Methods To Prevent Barre In Knitted Fabric

Methods To Prevent Barre In Knitted Fabric In textile production, one of the most common and perplexing quality issues is barrà ©. The factors that can cause or contribute to barrà © are varied and diverse. For this reason, when a barrà © problem is detected, the skills of a sleuth may be required to expose the problem and eliminate its cause. Once a cause is identified, steps can be taken to minimize or eliminate the barrà ©, and better quality fabrics can be produced. This discussion will center on knitted fabrics. DISCUSSIONS The noun barrà © is defined by ASTM1 as an unintentional, repetitive visual pattern of continuous bars and stripes usually parallel to the filling of woven fabric or to the courses of circular knitted fabric. In a warp knit, barrà © normally runs in the length direction, following the direction of yarn flow. Barrà © can be caused by physical, optical, dye related differences in the yarn, geometric differences in the fabric structure, or by any combination of these differences. A barrà © streak can be one or several courses wide. A typical characteristic of barrà © is that it generally consists of stripes that repeat. Isolated or intermittent defects may or may not be barrà ©. 1 ASTM D123-96a Standard Terminology Relating to Textiles 1 Various aspects of barrà © are important for consideration and discussion. The first is the identification of barrà ©. Secondly, how can barrà © be analyzed? What are the causes of barrà ©, and finally, how can it be prevented? IDENTIFICATION OF BARRÉ The first step in a barrà © investigation is to observe and define the problem. Barrà © can be the result of physical causes that can usually be detected, or it can be caused by optical or dyeability differences that may be nearly impossible to isolate in the fabric. Barrà © analysis methods that help to discriminate between physical barrà © and barrà © caused by other reasons include Flat Table Examinations, Light Source Observation, and the Atlas Streak Analyzer. Flat Table Examination For a visual barrà © analysis, the first step is to lay a full-width fabric sample out on a table and view both sides from various angles. Generally, if the streaky lines run in the yarn direction that is in the course direction, apparent color differences can be seen by looking down at the fabric in a direct visual line with the yarn or course direction, and the defect can be positively identified as a barrà © defect. Viewing the fabric with a light source in the background will show if the barrà © is physical. Light Source Observation After completing an initial Flat Table Examination, a Light Source Examination may provide further useful information. Full width fabric samples should be examined 2 under two surface lighting conditions, ultraviolet (UV) and fluorescent light. Observations that should be made while viewing under lights are: 1. the frequency and width of the barrà ©, 2. whether the streaks are dark or light, and 3. the total length of pattern repeat. Ultraviolet light, commonly referred to as black light, allows the presence of mineral oils to be more easily detected, due to their radiant energy (glow). When observed under UV light, fabrics with streaks that exhibit glow suggest improper or insufficient preparation. A change in composition or content of oil/wax by the spinner or knitter without appropriate adjustments in scouring can create this problem. Fluorescent lighting simulates the mode of observation that is common to most inspection tables in mills and will highlight whether the barrà © is perceivable in an industry quality control setting. Atlas Streak Analyzer The function of the Atlas Streak Analyzer is to isolate barrà © caused by physical differences. A fabric swatch is combined with polystyrene sheet film, and the Atlas Streak Analyzer produces a plastic impression of a fabric surface by incorporating specific conditions of pressure and heat. The absence of color on the plastic impression ensures that only physical streak effects will be seen. The plastic impression is examined to determine whether the streak alignment matches the 3 streaks observed on the fabric. However, impressions made from spun yarns such as cotton can be difficult to read due to the inherent yarn variation characteristic of spun yarns. Also, a too rapid cooling of the test specimen after making an impression can produce a moirà © pattern. From a valid plastic impression, the barrà © source can be identified as: 1. physical with all streaks showing on the impression, 2. optical or dyeability variations where none of the color streaks are aligned on the impression, and 3. a combination of physical and dyeability differences where some streaks align with those on the impression, and some do not. Fabrics with combination causes present the greatest challenge for analysis. If the streak analyzer indicates the same barrà © pattern as seen in the fabric, then the barrà © stripes are physical in nature. This can relate to several physical causes such as yarn tensions, stitch length, yarn count, twist differences, etc. Yarn tension causes can be found by raveling adjacent courses and measuring the lengths of yarn removed from each course. If all the lengths raveled from the fabric are the same, the pieces can be weighed to determine if the yarn counts are the same. 4 If the plastic replica shows no stripes, then the barrà © is due to chemical causes or to light reflectance differences. Chemical causes relate to improper preparation, and light reflectance differences relate to non-uniform dyestuff penetration or reflectance. The next step is to remove the color and evaluate the stripped sample before re-dyeing to determine if the removal of dye was complete and if the barrà © is still present. An uneven or incomplete stripping can indicate an additional strip. If the color is stripped uniformly and the barrà © is gone, then the sample should be re-dyed. If after stripping and over dyeing the fabric no longer has barrà ©, then the barrà © was caused by improper preparation. If the barrà © remains, then the problem is related to optical or light reflectance problems. PHYSICAL BARRÉ ANALYSIS When the cause of barrà © is determined or presumed to be physical in nature, physical fabric analysis should be done. Physical barrà © causes are generally considered to be those which can be linked to yarn or machine differences. Methods of physical barrà © analysis include fabric dissection, microscopy, and the Roselon Knit Extension Tester. Fabric Dissection To perform accurate fabric dissection analysis, a fabric sample that contains several barrà © repetitions is required. First, the barrà © streak boundaries are marked by the placement of straight pins and/or felt markers. Individual yarns are removed from light and dark streak sections, and twist level, twist direction, and cut length 5 weight determinations are made and recorded. For reliable mean values to be established, data should be collected from at least two light/dark repeats. After compilation of yarn information, the numbers can be compared individually to adjacent yarns as well as by groupings of light and dark shades. Microscopy Microscopic examination is useful for verifying yarn-spinning systems. Yarns from different spinning systems can have different light reflectance and dye absorption properties resulting in barrà © when mixed. Ring-spinning produces yarn that is smooth with all fibers twisted in a tight helix. Open-end spinning produces yarn with wrapper fibers that form a belt around the diameter of the yarn at irregular intervals. Air jet spinning produces yarn with more wrapper fibers that form a continuous spiraling band around the inner fibers that are more parallel to the axis of the yarn. Microscopy can also reveal a shift in loop formation in knitted fabrics when twist direction (S and Z) differences are present. Roselon Knit Extension Tester2 Barrà © produced by knitting machinery is relatively common, is the easiest to see in the greige, and is the easiest to correct. Often uneven yarn tension during knitting may be a cause. To test for uneven tension, the Roselon Knit Extension Tester can be used. For this test, a fabric sample is cut and raveled to yield yarn samples from light and dark streak areas. The yarn ends are taped and clamped 2 Source: Spinlon Industries Incorporated, 18 S. Fifth Street, Quakertown, Pennsylvania 18951 6 to the tester. As each yarn is stretched to the maximum extension point, the points are plotted on graph paper. Comparisons are usually made visually rather than mathematically. CAUSES OF BARRÉ The varied and diverse causes of barrà © can generally be summed up in one word INCONSISTENCY. An inconsistency that leads to barrà © can originate in one or more of the following categories: ! fiber quality/raw material management, ! yarn formation/supply management, ! knitting processes, and ! preparation and dyeing techniques Fiber Quality/Raw Material Management 1. Failure to control fiber diameter (micronaire or denier) from laydown to laydown. 2. Too high a C.V. of micronaire in the laydown for a given mills opening line blending efficiency. 3. Failure to control the fiber color in the mix (grayness Rd, yellowness +b). 4. Failure to control maturity/fineness in a laydown 5. Most, if not all, fiber barrà © can be controlled by the above four items; however, under certain unusual circumstances, it may be beneficial to also select mixes using ultraviolet reflectance information for each bale of cotton. 7 Micronaire Average micronaire must be controlled within a laydown and from laydown to laydown. Controlling average micronaire in the laydown may not be sufficient to completely eliminate barrà ©. Other micronaire related causes of barrà © are: ! > 0.2 difference in micronaire. ! > 0.1 change in mix-to-mix average micronaire. ! > 12.0 % CV of micronaire within the laydown. It may be necessary to change the laydown averages periodically to make use of all the bales in the warehouse. This must be done slowly with no more than a 0.1 change in mix-to-mix averages. Figure 1 shows acceptable changes in micronaire from laydown to laydown. No barrà © from micronaire differences should show in knitted fabrics when yarns are mixed on the knitting machine from consecutive laydowns. However, if laydowns vary more than 0.1 micronaire, for example laydowns #1 (4.3 mic.) and #6 (4.6 mic.) in Figure 1, then barrà © is much more likely to occur. 8 Figure 1: Slowing Changing Micronaire Average in Laydown Acceptable Change in Micronaire From Laydown to Laydown3.53.63.73.83.94.04.14.24.34.44.51234567891011121314Laydown NumberMicronarie Figure 2 shows a high CV% in the micronaire for bales within a laydown. The laydown shown has 24 bales with an average of 4.1 micronaire and a CV% of 17.7. The change in micronaire from bale to bale is more than a 0.1 change. Also, the CV% is more than 12.0% and would probably result in barrà ©. High Micronaire CV% in Laydown3.53.73.94.14.34.54.7123456789101112131415161718192021222324Bale NumberMicronaireAvg. 4.1 CV% 17.7 * Figure 2: Results of Changing the Micronaire Average too Rapidly Max +/- 1.0 mic 9 Maturity and Fineness Although micronaire gives an indication of fiber maturity, it does not directly measure that property. Maturity and fineness related causes of barrà © include: ! Blending cotton from different growth areas or seed varieties. ! Immature fiber content such as white specks, neps, etc. Yarn Formation/Supply Even with proper fiber selection to reduce raw material effects on barrà ©, techniques in the opening, cleaning, blending, and carding areas can have an impact on barrà ©. These variations can occur at carding where different amounts of non-lint content removal from card to card can be a problem. Poor blending of fiber from opening through finisher drawing cannot be overlooked. In ring spinning, the running of different types of spindle tapes and the use of different cots or new and used cots mixed together on the same frame can create barrà ©. Faulty management in the spinning plant can result in the following yarn related causes of barrà ©: 1. Yarn count variations. 