Clinical neural scaffold for olfactory ensheathing cells Thesis

Clinical neural scaffold for olfactory ensheathing cells - Thesis Example It is known that UV can degrade polymer. Previous studies showed that UV wavelength of 250 nm can cleave poly (methyl methacrylate), a standard polymer to its monomer methyl methacrylate and gases (Srinivasan, Braren, & Casey, 1990). Increasing the duration of the sterilization also increased damage to the polymer structure (Shearer, Ellis, Perera, & Chaudhuri, 2005)Recently, UV has been shown to induce significant degradation of PLGC and P(LLA-CL) nanofibers (Yixiang, Yong, Liao, Chan, & Ramakrishna, 2008). The degradation by UV of electrospun nanofibers can be exploited for the fabrication of 3D nanofibrous scaffolds with micropores. For the ethanol sterilization, the global structure of the fibrous mesh shrank in size, detaching part of the fastened portion of the mesh from the membrane insert Investigation on two different scaffolds showed that ethanol sterilization also resulted in damage to the polymer (Shearer, Ellis, Perera, & Chaudhuri, 2005). Digital image analysis from SEM images, showed that average fibre diameter expanded by 21.1% (EOa= 1.08Â µm; EOb=0.89 Â µm) (Error: Reference source not found). ... been the sterilization process of choice in electrospun PLGA nanofiber scaffold for inducing the continuous differentation of mesenchymal stem cells, chondrogenic and osteogThe PMMA membrane inserts were inert to all sterilization processes. enic lineages (Xin, Hussain, & Mao, 2007). Ethylene oxide sterilization had no effect on the inherent viscosity, glass transition temperature and mechanical properties of 82:18 poly(l-lactic acid)-poly(glycolic acid) used on craniofacial plates. The in vitro hydrolysis rates and mechanical strength loss were not also affected providing evidence that ethylene oxide sterilization cycle agrees well with copolymer plates and thus should not affect clinical performance (Pietrzak, 2010). 14.2 Cellular Response on Scaffold Functionalization Scaffolds to encourage cell growth and differentiation must mimic not only the biological but also the physical properties of the extracellular matrix. Functionalization of the engineered scaffolds aims to improve su rface properties towards cell differentiation and proliferation. The high fidelity of the submicron scale features and dimension in the PLGA electrospun fibres mesh after coating and air-drying was verified through SEM (Error: Reference source not foundC, E, G, I). The effect of nanofibres functionalization was then studied by analysing the cellular responses on the nanofibres.After four days in culture, the responses of seeded purified OEC on the four types of functionalization were investigated using immunofluorescence microscopy. All four coatings (collagen, laminin, pLL and pDL) promoted cell attachment, when compared to the non-functionalized PLGA electrospun nanofibres mesh (Error: Reference source not foundD, F, H, J vs. Error: Reference source not foundA). All four

Critically Assess Government Policy on 'Bridging the Digital Divide' Essay

Critically Assess Government Policy on 'Bridging the Digital Divide' in U.K - Essay Example However, the relevant measures are often proved as inadequate; delays and failures are reported when trying to apply such policies in practices. Current paper focuses on the efforts of the British government to ‘bridge the digital divide’ so that the quality of services in the country’s private and public sector to be improved, since these services are highly based on ICTs. The aspects of this effort are analysed below. The review of the plans that the British government has promoted in this field has led to the following assumption: the effort of the British government ‘to bridge the digital divide’ can be characterized as successful, at least up to now. In accordance with a relevant report, the expansion of online services could lead to savings of about ? 1.3b each year (France 2011). However, in the future, the effectiveness of these plans would be in risk, taking into consideration the continuous advances of technology and the level of resources r equired for the realization of the relevant schemes. 2. Bridging the digital divide in Britain – governmental policy In order to understand the effectiveness of the efforts of the British government ‘to bridge the digital divide’ across the country, it would be necessary to understand the context of the specific effort. The phrase ‘bridging the digital divide’ reflects the efforts required for covering gaps in regard to the use of ICTs within a particular country. Most commonly, these gaps are covered through a series of initiatives focusing on different aspects of the use of ICTs. For example, emphasis is given on the physical access to online centres, the availability of appropriate Internet connection, the development of computer skills of people of different ages, the elimination of inequalities in regard to the access to ICTs and the development of effective e-government schemes in accordance with the sources available and the targets set, eithe r in the short or the long term. The efforts of the British government to ‘bridge the digital divide’ have been based on the avoidance of complex ICTs; by choosing ICTs which are easy to be managed and flexible, as of their potentials and their needs, the British government tries to increase the efficiency of its online services which have been characterized by difficulties as of their access and failures as of their performance (Cabinet Office 2011). The British government’s new strategy in regard to the promotion of ICTs across the country is presented in Graph 1 (Appendix). It is clear that the country’s government has set different priorities, compared to the past, for improving its online services. Simplicity and high speed have been preferred instead of complexity, since in this way the following target is achieved: the level of ICTs in the public sector of Britain is standardized, a fact that helps people to understand easier the use of ICTs for acc essing the country’s public sector. 2.1 Measures for supporting physical access The physical access to online services requires that online centres across UK are increased, in terms of their number. In this way, people in all regions will be able to access the government’s online services. At the same time, the quality of broadband services available in online centres in Britain should be improved, leading to the increase of the number of customers. Since problems are often reported across the countr

