The Coffee Crisis Essay Example for Free

The Coffee Crisis Essay Introduction In 2011, Diego Comin, Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, revised his 2009 case study on the Great Moderation (reproduced by permission for Capella University, 2011). The case explores whether or not the Great Moderation, defined by investopedia. com as â€Å"the period of decreased macroeconomic volatility experienced in the United States since the 1980’s [during which] the standard deviation of quarterly real GDP declined by half, and the standard deviation of inflation declined by two-thirds (para.1)† is still in effect. This paper will use evidence from research in a draft by Pancrazi and Vukotic (2011) that proposes â€Å"macroeconomic variables in the last thirty years have not only experienced a reduction in their overall volatility, but also an increase in their persistence (p. 2). † The 2011 research paper also purports that â€Å"by using a New-Keynesian macroeconomic model the responsiveness of output variance to changes in the monetary policy decreases with an increase in the persistence of technology (p. 2). † The result, according to Pancrazi and Vukotic, is an â€Å"overestimate† of the monetary influence and authority to â€Å"smooth out the real economic dynamics (p. 2). † The Great Moderation and the The Great Recession. Comin, in â€Å"The Great Moderation, Dead or Alive? † (Capella, 2011), quotes Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve: reduced macroeconomic volatility has numerous benefits. Lower volatility of inflation improves market functioning, makes economic planning easier, and reduces the resources devoted to hedging inflation risks. Lower volatility of output tends to imply more stable employment and a reduction in the extent of economic uncertainty confronting households and firms. The reduction in the volatility of output is also closely associated with the fact that recessions have become less frequent and less severe (p. 17). † Comin points out that these conditions existed until the Great Recession of 2007 when the U. S. and other countries experienced the longest period of recession and â€Å" the largest GDP contraction in the U. S. since the Great Depression (p. 17). In â€Å"Overlooking the Great Moderation, Consequences for the Monetary Policy† (2011), the researchers hypothesize that the â€Å"Great Moderation might have been fertile ground for the recent recession (p. 3), in that technology caused an â€Å"increased persistence in the macroeconomic variables (p. 4). † Macroeconomic Observations. To summarize Comin’s (2011) account of macroeconomic activity in the U. S between 1930 and 2010, when observing the GDP during this period, he says, â€Å"it is clear that since around 1984 it has been harder to observe large deviations from the average growth rate (p.17). † When examining other macroeconomic variables, Comin says that hours worked, consumption, investment, labor productivity, and total factor productivity (TFP), have, for the most part, â€Å"experienced stabilization by roughly the same magnitude, [where] the stock market has not stabilized significantly. If anything, it has become more volatile over the last few decades (p. 18). † Pancrazi and Vukotic focus their research on â€Å"studying the behavior of the total factor productivity (TFP) before and after the Great Moderation (p.4)†¦[by] using a basic New-Keynesian model featuring imperfect completion and price stickiness, [to ascertain] whether a change in the persistence of TFP affects the responsiveness of the real variables to the monetary policy (p. 6). † Their observations include an examination of the stability of TFP and an assessment that â€Å"a higher Microeconomic impact of the coffee crisis. The case study conveys that â€Å"coffee was the main source of income for roughly 25 million farmers, mostly small land holders, in Latin America, Africa, and Asia (p.1). † The coffee crisis created immense hardship for these small producers; â€Å"in some countries, farmers had been forced to take their children out of school and put them to work (p. 1). † One of the consequences of the coffee crisis that was less publicized was how larger farms and their workers were devastated. Large farms generally do not use non-cash family workers, like many of the smaller farmers do; as a result of the crisis, many workers were laid off, subsequently putting larger farms completely out of business. (Price, 2003) Where some producers chose to get out of the coffee business and venture into unknown territory with a new crop, others either attempted to break into the coffee â€Å"niche† market or decrease their outputs. (Line Tickell, 2003) In the ICO report on the impact the coffee crisis has had on poverty, the socio-economic impact reported by the respondent countries is filled with narratives that describe families and farmers who worked in the coffee industry unable to pay for medicine, food, and other essentials. Families are also reported to have migrated to cities, where there is typically no work for skilled farmers; some countries report that workers have migrated leaving their families behind. (Osorio, 2003) Solutions for long term sustainability. The case study presents an outline of solutions recommended by the ICO, Technoserve (as reported to the Inter-American Development Bank) and Oxfam. â€Å"The Coffee Crisis† states that, according to Oxfam, â€Å"the long run solution†¦was a commitment to ‘fair trade’†¦ a system in which a buyer in the first world agrees to pay third-world producers enough to support a decent living (p.5). † Oxfam says that â€Å"the fair trade movement was designed to provide an assured income and other benefits to the farmers associated with it (Line Tickell, 2003, p. 8). † Technoserve believes the following â€Å"three areas offer the highest potential for sustainable impact: 1. Increasing coffee consumption in producer countries and emerging market countries; 2. Assisting unprofitable producers of high-quality Arabica to move into higher-priced specialty coffees; and 3. Helping regions with a high concentration of marginal coffee producers who cannot differentiate their product or compete on price to diversify into other products and industries (para. 15 16). † In June, 2004, Nestor Osorio of the ICO presented to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) a report titled: â€Å"Lessons Learned from the Coffee Crisis: A Serious Problem for Sustainable Development. † In it he outlines the economic strategies he believed would prevent a future crisis and assist coffee producer toward long-term sustainability. Two proposed policies address the supply-demand problem: 1. To use the experience of the coffee crisis to create awareness – best achieved through the ICO – in national and international bodies of the danger of embarking on any projects or programmes (sic) which will further increase supply; and 2. Working to increase the benefits accruing from value-added products rather than traditional bulk commodity exports. Osorio recognizes the importance of â€Å"the need for market development to increase demand (p. 5)† also. He says that projects intended to benefit the supply chain should include actions from farmer to consumer, as well as farmer to exporter. These include: 1. â€Å"Support for the ICO’s Quality-Improvement Programme as a means of improving consumer appreciation and consumption of coffee; 2. Action to increase consumption in coffee-producing countries themselves, which should have a number of positive effects such as providing an alternative market outlet, increasing producer awareness of consumer preferences, stimulation of small and medium enterprises, etc. as well as acting to increase demand; 3. Action to enhance knowledge and appreciation of coffee in large emerging markets such as Russia and China, following the successful ICO campaigns in the 1990s; and 4. Protecting consumption levels in traditional markets through quality maintenance, development of niche markets and dissemination of positive information on the health benefits of coffee consumption. (p. 5-6). † Conclusion The coffee market has been described as an â€Å"imperfect market; a market that in recent years has failed – both in human and economic terms (Lines Tickell, 2003, p. 8). † The coffee crisis illuminated the impact the market had on international trade, national economies, businesses and families many in underdeveloped, low income countries. Because the regions where coffee can be grown are also many times third-world or repressed countries, coffee production is considered a humanitarian concern as well as an economic issue. Where an organization like Technoserve may lean toward business partnership solutions for the coffee industry, and Oxfam may concentrate on the humanitarian perspective, the International Coffee Organization appears to have taken a balanced approach in presenting the plight of coffee producers from both altruistic and economic perspectives. Where it is understood that many depressed areas and nations depend on coffee crops for sustenance, the ICO has taken a stand that the lessons learned from the coffee crisis must be solved with the tenets of economics, coupled with social responsibility, if families, farms, businesses and coffee-producing nations are going to achieve long-term sustainability. References Capella University. (Eds. ). (2011). MBA6008: Global Economic Environment. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Lines, T. , Tickell, S. (2003, May 1). Walk the Talk, Oxfam International Briefing Paper, May, 2003. Oxfam International | Working together to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from www. oxfam. org/sites/www. oxfam. org/files/walk. pdf Osorio, N. (2002). ICO. org Documents/Global Crisis. International Coffee Organization. Retrieved May 4, 2012, from dev. ico. org/documents/globalcrisise. pdf Osorio, N. (2003). ICO. org Documents/G-8. International Coffee Organization. Retrieved May 4, 2012, from dev. ico. org/documents/g8e. pdf Osorio, N. (2004). ICO. org Documents/UNCTAD. International Coffee Organization. Retrieved May 4, 2012, from dev. ico. org/documents/UNCTAD. pdf Prince, M. (2003, December 3). CoffeeGeek Coffee Crisis:TechnoServe Releases Fact-Based Industry Analysis. CoffeeGeek News, Reviews, Opinion and Community for Coffee and Espresso. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from http://coffeegeek. com/resources/pressreleases/technoservedec42003.

