Business Continuity Planning

Though interruptions to business can be due to major natural disasters such as fires, floods, earthquakes and storms; or due to man-made disasters such as wars, terrorist attacks and riots; it is usually the more mundane and less sensational disasters such as power failure, equipment failure, theft and sabotage that are the causes behind disruptions to business.A Business Continuity Plan or â€Å"Continuity of Business Planning (CoB Plan) †¦ defines the process of identification of the applications, customers (internal & external) and locations that a business plans to keep functioning in the occurrence of such disruptive events, as well the failover processes & the length of time for such support. This encompasses hardware, software, facilities, personnel, communication links and applications† (MphasiS, 2003).A Business Continuity Plan is formulated in order to enable the organization to recover from a disaster with the minimum loss of time and business by restoring its critical operations quickly and smoothly. The Business Continuity Plan should be devised in such a way that it involves not only the recovery, resumption and maintenance of only the technology components but also of the entire business. Recovery of only the ICT systems and infrastructure may not always imply the full restoration of business operations.The Business Recovery Planning at XE therefore envisages the consideration of all risks to business operations that may include not only ICT applications and infrastructure but also directly impact on other business processes. After conducting an extensive Business Impact Analysis (BIA), Risk Assessment for XE was carried out by evaluating the assumptions made in BIA under various threat scenarios. Threats were analyzed on the basis of their potential impact to the organization, its customers and the financial market it is associated with.The threats were then prioritized depending on their severity. The following threats were identifi ed for XE: 1. Natural disasters such as floods, fires, storms, earthquakes, extreme weather, etc. 2. Man-made disasters such as terrorist attacks, wars and riots. 3. Routine threats that include: a. Non-availability of critical personnel b. Inaccessibility of critical buildings, facilities or geographic regions c. Malfunctioning of equipment or hardware d. Inaccessibility or corruption of software and data due to various reasons including virus attacks e. Non-availability of support servicesf. Failure of communication links and other essential utilities such as power g. Inability to meet financial liquidity requirements, and h. Unavailability of essential records. Organizing the BCP Team The first and most important step in developing a successful disaster recovery plan is to create management awareness. The top-level management will allocate necessary resources and time required from various areas of the organizations only if they understand, realize and support the value of disast er recovery. The management has to also accord approval for final implementation of the plan.The BCP team therefore has to have a member from the management who can not only provide the inputs from the management but also apprise the management and get its feedback. Besides these, each core or priority area has to be represented by at least one member. Finally, there has to an overall Business Continuity Plan coordinator who is responsible not only for co-ordination but also for all other aspects of BCP implementation such as training, updating, creating awareness, testing, etc. The coordinator usually has his or her own support team.XE’s Business Continuity Planning team would therefore comprise representatives from the management and each of the core or priority areas, and would be held together by the BCP coordinator. Even in the case of outsourcing of the BCP, it is necessary for the management and nominated members from the core or priority areas to be closely associated with each step of the planning process. Crucial Decisions The key decisions to be made in formulating the Business Continuity Plan for XE were associated with the individual steps that were undertaking in making the BCP.The first step of Business Impact Analysis (BIA) involved making a work flow analysis to assess and prioritize all business functions and processes including their interdependencies. At this stage, the potential impact of business disruptions was identified along with all the legal and regulatory requirements for XE’s business functions and processes. Based on these, decisions on allowable downtime and acceptable level of losses were taken. Estimations were made on Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs), Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) and recovery of the critical path.The second step of Business Continuity Planning comprised of risk assessment during which business processes and the assumptions made in the course of BIA were evaluated using various threat scenario s. The decisions made at this stage included the threat scenarios that were to be adopted, the severity of the threats and finally identification the risks that were to be considered in the BCP based on the assessments made. The next step of Risk Management involved drawing up of the plan of action with respect to the various risks.This was the stage at which the actual Business Continuity Plan was drawn up, formulated and documented. Crucial decisions such as what specific steps whould be taken during a disruption, the training programs that should be organized to train personnel in implementation of the BCP, and the frequency of updating and revisions that would be required were taken at this stage. Finally, in the Risk Monitoring and Testing stage, decisions regarding the suitability and effectiveness of the BCP were taken with reference to the initial objectives of the Business Continuity Plan. Business Rules and System Back-upsMy friend works for the Motor Vehicles department t hat issues driving licenses for private and commercial vehicles. Applicants for any license initially come and deposit a fee. The particulars of the specific applicant along with photograph and biometrics in the form of finger prints are then entered into the database. Thereafter, the applicant undergoes a medical test, the results of which are again entered into the database of the system. If approved in the medical test, the applicant has to appear for an initial theoretical test on driving signs and rules and regulations.If the applicant passes the test, he or she is given a Learner’s License. The applicant then comes back for the practical driving test after a month, and is awarded the driving license if he or she is able to pass the test. New additions are made to the database of the driving license system at every stage of this workflow. Though the tests for the learner’s license and driving license are held three days in a week, an individual can apply any day o f the five working days of the department. People also come for renewal of driving licenses.Driving licenses are usually issued for a period of one to five years depending on the age and physical condition of the applicant. In the case of commercial vehicles, an applicant first has to obtain a trainee driving license and work as an apprentice driver for two years before he or she becomes eligible for a driving license to drive a commercial vehicle. Moreover, a commercial driving license is issued only for a year at time, and the driver has to come back for evaluation and medical tests every year.The number and frequency of transactions are therefore much higher for commercial vehicles. As is evident from the business rules of the department, data is added and modified frequently for a specific applicant during the process of the initial application. Subsequently, data is again added to or the database modified after an interval of one month for the same applicant. Thereafter, fresh data is added to the database or the database modified only after a period of five years when the applicant comes back for renewal.However, there is always the possibility that someone loses or misplaces his or her license and comes back to have a duplicate issued. But when the scenario of multiple applicants who can come in at any day for fresh, duplicate or renewal of licenses is considered, it becomes evident that transactions are not periodic or time bound but are continuous. Transactions can happen any time during working hours resulting in changes to the database of the system. Taking only complete backup of the system would not be the optimal backup solution under the given circumstances.Whatever frequency of complete backup is adopted, the chance of losing data will be very high in the case of database failure or any other disastrous event that results system failure or corruption. Moreover, taking complete backup of the system very frequently would be a laborious and cumber some exercise. The ideal backup method in this case would be incremental backup in which backup is taken of only the data that is added or modified the moment it is added or modified, and a complete backup is taken at a periodic frequency.Under the situation, the Motor Vehicles Department has opted for continuous incremental backup with a complete backup taken at the end of the day. As a Business Continuity Plan measure, the department uses a remote backup mirroring solution that provides host-based, real-time continuous replication to a disaster recovery site far away from their servers over standard IP networks. This mirroring process uses continuous, asynchronous, byte-level replication and captures the changes as they occur. It copies only changed bytes, therefore reducing network use, enabling quicker replication and reducing latency to a great extent.This remote mirroring solution integrates with the existing backup solutions, and can replicate data to perform remote backups a nd can take snapshots at any time without having any impact on the performance of the production severs. It replicates over the available IP network, both in LAN and WAN, and has been deployed without any additional cost. This remote mirroring solution accords the department the maximum possible safeguard against data loss from failures and other disasters. Database Processing Efficiency versus Database Storage EfficiencyThough storage costs as such has decreased dramatically over the years, the controversy between database processing efficiency and database storage efficiency continues to be an issue because the overall performance of a systems is affected by the way data is stored and processed. In other words, even though the volume of storage space available may no longer be a constraint financially and physically, the way this space is utilized has an impact on the database processing efficiency which in turns affects the overall performance of the application or the system.Und er the present circumstances, though it is possible to compromise on the side of database storage efficiency to derive greater database performance efficiency and thus improve the overall performance of the system, achieving optimization of the overall performance of a system requires striking a fine balance between database processing and database storage efficiency. There can be many tradeoffs between data processing speed and the efficient use of storage space for optimal performance of a system. There is no set rule on which tradeoffs to adopt, and differs according to the practical data creation, modification and flow of the system.Certain broad guidelines can however be followed in order to increase the overall utility of the database management system. Examples of such guidelines are to be found in the case of derived fields, denormalization, primary key and indexing overheads, reloading of database and query optimization. Derived fields Derived field are the fields in which data is obtained after the manipulation or operation of two or more original fields or data. The issue at stake is whether the data should be stored only in the original form or as the processed data in derived field also.When the data is stored only in the original form, the derived field is calculated as and when required. It is obvious that storing derived data will require greater storage space but the processing time will be comparatively less i. e. storage efficiency will be low whereas processing efficiency becomes higher. However, the decision on whether to store derived fields or not depend on other considerations such as how often the calculated data is likely to change, and how often the calculated data will be required or used. An example will make will serve to make matters more clear.A university student’s grade point standing is a perfect example of the derived field. For a specific class, a student’s grade point is obtained by multiplying the points cor responding to the grade of the student by the number of credit hours associated with the course. The points or the grade and the number of credit hours are therefore the original data, by multiplying which we get the grade point or the derived field. The decision on whether to store the derived field or not, will in this case depend on how often the grade point of a student is likely to change, and how often the student’s grade points are actually required.The grades of a student who has already graduated is unlikely to undergo nay more changes, whereas the grades of a student still studying in the university will change at regular frequency. In such a case, storing the grade points of an undergraduate would be more meaningful than storing the grade points of a student who has already graduated. Again if the undergraduate’s grades are reported only once a term, then it may not be worth it to store grade points as derived fields. The significance of the matter is realiz ed when we consider a database of thousand of students.The tradeoff in this case is between storing the grade points as derived fields and gaining on database processing efficiency and losing out on database storage efficiency on one hand; and not storing the derived fields and gaining on storage efficiency but losing out processing efficiency on the other. Denormalization Denormalization is a process by which the number of records in a fully normalized database can be considerably reduced even while adhering to the rule of the First Normal Form that states that the intersection of any row with any column should result in a single data value.The process of cutting down multiple records into a single record is applicable only in certain specific cases in which the number and frequency of transaction is known. Normalization of a database is required to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the data which in turn leads to validity of the reports generated by the system and the reliabi lity of the of the decisions based on the system. Denormalization, if done randomly can upset the balance of the database while economizing on storage space. The dilemma of Indexing Unplanned use of primary key has a telling negative affect on the database storage efficiency.Many database systems resort to setting index on a field. When a field is index, the system sets a pointer to that particular field. The pointer helps in processing the data much faster. However, indexing fields also results in the system storing and maintaining data but also information or data about the storage. The question therefore again boils down to deciding on whether to achieve higher processing efficiency by compromising storage efficiency or to enable higher storage capabilities at the cost of processing efficiency.Sorting the data periodically is one way of overcoming the dilemma of indexing. However, sorting itself is highly taxing on the resources of a system. Moreover, in large organizations with millions of data, a sort may take even up to hours during which all computer operations remain suspended. Other factors Storage efficiency and processing efficiency are also interdependent in other ways. The deletion of data without reloading the database from time to time may result in the deleted data actually not being removed from the database.The data is simply hidden by setting a flag variable or marker. This results not only in low storage efficiency but also in low processing efficiency. Reloading a database removes the deleted data permanently from the database and leads to smaller amount of data and a more efficient use if resources thereby boosting processing efficiency. Similarly, haphazard coding structures can impact negatively both on the storage efficiency and the processing efficiency of a database. Completely ignoring storage efficiency while prioritizing processing efficiency, can never lead to database optimization.Conversely, optimization can also never be achie ved by an over emphasis on storage efficiency. The objective is to strike the right balance. The interrelationships between database storage efficiency and database processing efficiency therefore keep the controversy between the two alive in spite of a dramatic decrease in storage costs over the years. References -01 MphasiS Corporation, 2003, MphasiS Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Plan, [Online] Available. http://www. mphasis. com [June 27, 2008]

