To produce a critical assessment of the role that Information system plays in organisations in their pursuit of gaining competitive advantage. The WritePass Journal

To produce a critical assessment of the role that Information system plays in organisations in their pursuit of gaining competitive advantage. Abstract To produce a critical assessment of the role that Information system plays in organisations in their pursuit of gaining competitive advantage. ).   The company’s profile in the industry is conspicuous as it is the largest package delivery company as well as a leader in the provision of logistical services and specialized transport (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). The company has a presence in more than 200 countries and territories around the world where it is actively involved in the management of the movement of goods, money, as well as information (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). The company has a prominent presence online and strives to take advantage of the internet to further its global command of the industry. Under its official website, there are 10 other websites that specialize in various operations including small business resource center that handles such business as professional printing (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). This is one of the ways through which it implements its businesses processes such as customer relations, human resource selection, and shipment tracking among others (Kindler, 2000). The website has a link to UPS cargo, Capital, Customer Solutions, Express Critical, Freight, Mail Innovations, Supply Chain Solutions Consulting, and most important; the website is more like a front office where one can create, track and locate shipment with a click of a mouse (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). Competitive environment using Porter’s five forces model Real Threat of New Entrants: There are companies that have also been around and have certain capabilities with a strong presence in some regions of the world on the same level with UPS. These companies include FedEx, TNT and DHL. Nonetheless, it is less likely that new entrants will establish an infrastructure spanning the entire world coupled with the expense of knitting a well-established system as that of any of these companies. In addition, UPS has been around longer than all its competitors and has continued to reinvent its self by taking advantage of technology. Thus, UPS has become an all-time household name (Cleff Rennings, 2011). Real Threat of Substitute Products or Services: There are certain factors that have kept UPS at the top of the competition, these include; its ability to satisfy its customers. The company is reliable has conscientious drivers and its ability to apply the internet as a base for its information system (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). The company has successfully put together a complex global shipping system that few in the industry can match; this has given it an economic advantage in the market. One of the latest information technologies adopted by the company is the â€Å"telepathic truck† (Kolman, 2010). Bargaining Power of Suppliers: UPS is supplied with its shipping boxes and envelopes at bulk prices and in doing so, the company takes advantage of the economies of scale by selling them at a reduced price (Mostafa Yelena, 2005 ). There are other products that UPS could get at a reduced price taking advantage of the economies of scale. Bargaining Power of Buyers: For instance, Pivotal LNG agreed to supply UPS with liquid gas (Fleet Owner, 2013). This agreement was a business deal where UPS was to receive the product at a discounted price compared to if it would have under regular circumstances. Usually when bought in bulk, it is always cheaper. Intensity of Rivalry among Competitors in Industry: UPS, compared to its competitors, continues to have an advantage of pricing over all the other competitors for almost all its services (Wathen, 2013). As seen earlier, new market entrants are less likely to establish such an infrastructure spanning the entire world investing in such an elaborate system. Role of Information System in UPS UPS has one of the most efficient information systems in the world to improve transport efficiency and safety, as well as, reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions (Kolman, 2010). UPS is the world’s leading package delivery and supply chain management and is perceived as the second biggest company in the United States employing more than 40,000 people with a fleet of more than 99,000 vehicles (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). The company’s fleet comprises tractor trailers, single, double and triple trailers that deliver packed logistic merchandise. For a long time, UPS has depended upon information technology in most its operations delivering over 13 million parcels to over 200 countries and territories around the globe. As seen above, starting from the company’s website to each and every stakeholder including its mainframe databases is interconnected in a complex and elaborate IT driven network (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). UPS’s global fleet operations are controlled by its remarkably efficient information system technology to deliver real-time data on the location of the drivers and their destinations. Beginning as a local delivery service in 1907, the company has over the years grown via its multi-billion dollar investment in information systems technology (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). The company’s drivers are remotely connected to the main data centers located in seventeen countries. UPS’s information system relies on the Delivery Information Acquisition Device (DIAD) which is the core of UPS’s business technology platform (Kolman, 2010). The device ensures higher levels of flexibility and efficiency in the organization due to its field transmission capabilities because of its multiple wireless connectivity. The DIAD information system includes an in-built GPS and CDMA radio, 802.11b wireless local area network connectivity, and an acoustical modem to speed dial-up connections to the UPS data centers whenever need arises (Laudon Laudon, 2009).   