2. Yarn twist variation. 3. Wrong yarn size, color, blend level, twist direction. 4. Mixed yarn lots. 5. Mixed shipment dates of same dye lot. 10 6. Uneven waxing or oiling of yarn 7. Improper conditioning. Knitting Processes and Yarn Management The set-up and operation of a knitting machine is complex and requires precision settings to produce first quality goods. Machine related causes of barrà © include: 1. Different stitch settings (stitch lengths). 2. Improper tension at a feed. 3. Faulty cylinder or dial cam settings. 4. Malfunctioning of storage or tape feeders. 5. Improper threading of yarn. 6. Variations at take-down or spreader system. 7. Machine vibration. 8. Dirt, lint, and/or yarn fragments in the camming system, tricks, needles, or sinkers. 9. Variation in oil content. 10. Worn needles, which generally produce length direction streaks. 11. Uneven cylinder height needles (wavy barrà ©). 12. Worn cylinder and/or dial. Even with a properly set-up machine, barrà © can still occur at knitting due to poor yarn management. Examples of poor yarn management at knitting include: 11 1. Mixing yarns of different counts. 2. Mixing yarns from different spinning systems. 3. Mixing yarns with different blend levels. 4. Mixing yarns from different suppliers. 5. Mixing yarns with different twist level/twist direction. 6. Mixing yarns with different degrees of hairiness. 7. Mixing yarns with different amounts of wax. 8. Mercerization differences. 9. Excessive backwinding or abrasion during this process. 10. If yarns are conditioned, then each lot must be uniformly conditioned. Preparation and Dyeing Techniques Normally, dyehouses have standard preparation procedures and formulas that work very well in terms of removal of non-fibrous contaminants and natural fiber pigmentation. However, some fabrics can exhibit barrà © that is caused by either optical or dyeability issues. Often, the barrà © is not created in dyeing, but can be highlighted. In this scenario, the dyeing is not the cause but the messenger of the problem. Typically, barrà © is not a problem in whites, only in dyed fabrics. Therefore, if a fabric is known to have barrà ©, then that roll should be processed into a white. 12 Preparation can help mask barrà ©, but cannot and will not eliminate it. The cause of the barrà © must be eliminated for future rolls to be free of the defect. The scour and/or bleach procedure can be intensified to mask the barrà ©. This can be done by combinations of using a higher temperature or longer processing times. Usually the chemistry will remain the same; however, in some cases, it may have to be increased or changed. If any changes are made in the preparation procedure, the fabric and resultant shade will possibly change in whiteness, strength, and appearance. In fact, the whiteness will almost always change. If whiter, the old dye formula will need to be adjusted. The strength of the fabric may be affected to the point where it becomes a problem. Finally, the surface of the fabric may change so that it may not match previous lots. As a result of more aggressive preparation to cover barrà ©, it is important to evaluate such changes on small samples in the lab or a sample machine. Tension can play an integral role in not only the formation of the fabric, but also during preparation, dyeing, and finishing. As with all variables, it must be controlled to known parameters and be consistent. Any inconsistencies in tension could change the morphology of the cotton (i.e. during mercerization), level of dye pick- 13 up, or surface appearance (i.e. during mechanical finishing such as brushing or sanding). PREVENTION OF BARRÉ As discussed in the text, barrà © is caused by inconsistencies in materials, equipment, or processing. To prevent barrà © from occurring, consistency must be maintained through all phases of textile production. Stock yarns should be properly and carefully labeled to avoid mix-ups. Fugitive tints and/or marked cones can be useful for accurate yarn segregation. Inventory should be controlled on a first in/first out basis. All equipment should be properly maintained and periodically checked. In spinning and knitting before beginning full-scale production, sample dyeings can be done to check for barrà ©. Knit machine operators should be trained to look for barrà © as it occurs in the greige. If spotted, the machine should be stopped until the cause is eliminated. Salvaging a fabric lot with a barrà © problem may be possible through careful dye selection. Color differences can be masked by using shades with very low light reflectance (navy blue, black) or high light reflectance (light yellow, orange, or finished white). Dye suppliers should be able to offer assistance in this area. Also, if the cause of the barrà © is an uneven distribution of oil or wax, a more thorough preparation of the fabric before dyeing may result in more uniform dye coverage. 14 With close cooperation between production and quality control personnel, barrà © problems can be successfully analyzed and solved. Recommendations to minimize barrà © include: ! Knit an entire dye lot from the same knitting machine. ! Use only yarn from the same spinning lot. ! Use only from the same shipment date if possible. ! If yarn shipment dates must be mixed, then use consecutive shipment dates. ! Determine through laboratory analysis and experience if the preparation procedures are sufficient or can they be modified to eliminate the problem. ! Determine if some shades and dyestuffs are less susceptible to showing barrà ©, and apply those to problem fabrics. ! Make use of yarn/fabric analysis systems such as CYROS ®. ! Identify those rolls within a dye lot that have mixed yarn shipment dates so that it is known when the fabrics go through the dyehouse. ! Identify dye lots that have rolls from different yarn shipments before dyeing. CASE STUDY IN BARRÉ A 100% cotton, ring-spun single jersey style T-shirt is knitting in production with a yarn that does not have a barrà © problem. This style has been knitting for numerous days and no more of the yarn is available for creeling on the machine as the yarns are knitting out. Some yarn packages are skinners and others are full five-pound packages. The machine is 24-inch diameter with 80 feeds. 15 When the new yarn is creeled onto one of the 80 positions, the mixing of yarn shipment dates begins to take place. For this discussion, we will assume that this new yarn will cause barrà © when mixed with the old yarn. Once all positions are knitting the new yarn, there will be no barrà ©. How many rolls of fabric will have barrà © when both these yarns are present in the rolls? If the knitter is making 50 pound rolls, then each yarn package will supply 1/80th of the 50-pound roll or 0.625 pounds of yarn. Therefore, the new yarn will make 8.0 rolls of fabric with barrà © (5-pound package divided by 0.625 pounds per package for a 50 pound roll). It is important to realize that while this new package is knitting, other old yarn positions on the creel are also being replaced by new yarns. By the time the first new package has knitted out, all feeds will be using the new yarn. When the last old package is replaced and all positions have new yarn, the barrà © will disappear. Often, many machines will be knitting the same style. If ten machines are knitting this style and are using the old yarn and new yarns are placed on these 80 feed machines, then the total number of rolls knitted with barrà © will be 80. A total of 4,000 pounds of fabric will be made with barrà ©. If the style in question weighs 5.8 ounces per linear yarn, then a total of 11,035 yards of fabric will be made. Further, if it can be assumed that each yard of fabric can make 1.2 shirts, then a total of 13,240 defective T-shirts will be made. This is 1,103 dozen 16 garments. If the cost per shirt is $2.05 per unit, then a loss of $27,142 plus is realized. If open-end yarn was used for this case study instead of ring-spun yarns, then 8-pound packages of yarn could be used. This would result in 128 rolls containing 6,400 pounds and 17,655 yards of fabric. From this, 21,186 T-shirts (1766 dozens) would have been made. Based on a cost per shirt of $1.86, the loss would be $39,405. The result is that bigger packages mean bigger losses. The best methods to reduce the possibility of this catastrophe are listed below: 1. When mixing yarn shipment dates of only one week, try to reduce the number of machines using the old and new yarns. 2. As more machines are expending the old yarn, consolidate the old packages to fewer machines. This means removing the yarns from one creel and using them on other machines that are still knitting the old yarn. 3. Knit dye lots from a single machine if possible. 4. When a roll is known to have mixed yarns, a laboratory dyeing should be done on a swatch from the roll to determine if barrà © is present. If not, then proceed as normal. If barrà © is present, then the roll should be processed in 17 shades that are not known to be barrà © sensitive or prepared with more aggressive chemistry. CONCLUSIONS It is evident that barrà © is a problem that results from inconsistencies and is a result of poor management of fiber, yarn, and/or related knitting processes. The spinner, the knitter, and the dyer must communicate and work as a team to reduce the potential for barrà © to occur. A well planned and executed system of monitoring the spinning, knitting, dyeing, and finishing systems in the mill can provide for defect free fabrics. 18

Geography of Aruba :: essays papers