Geomechanics Lab Report

Aim The main intention of this investigation was to determine the various stages of the Atterberg Limits. These included the liquid limit test (LL), plastic limit test (PL), plastic index test (PI) and linear shrinkage (LS) of a soil sample provided by the administration. This was then followed by a sieve analysis to determine the particle size distribution of another soil sample so that a suitable classification in both situations could be made in accordance with the Australian Standards AS1726 – 1993. Procedure (Sample preperation)On commencement of the experiment, each group was provided with two parts of 500grams of soil retrieved from the field and then oven dried by the experiment supervisor. One part of the soil sample was coarse grain gravel for the particle size distribution chart and sieve analysis, whilst the remaining 500 grams of soil was of fine grained fraction. * Preparation of Coarse Grained Fraction During this procedure the mass of 500grams of soil was recor ded and soaked in water for duration of 24 hours. This was then followed by placing the soil sample into a 0. 75mm mesh sieve and the entire fine particle was washed away using running tap water and a small spray bottle until the water had started running clear. The sieved sample was then transferred in a tray which was again put into the oven at 100 degrees for 24 hours. * Preparation of Fine Grained Fraction The remainder of the 500 grams of the sample was then sieved through a 0. 425 mm mesh sieve and the contents collected. This procedure was done until approximately 150 to 200grams of material was successfully passing sieve. Procedure (Sieve Analysis)This procedure involved the sieve analysis of the coarse fraction. This involved weighing the mass of the oven dried coarse grained fraction so that we are able to determine the particle size distribution. For this experiment the mass of coarse fraction used was 312. 10 grams. This was then followed by arranging the sieves from top to bottom in order from larger gapped mesh in the sieve to the smaller one (i. e. 37. 5mm to 0. 075mm) and then pouring the sample in the top sieve whilst shaking it for approximately 10 minutes.This provided mechanical energy to the soil allowing for it to pass all the sieve layers. The next procedure involved recording the soil mass that had accumulated on each sieve and the bottom pan. Furthermore the percentage of original mass retained and cumulative passing % vs. particle size plot has been constructed as shown in Appendix A. As shown in the plot it can be noted that the results obtained were not accurate enough for the effective size values of D_10 and D_30 to be calculated. Yet the effective size D_60 was able to be found and was shown to be 1. mm as shown in the particle size vs percentage passing table in appendix A. Due to the fact that all effective size values have not been able to be attained from the graph, the uniformity coefficient C_u and the coefficient of curvat ure C_c were not able to be calculated. Yet if they could be then they would be calculated using these equations: Cu=D60D10 Cc=D102D10*D60 where CU=Coefficient of Curvature Cc=Coefficient of Curvature All values recorded have been further discussed in the results section of this report. Procedure (Atterberg Limits determination) * Liquid Limit (LL)The liquid limit test west performed on the fine Sandy soil over the course of two sessions to determine the water content (percentage) at the point when the soil started to behave with liquid qualities. This test procedure involved gradually adding water to a round well created in two thirds of the soil sample on a glass plate. Then using two spatulas the sample was mixed until a smooth paste was formed. This was then followed by placing a small amount of the sample into the liquid limit device and leveling it horizontally using the spatula to create a smooth surface.Using the grooving tool the sample in the cup was divided in half. To de termine the number of blows the handle of the mechanism was rotated at a speed of two blows per second and the number of blows recorded until the soil closed the groove to a length of 1 cm. It was expected that the number of blows be as close to 25+ or – 3 as possible. The group was successful in our fourth attempt where 28 blows were recorded. Once the sample was successful it was removed from the liquid limit cup and placed within a tin and the mass weighed. This was determined to calculate the moisture content percentage.The mixture in the liquid limit range was placed in a 0. 25 meter length mould with a internal diameter of 0. 025 meters and left on top of the oven so that the linear shrinkage could be determined. All values obtained are discussed in the results. * Plastic Limit (PL) To determine the plastic limit (as a percentage), after which the soil could no longer be deformed; water was added to the remaining one third of the dry soil on a separate glass plate and m olded by hand. Small amounts of the soil were rolled on the flat glass plate until they formed into a diameter of 3 mm and then started to break apart.According to AS12989 it was proved that the soil had reached its plastic limit. This soil was then placed in a tin and similarly to the liquid limit all mass values of the tin and sample were recorded. These were left to dry in the oven. All results obtained the following day have been discussed in the results section. * Linear Shrinkage (%) As instructed, results for the linear shrinkage were collected after duration of 24 hours from the laboratory and the linear shrinkage (in percentage) was calculated using the formula: LS=LsL*100 where Ls=Recorded Shrinkage L=Initial Length of SampleIn addition to the linear shrinkage, all dry mass results were also collected from the previous day and recorded as shown in the results section of this report. * Plastic Index Conduction of the plastic limit and linear shrinkage test led to the calcul ation of the moisture content in percentage and this further allowed us to calculate the plastic index using the formula. Ip=Wl- Wp where Wl=Liquid Limit Wp=Plastic Limit * Classification of Soil After the soil tests have been completed as listed above and results obtained, the soil sample was classified according to the Australian Standards AS1726 – 1993.To aid in this classification of the soil, table 8 (Identification and Classification of Coarse Grained Soils) and table 9 (Identification and classification of Fine grained Soils) as well as Graph 1 (Plasticity Chart vs. Liquid Limit) have been used and attached in Appendix C. Further criteria such as Plasticity of Fines, Color of Soil, Cohesive strength and Classification Group symbol (Table 7 Soil Classification Symbols) can also be used. Results * Sieve Analysis – Determining the Particle size Distribution Tin #| | Mass of Wet soil + Tin| 203. 79| Mass of Dry soil + Tin| 165. 0| Mass of Tin| 32. 60| Mass of Moistu re| 38. 19| Mass of Dry Soil| 133. 00| Moisture Content| 28. 70| Initisl Mass of Oven Dried Sample| 500g| Mass of oven Dried Sample retained over 75? m| 312. 1g| Percentage of Coarse Fraction| 37. 58g| Mass of Dry sample passing the 75? m| 187. 9g| Table 1: Soil Sample Preparation Values – Total Mass of Sample used for Sieve Analysis = 500 grams – Mass of Coarse Fraction of Sample Used for Sieve Analysis AS Apperture| Mass Retained (g)| % Retained| % Passing| 37. 5mm| 0. 00| 0. 00%| 100. 00%| 26. 5mm| 0. 00| 0. 00%| 100. 00%| 19mm| 13. 0| 2. 60%| 97. 40%| 13. 2mm| 14. 70| 2. 94%| 94. 46%| 9. 5mm| 1. 00| 0. 20%| 94. 26%| 6. 7mm| 13. 90| 2. 78%| 91. 48%| 4. 75mm| 17. 30| 3. 46%| 88. 02%| 2. 36mm| 61. 60| 12. 32%| 75. 70%| 1. 18mm| 63. 10| 12. 62%| 63. 08%| 600? m| 51. 40| 10. 28%| 52. 80%| 425? m| 22. 00| 4. 40%| 48. 40%| 300? m| 20. 30| 4. 06%| 44. 34%| 150? m| 22. 60| 4. 52%| 39. 82%| 75? m| 7. 60| 1. 52%| 38. 30%| Pan| 0. 40| 0. 08%| 38. 22%| | SUM = 308. 9| | | Table 2: Particle size Distribution of the Soil Sample Particle size vs. Percentage Passing (%) can be viewed in the Appendix section of this report.D_10| N/A| D_30| N/A| D_60| 1. 1 mm| Coefficient of Uniformity| N/A| Coefficient of Curvature| N/A| Table 3: Particle Size Determination Coefficients As the Particle Size vs. Percentage Passing graph was unable to be plotted fully, the values for D_10 and D_30 could not be determined hence not allowing the Coefficient of Uniformity and Curvature to be found. * Atterberg Limits Determination (Liquid Limit) Liquid limit| Test no. | Test 1| Test 2| Test 3| Test 4| Tin #| 12| 58| 80| 61| Number of Blows| 7| 21| 14| 28| Mass of Wet Soil and Tin| 45. 8| 35. 77| 39. 32| 27. 6| Mass of Dry Soil and Tin| 38| 28. 4| 34. 5| 22. 5| Mass of Tin| 24. 21| 14. 57| 26. 31| 15. 42| Mass of Moisture| 7. 8| 7. 37| 4. 82| 4. 86| Mass of Dry Soil| 13. 79| 13. 83| 8. 19| 7. 08| Moisture Content| 56. 56%| 53. 29%| 58. 85%| 68. 64%| Table 4: Liquid Limit Determinati on The results obtained in the table 4 (liquid limit determination) above show that after conducting four tests in the lab the number of blows were varied quite a lot. The reason behind this was that at the start a greater amount of liquid then required was placed in the soil making it two wet.Then as extra dry soil was added to the sample the number of blows gradually increased allowing for a result acceptable within the 25 + – 3 limit was met in test 4 Hence the soil sample’s LL can be taken as 68. 64%. * Atterberg Limits Determination (Plastic Limit) Plastic Limit| Test no. | Test 1| Tin #| 16| Mass of Wet Soil and Tin| 37. 06| Mass of Dry Soil and Tin| 34. 5| Mass of Tin| 23. 94| Mass of Moisture | 2. 56| Mass of Dry Soil| 10. 56| Moisture Content| 24. 24%| Avg. Moisture Content| 59. 34%| Table 5: Plastic Limit DeterminationThe above table represents the values calculated and determined results for the plastic limit of the soil in this experiment. This was done by weighing the mass of the soil and tin after it had been rolled into a 3mm diameter rod until it crumbled and then oven dried. * Atterberg Limits Determination (Plastic Index) Looking at the graph attached in the appendix B (Number of Blows vs. Moisture Content), the value for the Plastic Limit was unable to be as accurately determined as we would have hoped but using the plastic Index equation below it was found to be 44. %. Plastic Index %= Liquid Limit-Plastic Limit=___________% Plastic Index %= 68. 64-24. 24=44. 4% Linear Shrinkage Determination| Mould No. | 3| Crumbling of Sample| NO| Length of Mould| 254mm| Curling of Sample| NO| Length of Soil| 222mm| Cracking of Sample| YES| Linear Shrinkage| 12. 60%| * Atterberg Limits Determination (Linear Shrinkage) Table 6: Linear Shrinkage Determination After removing the mould containing the soil sample after 24 hours from the top of the oven, the linear shrinkage of the soil was measured using a ruler.The result as shown above in table 6, the soil has shrunk 32mm in length and cracking of the sample has occurred. The same has not crumbled at touch and has not shown any curling effects. The Overall linear shrinkage is calculated to be 12. 60%. LS=LsL*100 LS=32254*100=12. 60% Discussion The classification of the Coarse and Fine Grained soil was made according to the Australian Standards as1726 – 1993. All justification of the results and classifications of the Sieve Analysis and Atterberg Limits have been made through the combination of the identification and classification tables in the appendix. Coarse Grained Soil As per the Particle size plot in the appendix, the sample is shown to have only coarse grain materials. Consisting of 22% Gravel (7% Medium Grain and 15% Fine Grain) and 38% Sand (22% Coarse Grain, 13% Medium Grain and 3% Fine Grain), indicates that the soil is widely distributed and hence making it a Gravelly SAND. * Fine Grained Soil Using the Atterberg Limits to find the Plastic Limit and Liq uid Limit percentages, these were applied to the Plasticity vs. Liquid Limit Chart (AS1726-1993) to determine the classification of the soil sample.As the intersection point is below the â€Å"A† line with a high liquid limit of 68. 64%, the reaction to shaking was low to none and the toughness is low, the classification of the soil sample is most likely to be MS-SILT Highly Plastic. Also according to the Australian Standards the color of our soil was Brown mottled red-brown. Since the fine grained soil was cohesion less and free running we can classify the soil as dry. In accordance to the Plasticity vs. Liquid Limit chart the soil is of High Plasticity as the liquid limit was of a value greater than 50%.In addition to the above, the particle size distribution curve is also widely spread so the soil is classified as â€Å"Well Graded†. Conclusion In this experiment we used the Sieve analysis and Atterberg Limits tests to investigate the properties of the soil as menti oned in the Australian Standards AS1726 -1993. In addition sample tests were conducted including the liquid limit test (LL), plastic limit test (PL), plastic index test (PI) and linear shrinkage (LS) of the soil sample provided by the administration. All results obtained have been justified and the classifications of the soil made in accordance to the Australian Standards 1726 – 1993.References Evans R, 2010, HES2155 Geomechanics, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne VIC. Appendices Appendix A (Particle Size vs. Percentage Passing Plot) Appendix B (Plot of Number of Blows Vs. Moisture Content) Appendix C (Soil Classification Tables) Table 7: List of Soil Classification Symbols. Table 8: Identification and Classification of Coarse Grained Soil. Table 9: Identification and Classification of Fine Grained Soil. Graph 1: Plasticity Chart vs. Liquid Limit Appendix D (Formulas and Sample Calculations) Geomechanics Lab Report Aim The main intention of this investigation was to determine the various stages of the Atterberg Limits. These included the liquid limit test (LL), plastic limit test (PL), plastic index test (PI) and linear shrinkage (LS) of a soil sample provided by the administration. This was then followed by a sieve analysis to determine the particle size distribution of another soil sample so that a suitable classification in both situations could be made in accordance with the Australian Standards AS1726 – 1993. Procedure (Sample preperation)On commencement of the experiment, each group was provided with two parts of 500grams of soil retrieved from the field and then oven dried by the experiment supervisor. One part of the soil sample was coarse grain gravel for the particle size distribution chart and sieve analysis, whilst the remaining 500 grams of soil was of fine grained fraction. * Preparation of Coarse Grained Fraction During this procedure the mass of 500grams of soil was recor ded and soaked in water for duration of 24 hours. This was then followed by placing the soil sample into a 0. 