Outsourcing and In

GE essays

GE essays The General Electric Company started when Thomas A. Edison invented the carbon filament incandescent lamp. In 1878, Edison established the Edison Electric Light Company. As the business expanded, it became more difficult for the company to rely only in its technology. Therefore, in 1892, Edison Electric and Thomson Houston Electric merged to create the General Electric Company (Company). According to The Financial Times, General Electric (GE) is today the Worlds Most Respected Company (Facts). Most of this admiration is due to the variety of operating segments that the company provides. For example, GE businesses are classified into ten categories: Commercial Finance, Consumer Finance, Consumer and Industrial, Energy, Equipment Services, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Insurance, NBC, and Transportation (Company). The Commercial Finance section of GE provides loans, operating leases and financing programs. Consumer Finance provides credit services to consumers, retailers, and auto dealers. The GE Consumer and Industrial segment includes appliances, lighting, and industrial equipment and services. One really important category is Energy in which GE is the worlds leading supplier of technology to the Energy industry (Facts). The General Electric Equipment Services help to manage finance and operate business equipment. GEs Health services include patient monitoring device s, medical imaging, scanners, x-rays, ultrasound, magnetic resonance and others. General Electric Infrastructure is a growing segment because it is a high technology platform, with expected earnings of $3.5 billion for 2004 (Facts). GE Insurance deals with insurance and investment products. GE is also the owner of NBC, which is compiled of 14 stations. GEs Transportation category includes aircraft engines, aviation and off highway industries. According to the com...

An Exploration of Apple's Dominance of the Smartphones Assignment

An Exploration of Apple's Dominance of the Smartphones - Assignment Example In addition to this, the other research questions will be that how the other organisations in the Smartphone industry trying to compete with Apple in UK’s market and what Apple can do to maintain its competitive advantage in the UK’s market. Apple, Inc. is an US based multinational company which was founded in the year 1976. The Smartphone industry in UK has been booming because of the continued increase in demand of Smartphone by the people in UK. Along with Samsung and Nokia, Apple is found to be dominating the UK Smartphone market (The Telegraph, 2012). According to the report of Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, the market share of Apple’s Smartphone increased by around 10% from 21% to 31% during the period of 12 weeks that ended on November 2011 (Virki, 2011).It is mainly attributed towards the release of new model of Smartphone in UK by Apple, named iPhone 4S during October 2011. However it has been argued that Apple is ranked second to the Android platform develo ped by Google in terms of market share in the Smartphone industry of UK (Warman, 2011). ... Research Background The proposed topic in this research study and the analysis of the findings based on the research done on the topic would provide an in-depth knowledge about the Smartphone industry in UK at present and the consumer behaviour patterns related to Smartphone products in UK. Smartphone is only a new concept in the field of mobile technology and is different from other standard mobile phones available in the market. As a result of these facts, the existing literature in this field is limited and not much research studies have been conducted till now. Hence, this research study would add to the existing literature and pave way to further research that can be done in this field. Moreover, Apple is a dominant player in the UK’s market of Smartphone products and has had its market dominance for a significant amount of time till now. It is evident from its market share in the Smartphone industry of UK which was around 31% during November 2011 (Virki, 2011). However, lot of other mobile companies are also introducing their Smartphone products in the UK’s market. This can have an effect on Apple’s market share in UK. According to the recent reports published by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, Apple has fallen behind Google in terms of market share in the UK Smartphone industry. Android operating system installed in the Google Smartphone is being preferred by the consumers in UK more than Apple Smartphone (Arthur, 2012a). However, Android is divided amongst various brands like Samsung, HTC, Motorola, etc. Hence Apple iPhones which is the single branded Smartphone is the most used brand by the consumers in UK. Moreover, with respect to customer satisfaction, Apple is found to have the highest level of customer

BIOTECHNOLOGY & GENETIC ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BIOTECHNOLOGY & GENETIC ANALYSIS - Essay Example This is mainly attributed to accumulation of pollutant along the path of river and hence bacterial population need to evolved catabolic capability to survive and hence more plasmid bearing bacterial population were found in second sample. Similarly most of the plasmid was found to be in size range more than 35 KB clearly indicates most of them are Conjugative plasmids as this group of plasmid has more number of genes compared to non-conjugative plasmid to carryout conjugation process and hence larger the size. Here re-suspension solution constitutes of glucose, EDTA and Tris each have its own role. Glucose provides osmotic stress and EDTA as chelating agents which binds to heavy metals and helps in disintegration of cell wall, Tris act as buffering agent and maintains pH of over all reactions to avoid any pH dependent side reaction. In this stage cell become highly fragile and some are break open. This solution is mixture of SDS and NaOH. Here NaOH provides alkaline condition which helps in cell lyses and denaturation of DNA while SDS dissolves cell wall constituents and induces extensive cell lyses. It also helps in proteins denaturation and precipitation. In this stage most of cell constituents get denatured including genomic DNA, But as plasmid is in its CCC (covalently closed circular) forms will not denatured completely and most of them remains in its native configuration. Step 4: Neutralisation Solution Here potassium acetate and acetic acid act as neutralizing agent to bring back the pH to normal. Similarly it induces the renaturation of DNA. Because of larger size most of the Genomic DNA remains denatured and mingled with proteins remains with cell debris while plasmid being smaller molecule except out to supernatant . Step 5: centrifugation at high speed; During this stage all cell derbies along with genomic DNA settled at the bottom of tube and being smaller in size plasmid remains in supernatant. Which subsequently used for further purification and transformation. Ans 3 protocol 6: Here we have two different observation 1) colonies from tube 2 grown as blue colored colonies 2) while from tube 3 there is mixture of blue and white. This can be explained as follows. In case of tube 2 there is only vector pGEM3Z used for transformation. The plasmid pGEM3Z have lacZ gene as marker which code for enzyme called beta glycosidase. After transformation cells where plated on LA supplemented with X-gal and IPTG. Now in presence of IPTG expression of lac Z induces and leads to synthesis of beta-glycosidase which subsequently acts on X-gal and cleaved it to chromogenic intermediate give rise to blue color. While in case of tube 3 there was plasmid vector along with insert gene (ligation mixture) and plated on similar plate after transformation. As vector pGEM3Z having MCS (multiple cloning sites) in side the lacZ gene any insertion or recombination leads to inactivation of lacZ (insertional inactivation). Inactive lacZ will not code for functional beta glycosidase and hence colonies having insertion give rise to white colors. In another scenario where cut plasmid re-ligated without any insertion during

Depend on the movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depend on the movie - Essay Example The idea of human inner fear to look differently and stand out against a background is shown in the Japanese movie â€Å"Shall We Dance?† by Masayuki Suo. This film tells a story about happily married accountant, who starts to feel himself discontent with his current life. Everyday for Shohei Sugiyama seems to be a little piece of routine, which he knows by heart. Getting tired of insipid life, he enrolls in a dance school. Mr. Sugiyama’s doubts and embarrassments of his new liking can be seen in episode, when he reads an article about waltz stealthily from his family. The prejudice of being unconceivable for others compels him to keep in a secret his new hobby. It seems to Shohei that it is abnormal to go for dancing, when you are a grown-up and so serious person as he is. However, interest and desire to change something in his life conquers all inconveniencies. From the first minutes of watching this movie you can conclude that Shohei is rather successful person, havi ng nice work position, family, good relationships with wife. But the thing is that Mr. Sugiyama faces the situation, when his days turn into casualty without any changes and suddenly the man begins to feel depression and aggravation.