The DIAD information system also includes Bluetooth personal area network and an infrared port to f acilitate communication with PCs and other computing devices (Laudon Laudon, 2009). The current UPS information system provides drivers with accurate and real-time directions regarding delivery and pick-up locations in a bid to improve customer experience. This telematics information system helps both the data centers and drivers communicate with each other to aid in information management between them. Using this system, the drivers effectively communicate with the data centers regarding the collection and delivery of packages (Kolman, 2010). The information system allows information dispatchers and the data center technicians to track  Ã‚   the drivers via the DIAD, and respond in case of any emergencies (Laudon Laudon, 2009). Besides, the DIAD gives the drivers a list of the day’s deliveries and pick-ups thus; enabling UPS to be able to determine the geographical location of the entire fleet at any particular time. UPS’s information system is one of the most advanced and efficient information systems in the world (Pearlson Saunders, 2010). The information system includes data collection, transmission of technologies and digital signature capture. The company uses handheld computers, and mobile devices to monitor an d analyze opportunities for operational savings. The UPS telematics system uses algorithms to analyze data collected from trucks in a bid to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption and emission of carbon fuels thus; making drivers secured during their transportation duties (Geotab, 2011). Telematics technology has helped the company gain information pertaining to vehicles performance and requirements which enables UPS to increase the drivers’ safety, and customer efficiency and satisfaction (Kolman, 2010). The UPSs telematics information system has over the years enabled it to adopt a â€Å"just-in-time† track maintenance, which minimizes the fleet’s downtime. This has ensured vehicle dependability and thus lowered the firm’s maintenance and vehicle life-cycle costs (O’Brien Marakas, 2011). The information system at UPS gives mechanics a comprehensive analysis of the vehicle’s conditions without requiring the vehicle to be taken to the shops for repairs. This helps the company to determine the best time to take the vehicles for repair at an appropriate time. Information systems are important to any business because they reduce the cost of doing business for any particular business (Booth, et al., 2011).   Most companies use information systems to reduce business production costs and costs of customers and suppliers. As an example from the case of UPS, the company uses an efficient telematics system to reduce chances of replacing vehicle parts which do not require and replacements (Geotab, 2011). In addition, UPS’s information system checks vehicles idling time (Kolman, 2010). The information system has greatly assisted the company to reduce driver idling by about 15 minutes each day (Kolman, 2010).   This helps the company to reduce fuel consumption and engine carbon emissions (Geotab, 2011). The reduction of fuel costs is essential for the business because it lowers operating costs for the company thus increasing profitability. Conversely, the information system used by UPS has helped the company to lessen the replacement of unnecessary engine components such as fuel injectors instead of O-rings which has helped save time and increased expenses incurred by the company (Kolman, 2010). Moreover, the application of this system is intended to create differentiated features thus reducing competitors’ differentiated benefits. UPS has over the years depended up on technological development to understand the needs of its customers and adopt ways to serve these needs. The use of information technology has assisted most companies including UPS to establish inform diaries thus offering their customers with value-added services (Manyika, 2009). UPS, for example, allows the drivers to communicate with either the clients or the data centers via wireless connectivity to provide drivers with comprehensive information about the deliveries and pick-ups (Geotab, 2011). UPS handheld computing devices have color-coded messages to alert drivers regarding urgent customer needs. In this regard, most companies use information systems to create sophisticated and efficient online operations to ensure accurate and effective means of measuring productivity (Kolman, 2010). The telemati cs system gives the company detailed information regarding problems the drivers are oblivious to, thus increasing vehicles life and lessening disposals (Geotab, 2011). This means that as more companies are adopting the use of information systems, therefore; they will be able to increase their vehicles lifetime, as well as, having low maintenance cost just like UPS. Additionally, companies use information systems for the creation of new products and services. Most businesses like Google have continuously adopted new information systems to enable them penetrate into international markets. Given the sophistication of the internet, many companies are radically changing their operations via automation and instead adopting digital modeling to reduce production costs and processes (Chui Fleming, 2011). As a matter of fact, these businesses use the new technological advancements to establish effective online business since telecommunications has provided most business with opportunities for innovation and production. In most businesses including UPS, before the adoption of telecommunication systems, several programs were difficult to manage such as recording the return of the company’s investment on green vehicles; telematic information system in this regard has made such programs easier to manage (Kolman, 2010). Through this system, the company’s management, employees and clients are interconnected because the client are   able to track their shipment via PCs, and mobile devices which create numerous opportunities for the cooperation among the customers, external stakeholders and employees to increase the profitability and productivity of the organization. Besides, these organizations have always used information systems to increase their domestic and international markets. By expansion of the companies to these markets, they gradually adopt other products to sell. Therefore, the current information systems have greatly helped organizations to expand their global networks platforms via the establishment of Omni-channel strategies to increase their global expansion. Companies use this strategy in a bid to increase both digital and analogue business channels (Rigby 2011). Many organizations are caught up with the phenomena of â€Å"going green.