Geography of Aruba While there is an abundance of reasons to travel to Aruba the geography and climate are certainly the most important and attractive. The island of Aruba is located just 19 miles North of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea and neighbors another Dutch Island, Curacao The geographic coordinates (for the technical people) are 12 30 N, 69 58 W(Archaelogical Museum, 3). The Island itself is rather small, being only 193 square kilometers which is slightly larger than Washington D.C. However, the cement streets of our nations capital are nothing compared to the 68 kilometers of coastline, which is sandy, white on the south side and rough, jagged rock on the north. This island, like many in the Caribbean has become a tourist hotspot for its tropical marine climate, with minimal seasonal temperature variation. A major reason why Aruba has become so popular is due to the fact that it lies on the outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt. The average temperature in Aruba is 81 degree’s, which makes the river less countryside dry, with scarce vegetation. The terrain is flat, with very few hills. However, the largest mountain on the Island is Mount Jamanota standing tall at 188 Meters. Aruba’s geography is rather simple to understand because the island is so small. Geologically, Aruba is more complex. The geological formation of Aruba’s geography is composed of three major rock groups; Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. To the reader who just looks at the textbook, this means that Aruba (the Island) was there long before the late 15th century when the Spanish first came here. Actually, Aruba was formed from the process of volcanism some 90-95 million years ago. The Island of Aruba is the result of lava hardening from a volcano that occurred almost 100 million years ago underwater. Eventually sediments formed new types of rocks, which came to the surface and began the process of island building. On the Island today the north coast is made up of a jagged coastline filled with all sorts of rocks. â€Å"Limestone’s are the youngest rocks that make up Aruba and that surround the islands older rocks. Limestone formed after and on top of the older rocks.† (Archaeological Museum Aruba, 3) While limestone is very common rock on Aruba, a white and black speckled plutonic rock called quartzdiorite is also another prevalent part of the landscape. Geography of Aruba :: essays papers Geography of Aruba While there is an abundance of reasons to travel to Aruba the geography and climate are certainly the most important and attractive. The island of Aruba is located just 19 miles North of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea and neighbors another Dutch Island, Curacao The geographic coordinates (for the technical people) are 12 30 N, 69 58 W(Archaelogical Museum, 3). The Island itself is rather small, being only 193 square kilometers which is slightly larger than Washington D.C. However, the cement streets of our nations capital are nothing compared to the 68 kilometers of coastline, which is sandy, white on the south side and rough, jagged rock on the north. This island, like many in the Caribbean has become a tourist hotspot for its tropical marine climate, with minimal seasonal temperature variation. A major reason why Aruba has become so popular is due to the fact that it lies on the outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt. The average temperature in Aruba is 81 degree’s, which makes the river less countryside dry, with scarce vegetation. The terrain is flat, with very few hills. However, the largest mountain on the Island is Mount Jamanota standing tall at 188 Meters. Aruba’s geography is rather simple to understand because the island is so small. Geologically, Aruba is more complex. The geological formation of Aruba’s geography is composed of three major rock groups; Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. To the reader who just looks at the textbook, this means that Aruba (the Island) was there long before the late 15th century when the Spanish first came here. Actually, Aruba was formed from the process of volcanism some 90-95 million years ago. The Island of Aruba is the result of lava hardening from a volcano that occurred almost 100 million years ago underwater. Eventually sediments formed new types of rocks, which came to the surface and began the process of island building. On the Island today the north coast is made up of a jagged coastline filled with all sorts of rocks. â€Å"Limestone’s are the youngest rocks that make up Aruba and that surround the islands older rocks. Limestone formed after and on top of the older rocks.† (Archaeological Museum Aruba, 3) While limestone is very common rock on Aruba, a white and black speckled plutonic rock called quartzdiorite is also another prevalent part of the landscape.

Redgrove Axial Workshop Case Study

What Fontaine is Trying to Achieve5 Challenges of a New Position6 Corporate Culture6 Axial Workshop7 Beneath the Surface7 Use/Abuse of Discretion8 Scope of the Problem10 Stakeholders10 Identification of Available Options10 Ethical Principles Discussion 14 Consequentialist Theory14 Deontological Theory19 Virtue Ethics21 Recommendation23 References25 Appendix A: Picture of Ornament Found in Workshop Storage 26 Appendix B: Redgrove Monthly Plant Scap-Metal Sales, 27 12-Month Period Appendix C: Excerpt from ITE Code of Conduct28Appendix D: Summary of Redgrove Records of Material29 Misappropriation Incidents and Sanctions, 1998-2007 Appendix E: Consequentialist Analysis – Option A 30 (Do Nothing) Appendix F: Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident, 31 Request Guidance Appendix G: Consequentialist Analysis – Don’t Report, 32 Handle Incident In-House Appendix H: Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident 33 but Recommend Actions and Gain Upper Managem ent Buy-In Abstract This paper addresses the ethical issues at Redgrove Axial workshop.Marc Fontaine is the manager of the compressor manufacturing division at the Redgrove Plant, and has been on the job approximately one month when he discovers employees have been using company equipment to build personal decorative ornaments utilizing scrap material which is normally sold to recycling companies. This practice is against the company's written code of conduct; however, the workshop foreman’s knowledge of the practice and failure to prevent it has condoned the behavior.The analysis of the ethical problem begins by listing the facts of the case and defining the scope of the problem Fontaine is faced with. After reviewing all the aspects of the case, four courses of action have been identified. A brief discussion of the three ethical principles will lead us to our final recommendation of what Fontaine should do in order to resolve the ethical problems at hand, thereby providing benefits to all stakeholders. Case Study – Redgrove Axial WorkshopFacts of the Case: Marc Fontaine has recently become the manager of compressor manufacturing at Redgrove Axial Workshop, part of the International Technology and Electronics (ITE) Corporation. This position is a temporary one as part of a larger ITE accelerated leadership program. After a month on the job, Fontaine discovers a number of ornaments (Appendix A) in the workshop’s storage room which appears to be made from the same material used to make the compressors.Fontaine believes employees of his department may be using company materials, comprised of scraps and metal shavings – normally sold to a local recycling company (Appendix B) – for personal use and felt he needed to notify the Manufacturing Director (Sam Collins) and Plant Director (Peter Garland) about the incident. Upon further investigation, Fontaine discovers the practice of utilizing production materials for personal use is against ITE’s Code of Conduct and punishable by warnings, termination, withheld pay, criminal charges, and suspension (Appendix C).Fontaine also acquired a list of previous incidents and related punishments (Appendix D). Fontaine approaches Jim Page, a plant foreman who supervises the Axial Workshop, about the ornaments. Page states he has not seen the objects in the supply room, and the personal work was infrequent and of little value because they were made of scrap. As far as he knew, employees made projects on their own time and he had never made an issue out of the practice because the workshop is Redgrove’s most productive unit.In order to gain a better understanding of the practice, Page recommends Fontaine speak with Peter Kadosa, a workshop employee. Kadosa was a good worker, had a good attitude, and was moving to a new position on the West Coast in January. Upon questioning â€Å"off the record,† Kadosa provided the following information: he was unsure of the history regarding the practice; implied the more experienced and better craftsmen were involved; and only occasionally would one of the workers ask him to set aside a bigger piece of scrap.Fontaine also learned of the unwritten code of conduct in the workshop which applied to the gift / ornament making: new material could not be used (scraps only); before anyone started a project they were expected to obtain approval from one of the senior craftsmen; selling projects was frowned upon; and the plant foreman did not care to know about the practice. What Fontaine is Trying to Achieve: Fontaine is aware the use of scrap material for personal projects is against the company’s Code of Conduct and feels obligated to report the misappropriation.However, he also observes how well the workshop’s employees work together, how productive they are, and the existence of an unofficial code of conduct which is followed in regards to the practice of creating ornaments. He is torn on whether or not to bring attention to this practice because he wants workers to continue to work efficiently and effectively and taking away their projects may disrupt this; however, he also wants to follow the rules and has an obligation to the company as well as to the employees in his division. Challenges of a New Position:What makes this situation more difficult for Fontaine is that he is new to the company and being in the accelerated leadership program, will most likely not be in his position for long. This adds to his dilemma because one of the biggest challenges when taking on a new position in a new organization is getting comfortable with the corporate culture. When first joining an organization, an employee handbook is provided which dictates all of the do’s and don’t's outlined by management – but the new employee may not immediately understand how closely the company actually follows these rules.In this case, Fontaine knows the rules prohibit usi ng scrap materials for personal use, but the corporate culture has allowed these projects to continue for a long period of time; this places Fontaine in a precarious position considering his relatively short tenure (between one year and 18 months) – does he attempt to change the well established but unwritten corporate culture, or does he condone the behavior and allow his successor to deal with the ethical issues? Corporate Culture: From the initial readings of the Case Study, the corporate culture of the workshop is one of Collaboration, or â€Å"Clan† culture.The workshop is an open place to work which accepts the employees as peers. Group loyalty is important, and an unofficial chain of command exists within the workshop with the more senior and talented employees being seen as the leaders and mentors to the newer, younger employees. In addition, the better and more skilled craftsmen take the time to train others on the more difficult skills. Assuming the company p roactively addresses the issue, the corporate culture will change to that of control, or hierarchical.Rules and procedures would be put in place based on the recommendation of Fontaine and buy-in from upper management, whereby employees can practice their skills to become masters in their field, while simultaneously maintaining workshop cohesion and morale. Axial Workshop The Axial Workshop team is extremely effective. They are referred to as â€Å"the AXE,† and contribute 20% of the Redgrove Plant’s annual revenues and 23% of its operating margin. The AXE has been described as the most effective in the plant. The AXE team is known to be hard workers, and people rarely transfer out of the workshop.Senior workers work closely with junior workers showing them techniques they have developed and getting the junior workers acquainted to the workshop. Beneath the Surface Workshop employees use scrap metals from production of the compressors to produce personal ornaments made by utilizing company machinery. Employees work on these projects infrequently on their own time (off the clock). Workers have unwritten rules to the practice of personal work including: projects must be approved by a senior craftsman, no new material can be used, projects cannot be made in order to be sold, etc.In addition, the workshop foreman has condoned the behavior – though he is aware of the practice, he has allowed it to continue; employees believe the practice is acceptable. Use / Abuse of Discretion: Discretion is the right to choose something, or to choose to do something, according to what seems most suitable in accordance with a situation. However, this discretion can be easily abused especially when management condones or turns a blind eye towards behavior which may border on the unethical.For example, the workshop’s Foreman, Jim Page, has decided to turn a blind eye to the practices going on within the workshop. Fontaine is now faced with the ethical pro blem and has the discretion to do something about it. The use or abuse of discretion can become a problem in many professions. The following are examples of profession’s use or abuse of discretion. 