Library essay Essay Example for Free

Library essay Essay In this day in age, libraries are very important. There are various reasons as to why they are important. Even with many libraries closing throughout the country, they remain a necessity for youth, anyone who has to access information that it has to find on the internet. Not everything is available on the internet. There is also digital libraries which are useful but you can’t find everything you would in a library. There are something’s on the internet that when you find them it may require you to have a subscription. The internet doesn’t have an experiment librarian’s physically by your side to help at any time you would need it. One of the big reasons why libraries are important is that not everything is available to you on the internet. It is an issue because the majority of books have copyrights laws which prevents information from being put out on the internet, or becoming digital. Most writers have their information in books, and with the copyrights laws it cannot be accessed via the internet. Even if the internet has some information that you may need, having a physical book with dated information can be a much better use for getting the most information that you need. Also they have a limited database that may require you to have a subscription to find a greater deal of the content online, rather than having it all for free at a physical library with more extensive information. Another reason why libraries are important is that it is a place where people can go to study. At the library you have plenty of space to get your work done. Also there isn’t as much as a distraction due to the library having strict rules against loud noise. Most people find it hard to get stuff done when there is a lot of things going on around them; or when the things that are going on around them are loud. Having a piece of mind is something that a library can provide that nowhere else can with all the resources inside to get done whatever task you may need to complete. Having a physical librarian available also is why libraries are important. A physical librarian will always be there to answer any questions one might have about a topic. It also makes it easier to continue to process the information that one might already have with extra assistance on the topic. Librarians are also critical to help children who may have never been to a library, or they might not know how to look for things within a library. They teach kids the skills of how to do research, search for topics, look at the wide range of databases that only libraries have. Librarians also encourage children to read, something that is a positive thing to have when kids today don’t like to read. Having them there to encourage them makes it easier. Having the ability to take books out to use for free is a positive for libraries. The fact that libraries don’t charge you anything to check out books makes libraries very important. For those who can’t buy books from a bookstore or other source, going to a library to borrow one saves them money. At libraries you can also make copies of certain pages that you need instead of taking the whole book with you. This makes it easy for people who don’t need the whole book but instead just pieces of info out of it. The convenient nature that a library has to offer makes it very important. Money is a topic that everyone is conscious about, and having to pay for subscriptions to some content online makes having libraries around a necessity. Another reason why libraries are important is because they offer free internet. Having a tool like the internet being free for use draws people to use libraries. Most people who have laptops or desktop computers have to pay for their high speed internet service, or be lucky to find Wi-Fi service without paying for it. Knowing that a library has free internet you can go there and take advantage of that and the resources that a library has to offer. You have people who go to the library just because of the free internet. While others utilize the free service and other tools libraries have to offer. Also libraries are important because they are courses on skills that can help you in the real world. Libraries have many courses available for use to people who may need them. Some of the things they offer are help with English, resume building skills for those who may be entering the job force. If English isn’t your native language they have courses that can help you develop the ability to speak English. You might need help with creative writing which is also something that libraries have to offer. All of these services are free of charge as long as you have a simple library card on hand with you. Libraries also offer readings groups. Some may call them study groups, but the reading groups the library has to offer also makes it important. You might be a person who prefers to study with a group of your friends to better understand the topic. Or you might like groups because of the interaction of people sharing their different perspectives on the subjects they talk about. It’s almost like a group meeting. Having the ability to set a time, while already knowing the exact place where you will meet up with your peers to discussion any you want. With the library being a relaxing environment because the of the strict noise rules it you piece of mind and the opportunity to have these meetings without be distracted by