Airline Ticket Prices Essay

An airline’s ticket price is determined by several factors to include time of day a consumer wishes to travel, day of the week such as Tuesday’s and Thursday’s are usually the most affordable days to travel, popular versus non-popular destinations, first class costs more than general class, cost of fuel, competition from other airlines, special factors such as discounts for military, government or corporate personnel, (How Stuff Works, n.d.) Airlines are constantly analyzing how much consumers are willing to pay and pushing consumers to pay more. Airlines have used numerous models and computer programs to manage revenue throughout time. These models and computer programs have become increasingly complex and expensive, over a million dollars. However, these older models and computer programs have been phased out due to the low-fare program that many airlines switched to for a while. â€Å"Low-fare carriers do have models to manage revenue, but they’re very simple: Prices tend to step up steadily as a flight date nears, and travelers who want flexibility — a refundable ticket, perhaps — pay more.† (NBC News, 2008) The problem with this marketing of tickets is that â€Å"locking buckets of seats into specific fares — left airlines with empty seats, losing money.† (NBC News, 2008) More airlines are using bidding wars to sale their tickets, increasing the price of the ticket over time. The highest bidder wins the ticket proving that people will pay for what they want. â€Å"The new system accommodates the proliferation of new ways to buy plane tickets, including discounters and online markets such as Priceline and Hotwire, which sell â€Å"distressed inventory† that airlines would otherwise write off.† (NBC News, 2008) Now to compare why an airline ticket costs the same from Casper, Wyoming to Denver, Colorado, and from Denver, Colorado to Orlando, Florida. Logically this makes no sense considering the difference in distance from one location to the other, consumers would assume the ticket from Casper to Denver would be cheaper than the ticket from Denver to Orlando. In the example given Casper, Wyoming to Denver is 280 miles with a four-hour driving time approximating about an hour-long flight compared to driving 1845 miles with a 27 hour drive from Denver, Colorado to Orlando, Florida with flight time of no more than five-hours nonstop. Airline ticket  prices generally are not set soley by distance for the most part, there are several factors such as consumer base such as cities that are more popular for business or pleasure trips, operating costs, and competition from other airlines, which leads to supply and demand. â€Å"When one increases the other decreases. As supply grows, demand diminishes. As does the price for that product. As demand grows, supply diminishes. And price goes up. It’s a function of our market.† (Consumerism, 2011) The price is the same due to supply and demand, which is usually set by which type of airlines frequent certain areas, â€Å"big airlines that fly to both Los Angeles and London from New York face low-fare airline competition on the domestic route, but not the international route, and so they charge far more.† (McCartney, WSJ, 2010) The cost curves affects airline ticket by pushing airline tickets to the lowest possible price where an airline will still be able to make a profit yet permitting consumers to pay the lowest price possible. â€Å"At the bottom of the curve the business in question achieves productive efficiency, this is where a unit of production is being made for the lowest possible cost.† (Rodda, 2012) Airlines have to take operating cost and amenities into consideration when setting ticket prices. Airlines must be able to make a profit when setting ticket prices. â€Å"By comparing the demand curve with the average total cost curves for each airplane type, the airline can determine which size airplane will maximize profits for a given flight.† (Kons, n.d.) In summary, as with any product, from airline tickets to gasoline prices â€Å"consumers have continued to pay the increased fares, so the airlines have become bolder in driving the prices up even further.† (Smith, CNNMoney, 2011) Consumers, their desire, need and want for an item or service will always affect supply, demand, and cost curve. Most organizations have the same goal, which is to make a profit while keeping their costumers happy. References: Consumerism (2011, March 4). Supply and Demand Goes Both Ways – Beating Broke | Beating Broke. Retrieved May 14, 2013, from http://www.beatingbroke.com/supply-and-demand-goes-both-ways/ How Stuff Works (n.d.). HowStuffWorks â€Å"How Airlines Work†. Retrieved May 14, 2013, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/airline4.htm Kons, A. (n.d.). Understanding the Chaos of Airline Pricing. The Park Place Economist, 8, 15-29. Retrieved from http://www.iwu.edu/economics/PPE08/alex.pdf McCartney, S. (2010). Decoding Airline Ticket Costs. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://www.etopaz.com/news/3/57/Decoding-Airline-Ticket-Costs-WJS-com NBC News (2008, May 8). Inside the mysteries of airline fares – Business – US business – Aviation | NBC News. Retrieved May 14, 2013, from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3073548/ns/business-us_business/t/inside-mysteries-airline-fares/#.UZLPd5UylUQ Smith, A. (2011, March 4). Rising airfares could overtake their 2008 peak – Mar. 3, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2013, from http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/03/pf/saving/rising_airfare/index.htm

To what extent can Lady Macbeth be seen as a female gothic protagonist at the start of the play?

At first meeting, Lady Macbeth appears to us as a ruthless predator, an emancipated woman driven by an all-consuming passion and displaying perfectly, the antithesis of womanhood. She has, it seems, acquired all the necessary requirements to fill the role of a female gothic protagonist. Whether or not she utilises these factors to the full extent and can really be called the protagonist will be discussed in further detail. Her character is not unveiled until Act I Scene V where, with the use of three speeches, she exposes the workings of her mind and lay it out for the audience. Her second speech displays perfectly the idea of Lady Macbeth as a ruthless predator. She calls on the supernatural to ‘unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty!’ She asks them to ‘Stop up the access and passage to remorse’ and to ‘make thick’ her blood. Here she displays a woman incapable of any feelings of love or amity, but it is important to think of her before she makes this request. If it is necessary for her to ask for the remittal of her remorse, then she must have had the ability to feel such feelings beforehand. We are given no background information on this woman and it is therefore difficult to say if she was always like this or whether it was Macbeth’s letter that changed her; this appeal she makes is one of few insights into her p ossible mind-set as Lady Macbeth before the play. Her status as a woman who displays the antithesis of womanhood can hardly be doubted, but Lady Macbeth would not have publicised these feelings. We know this from her relation with Duncan who refers to her as ‘our honoured hostess.’ The King of Scotland would hardly encourage a woman to act the way Lady Macbeth does on the audience’s initial meeting with her. Indeed, Lady Macbeth is a woman changed entirely when in the presence of people of such high status. She appears to be a domesticated woman, one happy to be at home while her husband goes out to war to serve as a loyal citizen. And yet, we know otherwise. In her second speech, she refers to her home as ‘my battlements.’ This presumption of hers, this idea that she should own her home and not her husband would have been a farcical one. The most menacing speeches uttered by Lady Macbeth occur not just when she summons iniquity, but when she does so with a language that refutes and distorts her maternal nature. In her second speech, she speaks to these ‘spirits’ and asks that they ‘come to my woman’s breasts, And take my milk for gall†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This line turns this universally natural feature of womanhood into something dark and troubling. Adding to this, the suggestion of changing a mother’s milk, what she feeds her children on, to poison, is a disgusting one. Further on in the play, Shakespeare manipulates this perversion of motherhood again when Lady Macbeth conveys a fantasy of infanticide: ‘I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash'd the brains out†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This horrific image is so against the searing love a mother feels for her child, that it is impossible for the reader to accept that Lady Macbeth fully comprehends firstly, what she is saying and secondly, that maternal love despite her previous statement of ‘I know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ However, Shakespeare has allowed the reader room for doubt. While we are certain that Lady Macbeth is a woman depraved of all the typical qualities of a homemaker, we do see a potential insight into the Macbeth’s sexual relations and Lady Macbeth’s ‘duty’ as a wife. Here, it appears she abides but it does become apparent that it is her who leads the way. Our insight into this idea is in her first speech where she talks of ‘pour[ing] my spirits in thine ear; And chastis[ing] with the valour of my tongue.’ The suggestion here that Lady Macbeth can impress things on her husband through the use of sex, would have been a shocking one. So while these sexual insinuations suggest the ‘wife’ side of Lady Macbeth, the knowledge that she can manipulate him as such, is once again the perfect display of the antithesis of womanhood. The gothic impact of Lady Macbeth’s indiscretion has less to do with her demonic entreaties, but rather more so with the reversals of her female nature, which show how willing she is to contemplate and fulfil her ambition for power. While certain aspects of her speech allow the reader to imagine her, for a second, as a woman happy to live and serve as a reclaimed wife, her ability to twist and distort words and ideas disallow the audience to hold these thoughts for long. This amalgamation of supernatural desires and her willingness to abandon her sex create, for the reader, a potent force of evil and the perfect female, gothic protagonist. disparagingly of her husband’s ‘human kindness’ but she summons demonic powers with her invocation: ‘Come, you spirits, / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, / And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of direst cruelty’ (1.5.38-41). She continues in similar vein: ‘Come to my woman’s breasts, / And take my milk for gall’ (1.5.45-46). Her communing with the forces of darkness is expressed in terms that seek to remove the ‘compunctious visitings’ of her female nature. Later, in one of the play’s most disturbing images, Lady Macbeth expresses a fantasy of infanticide: I have given suck, and know How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me. I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out However, when it comes to her manipulation of Macbeth, she adopts the powerful weapon of sexual taunting: Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire? When you durst do it, then you were a man. Lady Macbeth’s evil allows her at one and the same time to deny her maternal nature and to control her husband by invoking her sexuality. It is this capacity to distort her female identity to gain her political ends that makes Lady Macbeth at once a potent force for evil and a transgressive figure of the female gothic.

