintain a safe and healthy workplace, fostering a globally diverse workforce and supporting our employees work-life balance.  § Promote economic opportunities and growth in regions where Motorola conduct business, through products, services and operations.  § Set expectations for our suppliers to conduct their operations in agreement with the law. KEY STAKEHOLDERS The key stake holders who directly or indirect affect Motorola company LTD according to CSR report 2008 are:  § Customers  § Employees  § Suppliers  § Labor unions  § Investors/share holders  § Industry organizations  § Government TQM TOOLS USED BY MOTOROLA 1. Six Sigma Approach: Motorola knows Six Sigma is a very good approach but not perfect for achievement of the quality goals. Thats why being the founder of the Six Sigma technique; Motorola practices lots of useful tools of TQM. â€Å"Six Sigma, an approach developed by Motorola to improve business processes by minimizing defects. 2. Customer focus: Customer focus is the major concern of Motorola. Motorola has always worked well with its supplier to maximize the customer satisfaction. Motorola services and products are focused on market share and loyalty of customers. Customer satisfaction index help Motorola in measuring the satisfaction level of its customers. Customer complaints not only represent the problem of Motorola customer face but also are a big opportunity for improvement. Motorola tries to find the root causes of the problem and remove that, so as to enhance services and reduce complaints of customer in long run. Customer relation centers help Motorola in handling the enquiries from customers quickly, respectfully and clearly. 3. Continuous improvement and Supplier Standards: Supplier produce necessary parts and materials for the products, maintaining close cooperation is very important for stable production and enhancement of quality. Motorola knows the importance of relationship with its supplier thats why Motorola is building long term relationship with its business partners. Motorola follows strict processes to ensure the quality of finished products regardless of whether it is from the internal or external suppliers. For Motorola it is also very crucial that working conditions are safe for employees, and employees are treated as partner, this will assure the quality and continuity of supply. 4. Benchmarking: Benchmarking is one of the effective tools of Motorola that enables to gain competitive edge by building strengths and reducing weaknesses of company. Benchmarking inspire Motorola managers to compete, it is useful tool of quality because the objectives are set on the basis of external information, due to information access personnel of the organization is much more motivated to attain the goals and objective. Motorola know that Benchmarking is time and cost efficient because the process involves imitation and adaptation rather than pure invention. 5. Environmental concern: Motorola is working with its supplier to produce smart products which is not harmful for environment, Motorola produce energy efficient products to promote environmental management systems. Motorola is supporting the suppliers efforts to achieve the ISO 14000 Certification which is very helpful for sustainable environment. Motorola follows all countries, regions and localities laws regarding environment and trying to find out the cheap ways to minimize energy usage. 6. Education and Training: Employee development is very important for continues improvement, therefore Motorola gives ongoing education and training to its employees. This not only keeps employees up-to-date with new trends applied to job but also help increase the productivity. Motorola monitor the effectiveness of training programmes to ensure that its useful for employees. 7. Employee involvement: The performance of organization directly depend on the employee involvement, therefore success of company is dependent on the involvement of employees. Motorola Employees are the source of creativity and problem solving. Employee must be given authority which motivates employees to own the company / Process of Company. Motorola staff knows they play vital role in the success of the company, that why they effectively participate in all processes of organization. Employee involvement efficiently increased quality of the products produced by Motorola. PERFROMANCE INDICATORS OF MOTOROLA Motorola puts its efforts to provide the society with superior products and services by developing innovations that improve the quality of life and satisfy customer needs, provides employees with meaningful work environment and advancement opportunities and investors with a superior return. Motorola is also playing a role to make sure that their products are accessible and affordable to the people who need them. They are taking different initiatives and forming partnerships in this regard. All people at Motorola are responsible for adhering to business practices that are in accordance with the law and the ethical principles. The Company strives to use outside technology resources as well. Motorolas manufacturing division will further focus its capabilities on core products. In addition, Motorola is enhancing its research operations to expand access to worldwide external science. It works with its employees to understand their concerns, needs and thoughts on companys strengths and weaknesses and incorporate these findings into the strategies, processes and programs. In