Five Basic Corporate Finance Functions

Five Basic Corporate Finance Functions Introduction UBS AG is a diversified global financial services company, having its main headquarters at Basel and Zurich, Switzerland. In June 1998, Union Bank of Switzerland and Swiss Bank Corporation (SBC) completed the merger announced six months previously. Just two years later, UBS acquired the US brokerage firm Paine Webber, greatly increasing the size and scope of its business. Then the new firm set the seal on these achievements by proclaiming a single brand. In this light, UBS is both a new institution and new brand. In the picturesque Swiss region of Valposchiavo, for example, one UBS branch traces its origins as far back as 1747. The core components of todays UBS date back to the second half of the nineteenth century. At the same time, its history extends many generations into the past, particularly in Switzerland, the US and the UK. UBS is ranked second worlds largest asset manager of private wealth, and is the second-largest bank in Europe, in both market capitalisation and profitability. With its major presence in United States UBS has its headquarters located in New York City; Weehawken, Private Wealth Management in New Jersey; and Stamford, Connecticut for Capital markets, UBSs has its retail offices throughout the U.S., and has its presence in more than 50 countries (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). UBS was force to turn to the Government of Singapore for fresh funding after incurring a huge loss in 2007. After funding, Government of Singapore Investment Corporation became the largest shareholder of UBS in 2007. UBS managers pledged to return bonuses after a dramatic loss in November 2008. New financial aid was expected from Swiss government after the UBS shareholders voted to restore the shaken trust in UBS (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). Credit Suisse found a new cross-town rival in the form of UBS which has evolved on a similar path. Both of them originated from Switzerland indulging in commercial and retail banking who purchased major investment banks in United States and both are being investigated by U.S. authorities currently for helping 17,000 American citizens to avoid taxes. Based on the order by the Swiss Financial Markets Supervisory Authority (FINMA), UBS on 18th February 2009, immediately has agreed to provide the identities of and account information of about 250 American clients to United States and also agreed to pay US$ 780 million in the form of compensation and fines (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). Corporate Finance Modern companies need to raise finance from the capital market in order to invest in the real and intangible assets they need to earn profits. Their first priority is to ensure that they can source finance for both their short run and their long run needs in the most economical way possible. Corporate investment is by its nature risky and often capital intensive (Ryan, 2007). In order to justify the use of other peoples money a firm needs to ensure that the investment decisions it makes, taking into account its cost of capital, lead to an overall increase in the value of the firm and hence its investors wealth. Alongside the problem of sourcing finance at the cheapest cost, the firm has to make sure that all the investment decisions it undertakes are value adding. If they are not the firm will not be able to justify its existence for very long and will find itself out of business (Ryan, 2007). The ability to trade the financial claims of business ventures has been known about and practised for centuries. In the modern era the standardization of financial claims into homogenous trading units has transformed the way markets operate. Until the 1930s companies, for example, borrowed money from banks but following the Wall Street Crash in the United States there was a sudden loss of confidence in the banking sector. As a result, companies started to practise what governments had been doing for some time and sidestepped the banks going directly to lenders and offering them securitized debt in the form of bonds (Ryan, 2007). Although modern financial intermediaries are marvel of efficiency, the role of traditional intermediaries such as banks as providers of debt capital to corporations has declined for decades. Instead, nonfinancial corporations have increasingly turned to capital markets for external financing, principally because the rapidly declining cost of information processing makes it much easier for large number of investors to obtain and evaluate financial data for thousands of potential corporate borrowers and issuers of common and preferred stock equity (Megginson and Smart, 2006). The Five Basic Corporate Finance functions: Although corporate finance is defined generally as the activities involved in managing cash flows (money) in a business environment, a more complete definition would emphasize that the practice of corporate finance involves five basic functions: Raising capital to support companies operations and investment programs (the external financing function); Selecting the best projects in which to invest firms resources, based on each projects perceived risk and expected return (the capital budgeting function); Managing firms internal cash flows, its working capital, and its mix of debt and equity financing, both to maximize the value of firms debt and equity claims and to ensure that companies can pay off its obligations when due (the financial management function); Developing company-wide ownership and corporate governance structures that force managers to behave ethically and make decisions that benefit shareholders (the corporate governance function); and Managing firms exposures to all types of risk, both insurable and uninsurable, to maintain and optimal risk-return trade-off and therefore maximize shareholder value (the risk-management function). (Source: Megginson and Smart, 2006) External financing When corporations are young and small, they usually must raise equity capital privately, either from friends and family, or from professional investors such as venture capitalists. These professionals specialize in making high-risk/high-return investments in rapidly growing entrepreneurial businesses. Once firms reach a certain size, they may decide to go public by conducting an initial public offering (IPO) of stock-selling shares to outside investors and listing the shares for trading on a stock exchange. After IPOs, companies have the option of raising cash by selling additional stock in the future (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Capital Budgeting The capital budgeting function represents firms financial managers single most important activity, for two reasons. First, managers evaluate very large investments in the capital budgeting process. Second, companies can prosper in a competitive economy only be seeking out the most promising new products, processes, and services to deliver to customers. Companies such as Intel, General Electric, Shell, Samsung, and Toyota regularly make huge capital outlays. The capital budgeting process breaks down into three steps: Identifying potential investments; Analysing the set of investment opportunities and identifying those that create shareholder value; and Implementing and monitoring the investments (Source: Megginson and Smart, 2006) Risk Management Historically, risk management has identified the unpredictable act of nature risks (fire, flood, collision, and other property damage) to which firms was exposed and has used insurance products or self-insurance to manage those exposures. Todays risk-management function identifies, measures, and manages many more types of risk exposures, including predictable business risks. These exposures include losses that could result from adverse interest rate movements, commodity price changes, and currency value fluctuations. The techniques for managing such risks are among the most sophisticated of all corporate finance practices. The risk-management task attempts to quantify the sources and magnitudes of firms risk exposure and to decide whether to simply accept these risks or to manage them (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Corporate Governance Recent corporate scandals-such as financial collapses at Enron, Arthur Andersen, WorldCom, and Parmalat-clearly show that establishing good corporate governance systems is paramount. Governance systems determine who benefits most from company activities; then they establish procedures to maximize firm value and to ensure that employees act ethically and responsibly. Good management does not develop in a vacuum. It results from corporate governance systems that hires and promotes qualified, honest people, and that motivate employees to achieve company goals through salary and other incentives (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Developing corporate governance systems present quite a challenge in practice because conflicts inevitably arise among stockholders, managers, and other stakeholders interests. But rarely is it in the interest of any individual stockholder to spend the time and money needed to ensure that managers act appropriately. If individual stockholders conducted this type of oversight, they would personally bear all the costs of monitoring management, but