outside issues. Another extraction that makes libraries important is that some of them exactly offer cafes. These cafes are something that is growing worldwide. With the addition of places like Starbucks, having cafes in libraries gives people another alternative if they don’t like coffee. At the library cafes you can enjoy what the library has to offer. Some libraries have the ability to offer music books that you can use to follow along, or use them to study to your advantage. Also there are DVD’s that are available at literary for those who like to visually learn about whatever topic they choose. It creates a place that keeps those who go relax while they get done what they need. It could be finishing up a school assignment, or getting a project done for work that requires some research to be done. Libraries also offer an extensive collection of historical items whether it’s local or nationally. If you’re looking to know about your city at a certain point of time, a library has the best source best. You can check out a book that will tell you where a building was located, and what they did in that building. You can find out the change in population that your city has had as the times changes. You can also find that buildings in those times were more structures sound than the buildings of this age. Nationally libraries keep records of everything like climate changes, and the amount of colleges and universities that the country has. You could never go wrong when searching for a book in the library about local or national news. Libraries databases are so extensive that they can brings up information from years ago. This is something that you will not be able to find anywhere also but a library. Libraries offer a huge amount of study space. Having a huge amount of study space is something most people enjoy. You have the freedom of a big table where you can lay everything you have in front of you. Rather than being in at a tight desk where you might be able to have one piece of information on the table. Having more on the table keeps you from searching all over for that one page or book that might be missing. This is something that will allow for librarians to better help you as well because they can join you at the table to discuss your topic. Having two people at one table working on the same subject always helps get a task done. All of these reasons are largely why libraries are important. It’s something free that everybody can that advantage of. You can’t find what a library has to offer anywhere else. It’s doesn’t matter what age you are, at the library there something for all age groups to do. Closing down these libraries is a decision that should not happen. It is important to today’s youth for these libraries to stay open because they benefit the most from libraries being open. Closing them would simply say that today’s youth is not a top priority to worry about.

Errors, Uncertainties and Measurements Essay Example for Free

Errors, Uncertainties and Measurements Essay Abstract In this experiment, different measuring devices were used, namely the vernier calliper, micrometer calliper, foot rule, and the electronic gram balance. These devices were used to obtain the mean diameter, volume, mass, and the experimental value of density of the sphere of known composition. 1. Introduction Measurement is the process or act of determining the size, length, quantity, etc. of something being observed or measured. The units of measurement evolved and changed greatly since the day it was made by humans. In different places, these measurements can vary and could well be different from each other. Thus, standards are used nowadays so that we can have a concrete basis and this also prevents fraud or the cheating of somebody especially in business matters. There are different systems of measurement used. We have this CGS system or known as centimeter-gram-second system which is a metric system derived from the meter-kilogram-second system or mks system. It uses centimeter (c) for  length, gram (g), second (s) for time, dyne for force, and erg for energy. The metric system has become a common system for weights and measures. Its simplicity is the reason why scientists use this system of measurement. You can easily change one unit of measure into another. The units of measurement in this system are all based on decimals. By simply moving the decimal point to the right or left, depending on whether the unit is being decreased or increased, you can change its unit. Greek decimal prefixes like deca, hecto, kilo is used to express units of ten multiples or greater. Despite setting  all of these standards, one’s measurement can never be exact and can always have a certain amount of error. When a measurement is done, the outcome could depend on several factors like the measuring system, the procedure taken, the execution of techniques of the operator, and the condition of the environment (Bell, 1999). This dispersion of values that can be attributed to a measured quantity is what we call as measurement uncertainty. The flaws in measurement can come from the measuring instrument itself due to aging, wearing, poor readability or even noise. The item being measured, if not stable, can produce uncertainties. There are two types of measurement error, systematic error and random error. Imperfect calibration of instrument, its age, wear, and tear, throughout the years which lead to errors can be classified as a systemic error. When you measure the weight of an object using a particular balance which is improperly tared and you get a certain amount of grams higher for all your mass measurements is an example of systematic error. Random errors, on the other hand, are caused by unknown and unpredictable changes in the experiments. Irregular changes in the environment can usually cause this and as well as the random noise on an electrical device (Exell). The precision of a measurement is determines the exactness or accuracy of a number of measurements and how the same quantity agrees with each other. Accuracy tells the correctness, veracity or truthfulness of a measurement. The closer the measurement to the accepted value, the more accurate it is. In this experiment, the group aims to achieve the following objectives: (1) to study errors and how they propagate in simple experiment, (2) to determine the average deviation of a set of experimental values, (3) to determine the mean of a set of experimental values as well as a set of average deviation of the mean, (4) to familiarize the students with the vernier caliper, micrometer caliper, and the foot rule, (5) to compare the accuracy of these measuring devices, (6) to determine the density of an object given its mass and dimensions. 