75mm mesh sieve and the entire fine particle was washed away using running tap water and a small spray bottle until the water had started running clear. The sieved sample was then transferred in a tray which was again put into the oven at 100 degrees for 24 hours. * Preparation of Fine Grained Fraction The remainder of the 500 grams of the sample was then sieved through a 0. 425 mm mesh sieve and the contents collected. This procedure was done until approximately 150 to 200grams of material was successfully passing sieve. Procedure (Sieve Analysis)This procedure involved the sieve analysis of the coarse fraction. This involved weighing the mass of the oven dried coarse grained fraction so that we are able to determine the particle size distribution. For this experiment the mass of coarse fraction used was 312. 10 grams. This was then followed by arranging the sieves from top to bottom in order from larger gapped mesh in the sieve to the smaller one (i. e. 37. 5mm to 0. 075mm) and then pouring the sample in the top sieve whilst shaking it for approximately 10 minutes.This provided mechanical energy to the soil allowing for it to pass all the sieve layers. The next procedure involved recording the soil mass that had accumulated on each sieve and the bottom pan. Furthermore the percentage of original mass retained and cumulative passing % vs. particle size plot has been constructed as shown in Appendix A. As shown in the plot it can be noted that the results obtained were not accurate enough for the effective size values of D_10 and D_30 to be calculated. Yet the effective size D_60 was able to be found and was shown to be 1. mm as shown in the particle size vs percentage passing table in appendix A. Due to the fact that all effective size values have not been able to be attained from the graph, the uniformity coefficient C_u and the coefficient of curvat ure C_c were not able to be calculated. Yet if they could be then they would be calculated using these equations: Cu=D60D10 Cc=D102D10*D60 where CU=Coefficient of Curvature Cc=Coefficient of Curvature All values recorded have been further discussed in the results section of this report. Procedure (Atterberg Limits determination) * Liquid Limit (LL)The liquid limit test west performed on the fine Sandy soil over the course of two sessions to determine the water content (percentage) at the point when the soil started to behave with liquid qualities. This test procedure involved gradually adding water to a round well created in two thirds of the soil sample on a glass plate. Then using two spatulas the sample was mixed until a smooth paste was formed. This was then followed by placing a small amount of the sample into the liquid limit device and leveling it horizontally using the spatula to create a smooth surface.Using the grooving tool the sample in the cup was divided in half. To de termine the number of blows the handle of the mechanism was rotated at a speed of two blows per second and the number of blows recorded until the soil closed the groove to a length of 1 cm. It was expected that the number of blows be as close to 25+ or – 3 as possible. The group was successful in our fourth attempt where 28 blows were recorded. Once the sample was successful it was removed from the liquid limit cup and placed within a tin and the mass weighed. This was determined to calculate the moisture content percentage.The mixture in the liquid limit range was placed in a 0. 25 meter length mould with a internal diameter of 0. 025 meters and left on top of the oven so that the linear shrinkage could be determined. All values obtained are discussed in the results. * Plastic Limit (PL) To determine the plastic limit (as a percentage), after which the soil could no longer be deformed; water was added to the remaining one third of the dry soil on a separate glass plate and m olded by hand. Small amounts of the soil were rolled on the flat glass plate until they formed into a diameter of 3 mm and then started to break apart.According to AS12989 it was proved that the soil had reached its plastic limit. This soil was then placed in a tin and similarly to the liquid limit all mass values of the tin and sample were recorded. These were left to dry in the oven. All results obtained the following day have been discussed in the results section. * Linear Shrinkage (%) As instructed, results for the linear shrinkage were collected after duration of 24 hours from the laboratory and the linear shrinkage (in percentage) was calculated using the formula: LS=LsL*100 where Ls=Recorded Shrinkage L=Initial Length of SampleIn addition to the linear shrinkage, all dry mass results were also collected from the previous day and recorded as shown in the results section of this report. * Plastic Index Conduction of the plastic limit and linear shrinkage test led to the calcul ation of the moisture content in percentage and this further allowed us to calculate the plastic index using the formula. Ip=Wl- Wp where Wl=Liquid Limit Wp=Plastic Limit * Classification of Soil After the soil tests have been completed as listed above and results obtained, the soil sample was classified according to the Australian Standards AS1726 – 1993.To aid in this classification of the soil, table 8 (Identification and Classification of Coarse Grained Soils) and table 9 (Identification and classification of Fine grained Soils) as well as Graph 1 (Plasticity Chart vs. Liquid Limit) have been used and attached in Appendix C. Further criteria such as Plasticity of Fines, Color of Soil, Cohesive strength and Classification Group symbol (Table 7 Soil Classification Symbols) can also be used. Results * Sieve Analysis – Determining the Particle size Distribution Tin #| | Mass of Wet soil + Tin| 203. 79| Mass of Dry soil + Tin| 165. 0| Mass of Tin| 32. 60| Mass of Moistu re| 38. 19| Mass of Dry Soil| 133. 00| Moisture Content| 28. 70| Initisl Mass of Oven Dried Sample| 500g| Mass of oven Dried Sample retained over 75? m| 312. 1g| Percentage of Coarse Fraction| 37. 58g| Mass of Dry sample passing the 75? m| 187. 9g| Table 1: Soil Sample Preparation Values – Total Mass of Sample used for Sieve Analysis = 500 grams – Mass of Coarse Fraction of Sample Used for Sieve Analysis AS Apperture| Mass Retained (g)| % Retained| % Passing| 37. 5mm| 0. 00| 0. 00%| 100. 00%| 26. 5mm| 0. 00| 0. 00%| 100. 00%| 19mm| 13. 0| 2. 60%| 97. 40%| 13. 2mm| 14. 70| 2. 94%| 94. 46%| 9. 5mm| 1. 00| 0. 20%| 94. 26%| 6. 7mm| 13. 90| 2. 78%| 91. 48%| 4. 75mm| 17. 30| 3. 46%| 88. 02%| 2. 36mm| 61. 60| 12. 32%| 75. 70%| 1. 18mm| 63. 10| 12. 62%| 63. 08%| 600? m| 51. 40| 10. 28%| 52. 80%| 425? m| 22. 00| 4. 40%| 48. 40%| 300? m| 20. 30| 4. 06%| 44. 34%| 150? m| 22. 60| 4. 52%| 39. 82%| 75? m| 7. 60| 1. 52%| 38. 30%| Pan| 0. 40| 0. 08%| 38. 22%| | SUM = 308. 9| | | Table 2: Particle size Distribution of the Soil Sample Particle size vs. Percentage Passing (%) can be viewed in the Appendix section of this report.D_10| N/A| D_30| N/A| D_60| 1. 1 mm| Coefficient of Uniformity| N/A| Coefficient of Curvature| N/A| Table 3: Particle Size Determination Coefficients As the Particle Size vs. Percentage Passing graph was unable to be plotted fully, the values for D_10 and D_30 could not be determined hence not allowing the Coefficient of Uniformity and Curvature to be found. * Atterberg Limits Determination (Liquid Limit) Liquid limit| Test no. | Test 1| Test 2| Test 3| Test 4| Tin #| 12| 58| 80| 61| Number of Blows| 7| 21| 14| 28| Mass of Wet Soil and Tin| 45. 8| 35. 77| 39. 32| 27. 6| Mass of Dry Soil and Tin| 38| 28. 4| 34. 5| 22. 5| Mass of Tin| 24. 21| 14. 57| 26. 31| 15. 42| Mass of Moisture| 7. 8| 7. 37| 4. 82| 4. 86| Mass of Dry Soil| 13. 79| 13. 83| 8. 19| 7. 08| Moisture Content| 56. 56%| 53. 29%| 58. 85%| 68. 64%| Table 4: Liquid Limit Determinati on The results obtained in the table 4 (liquid limit determination) above show that after conducting four tests in the lab the number of blows were varied quite a lot. The reason behind this was that at the start a greater amount of liquid then required was placed in the soil making it two wet.Then as extra dry soil was added to the sample the number of blows gradually increased allowing for a result acceptable within the 25 + – 3 limit was met in test 4 Hence the soil sample’s LL can be taken as 68. 64%. * Atterberg Limits Determination (Plastic Limit) Plastic Limit| Test no. | Test 1| Tin #| 16| Mass of Wet Soil and Tin| 37. 06| Mass of Dry Soil and Tin| 34. 5| Mass of Tin| 23. 94| Mass of Moisture | 2. 56| Mass of Dry Soil| 10. 56| Moisture Content| 24. 24%| Avg. Moisture Content| 59. 34%| Table 5: Plastic Limit DeterminationThe above table represents the values calculated and determined results for the plastic limit of the soil in this experiment. This was done by weighing the mass of the soil and tin after it had been rolled into a 3mm diameter rod until it crumbled and then oven dried. * Atterberg Limits Determination (Plastic Index) Looking at the graph attached in the appendix B (Number of Blows vs. Moisture Content), the value for the Plastic Limit was unable to be as accurately determined as we would have hoped but using the plastic Index equation below it was found to be 44. %. Plastic Index %= Liquid Limit-Plastic Limit=___________% Plastic Index %= 68. 64-24. 24=44. 4% Linear Shrinkage Determination| Mould No. | 3| Crumbling of Sample| NO| Length of Mould| 254mm| Curling of Sample| NO| Length of Soil| 222mm| Cracking of Sample| YES| Linear Shrinkage| 12. 60%| * Atterberg Limits Determination (Linear Shrinkage) Table 6: Linear Shrinkage Determination After removing the mould containing the soil sample after 24 hours from the top of the oven, the linear shrinkage of the soil was measured using a ruler.The result as shown above in table 6, the soil has shrunk 32mm in length and cracking of the sample has occurred. The same has not crumbled at touch and has not shown any curling effects. The Overall linear shrinkage is calculated to be 12. 60%. LS=LsL*100 LS=32254*100=12. 60% Discussion The classification of the Coarse and Fine Grained soil was made according to the Australian Standards as1726 – 1993. All justification of the results and classifications of the Sieve Analysis and Atterberg Limits have been made through the combination of the identification and classification tables in the appendix. Coarse Grained Soil As per the Particle size plot in the appendix, the sample is shown to have only coarse grain materials. Consisting of 22% Gravel (7% Medium Grain and 15% Fine Grain) and 38% Sand (22% Coarse Grain, 13% Medium Grain and 3% Fine Grain), indicates that the soil is widely distributed and hence making it a Gravelly SAND. * Fine Grained Soil Using the Atterberg Limits to find the Plastic Limit and Liq uid Limit percentages, these were applied to the Plasticity vs. Liquid Limit Chart (AS1726-1993) to determine the classification of the soil sample.As the intersection point is below the â€Å"A† line with a high liquid limit of 68. 64%, the reaction to shaking was low to none and the toughness is low, the classification of the soil sample is most likely to be MS-SILT Highly Plastic. Also according to the Australian Standards the color of our soil was Brown mottled red-brown. Since the fine grained soil was cohesion less and free running we can classify the soil as dry. In accordance to the Plasticity vs. Liquid Limit chart the soil is of High Plasticity as the liquid limit was of a value greater than 50%.In addition to the above, the particle size distribution curve is also widely spread so the soil is classified as â€Å"Well Graded†. Conclusion In this experiment we used the Sieve analysis and Atterberg Limits tests to investigate the properties of the soil as menti oned in the Australian Standards AS1726 -1993. In addition sample tests were conducted including the liquid limit test (LL), plastic limit test (PL), plastic index test (PI) and linear shrinkage (LS) of the soil sample provided by the administration. All results obtained have been justified and the classifications of the soil made in accordance to the Australian Standards 1726 – 1993.References Evans R, 2010, HES2155 Geomechanics, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne VIC. Appendices Appendix A (Particle Size vs. Percentage Passing Plot) Appendix B (Plot of Number of Blows Vs. Moisture Content) Appendix C (Soil Classification Tables) Table 7: List of Soil Classification Symbols. Table 8: Identification and Classification of Coarse Grained Soil. Table 9: Identification and Classification of Fine Grained Soil. Graph 1: Plasticity Chart vs. Liquid Limit Appendix D (Formulas and Sample Calculations)