Theories on Stages of Sleep

Theories on Stages of Sleep Paul Stolt Jr In our textbook it says that, â€Å"REM sleep makes up the remaining 20 per cent of your sleep time. It is pronounced â€Å"rem† and stands for rapid eye movement sleep because your eyes move rapidly back and forth behind closed lids† (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 153). The brain waves that are present in REM sleep are beta waves, which is the same kind that are present when a person is awake. Also, during this stage, the body is alert, but the muscles are paralyzed, thus prohibiting movement during this time. The REM sleep stage is the one that the process of having dreams occurs in. According to our text, a person passes through the REM sleep stage about five or six times a night. The intervals in between these stages are approximately half an hour to an hour and a half long. Most people are in the REM sleep stage for about half an hour to forty-five minutes, before they enter the NREM, or Non REM, sleep stage. An individual’s heart rate and blood pressure a re typically higher in REM, indicating a more alert state in this stage than in the non REM stage. Creative thinking processes are more present during REM sleep, probably due to a lack of activity in the areas of the brain that are responsible for critical thinking. Students need REM sleep in order to transfer the knowledge that they have stored throughout the day in short term memory, into long term memory. This stage helps to promote the encoding process, which is responsible for the transfer. Once the information is encoded during the REM stage, it becomes easier to recall at a later time for tests and exams. There is an indication in the human body of the need for REM sleep, because if someone has not spent enough time in this stage the previous night, the body will compensate by spending more time in REM the following night. The Alpha stage occurs right before people drift off to sleep. During this stage, people start to feel tired and relaxed, often just lying in bed with their eyes closed, and random thoughts, such as activities of the previous day, or the plans that they may have the following day, present in their thoughts. According to the text book, â€Å"Alpha waves have a low amplitude and high frequency, (8 to 12 cycles per second)† (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 152). After the alpha stage, Non REM Sleep, or NREM for short, occurs. This stage is where most people spend 80 per cent of their time while sleeping. This type of sleep is divided into four stages, each stage being associated with unique brain wave patterns and biological responses (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014). In the first stage of Non REM sleep, there is a transition that occurs from being wide awake and alert, to drifting off to sleep. This stage usually lasts from about one to seven minutes long. The text says that this s tage is â€Å"marked by the presence of theta waves, which are lower in amplitude and lower in frequency (4 to 7 cycles per second) than alpha waves† (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 152). Next, the person passes through the second stage of sleep. In the second stage, there are rapidly occurring periods of what researchers call sleep spindles. In this stage, physiological processes such as breathing, a person’s body temperature, and their heart rate slowly decrease, and they become harder to wake up. This stage is what most researchers define as a person being asleep. Next, after about half an hour to forty five minutes of falling asleep, the individual enters stages three and four of Non REM sleep. Delta waves are present in stage three, and these are defined as â€Å"large, slow brain waves, meaning they have very high amplitude and very low frequency† (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 152). As the person moves on to stage four in Non REM sleep, they experience a significant increase in the presence of Delta waves. During this stage, biological processes such as heart rate, breathing, body temperature, and the flow of blood to the brain are dramatically decreased, and the body secretes a substance called GH, or growth hormone, which is responsible for controlling the metabolic rate in the body, physical growth in the body, and the development of the human brain. After this stage, the individual passes back through the second and third stages of Non REM, and enters into the dreaming, or REM, stage of sleep. The necessity of sleep for a living organism can be explained in two logical ways. The first is that the body repairs and restores itself while it is resting. In one theory, the human brain repairs and restores itself while sleeping. It has also been proven that chemicals that are harmful to our system are flushed out during the sleeping process. Some research has also suggested that the immune system is impaired because of sleep deprivation (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2013). The second way that it can be explained is the Conservation theory. This theory suggests that the need to conserve energy at night for the human race promoted the need for sleep. In other words, since it was dark out, and there was little light to be able to see, that time was better spent resting instead of moving about. It would seem that as an individual goes throughout their lifetime, the need for sleep is greatest during the early years, and less as they get older. When an infant is born, the average time that they spend asleep is about seventeen hours a day, with half of that time spent in REM sleep. Then, when they get a little older, such as approximately around four years old, they sleep about ten hours a day, with about 25 to 30 per cent of that time spent in REM sleep. A little later, around the teenage years, the amount of sleep that is required is about 9 hours per night, with the trend being later bed times, and the teenagers waking up later during the day. A couple years later, at about nineteen to twenty years of age, the amount of sleep required by the adolescents is about seven to eight hours per night, with twenty per cent of that time spent in REM. As an adult reaches the golden years, the amount of sleep required is six and a half hours per night, with approximately twenty per cent being spent in REM sleep. The text defines the circadian rhythm as a â€Å"biological clock that is genetically programmed to regulate physiological responses within a time period of twenty-four hours (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 150). The circadian clock is genetically set for about 24 hours 18 minutes. The clock is reset by the retinal cells, which act like sensors that let in sunlight, and send signals to the brain, resetting it by eighteen minutes each day. However, there are quite a few problems associated with the circadian clock by individuals who work midnight shifts or have to fly frequently for their job, thereby getting a condition known as jet lag. First, let’s discuss individuals that work the midnight shift. These individuals go against the natural instinct of their circadian clocks, resulting in decreased performance of their cognitive and motor skills. Also, people who change shifts a lot, such as working swing shift, cause a lot of physical stress in their bodies and psychological stress in their minds. Secondly, people with jet lag often experience problems with feeling tired all the time, difficulty in being able to concentrate on a particular task, and reduced ability in their ability to use logical thinking, reasoning, or remembering. It takes people with jet lag about a day per hour of difference between time zones to recover. However, there is hope. Charles Czeisler developed a new treatment called light therapy in 1994. This treatment uses artificial light to combat fatigue in both people who work the midnight shift, and those with jet lag. Next I would like to talk about the effects that sleep deprivation has on individuals. People with sleep deprivation run the risk of having impaired immune systems, with the potential for increased infections and diseases. They also experience increased stress levels, elevated blood pressure, and an increased build-up of plaque in the arteries, with a severe potential for heart attack or stroke. Other problems they experience include the risk of obesity and diabetes, difficulty in recognizing words, and doing ordinary math problems. They are more susceptible to increased irritability, and increased difficulty in making logical and rational decisions. Terms and Concepts Perceptual Threshold -The perceptual threshold is the smallest thing that can be perceived, or recognized, by the human senses. Sensation A sensation is a relatively meaningless piece of information, that results when the brain processes electrical signals that come from the sense organs. Stimulus A stimulus is any change of energy in the environment, such as light waves, sound waves, mechanical pressure, or chemicals. Structuralists Structuralists are psychologists who believed that we add together thousands of sensations to form a perception. Gestalt Psychologists Gestalt psychologists are psychologists that believe that our brains