would share the benefits with all other shareholders. This is a classic example of the collective action problem that arises in most relationship between stockholders and managers (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Bankruptcy and Corporate Financing Patterns The more debt a firm uses in its capital structure, the less likely the firm will be able to meet its debt service obligations, and the more likely default will occur (Benning and Sarig, p.347). It is this default likelihood that introduces bankruptcy costs into capital structure. As argued by Van Horne (p.268), the presence of bankruptcy costs is an important source of imperfection in the markets for corporate funds. Under imperfect conditions, there are the administrative costs of bankruptcy, and assets may have to be liquidated at less than their economic values (Bekter, p. 56). It is also this tendency that Myers (p.218) describes as the direct cost of bankruptcy. The implication of the presence of bankruptcy cost in financial leverage is manifested more by the fact that debt-financing generates risks. Not only that, but it has been argued that for instance that every financing decision comes with some risk implications on the value of the firm (Glen and Pinto, 1994). The largest bankruptcy in U.S. history was finally coming to an end. On April 20, 2004, MCI, Inc. Emerged with an announcement that it had begun distributing securities and cash to its creditors according to a court-approved reorganization plan. MCIs chief executive officer, Michael Capellas, heralded a new beginning for his company, which had filed for bankruptcy court protection twenty-one months earlier-when the company was called WorldCom-after disclosing and $11 billion accounting fraud. At the time of its Chapter 11 filing, WorldCom had assets totalling nearly $104 billion and debts of $32 billion (Megginson and Smart, 2006). WorldCom shocked the business world when the company announced in June 2002 that it had fraudulently overstated $3.9 billion of expenses as capital expenditures, which had allowed it to book higher profits during the telecom boom years of 1998-2001. WorldCom chief financial officer Scott Sullivan was fired the day the accounting fraud was disclosed, and his exit followed that of founder and long-time CEO, Bernine Ebbers, who had been forced out in April 2002. Over the next two years, more than $7 billion in additional accounting errors and frauds were uncovered,, bringing the total misstatements to $11 billion, and in a March 2004 restatement of its 2001 and 2002 financial results, the company wrote off over $74 billion in previously booked profits and goodwill (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Corporate Control Transactions Changes in corporate control occur through several mechanisms, most notably via acquisitions. An acquisition is the purchase of additional resources by a business enterprise. These resources may come from the purchase of new assets, the purchase of some of the assets of another company, or the purchase of another whole business entity, which is known as a merger. Merger is itself a general term applied to a transaction in which two or more business organizations combine into a single entity. Oftentimes, however, the term merger s reserved for a transaction in which one corporation takes over another upon the approval of both companies boards of directors and shareholders after a friendly and mutually agreeable set of terms and conditions and a price are negotiated (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Statuary Merger A statutory merger is a form of target integration in which the acquirer can absorb the targets resources directly with no remaining trace of the target as a separate entity. Many intrastate bank mergers are of this form. Subsidiary Merger Conversely, an acquirer may wish to maintain the identity of the target as either a separate subsidiary or division. A subsidiary merger is often the integration vehicle when there is brand value in the name of the target, such as the case of PepsiCos merger with Pizza Hut in 1997. Sometimes, separate tracking or target shares are issued in the subsidiarys name. Sometimes, these shares are issued as new common shares in exchange for the targets common shares, as occurred when General Motors issued new Class E and Class H shares to acquire, respectively, Electronic Data Systems and Hughes Electronics during the 1980s. Alternatively, a new class of preferred stock may be issued by the bidding firm to replace the common shares of the target as well (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Consolidation Consolidation is another integrative form used to effect a merger of two publicly traded companies. Under this form, both the acquirer and target disappear as separate corporations and combine to form an entirely new corporation with new common stock (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Dealing with the Crisis The merger of the Union Bank of Switzerland and the Swiss Bank Corporation in June 1998 resulted in UBS evolution. The new company was named originally as Union Bank of Switzerland, but officials chose to call it as UBS as the name was clashing with United Bank Switzerland a subsidiary part of the United Bank Limited, Switzerland. United Bank of Switzerland is no longer known for its name as it made its brand name UBS like 3M. The carried over logo from SBC, which stands for confidence, security and discretion has remained with UBS. With its acquisitions of Dillon Read in New York and S. G. Warburg in London, SBC had investment banking business all over the world before the merger. Due to the Long-Term Capital Management crisis, in October 1998, the first chairman of the merged bank resigned which affected the Union Bank of Switzerland. After the acquisition of Paine Webber Group Inc. by UBS in 2000, it became the largest private clients wealth management company in the world. A CHF 3.265 trillion assets was invested in wealth management businesses, including the U.S. As the company began to operate as one large firm, all the business group of UBS were rebranded under the UNBS name on the 9th June 2003. All major companies bought by Union Bank of Switzerland like UBS Paine Webber, UBS Warburg, UBS Asset Management and others were just called UBS. With the retirement of the Paine Webber brand UBS took a US$1 billion write-down for the loss of good will associated with as a result of the rebranding (www.ubs.com/1/ e/about/history.html). In a report released on 01st April 2008, 15 billion Swiss francs (US$15.1 billion) in a new capital was seeked by Swiss bank UBS AG as it expected to post net losses of 12 billion Swiss francs (US$12.1 billion) for the first quarter of 2008. Approximately US$19 billion on U.S. real estate and related credit positions were expected to write-down as UBS was hit by U.S. Subprime mortgage crisis and losses. Fitch Ratings and Standard Poors, and Moody are cut down the long term credit rating of UBS in April 2008 to AA and Aa1 respectively. A new capital of CHF 6 billion through mandatory convertible notes was announced by UBS which they had on the 16th October 2008, and was place with Swiss Confederation. Transfer agreement of approximately USD 60 billion currently illiquid securities and various assets from UBS to a separate fund entity were made between the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and UBS (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). The third quarter Group net profit was announced by UBS on 4th November which was in line with their 16th October pre announcement, CHF 296 million standing with net profit attributable to UBS shareholders. A further CHF 4.8 billion of write-downs and losses on risk positions affected that quarter in gain on tax credit of over CHF 900 million and own credit of CHF 2.2 million. In an announcement made on the 12th November 2008, UBS said that from 2009 there will be no more than one-third of any cash bonus paid out in year it is earned with the rest held in reserve. Top executives will have to hold 75% of any vested shares; incentives would also vest after three years on shares with share bonus accounts subject to malus charges. US$6 billion of equity was put into the new bad bank entity by UBS in November 2008; a benefit option was kept only if the value of its assets were to recover. UBS structure guaranteed clarity for UBS investors by making an outright sale, which was indicated as a neat package by the New York Times (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). The head of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and Chairman Jean-Pierre Roth on Friday the 30th January 2009 was quoted on Reuters as saying that the two best capitalised banks in the world are UBS and Credit Suisse. In an announcement made on the 09th February 2009 by UBS, said that it lost nearly 20 billion Swiss francs (US$17.2 billion) in 2008, which is the single-year biggest loss in the history of Switzerland. The commitment to each of the UBS business divisions and strategy were confirmed by UBS Board of Directors and the Group Executive Board on the 10th February 2009. Investigations relating to UBS U.S. cross-border business are getting resolved by entering into a deferred prosecution agreement with the US Department of Justice and a Consent Order