1) Banking (specifically lending) – Banks have the discretion on whether or not to authorize a loan to a customer (based primarily on information such as income, use of loan proceeds, credit score, amount of current debt, etc).During the recent banking debacle, banks approved questionable loans (ie no income verification). 2) Police officers – Generally have the discretion to write a speeding ticket or not. This power is abused when the police officer frequently allows family and friends off without a ticket, even when they were speeding in excess of twice the speed limit. 3) Judges – Have the discretion to approve a certain sentence (whether maximum or minimum). Power can be easily abused, as seen in class by the FBI presentation on white collar crimes and the amount of punishment doled out.Additionally, judges also rule on Social Security Disability cases – a Wall Street Journal Article on 26NOV11 discusses the abuse of power by a certain judge who has only disallowed 4 cases out of over 1000 during the past year – well beyond what is expected by the Social Security Administration 4) Retail – managers have the authority to grant discounts to certain groups of personnel – for example, Dave’s Cosmic Subs ordinarily gives discounts to police officers and firefighters in uniform, but certain managers will also provide a discount to members of the military, contrary to guidance provided by the chain's owners. ) Commanders in the military – have the discretion to dole out non-judicial punishment for small, minor offenses. Being both judge and jury, Commanders have the discretion to determine the punishment – but occasionally, Commander’s abuse this authority by not fitting the punishment to the crime (a requirement) – resulting in the punishment being overturned upon appeal. Scope of the Problem: Fontaine is faced with how to handle the misappropriation of the scrap materials and utilization of company machinery to support the practice. He is new to the company and is not yet familiar with the corporate culture.He wants his division to continue to run effectively and efficiently, but is concerned that bringing attention to the practice of making personal projects could disrupt his division. However, allowing the practice to continue could force Fontaine and his employees to face severe repercussions. Stakeholders in the Case: Plant employees; workshop employees; Marc Fontaine (manager of compressor manufacturing); Jim Page (workshop foreman); Peter Kadosa (workshop employee); investors to the company; and upper management of the plant (Sam Collins – manufacturing director, and Peter Garland – plant director). Identification of Available Options :Prior to developing various options to deal with the dilemma, Fontaine should do the following: ascertain with H/R to determine if a requirement exists when an employee is hired to review the Company’s Code of Conduct; if employees are required to sign an acknowledgement after reviewing the Code of Conduct; if employees are periodically required to conduct refresher training on the Code of Conduct; if employees are required to review the Code of Conduct upon transfer from different departments; if the Code of Conduct is posted in public locations within the factory; any agreements between the union and the plant which may authorize employees to use scrap and company machinery for personal use; and if violations of the Code of Conduct and related disciplinary actions are publicized or posted in public locations throughout the factory.Once all of this information is ascertained, we can assess the available options:1) Option A – Do nothing.Fontaine could elect to do noth ing, allowing employees to continue the practice of occasionally using scrap metal for personal projects on company machinery and not report it to upper management. Staying silent would keep things as they are now with high employee morale, teamwork, and efficiency. However, if Fontaine decides not to say anything and upper management discover the practice, then Fontaine, Page, and the workers involved are all susceptible to sanctions.2) Option B -Report the incident to upper management and ask for guidance on how to proceed.This may be a viable option since Fontaine is unsure as to whether upper management approves of the practice in order to maintain high morale, combined with his short tenure as the manager of compressor manufacturing. However, management may feel negatively towards Fontaine for not providing recommendations on dealing with the practice – specifically, that he is not ready to lead. But, as seen in Annex B, management has been fairly strict with similar vio lations in the past; reporting the practice may lead to unwanted investigations and punishment for workshop employees.3) Option C – Fontaine does not report the incident but handles the situation in-house within the â€Å"Axe. † He can have a meeting with all employees in the workshop, and explain the following: a.The ITE Code of Conduct authorizes the use of production materials only for the exclusive use of advancing the mission of the ITE Corporation; b. The list of infractions from 1998-2007 along with the associated sanctions; c. The items discovered in the storage room, and the fact that though the activity was condoned before, it does not make the practice justifiable. However, because the activity was previously condoned, the new policy of not conducting personal work and utilizing material scraps and company machinery takes effect immediately; d. The liability of the company should an employee become injured while working on an ornamental piece while not in a â€Å"paid† status; and e.Material is purchased by ITE for a specific purpose, which ITE receives compensation from a recycling company for production scraps – and the unlawful use of such material is in fact theft from the company; Fontaine should then share the recycling amounts by poundage and dollar amounts. He should also explain that this material, even if small when compared to the total amount recycled, affects ITE's balance sheet and therefore affects all employees in regards to pay and bonuses, as well ITE's owners (whether public or private). 4) Option D – Report the incident to the Director of Manufacturing and the Plant Director, recommending a course of action on how to proceed within the â€Å"Axe† in order to gain upper management buy-in.This option allows for Fontaine to groom himself as a better leader, while showing management he is prepared to deal with issues within his area of responsibility. These recommended actions would include: a. Amnesty for employees due to the practice being condoned by the workshop foreman; b. H/R training for Page, the workshop foreman, specifically focused on supervisor duties and responsibilities, as well as a review of all company policies to include the Code of Conduct; c. Implement an H/R policy where employees sign an acknowledgement of the Company's Code of Conduct upon hiring; d. Annual review of the Code of Conduct for all employees; e. Review of the Code of Conduct upon transfer from one part of the factory to another part; . Request an exception to policy whereby employees can purchase scrap from the factory at the same rate the factory sells it to the recycling company, or offer a small percentage of scrap to employees for free as an added benefit. In order to have better skilled workers, allow these employees a certain amount of time each pay period (possibly an hour per week) to hone their skills whereby they are covered by worker's compensation should they become injure d during this additional training time; and g. Permission to post the Code of Conduct and the Material Misappropriation and Sanctions List throughout the â€Å"Axe. † Ethical Principles Discussion:Three ethical principles will be used to offer an analysis to the ethical issues Fontaine is currently facing; we will use Consequentialist Theory, Deontological Theory, and Virtue Ethics. Consequentialist Theory: An ethical decision should maximize benefits to society and minimize harms. What matters is the net balance of good consequences over bad for society overall. Identify the stakeholders in the situation as well as the alternative actions and their consequences (harms/and or benefits) for each. Looking at this case using a consequentialist view we examine how each of the four alternatives we have devised affects each of the stakeholders identified. Option A: Do Nothing (see Annex E for the Consequentialist Analysis to this option). This alternative involves Fontaine leaving the workshop as it is and turning â€Å"a blind eye† to what is going on in the shop. Stakeholder benefits to this option include: Continued high morale of employees by not having to purchase materials and continued use of company equipment; maintains Fontaine’s reputation by being â€Å"one of the guys† by not taking action; prevents Page from possibly getting into trouble for condoning the practice; and protects Kadosa from providing information to Fontaine on the practice.Stakeholder harms to this option include: Plant employees not aving the ability to possibly receive bigger pay or bonuses due to the lack of the company receiving all proceeds it is entitled to from the sale of scrap material; workshop employees possibly being injured on the job while conducting unauthorized work; company investors/owners not receiving the full value of the sale of scrap and possibly being liable for any injury a workshop employee experiences while participating in unsanctio ned/unauthorized work; Fontaine violating his personal integrity and values by condoning the activity which violates the company’s Code of Conduct; and upper management not receiving bigger pay or bonuses due to the company not receiving all proceeds from the sale of all scrap. – Option B: Report the incident, but request guidance from upper management (see Annex F for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option).Stakeholder benefits to this option includes: if upper management stops the practice, plant employees may see higher salaries or bonuses due to the company being able to garner all proceeds from the sale of all scrap material; company owners/investors receiving all value from the sale of all scrap material; upper management believing Fontaine’s integrity is beyond reproach; upper management being able to implement the changes it sees fit in order to recover company resources; and the company and management not being liable to any employees who may be injured during unsanctioned work. Stakeholder harms to this option include: possible suspension or termination of those workshop employees who have been identified as condoning and participating in unsanctioned work; upper management thinking Fontaine is not ready to be a manager by asking for guidance; Page possibly being implicated for condoning the practice of unsanctioned work, possibly resulting in suspension or termination; and Kadosa being implicated by his co-workers for confirming the practice to Fontaine, resulting in the loss of respect from his peers.Option C: Do not report, but handle the situation in-house within the â€Å"Axe† (see Annex G for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option). Stakeholder benefits to this option include: plant employees receive their fair share of salaries