follow general rules that specify how individual elements are to be organized into a meaningful pattern, or perception. Depth Perception Depth Perception is the ability of the eye and brain to add a third dimension called depth to all visual perceptions, even though the images being projected might only be two dimensional in nature. Consciousness Consciousness describes different levels of awareness of one’s thoughts and feelings. Biological Clock The biological clock is an internal timing device that is genetically set to regulate various physiological responses for different periods of time. Stages of Sleep Stages of sleep refer to the distinctive changes in the electrical activity of the brain, and accompanying physiological responses to the body that occur as someone passes through different phases of sleep. Hypnosis Hypnosis is a procedure in which a researcher, clinician, or hypnotist suggests that a person will experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. Stimulants Stimulants are chemical substances such as cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine, and nicotine that increase activity of the central nervous system and result in heightened alertness, arousal, euphoria, and decreased appetite. Opiates Opiates are chemical substances such as opium, morphine, and heroin that produce three predominant effects in the central nervous system: the reduction of pain, opiate euphoria, a pleasurable state between waking and sleeping; and constipation. Hallucinogens Hallucinogens are drugs that affect someone’s mind or behavior and have the ability to produce changes in perception, thought, emotion, and awareness. Classical Conditioning Classical Conditioning is a kind of learning in which a neutral stimulus acquires the ability to produce a response that was originally produced by a different stimulus. Operant Conditioning Operant Conditioning is a kind of learning in which the consequences that follow some behavior increase or decrease the likelihood of that behavior’s occurrence in the future. Cognitive Learning Cognitive Learning is a kind of learning that involves mental processes, such as attention and memory, may be learned through observation or imitation; and may not involve any external rewards or require the person to perform any observable behaviors. Generalization Generalization is the tendency for a stimulus that is similar to the original conditioned stimulus to elicit a response that is similar to the conditioned response. Discrimination Discrimination occurs when an organism learns to make a particular response to some stimuli but not to others. Extinction Extinction is a procedure in which a conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus, and, as a result, the conditioned stimulus no longer elicits the conditioned response Thorndike Thorndike was an American psychologist who lived during the 1800’s and formulated the law of effect, which stated that if some random actions are followed by a pleasurable consequence, such actions are strengthened and will likely occur in the future. Skinner Skinner was a psychologist who developed a theory known as the operant response during the 1930’s, which says that â€Å"An operant response is a response that can be modified by its consequences and is a meaningful unit of ongoing behavior that can be easily measured† (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 214). Reinforcers Reinforcers are â€Å"consequences that occur after a desired behavior and increase the chances that the behavior will occur again† (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 218). Punishment A punishment is a stimulus that â€Å"stops or decreases the occurrence of a behavior† (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 219). Schedules of Reinforcement Schedules of Reinforcement are programs or rules that determine how and when the occurrence of a response will be followed by a reinforcer (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 220). Spontaneous Recovery Spontaneous Recovery refers to either a temporary recovery in the rate of responding in operant conditioning, or the temporary occurrence of the conditioned response in the presence of the conditioned stimulus in classical conditioning (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 222). Behavior Modification â€Å"is a treatment or therapy that changes or modifies problems or undesirable behaviors by using principles of learning based on operant conditioning, classical conditioning, and social cognitive learning† (Plotnik Kouyoudmjian, 2014, p. 232). References National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2013, December 5). Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: www.ninds.nih.gov Plotnik, R., Kouyoudmjian, H. (2014). Introduction to Psychology. Belmont, CA, USA: Wadsworth Publishing. Retrieved January 13, 2014

Purpose And Definition Of OEE Engineering Essay

Purpose And Definition Of OEE Engineering Essay 2.1 Introduction These days, in this demanding world, the total elimination of waste is for the survival of the organization. The waste caused due to the failure or shutdown of facilities that has been built with enormous investment, and also waste such as defective products ought to be completely eliminated. In a manufacturing sector, companys facilities have to be functioning efficiently in order to gain desirable productivity, inventory cost, delivery as well as quality. In this context, the motive of OEE analysis and measurement is to reduce the equipment losses to zero and has been recognized as a necessity for many organizations. According to Bamber et al. (1999) [5], the role of teamwork, small group activities and the participation of all employees is crucial to accomplish equipment improvement aims. Hence, OEE is use as metrics to determine the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) activities. On the other hand, it can also be said that OEE shows a consistency approach to measure the effectiven ess of TPM as well as other programs by providing an overall structure for measuring production efficiency. As explained by (Dal et al., 2000) [6], the role of OEE goes far beyong not only monitoring and controlling, but also takes into consideration of process improvement initiatives/programs, provides a systematic method for establishing production targets, prevents the sub-optimization of individual machines or product lines, as well as incorporates practical management tools and techniques. This ensures the attainment of a balanced view of process availability, quality and performance. Another statement made by Lesshammar and Patrik (1999) [7], in their case studies, have presented how OEE is being used in industry and as well have reported that this metric forms a useful part of an overall system of measurement. In other words, it provides a useful method to measure the effectiveness of manufacturing operations from a single piece of equipment to the whole manufacturing plant of several manufacturing plants in a group. In doing so, OEE not only provides a complete scenario of where productive manufacturing time and money is being lost, but at the same time uncovers the true , hidden capability of the industry. Thus, it becomes the key manufacturing decision support tool for constant improvement programmes [8]. Apart from that, OEE is an established method of measuring followed by optimizing the efficiency of a machines performance or that of a whole industry plant. The effectiveness of a plants production highly depends on the effectiveness with which it makes use of equipment, materials, man and methods as explained by Suzuki (1999) [9]. Besides, OEE can have a significant impact on the productivity of a manufacturing unit. Therefore, through OEE manufacturers may systematically direct their business towards attainment of continuous improvement operating margins, optimized competitive position and maximized utilization of capital. Some of the more prominent firms have benefited from OEE as a measurement gauge for implementing improvement activities that increases company profits and costs. . 