order to do this, Motorola carries out surveys of employees. Motorola promotes the human rights of its employees. The main focus is to encourage justice, equal opportunity and dignity without discrimination. This is a step towards promoting economic development. SUCCESSES OF MOTOROLA Motorola is a world-renowned company that services the US and several international countries. Their organizational structure puts them on top of the rest with strong values for their employees and customers. I learned that there is a huge competition between Nokia and Motorola for market share in the manufacturing of handheld devices. Starting out in 1928 as a small battery powered radio producer, Motorola is truly a company building a foundation for the next up and coming technology. Motorola is a company that has been around a long time and one of its main key factors to success is that that you can see the brand name any where you go. Motorola is the second leading producer of wireless handsets and is the top supplier of wireless infrastructure equipment such as cellular transmissions base stations, amplifiers, and network switching. Its also helpful in many new products such as the new Star Tac cell phone that has the market wondering if Motorola is back in the game and ready to regain market share. Motorola is also the top producer of fixed chips that are used in wireless networking, automotive, and customer products. A key success for many annalists is how much market share a company has. Motorola has the no. one global market share in semiconductors for automotive applications, in communications processors, and in radio frequency power products for cellular base station markets. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS To remain competitive in these extremely competitive economic situations that exist in todays telecommunication industry, telecommunication companies must look for excellence. New style of management helps in achieving the excellence which focuses on cycle time reduction, employee involvement, the reduction of waste, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. To gain competitive edge in twenty first century market, it is crucial for telecommunication companies to supply more reliable quality and value to their customers. It is the time to expand better and more direct relationships with clients, to start teamwork at the jobsite, and to generate better quality work. The recommendations are that Motorola must continue to sustain the position of cost leadership by focusing on quality of the products, as it helps in producing high volumes of mature products, which lead to lower prices. Motorola should apply differentiation strategy to gain competitive advantage to charge premium prices.

A Streetcar Named Desire Essay -- A Streetcar Named Desire Essays

Though the â€Å"primitive,† rituals described in Schechner’s article diverge from the realism found in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, the same â€Å"reactualization† process exists in his work. Williams’ Streetcar focuses on the â€Å"mock battle† or complete contest between the generational cultures symbolized by Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski’s characters. Blanche, representative of the fallen southern aristocracy, searches for sensitivity and kindness in the new world of Stanley Kowalski, the modern labor class. In Blanche’s search for safety, the semiotic theatrical qualities of the play become a ritualistic â€Å"clash of the titans† as both Blanche and Stanley fight for domination and control over the future generations realized in Stella’s womb. Yet the tragic dethronement of previous generations - represented by Blanche’s exile from the community and her subsequent departure for the asylum – leaves the audience without an Aristotlean catharsis. Rather, the classically regenerative â€Å"sacrifice of the hero†¦is gone; what we have instead is a resignation to general guilt,† (Vlasopolos, 323), as Williams’ titanic â€Å"unmasking† dies away rather than resolving the conflict. With such little hope offered in Williams’ dà ©nouement audience members frequently question Streetcars’ resolution, finding no reactualizing forces in the death characters’ masks. However, the answer to this question lies in the mythological characterizations Williams creates in the battle between Stanley and Blanche. By examining the basic semiotic properties Williams foregrounds in both Blanche and Stanley’s titanic characters the audience may understand the moral force actualized in A Streetcar Named Desires as mythic ritual. Tennesse Williams’ ... ...colors of men† have already been established in earlier instances in the play. When Stanley first meets Blanche, he is returning from the bowling alley. Though the stage directions do not explicitly state whether or not Stanley wears his bowling shirt in this scene, the bowling alley evokes the images of Stanley’s bowling shirt, â€Å"his green and scarlet bowling shirt,† (717). In this case, Stanley’s appearance not only demonstrates his generations definition of masculinity, as an â€Å"aggressive, indulgent, powerful, and proud expression of sex,† (Falk, 95), but also as a bright splotch of color in the otherwise â€Å"physical grubbiness,† (Brown, 41) of his home. Thus, Stanley’s character, through both his physical gestus and colorful costumes, becomes symbolic of his generations masculine dominance, overwhelming and controlling the environment in which Blanche arrives.