† This has many practical benefits associated with it. There are certain states including California that have ratified emission allowances, therefore,   company’s such as UPS need to incorporate or have incorporated this technology referred to as green in a bid to limit emission of gases harmful to the environment as well as comply with required standards (Lorette, 2013).   UPS as a company has in the US fleet of over 90,000 vehicles, and this is a substantial quantity of emission generated into the environment (United Parcel Service of America, 2013). In addition, most states give tax credit and incentives for those who comply with these regulations. There are states such as Florida that provide corporate income tax credit to companies that generate power from green sources (Lorette, 2013).   UPS would benefit from taking such initiatives in a bid to cut cost as well as protect the environm ent. The telematic information system is beneficial in environmental protection as well as making sure that the company adheres to the requirements set by many states. It is evident that one of the company’s key concerns other than business is environmental protection; this system is instrumental in guiding the company towards achieving this goal by its ability to combine proprietary information technology and engineering technology in emission reduction of harmful gases (Geotab, 2011). Conclusion UPS is not only a market leader, but also the first messenger company established back in the early 1900s. It is, therefore, not easy to remove such a company as a leader with its continuous innovation.   The company is ahead of the competition and has spread its branches in a complex worldwide network unmatched by any of its competitors. UPS has implemented in part the telematic information system, which has been examined and found to have many benefits including reducing wastage of fuel, indication of precise truck maintenance time, and reduction of carbon emission by reduction of idling time among others. The telematic information system is beneficial to UPS not only because of the factors mentioned above, but because it helps reduce the cost of doing business for any particular business. Most organizations buy such systems to minimize business production costs and costs of customers and suppliers. One of the company’s main concerns outside business is environmental prote ction; the telematic system helps the company achieve this goal by its ability to combine proprietary information technology and engineering technology in greenhouse gas reduction. It also performs navigational functions such as detailing GPS information on the conduct of the driver as well as planning training activities and vehicle maintenance. UPS has once again taken advantage of the information technology to advance ahead of its competition. The information system is intended to prepare its fleet for a high performance routine in a bid to further the company’s financial agenda. Own Analysis Virtually every firm strives to increase revenues and cut down on expenditure and UPS despite being a very successful enterprise is not exceptional to this fact. It is most likely that the company sort to mitigate the excesses in maintenance cost of its fleet. It seems that cost must have been a point of concern, therefore, the introduction of the system in order to perform multiple functions. The question is what is the cost of running the information system that runs the telepathic truck? Is its cost much lower than that of maintaining the trucks? Is there a better alternative than using this system? This most likely formed the basis of Carr (2003), idea that every firm especially one as successful as UPS can purchase IT and that many a times these do not result in any organizational performance difference. It seems   that UPS acquired this system at an exorbitant price and that the system might not have gone through a thorough test only to result in failure as many before it suc h as the CONFIRM or London Ambulance Service Computer Aided Dispatch information system (Davies, 1999). The telepathic truck is still subject to reviews and just as any other system, it has its flaws. It is had to imagine a situation where all the over 90,000 trucks in the United States, as well as those in subsidiary counties, are equipped with this system. This will be an enormous project that would need a division of the company to run thereby making no difference in having the trucks checked for common issues. This follows Carr   (2003), assertion that it is difficult for any organization to use IT to gain strategic edge and that it is wise to follow IT rather than be the leader of IT in the industry. Besides, energy reduction technique of the nature that this system is meant induce can be achieved without it. In addition, going green is an effort that cannot be left to a machine, but each and everyone individual effort in environmental protection. Nonetheless, everyone is now thinking cell powered vehicles as the best way to reduce energy cost and protect the environment from unnecessary pollution. Off course, there is no denying the fact that UPS will benefit from this system or is already benefiting, but it is important to consider that technology is highly dynamic and to move ahead of it could also mean missing its long term benefit just as the now outdated pager (Diffen, 2013). Bibliography Booth, A., Roberts, R. Sikes, J., 2011. How strong is your IT strategy? McKinsey on Business   Technology, 23, pp.2-7. Carr, N.G., 2003. IT Doesn’t Matter. [Online] The Magazine Available at: HYPERLINK http://hbr.org/2003/05/it-doesnt-matter/ar/1 http://hbr.org/2003/05/it-doesnt-matter/ar/1   [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Cleff, T. Rennings, K., 2011. Are there any first mover advantages for pioneering firms? Lead market oriented business strategies for environmental innovation. [Online] BMBF Programme Available at:   HYPERLINK http://kooperationen.zew.