2.2 History of OEE OEE is an essential metric and basic methodology for manufacturers practicing a Lean manufacturing strategy that is zero waste in their value streams. This metric element follows the well-founded principle: If you cant measure it, you cant manage it [10]. Some advocates are fond of the view If youre not taking score, youre only practicing [10]. In 1972, the Japanese Plant Maintenance Institute (JPMI) developed a theory called Total Productive Maintenance [11]. The preliminary aim of TPM was to eradicate the six big losses and subsequently the eight wastes. It was first implemented and developed in Toyotas automotive plants, soon after evolving into world renowned Toyota Production System. An organizational culture was formed by Toyota that focused on the systematic identification and elimination of all waste from their production process where the technical / human contributions to production are maximized. Reengineering and organizational change is used to maximize yield, minimize cost and time-compress the supply chain by fully excluding non-value added activities and not right first time events. The OEE gauge came forward from the Japanese production focused, equipment management framework of TPM [10]. OEE is the key measure of the tangible benefits accessible from TPM by Seiichi Nakajima, the founder of Total Productive Maintenance who initially used OEE to depict a fundamental measure for tracking production performance. He (Seiichi Nakajima) challenged the complacent view of effectiveness by focusing not merely on keeping equipment running smoothly, but on creating a sense of joint responsibility between maintenance workers and operators to optimize the Overall Equipment Performance. OEE symbolized in the first of the original pillars of TPM. Guided all TPM activities and measured the results of these loss focused activities. Therefore, the use of OEE had evolved into the current focused improvement pillar, one of eight TPM pillars. During the mid 1990s, coordinated by SEMATECH the semiconductor wafer fabrication industry has adopted to improve the productivity of the fabrication [11]. Since then, manufacturers in other industries throughout the world have embraced OEE ways to improve their asset utilization. 2.3 The purpose of OEE The OEE metric can be applied at a number of different levels within a manufacturing environment. First, OEE can be used as a benchmark for measuring the initial performance of a manufacturing industry as a whole. Thereby, the initial OEE measure can be compared with future OEE values, hence quantifying the level of enhancement made. Subsequently, an OEE value calculated for one manufacturing line can as well be used to compare line performance across the industry, thus highlighting any poor line performance. If the machines processes work individually, an OEE measure can discover which machine performance is worst, and therefore indicate where to focus TPM resources ( Nakajima 1988) [5]. Dal et al. (2000) [6] declared that by utilizing largely existing performance data, such as preventive maintenance, absenteeism, accidents, material utilization, conformance to schedule, labor recovery, set-up and changeover data, etc., the OEE measure may possibly provide topical information for daily decision making. Due to this, the OEE measurement method within a industry becomes the elementary measure of TPM activities, as well as a basis of improvements for the TPM process. 2.4 Definition of OEE In the era of globalization today, manufacturers are forced to look for creative ways to maximize additional investment due to the continuous pressure of global competition which results in lower margin. In this state, OEE has becoming a hot topic. In its most basic form, OEE offers a straightforward ways to keep track of manufacturing performance as well as to measure the total equipment performance- the degree to which the asset is doing what it is supposed to do. However, the true power of OEE as a dedicated application lies in the ability to use it as a change-enabler, or tool for continuous improvement and lean manufacturing programs [8]. There are various methodologies to gauge manufacturing efficiency. Generally most companies will have a number of measures already in place. Nevertheless, many now disagree that none of these approaches are as comprehensive or far reaching as the OEE achievement, since OEE provides a way to measure the effectiveness of manufacturing operations from single piece of equipment to the manufacturing plant in entirety, or several manufacturing plants in a group. as a result, OEE can be well thought-out as a central KPI (key performance indicator). It drives an organization to examine all aspects of asset performance in order to ensure gaining the maximum benefits from a piece of equipment that is already bought and paid for [12]. Thus, it is obvious that OEE acts as an approach for monitoring and managing the lifecycle of manufacturing assets. On the other hand, OEE can be expressed as a commonly accepted set of metrics that bring clear focus to the key success drivers for manufacturing enterprises [13]. In other words, it measures both efficiency (doing things right) and effectiveness (doing the right things) with the equipments. These measurement comprises of three fundamental elements where each one is expressed as a percentage and accounting for a different kind of waste in the manufacturing process. Thus, it is understood that OEE is a function of the three factors. The three factors mentioned below are briefed as: Availability or uptime (downtime: planned and unplanned, tool change, tool service, job change etc.) A measure of the time the plant was in fact available for production compared to the manufacturing requirements. Any losses in this area would attribute to major breakdowns or extended set up time [14]. Performance efficiency (actual vs. design capacity) The rate that concrete units are produced compared to the designed output. Losses in this area would attribute to slow speed running, minor stoppages or adjustments [14]. Rate of quality output (Defects and rework) A measure of good quality, saleable product, minus any waste. Losses in this element would attribute to damage rejects or products needing rework [14]. Measuring OEE can be done simply by capturing the five basic pieces of information as stated below: Planned Production Time the planned amount of time in which production is planned for a specific line. Down Time specify as the amount of time the process is not running during the planned production time (interrupts to production). Ideal Cycle Time represent as the theoretical minimum of time needed to produce a single piece of product. Total Pieces denote as the total number of pieces produced during the planned production time. Good Pieces signify as the total number of pieces produced that meet quality standards. Figure 2.1 The Overall Equipment Effectiveness flow chart 2.5 Objectives of OEE Overall Equipment Effectiveness records and data informations are used to categorize a single asset (machine or equipment) and/or single stream process related losses in order to improve total asset reliability and performance. Besides, the information is useful and essential as it helps to identify and categorize major losses or reasons for poor performance. OEE offers the basis for setting enhancement priorities as well as for the root of measurement and analysis. In addition, the percentage determined is used to track and trend for improvement, or decline, in equipment effectiveness over a period of time. Hidden or untapped capacity in a manufacturing process can be pointed out through these percentages and lead to balance flow. On top of that, OEE can be used to develop and enhance collaboration between asset operations, maintenance, purchasing, and equipment engineering to jointly identify and reduce (or eliminate) the 2 major causes of poop performance since maintenance alone cannot improve OEE. 2.6 The use of OEE The root why companies uses OEE is to avoid making inappropriate purchases, and help them focus on improving the performance of machinery and also plant equipment they already own. Companies should also start with the area that will provide the greatest return on asset because OEE is able to find the greatest areas of improvement. These OEE formula with the major factors involves will show how improvements in quality, changeovers, machine reliability improvements, working through breaks and more. In business world today, when many manufacturers strive towards world class productivity in their facility, this simple method will perform an excellent benchmarking tool [15]. Besides, the simple derived OEE percentage makes a great motivational system as it is easy to understand and this single number is displayed where all facility personnel can view it. By giving employees such as operators and workers an easy way to see how they are doing in overall equipment utilization, production speed, and quality, in return they will strive for a higher number instead. 