The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela :: Religion

The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela In the twelfth century one the most popular destinations for pilgrimages was to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The shrine of St. James the Great is in the Cathedral of Compostela and it is what attracted so many people. The saint's shrine was believed to be a healing shrine for all sorts of problems. The religious relics that the Cathedral contained held a special power for the pilgrims by curing them of their problems. The pilgrims used the road to Santiago as a test of their faith and love for God. At the same time that they were testing their religious devotion they were also contributing to generating massive information. The pilgrims were creating and recycling information and taking that information on the road to more people. Two ways that the pilgrims were putting information out was by visiting the shrines on the way to the cathedral and at the actual Cathedral of Compostela and through the book of Codex Calixtinus. A pilgrimage was essentially a course of movement along a sequence of shrines along a road until one reached a final destination (usually a large cathedral or religious site). Besides the remission of sin, a reason for a person to go on a pilgrimage was to search for the renewal of physical or mental health. In the twelfth century, there was a deeply rooted belief in Christians that plague, leprosy, fever, migraines; even toothaches were all caused by sins. A doctor did not heal the person as well as saint could and thus, pilgrimages were occurring all the time. Not just people who were ill went on the pilgrimage, people seeking religion or adventure also set out on the road of Compostela. The pilgrims that were on the road to Santiago came from a wide variety of backgrounds. The route of Compostela became literally a cultural highway. The pilgrims "founded churches, monasteries, and hospitals; they robbed and killed, composed stories, legends, poems and songs, and slept rough in the hostels provided for them" (Tate, Pg. 1). Most importantly, the pilgrims talked. They talked about St. James, about the church, and about their different ideas and beliefs. By doing so they were exchanging information that otherwise would not be available to them. They talked about the history pertaining to St. James and at the same time learned through the shrines themselves at the Cathedral about the Moors, Charlemagne and other historical figures. The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela :: Religion The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela In the twelfth century one the most popular destinations for pilgrimages was to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The shrine of St. James the Great is in the Cathedral of Compostela and it is what attracted so many people. The saint's shrine was believed to be a healing shrine for all sorts of problems. The religious relics that the Cathedral contained held a special power for the pilgrims by curing them of their problems. The pilgrims used the road to Santiago as a test of their faith and love for God. At the same time that they were testing their religious devotion they were also contributing to generating massive information. The pilgrims were creating and recycling information and taking that information on the road to more people. Two ways that the pilgrims were putting information out was by visiting the shrines on the way to the cathedral and at the actual Cathedral of Compostela and through the book of Codex Calixtinus. A pilgrimage was essentially a course of movement along a sequence of shrines along a road until one reached a final destination (usually a large cathedral or religious site). Besides the remission of sin, a reason for a person to go on a pilgrimage was to search for the renewal of physical or mental health. In the twelfth century, there was a deeply rooted belief in Christians that plague, leprosy, fever, migraines; even toothaches were all caused by sins. A doctor did not heal the person as well as saint could and thus, pilgrimages were occurring all the time. Not just people who were ill went on the pilgrimage, people seeking religion or adventure also set out on the road of Compostela. The pilgrims that were on the road to Santiago came from a wide variety of backgrounds. The route of Compostela became literally a cultural highway. The pilgrims "founded churches, monasteries, and hospitals; they robbed and killed, composed stories, legends, poems and songs, and slept rough in the hostels provided for them" (Tate, Pg. 1). Most importantly, the pilgrims talked. They talked about St. James, about the church, and about their different ideas and beliefs. By doing so they were exchanging information that otherwise would not be available to them. They talked about the history pertaining to St. James and at the same time learned through the shrines themselves at the Cathedral about the Moors, Charlemagne and other historical figures.