with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. US$380 million represents disgorgement of profits from its cross-border business out of US$780 million which UBS agreed to pay. And the remaining represents the tax amount of United States which UBS failed to withhold to the accounts. The interest, penalties and restitution for unpaid taxes are included in the figures. UBS also entered into an agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the deal in which it agreed to the charges of having acted as an unregistered broker-dealer and investment adviser for Americans (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). Initiative taken CHF 20.9 billion (US$ 18 billion) loss was posted by UBS AG on the 11th march 2009 which was stated in their revised FY 2008 report. It was said that UBS was extremely cautious about the outlook of 2009. UBS announced in its Annual General Meeting held on 15th April 2009, it has plans of cutting 8,700 jobs in its return to profitability. UBS had to make about US$50 billion in write-downs and announce of 11,000 job cuts since 2007 due to the global financial crisis. UBS agreed to sell its Brazilian financial service business, UBS Pactual, to BTG Investments for approximately USD 2.5 billion in a statement made on the April 21st 2009. UBS was aiming to reduce its risk profile and to become more profitable by the sale of the Brazilian business. U.S. federal grand jury charges were made on private banker Raoul Weil for which UBS formally cut all its ties on the 1st May 2009. Raoul had been suspended in November 2008 after he was indicated in correlation to the tax evasion affair. A first quarter net loss of two billion Swiss francs (USD1.75 billion) was confirmed by UBS on May 20th 2009 which was less than initially expected. UBS restated its 2008 annual report on the May 20th 2009. A further reduction in the net profit was announced by the bank of CHF 450 million, and CHF 269 million in reduction of equity and equity attributable to UBS shareholders (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). UBS strengthened its capital base by placing 293.3 million shares from existing authorized capital by taking the advantage of current market conditions. A small number of large institutional investors were placed with the shares. In the view of the regulators it was consistent that this capital raising aims at strengthening confidence in UBS and the Swiss financial centre which is claimed by UBS. The second quarter loss of CHF 1.4 billion (US$1.32 billion) was reported on the 4th August 2009. The Swiss government made a statement of selling its CHF 6 billion stake in UBS on the 20th August 2009, making significant profit; the mandatory convertible notes of 332.2 million which it had purchased in 2008 to help UBS clear its balance sheets of toxic assets (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). In the Lundquist CSR Online Awards 2009, UBS ranked No.1 in Switzerland and No. 2 globally in November 2009. The award is given for demonstrating best online CSR communications.

Education and Business Studies Essay

1.0 Background to the study: The impact of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on learning business studies is currently in relation to use of digital media, primarily computers and internet to facilitate teaching and learning. These are the technologies used in conveying, manipulation, and storage of data by electronic means. They provide an array of powerful tools that may help in transforming the present isolated teacher-centered and text-bound classrooms into rich, student-focused and interactive knowledge environments. To meet these challenges, learning institutions must embrace the new technologies and appropriate Information Communication Technology tools for learning. The direct link between Information Communication Technology use and students’ study habit and academic performance has been the focus of extensive literature during the last two decades. Some of them help students with their learning by improving the communication between them and the instructors (Valasidou and Bousiou, 2005) . According to Leuven, (2004) stated that there is no evidence for a relationship between increased educational use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and students’ performance. In fact, they find a consistently negative and marginally significant relationship between Information Communication Technology (ICT) use and some student achievement measures. In support to these, some students may use ICT to increase their leisure time and have less time to study. Online gaming and increased communication channels do not necessarily mean increased achievement. On the other hand, Al-Hawaj, Elali, and Twizell (2008), stated that ICT has the potential to transform the nature of education: where and how learning takes place and the roles of students and teachers in the learning process. Karim and Hassan (2006) noted the exponential growth in digital information, which changes the way students perceive study and reading and in how printed materials are used to facilitate study. The ability to use ICT effectively and appropriately is now seen as essential to allow learners to acquire, exploit information within every sphere of human activity. It can be assumed that specific forms of ICT will change with time. However, the need to be able to evaluate and use ICT purposefully will remain the key to full participation in an information society. The school curriculum already reflects the perceived value and importance of developing ICT literacy, and indeed, information literacy in all students. No wonder, the Lagos state government under Tinubu, decided to inculcate the ICT appreciation programs into the various secondary schools teachers. It is no longer strange for teachers to gather relevant information for the effective teaching and learning of business studies. However, research studies of information and communication technology (ICT) in business have shown that ICT facilitates the acquisition of important cognitive skills required for effective business analysis and evaluation. It provides the process of acquiring knowledge by the use of reasoning, or perception to understand the connection between them, which allows t eachers, and student to communicate both their thoughts and interests in the subject matter and offers a better match to students’ learning style. Moreover, students can observe the real-life implications of business theories through this medium. The proposition of business theory like all scientific theories is obviously deductions from a series of postulates. In addition, the chief of these postulates are all assumptions involving in some way simple and indisputable part of experience, relating to the way in which the scarcity of goods, which is the subject matter of our science, actually shows itself in the world of reality. It should be noted that computer as a tool for ICT has a wide application in education, which can be effectively used in the instructional system by the teacher to review skill already taught, also helps learners to go over the set of instructional procedures repeatedly, likewise helps to implement traditional instruction by reinforcing or expanding skills and knowledge. In addition, teachers’ increasingly use of ICT helps to prepare their work more effectively and achieve time gains. 1.2 Statement of the problem Majority of students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions are now getting closer to computers and ICT day by day, but even with that, some had little or no knowledge of computer and internet, which may make it impossible to use Information Communication Technology (ICT) for the teaching of business studies in secondary schools. These problems have become major concern to those concerned in the teaching and learning of business education. It is therefore pertinent to find a fast way of using computers and ICT generally to teach business education in secondary schools with a view of finding lasting solutions to the problems. 1.3Purpose of the study The general aim is to ascertain the effectiveness of ICT in teaching of business studies in secondary schools. Other objectives are to: 1) Determine the level of availability of Computer facilities to secondary schools in Lagos State 2) Provide students with adequate knowledge and understanding of the tools of business analysis and of the situations and problems to which these tools are applied. 3) Examine the positive influences of using Computers in relation to academic performance of secondary school students in Agege local government. 4) Examine the positive influences of using Computers in relation to academic performance of business education students in Agege local government. 5) Ascertain relationship between the usage of Computer Education and academic performance of secondary school students in Agege local government. 1.4Research questions 1) What is the level of availability of Computer facilities to secondary schools in Lagos State? 2)Can all business education topics be taught with the use of ICT? 3)To what extent can ICT be used in the teaching of business education in secondary schools? 4)Is there any influence of ICT on the teaching of business education in secondary schools? 5)What is the relationship between ICT and the teaching of business studies as a subject? 