2.7 Defining Six Big Losses One of the major goals of TPM and OEE programs is to reduce and/or eliminate what are named as the Six Big Losses, the most common causes of efficiency loss in manufacturing sectors. This was put forwarded by Nakajima in 1989 [16]. There are basically 3 categories of OEE loss which include: Down Time Loss, Speed Loss and Quality Loss. Each of these types has been divided into two sub-losses. They are known or called the Six Big Losses. Basically, OEE is generally measured in terms of these six losses as showed below. They are categorized as stated below: Breakdown Losses Setup and Adjustments Losses Small Stops Losses (Idling and Minor Stop Losses) Reduced Speed Losses Startup Rejects (reduced yield losses) Production Rejects (quality defects and re-work) Categorizing these data makes addressing the Six Big Losses much easier, and a key goal should be fast and efficient data collection, with data put to used throughout the day in the real time. 2.2 Addressing the Six Big Losses Measurement is essential to establish appropriate metrics. It is important necessity of continuous improvement processes. As stated by Nakajima (1988), an efficient way of analyzing the efficiency of a single machine or an integrated manufacturing process is through OEE measurement [17]. It is a function of availability, performance rate, and quality rate. In fact, the three dimensions are measures in terms of equipment losses. Following this, Nakajima (1988) defined these losses into six major categories as follows [17]: 2.7.1.1 Availability Losses Based on the mechanism principle, a machine most likely is available 24/7/365. However, this comes from an ideal perspective, from which one can measure true machine availability. There are few genuine factors that affect on availability, some of which are planned, and some unplanned. For planned downtime, it takes into account of holidays, scheduled maintenance and vacation. While for unplanned downtime, it includes equipment failures and setup and adjustments. It is possible to factor in the planned downtime; however it is the losses due to unplanned downtime that can negatively affects machine availability. Breakdowns Breakdown Losses are classified as by far the biggest of the Six Big Losses. These losses are significant due to the fact of its sudden, dramatic failure in which the equipment stops completely [18]. In the view of the fact that there is no production therefore this unexpected breakdown are undoubtedly elements of losses. The breakdown can cause all equipment functions to be terminated even though the source lies in a single specific function. Nevertheless, deterioration related to problem and losses are also regard as break down losses. It is important to improve OEE by eliminating unplanned downtime. But if the process is down, other OEE factors cannot be dealt with. Therefore, it is not merely important to know how much downtime your process is experiencing (and when) at the same time to be able to attribute the lost time to the specific reason or cause for the loss [19]. Setup and Adjustments Whenever the production of one product stops and the equipment is adjusted to meet the requirements of another product, this is where setup and adjustment take place. The loss of time due to this delay is known as setup and adjustments Basically, setup and adjustments period of time is normally measured as the time between the last good parts produced before setup to the first consistent good parts produced after setup. In order to constantly produce parts that meet the quality standards, it should generally include substantial adjustment and/or warm-up time. Various innovative ways have been used by companies to reduce setup time. These comprises assembling changeover carts with all tools and supplies necessary for the changeover in one place, pinned or marked settings so that coarse adjustments are no longer necessary, and use of prefabricated setup measures [20]. 2.7.1.2 Performance Losses Machine performance referred to as the net production time during which products are produced. The more the machine produces, the greater the OEE metric. However, speed losses and small stops will inhibit the overall performance of machine. If such losses is not recognized and addressed, the machine performance cannot be fully optimized. Reduced Speed Reduced Speed can be classified as one of the most difficult of the Six Big Losses to monitor and record. This is due to the reason that there is a significant difference between the theoretical maximum speed and what people think the maximum speed is. In most cases, in order to prevent other losses such as quality rejects and breakdowns, the production speed needs to be optimized. Losses due to reduce speed are therefore, often ignored or underestimated [21]. It happens when the equipment runs slower than its optimal or maximum speed. Apart from that, reduced speed is the difference between designed speed and the actual operating speed [21]. There are various reasons where equipment may be running at less than its designed speed, for instance non-standard or difficult raw materials, history or past problems, mechanical problems, or fear of overloading the equipment. This loss of speed is actually converted into time during the OEE calculation. Small Stops We can also assume small stops as one of the most difficult of the Six Big Losses to monitor and record. Whenever a machine shows short interruptions and does not have a constant speed, this will not result in a smooth flow of production. Minor stoppages and the subsequent loss of speed can be the cause from products blocking sensors or products getting stuck in the conveyor belts. The machines effectiveness will be diminished drastically if these hitches occur frequently [21]. The occurrence of these losses happens whenever equipment stops for a short time as the result of a temporary problem. As an example, a work-piece is jammed in a chuck or when a sensor activates and shut down the machines, this will definitely result in a minor stoppage. As soon as someone removes the jammed work-piece or resets the sensor instantly, it operates normally again. These losses also include idling losses that occur when equipment continues to run without producing. Thus, since idling and minor stoppages interrupt jobs, therefore they can also be categorized as breakdowns. Despite that, the two are fundamentally different in that a minor stoppage and the duration are usually less than 10 minutes. 2.7.1.3 Quality Losses A scrap is when the final product is not saleable, and the entire process has been wasted on product that will never make it to the customer. Thus, it is very essential to take into account the quality of the product while evaluating OEE. Availability and speed often has been the main focus, and quality is left behind. The key to keep in mind is that without a good product, the rest of the operation is a white elephant. Generally, quality losses are generated during startup while the machine is ramping up, during adjustment, or during normal production, as rejected/unwanted product due to process instabilities. Startup Rejects Products that do not meet the quality standards are called scraps, even if they can be sold as sub-spec. A specific type of quality loss is the startup losses where these losses occur due to when: Starting up of the machine: the production is not stable as soon as the machine starts and the first products do not meet the quality standards. The process of the machine at the end of a production run is no longer stable and the products no longer to be able to meet the specifications require. Quantities of products are no longer counted as part of the production order and consequently are considered as loss. These are usually hidden losses, which are often considered to be unavoidable. The scale of these losses can be surprisingly large [21]. Certain adjustments and warm-up time is required for several equipments to obtain optimum output. Losses that happen in the early stages of production during machine setup to stabilization of product quality are called the startup losses. The losses differ with degree of stability of processing condition, operators technical skill, maintenance level on equipment, and many more. Production rejects A product that does not meet the quality specifications/standards for the first time, but can be reprocessed into good products is known as rework products. Reworking products is not a disadvantage as the product can be sold to fit other demand needs. However, the product was not right first time and is therefore a quality loss just like scrap [21]. Production rejects are classified as quality losses that are not caused by startup. These losses arise only when products produced are not conforming to the specifications. Parts that require rework of any kind should be considered reject and this happens during steady state production. Example of the Downtime loss, Speed loss, and Quality loss is depicted in the following page. The Six Big Losses with three categories are shown in figure below. The following table shows how this Six Big Losses are categorized with examples given. Figure 2.3: Classification of Six Big Losses. The table below lists the Six Big Losses, and show how they are relate to the OEE Loss categories. A typical major loss, the categories of OEE as well as examples of events is shown as follow: OEE Loss Category   Six Big Loss Category   Event Examples   Down Time Loss   Breakdowns   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Tooling Failures à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unplanned Maintenance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ General Breakdowns à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Equipment Failure   Setup and Adjustments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ã‚  Setup/Changeover à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Material Shortages à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Operator Shortages à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Major Adjustments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Warm-Up Time Speed Loss   Idling and Minor stops   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Obstructed Product Flow à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Component Jams à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Misfeeds à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sensor Blocked