Andrew Jackson :: Biography Biographies Bio

Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States of America, was born on March 15, 1767 in the Waxhaw’s area near the border of North and South Carolina. His parents lived in North Carolina but historians are not sure exactly where. Jackson was the third son of Scots - Irish parents. His father died a few weeks before he was born in a logging accident. His mother, Elizabeth Hutchison Jackson was a strong independent woman. After Jackson’s father died she was able to raise their three sons while they lived with one of her sisters. When Andrew was nine years old the Declaration of Independence was wrote and signed. Then when he was only thirteen he joined the Continental Army as a courier. The Revolution hurt the Jackson family. All three boys saw the front lines. Andrew’s oldest brother Hugh, died in the Battle of Stono Ferry. Then two years later Andrew and Robert, his other older brother, were taken for prisoners for a few weeks in April of 1781.They both got smallpox and within a few days of getting let go Robert died. Later on that year Elizabeth Jackson went to Charleston to nurse American prisoners of war. There she contracted either ship fever or cholera and died. After the war was over, Andrew found himself an orphan and an only child at 14. The next year and a half he spent living with relatives and being apprenticed to a saddle maker. He taught school for a short time after the war but did not enjoy it. When he was seventeen he went to Salisbury, North Carolina which is where he studied law for a few years. He was admitted in to the North Carolina Bar in September of 1787. In June of 1796 Tennessee separated from North Carolina and admitted to the Union as the 16th state. Andrew was soon elected Tennessee’s first congressman. He was also elected as a U.S. senator but resigned after only one session. He then went home and became a judge for six years on the Tennessee Supreme Court. Andrew’s military career which had all started when he was only 13 years old became even more successful when he was elected major general of the Tennessee militia. Jackson later lead troops during the First Seminole War in Florida. General Jackson came from the battlefields of the War of 1812 a national hero. It was during this time he got his nickname which is â€Å"Old Hickory.

Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations and Scope for Further Research

Chapter –VI FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND SCOPE FOR FURTHER RESEARCH This research was broad based, involving multi dimensional study of all possible factors influencing the Personal Market in general and Small Car Market in particular. There are very important findings related to influence of socio-economic issues of Indian middle class, infrastructural issues like development of roads, government policies, price and cost of running and maintaining the car etc.Performance of Tata Motors Nano car, which is the smallest car, in the small car segment, and was positioned to meet the requirement of a spatial segment of Indian buyer was also studied extensively. 6. 1 Findings and Conclusions Major findings and conclusions drawn from the study are listed below -1. 71 percent of respondents have shown their preference towards low engine capacity cars to get higher fuel efficiency. It shows that in future only cars giving higher fuel efficiency will be preferred by Indian consumers. . 73percent of the respondents have shown their preference toward small cars as due to increased traffic and congestion on roads. As vehicle population is increasing continuously and size of city roads started appearing narrow, it can be concluded that small cars will prove sustainable in the future. 3. 74 percent of respondents have shown their preference towards small cars due to parking convenience of roads. In cities due to phenomenal increase in number of vehicles, parking is proving to be a big problem.Parking of small cars is a bit easy and therefore, in future people are likely to prefer small cars. 210 4. In recent past car manufacturers have launched a number of models of small cars with comparable features of big cars, consequently small car owners can now enjoy all these features in small cars also. In all 73 percent of respondents have expressed their happiness due to this reason endorsed the purchase of small car. 5.In India still personal disposable income of majority of respondent is not so high that they can afford to buy a big car and therefore, 71 percent of the total respondents have expressed their opinion that their disposable income permit them to buy only a small car and thus small cars are going to be sustainable in Indian car market. 6. In India due to increase in literacy rate and also desire to lead a comfortable life have induced the people to observe small family norm, which can easily be accommodated in small cars, the of choice people is, therefore, shifting towards small cars. 0 percent of total respondents have expressed the view that small car is good for them as they have small family. 7. 