1.5 Research hypotheses Ho1: There is no significant difference in the use of ICT in the of business studies. Ho2: There is no significant relationship between teachers’ attitudes to ICT and students in business studies. Ho3: There is no significant relationship in teachers’ adoption of ICT in the teaching of business studies and motivation to learning. 1.6 Significance of the study The research exposes both the teachers and the students of business studies to the use of ICT as a tool in teaching business studies. This will increase motivation, which goes together with a positive learning attitude and leads to more examples and attention during lesson with students being more involved in the learning activities. This also enables the students to understand the term ICT and its uses in the teaching of business studies in secondary schools. 1.7 Scope of the study This study is focused mainly on the use, reaction (attitude) and performance of students and teachers in Lagos state towards the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching of business studies. 1.8 Definition of terms †¢Business Studies- The study of the activities involved in running a business, especially the financial and managerial aspect as well as the teaching of business in junior and senior secondary schools. †¢Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – It is the processing and distribution of data using computer hardware and software, telecommunications, and digital electronics. †¢Internet- Computer based global information system, a computer that allows millions of computer users around the world to exchange information. †¢Data- Information, often in the form of facts or figures obtained from experiments or surveys, used as basis for making calculations or drawing conclusions. †¢Computer- Is any electronic device (calculating machine) that solves problems by applying prescribed instructions on data presented to it. It also said to be a machine that is capable accepting information, processing the accepted information, and give the desired output. †¢Information- The meaningful material derived from computer data by organizing them and interpreting them in a specific way. †¢Communication skill- Academic performance; refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different task giving to them by their teachers. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0Introduction It is ideal and pertinent that â€Å"any piece of research work should begin with a survey of existing literature in order to find out what is already known about a particular topic† (Adedoyin 1999). It is in the view of the above statement, therefore, a prior knowledge (no matter) how small about a particular topic or concept will enhance more meaningful contribution. 2.1Application of computer There are many are many areas of life where computers are being used today to perform feats that would have humanly impossible. We can validly say that there is no area of life that does not have its own share of computer utility. For the purpose of this research, only three aspects of these applications will be mentioned. These are gathered in the work of (Solanke, 1997) as follows: a.Scientific research: In most scientific research, it is often required to determine the values of complex equations, to also determine the behavior of objects under certain conditions and analyze a large number of samples collected from experiments. These functions are in most cases difficult to carry out. The computer has been used in this area as perfect tool for scientific research analysis. b.Education: Many education materials are being prepared using computer multimedia systems which combine voice, sound, graphics and other effects in preventives, to teach very difficult subjects. Computers are very useful in making instructions and skills available for learners to use at their convenience and as many time as possible. c.Communication: The ability to link people together for exchange of information is the goal of communication. The best of communication is today being done on computer networks. This aspect of computer application is the most paramount to this study, as most of the communication will be sent and received through computer. Apart from being a link between people in distant location, it also serves as a link for equipments and provides ready access to distant information bases. 2.2Computers in education Computer facilities creativity and productivity as it provides for individual learning and development. Sandy (1983) said â€Å"computers are brain extenders† and that â€Å"they help to strengthen our minds and also enable us to do many routines task easily and quickly.† Hawk (1990) assumed some reasons for the inclusion of computers in education among them was that computer provides for both catalytic and pedagogic rationale in education. By catalytic rationale, these aspects deal the improvement in education, while by pedagogic rationale; it deals with a better way of learning method. Having discussed about the importance of computers to the ICT world, it should be noted that teaching of business studies must be directed towards deductive and inductive reasoning, students will then be able to take materials dealing with business behavior and phenomena, and reason through their own analysis rather than passively describing business phenomena. The pedagogical emphasis should be on encouraging students to be inside the discipline, operating, in however limited a sense, as economists. In this way, business educationists are being faithful to the discipline and imparting business training to their students. 2.3Aims of business education: to think in a business way. Introductory business courses are run in educational institutions all over the world. Although their structure may vary, the aims of the courses are constituent. The general aim is to provide students with an adequate knowledge and understanding of the tools of business analysis and of the situations and problems to which these tools are applied. To facilitate students to think in a business way, the introductory business courses must promote learner autonomy, and provide access to the world of business concepts and ideas. Autonomy is a capacity – for detachment, critical reflections, decision making, and independent action. It presumes but also entails that the learner will develop a particular kind of psychological relation to the process and content of his/her learning. The capacity of autonomy will be displayed both in the way the learner learns and in the way he or she transfers what has been learnt to a wider context. It is a common place to note that learning depends on access to adequate facilities, informed teachers, illuminating materials, and so on. However, students also need to gain access to the academic business environment, Laurillard (1993), claims that every academic subject faces this same kind of challenge, to help students go beyond their experience, to use it and reflect on it, and thereby change their perspective of it, and finally change the way they experience the world. 2.4Evaluation of students’ performance as a result of ICT Use of computer alongside internet for teaching and learning purposes has received increasing attention over the recent years (Multra, 2000). A networked learning institution where students have easy access to computers could foster positive attitudes toward the use of computers in teaching and learning for a computer enriched learning environment was positively correlated with students attitude toward computer in general. (Mack, 1998). Perceived integration of computers into learning system as completes instructional system in which student learning is impacted by lecturers. A student with positive attitudes towards using computers also has positive attitudes toward using computers for learning. 2.5Factors that promote students’ positive attitude towards computer education * Constant interaction with information technology, alongside integration computer learning. * Sound foundation in computer education * To promote computer education effectively in schools, it should be ensured that technology supports the educational goals and methodology. * Use of technology at home should be encouraged * Creation of board of computer education * Build and operation computer laboratory The former University of Philippines president Senator Edgard J. Angara (2009) who led the senate in its pursuit of legislation curriculum of student in schools enlightens that in countering the depressing effects and problems facing computer education; Economic lost ground will be regain thereby student should be updated with latest advance technology. Youth should be scientifically and technically prepared to fully tap their inner talents and contribution to national development (Angara, 2009). 