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Redaktion/Lead_Markets/Werkstattberichte/WB2_Cleff__Rennings_2nd_mover_final.pdf http://kooperationen.zew.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Redaktion/Lead_Markets/Werkstattberichte/WB2_Cleff__Rennings_2nd_mover_final.pdf   [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Davies, P.B., 1999. Human error and information systems failure: the case of the London ambulance service computer-aided despatch system project. Interacting with Computers, 11, pp.699–720. Diffen, 2013. Cell Phone vs Pager. [Online] Diffen Available at:  HYPERLINK diffen.com/difference/Cell_Phone_vs_Pager diffen.com/difference/Cell_Phone_vs_Pager   [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Fleet Owner, 2013. Pivotal LNG to supply fuel to UPS in Tennessee. [Online] Fleet Owner Available at:   HYPERLINK http://fleetowner.com/running-green/pivotal-lng-supply-fuel-ups-tennessee http://fleetowner.com/running-green/pivotal-lng-supply-fuel-ups-tennessee   [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Geotab, 2011. UPS Telematics Initiative Reduces Fuel Use, Allows for Conditions-Based PM Program. [Online] Available at: geotab.com/resources/press-room/2011/ups-telematics.aspx [Accessed 4 December 2013]. Kindler, E., 2000. Business Process Modelling and Workflow Management. [Online] University of Paderborn Available at: http://www2.cs.uni-paderborn.de/cs/kindler/Lehre/SS06/BPMaWfM/PDF/BPMaWfM02.pdf [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Kolman, D., 2010. Information Management. Fleet Mag, March. Laudon, K. Laudon, J.P., 2009. The Essentials of Information management Systems. [Online] Available at: http://www2.sta.uwi.edu/~anikov/info1400/lectures/01-ITF-video-case-1-UPS-global-operations-with-DIAD-IV.pdf [Accessed 4 December 2013]. Lorette, K., 2013. Why Businesses Should Go Green. [Online] Demand Media Available at: HYPERLINK http://smallbusiness.chron.com/businesses-should-green-766.html http://smallbusiness.chron.com/businesses-should-green-766.html   [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Manyika, J., 2009. Hal Varian on how the Web challenges managers. McKinsey Quarterly. Mostafa, E.-K. Yelena, G., 2005. FedEx in the Global Market. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK mcafee.cc/Classes/BEM106/Papers/2005/FedEx.pdf mcafee.cc/Classes/BEM106/Papers/2005/FedEx.pdf   [Accessed 4 December 2013]. O’Brien, J.A. Marakas, G.M., 2011. Management Information Systems. 10th ed. New York: McGrawHill. Pearlson, K.E. Saunders, C.S., 2010. Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic   Approach. 4th ed. New York: John Wiley Sons. United Parcel Service of America, 2013. About UPS. [Online] United Parcel Service of America Available at:   HYPERLINK ups.com/content/us/en/about/ ups.com/content/us/en/about/   [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Wathen, J., 2013. FedEx or UPS: A Rivalry Worthy of Your Attention. [Online] Available at: http://beta.fool.com/valuemagnet/2013/07/15/fedex-or-ups-a-rivalry-worthy-of-your-attention/40178/ [Accessed 4 December 2013].

Zara's Secret for Fast Fashion Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Zara's Secret for Fast Fashion - Case Study Example   Zara’s competitors in the fashion and industry were amazed at how the company was rapidly expanding both locally and internationally. It is important to note that all these stores were opened under the company’s brand but when the ventured into the Asian market, the company’s managers had different views of the market in that they decided to exercise the concept of Franchising. For instance, in Malaysia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the company operates as a B2B Company. Zara did virtually no advertising unlike its international clothing competitors such as Gap, Benetton, and H&M. Instead, the company places only two ads to promote its yearly sales and announce the opening of the new store. This decision has led Zara to realize 0.3% average revenue instead of 4%. Zara store managers have no discretion about the look and the feeling of their stores (Wikipedia, n.d). Zara does not aim to produce classic clothes that are always in style instead of the company intend ed to have its clothes to have fairly short life spans both in stores and customers wardrobe. In the year 2003, Inditex operated 1,558 stores in more than 40 countries of which 550 were part of Zara chain stores. The company has 90,000 employees of which 80% are female while the rest are male. Currently, Inditex is the biggest and fastest growing retailer while Zara is the biggest leading retail innovator in the world and that has established its place in the fashion industry by offering not only apparel and accessories for women fashion but also for children and men. More so, Zara Company had provided and established a unique environment for shopping by altering the manner others companies such as Gap and H&M store appear. The company changes its layouts often to incorporate artwork. Zara has realized how to expand and make a profit due to its capability to face the apparel challenges in the market. This paper aims to discuss the businesses model and key elements of disruptive busi ness, identify distinctive competencies of disruptive companies and discuss the competitive advantages of disruptive companies. Disruptive business model Disruptive innovation is a creation that aids establish a new market and value network, and it usually goes on to disrupt the existing market and value network by replacing or displacing an earlier technology. Disruptive model is used by a company to improve a product in a manner that the market does not expect by designing for a different segment of consumers in the new market and afterward by lowering the prices in the current or existing market. Businesses that adapt and applies disruptive model usually have a competitive advantage over its competitors in the market (Wikipedia, n.d). For instance, companies such as Dell and Zara have this model in order to remain in front of their competitors. Dell has survived the bust and now looks better for it since, in one of the worst PC industry history, Dell has gained enough share to be come the leading PC seller in the world.  