2. Theory 3. Methodology The measuring devices were checked for error. The least count of the vernier caliper, micrometer caliper and the foot rule was determined. Ten independent measurements for the diameter of the sphere using the foot rule were made. This was done by taking measurements at different points along its circumference. The mean diameter of the sphere was calculated. The deviation (d) of each measurement of the mean diameter and the average deviation (a.d.) were also calculated. Then, the average deviation (A.D.) of the mean diameter was computed. The % error for the diameter was computed by considering A.D. as the error and the mean diameter as the standard value. The volume of the sphere was then computed. Significant figures were used. The sphere was weighed using the electronic gram balance. The density of the sphere was calculated using the values obtained from the volume and mass of the sphere. The instructor was asked for the accepted value of the density of the sphere. The % error was then computed. The same steps were used using the vernier caliper and micrometer caliper. Base from the data, measurements from the foot rule had the greatest % error for density (53.85 %) while measurements from the vernier caliper had the least % error (0.17%). Possible errors for the measurements are systematic error especially human error. For the foot rule, members of the group possibly commit an error because the foot rule has no handle so that the end of the sphere could easily see. It is also possible that members of the group wrongly read the values. Base from the the data, accuracy of the instruments can be infer; vernier caliper is more accurate that the foot rule. This is because the uncertain digit of the foot rule is certain in vernier caliper. 5. Conclusion The calipers were checked for errors, and studied how they propagated in the experiment. The average deviation was computed for the foot rule, vernier caliper, and micrometer caliper , which is 0.092, 0.042, and 0.0018 respectively. The average deviation of the mean was also determined, namely, 0.029, 0.013, and 0.00057 respectively. The accuracy of the said measuring devices were compared and recorded in table form. The density of the sphere was determined, 12 g/cm3 , 7.813 g/cm3 , 7.831 g/cm3 . Based on the information written above, the objectives of this experiment were achieved. 6. Applications Among the three measuring devices, the vernier caliper gave the least percent error. The accuracy of a measurement is affected by the least count of the  measuring device. Its’ accuracy would always be uncertain because every measuring instrument has a distinctive amount of uncertainty in its measurement. Error is the deviation of a measured value from the actual value. It is the imprecision in measurements that cannot be avoided. There are two types of error, random and systematic. Repeated measurements obtained from a random error can still be reliably estimated. A systemic error occurs if there is a defect in the equipment or in the design of the experiment. The errors that we encountered during the experiment were more of systematic errors. Most errors are human errors; the some measurement in the vernier caliper are obtained from wrong used of the instrument. A student weighs himself using a bathroom scale calibrated in kilograms. He reported his weight in pounds. What is the percentage error in his reported weight if he uses this conversion: 1 kg=2.2 pounds? The standard kilogram is equal to 2.2046. % Error = |A-T|TÃâ€"100 % Error = |2.2-2.2046|2.2046Ãâ€"100 = 0.21% In an experiment on determination of mass of a sample, your group consisting of 5 students obtained the following results: 14.34 g, 14.32 g, 14.33 g, 14.30 g, and 14.32 g. Find the mean, a.d. and A.D. Suppose that your group is required to make only four determination for the mass of the sample. If you were the leader of the group, which date will you omit? Recalculate the mean, a.d. and A.D. without this data. Which results will you prefer? Table 1. Mass and deviation of the sample in five trials Trial| Mass (g)| Deviation (d)| 1| 14.34| 0.04| 2| 14.32| 0.02| 3| 14.33| 0.03| 4| 14.30| 0.00| 5| 14.23| 0.07| Mean = 14.30 a.d. = 0.032 A.D. = 0.014 14.23 will be omitted because it is the farthest value from each other. Table 2. Mass and deviation of the sample in the chosen four trials Trial| Mass (g)| Deviation (d)| 1| 14.34| 0.02| 2| 14.32| 0.00| 3| 14.33| 0.01| 4| 14.30| 0.02| Mean = 14.32 a.d. = 0.0125 A.D. = 0.007 Base on the computed data above, the data from table 2 are preferred. 7. Reference Bell, S. (1999). A beginners guide to uncertainty measurement. United Kingdom: Crown. Error and Statistics. (2012, December 1). Retrieved from http:/www.lepla.org/en/modules/Activities/p04-error4.htm Exell. (2012, November 30). Error Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.physics.umd.edu/courses/Phys276/Hill/Information/Notes/ErrorAnalysis.html Metric System. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. Random Errors- Physics Laboratory Tutorial. (2012, December 1). Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://phys.columbia.edu/~tutorial/rand_v_sys/tut_e_5_1.html Taylor, J. (1999). An Introduction to Error Analysis: The Study of Uncertainties in Physical Measurements. University Science Books, 128-129. Undergraduate Physics- Error Analysis. (2012, December 1). Retrieved from http://felix.physics.sunysb.edu/~allen/252/PHY_error_analysis.html