Why Are We Happy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why Are We Happy - Essay Example In his speech, Gilbert had broken down happiness in two categories: Synthetic and Natural. As he noted, â€Å"Natural happiness is when we get what we wanted and Synthetic Happiness is what we make when we don’t get what we wanted.† (â€Å"TED Talks: Dan Gilbert asks†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Normally, people will think that synthetic happiness is not true happiness but a defense mechanism to avoid hurting our egos. However, based on the studies that the speaker presented, it is scientifically proven that people tend to accept the end result of whatever decisions that they make no matter how unfortunate it is, and eventually become truly happy about it. To illustrate this, he exhibited a study between the percentage of happiness of lottery winners and paraplegics after a year. The data showed that the level of happiness between the two groups of people was equal. The lottery winners might have a higher level of happiness in the beginning but it evened out during the course of th e year. This is because the mind has the capacity to synthesize happiness thus it can alter the initial response to a situation into a better one. As Gilbert explained, â€Å"The fact is, year after they lose their leg, and a year after winning the lotto, lottery winners and paraplegics are equally happy with their lives†¦ The research that my laboratory has been doing†¦ had revealed something really startling to us. Something that we call the impact bias is the tendency for the simulator to work badly. For the simulator to make you believe that different outcomes are more different than the fact that they really are.† (â€Å"TED Talks: Dan Gilbert asks†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). During the presentation, it can be observed that the speaker connects to the audience and everybody seems to be actually listening throughout the whole time. Noticeably, the three elements of effective arguments or appeals by Aristotle, ethos, pathos, and logos, were essentially delivered. Ethos refe rs to the appeal to the character of the speaker (Kennedy). It further demonstrates that if the speaker is credible, reliable or respected enough, his audience will actually believe the message that he’s trying to convey.

Defence, Pride and Prejudice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Defence, Pride and Prejudice - Essay Example As for objectivity, there is no way we can verify the claims made by Augustus in Res Gestae. But common sense tells us that some facts could have been suppressed or exaggerated. In the trial of Socrates, we believe it was motivated by spite and prejudice (of those to whom Socrates’ teachings caused embarrassment) and, therefore, our sympathies are with the great philosopher. Still, the fact remains that Apology is in first person narrative which means it is one-sided and so there is an equal possibility for lack of objectivity, though the degree may differ. However, there is little scope for suppression of facts or exaggeration in Socrates’ statement because it is primarily based on reasoning unlike Res Gestae which is a self-satisfied account of ‘facts’ or things done.Res Gestae states that Augustus, after the civil wars, transferred the republic ‘from his power to the power of the senate and the people’. It sounds great to hear about a ruler who let the spirit of democracy flourish thousands of years ago. But history tells us that, contrary to modern day republics, the senate and the people, as such, were never allowed to be binding on the king and his decisions. Res Gestae does not tell us that tribunes could veto laws passed by the senate and Augustus was ‘tribune-for-life’. It was therefore a masqueraded republic. The hypocrisy of the so-called ‘principate’ is evident in Augustus, in 27 B.C., being voted a large military command for a period of ten years and in the institution of ‘impeium maius’.

ITM501 MOD 4 SLP Assign Mangement Information System Essay

ITM501 MOD 4 SLP Assign Mangement Information System - Essay Example â€Å"Microsoft says cloud computing has the potential to drastically reduce time and cost of developing applications accessible to massive numbers of users† (Chan, 2009). In the modern business world, people do their work together online by using various tools in internet through online collaboration. When people work together there arises a need for sharing files, storing, online conversation etc. Collaborative working environment helps people to work individually and in a corporative way. In such an environment people can access and interact with one another within a single entity. In order to overcome the time differentials, the employee’s electronic communication as well as groupwares are supported. â€Å"Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) is the field study of the way people collaborate and how special technologies impact collaboration† (Winkler, 2012). CSCW is dependent on a more social concept and it helps to develop guiding principles and explana tions for technologies. It mainly analyzes how these computers and technologies benefit and affect group behavior and also groupware designs are motivated and validated. This type of collaboration tools mainly focus on processes like communication, information sharing etc. Technology which supports group works with computers is called a groupware. The aim of this technology is to facilitate as well as widen the collaboration process. It mainly helps the people who use software to participate in a joint project.  Many such applications are developed and used these days. Different purposes are involved such as audio and video conferencing, chat systems, project management etc. Extranet helps people to work together even if they are miles away from each other. According to the usage of collaboration, hardware and software are categorized. Such tools are also differentiated on time and place basis. It can take place in the same time or different time period.   Cloud computing is the most excellent suit for various requirements of the business enterprise. The major importance is the reduction in cost in the infrastructure and the technology free atmosphere being operated. They are not dependent on the location or the infrastructure, but concerned with the consistency and the accountability in their various methods, and they contribute to the advantages of the business establishment. This type of computing manages the security of the data that has highly influential contribution to the information management. They handle the storage of the confidential data and their recovery when needed. The benefits of cloud computation are the resources available and also they formulate the resource allocation and build up the sustainability of the resources. â€Å"There are many postings this morning about the influence that cloud computing and globalization will have on the American IT Worker. IT workers who are holding on to their own data centers and not learning cloud c omputing are not keeping their skills up to date† (Morill, 2010). The efficiency of the shared resources is maximized with cloud computing. An ordinary point of discussion pertaining to cloud is the role and scope of the enterprise. In fact some organizations have planned to think altering the point of view of â€Å"cloud in the enterprise† (Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP, 2011) to â€Å"enterprises in the cloud† (Chao, 2013). This is a subtle yet important change that represents a transition in