2.6Students’ attitudes toward technology Several studies have suggested that attitudes may be an important element in teaching children about computers (Woodrow, 1992 and Todaman Dick, 1993) stated â€Å"an important factor affecting the quality of the child’s experience of computer at school may be the teachers’ attitude toward computer acting to report by the office of Technology Assessment (OTA) there is a major problem with the exiting research assessing the import of technology. Most research relies on existing measure of students’ achievement. An important factor that needs to be included goes beyond student achievement and includes attitudinal measures. Student achievement is likely affected by their attitudes to school and learning (U.S congress, 1995). Another important variable may be the environment for student instruction in computer. In some cases the classroom tutor is in charge of computer instructions in the lab in which teacher may or may not integrate computer use with classroom instructions. There is also a need to ascertain the appropriate uses of computers in classroom and assess. The effect on teachers and students’ attitudes toward computer Nevertheless, throughout the review recurring solutions to student’s teachers attitudes to effective integration of technology is â€Å"Teachers Education in Schools as well as Readiness on students’ part. Olukemi, (2000) observed that since the teachers are the one who implement and impact computer Education knowledge, training should focus on them. Bukola, (2005) although it may not be agreed on how to involve technology in curriculum, one common goal is to foster favorable attitudes toward computers. If positive attitudes are developed in students, (Teachers) other objectives may become secondary. 2.7Opportunities and limitation of ICT in bus iness education. Research studies of ICT use in business education have shown that ICT empowers students and allows them access to the discipline. Various types of ICT tool are used in business courses: tutorial, testing, database, spreadsheet, and tools of local area network and the internet. Each provides opportunity for students to think ‘in a business way’. We should not dismiss the fact that traditional classrooms fast to support learner autonomy and provide access to the discipline; instead, taking the stance that ICT in an business/commerce class offers teachers more options to create learning environment that enables to think ‘in a business way’ whether these opportunities are perceived and taken up depends on the class participants, the tools and the learning environment. Perkins (1993) cites various studies to assert that it is erroneous to assume that ‘as long as a support system is available, people will more or less automatically take advantage of the oppo rtunities that it affords’. Dauite (1985) and Cochran-Smith (1991), in their studies of the use of word-processors in the classroom, observed that most students used them primarily to make minor stylistic, grammatical and spelling corrections to get nice print-outs. It was the more experienced writers that were able to utilize the powerful editing mechanisms of the word-processor. They used it to play their essays and make structural revisions that would have been done more painfully by hand. In their research, Ford (1995) states that most ICT packages do not have a significant effect on learning and teaching activities in schools because only a small proportion of their potential is used. The extent to which learning opportunities are actually taken up depends on where and how ICT is situated in the class. For decades, according to research, there has been a lack of delivery systems designed to adjust teaching to individual students in the class. Advocates of ICT in education argued that ICT packages provide students with learners’ autonomy that is crucial to the learning process. The following sections discuss that different aspect of learner autonomy, learner control, task orientation and critical reflection. 2.8Summary It should be noted from above discussion that the world is fast changing in terms of technologies. The traditional way of teaching business studies in the classroom should be upgraded to the modern ways where ICT and other electronic media are used in teaching. The advent of information and communication technologies (ICT) has made traditional formal educational no longer adequate to meet the needs of rapidly developing world and this fact motivated a burst into creative activities in designing appropriate non-formal methods as both an alternative and a supplement to the traditional ones. Through the ICT, the teaching of economics can be achieved in packaged instruction on some topics. This will go a long way in reducing stress on the part of the teacher and to create fun when handled by the students in and outside the classroom environment (osugbamide & Adebayo 2007). If the use of ICT initiated by the relevant school administrators is accepted completely by the teachers, then students learning habits will change for the better and their performance when evaluated will soar positively. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHOLOGY 3.1Introduction This chapter describes procedures followed in achieving the goals and objectives of this research work: (The effectiveness of ICT in teaching of business studies in secondary schools. It refers to all the activities involved in the collection of necessary data needed for this research work. It includes research design, sampling plan, unit, frame, size, and method of collection and research instrument. The research methodology was discussed under the following headings: i. Research design ii. Population of the study iii. Sample and sampling technique iv. Research instrument v. Field testing of research instrument vi. Validity and reliability of research instrument vii. Method of data collection viii. Method of data analysis 3.2Research design The aim of this study is to find out the effectiveness of ICT in teaching of business studies in secondary school. 3.3Population of the study The population of teachers for this research was taken from fifteen (15) secondary schools in Agege local government Area of Lagos State. The selection was made based on the fact that, with the advent of Lagos ‘EKO PROJECT’ in 2010, there is no school in Lagos State without computer(s) and internet facilitates. 3.4Sampling techniques: Sampling is a process of measuring part of the population i.e. subset, which is subjected to intensive-study and analysis. The sample for the study comprised of fifteen randomly selected schools in Agege local government. They were selected using the simple random sampling technique. 3.5Research instrument: The instrument used by the researcher in collecting data for the study includes-: * A set of structured questionnaires. * Observation method was used for proper identification on the effectiveness of ICT in teaching of business studies in secondary school. * These questionnaires were used to collect information concerning the effectiveness of ICT in teaching of business studies in secondary school. Personal interviews were also conducted with a few teachers and the students to obtain views from them. 3.6Validity and reliability of research instrument: The researcher submitted the questionnaires to the supervisor for face and content validity after which the instruments were administered. 3.7Method of data collection: A total of Two-hundred (50) copies of the questionnaire were distributed by the researcher with the assistance of a research personnel or colleague to administer to Students in the various (selected) secondary schools. Retrievals were filled so as to avoid missing anyone and to give the researcher ample opportunity to respond on the spot to any likely question that may arise from filling the questionnaire. 3.8Method of data analysis: The collected completed questionnaires were coded and analyzed using the descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages were used in analyzing demographic variables while the inferential statistics of Chi-square(x2) were used to test the stated hypotheses significance at â€Å"0.05† level of significance.

Main Issues In Combined Freight Transportation Engineering Essay

The chief issues in combined freight transit can be classified into six chief classs as shown in Figure 1. These classs include histrions and cardinal participants, operations, ordinances and policies, substructure, Information and Communication Technology, and environmental issues. Figure: Main classs of combined conveyance Actors and cardinal participants could be categorized by the type of operator and the operational jobs. The assorted undertakings along the transit concatenation are largely executed by four operators that could be distinguished in drayage, terminus, web, and intermodal operator ( Moccia et al. , 2008 ) . The undermentioned subdivisions give some farther information about each of them.Drayage OperatorDrayage operators are responsible for transporting the cargo between shippers and consignees severally and within the terminus ( Puettmann and Stadtler, 2010 ; Macharis and Bontekoning, 2004 ; Caris et al. , 2008 ) . Normally they are send oning companies that receive petitions for conveyance and make all the necessary agreements to transport the burden from its beginning to its finish. Rail terminuss, port installations and shipper/third party installations comprise the drayage location. In each drayage location there are many independent drayage operators who compete with one another to supply drayage services utilizing their ain assets ( i.e. forces, tractors, dawdlers, human body and containers, whether borrowed, owned or rented ) or frequently sub-contracting with many independent owner-operators ( Nadan, 2003 ) . The bulk of drayage operators are close ports. At the port there is a high volume of containers ‘ reachings. When a