70 percent of the total respondents have expressed their opinion that they prefer the small cars as repair facility is available easily and next to their door for the repair of the same. 8. In past few years the number and percentage of women in employment is increasing staidly. Such women employee prefers the small cars due to variety of reasons. 76 percent of the total respondents have expressed their agreement to the fact that increased women employment has boost the sale of small cars.As this trend is going to persist, the future of small car is bright. 9. Increased affluence and easy availability of loans and finance facilities have led to many two wheeler users to buy their first car which is normally a small car. This has made the small cars sustainable in Indian car market. 78 percent of total respondents have endorsed this fact. 10. In past few years urban as well as rural affluence has increased. This has boosted the trend of urbanization. This in turn induces the people to buy 211 ars. In all 77 percent respondents are of the opinion that growing urban population has boost the market of small cars in India. 11. In past one decade a phenomenon improvement has taken place in the road network. This has induced the sale of small cars in India. 81 percent of the total respondents are of the opinion t hat improved conditions of roads even in small cities have led to increase in demand of small cars. 12. Government of India has formulated such policies which stimulate the sale of small cars. 2 percent of total respondents are of the opinion that favorable government policy has boost the sale of small cars. 13. Price of the cars as well cost of spares, parts and component also govern the choice of a car. Normally price of small cars as well cost of spares, parts and components are comparatively low and affordable. Therefore, people prefer to buy small cars. This fact was endorsed by 74 percent of the total respondents. Thus it appears that small cars are going to be sustainable in Indian market. 14. The cost of repair and maintenance is comparatively very low in case of small cars.This also remains one of the considerations in forming the decision to buy a car. 83 percent of the total respondents are of the opinion that lower cost of repair and maintenance has influenced their deci sion to buy a small car. 15. Government levies taxes on small cars by low rate and rate of insurance of small cars is also very low as compare to big cars which are higher priced, therefore large number of people opts for purchase of small cars. A majority (68%) of the respondents have shown their agreement towards this. 16.About 3/4th of the total respondents are of the opinion that small cars are still preferred choice of Indian consumers therefore, it can be concluded that small cars will be sustainable in Indian car market. 17. 77 percent of the respondents are of the opinion that constantly rising costs of inputs and fuel prices will contribute to the sustainability of small cars. 18. Small cars prove sufficient to meet the family needs of Indian middle class and therefore, small cars remain preferred choice of Indian middle class. 212 This fact was endorsed by 82 percent of the total respondents.Therefore it can be concluded safely that small cars are going to be sustainable i n Indian car market. 19. Over the years a status consciousness has developed among Indian middle class and to fulfill this need they prefer to buy small car as most of them can not afford to buy a big car. Therefore, small cars remain a preferred choice of Indian middle class. 82 percent of the total respondents have endorsed this view and therefore it can be concluded that small cars will be sustainable in Indian automobile sector. 20. Indian middle class consumer is buying a car for either as a necessity or for comfort.The financial constraint therefore does not permit him to have the luxury of expensive, out of reach big cars. 82 percent of the total respondents of this study are of the same opinion. Looking to large base of middle class population in India, it can safely be concluded that small cars are going to be sustainable in Indian car market. 21. Parking of cars at residence is proving a difficult proposition now-a-days. Indian middle class resides normally in compact hous es, parking space is in these houses is limited or non existent.In such conditions Indian middle class finds it is more comfortable with small cars. 83 percent of the total respondents acknowledged this fact and endorsed that the parking convenience at residence induces middle class to buy a small car. Thus it is concluded that small car will be sustainable in Indian car market. 22. Family and peer pressure often plays an important role in making buying decision of a vehicle . In case of Indian middle class this pressure induces them to buy small car. 68 percent of the total respondents were of the opinion that this pressure nduces the Indian middle class to buy the small cars. Therefore, small cars will remain a preferred choice of Indian middle class. 213 23. Working women in general and from middle class in particular prefer to buy a small car due to driving and parking comforts offered by such cars. Therefore, small car is a preferred choice of Indian Middle class working women. About 84 percent of total respondents have endorsed this fact. As the number of middle class women employees is on increase continuously, it can be concluded that small cars will sustain in the Indian automobile sector. 