O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” Essay

I chose to write a comparison essay on Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning†. Both of these stories share central characters with similar personalities as well as similar themes and conflicts through the stories. The Grandmother, in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†, is an old woman with old-fashioned ideas and manners. She considers herself to be a good person, but she is also very selfish and manipulative. She makes up lies to get what she wants, such as when she tells the children about a secret panel in the plantation house that she wants to visit just to intrigue them into wanting to stop there. She tries to come across as an honest and holy religious woman, when in actuality, she is just the opposite. She uses the term â€Å"good man† quite loosely whenever she wants to please a man. Sarti’s father Abner, in â€Å"Barn Burning†, also posses the same two character flaws as the Grandmother, selfishness and manipulativeness. He uses his authority as an adult and as a father to put guilt trips on Sarti. He tells him that no matter what, he should never go against his own blood because blood is thicker than water. Another similarity in the two characters is that they are both responsible for the actions that take place throughout the stories. The Grandmother is constantly trying to direct the family’s vacation and tell them what to do. She feels that she knows best because she is old and wise. This is ironic because listening to the Grandmother is what gets the family into the predicament in the end. Because she insists on visiting the old plantation house, the family winds up getting lost. Because she sneaks her cat along for the trip, Bailey get startled which causes the family to get into a car accident. All of this leads up to the family meeting up with Misfit and his two accomplices, which in turn, causes the death of all five people. Abner, like the Grandmother, can not accept the fact that most of his actions caused his problems. He also feels that he knows it all and does not think of the future consequences of his actions. He feels no remorse in telling Sarti to lie for him because he feels that what he did was justified. Both â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and â€Å"Barn Burning† involve the theme of a conflict between youth versus age. The Grandmother and Abner both have authority over the other characters because of their age. In â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†, the characters disregard the Grandmother in the beginning when she says that she will not take her family to Florida because of the murderer who is loose there. But they do make the decision to listen to her when it comes turning around and looking for the plantation house, which turns out to be a fatal decision. In â€Å"Barn Burning†, Sarti starts off obeying his father, but then makes the fatal decision to turn him in. The small difference in these stories is that the family’s decision affects each one of them to where the outcome is the same for all, death. While Sarti’s decision does change his life and the course that it would take, it only causes death for his father. In conclusion, Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† are both stories that involve a central character whose actions seal the fate of all the other characters. They both have similar traits and views. Most importantly, neither of the two characters will ever openly accept responsibility for what happens, although they may feel it inside. Both short stories also involve a similar theme of choices. The characters make their choices of whether or not to do what the Grandmother and Abner say, according to what they feel is the right thing to do. Even though the Grandmother from â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† and Abner from â€Å"Barn Burning† are extremely different people in very many ways, they are also quite similar.

Power, Authority and Decision Making Research Paper

Power, Authority and Decision Making - Research Paper Example This paper tells that power may consist of anything that builds and maintains control of man over a fellow man. It tends to be defined as a force despite the fact that one with the power is the initiator or a responder. Thus, power is understood as a relational phenomenon in that persons exert power over others, and that power of an individual to do something constitutes a social relationship that is comparable to another person (Etzioni-Halevy, 1979). In light of this, power has been a crucial aspect of human civilization since time immemorial. In essence, power is physical, political or social. Additionally, in terms of business, power dynamics have the tendency to influence decisions and transactions of people heavily. Consequently, the definition of power could be challenging as it is understood and interpreted in various ways. Hence, power emanates from position or authority, which is capable of influencing people both positively and negatively. For this reason, the concept of p ower is placed in various categories for emphasis for simplicity and understanding (Wrong, 2002). Coercive Power Coercive power is the ability to use the threat to make people do what one desires. In essence, it forces people to submit to one’s demand for fear of losing something. According to Wrong 2002, power in terms of coercion can take many forms. For instance, in the political arena modern state imprison those people who do not act in accordance with the legal mandates (Fairholm, 2009). In regard to history, a majority of nations of the world joined in the boycott of Iraqi Oil in the hope of forcing the Iraqi government to honor the peace agreement that had been put forward in order to end the Gulf War of 1991. In the social arena, coercive power entails pushing someone into a behavior one would not engage in. It is worth noting that most of the coercive power is associated with physical violence. Coercive power is most efficient, when the threat of violence or punishme nt associated with it, is sufficient enough to make the responder consent to the demand. Coercive power is advantageous in situations of impending danger, assuring internal cohesion, over and above, disputes that are of great value to the initiator. For instance, the European countries used extreme and often brutal, coercive power to launch their rule over Africa, and other regions such as Asia. Conversely, even though the power may be impressive in specific situations, it might be useless in some situations especially when the responders to the power choose not to agree to the given threat (Wey 2009). Legitimate Power Legitimate power is derived from the authority of a person’s rate and position in a commanding chain. It is used in day to day life and it increases according to the responsibilities that are entitled to somebody. Never the less, legitimate power can be decreased in case the person who has the responsibility fails to fully meet them. The duration of this type o f power is short-lived as the person can only use it as he, or she holds a particular position.  

Red Hat or Suse Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Red Hat or Suse - Research Paper Example The most annoying of Red hat is its slow running of applications even though it has a perfect architecture of its Gnome. The slowness may be as a result of the fact that thee general configuration is not okay as opposed to the Gnome itself. LINUX MARKET SHARE GENERAL COMPARISON Red hat’s theme of Bluecurve is not efficient since it does not hide that open source applications come from here. SUSE’s own window decoration together with KDE’s keramik icons are so efficient together thus KDE and Gnome applications blend in together very well. Another advantage going to SUSE is the fact that it is a very good working clipboard as opposed to the Red hat’s lack of an integrated copy and paste solution such that if a person wants to copy a text and try pasting it in another application, it usually ends in one finding the clipboard empty. Irritating is an understatement to this scenario. SUSE has integrated its system control tools much better than Red hat since the control tools are divided into two sets, one for the system hardware and it goes by the name YAST and the other one for KDE. Red hat on the other hand has very little or minimal control over hardware, the boot loader and the other areas/ parts of the system since the Gnome controls are scattered everywhere. The other similarities and differences are as follow in the statements and paragraphs below. Red hat Linux focuses on the attributes that follow: Offering a highly optimized application for large-scale, centrally-managed enterprise deployment, industry-leading virtualization performance, flexibility, security for both host and guest environment, the provision of a platform that offers clients access to better technology in the life time of the product, and provides the best efficiency with the latest generation of system which are scalable. There are various features that define Red Hat (Haynes, 2009). Such features, and which vary to some extent from Suse include the following: kernel and core technology stack, virtualization, performance, client/desktop, development, scalability, and security. The first features to examine is kernel and core technology stack. It provides the user with an updated core, including the operating system kernel, compiler and development tools, libraries, and drivers and not forgetting applications such as nfs, http, samba etc. It has been the leading developer and contributor of technology to the Linux kernel for many years and uses them to come up with a kernel that encompasses a comprehensive set of strength capabilities in the enterprise (Davenport, 2009). Its design allows for future capabilities to be included and incorporated into it without impacting certified applications and this is possible by keeping APIs/ ABIs stable. The benefit of this is that it provides a platform for future incorporation of the latest open source technologies in a state-of-the-art solution. ISVs enjoy a stable, flexible environment on which to launch and support their applications. Thus the end user achieve the maximum return on their investment in IT, with features that give the maximum and proper utilization of resources and rapid absorption of new technologies. Red

Curriculum Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Curriculum Evaluation - Essay Example It is a sound research method which can be used in educational institutions for evaluating merit of students (Sowell, E. J., â€Å"Curriculum: An Integrative Introduction†). CIPP stands for ‘Context, Input, Process and Products’. Context implies evaluating the requirements and problems; Input relates to evaluating of the plan to address the requirement, Process is the evaluation of implementation of plan, and ultimately Product stands for the evaluation of anticipated and unexpected results (Sowell, E. J., â€Å"Curriculum: An Integrative Introduction†). There are different sights of Curriculum Evaluation standards which are to be given priority in the evolution. According to JCSEE (Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation), there are four kinds of standards for Curriculum Evaluation which are ‘Utility Criteria’, ‘Feasibility Criteria’, ‘Propriety Criteria’, and ‘Accuracy Criteria’ (Sowell, E. J., â€Å"Curriculum: An Integrative Introduction†). CIPP evaluation technique goes through certain stages. In the year 2003, Sander and Davidson had projected 11 stages for applying CIPP model. The first stage consists of assessment of school elements which are finance, human resource, competency and other resources.

POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES(FISCAL POLICY AND MONETARY POLICY) Essay

POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES(FISCAL POLICY AND MONETARY POLICY) - Essay Example The most open similarity between the two policies is that both work together concurrently to control the rate of employment, currency value stabilization and work towards the realization of economic stability in the states. They both optimize economic growth in the states by controlling the flow of currency in the market. When government expenditure is high through the effect of fiscal policy and the economy goes down due to inflation, the Fed, through monetary policy intervenes to reduce inflation and maximize economy growth (Beetsma 327). The government is the prime body that deals with and regulates the entire economy of its states. The congress therefore makes decisions on which strategy to apply and when appropriate. This mandate of the government over both policies is a major similarity since the government has the mandate to choose between the fiscal policy and the monetary policy whenever any of the two needs to be inculcated to realize economic stability. Both the policies are effective in their own ways. The monetary policy is oversees and inculcated by the Fed and effects on the slowing down of the growth in the economy of the states. That means the government does involve itself in the realization of this policy. However, the fiscal policy is overseen by the government and is utilized in the boosting of economic growth and stability (Beetsma 256). The fiscal policy is more influential since it aims at controlling the rate of government expenditure and escalating the flow of money in the economy. It involves government spending and trimmi9ng of taxes, both of which are politically appealing and highly supported as disputed to the momentary policy which does not increase spending but reduces the effective spending by the federal government. The fed has the highest influence and greatest ability in the influence towards slowing economic augmentation and leading to

Best Nursing Practices when Transfusing Blood Products Research Paper

Best Nursing Practices when Transfusing Blood Products - Research Paper Example Nursing is a profession of the highest realm with unconditional love for mankind. Professionals are expected to show a degree of special attainment, altruism, and self-sacrifice in their dealings with the rest of the community and in return receive privileges both in the workplace and at large. Nurses work in multidisciplinary professional teams with doctors and therapists. Teamwork in nursing practice refers to interdisciplinary practice or collaboration defined as a joint decision-making and communication process with the goal of satisfying the needs of the patient. This includes respecting the unique abilities of each professional involved in the care. Nurses should be equipped with the all the needed information to complete all the tasks to work with the patients, families and colleagues in a safe, efficient manner. To deal effectively with the issues of patients nurse should have multiple skills. The attitude of the nurse affects their daily judgments, decisions, and efficiency. It is necessary to synthesize the required attitude, patient-focused systematic approach and purposeful clinical learning to deliver the needed result. Nurses should have ability to react quickly and take instant decision when needed. They should have capability to think laterally and work under tension. These qualities are needed for handling patients who are in crisis. Nurses are continuously physically and mentally challenged. They should able to handle every tough situation with focus, strength, stamina and heightened alertness.

Argumentive essay on Higher Education Research Paper

Argumentive essay on Higher Education - Research Paper Example eholds present in modern times are boasting of having at least one member who has attained higher education, and is now well-equipped to deal with the ever-changing job market. There are reasons for and against higher education, and individuals will always have an opinion about the changing or shifting paradigm that is higher education (Jedding 76). However, it is crucial to note some of the vital issues that arise as a result of higher education. The advancement or graduation of an individual from one level of education to the next is always something that brings satisfaction to all the people involved. This is a clear indicator that there is a growing and intensifying need to understand the value of education among most people. Families are gearing up to the fact that their children will have to acquire a certain level of education in order to have a fighting chance in some of the world’s leading institutions, and have some sense of security. This pushes individuals to try and excel in the different fields they find themselves in, and try to make it regardless of the challenges present (Jedding 81). As mentioned above, there are reasons for and against higher education and this paper will examine some of them, and try to indicate why higher education is a vital element in the security and future of a region. One of the most crucial and best arguments for higher education is the fact that no individual can be over-educated. Once people reach a certain level in their quest for education, the might try to look for excuses to stop or quit by claiming that they have had enough of it. This may be a wrong assumption, especially when one considers that education never stops. Education is a means to learn something new every day, and use that to improve one’s life and problem solving skills. Higher education is just a means to acquire experience through what someone else has already discovered, so as to make life easier and less complicated (Jedding 84). It is vital

Analysis On The Triggers Of American Revolutionary War Term Paper

Analysis On The Triggers Of American Revolutionary War - Term Paper Example   Before war erupted, there was growing discontent among the Englishmen living in the thirteen colonies because of increased taxation and lack of representation in the British government.   By 1765 a group called Sons of Liberty were formed who no longer wanted America to be ruled by the British Empire. However, obsessed with control then king of England— George III sent soldiers to Boston to intimidate the people because he did not want to lose control over the American colonies; the incident would later be called Boston Massacre.   This was not taken well by the people and the collective sentiment led to a call for liberation.   Colonists across the Americas made the plight of Boston and Massachusetts as their own.   They express sympathy and concern for the suffering of their brethren in the common cause of liberty. In a way, the actions of the Empire against the people of Boston even reinforced the sentiments of the American colonists as it strengthened and forge d a sense of camaraderie among them. People from neighboring community would travel to Boston to bring aid like fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish to extend their support and show that whatever they are experiencing in Boston, the other colonies understand as well and are supporting them.  American colonists on the eve of the Revolution have forged a new identity that had now set them apart from Britons elsewhere—they no longer see themselves as Britons, Englishmen, or American colonists.

Why did the united states declares war on Great britain in 1812 Could Essay

Why did the united states declares war on Great britain in 1812 Could this war have been avoided - Essay Example During Britain’s war with France, America chose to be neutral. However, the economic activities that the United States had with the French would not go unnoticed by the British. They, therefore, used the war to capture and seize American ships that were heading to France. Britain affected the trade rights that America had with France. Also, Britain’s lack of respect for the maritime rights that the Americans enjoyed propelled the American congress to vote to go to war. Britain, through the capture and seizure of American ships, were able to force the seamen to join their army and fight. This propelled America to wage war against Britain (O’Neill & Benn, 2011). Patience and deep communication between all the parties could have led to the avoidance of the war. The order to seize and capture all vessels could have been revoked to reduce the pressure on the American congress (Heidler & Heidler, 2004). This order was the main reason why Americans were angry with Britain for trying to trample on its maritime and trade rights. By revoking the order, Britain could have avoided colliding with America. In conclusion, reasons that prompted two nations to war against each other are not solid. As seen, communication and patience would have averted the beginning of the war, thus; protecting resources and saving lives. Looking back, it is difficult to determine what the war represented because; shortly afterwards, Britain and America agreed on a treaty that did not resolve the issues that led to the war (Heidler & Heidler,

Strategic Imperative of Marketing Management Essay Example for Free

Strategic Imperative of Marketing Management Essay Discuss the strategic imperative of marketing management to the success of business organizations. In my opinion, the marketing strategy that the management department from a company or organization develops is a central role or one of the most important strategies that companies have to analyze in order to be successful on the product or service that they are promoting. As stated on the Marketing Management book by Philip Kotler and Kevin Keller; â€Å"Successful marketing requires companies to have capabilities such as understanding customer value, creating customer value, delivering customer value, capturing customer value, and sustaining customer value. † The strategic imperative of marketing may be exposed using a basic study which is called the SWOT analysis; it focuses on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the business. The strengths of the business relates to the product and consumer perception. The weaknesses analysis is just as critical for the long-term success. The opportunities come up from favorable conditions, including social and cultural advantages. And the threats come up from factors such as changes in the economy and the presence of new, powerful competitors. The relationship between a company and its customers is one of the main key factors to develop, maintain and or change if necessary a marketing strategy. Business success requires a steady commitment to the customer. This commitment includes a mindset of understanding the customers world. Understanding the customer’s wants and needs provides the business with a greater opportunity to earn loyal customers, and toward what you can do to improve the life of your customers. Ready access, increased knowledge and rapid speed of decision-making are the drivers for customer wants and decisions. If organizations fail to keep up with the speed of customer decision-making and fail to adapt quickly to changes the businesses will loss. Other factors to be successful might be considered when developing the marketing strategy. Such as: product awareness and branding. Without product awareness, consumers wont know about its availability and lack of branding will result in consumers quickly forgetting about the product and its significance on their lives.