Marketing plan for the salad bar

Marketing plan for the salad bar This project involves designing a market plan for soon to be opened fast food chain named The Salad Bar. The purpose of The Salad Bar is to provide fairly priced salads in a fast food restaurant. The introduction of the salads is in a bid to contribute in solving the current challenges of obesity that have been associated with fast foods, which as result have been considered unhealthy. Despite efforts by some companies to introduce healthy foods such as salads, the quality of their foods in terms of taste and attractiveness is still wanting. The entry into the market of a new healthy, fast foods company will shift the markets attention to the new products that have not existed before. As a result, the market and demand for the new products will be anticipated since the products are new and the idea behind their introduction is widely appreciated. In a quest to create customers for the products or services, this paper will highlight the actions that help to in the management of the marketing process. Background and Rationale The rise in obesity in the world and especially in the United States has been alarming in the recent years. The obesity problem has resulted in debates on the types of food that should be eaten in order to have good health and avoid obesity. Most researches conducted trace the source of this development to the rise in the consumption of fast foods. A research conducted by Bowman et al (2009), concluded that consumption of fast foods among children in the United States seemed to have negative effect on the dietary quality in ways that plausibly could increase risk for obesity (p.112). The research indicates that the dietary factors associated with fast foods may lead to excessive weight gain such as massive portion size, palatability. According to Bowman, Bryan and Vinyard (2004), the number of adults who frequently consumed fast food increased from early 1990s to the mid- 1990s, and adds that the trends was projected to continue. Most of the people who consumed fast foods were aware of the fact that fast foods are high energy foods and can lead to obesity if frequently consumed. The research recommends that customers should ask for nutritional information fast foods should there no information nutritional information indicated. Young and Nestle (2002), indicate that despite the federal government requirement that fast food should have labels on them as dietary guidance; the market place portions of foods that are the major contributors of energy to US diets have significantly increased. It has been revealed that obesity accounts for a large percentage of deaths in the United States every year and the rates are on the increase in every decade. The rise is attributed to the increasing consumption of fast foods. Chlosser (2001) indicates that the additives that give processed foods their taste are man-made and people are driven to buy mainly by their meticulous packaging. The report points out that about 90% of the money that Americans spend on food is used to buy processed foods. He argues that the quality that people seek in food is the flavor, which is usually forms an almost negligible quantity as of the food. It is in view of the above problems based on market analysis and literature reviews that the idea of The Salad bar was thought of. Instead of the use of additives and processed ingredients, The Salad Bar will use natural food additives and will seek to prepare the salads in ways that will preserve the best flavors, while keeping the natural nutrients intact. The empowering of the public with the knowledge of the inherent benefits of The Salads Bar salads as a result of their natural production will act as the competitive edge for company. The salad bar is a high quality and healthy salads business start-up that will deliver to its customer by means of fast food restaurant. While the vision is Healthy Food for All; The Salad Bars mission is to be the leader in the provision of healthy, quality, great tasting fast foods salads at affordable prices. The salad bar will establish its first restaurant in South California and seeks to establish close contact with customers and to build excellent business relationships, driven by desire to delightfully meet its customers needs. The Salad Bar is a privately-held California corporation and maintains an office and a store located in a mixed-use area of San Jose, California. The salad bar was started with a view to providing a healthier place where people can eat. The fact that there are few firms that focus either on salads or healthier base foods forms the premise for the establishment of the salad bar. It is in this view coupled with the absence of tight competition in the fast food industry that The Salad Bar anticipates to exceed its financial forecasts. The aim of the business is to create a place where people can enjoy healthy foods with best service at affordable prices. Objectives The objectives that are set out in the establishment of The Salad Bar are in line with the company mission and vision. Firstly, the company intends to provide salads which are tasty, have the natural health ingredients and can be afforded by the customers. Secondly is to create a brand and a household name in the fast foods industry as a chain that provides the best service. Thirdly, the company targets to expand and attain a national status in about five years to increase access of quality foods by customers countrywide. The Salad bar, in its expansion objectives anticipates increased ownership of the company and if possible by as many customers as possible to create a sense of belonging among customers and the general public. In addition, the company will create awareness through campaigns to sensitize the public on the dangers associated with consuming