Identifying and explaining the various types of crime control Essay

Identifying and explaining the various types of crime control strategies in which law enforcement agencies are utilizing today in the United States of America - Essay Example Extreme violence is also an emerging concern as crime advancement (Astorga, Luis and David, pp 56) The international crime has also been reported to be so prevalent. International criminals, borders are not this to be considered, until when it is time to seek a hide out from a criminal act. Substantial amounts of money tend to be passed through international financial systems. The amount of money transferred tends to be so substantial which further undermines the economy of the entire globe as it opens up channels for money laundering. The criminal gangs tend to be very organized in a series of crime businesses which they operate. In addition, they capitalize on the growth in the international communications and transportation, in order to advance their criminal operations, further forming potential alliances (Bush, p.11). On the international scene, international criminal’s corrosive activities of the post-Cold War era are now a threat to all countries and regions alike. In this case, the United States of America is not an exception. The international crime must now be looked at not only as a law enforcement problem or failure, but also as an increasingly formidable threat to both national and international security concern (Koops, Bert-Jaap, et al, 2009, pp.1-24). International crime is a threat to the United States and as a result, the interests that are posed by these international crimes have to be looked at in a three dimensional and interrelated categories. Those categories include threat to the American people and the communities in general, as a threat to the American financial institutions and businesses, finally threat to the international security and stability as a whole. With these three dimensions, the United States law enforcement agencies can then formulate the right strategies in place to make sure that crime is well taken care of in the form of

Geologic History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geologic History - Assignment Example Movement of ice during the ice age pushed away huge rocks on its path while the action of volcanicity eroded several sedimentary material that later formed the Colorado river. The Colorado river with its massive water volume led to severe corrosion of the valley below to set up patterns that in turn became the Grand Canyon. The activity has since been slowed down due to absence of vast ice movement and also reduced human activities around the area since it had been declared a national park(Act of congress,1919). Some of the most predominant rocks within the Grand Canyon can be classified as Metamorphic-igneous basement rocks, Grand canyon supergroup,Tonto group, Surprise canyon,Supai group, Coconino and Mesozoic deposition. The Metamorphic and igneous basement rocks are believed to have been formed 1.8 billion years ago. They mainly contain volcanic deposits like ash, mud and lava- silt. It is also interesting to note that the Grand canyon super group contains about nine rock formations of small plates. This group was formed about 1.3 billion years ago and covers up flooded sections such as the Inner gorge. The Tonto group rock structure was formed due to explosion dating 500 million years back from conglomerates and sand deposited off shore. These group of rocks might have been carried vastly by the ice movement. Another rock structure within the Grand Canyon is the Surprise canyon. The Supai group was deposited about 300 million ago in Mississippian era too. It contains fossils of reptiles, amphibians and plant material deposit. The penultimate rock composition in the Grand Canyon is the Coconino group. It has fossils of species such as insects, plants and the vertebrates too. These rocks were created about 275 million years ago and are about 600 feet high. Finally, the Mesozoic rock deposition completes the rock composition in the grand canyon. These group of rocks were formed as a result of

The buccaneer journal of Dampier Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The buccaneer journal of Dampier - Essay Example The text was published in the name of â€Å"A New Voyage Round the world†. William Dampier has a unique regard as well: he circumnavigated the earth thrice in his life (Dampier). In the underlying text which was published in 1700, William Dampier expressed about nature and romance in the context of deep sea and oceans. He titled his work as a composition of mixed relations among places and actions (Pirates & Privateers). It was a strange phenomenon of the time which was unbelievable to be curtained that it could be published even being a very scholastic and romantic piece of writing describing nature of piracy or buccaneering. The former buccaneers were the hunters who resided at Hispaniola and Caribbean. At the time of William Dampier, he encountered with the buccaneers who were formerly log wood cutters. He found them when he got a job to bring logwood to London via boat (Dampier). During his travel for working, he was used to spend his time in search and exploration of several aspects of natural, plants and animals. As he used to surround around the deep blue sea, so his most concern was water related nature. He wrote a number of valuable daily records in his journal which afterwards came in to being as a book named â€Å"A new voyage round the world†. Dampier was so happy that he could form his fortune with the work through which he could earn as well as he could spend a plenty of time in non work activities like nature exploration. But meanwhile a storm came around all the way and caused huge damages. It forced Dampier to take accompany with some privateers. Throughout his text of new voyage, William Dampier has referred to a term named as privateers. But in fact these privateers were the real buccaneers or pirates. Dampier spent over a year with those privateers (in real pirates). He wrote details of only one attack of those buccaneers. They were caught on that raid but they however managed the escape from

Industrial production of aluminium from bauxite and recycling Essay

Industrial production of aluminium from bauxite and recycling - Essay Example The following work serves to outline the processes involved in extraction of aluminum from bauxite ore and further details more on aluminum recycling in the United Arab Emirates. The initial step in aluminum manufacture involves the mining of bauxite through the open cast technique. This mined bauxite is crushed and then washed to remove the mud and other dirt that may be attached. Having done this, the washed bauxite is taken through the purification process also called the Baeyers Process. The Baeyers process success follow the idea acidity of silica oxide, basicity of iron oxide and titania and the fact that alumina is amphoteric. Here, the crushed ore mixes with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or caustic soda to make a solution that is then heated. Following this process the alumina together with silica that in the form of reactive crystalline are dissolved, a process that leaves the iron oxide, titania and large percentage of silica that is already mixed with other elements. At this point filtration is done to separate the dissolved elements from the remaining residue. Following the cooling of the alumina and silica solution, a complex alluminosilicate or â€Å"sand† is precipitated out first before altering the process, a condition that allow crystallization of pure aluminum hydroxide. To speed up this process, a small amount of crystalline hydroxide, which is in its pure form, is added to act as an area where the crystal develops. The uncontaminated aluminum hydroxide crystals Al (OH)3. 3H2O are then heated in an increasingly heated furnace until the temperature is 1100o C, a factor that causes them to decompose and thus form alumina (Al2O3) and water. Since alumina is covalently bonded, the electrolysis process can only be achieved when presented in an ionic form. To realize this, the alumina is dissolved in an electrolyte, which in this case is a mixture formed from molten

On Modern New Reportage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On Modern New Reportage - Essay Example    Garofoli's article was built on the recent emergence of the so-called Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength, a group of millionaires who are urging the government to tax the rich. It investigated, hence, the wider issue of taxation, which has divided the political parties since. Democrats are in favor of such measure while Republicans, with their preferred economic model, wants to leave them alone. Using millionaire Doug Edward, as a basis for the report, Garofoli built his narrative on the millionaire's now famous quote, "Would you please raise my taxes?" This article is important because it highlights two important sociological issues: that of the economy and of policymaking. Edward and what he stood for in the news story demonstrates that two prevailing approaches by which the economic system in America operates. The first is the conservative model wherein the government takes in a lesser regulatory role and leaves most to the capitalists. On the other side, there is the progressive approach to the economy that prescribes greater regulation and equitability of wealth. The economic dimension is augmented by the politics of the policymaking process. The article, for example, used two resource persons, each representing the dominant political ideologies, explaining their own perspective on the issue. Occupy London Meanwhile, Alleyne's report is part of the series of news documenting the still ongoing Occupy London protest, which took after the Occupy Wall Street in the United States, the demonstration against economic inequality, corporate greed, and social injustices among other related issues that led to similar demonstrations in other countries. It reported a recent move by protesters to occupy an abandoned building, which came after they have peacefully occupied the land around St. Paul’s Cathedral, adjacent to the London Stock Exchange. The significance of this news report has anchored the fact that Occupy London, as with other versions of this demonstration, touches on several sociological issues that are spawned by the current dominant economic system around the world. The perception, especially among the participants in the protest, is that such system has come to be monopolized by capitalists, corporate entities and multinationals whose sole motive is profit, which is often gained at the expense of the public - their welfare, their rights, and opportunities. Critique Garofoli’s article is what can be considered as the ideal news report. There is an obvious effort to achieve a balanced and objective reporting to document an event and the issues it entailed. If one examines the article, for instance, the writer took pains in taking the sides of opposing stakeholders. Cases in point are the quotes and arguments coming from both political sides. Then there is also the angle wherein the perspectives of the policymakers were presented side by side the opinions and points raised by the public. Throughout the pape r, it is hard to identify an instance wherein the reporter displayed bias or ingratiated his own opinion on what he is reporting. This case cannot be said about Alleyne’s piece.  Ã‚  