or bonuses tied to the profits resulting from the recycling of all scrap material; workshop employees and Fontaine both build rapport with each other by handling the issue in-ho use without any further repercussions; company owners/investors have more in the balance sheet through the sale of all scrap material if the practice is stopped; and Page does not face the possibility of termination or suspension for condoning the practice.Stakeholder harms to this option include: Workshop employees may view this as an intrusion into their autonomy; no recoupment to company owners/investors for the practice of taking scrap material; Fontaine being potentially liable for not reporting the incident up the chain of command as you would expect a manager to do; Kadosa losing credibility with his coworkers for confirming the practice to Fontaine; and upper management having lower level management condoning the prior bad practices and starting anew without repercussions, thereby usurping their authority. – Option D: Report the incident, but recommend actions to upper management and obtain their buy-in (see Annex H for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option).S takeholder benefits to this option include: Unsanctioned work is stopped and plant employees may see an increase in salary/bonuses; workshop employees may be able to continue creating ornaments if upper level management authorizes/sanctions extra work as a benefit to an employee who is honing his/her skills; company owners/investors see an increase to the balance sheet from the proceeds of all scrap material, while at the same time being protected by workers compensation should an employee get injured while honing his/her skills under authorized work; Fontaine gains the respect of his superiors for thinking outside the box and coming up with his own solutions while protecting the employees and the company; Page receiving requisite training to become a better supervisor who supports the company's values and ideals; and upper management having an empowered subordinate while increasing the balance sheet from the recycling of all scrap. Based on the tenets of consequentialist theory, op tion D promotes the greatest benefit with the least amount of harm to each of the stakeholders.Deontological Theory: Bases the decision on what is right on a broad, abstract universal ethical principle or value such as honesty, fairness, loyalty, rights, and respect for human beings and property. Certain moral principles are binding, regardless of the consequences. Therefore, some actions would be considered wrong even if the consequences of the actions were good. Looking at this case using a deontological perspective, we xamine what the duties of Mr. Fontaine are. As a manager at the company Fontaine has a duty to both the company and the stockholders of the company. However, he also has a duty to the employees he manages and to look out for their best interests. Based on these duties, the first alternative does not serve the best interests as it does not fulfill his duties to the company and the investors. By taking no action the company will continue to lose the revenue which cou ld be generated from the stolen scrap material. The second alternative serves Fontaine’s duty to the company by ensuring that the business will not lose any further revenue to misappropriation of assets.However, this alternative could harm his employees as they will likely lose their jobs if there is an investigation into the scrap material. The third alternative allows Fontaine to handle the incident in-house without having to inform upper management. This alternative allows Fontaine to build rapport with his employees; however, he fails to do his duty by not reporting what he has found to his superiors. In addition, this alternative allows Fontaine to lay out his expectations of what is right and wrong with his employees, while at the same time protecting the reputation of Page, who previously condoned the activity by not stopping it. Fontaine exhibits loyalty to his subordinates, but he is not exhibiting loyalty to upper management by not reporting the incident.The final a lternative, to report the incident while obtaining upper management’s buy-in to recommendations, maintains the loyalty of Fontaine to the company, as well as to the employees. Because the practice has been condoned in the past, it is unfair to punish the employees; what is fair, however, is to seek some type of median, such as employees purchasing the scrap and utilizing company machinery to hone their skills, which maintains morale and allows the company to have better trained and skilled workers. Based on deontological theory, the final alternative embraces honesty, fairness, loyalty, and respect for company property. Using scrap material to make personal objects has an overall positive impact on employee morale.Obtaining buy-in from upper management to sanction this activity, whereby employees pay for scrap but in turn the company has a better trained worker, illustrates loyalty from the company to the employee. Virtue Ethics: This approach focuses more on the integrity of the moral actor than on the moral act itself. This perspective considers the actor’s character, motivations, and intentions. According to virtue ethics, it is important that the individual intends to be a good person and exerts effort to develop him or herself as a moral agent, to associate with others who do the same, and to contribute to creating an organizational context which supports ethical behavior.The â€Å"Axe† has been operating under the auspices of virtue ethics when dealing with manufacturing ornamental decorations. This is evidenced by: a. Page did not feel that the projects were of material value, because the employees used scrap; b. Page thought the employees made the objects on their own time; c. Kadosa’s impression was that the practice was limited to some of the better craftsmen in the group – the ones who typically did the best work, volunteered for overtime, and often helped out other employees who were having trouble; d. Kadosa beli eved that the workers involved in the practice clearly did not see themselves as â€Å"thieves,† but rather as skilled builders who took scarps and made something beautiful from them; e.Kadosa recalled an incident when he saw some of the craftsmen scold an employee for using new material to make a small ashtray – the point was the employee attempted to use new material to make it. f.Before anyone began an unofficial project, they were expected to touch base with a few of the more senior craftsmen to see if it was OK; g. Kadosa felt that making something to sell, compared to something what was mainly for personal use, was collectively frowned upon. The motivations for the group which manufactured the â€Å"gifts† were deemed as a noble cause and were meant for personal use, normally as gifts. Additionally, an unwritten set of rules, or unofficial â€Å"Code of Conduct,† ppears to have manifested itself within the workshop, such as seeking permission, only using scraps and not new material, and using the objects for personal use rather than for personal gain. Option A, to do nothing, does not contribute to ethical behavior by allowing employees to continue to the practice of using company materials and equipment for personal use. Option B, reporting the incident to upper management and seeking guidance on how to proceed, facilitates ethical behavior; however, employees may be punished when the activity was blatantly condoned by a member of management. Option C, not reporting the incident and handling the situation in-house, facilitates ethical behavior in the workshop employees; however, Fontaine does not exhibit ethical behavior since he is not reporting the incident to management.In accordance with deontological theory, Option D, reporting the incident but obtaining management buy-in on the recommendations, truly creates an organizational context which supports ethical behavior; employees are able to hone their skills, sanctioned by upper management, resulting in a highly motivated and more efficient employee, both which contribute to the Company's success. Recommendation: The practice of using scraps of material and company machinery in order to build decorative ornaments has been condoned by management for years. In addition, these ornaments have already been made (being stored in the storage room), so it will be difficult to ascertain those personnel responsible for the practice. Each of the three ethical principle analyses resulted in Option D being the favored course of action. Fontaine should inform upper management of the incident upon discovering the ornaments and obtain their buy in with his recommended course of action.Upon approval: remind employees of the Code of Conduct and post it prominently throughout the workshop; post throughout the workshop the infractions and punishment for recent misappropriations of material, next to the Code of Conduct; request H/R to implement new policies to annually h ave employees review the Code of Conduct, as well as upon transfer to different departments within the plant; have required training for Page on company policies to make him a better leader; allow employees to purchase scrap at cost; and possibly request permission for employees to use scraps and machinery for special purposes/events (ie Christmas, going away gifts), as a means to improve the skill and capability of all employees as a version of on-the-job-training. Ultimately, the company will have highly motivated employees with better skills and high morale, resulting in improved production in the â€Å"Axe. † REFERENCES Anteby, Michel, & Hyman, Mikell (2011). The Redgrove Axial Workshop (Rev. Jan. 5, 2011). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School. Trevino, L. K. , & Nelson, K. A. (2011). Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right (5th Ed. . Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. www. haworth. com/en-us/Knowledge/Workplace-Library/Documents/Four-Organizatio nal-Culture-Types_6. pdf Last Call: an Interactive Multimedia Simulation. Facilitator’s Guide Page 12. Protection of Company Assets ITE employees must protect company assets.Company assets include a) intellectual property and trade secrets, b) business strategy, c) financial data, d) production materials, e) equipment, f) fleet, furniture, and g) computer supplies and software. Company assets are intended for the exclusive use of advancing the mission of the ITE Corporation. 3b. Sanctions Failure to protect company assets will result in sanction commensurate to the company loss. Sanctions can range form warnings to termination, and might include withheld pay. Criminal charges in courts might also be filed if deemed necessary by the ITE Corporation. Source: ITE documents. APPENDIX D Summary of Redgrove Records of Material Misappropriation Incidents and Sanctions, 1998-2007 ) February 1998: A workshop worker was reported by an anonymous source to be â€Å"stealing company mate rials. † (The HR department received a letter). Upon closer inspection, it turned out the worker was making a window frame for his house, and doing this at the end of his day shift. He received a â€Å"stern warning,† â€Å"two days without pay,† and was told that the next infraction would lead to termination. 2) December 1998: A storage room employee was discovered with raw, expensive materials (titanium) in his car as he was driving out of the plant. The employee was fired. 3) November 1999: During a random search of employees exiting the plant, a guard found a miniature turbine. The worker who was found with it claimed it was a gift for his brother.The worker received a three-day suspension and was warned that any additional discoveries would result in the termination of his employment. 4) June 2002: The purchasing director found a number of workers distributing pins they had manufactured to â€Å"commemorate† the launch of a new aircraft. The pins were made from workshop scraps. Three of the workers were suspended without pay for two days. 5) March 2003: A visiting ITE director asked about a set of metal candlesticks at a local â€Å"antique shop. † The vendor explained that they had been made at the nearby Redgrove plant. The director asked for the maker’s name, but the shopkeeper claimed ignorance. An internal audit was conducted to no avail.The candlesticks disappeared a few weeks later from the shop: â€Å"bought by a city person,† according to the shopkeeper. 6) January 2005: In a regular random search of a car exiting the plant one evening, the on-duty guard discovered metal forging tools and workshop scraps in the trunk of an employee’s car. The incident resulted in a â€Å"warning,† and the employee retired several months early, shortly thereafter. Source: Casewriter ANNEX E Consequentialist Analysis – Option A (Do Nothing) [pic] ANNEX F Consequentialist Analysis – Report I ncident, Request Guidance [pic] ANNEX G Consequentialist Analysis – Don’t Report, Handle Incident In-House [pic] ANNEX H Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident but Recommend Actions, Gain Upper Management Buy-In [pic]