4. The focus of current middle class families is more on spending and enjoying life. Their personal disposable income has also increased substantially. The desire to lead a conferrable life is motivating them to buy a car, and with the financial constraint more then often it is small car. Therefore, popularity of small cars is increasing. 80 percent of respondents have shown their agreement that desire to lead comfortable life among middle class will contribute to the sustainability of small cars. 25. Of late Indian middle class has become status conscious.One of the simple ways to exhibit the status consciousness is to buy a car. Therefore, more and more middle class people are embarking upon the decision to buy a car. This fact is going to contribute to the sustai nability of small cars in Indian automobile sector. 83 percent of the total surveyed respondents have expressed their agreement to this. 26. Number of middle class people is on continuous increasing in Indian, since small car is a preferred choice of this segment, it can be concluded that small car will sustain in Indian market. This view has been endorsed by 81 percent of the total respondents. 7. A very small car launched by Tata Motors is not sustainable in Indian automobile sector as 82 percent of the respondents have expressed their opinion against Nano it is perceived as not safe and stable. 28. Tata Motors Nano is not preferred by Indian consumers in spite of being low price and more fuel efficient, as almost 97 percent of the respondents have 214 expressed their agreement to this. Thus price of car and fuel efficiency of it, are not only the factors taken into consideration by Indian consumers while making purchase decision for cars.Their decisions are governed by other fact ors also like safety, features, driving comfort, status, convenience, etc. 29. Nano is not even preferred by Indian consumers as suitable for â€Å"† Only for City use† car.. 91 percent of the respondents have expressed this view. 30. Nano is not a preferred choice of Indian consumers, neither as a first car nor as a second or additional car. 88 percent of respondents have disown it as their choice as a first car and 93 percent of respondents have disown it as their choice as second or additional car. 31. Tata Motors Nano car was positioned as a better alternative for two wheeler.However those who are using two wheelers for their personal and family use and can afford to buy at least a small car are also having hesitation in buying Nano. 93 percent of the respondents have that they would not like Nano to take out their family instead of scooter or a motor bike. Thus it can be concluded that Tata Motors Nano has lost it’s initial charm and hype created in Indian c ar market. 32 Out of the total surveyed respondents (1500) , 1271 respondents have acknowledged that they are using small car ,remaining of respondents said they are not using a small car.This implies that Indian car market scene is still dominated by small car. 33. 79 percent of the respondents those using small car have expressed their satisfaction with a small car. Remaining 21 percent of respondents were not satisfied by with the small car. This very high satisfaction level with the users, is clear indication of sustainability of small car in Indian market. 34. 83 percent of the total respondents have acknowledged that they would like to recommend the car currently being used by them to the prospective buyers.This again shows that most of the car users are satisfied with their 215 present car, whether big or small, and they would like to recommend the same to the prospective buyers. This study has already established the fact that the sale of small car is dominating, this respon se further support the sustainability of small car in Indian market. 35. This study also reveals that 73 percent of the respondents have expressed their opinion that small car will be the preferred choice of Indian Middle Class and will sustain in Indian car market. 6. RECOMMENDATIONDS AND SUGGESTIONS For this study the questionnaire was so designed to get a clear idea about the preferences, choices, socio- economic issues, financial constraints, influencing factor of government actions and policies, consumer profiles etc. Since the study covers interest of all stake holders of Indian automobile sector, the recommendations are grouped under the following†¢ Recommendations for the car and auto component manufactures. †¢ Recommendations for auto finance organizations. †¢ Recommendations for policy planners- †¢Recommendations for prospective car buyers. One important finding coming out of this study, which can change significantly the dynamics of Indian business, is shift in the consumer profile. Though the urbanization is taking place at a very high rate, it is the consumption of Rural India which is increasing at faster rate then Urban India. There for the recommendations for the basis of shift in consumer profile are grouped together, for the four segments of stake holders as specified above. 