The Role of the Principal Officer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Role of the Principal Officer - Essay Example The position of Principal Officer has an expanding role through the implementation of shared service, NOMIS, the Phoenix Program, and contestability. These programs not only demand a greater accountability of our resources, but also allows us a vision of where we fit in the organisation. Ultimately it can reach beyond human resource management and allow us to see the Service as the single entity it has become by tying us together through technology. The Principal Officer has many responsibilities and obligations under NOMS. We have a primary obligation to offer the prisoners a safe and healthy environment while encouraging skills programs. We likewise have a duty to provide our employees with a safe workplace and the tools they need to accomplish their job. We're bound by our mission to provide the public with the assurance that released prisoners will make an easy transition back into the community. We additionally need to commit to assuring that prisoners will not re-offend. Our obligation extends to other departments such as health and safety, police, probation and court systems. We need to interact with these agencies to provide them with timely and accurate information and offer plans and proposals in a continuing effort to improve our service. We have a responsibility to the Service to follow policies and procedures and insure fiscal efficiency. The effective Principal Officer will be able to balance these responsibilities as they compete for time and resources. The competent Principal Officer must be a good listener. To facilitate change it is necessary to evaluate how the changes are affecting the people that work for you and with you. Employee feedback is a valuable tool to gain knowledge of what we are doing right or what we are doing wrong. Employees need to feel free to comment and offer suggestions or criticism in an open environment. A well placed trust in the workforce and a view of the staff as trained professionals who are motivated to do an outstanding job will insure open communication with the Principal Officer. Motivating our employees is a many sided endeavour. We first listen and then we take action as deemed appropriate. We need to be proactive in the areas of fairness and respect. Regular meetings with employees to insure that they have an in depth understanding of frequently changing policies will allow workers to perform their jobs with confidence. Encouraging diversity is a way to bring in new ideas and methods and is critical to our continued improvement. Timely and adequate assessment of job performance is also crucial to keeping employees striving to succeed and excel. People need to be recognised for their outstanding efforts and rewarded accordingly. Along with recognition and rewards, we need to offer our employees a clear career path with focused career goals. This helps the employees remain involved with their work and offers them a reason to excel and the motivation to meet our organisational objectives. This will not only aid in retention of our quality employees, but will also attract a higher quality workforce. By providing clear career objectives we will produce a climate that can offer improved performance and greater dedication. As important as it is to interact with other agencies, the Principal Officer also must interact with their employees and involve them in the day to day operation of the system.