Ice and the Density of Water

Why does ice float on top of water rather than sink, like most solids? There are two parts to the answer to this question. First, lets take a look at why anything floats. Then, lets examine why ice floats on top of liquid water, instead of sinking to the bottom. Why Ice Floats A substance floats if it is less dense, or has less mass per unit volume, than other components in a mixture. For example, if you toss a handful of rocks into a bucket of water, the rocks, which are dense compared to the water, will sink. The water, which is less dense than the rocks, will float. Basically, the rocks push the water out of the way or displace it. For an object to be able to float, it has to displace a weight of fluid equal to its own weight. Water reaches its maximum density at 4 C (40 F). As it cools further and freezes into ice, it actually becomes less dense. On the other hand, most substances are most dense in their solid (frozen) state than in their liquid state. Water is different because of hydrogen bonding. AÂ  water molecule is made from one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms strongly joined to each other with covalent bonds. Water molecules are also attracted to each other by weaker chemical bonds (hydrogen bonds) between the positively-charged hydrogen atoms and the negatively charged oxygen atoms of neighboring water molecules. As the water cools below 4Â  C, the hydrogen bonds adjust to hold the negatively charged oxygen atoms apart. This produces a crystal lattice, which is commonly known as ice. Ice floats because it is about 9% less dense than liquid water. In other words, ice takes up about 9% more space than water, so a liter of ice weighs less than liter water. The heavier water displaces the lighter ice, so ice floats to the top. One consequence of this is that lakes and rivers freeze from top to bottom, allowing fish to survive even when the surface of a lake has frozen over. If ice sank, the water would be displaced to the top and exposed to the colder temperature, forcing rivers and lakes to fill with ice and freeze solid. Heavy Water Ice Sinks However, not all water ice floats on regular water. Ice made using heavy water, which contains the hydrogen isotope deuterium, sinks in regular water. Hydrogen bonding still occurs, but its not enough to offset the mass difference between normal and heavy water. Heavy water ice sinks in heavy water.

Ancient Egypt An Ancient Civilization - 1523 Words

Ancient Egypt, an ancient civilization known today as one of the world’s greatest, would last over 3000 years thanks to the many Egyptians contributing to its success. One such Egyptian was the Pharaoh, Akhenaton. Born to King Amenhotep III, Akhenaton ascended to the throne at around 1353 BCE . He was also known as Amenhotep IV, but would later change his name to Akhenaton in order to worship the god â€Å"Aton† . Akhenaton may be considered one of the most important figures in Egyptian history seeing that in the seventeen years he ruled , Akhenaton was a very unorthodox, innovative individual, who did not follow the conventional ideas the ancient Egyptians held at the time. This could be seen through his creation of a new city, his artistic innovations, and his beginning of the religious revolution. One innovative idea that Akhenaton carried out was during his 5th year of ruling , where he created the new capital city named â€Å"Akhetaton†, meaning â€Å"The Horizon of the Aton†. The city is commonly known today as â€Å"Amarna† or â€Å"El-Amarna.† The city was located approximately 200 kilometers from Cairo, west of the River Nile , in modern day Minya. The purpose of the new city was to serve as a new home for Aton and Akhenaton, as the city would be free of people who opposed his ideas . The city consisted of two significant buildings – â€Å"The Great Aton Temple† and â€Å"The Small Aton Temple.† These temples displayed Akhenaton’s different views on Ancient Egyptian architecture and hisShow MoreRelatedAncient Egypt : An Ancient Civilization1853 Words   |  8 Pagesapart of an ancient civilization? Well, if I had to chose an ancient civilization to be apart of I’d chose the Egypt (Nile) because of it’s great economic standards and it’s interesting culture and religion. In Egypt they had great agriculture resources, festivals, and lots of different customs an d beliefs. This all sounds interesting right? Well, if you want to know more, keep reading! What was Egypt’s economy based on exactly? You’ve heard of the Nile River right? Well, in ancient Egypt they reliedRead MoreAncient Egypt And Ancient Civilizations1302 Words   |  6 PagesAs seen throughout time, one of the chief concerns of all ancient civilizations was to maintain order and stability. Civilizations such as ancient Egypt, ancient Rome and even the ancient Babylonian societies all set forth an effort to maintain stability. Influencing forces on this stability were religious, political and even geographical. I’ve noticed that many civilizations flourish for hundreds of years only to fall or be taken over by the next generation. Some cities today are remnants of theseRead MoreAncient Egypt Civilization : Ancient And Modern Egypt968 Words   |  4 Pages Ancient and Modern Egypt There are some countries that have a large civilization, but how many countries have had a successful civilization throughout its existence? 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The Egyptians were one of the very few that arose to civilization independently, and accomplished many impressive things along the way. The Egyptian civilization stretched along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeastern Africa. Religion was at the core of everything that the Egyptians were and they stood firm for what they believed in. Their religion was based on polytheism, which was the beliefRead MoreAncient Egypt : The World Civilizations Essay1084 Words   |  5 PagesWorld Civilizations I Mr. Shows 7 November 2016 Ancient Egypt Multiple factors go into account when considering that Ancient Egypt is one of the best civilizations of all time. First, the location of Egypt allowed it to prosper; second, the culture was one that the world hadn’t seen until then; third, the architecture that took place baffles scientists to this day; and lastly the impact it had on modern culture. Egypt is located in a prime location for civilization to spring up. Egypt possessed

Dividing Points in Czechoslovakia - 1728 Words

Communism in East-Central countries has tried to weaken religiosity. Religious repression and harassment under the Communist authorities have been greatly affecting people beliefs. The Roman Catholic Church was another dividing point of Czechoslovakia, between two republics. Slovakians advocated closer connection to religion than Czechs did. However, the story goes back in the history of 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, when there have been major revolutionary wars fighting for religion that formed foundations of both republics that affected later on the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The fall of Communism regime, once more affirmed and exposed both republics’ religious identities. Czechs identified themselves less likely as religious than Slovaks, where majority-more than half disclosed themselves as religious. Both Czech Republic and Slovakia have been marked with many nationalistic and religious movements, Czech Republic adopting Protestantism and Slovaks following Catholic ism. The differences in religion have influenced the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Back in the history-The Czech Republic The Czech Republic in the fifteenth century has been involved in conflicts between the Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church. In the beginning of the century, Jan Hus started out a reform movement, who was a religious reformer, significant public and political figure for Czechs. In 1401, he became a priest and afterwards appointed as the preacher in the BethlehemShow MoreRelatedEssay on Tension and Suspicion Between U.S. and Russia1310 Words   |  6 Pagesto everyone, especially Stalin who was not prepared for it. According to Churchill, it was the turning point of the war. This turn on Stalin seemed like a great thing, if the Soviet Union hadn’t collapsed so quickly. With the fear of the Soviet Union’s surrender, Churchill and Roosevelt secretly met in the historic Atlantic Conference in August 1941. 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Schindler simply saved others out of the goodness from his heart. â€Å"Oskar Schindler (1908-1974) was born on April 28, 1908, in Svitavy (Zwittau), Moravia, at that time a province of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy† (HolocaustRead MoreThe Holocaust Of Schindler And Francisca Nee Luser1045 Words   |  5 PagesOskar Schindler saved thousands of Jewish people from the horrible tragedy that was the Holocaust. Some would say, at one point in Schindler s life, h e was an aryan man with no financial problems whatsoever. Schindler was truly a brave man that sacrificed his life for many others. Schindler simply saved others out of the goodness from his heart. â€Å"Oskar Schindler (1908-1974) was born on April 28, 1908, in Svitavy (Zwittau), Moravia, at that time a province of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy† (HolocaustRead MoreWhy the United States got Involved in World War II Essay1807 Words   |  8 Pagesto the start of World War II, that led to the USs entrance into W.W.II, and events that helped bring an end to W.W.II. The failure of the Geneva Peace conference, Hitlers annexation of Austria, the Spanish Civil War, Hitlers acquisition of Czechoslovakia, the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, Germanys invasion of Poland, and the fall of France all contributed greatly to the start of World War II. Some events that contributed to the entrance of the US into the war were Italys invasion on EthiopiaRead MoreWorld War II : The Great War 1334 Words   |  6 Pagesto which Great Britain and France had guaranteed military support if it was attacked by Germany. 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Subway Restaurants free essay sample