à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Delivery Blocked à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cleaning/Checking   Reduced Speed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rough Running à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Under Nameplate Capacity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Under Design Capacity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Equipment Wear à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Operator Inefficiency Quality Loss   Start-up Losses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scrap à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rework à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Process Damage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Process Expiration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Incorrect Assembly   Defect Losses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Scrap à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rework à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Process Damage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Process Expiration à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Incorrect Assembly Table 2.1 : The Six Big Losses in OEE 2.8 OEE factors As explained in previous subsequent chapter, the OEE calculation is based on the three OEE factors. This comprises of Availability, Quality and Performance. They are as well referring as Effectiveness Factors. Here is how each of these factors is calculated. Availability The Availability part of OEE represents the percentage of scheduled time that the equipment is available to function [18]. This Availability element is a measurement of the uptime that is designed to exclude the effects of performance, quality, and scheduled downtime events. Since Availability takes into account of Downtime loss, the formula is calculated as: 20 Availability = Operation time Planned Production time Where, Operation time = Planned production time Unscheduled Downtime Production time = Planned production time Scheduled Downtime Downtime losses zero indicates the availability is 100%, where the gross operating time equals the available time for production. i.e. Operation time equals Planned Production time. Therefore, it can be said that 100% Availability means the process has been running without any recorded stops. Performance Performance can be denoted as the ratio between Net Operating Time and Operating Time. Since Performance takes into account of speed loss, the formula is calculated as: 22 Performance = Net Operating Time Operating Time The Performance portion of OEE corresponds to the speed at which the machine runs as a percentage of its designed speed. This Performance element is a measurement of speed that is designed to exclude the effects of availability and quality [18]. Performance does not penalize for rejects, which imply even if the work is rejected or rework, it will still be included in the planned and actual hours accordingly. Since Performance takes into account Speed Loss, the formula is calculated as: Performance = Ideal Cycle Time Operating Time / Total Pieces 23 Where, Ideal Cycle Time = the minimum cycle time that the process can be expected to achieve in optimal circumstances. It is at times called, Theoretical Cycle Time, Nameplate Capacity or Design Cycle Time. Since Run Rate is the reciprocal of Cycle Time, Performance can also be calculated as: Performance = Total Pieces / Operating Time Ideal Run Rate 24 Performance is limited at 100%, to make sure that if an error is made in specifying the Ideal Cycle Time of Ideal Run Rate, the effect on OEE will be limited. Therefore, it can be said that 100% Performance means the process has been consistently running at its theoretical maximum speed. Quality Rate The Quality portion of the OEE signifies the good units produced as a percentage of the total units produced [18]. The Quality metric is a measurement of process yield that is designed to exclude the effects of availability and performance. Quality is the ratio of Fully Productive Time to Net Operating Time. Quality = Fully Productive Time / Net Operating Time 25 Quality = Good Pieces / Total Pieces Since Quality takes into account of Quality Loss, the formula is calculated as: 26 (Total no of units of processed products- No of units of no good products)/(total no of units of processed products). Thus, it can be said that 100% Quality means there is no rework or reject pieces. Therefore, since OEE takes into account all three OEE factors, the formula is calculated as: 27 OEE = Availability x Performance x Quality Therefore OEE is the product of its effectiveness factors; Availability, Performance and Quality. The study of each of these effectiveness factors will improve the Overall Equipment Effectiveness. Below diagrams shows the three major elements of OEE together with formula calculated . Figure 2.4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Shows the formula on how to calculate OEE Figure 2.5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Shows the OEE Factors Loss OEE Factor Planned Shutdown Not included in OEE calculation Down Time Loss Availability is the ratio of Operating Time to Planned Production Time (Operating Time is Planned Production Time less Down Time Loss). Calculated as the ratio of Operating Time to Planed Production Time. 100% Availability means the process has been running without any recorded stops. Speed Loss Performance is the ratio of Net Operating Time to Operating Time (Net Operating Time is Operating Time less Speed Loss). Calculated as the ratio of Ideal Cycle Time to Actual Cycle Time, or alternately the ratio of Actual Run Rate to Ideal Run Rate. 100% Performance means the process has been consistently running at its theoretical maximum speed. Table 2.1 indicates the 3 main factors of OEE Quality Loss Quality is the ratio of Fully Productive Time to Net Operating Time (Fully Productive Time is Net Operating Time less Quality Loss). Calculated as the ratio of Good Pieces to Total Pieces. 100% Quality means there have been no reject or rework pieces. 2.9 OEE Components of Plant Operating Time 2.9.1 Components of Plant Operating Time In order to establish an accurate measurement, OEE analysis begins with Plant Operating Time. Basically, this Plant Operating Time implies as the amount of time the facility is open and available for equipment process. It can also be refer as the maximum amount of time and is a constant. One day consists of 24 hours of 60 minutes. While, for one week, it consists of 7 days of 24 hours. Whereas, in one year consists of 52 weeks. At times, Plant Operating Time is also referred to as Theoretical Production Time. It consists of different losses like speed and quality loss as well as fully productive time 2.9.1 Plant Production Time Once a category of called Planned Shut Down is subtracted from Plant Operating Time, the remaining available time is called Planned Production Time. The Planned Shut Down shall include any events that should be excluded from efficiency analysis since there was no intension of running production [22]. For example, tea breaks, lunch breaks, scheduled maintenance or periods where there is nothing to produce. Nevertheless, Planned Production Time is also known as Available Production Time. OEE initiates with Planned Production Time and analyze efficiency as well as productivity losses that occur, with the aim of eliminating or reducing these losses. OEE starts with Plant Operating Time and end up with Fully Productive Time, screening the source of productive loss that occur in between. 2.9.1.1 Operating Time From Planned Production Time, the downtime loss is subtracted to gain Operating Time. The downtime losses inclusive of any events that stop planned production for an appreciable length of time (normally several minute-long enough to log as a traceable event) [22]. Examples of these include material shortages, equipment failures, and changeover time. Since it is also includes as type of downtime, the changeover time is included in OEE analysis. Even though it may not be possible to reduce 9 changeover times, however, it can be reduced in most cases. The remaining available time is called Operating Time and also known as Gross Operating Time [22]. 2.9.1.2 Net Operating Time From the Operating Time, the speed loss is deducted to obtain Net Operating Time. The speed losses take account of any factors that cause the process to operate less than the maximum possible speed while running. Examples of these include machine wear, substandard materials, miss-feeds, and operator inefficiency. 2.9.1.3 Fully Productive Time As for Net Operating Time, the Quality Loss is subtracted and the remaining available time is called the Fully Productive Time. These quality losses accounts for produced pieces that do not meet quality standards, together with pieces that require rework. The goal here is to maximize Fully Productive Time w

Promotion Mix and Channels of Distribution for Farmer’s Choice Product