The Construction Material Concrete Construction Essay

The Construction Material Concrete Construction Essay The process of curing concrete, handling it in different climatic conditions and the various diseases that can arise in concrete structures are the key points of this paper. The word concrete is derived from a latin word concretuswhich means compact or condensed. Concrete is a thick composite artificial stone like material which is made by mixing cement (generally Portland cement) and various other aggregates, such as sand, pebbles, gravel, shale, etc., with water and allowing the mixture to harden by hydration. Since the ancient times it had been used in constructing structures and today also it is used more than any other man made construction material in the world. COMPOSITION Depending upon the reqirement of the structure,the proportions of the main ingredients discussed below are varied to avail different types of concrete. By doing so the finished product can be tailored to its application with varying strength, density, or chemical and thermal resistance properties. CEMENT Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete. It consists of a mixture of oxides of calcium, silicon and aluminium. Portland cement and similar materials are made by heating limestone (a source of calcium) with clay, and grinding this product (called clinker) with a source of sulfate (most commonly gypsum). WATER When water is added in a cementitious material, cement paste is formed through the process of hydration. The cement paste glues the aggregate together, fills voids within it, and allows it to flow more smoothly. Water should be added in the mix very carefully as less water in the cement paste will yield a stronger, more durable concrete; more water will give an free-flowing concrete with a higher slump. Impure water used to make concrete can cause problems when setting or in causing premature failure of the structure. In the process of hydration many different reactions occur at the same time. As the reactions proceed, the products of the cement hydration process gradually bond together the individual sand and gravel particles, and other components of the concrete, to form a solid compact mass. AGGREGATES The presence of aggregate greatly increases the robustness of concrete above that of cement.Following are the different items which could be used as aggregates: Sand, natural gravel and crushed stone Recycled aggregates (from construction, demolition and excavation waste) and manufactured aggregates like air-cooled blast furnace slag and bottom ash Decorative stones such as quartzite, small river stones or crushed glass are sometimes added to the surface of concrete for a decorative exposed aggregate finish. CURING OF CONCRETE The term curing concrete signifies the process of stopping freshly poured concrete from drying out too quickly. Unless the concrete mass is not cured, or if it is left out to dry out on its own, it will not develop the full bond between all of its ingredients. In order to form a water cement paste, water is added in Portland cement after which chemical reactions take place in the mixture turns the paste into a bonding agent. This reaction is known as hydration and it produces a stone-like compact substancethe hardened cement paste. Both the rate and degree of hydration, and the resulting strength of the final concrete, depend on the curing process that follows placing and consolidating the plastic concrete. As long as the mixture contains water and the temperature conditions are favorable, the process of Hydration continues ,though at a decreasing rate . The strength of concrete is dependent on crystal growth within the concrete matrix through the process of hydration If water is not adequate, the crystals cannot grow, due to which the concrete is unable to attain the desired strength. The presence of water through proper curing of the concrete facilitates the crystal growth that encloses the gravel and sand mix, causing interweaving with each other. .The time-span of the process of Curing begins from the time of consolidation and ends at the point where the concrete reaches its design strength. The period can vary from a few days to a month or longer. For most structural use, the curing period for cast-in-place concrete is usually 3 days to 2 weeks. During this period, the concrete mass should be kept moist and as near 73F as practical. Bridge decks and other slabs exposed to weather and chemical attack usually require longer curing periods. The time span of the curing period also depends on the factors such as type of cement used mix proportions required strength size and shape of the concrete mass weather conditions and temperature future exposure conditions SIGNIFICANCE OF CURING A proper and effective curing process helps in improving various properties of concrete such as freeze and thaw resistance strength watertightness wear resistance volume stability. Serviceability and apperance The compressive strength of concrete that has been properly cured is 75 to 95 per cent more than the concrete that has not been cured. Figure 1 illustrates this by comparing the compressive strength of concrete(at 180 days) for which the surface has been either kept moist for the entire duration of 180 days or is kept moist for various periods of time and allowed to dry out or is allowed to dry out from the time it was first made.It is quite clearly depicted that the compressive strength of the concrete is highest when it is fully cured for the entire period of 180 days. Fig 1:Moist curing effect on compressive strength of concrete source:www.tpub.com The permeability and absorptivity of concrete mix depends upon the porosity of the mix ie whether the pores and capillaries are discrete or interconnected. The porosity of the mix is reduced overtime through proper and effective curing of concrete thereby increasing the durability of concrete. Also, proper curing of concrete mix will reduce crazing, dusting and scaling of the slab thereby ensuring better serviceability and appearance. STAGES IN CURING PROCESS After the concrete mix have been placed, it is imperative to keep it moist and maintain specified concrete temperatures.The process of curing starts immediately after the placement of concrete and it goes through two stages : Initial curing stage: time of placement to initial set. This stage would include all the deliberate action taken between placement and final finishing of concrete. Approximate conditions during the initial curing period should be forecast prior to construction. Under this stage,the rate of strength gain of the concrete is minimal. The various aspects to be dealt with construction initial curing period as shown in diagram below are : verifying evaporation conditions: concrete temperatures, wind velocity, air temperature, and relative humidity are required to be taken into account during placement. These elements are used to make nomograph to calculate the evaporation rate and to determine whether critical drying rates exist. Using the concrete placing temperature, the time of initial setting can be estimated. The time of initial setting is the optimal time for application of final curing. Major items requiring attention during construction-initial curing period. Source : www.fhwa.dot.govt Onsite adjustments for Excessive drying: In order to reduce evaporation rates of bleed water the following two adjustments could be made- reducing concrete placing temperatures- Cooling aggregate stockpiles, cooling mixing water, or using ice for mixing water are very effective ways of reducing concrete temperatures. use of evaporation reducers. Evaporation reducers are water emulsions of film-forming compounds. The film-forming compound is the active ingredient that slows down evaporation of water. There is also a benefit from the water fraction of the evaporation reducers, in that it compensates to a small degree for losses of mixing water to evaporation.Evaporation reducers may need to be applied several times, depending on the conditions. Concrete that are liable to quick drying is required to be covered with wet gunny bag or wet hessian cloth properly squeezed, so that the water does not drip and at the same time, does not allow the concrete to dry. This condition should be maintained for 24 hours or at least till the final setting time of cement at which duration the concrete will have assumed the final volume. The Final curing stage: The final curing period is defined as the time interval between application of curing procedures and the end of deliberate curing. Final curing methods fall into four categories: Water curing : Water curing can be done in various ways like immersion,ponding, spraying or fogging and wet covering.This is by far the best method of curing as it satisfies all the requirements of curing, namely, promotion of hydration, elimination of shrinkage and absorption of the heat of hydration. Curing a house slab by flooding. Source: http://www.builderbill-diy-help.com/curing-concrete.html The precast concrete items are normally immersed in curing tanks for a certain duration. Pavement slabs, roof slab etc. are covered under water by making small ponds. Vertical retaining wall or plastered surfaces or concrete columns etc. are cured by spraying water. In some cases, wet coverings such as wet gunny bags, hessian cloth, jute matting, straw etc., are wrapped to vertical surface for keeping the concrete wet. For horizontal surfaces saw dust, earth or sand are used as wet covering to keep the concrete in wet condition for a longer time so that the concrete is not unduly dried to prevent hydration. The diagram below summarises the major criteria for using water-added curing methods. Major features of curing with added water. Membrane curing : this curing method is mostly used when there is less availability of water in the region where curing is done. Under this method, concrete could be covered with membrane which will effectively seal off the evaporation of water from concrete. A continuous seal over the concrete surface is maintained by means of a firm impervious film to prevent moisture in concrete from escaping by evaporation. Some of the materials, which can be used for this purpose, are bituminous compounds, polyethylene PLASTIC SHEETING source:www.builderbill-diy-help.com or polyester film, waterproof paper, rubber compounds etc. When waterproofing paper or polyethylene film are used as membrane, care must be taken to see that these are not punctured anywhere and also see whether adequate lapping is given at the junction and this lap is effectively sealed. Application of heat : When concrete is subjected to higher temperature it accelerates the hydration process resulting in faster development of strength. Concrete cannot be subjected to dry heat to accelerate the hydration process as the presence of moisture is also an essential requisite. Therefore, subjecting the concrete to higher temperature and maintaining the required wetness can be achieved by subjecting the concrete to steam curing. The exposure of concrete to higher temperature can be done by Steam curing at ordinary pressure, Steam curing at high pressure ,Curing by Infra-red radiation ,Electrical curing. Traditional steam curing of concrete pipes (www.construction-int.com) Miscellaneous : Calcium chloride is used either as a surface coating or as an admixture. It has been used satisfactorily as a curing medium. Both these methods are based on the fact that calcium chloride being a salt shows affinity for moisture. The salt not only absorbs moisture from atmosphere but also retains it at the surface. This moisture held at the surface prevents the mixing water from evaporation and thereby keeps the concrete wet for a long time to promote hydration. Formwork prevents escaping of moisture from the concrete, particularly, in the case of beams and columns. Keeping the form work intact and sealing the joint with wax or any other sealing compound prevents the evaporation of moisture from the concrete. This procedure of promoting hydration can be considered as one of the miscellaneous methods of curing. At the end of the curing process majority of cement gets hydrated.There is slow rate of compressive strength gain of around 50-100 psi/hours and little exothermic heat generation. In the entire process of curing if one of the curing procedures is used initially, it may be replaced by one of the other procedures after the concrete is 1 day old, provided that the concrete surface is not permitted to become dry at any time. After the termination of the curing process the adequacy of a curing program could be verified.Although strength is the primary variable around which curing specifications are based several other approaches can also be used like Surface Water Absorption: the amount of water a dry concrete specimen absorbs in the first minute or so after contact with liquid water is directly related to the quality of the curing of the near-surface zone of the concrete. This method has direct applicability to verifying curing. The method is reasonably applied to cores, which can be dried to a constant low moisture content before testing. Rebound Hammer: The rebound hammer method basically measures the modulus of elasticity of the nearsurface concrete. This may actually recommend the method for use in evaluating the curing of concrete pavements, where near-surface effects are considered most important. The test method is suitable for in-place measurements. Laboratory work has shown that rebound numbers of uncured concrete exposed to modestly severe drying are reduced by about 50 percent at 7 days relative to well-cured concrete. Strength of Cores: The strength of concrete is strongly affected by inadequate curing, and, in theory, could be detected by measuring strength of cores. the effects of poor curing are only strongly apparent in the properties of the top 50 mm of concrete, and sometimes even less. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity: The ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) method is an indirect measure of the modulus of elasticity of concrete. The modulus of elasticity of concrete tends to increase with increasing hydration (or quality of curing) of the cement paste fraction of the concrete. UPV testing can be set up in a number of configurations, each of which tends to focus on slightly different features of the concrete. A simple pulse velocity taken through a piece of concrete, which is the traditional way of using UPV to investigate concrete properties, gives information on the average quality of the concrete. Abrasion Resistance: The degree of curing has been shown in numerous research publications to be strongly reflected in the abrasion resistance of the cement-paste fraction of concrete. This truth is easily verified qualitatively using an electrically powered wire brush and observing the ease with which the near-surface mortar can be removed from a small spot of concrete. Poorly cured concrete is easily abraded away, while well-cured concrete is quite difficult to abrade away with such equipment. DISEASES OF CONCRETE Deterioration of concrete buildings is becoming a cause of concern now a days. Often the structures located along open water, lakes, rivers and oceans are extremely vulnerable to attack from the harsh environment i.e. salt, moisture, humidity, carbon dioxide, etc. cracks, spalls and rust stains are some of the visual symptoms of the deterioration of concrete. CRACK Crack is the most common diseases of concrete structures and it occurs as a result of material discontinuity. Thermal and shrinkage cracks can be associated with high cement content and high strength concrete. Usually cracks occur in the concrete structures due to various reasons such as excess water in the mix ,rapid drying of the concrete, improper strength concrete poured on the job, lack of control joints, if Concrete is poured on frozen ground, alkali-silica reactionetc. In order to prevent cracks in concrete structures, following preventive measures could be taken: Estimate in advance the quantity of water to be mixed to get the required concrete mix. Adding too much water in the mix is one of the main causes of cracked concrete Do not pour concrete on the frozen ground .A compacted subgrade could be used to pour concrete upon to prevent cracking Cut control joints into the concrete so that the slab will be able to shrink and expand with temperature changes. Control joints should be cut the same depth of the slab and spaced a maximum of three times the thickness of the concrete. The slab must retain enough moisture so that the drying and shrinking happens as slowly as possible in the days and weeks after pouring. Curing helps the concrete to retain moisture in the concrete so that it can continue to gain strength to resist cracking. CRACKS ON CONCRETE SURFACE Source:www.homebuildinginformation.com FROST When the concrete is critically saturated i.e. approximately 91% of its pores are filled with water then deterioration of concrete from freeze thaw actions may occur. When water freezes to ice it occupies 9% more volume than that of water.In case there is no space in concrete for this expanded volume , a kind of distress is caused which will result in loss of concrete surface. A surface active agent should be added to the concrete mixture in order to prevent frost in a concrete structure. This creates a large number of closely spaced, small air bubbles in the hardened concrete which would act as expansion chambers to relieve the pressure build-up. It is to be noted that concrete with high water content and high water to cement ratio is less frost resistant than concrete with lower water content. ABRASION AND CAVITATION Hydraulic Concrete structures are affected by Abrasion-erosion due to the action of debris rolling and grinding against surface. The sources of the debris include construction trash left in a structure, riprap brought back into a basin by eddy currents because of poor hydraulic design or asymmetrical discharge, and riprap or other debris thrown into a basin by the public. Mechanical abrasion is usually characterized by long shallow grooves in the concrete surface and spalling along monolith joints. general abrasion and cavitation erosion results in coarse aggregate exposed concrete surface, concrete uneven surface, resulting in holes. In order to prevent the structure to suffer from abrasion the concrete should include the maximum amount of the hardest coarse aggregate that is available and the lowest practical w/c. In addition to this,high-range water-reducing admixtures (HRWRA) and condensed silica fume have been used to develop high compressive strength concrete 97 MPa (14,000 psi) , at this strength the concrete mix assumes a greater role in resisting abrasion-erosion damage. Also vacuum-treated concrete, polymer concrete, polymer-impregnated concrete, and polymer portland cement concrete could also be used to increase the abrasion resistance. In existing structures, balanced flows should be maintained into basins by using all gates to avoid discharge conditions where eddy action is prevalent. ABRASION source:www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca CARBONATION Carbonation is a chemical reaction between atmospheric carbon dioxide and hydrated cement compounds which causes a reduction in the alkalinity of the concrete. The permeability and moisture content of the concrete directly affects the rate of carbonation . Pop-corn like calcite crystals present in carbonated paste. source:www.concrete-experts.com In the process of carbonation the calcium bearing phases present in the concrete mass are attacked by carbon dioxide of the air and converted to calcium carbonate.In this process the alkalinity of the concrete is lowered from an initial pH of around 13.5 to around 8.5 over some years. One method of testing a structure for carbonation is to drill a fresh hole in the surface and then treat the cut surface with phenolphthalein indicator solution. This solution will turn [pink] when in contact with alkaline concrete, making it possible to see the depth of carbonation. In order to combat the process of carbonation aquron products from Allcrete industries could be used which helps in the following ways seals out moisture to a depth of 100mm or more reduces oxygen permeability by a pore-blocking process brings up the alkalinity of the concrete purging and binding chlorides in the colloidal silicate hydrogel formed in the pores and capillaries of the concrete It is to be noted that when Concrete is treated within 24 hours of casting ,it will be protected for life against carbonation problems and aged concrete, once treated, will become immune to further deterioration. CORROSION Corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete structures is well known to be Concrete Cancer, which happens to be a significant area of concern in the area of infrastructure and building across the world. Corrosive species can enter the concrete mix if the ingredients of the concrete mix such as water, aggregates, additives are contaminated.When such corrosive species reacts with the chemical compounds under the porous nature of concrete,the problem of corrosion occurs. Corrosion damage to the reinforcing steel results in the build-up of voluminous corrosion products, generating internal stresses and subsequent cracking and spalling of the concrete as shown schematically in the diagram below: Figure 2source:www.corrosion-club.com source:www.zoranthepainter.com Corrosion mechanism Concrete Cancer The most frightening thing is that the corrosion can be going on under the surface and will not be noticed until the concrete starts visibly disintegrating. The outcome of such corrosion is that concrete reduces its strength and also the steel re-enforcing within the concrete can rust and the pressure this creates can cause the concrete to crack and crumble. Buildings in coastal areas are especially at risk. The preventive measures to avoid such kind of concrete cancer are listed below: Epoxy coating: The concrete structures that are exposed to deicing salt may benifit from use of epoxy-coated, hot dip galvanised or stainless steel rebar. Epoxy coated rebar can easily be identified by the light green colour of its epoxy coating. Applying Sealants: After the process of curing, penetrating sealants must be applied. Sealants include paint, plastic foams, films and aluminum foil, felts or fabric mats sealed with tar, and layers of bentonite clay, sometimes used to seal roadbeds. corrosion inhibitors: calcium nitrite can also be added to the water mix before pouring concrete. Generally, 12 wt. % of calcium nitrate with respect to cement weight is needed to prevent corrosion of the rebars. Extreme weather conditions such as high ambient and concrete temperature, low relative humidity or a mere 40 F or less average daily air temperature for more than 3 consecutive days, tend to impair the quality of freshly mixed or hardened concrete thereby giving detrimental results. Therefore, it becomes imperative to handle concrete with caution both in extreme hot and cold weather. EFFECTS OF HOT WEATHER AND PROPER HANDLING On the compressive strength: When the temperature of concrete is high cement hydrates at a much faster rate, it sucks up water and grows crystals around the aggregate particles but dont have time to grow strong . Although, the early strength will be higher but 28-day strength suffers. If the concrete is about 18 hotter than normal (for example, 88 instead of 70), the ultimate compressive strength of the mix will be about 10% lower. On the colors of integrally colored concrete: under hot weather conditions , slump decreases rapidly as the cement sets up and and more mixing water is needed. In integrally colored concrete,this can lead to variations in water content which can result in significant differences in concrete color between adjacent pours. Surface drying: high concrete temperature and hot dry wind across the concrete can cause more drying and surface shrinkage. Thermal differentials: sometimes the hot weather condition makes one part of the concrete mass warmer than another part. If this differential is greater than about 20F then concrete gets cracks. Difficulty in maintaining air content can be a problem in warm concrete. Mixing is more likely to drive air out of the concrete making the level difficult to control. Dealing with hot weather concreting Plastic shrinkage is a particular problem in hot weather concreting. As a general rule, each 10o F increase in ambient temperature reduces slump about 1. A switch from ASTM C494 Type A to Type D water reducing and set retarding mix may be part of an effective plan for hot-weather concreting. Aggregates forms a major part in a concrete mix so its temperature has the greatest effect on concrete temperature. Shading of aggregate piles is ideal, although not always possible. Using cool water is another way to get cool concrete. Ready mix producers in hot climates use chilled water or ice to lower the concrete temperature. Retarding admixtures can also contribute towards controlling concrete in warm weather. When the concrete is hot, the setting time is very quick .At that time Retarder can be added at the plant or on the job site . Retarders delays the setting time but they also give the concrete more time to dry out, so curing is critical. Retarders come as straight retarders or as water-reducing and retarding admixtures. Mid-range water reducers can increase the air content of the concrete. For concrete that is to be stamped, consider using step retardationadding retarder to the mix after half of the batch or after one-third and two-thirds have been placed. For textured concrete one of the strongest things to do in hot weather is step retardation. In order to avoid slump loss superplasticizer (high-range water reducer) could be used. These admixtures can increase slump without affecting the concretes final strength or appearance. Before placing the concrete on a subgrade wet down everything, subgrade and forms, with cool water so moisture isnt absorbed from the concrete, which can lead to cracking. In order to prevent the evaporation of surface water use a monomolecular film or evaporation retarder as soon as the concrete is down and bull floated. These materials evaporate after a couple of hours. Monomolecular film will prevent plastic shrinkage cracking and surface crusting. In hot and dry weather curing needs to start as soon as finishing operations are completed. A white pigmented curing compound could be used with plain gray concretein order reflect sunshine. Also the white curing blanket could be used for the same purpose. A white pigmented curing compound on plain gray concrete white curing blankets keep the concrete cooler by reflecting can help reflect some heat from the sun the sun In a hot climate, stain the concrete in the coolest part of the day as staining concrete relies on a chemical reaction that happens faster in hot weather.If concrete is stained in 95 to 100 weather ,it can ruin the entire job. Staining is best done early in the day when the concrete is cooler For an overlay installation it is advisable that the concrete surface temperature should be between 50 and 80.Installing an overlay during the hottest part of the day amidst direct sunlight could adversely affect the quality of the result. EFFECTS OF COLD WEATHER AND PROPER HANDLING During cold weather until the concrete gains compressive strength of 500psi , it is under threat of either getting freezed up which in turn could break up the matrix or the concrete mix sets at a very slow pace. Below 40F the hydration reaction basically stops and the concrete doesnt gain any further strength. when the ground is cold, the concrete in contact with it will be cold and will set more slowly. This can lead to the problem of crusting, with the top part of the concrete set and the bottom still soft. During the process of shifting the concrete mix from the ready mix plant to the job site there will be some heat loss. While placing concrete in cold it is advisable to remove all snow and ice from that area. Also any standing water should also be removed that could get mixed into the concrete. In case of a frozen land, it is advisable to thaw it using hydronic heat pipes and blankets (such as those from Ground Heaters), or electric blankets (check out Power Blanket). It is also suggested to Warm up anything that will come in contact with the concrete, including forms and any embedments, to at least 32F. Covering everything with tarps the day before the pour, will keep it dry and warm enough.also blankets could be used for the same purpose as well. Place triple layers of insulating blankets at corners and edges that could freeze. Wrap any protruding rebars. Make sure the blankets wont blow off during the night. Ground heaters Inc Portland cement association While placing decorative concrete in cold weather it is suggested to use a dial pocket thermometer or an infrared thermometer to test the concrete temperature as it is needed to be kept above 50F for the concrete to keep gaining strength. Also on exterior concrete, customers should be reminded to keep deicing chemicals off the surface during the first winter. Deicers can lead to spalling of newer concrete. During the process of finishing concrete in cold weather, it is advisable to let all the bleed water to evaporate first otherwise water-cement ratio would increase surface of concrete would get weak. Bleed water is basically the concrete particles settling (like mud in a stirred up pond) and squeezing out all the extra water. Vacuums can also be used for this purpose. It should also be noted that sealing concrete in cold weather conditions is very risky. Power blanket Layfield Group In order to keep the slab warm hydronic heating pipes or electric heating blankets could be used. These are laid on top of the slab and insulated. Also, in case it is too cold to even place the concrete, then the only option left is to enclose the work and heat the air. In case of an enclosure,it is required to consider the potential problem of carbonation. With unvented heaters (salamanders), or even with gas-powered equipment, the carbon dioxide levels can increase. This carbon reacts with the concrete, creating a chalky carbonated layer at the surface which is unacceptable. To fix this problem use heaters that exhaust to the outside of an enclosure or building and just blow in warm air. Maintain the concrete temperature above 40 degree