Secondary data investigates past research undertaken in customer satisfaction surveys and the market position of Subway in relation to its major competitors. The purpose of the study is also revealed here with the objectives and the usefulness that the findings will serve. The analysis then details the methods used to carry out the research process. The use of selfadministered surveys and the exploratory research undertaken is documented including the use of focus groups and reverse engineering. The conceptual diagram is also contained here which formed the basis of the research instrument. Consideration of the research instrument is then documented. The scales used and pre-testing are both examined in this section. The Sampling analysis addresses the key influencing factors in the selection of the sample. The selection of the population size of 228, above the minimum of 200 required for the research to be valid, is detailed as are the limitations encountered to complete the project. A description of the data obtained is found in the Results and Analysis section. Research findings by the Better Health Channel (cited in Subway research contained in Appendix One) revealed that obesity is now a major societal issue with rates of obesity/overweight people rising from 52% of adult males in 1998 to 68% in 2000. The corresponding figures for females told a similar story with an increase from 36% to 53% for the same time frame. Inferences were made that fatty, unhealthy food was no longer acceptable and that competitors were beginning to move in on Subway’s territory. Traditionally, the fast food industry has been associated with the cause of this health-related issue (Boyle 2004). Major fast food companies have been called to Federal Government summits to improve the quality of junk food (Wright 2007). While most of these major companies have now taken steps to offer an alternative healthier menu, Subway has long been establishing itself as the market leader in this area. Marketing champions, â€Å"eat fresh† and â€Å"Under 6 Subs†, as well as the endorsement by newfound celebrity Jared Fogle, are examples of standing itself out from the rest. Hence it is no surprise to see Subway’s timely response to this global demand for healthy fast food has seen itself soar with success. The consumer’s perception of low-fat, healthy food is related to a perception of a higher quality product (Boyle 2004). Nevertheless, much cynicisms and criticism is raised against the â€Å"healthy fast food† proposition. For example, the alternative low-fat menus or healthy menus offered is simply a marketing exercise to improve the perception of the restaurant food, even though the items offered in the â€Å"healthy menu† are likely to be poor sellers, or even higher quality does not mean healthier and better nutrition. CBS 3 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway The above issues are still current and ongoing debates. Our satisfaction survey focuses on customer satisfaction on service quality. In particular, personal service and service setting (Gilbert et al 2004). A satisfaction survey does not cover the scope of whether the consumption of Subway has resulted in customer weight loss. Secondary Research Findings Customer satisfaction surveys have shown that 50 percent of customers who have a problem with a product or service are not likely to tell the company about it. Nine out of these ten ‘silent’ critics will probably take their future business to a competitor. When a customer does complain, half of them will not be thoroughly satisfied with the company’s efforts to solve the problem. Additionally, dissatisfied customers typically tell as many as 16 other people when they have had an unsatisfactory experience with a company (TARP, cited in Seidman 2001). Paramount to long term business success is service quality, which can be measured by customer satisfaction. Gilbert et al (2004) claim that when customers are highly satisfied, â€Å"they will keep returning and will keep the business growing†. But how do we measure customer satisfaction? Quality is what the customer says it is and when measuring service quality, you must deal with how customers think, feel and behave (Webster Hung 1994). Generally speaking, if performance exceeds expectation, a customer will experience positive confirmation and be satisfied. However, if expectations exceed performance, negative disconfirmation results and a consumer is dissatisfied. Furthermore, if dissatisfaction is attributable to the company, then this dissatisfaction is magnified (Seidman 2001). Parasuraman et al (cited in Saleh Ryan 1991) identified ten factors of expressive service: reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication, credibility, security, knowledge/understanding and tangibles. They later reduced this to five combining communication, credibility, security, competence and courtesy to become assurance and creating empathy by combining knowledge/understanding with accessibility (Saleh Ryan 1991). The gap between the consumers’ perception of the service quality received and the standard expected is the fifth gap identified by Parasuraman et al (cited in Johns 1993). Johns (1993) also identifies this as the true measure of service quality. CBS 4 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway The result, SERVQUAL, has proved to be a popular research tool and has been applied to a variety of sectors (Thwaites 1999). SERVQUAL is a 22-item questionnaire intended to measure the difference between customers expectations of a service and their perceptions of the service and was designed to measure service quality in a variety of service settings (Webster Hung 1994). Administered in a before and after setting, the SERVQUAL user would ask guests to complete the ‘expectations’ portion of the instrument before and the ‘perception’ element after their exposure to the service – the difference between the scores represents the gap in service quality provision (Webster Hung 1994). Although SERVQUAL is considered a useful research tool, Seidman’s research (2001) questioned the validity of the instrument when applied to the fast food industry. The paper by Gilbert et al (2004) identified a variety of methods and approaches that can be used as a tool to measure customer satisfaction: expectancy-disconfirmation approach, performance-only approach, technical and functional dichotomy approaches, service quality versus service satisfaction approach and attribute importance approach. These methods are said to be excessively complicated and impractical but are used by the American and European Satisfaction Indexes (ACSI and ECSI) in all of their measurements schemes (Gilbert et al 2004). Since our project involves customer satisfaction, we can also use or refer to some of these methods when designing our own research to a much smaller scale. The paper stated that the ‘performance-only approach’ was best used in measuring customer satisfaction in the fast food industry. This approach is considered to be a more satisfactory method because it measures â€Å"service eatures related to transitional-specific service satisfaction – both the technical and functional† (Gilbert et al 2004). It measures satisfaction with personal service (SatPers), and satisfaction within a service setting (SatSett), immediately after the service experience. It is more reliable and valid compared to the other approaches. CBS 5 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway Customer satisfaction survey data can be easily and economically obtained at the outlets immediately after the service experience. It also provides real time and practical measurements that aids manager to assess service quality. Research objectives, methodology, factorial findings and empirical inference have also been outlined in the article to help establish common measures of the SatPers SatSett. This can be deployed by different franchise stores, enabling the individual store managers to gauge service quality on a real-time basis. Nevertheless, there remains a need for periodic reassessment and continuous improvement so as to achieve customer retention as well as attracting new customers. For the data collection of Gilbert et al (2004) study, the Customer Satisfaction Survey fivepoint Likert rating scale was used. They also used a multiple option, polar adjective type tool to increase the power of measurement (Gilbert et al 2004). During data gathering, they used the sampling method in the selection of fast food establishments from within the areas they were conducting the survey. The research paper by Gilbert et al (2004) can guide our group on which methods to use or to avoid when measuring customer satisfaction. It also ays out the important variables that can measure a customers satisfaction, (e. g. provider courtesy, timely service, convenient operating hours) which we can also apply in our concept diagram. The article titled ‘Sandwich’ (Restaurants Institutions 2006) provides a detailed profile of market research conducted in the USA concerning customer satisfaction with various sandwich chains. Although the survey conducted appears to be fairly ba sic, the fact that it specifically deals with sandwich chain outlets renders it particularly pertinent to our own project. Specifically, the section that describes the numerous variables tested by the survey provides us with the opportunity to compare and possibly augment the various factors assessed by our own questionnaire. However, upon critical examination, the survey does not appear to offer any novel ideas with regards to variables, and tests only the obvious attributes of ‘food quality, cleanliness, value, service, menu variety, convenience, reputation and atmosphere’. It may be concluded that the research conducted was not particularly intensive or customised to sandwich chains particularly, and simply fulfilled the basic requirements of a satisfaction poll of fast food sandwich customers. CBS 6 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway The article also presents comments made by the President of the sandwich chain ‘Panera’ that achieved the highest overall score. The President’s remarks may be considered useful in that they provide an interpretation of the survey results from a management perspective. However, they also demonstrate the importance of testing all possible variables in order to be able to draw informed conclusions from the research. The President reveals that ‘Panera’ regularly anticipates consumer needs and seeks to provide extras such as in-house internet services to engender customer satisfaction, and attributes a large measure of the chain’s success to these innovations. These specific factors of technology and innovation appear to be untested by the project makes relying on the President’s comments problematic, and indicates that to make market research successful, care must be taken to include all relevant variables. The survey results offer no indication of whether the availability of the internet is important to customers, and its usefulness to Panera in evaluating the success of their innovations is undermined. However, the President also emphasises the importance of good service and friendly, intelligent staff to the success of a sandwich retailer, a statement confirmed by the survey in which Panera scored highest in the service category. It may be concluded from this article that the importance of testing all significant variables is paramount, in order to ensure that market research may be successfully applied by retailers. Results from extensive research conducted for Australian and New Zealand Subway Restaurants is contained in Appendix One. McDonald’s was by far identified as the market leader with a market share of 37%. Subway came in fourth with 8% behind KFC (17%) and