How to Make a Transistor Radio Essay Example for Free

How to Make a Transistor Radio Essay First a few safety precautions: * Never touch the element or tip of the soldering iron. They are very hot (about 400Â °C) and will give you a nasty burn. * Take great care to avoid touching the mains flex with the tip of the iron. The iron should have a heatproof flex for extra protection. An ordinary plastic flex will melt immediately if touched by a hot iron and there is a serious risk of burns and electric shock. * Always return the soldering iron to its stand when not in use. Never put it down on your workbench, even for a moment! * Work in a well-ventilated area. The smoke formed as you melt solder is mostly from the flux and quite irritating. Avoid breathing it by keeping you head to the side of, not above, your work. * Wash your hands after using solder. Solder contains lead which is a poisonous metal. If you are unlucky (or careless!) enough to burn yourself please read the First Aid section. Preparing the soldering iron: * Place the soldering iron in its stand and plug in. The iron will take a few minutes to reach its operating temperature of about 400Â °C. * Dampen the sponge in the stand. The best way to do this is to lift it out the stand and hold it under a cold tap for a moment, then squeeze to remove excess water. It should be damp, not dripping wet. * Wait a few minutes for the soldering iron to warm up. You can check if it is ready by trying to melt a little solder on the tip. * Wipe the tip of the iron on the damp sponge. This will clean the tip. * Melt a little solder on the tip of the iron. This is called tinning and it will help the heat to flow from the irons tip to the joint. It only needs to be done when you plug in the iron, and occasionally while soldering if you need to wipe the tip clean on the sponge. You are now ready to start soldering: * Hold the soldering iron like a pen, near the base of the handle. Imagine you are going to write your name! Remember to never touch the hot element or tip. * Touch the soldering iron onto the joint to be made. Make sure it touches both the component lead and the track. Hold the tip there for a few seconds and * Feed a little solder onto the joint. It should flow smoothly onto the lead and track to form a volcano shape as shown in the diagram. Apply the solder to the joint, not the iron. * Remove the solder, then the iron, while keeping the joint still. Allow the joint a few seconds to cool before you move the circuit board. * Inspect the joint closely. It should look shiny and have a volcano shape. If not, you will need to reheat it and feed in a little more solder. This time ensure that boththe lead and track are heated fully before applying solder. If you are unlucky (or careless!) enough to burn yourself please read the First Aid section. Some components, such as transistors, can be damaged by heat when soldering so if you are not an expert it is wise to use a heat sink clipped to the lead between the joint and the component body. You can buy a special tool, but a standard crocodile clip works just as well and is cheaper. Soldering Advice for Components It is very tempting to start soldering components onto the circuit board straight away, but please take time to identify all the parts first. You are much less likely to make a mistake if you do this! 1. Stick all the components onto a sheet of paper using sticky tape. 2. Identify each component and write its name or value beside it. 3. Add the code (R1, R2, C1 etc.) if necessary. Many projects from books and magazines label the components with codes (R1, R2, C1, D1 etc.) and you should use the projects parts list to find these codes if they are given. 4. Resistor values can be found using the resistor colour code which is explained on our Resistors page. You can print out and make your own Resistor Colour Code Calculator to help you. 5. Capacitor values can be difficult to find because there are many types with different labelling systems! The various systems are explained on our Capacitors page. Some components require special care when soldering. Many must be placed the correct way round and a few are easily damaged by the heat from soldering. Appropriate warnings are given in the table below, together with other advice which may be useful when soldering. What is solder? Solder is an alloy (mixture) of tin and lead, typically 60% tin and 40% lead. It melts at a temperature of about 200Â °C. Coating a surface with solder is called tinning because of the tin content of solder. Lead is poisonous and you should always wash your hands after using solder. Solder for electronics use contains tiny cores of flux, like the wires inside a mains flex. The flux is corrosive, like an acid, and it cleans the metal surfaces as the solder melts. This is why you must melt the solder actually on the joint, not on the iron tip. Without flux most joints would fail because metals quickly oxidise and the solder itself will not flow properly onto a dirty, oxidised, metal surface. The best size of solder for electronics is 22swg (swg = standard wire gauge). Soldering is defined as the joining of metals by a fusion of alloys which have relatively low melting points. In other words, you use a metal that has a low melting point to adhere the surfaces to be soldered together. Consider that soldering is more like gluing with molten metal, unlike welding where the base metals are actually melted and combined. Soldering is also a must have skill for all sorts of electrical and electronics work. It is also a skill that must be taught correctly and developed with practice. This tutorial will cover the most common types of soldering required for electronics work. This includes soldering components to printed circuit boards and soldering a spliced wire joint. Soldering Equipment The Soldering Iron/Gun The first thing you will need is a soldering iron, which is the heat source used to melt solder. Irons of the 15W to 30W range are good for most electronics/printed circuit board work. Anything higher in