216 6. 2. 1 Recommendations for the car and auto component manufactures1.The fuel efficiency is one of the prime concerns of the car users and therefore it is recommended that the future car engine designee should be based on fuel efficiency and note on high horse power. 2. The availability of repair facility is having influence on buying decision, and therefore it is recommended that the car manufacturer should address this requirement before introducing any high technology based models of small cars for Indian market. 3. The study reveals that the small car is preferred by working women.Introduction of some variance of the car models having â€Å"Wo men friendly accessories† will attract the women customers. 4. The cost of the spare parts is of concern of car users. To boost the sale of their product it is suggested that the auto component manufacturers, open their dealer networks and service outlets to meet customer’s requirements directly. This is already in practice for car batteries, tyers etc. The Auto electrical segment can also use this. 5. The study reveals that there is shift in consumer profile. The consumer in he rural area is having more stakes in consumption. Currently the car designs are for the urban users. It is recommended that to take advantage of this shift some variance of car models can be designed to attract rural customers. 6. The Tata Motors Nano car is having low price and fuel efficient engine, but as the study reveals it is not accepted by consumers due to various issues like safety, durability, not suitable for long distance travel etc. It is recommended that car manufacture should take a note of this in designing the future models.They are advised to conduct the extensive survey of consumers, particularly, of Nano users, that why a small car launched in Indian car market with a big fan fare could not pick-up and lost its charm in a very short span of time, so that they can revive Nano as per expectations of public and can make it a great success in Indian car market. 217 7. Although 79 percent of the small car users have expressed their satisfaction with the small car being used by them, but 19 percent of the respondents have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the small car which can not be termed as insignificant from any yardstick.Small car manufacturers are advised to develop a suitable mechanism to identify such dissatisfaction and must take concrete steps to overcome their dissatisfaction. 6. 2. 2 i. Recommendations for auto finance organizations. One of the findings of the study is that financing of car purchase is key driver of auto industry. In the discussions it is felt that, as the disposable income is low in the beginning of the career and increases with the passes of time the initial Equated Monthly Installments (EMIs) are proved heavy and burdensome on the purchasers. ii.It is therefore, recommended that auto finance companies can adopt a model of financing in which monthly payment in the initial period can be low, with a gradual increase afterwards. 6. 2. 3 Recommendations for government and policy planners(i) The constantly increasing fuel prices on the one hand support the choice of small car but on the other hand the cost conscious consumer may stop shifting from two wheelers to car. The government, therefore, can take suitable policy decision to offset the impact of increased fuel price by reduction of other taxes and duties on fuel. ii) The study reveals the concern of the parking and traffic congestion on roads. It is recommended that â€Å"Town Planers† and policy makers in the government should suitably ad dress these problems. Looking to the shortage of parking area in the city following solutions can be considered(a) Providing high-rise parking setups with lifts. 218 (b) Parking plazas out side city, with rapid transport system connectivity to business areas. (c) Making it mandatory to use roof tops for parking, like basement is used of high-rise buildings. (d)The traffic congestion on road, especially in cities, is often because of non adherence to the driving discipline by users. The traffic management system, therefore need to be made more efficient, active and accountable. (iii) To further boost automobile sector, more reforms in this sector are required, Since the Auto Policy published in 2002, is already more then a decade old a working group of experts should be asked to come out a new policy frame work, taking into consideration the current status and challenges. 6. 2. 4 Recommendations for prospective car buyers. (i)From this study one fact has come out clearly that, curren tly many models with many variances in each model, are available for a buyer. It is therefore recommended that in selecting a car the buyer should carefully evaluate the technical specifications, and match, the same with his needs. (ii) There are different schemes with different auto finance organizations. With a careful study of the schemes available at the time of car purchase, substantial saving in car financing can be obtained. (iii) Tata Motors Nano car is not favored by majority of the respondents, due to their perceptions, related to safety, stability, status symbol etc.However the manufacturer is continuously working to rectify these concerns. For the buyers having low disposable income, it is therefore recommended that at least considering the very low price of this car, the current model available at the time of purchase can be once again technically evaluated (iv) The government policies for protection of environment are also influencing the engine type and the fuel used in a car. It is therefore 219 recommended that buyer should select a model which is having futuristic technology engine. 