Understand person centred approach Essay Example for Free

Understand person centred approach Essay P,C,A, is about how we work with the individual how we give them and show them their rights, rights that they have in life about the choices they can make and how to maintain their privacy and dignity. Looking at the person as a whole not just meeting one of their personal needs but all of their needs by listening and helping the individual to make choices. 1.2 1.3 Explain why person-centred values must and should influence all social care work The influence meets the needs of individuals by providing the best quality care and by insuring you give best care you are influencing a good quality life by treating the individual the way you would want a member of your family to b treated. 305.2 Understand how to implement a person-centred approach in an adult social care setting 2.1 Explain how finding out the history, preferences, wishes and needs of an individual contributes to their care plan Care plans are about the individuals and their preferences, needs and wishes. If done with the correct information then it gives information to others about the individual, their needs, preference’s, needs and wishes it enables the care plan to be completed accurately and reflect about the individual and their preferences, needs and wishes. 2.2 Describe ways to put person-centred values into practice in a complex or sensitive situation Person-centred value in practice would be when an individual is showing distress or being threatening behaviour because of things distressing them, you would ask them what is distressing them, if the individual cannot talk but you know their triggers which could be being asked to much in one sentence or talking to quick to them, once you have found out what s wrong you would then implement practice that has been agreed by staff and other professionals to prevent the risk of serious implications which would be self harm or harming others around them. 305.2 Understand how to implement a person-centred approach in an adult social care setting cont 2.3 Evaluate the use of care plans in applying person-centred values Care Plans are the primary source of individual’s  information. Every specialty, Physical Therapist Occupational Therapist G,P, dentist etc, do an evaluation of the individual and formulate a program of goals for the individual to complete, therapies needed, schedule of goal levels, etc. Each person interacting with the patient can refer to the care plan for any information needed. Done properly the care plan reflects a total person and how to best help them fulfil their goals. 2.4 Explain the importance of monitoring an individual’s changing needs or preferences The importance monitoring changes in an individual is to help us see when or f the individual health is deterioration i.e. their mobility/ability if they seem to be walking worse or f they find it hard to stand p to transfer from chair to chair or if you notice that they are not doing their personal care as good as they normally do, also if they need a change in help with their environment if they need extra help with walking aids or even hearing aid. 305.3 Understand the importance of establishing consent when providing care or support 3.1 Describe factors that influence the capacity of an individual to express consent To consider the influences of the capacity of an individual we would take into account their age if they are able to participate in making options for their self, if they are actually aware of choices that have to be made i.e. doctor appointments or any form of surgery and if they have the mental capacity to consent to surgery or even being seen by opposite sex professional. 3.2 Explain how to establish consent for an activity to action To be able give consent the individual is to be able to verbally consent or even write it down and sign for it or ask their representative or advocate. 305.3 Understand the importance of establishing consent when providing care or support cont 3.3 Explain what steps to take if consent cannot be readily established If it’s possible not to continue with the task until we have spoken to the C, S, L, or T, C, but write down any information relevant to the task maybe if needed to arrange a best interest meeting with advocates or next of kin to be able to continue the task. 305.4 Understand how to implement and promote active participation 4.1 Explain the principles of active participation  Active participation is a way of working that recognises an individual’s right to participate in the activities and relationships of everyday life as independently as possible; the individual is regarded as an active partner in their own care or support, rather than a passive recipient. 4.2 Explain how the holistic needs of an individual can be addressed by active participation Holistic covers all aspect of the individual’s health and well-being and base on their needs and not others as each person has their own needs and specification of care. 4.3 Explain how to work with an individual and others to agree how active participation will be implemented Whilst you are having discussions with the individual we provide encouragement from family or advocates also whilst discussing we would provide useful information that they would be able to understand and ensuring that we are using the appropriate persuasion techniques. 4.4 Explain how to promote the understanding and use of active participation It is important to engage the individual and maybe appropriate to use physical as well as visual communication aids. Enabling and support individual’s to access community resources and facilities; perhaps by way of design of suitable events. Inclusion of family members as well as friends would also encourage active participation. 305.5 Understand how to support an individual’s right to make choices 5.1 Describe different approaches to support an individual to make informed choices The different approaches we could use to help make informed choice would be discussions with providing relevant information with guidance from friends and family also with advocates and other support services. 5.2 Describe how to support an individual to question or challenge decisions  concerning them that are made by others I would use and follow the complaint procedure by speaking to my senior member of staff also write up a list of what is of concern on behalf of our people and insist on having a second opinion. 5.3 Explain the consequences of allowing the personal views of others to influence an individual’s choices The possible consequence would be lack of motivation of doing anything for you or other people, low self esteem and showing signs of stress because of lack of choice which could lead to the individuals needs not being met which in turn could mean the person is being abused. 305.6 Understand how to promote an individual’s well being 6.1 Explain the links between identity, self-image and self esteem The link between the three is if you are confident with you identity with the way you look and are then yourself image is projected throw it and you have high self esteem of yourself. If you not confident with you identity then you more than likely to lean on others and have lower self esteem. 6.2 Explain factors that contribute to the well-being of an individual The factors that contribute would be Spiritual factors that enrich lives and touch people and are uplifting on a deep level such as religion, music and art. Religious- factors such as attending church or a mosque or visits from their local religious leaders, being able to celebrate religious celebrations also having a quiet place to prey. 305.6 Understand how to promote an individual’s well being cont 6.2 Explain factors that contribute to the well-being of an individual cont Cultural- factors that respect the individual’s likes choices and preferences and that give them a sense of what is normal to them. Social- factors such as opportunities to be with others, to communicate with others, to share in group activities. 6.3 Explain the importance of supporting an individual in a way that promotes their sense of identity self image and self esteem There are multitudes of approaches for supporting an individual in a manner that promotes their sense of identity and self esteem. It is best to allow them to suggest what  they want to do or to attempt to do things their own way and provide gentle coaching to steer them along. 6.4 Describe ways to contribute to an environment that promotes well-being To promote well-being in the individual’s house/ their bedroom you would put in their room things that identity them with things that they like or are into be it their favourite ornaments or pictures to make it their 305.7 Understand the role of risk assessment in enabling a person-centred approach 7.1 Compare different uses of risk assessment in adult social care settings Types of risk assessment we follow are about mobility on what we do on outings. The different use of a risk assessment would depend on the reason of use it would evaluate the difference of preventing accidents which would lead to injuries to individuals, workers and others, it would describe the procedure and steps we would follow to help prevent accidents. Risk assessments are also to make sure we meet legal requirements. 7.2 Explain how risk assessment relates to rights and responsibilities Risk assessment is legal right to protect people from danger or harm of the surrounding area of the person. There has to be a clear guidance in what is dangerous for the person or harmful. 305.7 Understand the role of risk assessment in enabling a person-centred approach cont 7.3 Explain how risk-taking relates to rights and responsibilities Risk taking relates to rights and responsibilities in the following ways Freedom of choice, Maintaining independence, Maintaining dignity and respect of each other 7.4 Explain why risk assessment need to be regularly revised They are revised annually or if circumstances changes in people or person also in if the surroundings or equipment have changed it also ensures that we are up-to-date on what’s happening. 7.5 Explain the importance of using agreed risk assessment processes to support choice Each individual supported also staff has risk assessment’s  as part of their support plan. The risk assessment contains information about the person and type of care and support they need. It tells you how to do tasks that may need risk assessment and best option has been established, be it moving and handling has changed due to health issues or that the individual don’t like that way.

The California Water Crisis Philosophy Essay

The California Water Crisis Philosophy Essay Water is an essential ingredient to life. It is used everyday throughout our daily lives, and it is no where short of irrelevant. It is also important to us Californians, and we must treat it this way. The California community however, is facing a water crisis, one that will affect our community negatively if we dont put this problem into realization and act to prevent it. All the water that will ever be is, right now (National Geographic Spokesman). That means that what we have now is all we have. Not only that, but just about everything on Earth uses water is someway or another. Clearly, it is important to man, so it deservers to be treated as such. This however is sadly not the case. The respect it deserves doesnt seem to be the respect that is given to it. Filthy water cannot be washed (West African Proverb). That means if we dont respect it now and allow it to become worthless, it will stay worthless. Many of us around the world know, but do we as Californians know? For many of us, we are unaware of the growing danger. It spreads quicker and faster, yet we do nothing to stop it. The California water crisis is one that our community must take head on to change the path of our future. Common Social Injustices Communities Face No community is considered perfect. They may come close, but will not be one-hundred percent. In order for a community to function however, it takes people. People are basically the community itself, and without people it is nothing. A man not only needs to know how to fish, he needs to have the freedom to do it. Thats where community comes in. We have to help each other, and we feel government has a very important role there in. (Bill Ayres). Problems can occur however. A community can be full of hard working people, but viewed in a different perspective by others. This is how communities can face social injustices, and be seen as gang ridden, filled with violence, or discriminators against people. Problems like this can really break a communitys image down. The California community itself faces these similar issues. Problems in My Community The Californian community is leaning towards disaster. Our community is already harmed by budget problems and gang violence. Our image is bad enough, and it will become worse if we let severe issues like this slip through are hands. The water crisis is a problem in which our water is quickly being depleted, as well as water improperly stored. Not only is there a as well as our money drained from our pockets. Not only is our water being affected, but everything that has to do with water is in danger. This includes crops as well as materials made from water. This creates an unwelcoming future for California and is something as a community that we cant let happen. Our water supply is quickly depleting more then expected. This is due to poor water storage techniques. The amount of water wasted because of faulty storage techniques is more than ridiculous. Not only are we losing water, but we are losing money. Money that could have gone towards schools and healthcare becomes money that is spent on spilled water, just because we cant keep it in its container. Another major issue of our water crisis is our Californian government. They are seen as weak decision makers, as well as weights that drag us down from our goals. The disappointing part is how its true. Because of how they make decisions, our water has to suffer. Budget cuts caused by our government dims the light of healing our water crisis. Education that is needed may not be given, provoking kids not to aim high or even make them join gangs. This appears to be a cycle that we are not breaking, and is in well need of repairs. Poor water storage leads to less water. Less water means less water for our farms. Agriculture is a big part of California, producing many types of fruits and vegetables. Though the climate is perfect the water is not. When we damage one of Californias biggest industries, it has to come with consequences. Farmers could be put out of jobs and produce prices could increase. Also, the money we make from selling these crops will not be as much. This shows just how far this problem can spread. Action is another problem. When we dont enforce our actions, no change will come. We must enforce the change. It is important, since the only way to solve this crisis is action. There simply not enough water to go around. Cities too need it, and we can only divide water so much. Communities in California must see that we may come to a situation where the government issues a water mandate. There is no doubt that this situation must be avoided. Solutions to the Problem Though we are headed in such a dark direction, it is not too late for change. Minor alterations are all it takes to lead our community to a brighter future. Simple changes are all it takes. One of them includes watching our government. Though there job is to help us, they arent doing a very good job of it, and we simply stand idle as they do nothing. Better monitoring of the people we put in charge can go a long way. Another solution includes limiting our supply of water. Many Californians are wasteful when it comes to water. When our water is at stake, we must watch how we use our water. My Recommended Solution In My Opinion, the best possible solution for this problem is action. When we act, we get closer to the solution. Not many people in our community realize that this is becoming a bigger and bigger problem everyday. When nothing is done, nothing is accomplished. Simple fixes to this problem will carry Californian communities a long way if we simply do it. Not only must we take action, but we need to watch the people in charge. That means our government. What they do is entirely our business. When they make changes to things important to us such as water, we must look twice and make sure there making the right decisions. When they were creating certain water protection policies, we knew that it didnt seem right. It was heavily flawed and filled with loopholes. Not only did we know what was going on, but they managed to get away with it. It goes to show that you are only as strong as your actions, not just thoughts alone. CONCLUSION Though we are facing quite a problem, we must again to continue to act to fight against it. Our community has faced many challenges in the past, and we must continue to succeed in solving these issues. If we learn what the problem is and act accordingly to it, much can be accomplished. The California water crisis is a threat to us and everything that has to do with water. The threat is real, and we are the only ones capable of fixing this. Though it seems that there is no light at the end of this tunnel, we must keep digging towards it. WORK CITE Wilson, John M. A crisis we cant ignore.  CaliforniaWater.  1 Jun. 2007. WEB. 7 May. 2010.