container arrives at the port, the latter can be delivered to its finish by train or truck. Some of those containers are transported by rail to nearby rail paces for long-haul bringing by train. But the bulk of the containers is hauled by short-haul truck, called drayage, and is less than 100 kilometres ( Robert and Poole, 2007 ) . A drayage operator picks up an empty dawdler or container either at an empty terminal, at a terminus or at a consignee. Then the operator provides it to the shipper and the subsequent transit of a full dawdler or container to the terminus. Delivery operation involves the distribution of a full container or dawdler from the terminus to a consignee. Then it collects the empty container or dawdler and transports it to the terminus, an empty terminal, or the shipper. Trucks are able to divide the tractor and dawdler which allows two processs. In the â€Å" stay-with † process the tractor and the driver stay with the container/trailer during the loading/unloading. In the â€Å" drop-and-pick † process a full or empty trailer/container is dropped off the shipper/receiver. During loading/unloading continuance the tractor and driver are free to transport out other activities. Each drayage company faces jobs such as trip programming between shipper, terminuss and receiving system ( Wang and Regan, 2002 ; Imai et al. , 2007 ) . This job could be enlarged from the terminus demands, client ‘s pick-up and bringing times, realistic bounds on the length of the on the job twenty-four hours, and on-road travel times. The bulk of the cargos normally are known in progress. Nevertheless, sometimes tonss have to be reassigned due to traffic or some terminuss ‘ holds. But the general job of drayage operations is its cost effectivity. In malice of the comparatively short distance alternatively of long-haul rail or flatboat, drayage histories for 25-40 % ( Macharis and Bontekoning, 2004 ) of transit concatenation disbursals. As a effect it affects a batch the profitableness of the whole transit service. For work outing this job a drayage operator should make up one's mind to collaborate with other drayage companies without impacting though the seasonableness of operations.Terminal OperatorTerminal operator manages the modal displacement which take topographic points at the terminus and is responsible for the transshipment operations from flatboat to thrust ahead, route to inveigh or thrust ahead, or rail to inveigh ( Puettmann and Stadtler, 2010 ; Macharis and Bontekoning, 2004 ; Caris et al. , 2008 ) . Normally a terminal consists of a route, rail, and flatboat gate where trucks, trains, or flatboats severally enter and leave the terminus. There is a storage country for hive awaying the tonss for more than a twenty-four hours and the buffer country ( cross-docking ) , which is for short continuance storage. There is besides storage and conveyance equipment and lifting equipment for lading or droping the trains, trucks, and flatboats. Different operations have to be carried out for different types of burden units i.e. containers, swap-bodies, dawdlers or complete trucks. It is besides of import to advert that the operations are non the same for every manner of conveyance. In add-on, the equipment which is used has to be suited and cater to the demands of the burden units. Terminals can use different transshipments techniques, layouts, dimensions, operational schemes etc. An optimum operation terminus is the basic end for the terminus operator. That depends on the demand volume and the type of the exchange i.e. road-barge, road-rail, or rarely rail-rail or barge-barge or rail-barge. Exchange increases the entire conveyance cost and the lead clip in concatenation. Consequently, exchange operations need to be efficient and fast. Terminal operators have to do strategic, tactical, or operational determinations to run into the demands. At strategic degree terminus operator takes attention of the design of the terminus ( Ferreira and Sigut, 1995 ; Meyer, 1998 ; Rizzoli et al. , 2002 ; Ballis and Golias, 2004 ; Bontekoning, 2006 ; Vis, 2006 ; Rijsenbrij and Wieschemann, 2011 ) . At the tactical degree terminus operators take determinations about the needed capacity degrees of equipment and labor ( Kemper and Fischer, 2000 ; Kozan, 2000 ; Kulick and Sawyer, 2001 ; Huynh 2005 ) and the redesign of the operational modus operandis and layout constructions ( Voges et al. , 1994 ; MartA ±nez et al. , 2004 ) . Finally terminus operator has to make up one's mind at operational degree for resource allotment ( John Hargreaves, 1990 ) and scheduling of occupations ( Alicke, 200 2 ; Corry and Kozan, 2006 ; Gambardella et al. , 2001 ) .Network OperatorNetwork operator takes attention of the substructure planning ( strategic degree ) and long-haul transit ( Puettmann and Stadtler, 2010 ) . He is responsible for the organisation of rail or flatboat conveyance ( Macharis and Bontekoning, 2004 ; Caris et al. , 2008 ) . At tactical degree has to take determinations about agendas of service and pricing services and about day-to-day operations of the services at operational degree. Infrastructure determinations trade with the interconnectivity of the manners in order to accomplish combined conveyance ironss ( Crainic et al. , 1990 ; Loureiro, 1994 ; Southworth and Peterson, 2000 ; Klodzinski and Al-Deek, 2004 ; Tan et al. , 2004 ; Groothedde et al. , 2005 ; Parola and Sciomachen, 2005 ) and besides the location of terminuss ( Meinert et al. , 1998 ; Rutten, 1998 ; Arnold and Thomas, 1999 ; Groothedde and Tavasszy, 1999 ; Macharis and Verbeke, 1999 ; Van Duin and Van Ham, 2001 ; Arnold et al. , 2004 ; Macharis, 2004 ; Racunica and Wynter, 2005 ; Kapros et al. , 2005 ; Limbourg and Jourquin, 2008 ; Soerensen et al. , 2011 ) . In some states authorities normally take these determinations and considers for the impact of a capacity addition and the effects of price/cost additions or lessenings on the usage of the different substructure webs. On the other manus, private sector hunts for the optimum location of terminuss and the authorities supports the most interesti ng investings. At tactical degree a web operator, foremost, has to find what sort of services itwill offer. Ithas to alter the attack of long draw conveyance services from travel on demand to a fix service agenda which has to be planned several months or a twelvemonth in progress. For accomplishing this end the operator has to make up one's mind what consolidation web to utilize i.e. a point-to-point web, a line web, a hub-and-spoke web and a trunk-collection-and-distribution web ( Janic et al. , 1999 ; Newman and Yano, 2000a ; Newman and Yano, 2000b ) . A 2nd tactical determination for a web operator is the type of production theoretical account, that is, how to run the trains and the flatboats. This involves determinations about the frequence of service, train length, capacity planning of equipment and allotment of equipment to paths ( Nozick and Morlok, 1997 ; Choong et al. , 2002 ; Lin and Chen, 2004 ; Li and Tayur, 2005 ) . In add-on, pricing scheme determinations has to be considered at this degree. Pricing a combined conveyance merchandise is a truly complicated issue. It requires an accurate cost computation and penetration in the market state of affairs as many histrions are related to the assorted parts of the combined conveyance concatenation ( Tsai et al. , 1994 ; Yan et al. , 1995 ; Li and Tayur, 2005 ) . Finally, at the operational degree, web operator has to take daily direction determinations. Mostly it has to pull off the fleet as the burden order of the flatboats and trains ( Feo and Gonzalez-Velarde, 1995 ; Powell and Carvalho, 1998 ) , redistribution of railway cars or push flatboats ( Chih and new wave Dyke, 1987 ; Chih et al. , 1990 ) , and the burden units. A typical job in combined road/rail conveyance is the assignment of a set of dawdlers and containers to the available flatbeds that can travel this equipment. This job is rather complex as there are different types of flatbeds, and many types of dawdlers and containers.Intermodal OperatorIntermodal operators are users of the intermodal substructure and services, and carry on the optimum path choice of cargos through the whole intermodal web ( Puettmann and Stadtler, 2010 ; Macharis and Bontekoning, 2004 ; Caris et al. , 2008 ) . Intermodal operators organize the transit of cargos on behalf of shippers. Intermodal operators buy the services offered by drayage, web, and terminal operators. At the operational degree they choose paths and services in bing intermodal webs ( Min, 1991 ; Barnhart and Ratliff, 1993 ; Boardman et al. , 1997 ; Ziliaskopoulos and Wardell, 2000 ; Erera et al. , 2005 ) . Taking such a determination is more complex than routing jobs of route draw. In route draw least dearly-won or less clip devouring path is more preferred. But in combined conveyance there is a big assortment of combinations of transit manners. So a average pick job has to take into history specific cargo volumes and specific clip restraints.Regulations & A ; PoliciesThe current policy of the European Commission requires that conveyance systems should be able to turn without serious negative impact on the environment, every bit good as on economic and societal costs. However, the sustainability of the European conveyance system faces some barriers such as: mutual exclusiveness