Hungry Jacks (9%) however by 2005 had the highest number of stores registering an increase from just under 200 in 1998 to nearly 850 in 2005 – the most significant increase of all fast food restaurants. Although top-of-mind brand awareness remained low at eight percent, an increase of only one percent from the previous year, unaided awareness was still strong at 61%, only behind KFC with 67%. Unaided awareness was also higher for Subway in Australia than in New Zealand – 71% opposed to 62%. Television advertisement awareness increased from 48% to 51% in Australia to now be on a par with New Zealand. Only McDonald’s registered higher awareness in Australia with 66% – eight percent down on the previous year. Consumers liked the Subway advertisements mainly because they like their products and sandwiches however only thirteen percent found CBS 7 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway it relevant to them. Most 35-54 year-olds did not dislike Subway advertisements however nearly six in ten of the total sample did dislike their advertisements. An anomaly appears though in visitation in the past four weeks from those that have frequented Subway restaurants in the last three months where it is significantly higher with 18-24 year-olds (67%) than it is with 35-54 year-olds (55%). Maybe more interesting is that the 35-54 year-old figure is down nine percent on the previous year. The figures relating to those aware of the brand and visitation in the past three months was comparable. McDonald’s market position was further exemplified in that 57% of respondents that had visited a fast food restaurant in the past three months had been to McDonald’s. KFC ranked second with 43% and were the only corporation in the top five to experience growth from the previous year. Subway were next with just over one-third. Whilst both the 25-34 and 35-54 age groups decreased, the 18-24 year-olds experienced a seven percent growth – the most of any age range in the top three. McDonald’s dropped eleven percent in the same age bracket. The frequency of visits to Subway Restaurants remained stable over the twelve month period at 2. 65 times in the past month – an increase of 0. 3. McDonald’s again was the highest with 3. 64 visits in the last month with KFC ranked third behind Subway at 2. 55. The main reason for Australians not visiting a Subway Restaurant in the past four weeks was because it had not entered their minds (34%). 26% of respondents indicated that Subway was too expensive or the restaurant locations were not convenient to them. When asked about to think about their impressions of fast food restaurants, whether theyve eaten at them or not, the categories of customised, food made fresh, low fat, nutritious food and tastes good all declined for Subway and increased for McDonald’s. McDonald’s also came across as stronger on ease of locations and child friendly. The data obtained through Subway allowed the researcher’s to gain an insight into the type of research already undertaken and was a useful reference tool when ascertaining target markets especially in terms of age. It also identified areas that we did not need to examine given that this research had been undertaken comprehensively by a reputable market research company. CBS 8 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway Research Objectives OBJECTIVE 1: OBJECTIVE 2: To determine the expectations of a healthy product range. To compare the means of the importance of attributes when visiting fast food restaurants. OBJECTIVE 3: To determine whether a relationship exists between a customer’s household size and the importance placed on dine-in and drive-thru facilities of a fast food restaurant. OBJECTIVE 4: To determine whether exercising habits influence a person’s behaviour towards frequenting fast food restaurants. OBJECTIVE 5: To determine whether age affects who people visit fast food restaurant with. OBJECTIVE 6: OBJECTIVE 7: To determine whether age has an impact on expectations. To determine whether promotions and discounts has an impact on the visiting frequency to a fast food restaurant. OBJECTIVE 8: To ascertain if a relationship exists between household size and fast food visiting frequency. OBJECTIVE 9: To determine if customer spending is influenced by the type of companionship. OBJECTIVE 10: To determine categories of expectations when visiting fast food restaurants. OBJECTIVE 11: OBJECTIVE 12: To identify a target segment based on fast food preference. To compare the performance of McDonald’s against the expectations of customers. OBJECTIVE 13: To compare the performance of Subway against the expectations of customers. OBJECTIVE 14: To compare the performance of Subway against the performance of McDonald’s. CBS 9 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway Usefulness of Research Findings The market research that we propose to undertake is anticipated to be useful primarily to Subway Restaurants. Our objectives have been specifically customised to evaluate Subway’s performance in relation to customer expectations, and thus gauge customer satisfaction. Based on the results of our survey, Subway will be able to make informed decisions regarding the development of their restaurants, and be confident that they are catering successfully to customer needs. We also propose to test Subway’s performance with McDonald’s, in order to provide management with an indication of their relative market position. However, because the variables tested by our project are common to most fast food outlets, our research findings will also be applicable to other chains. The results of the questionnaire will reveal the relative importance of various factors such as friendly service and a ‘healthy choice menu’ to customers, and although the particular performance of retailers besides Subway and McDonald’s in these areas will not be tested, they may still decide to develop certain aspects of their outlets with reference to the project’s findings. CBS 10 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A project brief was carried out prior to the commencement of this project. A number of elements were contained in this project brief including exploratory research, secondary research, case studies and focus groups. The project brief was designed to assess the researchers understanding of the material covered early in the course and to oversee the formulation of a conceptual diagram which would form the basis of the questionnaire. Exploratory research was conducted in order to diagnose and define the issues to be investigated by future research. The exploratory research was intended to be qualitative rather than quantitative in nature, and was necessary to provide insight into what particular themes our questionnaire should ultimately focus on in order to be effective and constructive in a marketing context. A variety of methods were utilized during the exploratory research process. Experience surveys were performed by asking Subway managers about their perceptions regarding the issues facing their franchises in particular and the industry generally. The results indicated that competitors were beginning to follow the lead and provide healthy eating options and influenced the eventual design of our questionnaire. Additionally, secondary data was sourced and analysed in order to provide an indication of the nature and content of existing research in the area, and the methodologies they employed. Examination of the data collated, which included thirteen articles from a variety of respected academic journals, provided guidance on which methods to use or to avoid when measuring customer satisfaction in certain situations. It also outlined the important variables that can measure a customer’s satisfaction, such as provider courtesy, timely service and convenient operating hours, which were useful in the construction of our conceptual diagram and ultimately our research instrument. A case study method was also employed during the process of qualitative research. Specifically, reverse engineering of a McDonalds outlet was conducted in order to provide insight into which factors may contribute to its success, and should be tested by further research. The factors revealed as possible variables that should be addressed by our research instrument included the impact of having ‘family-friendly’ menus and interiors, and the level of importance of a ‘healthy choice’ menu. CBS 11 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway A focus group was also conducted in order to augment the amount and relevance of qualitative information already obtained. The focus group was formulated and administered based on the stipulations of Burns Bush (2006). Analysis of the data acquired during the performance of the focus group provided the researchers with a number of additional variables that should be assessed for their relative significance by our questionnaire. Exploratory Research Findings Focus Group The selection of members for the focus group was conducted with reference to their demographic homogeneity and other shared characteristics such as a similarity in lifestyle. Being a fairly regular consumer of fast food was also necessary to qualify for inclusion in the group. Specifically, the focus group consisted of five men and three women, ranging in age from 24 to 30. All participants were employed in skilled professions, including Urban Planning and Public Relations, and all were currently undertaking further full or part time study at a post-graduate level. The group was evenly split between members who were unattached and those who were in relationships, but no members had children. Most described their financial situation as comfortable but not affluent. As previously stated, all participants were regular consumers of fast food, and had purchased Subway products within the last 6 months. The moderator prepared a list of discussion topics in order to provide direction to the focus group’s conversation. The list was composed with the objective of eliciting new ideas and variables from the members of the focus group, and was also designed to test the relevance of variables already referred to in the conceptual diagram. Particular care was taken when composing the questions to avoid influencing the participants’ responses, to ensure that the material gleaned from the group would be of a high standard. The issues that the moderator’s guide was designed to address included the participants’ expectations of a fast food experience, their perceptions of Subway as a brand, and what was important to them as consumers of fast food. The questions asked of the participants included: 1. Why would you choose a certain fast food outlet over another? 2. Think of a positive experience you have had with fast food. Describe what made it good. Repeat for a negative experience. 3. What do you think differentiates Subway from McDonalds or Hungry Jacks? CBS 12 Geraldine Goopio, Malcolm Lau, Vanessa Macknay and Damien Todorovic Research Report – Taking the Subway 4. Why would you choose to eat at Subway instead of McDonalds, and vice-versa? 5. What do you think a typical Subway customer would be like, as opposed to one from McDonalds? How old would they be, what would they wear, what time of day would they visit? The participants advised that a combination of good menu variety, food quality, friendly and efficient service persuaded them to choose one fast food outlet over another. They were unanimous that price and good value were particularly significant influences in their decision to choose a specific retailer. It was also agreed that advertising, and especially the promotion of value meals and similar deals, was an important factor in their choice.