Operating A Car Wash Services Center Marketing Essay

Operating A Car Wash Services Center Marketing Essay Financing to the amount of  £25000 is required to fund the purchasing of the required equipment, machinery and consumables for the business daily activities. Maxim has already identified suitable premises for this venture, as well as having negotiated a renting agreement with the owner Maxim car wash aims to be a premier car wash business serving the West Midlands. Maxim car wash is an expansion of Maxim Repairs, owned by Bob Ryan. Maxim Repairs had been in market for the past several years and has a good market reputation due to the quality of standards maintained at Maxim. Maxim Cars intends to provide its customers exterior car washing, interior cleaning, and car detailing. Maxim Cars has few competitors in a growing market that are trying to offer a quality service but at a very higher rate. Maxim Cars has planned to target individual car owners and leasers, car dealerships and local business community. Being in the center of a business hub, Maxim aims to fascinate the local businesses in the vicinity that have company cars and would need them washed regularly. However, Maxim will target at the most advantageous option i.e. the six different car dealerships that operate in the area. The marketplace of Maxim is characterized by broad ethnic and economic diversity. In order to make the most of these demographic factors and focus on the inimitable demands each group asks of the market, the facility will incorporate both a full-service tunnel operation (for those who wish to allow the service team to clean their car) and a self-service facility (for those who wish to take a more lively role in their cars maintenance). Additionally, Maxim plans to provide an automatic dryer system (Eclipse) designed by the business itself for each self-service bay, which will increase customer liking by eliminating the need to hand dry an automobile after washing. Automatic dryers are a new and effective market modernization which currently exists in only one other car wash operation in the region. Maxims ability to offer a worthwhile service, both in terms of the actual washing as well as customer service is all based on the ability to find the finest employees. Hiring the best employees is cost efficient because it decreases HR costs related with turnover and other employee costs. Hiring the top employees and making sure that they are well taken care of ensures that they in turn take care of the customers. Studies prove that a happy employee is far more likely to provide the utmost level of customer service in contrast to an employee who is not happy and feels that they are being taken advantage of. The strength of Bobs experience is Maxims competitive edge as well as a major asset. Bob has been involved in the car repair business for the last seventeen years. Bob has worked his way through the industry and has been the proprietor of the business. Before this venture, Bob received his MBA from London School of Business and Finance. With a significant time span invested in the community, Bob has generated significant value as a fair, active member of the community. Lastly, Maxim will be able to leverage several of the Bobs for his business expertise. Business Description: Maxim Car wash will be operated by Bob Ryan, who had been serving the West Midlands area with a car repair and a sale/purchase business named as Maxim Cars for over 17 years. Bob will be leveraging the incredible goodwill of its relationship with the dealers in West Midlands and nearest purlieu and the brand appreciation of the Maxim Cars name to quickly gain market penetration. 2.1 Objective The objective of Maxim Car Wash is to offer high-quality services in an efficient, effective and economical manner. This is the key to Maxims success which also differentiates the business from its existing competitors in the market. 2.2  Mission   Maxims mission is to be a  premier  quality car wash service for the residents and business owner in West Midlands.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯ Bob  will strive to keep employees  devoted  and in high  morale  to ensure customer satisfaction.   2.3 Business Strategy Maxim will be the only exclusive hand car wash in the West Midlands and estimates their market share on 25%.   It is assumed that Maxim will achieve a 90% gross margin and 12% net margin after the first year, and a 21% net margin after year three.   The business will reach a yearly net profit of  £4000 by year three. 2.4 Sales Forecast Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Sales Individuals  £76,086  £123,033  £165,662 Businesses  £6,431  £8,776  £9,988 Total Sales  £82,517  £131,809  £175,650 Direct Cost of Sales Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Individuals  £3,804  £6,152  £8,283 Businesses  £322  £439  £499 Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales  £4,126  £6,590  £8,783 2.5 Development Impact   The business, at this phase; has no employment equity plan  and skills development plan  but such a plan will be drafted in future.  Ã‚   An employment equity plan will be drafted following the Department of  Labors  Requirements.  Ã‚   The Department of  Labor  necessitates  that an employment equity plan should cover the following  Ã‚   Issues:   Goals for every year;  Ã‚   Affirmative action measures that will be employed;  Ã‚   numerical goals to reach this;  Ã‚   timetables and strategies  Ã‚   the  duration of the plan (not shorter than  6 months  or longer than 5 years);  Ã‚   Methodologies  that will be used to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the plan;  Ã‚   Procedures  to solve disputes about the plan; and  Ã‚   People liable for implementing the plan A skills development plan, adhering to the following steps, must be drafted:   Step 1: Determining what skills are required in the business.   Step 2: Ascertain if the employees have the necessary skills required.   Step 3: Training  employees for skills lacked by them   2.6 Legal Considerations Agreements Bob has rent the location nearest to Maxim repairs; the rent has been negotiated and will be  £899 per month. Maxim will be entailing the services of a contracting company to convert the use of the facility and to improve the customer waiting room facilities as it was previously used as a quick stop automobile service shop which has been agreed at  £3000 including all equipment. Legal arrangements have been negotiated with six different car dealerships operating within a five-mile radius which will require car washing services for the various fleets. Maxim will offer them all services at a pre-agreed fixed price. Business Opportunities: 3.1 Potential Customers and Geographical Area Maxim Cars has planned to target individual car owners and leasers, car dealerships and local business community. The surrounding area is quite prosperous and consists of rich families. Majority of the residents earn an average income of over  £85,000 a year. Consequently, they have nice cars and want them to look amusing. 3.2 Business Competitors Currently, Maxim has few competitors in a rising market. The application of the Porters Five Forces Model would make the picture clearer. 3.2.1 Porters FIVE FORCES MODEL Rivalry: Considering the current market, Maxim has few competitors which ultimately mean that Maxim is facing very little competition from its rivals. Since Maxim had been operating in the industry from the past 17 years and has a good corporate image, this would facilitate the launch of Maxim Car Wash and would place the business into a better position to compete against its rivals. Threat of Substitutes: The threat of substitutes is very petite in this situation. This is because the majority of target consumers are rich, less price sensitive, hence would not be willing to switch due to trivial cost differences. Moreover, Maxim would be providing free pick and drop service of the cars to their clients to make the business more viable. Bargaining Power of Customers: The fact that Maxim has planned to target a rich portfolio of consumers, it is highly unlikely that they would exercise their bargaining power. Furthermore, Maxim has made a legal arrangement with five different car dealers which would require car washing services for a various fleet of cars at a pre-agreed fixed price. This would secure a large chunk of revenue for Maxim Cars. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: In order to prevent the suppliers from exercising their powers over the business, Bob has made a three year renewable contract with all of his suppliers. Threat of New Entrants: The threat of new entrants is particularly low for Maxim Cars. This is because Bob has been operating in the industry from the past 17 years and has built good brand equity and a large number of loyal customers. 3.3  SWOT  Analysis   Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relevant to  Maxim Cars  are listed in the table below:   STRENGTHS The  chosen  premises are well suited for the business activities.   Native  clients can provide a  huge  amount of repeat-business.   The  region  in which the business will ideally be located has volumes of traffic.   The labor  component  of the business is not high.   The entrepreneurs practical  know-how  in business management.   WEAKNESSES Finance  is required for starting and operating the business.   Bad weather  can  cause a slump in demand. OPPORTUNITIES Additional  services can be included in the service range or arrangements made with other services providers. The entrepreneur anticipates  obtaining  a contract from the government garage.   A huge number and variety of clients can be served.   Support shown by car dealers in the  purlieu   The enlargement of the business.   THREATS Competitors in the vicinity.   3.4 Critical Success Factors   Critical success factors pertinent to the key areas of the business are as follows:   KEY AREAS CRITICAL FACTORS Marketing High sales volume will be critical to making profits.   Maxim must seek to obtain a critical mass of clients to ensure profitability.   Gross margins  should  be  sound  and impact favorably on the bottom-line.   Production Capacity utilization will  progress  with the expansion of the services offered. Quality  standards are high and attract  repeat-business.   Service Delivery Capacity utilization must be  optimum.   The level of service exceeds customer  anticipation.   Delivery times in terms of finishing a car wash are  quicker.   Finances Credit  will  not  be provided to customers. The financials of the business will be  managed  well.   All the transactions will be  traced  and an accounting firm will be  hired  to help with the financial and tax management of the business.   3.5 RISK AND ISSUES Specific risks that Maxim faces include the risks of loss of customer, fast growth and liquidity, and tax management. These risks may all have the effect of loss of reputation, loss of business, debt, and bankruptcy in an extreme case. Maxim will have the following strategies in place to mitigate these risks: Providing first-rate service to ensure continued customer support as well as providing customer interaction mechanisms to measure satisfaction and suggestions, e.g. a suggestion box. Fast growth gives rise to the risk of running into cash flow problems. The business will obtain the services of a financial advisor to help them manage growth and liquidity. The business will seek help from a certified tax accountant to avoid running a tax risk. Marketing Strategy: 4.1 Market segmentation We are extremely privileged that our service is not limited to a specific segment or group of the market. In our market area alone, there are nearly 400,000 automobiles, or an average 0.8 automobiles per person. Luxury car owner: Maxim will focus on this segment for their premium hand wash service.   Luxury car owner takes vanity in their cars and would probably become systematic customers over time. Cost conscious car owner: Although Maxim will not focus on this segment; there are low-priced options available for those who just want an exterior quick wash.   The core service for this segment will be the Quick Wash serve, which is the low-cost service. Dealerships: The dealerships in the area will establish a large portion of the segmentation cake.   Dealerships would want to keep their fleet of cars shimmering and spotless and Maxim hopes to fulfill that need. Local businesses: Several local businesses have company cars that need to be washed frequently.   Maxim will target these businesses and give them the choice to get discounts for regular washes. Figure 1: Market Segmentation 4.2 Benefits of Service to the Market Segment Maxim will provide the only full service facility within the market area. Moreover, the water reclamation system will provide an environmentally safe means for the customers to clean their cars. This is entirely different from residential car washing, where untreated wash water fills storm drains and ultimately empties into the waterways. 4.3 Advertising and Pricing Policies The car wash will cost  Ã‚ £10.00. It will involve a full exterior vehicle wash, as well as an interior service to include vacuuming, window cleaning, and dashboard cleaning. We have investigated all available advertising mediums. After detailed consultations with a myriad of car wash operators in the area, we have decided to utilize the advantages of a variety of mediums. Primarily, Maxim will utilize cable television and radio spots, combining with newspaper advertisements, to announce the Grand Opening. Direct mail coupons will also be used to increase consumer awareness of Maxims existence. Furthermore, we will work cross promotions with businesses in the area as a means to tap the client base they have established. Flyers and business cards: Flyers promoting  the services, as well as specials, will be  circulated  along with business  cards  to clients.  