Food Production: Using Lean Manufacturing Principles

Food Production: Using Lean Manufacturing Principles The main objective of the factories was to achieve high economic growth. The improvement in productivity has become need of food industry to take the competitive advantage of global market. The big problem or challenge to food industry is identifying the wastes and meet the market price by maintaining a good profit. The only solution is to reduce total production cost. Lean manufacturing is systematic approach to identify and eliminate the waste through continues improvements. This paper discusses how the production principles of lean manufacturing can be applied in food production to increased production efficiency and improvement productivity and quality. This paper first presents the lean concept and presents the implementation of lean manufacturing system on some organization. Three main factors that food production factories fear, poor and tacky quality, increase of production cost, increase in lead time. Production improvements should be based on the improvements of processes as well as operation. Problems can appear in any of the basic elements that constitute the production area. (Materials, workers, machines and tools, energy, methods, product). So I focus on lean manufacturing the program can help to improve in this area. Problem Statement Why and how companies should implement lean manufacturing in food production ? 1.3 Importance of the study The main aim of the study is to present the main idea of the Lean manufacturing system, and the benefit of applying it in the field of food production, and identifying the kinds of wastes in production process, and the effect of the Lean manufacturing on food production and presenting some examples of successful companies that implemented the Lean manufacturing. 1.4 Research Questions When organizations implement lean manufacturing, it is more likely to make positive on food production? 1.5 Research Approach The data collected in this research was stemmed from previous published articles. And present a successful example from companies will be achieved good results after implement lean manufacturing program. The main target of this paper is to be applied as guideline to food production companies in Egypt. II. Literature Review: 2.1 History of Lean Manufacturing. Many of the concepts in LM or lean production originate from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and have been implemented progressively throughout Toyotas operations starting in the 1950s. In 1980s Toyota had increasingly become famous for the efficiency with which it had implemented Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing systems. Now, Toyota is often considered one of the most efficacious and influential manufacturing companies in the world and the company that put the standard for best practices in LM. LM has increasingly been applied by leading manufacturing companies throughout the world, lead by the major automobile manufactures and their equipment suppliers. Lean Manufacturing is becoming an increasingly significant topic for manufacturing companies in developed countries as they try to find procedure to compete more effectively versus competition from Asia. 2.2 Lean Manufacturing. Lean Manufacturing is a set of tools and methodologies that aims for the continuous elimination of all waste in the production process. The main benefits of this are lower production costs; increased output and minimum production lead times. Some of the goals include: Utilization of equipment and area Use equipment and manufacturing area more efficiently by eradicating bottlenecks and maximizing the rate of production though existing equipment, while reducing machine downtime. Defects and wastes Reduce defects and unnecessary physical wastage, including surplus use of raw material inputs, preventable defects, and costs associated with reprocessing defective items and dispensable product characteristics which are not required by customers. Flexibility Have the ability to produce a more elastic range of products with minimum changeover costs and changeover time. Labor productivity Improve labor productivity, both by reducing the inactive time of workers and ensuring that when workers are working, they are using their effort as productively as possible Output Insofar as reduced cycle times, increased labor productivity and removal of bottlenecks and machine downtime can be completed, companies can generally significantly increase output from their existing facilities. Inventory levels Minimize inventory levels at all steps of production, particularly works-in-progress between production steps. Lower inventories also mean lower working capital requirements. Cycle Times Reduce manufacturing lead times and production cycle times by reducing waiting times between processing stages, as well as process preparation times and product. Most of these benefits lead to lower unit production costs for example, more effective use of equipment and space leads to lower depreciation costs per unit produced, more effective use of labor results in lower labor costs per unit produced and lower defects lead to lower cost of goods sold. 2.3 The Five Lean Principles The critical beginning point when changing a traditional production line into a Lean process is the determination of value from the customers points of view, which is significant as the goal of the Lean process is a line where every activity adds a specified customer value to the product. Having identified the value of products, the second step is to identify and map the value stream in the production line. Value stream mapping refers to the mapping of a products route and is explained in more detail further. The third principle is the connection of value creating activities in a continuous flow process. Every dilemma or batch and queue process must be avoided to obtain an uninterrupted flow throughout the production. The ideal production Flow is drawn on a map, and existing procedures changed and equipment relocated to reflect this. The fourth principle is not to produce anything upstream unless it is needed downstream. The principle is in contrast to batch and queue procedures, as seen in mass production, and aims to reduce the amount of resources locked up in inventories. It implies that production must be just-in-time, both internally between processes and externally when delivering products to the End-user. The fifth principle is about pursuing perfection through a continuous improvement. This is not only about creating a product that the customer requires with a minimum of defects, but also includes the perfection of every action in connection with the production process. It involves all employees as they know procedures the most and are closest to make suggestions for improvement. The involvement of everyone in the continuous improvement is what makes Lean a philosophy improving working processes is integrated in job routines. (Womack Jones 2003; Bicheno 2004). 2.5 The kind of waste in food production: Overproduction Producing elements for which there are no client requirements. The Lean principle is to use a pull system, or producing goods just as clients order them. Service organizations operate this way by their very nature. Industrialization organizations, furthermore, have historically operated by a Push System, building products to stock, without firm customer orders. Anything produced beyond the customer demand (safety stocks, work-in-process inventories, etc.) ties up valuable labor and material resources and hence is a waste. Waiting Time during production (service) when no value is added to product (service). This includes waiting for material, information, equipment, tools, stock-outs, lot processing delays, equipment downtime, capacity bottlenecks, etc. The Lean principle is to use a just-in-time (JIT) system- not too soon, not too late. Transportation Unnecessary moving and handling of parts. This includes transporting work-in-process long distances, trucking to and from an off-site storage facility. Lean demands that the material be shipped directly from the vendor to the location in the assembly line where it will be used. Material should be delivered to its point of use. Over-Processing Unnecessary processing or procedures than necessary to meet customer demand. Common examples multiple inspecting. Statistical process control techniques can be used to eliminate or minimize the amount of inspection required. Value Stream Mapping is another lean tool that can be used for this purpose also. This tool is frequently used to help identify non-valued-added steps in the process (for both manufacturers and service organizations). Excess Inventory Excess raw material, or finished goods. Inventory beyond that needed to meet customer demands negatively impacts cash flow and uses valuable floor space. Defects Scrap, rework, replacement production, and inspection. Production defects and service errors waste resources in four ways. First, materials are consumed. Second, the labor used to produce the part (or provide the service) the first time cannot be recovered. Third, labor is required to rework the product (or redo the service). Fourth, labor is required to address any forthcoming customer complaints. Total Quality Management (TQM) is one of the lean tools that can be used to for reducing defects. Excess Motion Unnecessary motion of people or equipment that adds to value to product (service). This is caused by poor workflow, poor layout, housekeeping, and inconsistent or undocumented work methods. Value Stream Mapping is also used to identify this type of waste. Tools like 5S, comfortable workspace design can be used to eliminate this waste. Underutilized People Underutilization of mental, creative, and physical skills and abilities of employees of the organization. Some of the more common causes for this waste include organizational culture, inadequate hiring practices, poor or non-existent training, and high employee turnover. 2.6 The Policy to reduce the waste Policy to reduce waste consists of several systems 1- Reduced Set up Time It reduced the time required to adjust the machines to produce a different product. A long time in the control of the machine means the need to produce large quantities of the same product and thus prevents us from reducing the size of the order, which in turn prevents us from inventory reduction and prevents us from the production process of withdrawing. Permission must be reduced machine set time dramatically. 2- Small Lot size Which is the size of the order per batch per production? If the size of each run command (order) significant meaning that we will store a lot of semi-finished materials, which do not want to do because we want to reduce inventory in general 3- Reduced Work in Process An inventory of the materials or parts that have passed the initial stage of production and did not pass to the latter. Reduce inventory this is essential in the philosophy of the policy of reducing losses because of its impact on the coverage of production problems and because it is a money investor. 4- Policy pull Production it means that production on the basis of need for the next stage of production and not on the basis of a specific production plan. The first production engineering stage not only produces and need permission from the production stage next and so on until the end of the production line. There is stacked production between stages. This is also known as Kanban card or card. 5- Quality Control Circles It is a work teams of operators and technicians are studying and solving quality problems and operation and maintenance. These rings are necessary to study the problems and uprooted from their roots and to involve all levels of work in solving problems. Quality control loops is a continuous development of methods Continuous Improvement, which is one of the basics of the Toyota system. 6- Total Productive Maintenance They maintenance system leads to increased availability of equipment and reduce breakdowns. This system is necessary to be able to reduce inventory of semi-finished materials and the implementation of the policy to withdraw production. Must be reduced dramatically sudden failure to implement these policies. 7- Group Technology It is a method designed to manufacture similar products in one place to reduce the transport time and wait in what is known as the cell manufacturing Cells. This method helps to reduce transfer times material from one place to another and make each group of operators responsible for different stages of the production for the same product that they have a kind of full responsibility for the product. 8- Multi Task Employees Meaning that the worker trained to do several tasks instead of one task. This method gives the flexibility to change the functions of working when needed. Note that this system is designed to reach the speed of response to customer requirements and thus there must be flexibility in employment as well so that you can change the functions of Group according to the requirements of the market. This method has a lot to do with technology group, where can one player that is running several machines. 9- Production leveling: Toyota system is designed to reduce the variables and produce small amounts of each product every day, so there is no need to produce large quantities of a product in one day. Reduce the change helps us not to maintain a large stock and makes the production process is running smoothly and regularity without significant changes. 10- Just In Time Purchasing it means of access to raw materials and production supplies when you need them quickly. This procurement policy is needed to reduce inventory and production development and reduce defects in products. To reach that there is a lot of things are applied, such as reducing the number of suppliers and to cooperate with them and compel them specific things in the style of their work. 11- Maintain a work environment 5S: It means arrange and organize and clean workplace and work tools so that you have access to the tools and information is accessible, fast and the site is a good place to work and safe at the same time. This method is called 5S relative to the Japanese words that mean organize and arrange and clean workplace. 12- Total Quality Control: There is a correlation between policies to reduce waste and total quality management both supports the other. To reach to pull production policy has to be to reach high levels of quality. Therefore, Toyota and Japanese companies have applied TQM or total quality control of the most important has been applied is the technical checks parts produced by himself in the sense that the product is scanned during each stage production by the operators themselves. It is the powers of the workers off the production line in the event of a quality problem. 