fast foods. This platform will as well act as a point for marketing the company products by offering them as safer alternatives. As a result, the company will enjoy sustained market for its products and hence the realization of sustainable competitive advantage. The Salad bar shall lay down several strategies relevant to its business to ensure sustained competitiveness in the market. Efforts will be put in place to reduce customer defection; increase longevity of customer relationship; enhance the growth potential through cross-selling and up-selling and make low profit customers more profitable. With a view to gathering information for the purposes of assessing the market and understand the customer responses and possible start-up challenges, a survey was conducted. Questionnaires were used and twelve respondents filled the questionnaires. The results of the survey will inform the analysis that is done before the start-up. Twelve people were surveyed. The following is the questionnaire used in the survey: Are you a salad eater? (I would want to make sure I am talking to a salad eater How many times a week or month do you eat salads? Where do you go when you want to buy a salad? Are they good and fair priced (maybe also ask how much they pay for a good one typically)? What would you like to get if you good make your own choice of a salad? If there was a fast food salad place, would you go there? What would you think would be a fair price for a salad would be? How many times a week or month do you think you would eat at one if it was good and fair priced? Would you prefer to eat a salad of our liking over which ever fast food you normally prefer? What would you not want to see in a place like The Salad Bar? What would you want to see in a place like The Salad Bar? Analysis The results of the survey indicate that most of the people eat salads considering that all the twelve respondents said that they eat salads and like salads. Some of the respondents reported that they make their salads at home and some get them when they come along with food as side salads in restaurants. Most of the respondents understood the need to eat healthy food, but their main problem was where to find healthy food. The idea of The Side Bar excited the respondents and predicted that it be a successful idea. The salads sold should be fresh and having a selection of well cooked meat. The respondents pointed out they that they need to find the salad in conveniently and affordably. The Products The Salad Bar will follow the In-n-Out Burgers model: have a small but effective menu, with the main focus being on salads. By focusing strictly on salads, The Salad Bar will ensure that simplicity is kept and the menu is not unnecessarily overcrowded with food items. A decent assortment of toppings will be supplied as they can be easy to store and cheap as well. Meats free from fat and grease shall form part of the salad to bring about variety. The inclusion of meats follows the high number of customers who desire it included in their salad as concluded by the survey. Fast foods such as chocolate or vanilla milkshakes will not be served at the The Salad Bar, since they do not meet the The Salad Bar criteria for healthy fast foods. Instead, The Salad Bar will serve fresh real fruit shakes. The fruit can be used for milkshakes, toppings for salads, or for customers who do not like regular salads; a fruit salad made from a fruit or fruits of their own preference are served. Planning to aggressively transform the content, the view and effects of fast food in society, The Salad Bar seeks to introduce a healthy way to eat, while it remains in the fast food industry by distributing its products through fast food restaurants. To achieve these plans, inclusion of a large selection of salads and toppings for customers to add to their meal, will offer a greater variety, compared to a selection of a few salads that competitors offer. In addition, more diverse ways to eat the salads will be devised to ensure that customers have a new and delightful experience. In view of getting the best ingredients for the salads, establishment of a good relationship with the suppliers is critical. In this connection, the Salad Bar will seek to identify reputable suppliers; whose products are known to be fresh and of credible quality. As a result the The Salad Bar will be enabled to avail fresh and delicious, organic foods to the customer that will have not bring negative consequences to their health. Apart from strengthening the product brand, the company targets to produce high quality products and to package the products carefully in order to appeal to customers. Warranties relating to maintenance of standards should be given to the customers in order to promote customer loyalty. Place The most strategic place for the salad bar should have a large volume of people on daily basis, preferably a shopping centre. This is necessary for convenience on the side of the customer as they can easily frequent, and the realization of increased volume of sales for the proprietor. Sales are expected to be high basis due to many people who are employed at the centre who will be interested to search for healthier lunch selections. Drawing from experience and observation, it is clear that people many people have made it a habit to eat salads throughout the day. The strategy behind locating business in a shopping centre is that most shopping areas have high traffic and most food spots in these areas are costly. High population, coupled with the strategy of setting prices comparatively lower than competition, prices, more sales than those of an average restaurant in a normal location can be made. Businesses that are strategically located need much good will as they leave the premises due to the advantages accrued ranging from access to customers to access to supplies by the company due to the convenience afforded by an efficient communication infrastructure. The place will determine the distribution channels which may be