wattage and you risk damaging either the component or the board. If you intend to solder heavy components and thick wire, then you will want to invest in an iron of higher wattage (40W and above) or one of the large soldering guns. The main difference between an iron and a gun is that an iron is pencil shaped and designed with a pinpoint heat source for precise work, while a gun is in a familiar gun shape with a large high wattage tip heated by flowing electrical current directly through it. For hobbyist electronics use, a soldering iron is generally the tool of choice as its small tip and low heat capacity is suited for printed circuit board work (such as assembling kits). A soldering gun is generally used in heavy duty soldering such as joining heavy gauge wires, soldering brackets to a chassis or stained glass work. You should choose a soldering iron with a 3-pronged grounding plug. The ground will help prevent stray voltage from collecting at the soldering tip and potentially damaging sensitive (such as CMOS) components. By their nature, soldering guns are quite dirty in this respect as the heat is generated by shorting a current (often AC) through the tip made of formed wire. Guns will have much less use in hobbyist electronics so if you have only one tool choice, an iron is what you want. For a beginner, a 15W to 30W range is the best but be aware that at the 15W end of that range, you may not have enough power to join wires or larger components. As your skill increases, a 40W iron is an excellent choice as it has the capacity for slightly larger jobs and makes joints very quickly. Be aware that it is often best to use a more powerful iron so that you dont need to spend a lot of time heating the joint, which can damage components. A variation of the basic gun or iron is the soldering station, where the soldering instrument is attached to a variable power supply. A soldering station can precisely control the temperature of the soldering tip unlike a standard gun or iron where the tip temperature will increase when idle and decrease when applying heat to a joint. However, the price of a soldering station is often ten to one hundred times the cost of a basic iron and thus really isnt an option for the hobby market. But if you plan to do very precise work, such as surface mount, or spend 8 hours a day behind a soldering iron, then you should consider a soldering station. The rest of this document will assume that you are using a soldering iron as that is what the majority of electronics work requires. The techniques for using a soldering gun are basically the same with the only difference being that heat is only generated when the trigger is pressed. Solder The choice of solder is also important. There several kinds of solder available but only a few are suitable for electronics work. Most importantly, you will only use rosin core solder. Acid core solder is common in hardware stores and home improvement stores, but meant for soldering copper plumbing pipes and not electronic circuits. If acid core solder is used on electronics, the acid will destroy the traces on the printed circuit board and erode the component leads. It can also form a conductive layer leading to shorts. For most printed circuit board work, a solder with a diameter of 0.75MM to 1.0MM is desirable. Thicker solder may be used and will allow you to solder larger joints more quickly, but will make soldering small joints difficult and increase the likelihood of creating solder bridges between closely spaced PCB pads. An alloy of 60/40 (60% tin, 40% lead) is used for most electronics work. These days, several lead-free solders are available as well. Kester 44 Rosin Core solder has been a staple of electronics for many years and continues to be available. It is available in several diameters and has a non-corrosive flux. Large joints, such as soldering a bracket to a chassis using a high wattage soldering gun, will require a separate application of brush on flux and a thick diameter solder of several millimeters. Remember that when soldering, the flux in the solder will release fumes as it is heated. These fumes are harmful to your eyes and lungs. Therefore, always work in a well ventilated area and avoid breathing the smoke created. Hot solder is also dangerous. It is surprisingly easy to splash hot solder onto yourself, which is a thoroughly unpleasant experience. Eye protection is also advised. Preparing To Solder Tinning The Soldering Tip Before use, a new soldering tip, or one that is very dirty, must be tinned. Tinning is the process of coating a soldering tip with a thin coat of solder. This aids in heat transfer between the tip and the component you are soldering, and also gives the solder a base from which to flow from. Step 1: Warm Up The Iron Warm up the soldering iron or gun thoroughly. Make sure that it has fully come to temperature because you are about to melt a lot of solder on it. This is especially important if the iron is new because it may have been packed with some kind of coating to prevent corrosion. Step 2: Prepare A Little Space While the soldering iron is warming up, prepare a little space to work. Moisten a little sponge and place it in the base of your soldering iron stand or in a dish close by. Lay down a piece of cardboard in case you drip solder (you probably will) and make sure you have room to work comfortably. Step 3: Thoroughly Coat The Tip In Solder Thoroughly coat the soldering tip in solder. It is very important to cover the entire tip. You will use a considerable amount of solder during this process and it will drip, so be ready. If you leave any part of the tip uncovered it will tend to collect flux residue and will not conduct heat very well, so run the solder up and down the tip and completely around it to totally cover it in molten solder. Step 4: Clean The Soldering Tip After you are certain that the tip is totally coated in solder, wipe the tip off on the wet sponge to remove all the flux residue. Do this immediately so there is no time for the flux to dry out and solidify.