2.6.1 The Benefits of reducing the waste Improved performance indicators such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ reduce losses to a great extent à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ high product quality (in terms of compliance with specifications) any low percentage of defective products à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reduced time progress (which is the time to meet manufacturing orders) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ high inventory turnover rate à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ very high flexibility to change production from one product to another à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ lower the sudden failure of equipment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ low additional cost Overhead cost à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ increase production capacity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ high accuracy to meet the supply orders on time for supply à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the speed of response to changing market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ improvement of financial indicators in the long term, including the profitability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Improved morale of workers 2.7Quality in Lean Manufacturing 2.7.1. Reducing the Defect-Detection Time Gap The most important improvement that is made by a move from final inspections to successive checks to self checks is in the reduction of the time gap between creation of a defect and its detection. Figure 1 show how this time gap shrinks as one progresses towards self inspection Grinder Drill Lathe Mill Figure 1: the time lag includes all operations that happen In Figure 1, the time lag includes all operations that happen to the part after the defect Has been made and before the defect will be detected (more defective parts can be made During this time if the defect is due to a broken machine tool, improper machining method, Or other problems that do not create simply one isolated defect). Lathe Mill Figure 2: the time gap shrinks In Figure 2 the time gap shrinks to the length of time before the operator of the next Machine handles the part. In a job shop, this may be a significant quantity of time and if Parts are produced in batches; often the entire batch may have the same defect. However, In cellular manufacturing this time lag is small, since the queue is only one unit. Lathe Mill Figure 3: the time lag has shrunk down In Figure 3 the time lag has shrunk down to the amount of time that the operator spends On the given operation before he or she checks the part. Self-inspection produces visibility of the problem after the first defective part is made (if it is detectable). Catching defective parts prevents adding more value to parts that will be scrapped or reworked later. Clearly this reduction in time lag can lead to: quicker and easier detection of what the problem is that is causing the defect, reduction in wasted time in the form of value added to scrapped parts, and wasted time spent assembling a part that will have to be disassembled and then reassembled. Overall, quicker elimination of defect causing problems will result in a reduction of the number and cost of bad quality parts. 2.8 Productivity in lean manufacturing 2.8.1 Introduction The lean manufacturing focus on 20 keys I will present only key number 6 method improvement (Productivity) Figure 4 Relationship Diagram20 Keys 2.8.2 Definition Productivity is about how well resources are used. The other area of general consensus is that productivity is about the relation between output and input in any process producing goods or services. Productivity can be calculated as output divided by input P = O/I Where P = Productivity , O = Output and I = Input Output can be measured in different way tones, Kilograms or even output defined as standard minutes or hours 2.8.3 The components of productivity Productivity basically has two components: Efficiency Utilizations Utilization is about whether the resources available are actually used in producing the product or service. That is a machine might be available but if no product is scheduled to be produced then it is not utilized , or if product is scheduled to be produced for only 85% of the available time then utilization is 85% Efficiency . On the other hand, is about how well the resources are used while it is being utilized. The formula for productivity is then: Productivity = Efficiency X Utilization This formula can be expanded: Productivity = Output / Available hours, that is how much did we produce during the time that the resources were available Efficiency = Output / Hours worked, that is how much did we produce during the time that the resources were actually operating. Utilization = Hours worked / Hours available, that is for what percentage of time did we actually utilize the resources. 2.8.4 People. Plant- and process related issues impacting on productivity It is important to understand what issues typically impact on productivity as you can then look for the causes to why productivity is not at the level it should be. If productivity is not at the target level it can be explained in terms of the two components of efficiency and utilization that it can be either an efficiency loss or none utilizes time. This can be because of people, plant or process related issues. The following summary show typical examples of issues impaction on productivity. Efficiency loss: People Work method Work rate Effort ( motivation issues ) Skills Quality of work Plant / Process Speed ,idling ,minor stoppages Quality of product Non Utilized time People Plant / process Market demand Work rate Downtime Changeovers Table 2 issues impaction on productivity 2.8.5 Productivity Improvement an Integrated Approach Productivity improvement cannot be achieved by only implementing Kaizen operation. Figure 5 Productivity Improvement: An Integrated Approach Productivity increase and excellent quality can be achieved at the same time. 2.8.6 Implementing key 6 Implementing kaizen of operation requires the effective use of the CAPDo cycle. The CAPDo cycle is a simple management system for continuous improvement. One a plane for implementation has been drawn up, the actual training needs must be scheduled it is important to check regularly whether training targets have been met, and if not, the reason for this must be analyzed. Problem identified can then become actions for the next CAPDo cycle. Figure 6 CAPDo Cycle Check Company and every department against the map. Benchmark the company using key 6 map Check current productivity performance Analyze Identify process for improvement. The benchmark score. Productivity performance to identify priority processes to focus on. Plan Use the five steps methodology for process improvement. Put goals for all process Use the five steps methodology for process improvement. Plan the improvement using 20 keys plan. Do Implementing the plan Regular feedback from goals on progress Implement the plan for achieving the target. Check Restart the cycle through Reviewing the results of the plan on monthly basis Reviewing key progress with the map at least every six months Update skills matrix Continue Cycle of CAPDo improvement and celebrate success. 2.9 Actual Cases 2.9.1 Meal production in Glostrup Hospitals main kitchen, Denmark. The main hypothesis of this paper is that where any implement LM it is more likely to make positive on food production so I present lean principles can applied in meal production to increase the efficiency without reducing the quality of meal prepared. All lean principles and tools may not be equally applicable in food production, but it is important to consider this aspect when discussing the implementation of lean in meal production. Glostrup Hospital is situated in the greater Copenhagen area in Denmark. The central Kitchen is situated inside the Hospital grounds in a separate building, and every day, meals for approximately 1000 patients are produced and distributed from the kitchen. In 2005, the hospitals management took the decision that all services should be Lean, and to cut the costs of meal production, the kitchen was forced to replace cook-serve with cook-chill production and reduce the number of foodservice employees from 71 to 54. This brought about a need to review and optimize the production procedures to maintain both output quantity and quality. The change of production system to cook-chill also had an impact on the end-product quality as recipes and production procedures needed adjustments. Therefore, the systematic evaluation and improvement of product quality was given a high priority in the kitchen. The internal working environment in the kitchen was important to the manager as she insisted on maintaining this as a high priority during and after the rationalization process, and that increased efficiency of production processes was obtained by the optimization of procedures and not by making the staff work faster. Because of these reservations, the implementation of Lean was expected to result in both increased efficiency of processes and improved product quality while ensuring a pleasant working environment for the remaining employees. The implementation of Lean in the kitchen began shortly after the change to cook-chill processing and befo re procedures became routine. The kitchen produces most components of the meals themselves including breads, soups and processed vegetables. Previously with cook-serve production, there were separate production lines for hot meal components, vegetables, baked products, desserts and cold products for these meals, all items were prepared, processed and kept warm until service. Initially, when changing to cook-chill production, the separation of production according to meal was maintained with processed meal components being assembled into meals, packed and stored for up to 3 days before final distribution to hospital wards. The packaging was standardised in two, five or seven portions per pack, and the wards received the portion sizes equal to or the closest number above their actual orders. This practice of standardizing packaging was accepted by the management as a pragmatic practice of cook-chill production. The implementation of cook-chill production procedures called for a system atic evaluation of product quality. A graph on display in the production facility showing the daily number of comments on food quality was chosen as an expression of customer satisfaction with product quality. The number of complaints for each meal component, based on feedback received from wards and patients, was totaled and each day marked on the chart. This procedure was chosen as a way to ensure communication of customer product satisfaction to all employees. An internal quality control system was developed to reflect the need for adjusting recipes to improve meal quality after the change from cook serve to cook-chill production. It consisted of a three-color gradation of product acceptability where red refers to not acceptable; yellow, acceptable; and green, good. The testing of product quality was performed internally in the kitchen, and the products had to obtain a yellow to pass. This system was developed to visualize the progress of adjusting existing procedures to cook-chi ll production. As a result of the implementation the hospital realized some quick financial wins. Revenue increased 19%, eliminate wastes meals from 10% to 5% (England al.2009). 2.9.2 Implementing 20 keys in modern bakeries company (Rich Bake), Egypt. In 2008 modern bakeries company management took the decision that some production process should be lean. The company decided implement 10 keys from 20 keys Key1 cleaning organizing to make work easy. Key 2 Rationalizing the system / goal Alignment. Key 3 Small Group Activities. Key 5 Quick Changeover Technology. Key 6 Kaizen of operation. Key 9 Maintaining Machines Equipment. Key 10 Workplace Discipline. Key 11 Quality Assurance. Key 15 Skill Versatility and cross Training. Key 19 Conserving Energy and Materials. Table 3 present the 20key, s evaluation before and after implementing lean on modern bakeries company through 2 years. Key Base Line Level 2008 2010 1 1.8 2 2 1.5 2 3 0.8 1.2 5 1.5 1.8 6 1.5 1.8 9 1 1.3 10 1.5 2.3 11 2 2.5 15 1.5 1.7 19 1.5 1.5 Table 3: 20 keys evaluation Eliminate wastes from 3% to 1.8%. Increase productivity from 16KG Man / Hour to 18.5 Kg Man /Hour. 2.12 The enormous obstacles for food production in terms of adopting LM approaches to improvement. There is some problems face the food production companies to implementing lean manufacturing, generally as follows. Lack of a clear vision of the future Lack of patience and follow. Lack of persistent and challenge in leadership. Failure to link the processes in key 6 kaizen operation with normal work. Failure to perceive that lean is a viable strategy to help achieve competitive advantage. Lack of constant visibility by management. Failure of management to take a whole systems view of business and to see the connections between all processes. Persistent focus only on demanding results without a balance focus improving the processes that achieve the results. III- Research Methodology 3.1 Research Objectives The main aim of the study is to present the main idea of the Lean manufacturing system, and the benefit of applying it in the field of food production, and identifying the kinds of wastes in production process, and the effect of the Lean manufacturing on food production and presenting some examples of successful companies that implemented the Lean manufacturing. 3.2 Conceptual Framework Figure 7: LM Conceptual Framework 3.3 Research Question and Hypotheses 3.3.1 Research Questions Why and how companies should implement lean manufacturing in food production? 3.3.2 Research Hypotheses When organizations implement lean manufacturing, it is more likely to make positive on food production? 3.3.3 Independent Cost reduction, waste rate, revenue gains 3.3.4 Dependent Return on investment, profit in organization. IV Conclusion and Recommendation Conclusion Through the study found that there is a potential for the application of lean manufacturing system in food production and that explained by viewing experience hospital central kitchen in Denmark and experience modern bakeries company in Egypt, where the application of lean manufacturing system to gain increased efficiency ,quality, and productivity through the application of tools for lean manufacturing . . Easy to implementing lean manufacturing in big company that have systems for examples ISO9001, 2200, HACCP Easy to implementing lean manufacturing in small company but focus only 3 or 4 principles in the first stage . 4.2 Recommen