6. 2. 5 ESPECIAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE BASIS OF SHIFT INCONSUMER PROFILEThis study reveals the fact that the ‘Rural Market’ of India is growing more rapidly then ‘Urban Market’. The perception of car manufacturing industry as well as policy planers with the government in India has considered car as a commodity for urban population. This sift in the consumer profile if taken into serious consideration can lead to following recommendations6. 2. 5. 1Recommendations for the car manufacturesi. The interior design of the cars for the future models can be reviewed, and new models or at least some variants of new models can have features suitable for rural buyer.To give examples the long front seat of retro models can be reintroduced, the capacity of petrol tank can be increased etc. ii. The topographic requirement of rural area can be considere d for technical specifications, of the cars e. g. wheel size, road clearance etc. to make it more acceptable in rural India. It is necessary to provide additional protection against dust to the vital elements, like fuel injection systems, carburetors, ignition system etc. iii. It is recommended that car manufacturers explore the possibility of introducing â€Å"Four Wheel Drive† system in small car as well. iv.The Personal car sales- net work currently focuses more on urban India, a shift is recommended in this approach. v. It is recommended that, after sale service net work is to be extended to rural area. Since the area to be serviced will be very large, a module having a central workshop with mobile service vehicles attached to it can also be considered. 220 vi. For the manufacturer like Maruti having major stake in small car segment, it is recommended that they can develop a system through which some selected fuel outlets can be used for providing authorized repair servic e by tanning the staff of fuel outlet. . 2. 5. 2 Recommendations for auto finance organizationsi. The current system of Equated Monthly Installments, is meeting the requirements of urban consumers which are generally fixed monthly income employees. The earning pattern of the rural consumers is different as it is seasonal. Therefore it is recommended that schemes where the option of repayment in unequaled installments, with a rider to make the complete repayment in a predefined period can be introduced. ii. The cooperative banks are generally very strong in rural India.It is recommended that captive auto finance companies can start exploring the possibilities of working with these banks. 6. 2. 5. 3Recommendations for policy plannersThe growth in auto industry segment works as a catalyst for the entire manufacturing sector. This growth is meeting the two very important key objectives of the government e. g. Improved GDP and more employment. It is therefore recommended that the policy planners in government should design the policies which can boost the sale of cars (small cars) in Indian ruler market.Some of the suggestions are as underi. It is recommended that in place of uniform road taxes throughout the state, a system of differential taxes based on the type of the area in which a personal vehicle is in use can be implemented. ii. To increase the use of cars, more priority should be also given to the roads connecting the villages to nearby cities. 221 iii. It is recommended that like agriculture equipments the soft loan schemes, for rural user to be extended for Personal Vehicles iv.Government should consider suitable tax incentives for the promotion of R & D in the automobile sector, which can be directly attributed to suitable vehicle for Rural India 6. 2. 5. 4 Recommendations for prospective car buyers. i. The service backup is very necessary for the high technology based cars. It is therefore suggested that buyer should examine this aspect carefully. ii. The road conditions may very from the cities in the rural area. The car specifications required to be looked into, from this angle. 6. 3 Directions for Future/ Further Study i. The study pertains to study of sustainability of small cars in Indian automobile sector.This study opens the scope for conducting future researches on the sustainability of big cars MPVs, SUVs, LCVs and heavy vehicles. ii. The study is confined to conduct the study of market sustainability; however, future studies may be undertaken for conducting the technical sustainability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability, and financial sustainability of small cars or any other product. iii. The study also opens the avenue of conducting such study at international level covering different dimensions of sustainability of small cars. 222