Ã‚  These items will invite clients to request services from  Maxim Cars as well as giving them a  hint  of what the business has to offer at which prices.  Ã‚  Flyers will be  dropped  in mailboxes as well as in parked vehicles windshield wipers.  Ã‚   Personal/direct Selling: The entrepreneur has already started visiting potential clients to collect letters of  intent. These potential clients are now  aware of the business and may provide word-of-mouth  promotion  concerning  the business when it opens.  Ã‚   Newspaper advertisements: The owner intends to place advertisements in  several  local newspapers.   4.4  Sales Strategy Maxim will offer discounts and special offers on Mondays to Wednesdays in order to enhance sales on those days. Bob will try to convince the business owner in the purlieu to sign contracts with rewarding benefits, and thus try to sell directly to businesses. 4.5 Sales Projections Maxim has projected to wash 5550 cars during the first year of business. 4.6 Target Market Segment Strategy After doing a thorough market research, Bob has found that Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the sluggish days for a car wash.   This could be due to the fact that various people wash their cars before they leave for a weekend away, afterward they return for a weekend away or merely has more time for things like washing the car during the weekend.   To pawn this effect, Maxim will target cost conscious customers during these days, by offering specials and discounts on Mondays to Wednesdays. 4.7 Customer Analysis   Maxims  customer base will be made up of local residents, people who pass through the area, car dealerships, taxi operators and others.  Ã‚   The following is the business customer analysis as provided by  Bob: Car  hires  agencies need cars cleaned  regularly.   Garages and workshops often want to clean customers car after they have  repaired  and may not have the facilities themselves.  Ã‚   Second-hand car dealers will want a car to look  impeccable  before they try and sell it.   Elderly or disabled  people  would usually prefer to have someone else wash their car.   Owners of classic or vintage cars could be very loyal customers if  Maxim  proves  that  it  can  do  a caring, quality job on their vehicles.   Taxi drivers Government vehicles for  instance  police and hospital (ambulance) vehicles.   4.8 Customers Buying Habits In discussion with hundreds of people in our target area over the past one year, Maxim has determined there is a massive need for a car wash facility in this region. Currently, there is not a car wash facility within a 6.5 mile radius of the proposed site, and the proposal has received enormous support from both civic and government groups in the target market. Business Operations : 5.1 Operations Maxim Car Wash is environmental friendly business, and has concerns over minimizing the impact on the environment in terms of energy consumed; water used, and waste output. All the chemicals are biodegradable, so that they break down naturally and hence the environment remains safe. The production process of Maxim as a whole consists of obtaining input materials, receiving customer cars for service, usage of the raw materials to wash, clean and vacuum cars, polishing the cars, and handing the car back to the client. Raw materials are used in the form of water, car shampoo, polish, and chamois products. Cars will be washed with soaps and materials specially designed for them to avoid scratches on the surface. A diagrammatic exposition of the process followed by Maxim is as follows: Figure 2: Critical levels in the service delivery process involves using best quality input products designed for automobiles, tailored with the customers service requirement, and fast service times. 5.2 Services Offered Car Washing Interior Cleaning Car Detailing 5.3 Personnel Maxim is considering making two teams headed by one full time car wash/detail expert and one part-time car wash specialist. Rotation of team members would be done on weekends and other peak times to manage the customer load. Extensive training would be given to all washers and detailers as to reduce all cushions of inefficiencies and providing the best quality and service at all times. Bob will hire an experienced manager for Maxim Car wash who would be responsible for all matters in the absence of Bob. The proposed organogram of the business operations for the first year is as follows: Figure 3: All employees will be encouraged to work with the business in the long term perspective and to deliver the best performance by the provision of being in a pleasant working environment, job satisfaction and market-related salaries. 5.4 Staffing/Training The size of staff is dependent upon time of day, day of the week, and weather conditions. During traditional peak wash periods, four full time wash experts employees and three part time wash experts will be scheduled to work. During traditional off-peak times four full time wash experts and one part time wash expert will be scheduled to work. Maxim will remain elastic in the staffing policy in order to meet customer demands and most efficiently make use of the employees. The employee handbook will make certain that each employee understands the significance and applicability of a varied and flexible scheduling process. The plan is to ensure that each employee receives the training essential to be skillful in their assigned tasks. The training program will center on improving the employees operational understanding of the business as well as their interpersonal skills. The program is designed to ensure that the employee-customer relations are as optimistic as possible. Initially, the company will be run solely by Bob. However, after six months a supervisor/manager may be hired to assist with the day to day operations and maintenance. The aim is to develop management from within the company, thereby assuring that optimistic management policies and practices are sustained. Additionally, the policy of hiring from within provides Maxim a means to recognize outstanding work performance and to develop a solid management team critical to The Maxims success. Technology: Through continuous research and development Maxim has led to new technologies and services including Unityà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ chemical system and innovative products like Hot Shine ® Carnauba Shield that gives a long lasting shine to the car in no extra time. Its growth has been amplified by investing in the best technology available, resulting in cleaner cars with an even deeper and richer shine. Maxim aims to use energy efficient advanced water reclamation system to conserve water usage and to reduce discharge concerns or meet actual standards or regulations. Thus, the amount of water needed to clean each car would be minimized. 6.1 Automatic Dryer System The Eclipse, an automatic dryer system which produces maximum output capacity of drying 40 cars per hour, more than any other equipment available in the market today.  Ã‚  The Eclipse computer precisely determines the length and width of each vehicle as it enters, from the smallest cars to the long pickups to be safely dried. It has a simple design which allows for only five moving components, adding to its longevity and minimal down time a feature that is unmatched in the industry. The Eclipse is also more visually attractive than ground-mounted machines, and the wall-mounted frame provides an open, spacious bay, creating more attraction for customers. The Eclipse onboard dryer is a system which is fully programmable and offers three efficient turbines running at 3600 rpm for high volume, velocity and maximum air flow.  It also uses less energy to operate, since no conveyor system is necessary for the Eclipse. 6.2 Wheel Scrubber This feature will allow the customers to choose which type of wheel cleaning they prefer. This will increase the cleaning revenue in less time with this online system available in friction and touch free options. The wheel brush cleans the tires and all wheel outer faces when the friction option is chosen. For those customers who prefer touch free, Maxim can also offer that choice, improving tire and wheel quality, again adding to the revenue and satisfying another customer. 6.3 Tire Shine Applicator Tire shine is an upgrade that our customers can opt to give that freshly-washed, shiny, finished look to their tires. Its the last touch for particular customers who want their vehicle sparkling from top to bottom. 7. Finances: 7.1 Financial Plan Following are the projections of Maxims Financial Plan. Bob will finance the start-up expenses of Maxim, with a  £25000 investment from his personal funds, and growth will be financed by cash flow.   This will implicate a slow initial growth for the company, but Bob is reluctant to involve investors from outside and is concerned to exercise his control only over the direction of the company. Fixed monthly costs for Maxim are estimated to be approximately  £1,500, and break even monthly units are 304 units per month. 7.2 Statement of Comprehensive Income Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Totals Potential Unit Sales 4800 5430 6100 16330 Average price per unit  £ 10.00  £ 11.00  £ 12.00 Potential Sales (turnover)  £ 48,000.00  £ 59,730.00  £ 73,200.00  £ 212,435.60 Unit costs  £ 5.80  £ 6.10  £ 6.80 Cost of Sales  £ 27,840.00  £ 33,123.00  £ 41,480.00  £ 114,257.60 Gross Profit  £ 20,160.00  £ 26,607.00  £ 31,720.00  £ 98,178.00 Operating Costs  £ 1,000.00  £ 1,090.00  £ 1,200.00 Net Profit before tax  £ 19,160.00  £ 25,517.00  £ 30,520.00  £ 85,888.00 7.3 Cash Flow Statement Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Opening Balance 15000 17914 21414 Cash received: Cash sales 14500 18000 21200 Interest 1900 1800 1500 Sundries 864 720 1150 Total cash received 17264 20520 23850 Cash Purchases: Stock purchases 6000 11880 10380 Other creditors 2300 3900 6000 Operating costs 1000 1090 1200 Capital 5000 150 150 Other 50 0 100 Total cash payment 14350 17020 17830 Cash Increase/Decrease 2914 3500 6020 Closing Balance 17914 21414 27434 7.4 Statement of Financial Position Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Assets Current Assets  £ 8,850.00  £ 10,287.00  £ 11,440.00 Cash  £ 3,650.00  £ 4,234.00  £ 4,700.00 Inventory  £ 1,000.00  £ 1,160.00  £ 1,287.00 Accounts receivable  £ 3,400.00  £ 3,961.00  £ 4,400.00 Provision for income tax  £ 800.00  £ 932.00  £ 1,053.00 Fixed Assets  £ 21,300.00  £ 24,860.00  £ 27,605.00 Machine  £ 5,000.00  £ 5,890.00  £ 6,500.00 Equipment  £ 6,700.00  £ 7,800.00  £ 8,658.00 Vehicle  £ 6,300.00  £ 7,340.00  £ 8,147.00 Trademark  £ 1,400.00  £ 1,630.00  £ 1,800.00 Goodwill  £ 1,900.00  £ 2,200.00  £ 2,500.00 Total Assets  £ 30,150.00  £ 35,147.00  £ 39,045.00 Liabilities and Equity Current liabilities  £ 2,990.00  £ 4,375.00  £ 4,777.00 Accounts payable (income tax)  £ 1,715.00  £ 2,990.00  £ 3,139.00 Creditors  £ 1,275.00  £ 1,385.00  £ 1,638.00 Long-term liabilities  £ 27,160.00  £ 30,772.00  £ 34,268.00 Bank Loan  £ 18,824.00  £ 23,430.00  £ 27,625.00 Vehicle  £ 8,336.00  £ 7,342.00  £ 6,643.00 Total Liabilities and Owners Equity  £ 30,150.00  £ 35,147.00  £ 39,045.00 Future Expansion Plan: The following is Mr. Bobs plans for future growth: Im planning to buy a bigger and much better place than the one Ill be using currently. Ill be making maximum profit because I wont be paying rent there since I would own the property. Im going to make a Bigger and better car wash than my first one in terms of development. This area will be able to handle more cars on the washing bay and on the drying bay. It will be much more feasible for a carwash business than my initial one. Ill be able to introduce new businesses into the market that would be ideal for my carwash. Businesses that would give people a reason to come to my carwash even when its raining; businesses like a Fast Food Franchise. Now introducing a business like this to my expansion area would contribute greatly to the Success of my carwash in West Midlands. From then, Im planning to expand to other developing and well developed towns or cities and to other areas in the United Kingdom. I want to be one of the people who contribute a lot to the growth and development of En gland. Please note that this is not just a dream; I believe that it is my determination and my gift from God, because its my passion. I am very blessed and richly gifted business wise. I have the ability to predict change and Development before it comes to reality. Not in terms of spiritual prophesying but in terms of being a possibility thinker. I have the Ability to convert a disadvantage to an advantage. Where people see jeopardy, I see an opportunity and prosperity. I welcome problems; I reach out for them, I charge into them and then in my mind instantly change them to challenges. I act local but I think global. This is the kind of attitude Im going with to my carwash business.                                               Ã‚   Appendices and References: http://www.carwash.org/Documents/14-%20Business%20Plan%20Template.pdf http://www.mplans.com/car_wash_marketing_plan/financials,_budgets,_and_forecasts_fc.php http://www.entrepreneurmag.co.za/advice/sample-business-plans/automotive-travel-and-transportation/car-wash-business-plan/ http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/business-plans/Business-Plans-Volume-01/Car-Wash.html#b Catlin, Katherine and Jana Matthews, Building the Awesome Organization: Six Essential Components that Drive Entrepreneurial Growth, 2002 New York: Hungry Minds Inc. Sahlman, William A., Howard H. Stevenson, Michael J. Roberts, Amar Bhide, eds. The Entrepreneurial Venture, 2nd Edition. 1999, Boston: Harvard Business School Press.