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There are many great philosophers who have had many great ideas over the centuries. These philosophers have had their ideas passed down to many people through the centuries, decades, and years. Fredric Nietzsche, Rene Decartes, and Socrates are philosophers that many philosophy students study. However, not everybody likes or agrees with these philosophers philosophies. The purpose of this paper is to provide information about the three philosophers’ lives, work, and philosophies. Also, in this paper there will be criticism of each of the philosophers.Let’s begin with a discussion of Socrates. Socrates was a Greek philosopher who taught another Greek philosopher named Plato. Even though Socrates is thought to be a great Greek philosopher, we have none of his writings. Therefore, many Greek scholars are not sure whether what is on the page is what Socrates taught Plato or Plato’s own thoughts. Socrates’ background is interesting, but now let’s talk ab out some of Socrates’ philosophical views. Derek Johnston claims that Socrates thought that there was much good in the world; however he believed that virtue was the ultimate good.Johnston goes on to claim that Socrates firmly believed that no outside source could deprive people of virtue (Johnston, 2006, 11). In short, Socrates was mostly concerned with the branch of philosophy called ethics. Socrates also firmly believed that the quest for knowledge was the most important thing and by obtaining knowledge about things is the only way people become truly virtuous. Johnston also claims that Socrates was also attempting to find the true meaning of ethical words such as â€Å"true†, â€Å"good†, and â€Å"beautiful† using the question and answer method of inquiry.He also held firm that Socrates’ main belief was that knowledge equals virtue which can and is obtained through reason. In fact, Socrates held strongly that any opinion that someone had that wasn’t based on reason should be discarded (Johnston, 2006, 11). Rene Descartes’’ philosophy seemed to be based on doubt and certainty. Decartes began to build his philosophical stance by doubting everything that could be doubted. But, even Decartes believed that there were things that couldn’t be called into question.The things that Decartes believed couldn’t be called into question were his existence and the existence of God. Decartes believed that his existence couldn’t be doubted because he was sitting down thinking about whether or not he existed, among other things. Therefore, he believed that if he doubted things then, he must exist. In other words, Decartes believed he thought therefore he was. He more famously put it as;† I think therefore I am. † The Latin for this saying is Cogito Ergo Sum (Johnston, 2006, 76).This argument is sometimes simply known as Cogito. Decartes also was a rationalist. Rationalists believe that there are things that have to be true and that there are things that have to be false. He also believed in the existence of God. His argument for the existence of God basically says that imperfect beings, which are humans, depend on their existence both beginning and continuing upon a perfect being which is God. In addition, according to Johnston, Decartes believed that minds are separate things from bodies (Johnston, 2006, 77).Both Socrates and Friedrich Nietzsche had a philosophical view that was based on ethics. Nietzsche was big on morality. He wished to locate a materialistic basis for his moral principles. At the beginning of his ethics, he believed that both good and evil were simply ways of illustrating that some actions were good for society and other actions were bad and didn’t benefit society. But, later he thought of good and evil in absolute teams (Johnston, 2006, 142). Nietzsche attacks philosophy from an ethical standpoint; however, he promoted only two sets of ethical values.One ethical value was pride in oneself and ruthlessness and philosophy, music, and poetry. Nietzsche thought there were some good ethical qualities that human beings could achieve however; he believed that all human beings could strive to get the good moral qualities but only a few exceptional human beings could actually get those good moral qualities. According to Johnston, Nietzsche’s noble man will have a cruel will and will sacrifice his fellow men. In addition, his noble man will be both disciplined and cunning in war (Johnston, 2006, 145).Nietzsche’s greatest philosophical view is called the Will to Power. Nietzsche’s Will to Power is the ultimate source of both what is and what will be for human beings. Strong people will be able to get the will to power and weaker people will not be able to get the will to power. According to Johnston, Nietzsche’s will to power allows people’s current moral judgments and values which are the moral judgments and values of society to be washed away forever. Then, and only, then can a new set of pure moral values and judgments emerge (Johnston, 2006, 147).In addition, a hero for Nietzsche is a man who rises above and beyond his fellow humans by the strength and will of his own powers be them physical or mental or both. His hero will never be sorry for his superiority; in fact he should relish and rejoice in it. Compare and Contrast It may seem as if because Socrates, Rene Decartes, and Fredric Nietzsche were born and lived at different times and in different centuries that none of these three philosophers’ philosophical views would have similarities to them. However, there are similarities to these three philosophers’ philosophies.Rest assured that there are differences in these three philosophers’ philosophies, but first let’s focus on the similarities of these three philosophers philosophical viewpoints. Both Socrates and Fredric Nietzsche su bscribe to the school of philosophy called ethics. In fact, according to Johnston, Socrates view of life centered mostly on ethics and ethical concerns (Johnston, 2006, 11). Also, both Socrates and Nietzsche tried to find the real meaning of ethical terms such as good, trust, bad, and beautiful by means of asking questions and getting answers.In fact, Socrates used the question and answer method to inquire into many moral definitions and many moral issues such as justice. Nowhere is this question and answer method of philosophical inquiry more apparent than in Plato’s dialogue called The Republic. In Plato’s dialogue The Republic through Socrates Plato explored both the definition of justice and the concept of justice itself. Plato also talked about what philosophy is and the many types of government that is used to run a state. Plato even talked about what he believed was the best form of government.Both Socrates and Nietzsche believed that there was one thing that wo uld make people virtuous. Socrates believed that possessing knowledge and Nietzsche believed that having the strength of will was the ultimate virtue. In addition, both Socrates and Nietzsche also believed that few people will ever achieve either virtue. These are the only similarities between the three philosophers Descartes, Socrates, and Nietzsche. These three philosophers had more differences between them than similarities. Let’s look at thee differences between them now.