Promotion Mix and Channels of Distribution for Farmer’s Choice Products McCarthy (1975) devised the idea of the 4Ps - product, price, promotion, and place marketing mix. For many years, these have been utilized as the key basis on which a marketing plan is founded. Pricing Establishing the value for an item is an intricate and inexact task, often consisting trial-and-error decision-formulation. This course is regularly even more intricate in global promotion. Prices may be stated in the firm’s currency or in that of the overseas buyer. At this point we come across constraints of foreign exchange and exchange of currencies. As a common statute, a company involved in foreign business whether it is exporting or importing-considers to have the price stated in its own state currency. If the firm transacts in a foreign currency which later fall in value amid contract signing and the reception of the overseas currency, the seller gets a loss. Equally, a buyer transacting in a foreign currency would lose cash if the currency rose in value prior to payments. The risks from variation in foreign exchange are swung to the other party in the deal if a company transacts in its state currency. Product This mix describes the traits of product or service that meet the requirements of customers. â€Æ' Promotion The aim of promotion is similar in any nation, namely to converse information and influential appeals efficiently. For various goods, pleas are satisfactorily common and the markets are adequately consistent to allow utilization of very comparable advertising in numerous countries. It is just the media approach and the particulars of a message that must be adjusted to each state’s cultural, economic, and political setting. On th... ... retail stores, hotels, institutions and fast food outlets alike. Farmer's Choice products are sent by Air, Road and Sea from our factory to destinations worldwide. â€Æ' Conclusion After examining the promotional mix of Farmer’s Choice, it is clear that the firm can be said to be scaling heights to `global’, i.e. mixing constituents of globalization and internationalization. Farmer’s Choice have will achieve this through applying the maxim, `think global, act local’ (Ohmae, 2000), to all the elements of the promotional mix. â€Æ' References McCarthy, J. (1975), Basic Marketing: A Management Approach, Irwin, Homewood, IL Ohmae, K. (2000), Managing in a Borderless World, Harvard Business Review, May/June, Sandler, D.M. and Shani, D. (2001), Brand Globally but Advertise Locally? An Empirical Investigation, International Marketing Review, Vol. 9 No. 4

Social Order and Animal Consciousness :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Social Order and Animal Consciousness There is nothing new about the uncanny abilities of animals. People have noticed them for centuries. Millions of pet owners and pet trainers today have experienced them personally. But at the same time, many people feel they have to deny these abilities or trivialize them. They are ignored by institutional science. Pets are the animals we know best, but their most surprising and intriguing behavior is treated as of no real interest. Why should this be so, and what about the implications of animal consciousness and intelligence through the behavior observed by those with close relations to animals. One reason for institutional science’s lack of interest is a taboo against taking ‘pets’ seriously. This taboo is not confined to scientist but is a result of the split attitudes to animals expressed in our society as a whole. During working hours we commit ourselves to economic progress fueled by science and technology and based on the mechanistic view of life. This view, dating back to the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century, derives form Renà © Descarte’s theory of the universe as a machine. Though the metaphors have changed (from the brain as a hydraulic machine in Descarte’s time), life is still thought of in terms of machinery. Animals and plants are seen as genetically programmed automata. Meanwhile, back at home, we have our pets. Pets are in a different category from other animals. Pet-keeping is confined to the private, or subjective, realm. Experiences with pets are kept out of the real, or objective, world. There is a huge gulf between companion animals, treated as members of the family, and animals in factory farms and research laboratories. Our relationships with our pets are based on different sets of attitudes, on I-thou relationships rather than I-it approach encouraged by science. Whether in the laboratory or in the field, scientific investigators typically try to avoid emotional connections with the animals they are investigating. They aspire to a detached objectivity. They would therefore be unlikely to encounter the kinds of behavior and apparent consciousness that depend on the close attachment between animals and people. In this realm, animal trainers and pet owners are generally far more knowledgeable and experienced than professional researchers on animal behavior- unless they happen to be pet owners themselves. Consciousness has been found to be one of the hardest things to define and study. The textbook definition of "Consciousness" is the full knowledge of what is in one’s own mind; awareness.

Laundry service Industry Essay

India has a huge market for laundry business which is yet to be tapped to its potential. However, with the coming up of a number of hospitals & hotels and even the Indian Railways turning to outsourcing of laundry activities, the industrial laundry sector in India is attracting foreign players. The hotel industry is witnessing a growing trend towards outsourcing its laundry. India is expected to add another 90,000 hotel rooms over the next five years, all of which are in the private sector, especially to meet the tourism demand. In 2010, 10 million people are expected to visit India. The Indian Railways run approximately 12,000 trains every day. The capacity is to carry 1. 4 Crore passengers/day. It employs around 17 lakh employees (10 lakh in Group C), including 10,000 officers. This presents a huge benefit to global players to quickly set up their laundries in India, and cater to the ever growing market. The healthcare industry, the upcoming and the existing, has started outsourcing laundry services. This sector which has been registering a growth of 9. 3% per annum between 2000 and 2009 is projected to grow by 15% per annum by 2013. Laundry services in India are classified into Industrial Laundry and Retail Laundry. Industrial laundry is in its infant stage with major demand coming from hospitals and hotels which have their in-house laundry. Retail laundry is a much organised market with some professionally managed companies catering to the retail needs. Overall, the laundry market in India is still untapped and unorganised. Industrial laundries generally require heavy capital investment in machinery and equipment for washing, spinning, ironing & drying besides land and property to set-up a laundry. Since laundry market in India is dominated by the small local laundry stores and local dhobis, they are not equipped to handle the huge capital requirement. Equipment for industrial laundry An industrial laundry would require equipment for: Washing Drying Ironing * The type of equipment to be purchased would be depend on the volumes that the laundry expects from potential clientele on a daily basis. Equipment for industrial laundries are available in different sizes with varying capacities. Equipment are available in the market for small, medium as well as large industrial laundries. Equipment for industrial laundries should optimise the washing system considering criteria such as: * Usage of appropriate washing machinery which would guarantee maximum efficiency with appropriate wash cycles, high spin capacity and minimum energy consumption * Drier equipment should assure proper drying in the least amount of time with minimum energy consumption * Flatwork ironers capable of absorbing the production of the driers to assure a high quality press * Automation of the laundry handling processes in order to save personnel costs and increase productivity Stages in industrial laundry An industrial laundry generally involves five stages namely: * Soiled Retrieval The linen collected usually is dropped down a laundry chute. Laundry workers collect the soiled linen, in reserved carts and transport it to the laundry facility. * Soil Sorting The retrieved linen is unloaded and sorted. Different items often require different washing formulas. Heavy or bio hazardous stains such as blood and faeces may require longer wash times and stronger formulas. Large institutions often use a production-line method for soil sorting, with several full-time employees assigned to the task. Since soiled linen may be contaminated with biohazards or sharp objects, employees involved in the sorting process are required to use personal protective equipment and standard safety precautions. * Washing The sorted linen is weighed according to the washing machine’s load limit. Certified washer operator loads and unloads the large washing machines, decides what is to be washed according to the laundry’s schedule and monitors the chemical levels in the water. Since modern tunnel washers monitor their own chemical levels and unload linen directly into the laundry’s clean area, the operator is required