direct, retail distributors and intermediaries. A competent criteria for vetting groceries that will act as outlets will be developed. Logistics of transportation, warehousing and order fulfillment will be developed by the company to ensure efficiency in supply of materials. The company will also seek to motivate the market. Price When searching for a good salad it can be hard to find one that is good at a decent price. Considering that the besides taste, price is one of the most important factors in the driving force of the success of The Salad Bar, price determination for the product requires a careful consideration. The price set should enable the company to make profit and at the same time remain competitive in the market. The goal of The Salad Bar is to have fresh delicious salads at the prices that almost compare to those of a normal fast food restaurant. The proposed price range for The Salad Bar would be from $6 to $12 depending on the size and the customer preference in the salad. The expectation held is that the combined effect of quality food and the comparatively low prices for the products will result in increased sales and widened customer base, which translates to increased profits and customer loyalty. Besides setting a competitive price, the use of price in marketing can be gainful to the comp any. The pricing strategy include developing a list price, offering discounts , bundling , giving flexible payment terms and financing options such as use of credit cards and leasing options. Promotion Promotions are the most important factor in the marketing mix. This is what because it is the means through which the soon to be customers know the business and the products to be offered. Without promotions, it will take long for the business to be known, a situation that may increase the time the business takes before it is profitable. The fact that promotions can be expensive Promotions can be very costly necessitates that a proprietor should have the right marketing plan. Good ways to start promoting are old conventional ways such as coupons in the weekly paper, or coupon websites, door hangers with coupons, and commercials. In opening the first Salad Bar, commercials might be a bit overboard. In designing the best marketing plan for this product, the cost effectiveness of the promotion method is critical. The main activities that will be involved in the promotion of the product include neon signs that will be placed on the business premise for night advertising and registration to participate in the next business exhibition shortly after the launch of The Salad Bar. Other promotion initiatives will include the purchase of a computer for on-line marketing, brochure printing and attending training sessions by a human resource development firm. SWOT Analysis As the Salad Bar establishes itself in the market, there are a handful of strengths that act as impetus to starting a business. First, the creation of a strong product with focus being on quality, effect on the health of the customer, quick customer service and setting of affordable prices will set the company apart from the rest. Secondly, based on the market survey conducted, the results indicate the existence of demand for the products that The Salad bar intends to bring to the market. Thirdly the anticipated demand for the products will translate to increased sales, and therefore bulk purchases from suppliers will be needful. Bulk buying will ensure lowered purchase prices hence improved profits. In addition, the adoption of the already existing restaurant model for selling the new products enables the business to easily fit in the market. Ability to capitalize on brand ad concept with the expansion through franchising and other market segments is also an advantage to the business. Finally the specificity of the menu; focus on salads will curve out a market for The Salad Bar. Weaknesses The main weaknesses that the company faces are related to the product. Dependability of concept on some of the food products, and since food products cannot be patented; this need to be addressed by building strong brand awareness and establishing copyright on total quality system. Another weakness to the business is that the product may be vulnerable and will be weakened over time. This weakness can be minimized through manufactured goods innovation and diversification. In addition, the limitations in revenue will limits The Salad Bar to start in one location then build up as it expands to occupy new locations. Marketing challenges may also be experienced due to financial limitations as the company builds revenue. The marketing Budget The marketing budget will allocate money for the various planned activities. Included in the budget are the costs that will be incurred in the process of marketing such as marketing and advertising. The budget for The Salad Bar will be as shown below: Activity Cost ($) Neon Signs 330 Budget for Annual marketing Efforts 6500 Advertising in local business Magazine 500 Brochure Design and Copywriting 450 Advertising in the business Newspaper 1200 Brochure Printing 270 Registration for Business exhibition 175 Product Launching 4000 Computer for e-mail marketing 1000 Training Sessions 1000 In order to track effectiveness, evaluation shall be done at the middle and at the end of the year; comparing the gross sales and the expenses. This is done by identifying the measurable objectives of the marketing agenda and tracking them through the budget period in order to assess their performance. Changes to the budget may be necessary to the budget over time if performance is not as was anticipated. The constant evaluation will point out the areas that need more attention as the business adjusts to the market conditions. Documentation should be done at every stage of the business whether profits or losses are made to secure records for future referencing. This will act as an internal control to ensure that the company does not run at a loss without the knowledge of the management.