The Etiology of Autism Essay -- Psychology Neurology Disorders autisti

The Etiology of Autism Autism is a syndrome that is characterized by the impairment of social interaction skills, verbal and nonverbal communication, and a decreased interest in participating in a variety of activities. In 1943, Kanner, the man who is attributed with the identification of this disease, hypothesized that autism might be a biological disorder as opposed to a psychological one. Numerous studies have been conducted supporting Kanner’s hypothesis. These studies have ranged from examining the effects of rubella to investigating certain purine metabolic disorders as possible etiological agents. Recently, the areas of neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, and genetics have played a crucial role in developing a clearer picture into the etiology of this disease. Upon exploring the biological aspects of autism, the fields of neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, and genetics have offered new insights concerning their association with the onset of this disease. Neuroanatomy is one of the latest fields involved in uncovering the possible causes of autism. Many past studies conducted in this area found that autistic patients had enlarged lateral ventricles, however, this abnormality didn’t reveal any damage to a specific anatomical site. The most recent studies conducted on the cerebella of autistic patients showed much more dramatic results. In one specific experiment conducted by Dr. Courchesne, the cerebellar lobules of eighteen autistic patients were compared with the lobules of twelve subjects within a normal control group. The eighteen autistic patients were chosen on the basis that their autistic state was "... not complicated by severe mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, genetic abnormality, other neurologic dise... ... R. S. and B. H. Herman. A Novel Biochemical Model Linking Dysfunctions in Brain Melatonin, Proopiomelanocortin Peptides, and Serotonin in Autism. Biological Psychiatry, 28:773-793, 1991. Courchesne, E. et. al. Hypoplasia of Cerebellar Vermal Lobules VI and VII in Autism. New England Journal of Medicine, 318:1349-1354, May 26, 1988. Gillberg, C. et. al. Monozygotic Female Twins With Autism and the Fragile X Syndrome (AFRAX). J. Child Psychol. Psychiat., 29(4); 447-451, 1988. Herman, B. H. and Panksepp, J. Effects of Morphine and Naloxone on Social Attachment in Infant Guinea Pigs. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behaviour, 9;213-220, 1978. Lowenstein, P. R. et. al. Effects of Naloxone on the Nocturnal Rise of Rat Pineal Melatonin Content. Eur. J. Pharmacol., 98;26 Reiss, A. L. et. al. Autism and Genetic Disorders. Schizophrenic Bulletin.12(4); 724-38, 1986.

The Campbell Company

The Campbell Company is evaluating a proposal to buy a new milling machine. The base price is $108,000, and shipping and installation costs would add another $12,500. The machine falls into the MACRS 3-year class, and it would be sold after 3 years for $65,000. The machine would require a $5,500 increase in working capital (increased inventory less increased accounts payable). There would be no effect on revenues, but pre-tax labor costs would decline by $44,000 per year. The marginal tax rate is 35 percent. 1. What is the net cost of the machine for capital budgeting purposes, that is, the Year 0 project cash flow? Net Cost of the machine = $108,000 + $12,500 + $5,500 = $126,000 2. What are the net operating cash flows during Years 1, 2 and 3? Â   | Year | |Â   |0 |1 |2 |3 | |After-Tax Savings |Â   |$28,600 |$28,600 |$28,600 | |Depreciation Tax Savings |Â   |$13,918 |$18,979 |$6,326 | |Net Cash Flow |Â   |$42,518 |$47,579 |$34,926 | . What is the terminal year cash flow? |Salvage Value |$65,000 | |Tax on Salvage Value |$19,798 | |NWC Recovery |$5,500 | |Terminal Cash Flow |$50,702 | 4. If the project’s cost of capital (WACC) is 12 percent, should the machine be purchased? Yes, the machine should be purchased as the investment has a positive NPV of $10,840 as per the following table. |NPV Analysis | |Year |Cash Flow |PV Factor @ 12% |PV | |0 |($126,000) |1 |($126,000) | |1 |$42,518 |0. 929 |$37,962 | |2 |$47,579 |0. 7972 |$37,929 | |3 |$85,629 |0. 7118 |$60,949 | |NPV |Â   |Â   |$10,840 |

Managing Individuals Performance in the Workplace

Managing Individual Performance Introduction The purpose of this paper is to identify the criteria needed for making team selections along with the factors to manage a team effectively. Once I have defined the criteria for team making and management, I will elaborate on how an individual s personality affects the workplace. Criteria for selecting team members Many organizations have difficulty forming effective working teams and that is because labor and management lack shared values. Another reason is because of the structure and function of problem solving teams was not established according to behavior science concepts and techniques. Additionally, it is important to consider that it is not always necessary for supervisors†¦show more content†¦David Sharp stated that the manager has the responsibility of giving employees latitude to decide how to do their job, thus, if the employee enjoys what he or she does, the employee will perform the task better. Don t put your introverted loner into customer service, thus, a person that is extroverted would be the best candidate. Sharp also stated that, Some people may not enjoy their jobs and they may only be performing the job for prestige. Thus, some employees may not have the ability to perform their job due to lack of training and skills needed. To remedy problems as such, the manager will need to be sensitive to the skills and interests employees to assure that employees are assigned to the right position (Sharp 2005). P vs. J- Perceptive or Judgmental- A person with a perceptive type of attitude is known to be curious, spontaneous, flexible, adaptable and tolerant. Usually, this person focuses on starting a task and postpones decisions because they want to find out about the task before starting it. On the other hand, judgmental types are decisive, good planners and exacting. 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