only to load the linen. Over the past 20 years, many industrial laundries have switched from conventional washers to tunnel washers, also called continuous-batch washers. Since tunnel washers don’t have to be stopped for loading and unloading of linen, they provide a more continuous flow of clean laundry. Higher-volume facilities which may process over 15,000kg of linen per day often rely heavily on tunnel washers * Processing The clean linen is dried, ironed and folded. Some items, such as towels and blankets, are put through a dryer until they are no longer damp, then sent to mechanical folders. Wet work items, such as sheets, are sent through steam-powered ironers which dry, press and fold them. Ironers use heavy steam-heated rollers to dry the linen while pressing out wrinkles. Some items, such as wash cloths, may be too small to be handled mechanically. These items must be packaged by hand. * Packaging & Distribution The processed linen is prepared for delivery. Individual orders are filled, based on the needs and requests of the laundry’s customers and sent to the laundry’s main distribution points and storage areas. Linen not used for orders is placed in storage areas, giving the facility a reserve of clean laundry. Trained delivery people transport the clean linen back to the customers. This is a skilled position, since the delivery person must have a thorough knowledge of both laundry operation and the principles of good customer service. In hospitals, delivery people must be familiar with patient relations, confidentiality policies. Large institutions will usually employ several full-time delivery people. Eco-friendly Chemicals Halide Chemicals has launched a new range of eco-friendly laundry chemicals. The complete professional range consists of 10 products in powder and liquid formulations. The Laundro Det and Boost-E is a powder detergent and booster; Laundro Mulse-E is a liquid emulsifier for F&B laundry; Laundro Bleach-O s a powder oxygen bleach for coloured and whites; Laundro Rinse is a liquid organic neutralising rinse; Laundro Complete is a powder all-in-one detergent and oxygen bleach for coloured and whites; Laundrokleen is a liquid all-in-one detergent for guest and domestic laundry; Laundro Soft is a liquid softener for towels and linen; Laundro Soft-N is a liquid 2-in-1 neutraliser and softener for towels and linen; Laundro Chlor-10 is a liquid chlorine bleach 10% for white linen and Laundro Rinse-C is a liquid neutralizing rinse after chlorine bleaching. The range is phosphate free. The base detergent is free from slurry based detergents and made from biodegradable surfactants. Haylide has used organic biodegradable acids in rinses & softeners in place of harmful, inorganic and traditional laundry rinses. The oxygen bleaches and all-in-one single shot formulations reduce cycles of bleach and rinse. The softener range with combination of cationic & water soluble silicones provide softest results. The emulsifier for F&B stains is biodegradable and utilises denatured ethanol in place of IPA as a natural solvent.

Mrs Morel, and How She Ruined Lives in Sons and Lovers Essay

Gertrude Morel, a mother whose possessive love for her sons hinders their ability to establish fulfilling relationships with other women, and her detest of her husband closes him out of their lives. Gertrude can not bear to see her children live the life that her husband Walter does so she makes sure that they detest him, especially William and Paul. Mrs Morel did ruin three lives in this novel, Walter’s, William’s, and Paul’s. Walter was a simple miner with simple needs and no motivation or want to advance, when he and Gertrude first met he had thick flowing black hair and a full beard and he also laughed a lot suggesting a happy, relaxed figure. He also portrayed himself as bold and a senior in the mines making a good stable wage, owning his own house and everything in it as well. Gertrude finds her self strangely attracted, despite being described as â€Å"opposite† to her new found love. They rush into marriage but the lust that they had soon fades as the lies that were told are uncovered. Gertrude starts to despise the man she married because he lied to her and goes and spends the money he makes on alcohol instead of on his family. When William is born Gertrude smothers him in love and tries her hardest to keep him away from her husband which makes Walter jealous and angry with her that he can not have the same connection with the child that she does. Gertrude does this with all the children that she and Walter have. The eldest boys are so enveloped by their mother that they can not hold a stable relationship when they grow older because their mother wants to keep them for herself, â€Å"..William and Paul Morel are unable to love when they come to manhood, because their dominant mother holds them back, so that a split occurs between body and soul – their sweethearts getting the former; their mother getting the latter; while the boys themselves are shattered; inwardly in the course of the struggle.† (Spilka, 51) William is the first born son and so he in the one that Gertrude idolizes, he is perfect to her and she wants him to be her little boy forever. When he grows older William soon gets a job in London and moves away leaving his mother and family behind. William send his mother a letter telling her about his new job and his new found girl-friend whom he will be engaged to. William and his betrothed come to visit his family at Christmas, they seem less than impressed with her and her lifestyle especially Gertrude because she treats his family as though they are somehow inferior to her. This does not discourage William to stop loving her. William becomes sick of her when they return to see his family on a vacation, his mother has the same feelings toward her, but he refuses to call off the marriage seeing how far they had come. Later in the year William dies of pneumonia with his mother by his side. Paul is a less important to his mother until William dies, then he becomes her favourite. Paul is more frail than his brother was, and he is very artistic rather than athletic. As Paul grows in sight of his mother her love for him grows stronger because of his stature, and he grows in a way that he cares of what other people feel, especially his mother. He develops an Oedipus Complex towards his mother. â€Å"Oedipus complex makes mother a lover of her son. During childhood it seems normal and acceptable but it is abnormal and almost absurd, when he grows up, to keep such feelings. He will surely have no real love for a woman and no marriage in his life and is doomed to have a tragic ending with his love affairs and to suffer spiritually the rest of his life when his mother is gone.† (Wang) When Paul is older he starts a relationship with a woman named Miriam who wants him to love her as she loves him, she wants his soul, for him to love her with every ounce of his being as she does. Gertrude see’s this and feels threatened by her because Paul’s soul should belong to her, she believes Miriam can have him physical but not spiritually. Gertrude confronts her son about this matter and Paul tells her that he does not love Miriam, that he loves only his mother and no one else. When Paul breaks things of with Miriam and starts a relationship with Clara, Gertrude is content with them together because Clara is only interested in a physical relationship. When the relationship with Clara fades Miriam tries her luck with Paul again, she says that she wants to marry him but Paul is so fixated with his love for his mother that when he feels the slightest feelings for Miriam he feels as though he is betraying her. He declines the proposal from Miriam and goes back to his mother. Gertrude Morel was a strong woman and mother but stubborn with her children in a way that she would want them to only look to her and not to walter, no matter what the situation was. Throughout the novel Gertrude ruins three lives, that of her her husbands, and her two eldest sons. Her husband Walter was not the best man for her but he did try to be a father to his children, but his wife made it almost impossible for him to do so. He is ostracized from the family throughout the novel, his life is ruined because Gertrude made him loose the only family he had before he had a chance of being a part of it. Her eldest son and first born child William, is so fixated on his mothers approval that he learns to hate the woman that he will be married to, that marriage would become like his parents. In that way Williams life is ruined by his own mother. Her third child and second son Paul can not have a stable relationship with women because he loves his mother too much, his life is ruined because once his mother is gone he is left with nothing and still can not hold a relationship together. References Spilka, Mark. â€Å"Counterfeit Loves† Twentieth Century Interpretations of Sons and Lovers. A Collection of Critical Essays Ed.Judith Farr, Prentice-Hall, INC., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: 1970. 51-63. Print. Wang, Yi . â€Å"Should I Use Underlining or Italics?† College of Foreign Languages, Hebei University, China . ,29 March 2001. Web. 21 November 2012. .