Tom Clancys Op Center :: essays research papers

Tom Clancy’s Op-Center Divide and Conquer The nation is about to be in another Middle East war, but they don’t know it yet, even the president doesn’t know it. Will Paul Hood inform the president with the correct information in time? Will war break out in Azerbaijan? In this political thriller you really don’t know what is going on right up until the end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul Hood is the main character; he is the head of Op-Center, the United States division that deals with information sharing with Allis countries to stop terrorism. He is going through a divorce, and his daughter was just held hostage in an U.S. embassy (I think this happened in the book before the one I read). He had resigned from Op-Center because of all the things happening in his life, but he went back because he couldn’t live without it. Paul Hood would be classified as a workaholic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Chief of Staff (Red Gable), the Vice President (Charles Cotten) and Secretary of the State (Jack Fenewick), are all in on the conspiracy to start a war in order to secure the U.S. oil supply for the next millennium. The conspiracy will also put Charles Cotten into the presidency, with Michael Lawerence (current president) being forced out of office.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The conspiracy that the â€Å"Eye’s Only Group† (Gable, Cotten and Fenewick) has planned is that of terrorism and treason. The plan is the terrorist known as the Harpooner will blow up an oilrig in Azerbaijan, making them think that the Iranians it. The Iranians will claim they didn’t, but everybody will think they are lying, because the dead bodies found will be that of Iranians, and they will be wearing the uniform of the elite Iranian military force. Tensions will grow, war will break out. The whole time the president will be fed mis-information that he will talk internationally with this mis-information, then have to eat his words, when everybody says â€Å"What!? We didn’t know that†. The public will think the president has lost his sanity, and he will be forced to resign.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul Hood has to dig deep to find the connection between the â€Å"Eye’s Only Group† and Azerbaijan, and get the information to the president before he decides to go to war.

Things Fall Apart :: essays research papers

Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe. I t takes place in the middle of the twentieth century, in Umuofia Africa. It is based on the life of its main character Okonkwo and his village. Okonkwo was a well known, accomplished man in his village. He was a man of two titles and he earned every bit of it. Okonkwo’s family included eight children, six sons and two daughters. He also had three wives which was also a symbol of wealth in Umuofia because in their village it was their custom to have men pay a bride price for their wives. Okonkwo worked very hard to obtain everything he had because his father Unoka left him with nothing but debt. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father was a very lazy degenerate gambler of whom Okonkwo was ashamed of. Unoka was often referred to as an efulefu, or a man with of no worth . Okonkwo overcame these negative aspects of his childhood, started with a small loan of yam seeds, and worked to become a very wealthy man. Everything in Umuofia seemed normal and seemed to be going well for Okonkwo and his family until Okonkwo committed a fatal action. The story then takes another turn when Okonkwo, his village, and the eight villages surrounding his were affected by the new coming European customs and laws. . The village of Umuofia was located in the rainforest region Africa. The people of Umuofia were mainly farmers of root crops and herders of sheep and goat. Their farming and herding was very successful and it provided a surplus which made way for their market. Umuofia and the eight villages surrounding it were male dominated villages, yet women were also very important because of their abilty to give birth. The female’s ability to conceive children was the most important and beneficial thing for a woman to do in Umuofia. Women also helped in farming , but they were limited to farming beans, cassava, and things that required light duty farming. The men farmed the yam which was referred to as the king of crops because it required heavy labor and attentive care. The people of Umuofia were polytheistic, they had a long list of gods and goddesses such as Chukwu, who was believed to have created the world and the other gods, Ani, who was their earth goddess, Agbala, and many others. The Umuofians created carvings and other things that were symbolic of their gods. Things Fall Apart :: essays research papers Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe. I t takes place in the middle of the twentieth century, in Umuofia Africa. It is based on the life of its main character Okonkwo and his village. Okonkwo was a well known, accomplished man in his village. He was a man of two titles and he earned every bit of it. Okonkwo’s family included eight children, six sons and two daughters. He also had three wives which was also a symbol of wealth in Umuofia because in their village it was their custom to have men pay a bride price for their wives. Okonkwo worked very hard to obtain everything he had because his father Unoka left him with nothing but debt. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father was a very lazy degenerate gambler of whom Okonkwo was ashamed of. Unoka was often referred to as an efulefu, or a man with of no worth . Okonkwo overcame these negative aspects of his childhood, started with a small loan of yam seeds, and worked to become a very wealthy man. Everything in Umuofia seemed normal and seemed to be going well for Okonkwo and his family until Okonkwo committed a fatal action. The story then takes another turn when Okonkwo, his village, and the eight villages surrounding his were affected by the new coming European customs and laws. . The village of Umuofia was located in the rainforest region Africa. The people of Umuofia were mainly farmers of root crops and herders of sheep and goat. Their farming and herding was very successful and it provided a surplus which made way for their market. Umuofia and the eight villages surrounding it were male dominated villages, yet women were also very important because of their abilty to give birth. The female’s ability to conceive children was the most important and beneficial thing for a woman to do in Umuofia. Women also helped in farming , but they were limited to farming beans, cassava, and things that required light duty farming. The men farmed the yam which was referred to as the king of crops because it required heavy labor and attentive care. The people of Umuofia were polytheistic, they had a long list of gods and goddesses such as Chukwu, who was believed to have created the world and the other gods, Ani, who was their earth goddess, Agbala, and many others. The Umuofians created carvings and other things that were symbolic of their gods.