of substructure, turning CO2 emanations from conveyance, dependance on fossil fuels, altering forms in mobility, low safety, lifting congestions, and charges and monetary values deformations ( REFERENCE ) .Incompatible substructureEurope consists of many states and as a consequence, the bulk of the bing substructure has been designed to function national instead than European economic system. This state of affairs created deficiency of comprehensive criterions on substructure design, traffic direction, power supplies and informations exchange. Since now more than 400 billion euros have been spent for developing Trans-European conveyance webs ( TEN-T ) ( REFERENCE ) . But still there are chief deficits in substructure as transalpine tunnels, rail corridors, intermodal nodes for rail and sea or air conveyance, and IT substructure to back up intermodal conveyance. Poor Trans-Europe substructure in combination with deficiency of i nternational cooperation consequences to the undermentioned inefficiencies ( Impact Assessment, 2010 ) : Lack of joint traffic prognosiss taking to differing investing programs ; Disconnected or even contradictory timelines ; Lack of joint investings computation and joint fiscal constructions ; Incompatible proficient features ; Inadequate joint direction of cross-border substructure undertakings. For sustainable substructure programs there are some actions to be taken. The list below shows some of them. Joined investings programs Coordinated land planning Further development of TEN-T web Open criterions for information exchange systems Open criterions for design of substructureTurning Greenhouse Gas emanationsTransport sector has greatly increased its activity for the last twosome decennaries now. The growing rate of GHG emanations in conveyance is higher than any other sector comparing to 1990. Harmonizing to the information of European Environment Agency in twelvemonth 2010, conveyance is accounted for 19.7 % of entire GHG emanations in EU-27, as it is shown in Figure 2.This growing of conveyance activities concerns for its environmental sustainability. The energy efficiency is increasing but the gait of betterments is non sufficient to make sustainable conveyance in Europe. Figure: GHG emanations by sector ( Source: EU statistical pocketbook 2012 ) The EU White Paper on Transport, ( 2011 ) refers that European committee has set specific ends. The first end of new conveyance policy is to maintain the conveyance turning and support mobility while accomplishing the end of 60 % GHG emanations decrease by 2050 comparing to 1990 degree. In order to accomplish this end the European Commission has defined ten ends for a competitory and resource efficient conveyance system which benchmarks for accomplishing the 60 % GHG emanation decrease mark ( see extensively in White Paper, 2011, pp. 9-11 ) . In general, actions that should be taken towards the rejuvenation of cargo conveyance are as follows: bing engineerings have to be replaced by green engineerings ; use of electric autos is preferred, phasing out â€Å" conventionally-fueled † vehicles from urban countries ; decrease of C in maritime and air power conveyance.Dependence on fossil fuelsConveyance is still 97 % dependant on fossil fuels ( REFERENCE ) . Since now Transport has non reduced significantly its GHG strength by exchanging to cleaner energy beginnings. European Union has adopted a adhering mark of a 10 % portion of renewable energy beginnings in conveyance by 2020 ( Directive, 2009 ) as portion of the clime alteration and energy bundle. Switching to greener vehicles will necessitate the development of alternate fuelling/charging substructure. Another of import action is concentrating on research in cost-efficient renewable fuels. The new green engineerings for green vehicles are important, so there is a demand for shorter design-to-market rhythms.Low safetyOne of the objects included in the EU White Paper ( 2001 ) , was to halve casualties in route conveyance by 2010. This end has non been achieved although different actions had been taken in many Member States. In air power sector was implemented a set of common, unvarying and compulsory statute law covering all the cardinal safety elements: airdrome care, airdrome direction, operations of air traffic direction systems. The most advanced regulative models for safety and pollution bar was established by EU in maritime sector. Another job is that European conveyance corridors are common for cargo and rider conveyance. This has caused many accidents with a consequence of over 40000 accident human deaths until 2000 ( White Paper, 2001 ) . For cut downing the sum of human deaths, EU has to take some steps i.e. dividing lading and rider corridors. Signing systems has besides to be improved and new vehicles safety systems to be implemented.Rising congestionRoad conveyance is the chief manner for goods motion. Harmonizing to the European Commission the portion of route conveyance is 73 % , somewhat decreased by 3.9 % from 2009 ( Road Freight Transport Vademecum, 2010 ) . At the same clip the portion of rail is merely 17 % with inland waterways and oil grapevines accounting for 5 % each ( Road Freight Transport Vademecum, 2009 ) .The congestion in urban countries and on the cardinal theodolite roads works as a barrier for the current capacity of conveyance webs run intoing the turning demand. The dependability of route conveyance suffers and the clip length of journeys is acquiring longer. Besides some airdromes are really engorged. For work outing this job, European Commission published the 2001 White Paper on European Conveyance Policy. The thought was to cut down that congestion by switching from route onto rail, waterways or short-sea transportation. In add-on, great accent is given on the usage of intermodal conveyance. Furthermore, harmonizing to the EU statistical pocketbook ( 2012 ) , route conveyance is the less environment friendly mode as it causes 71.7 % of entire GHG emanations. For that ground route conveyance has to go greener and more efficient excessively. New vehicle engineerings, better substructure, fuel efficiency and â€Å" eco-driving † are needed. There is a demand of assisting solution for take downing the congestion by intelligent mobility and conveyance demand direction. There is still a deficiency of concerted systems based on vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure-communications that might in the longer term better well the efficiency of the traffic direction and relieve congestion ( Golinska and Hajdul, 2012 ) . In order to avoid addition in aviation congestion high-velocity rail should absorb much medium distance traffic. Another action is to increase the denseness of rail webs and make efficient and green cargo corridors. There is besides a demand for development of intermodal hubs and intermodal integrating of conveyance services.Mobility formsThe advancement in traveling traffic from route conveyance to other manners is still really limited. European Commission has tried a batch to convert companies to alter their organisation of logistics procedures and take into history when be aftering the impact of environment and society, but the consequences were negative. Entrepreneurs largely concern about the fiscal consequences and if there is non a strong statement of betterment, they are non interested in utilizing options to route conveyance manners. Therefore, it is deserving to observe that the pick of manners of conveyance straight affects some factors such as monetary value, the susceptibleness of the lading and the features of conveyance manners. Furthermore, sometime is impossible to utilize rail, inland waterway or intermodal conveyance. For work outing the above jobs, there is a demand for incorporate logistics systems which should be monitored enabling the co-modality, standardisation and interoperability across manners. Furthermore, a platform has to be created for linking the airdromes and ports with efficient rail services. Another action is the constitution of the model for European multimodal conveyance information, direction and payment system attractive frequences and comfort. Smart intermodal fining, with common EU criterions is another solution ( Golinska and Hajdul, 2012 ) .Monetary values and revenue enhancements deformationsThe distinction of monetary values for the usage of route in extremum and off-peak hours is really rarely. There is besides deficiency of inducements for use of more soundless vehicles, safer and more environment friendly manners of conveyance. Furthermore the congestion charges, which represent the cost of substructure scarceness, are non frequently imposed. On the other manus, conveyance system generates grosss for public budget including: Energy revenue enhancements ( 1.9 % of GDP ) coming from fuel revenue enhancements on route conveyance and private autos ( Eurostat, 2008 ) ; Vehicle revenue enhancements ( 0.6 % of GDP ) ; Tolls and charges for substructure usage. Although users pay a important sum, the monetary value frequently bears small connexion to the existent costs of conveyance in society. The rule â€Å" defiler wages † is non ever respected. The costs imposed on conveyance users do non reflect disbursals to keep and develop the substructure. Furthermore, the pricing system fails to maneuver the demand for most efficient and sustainable mobility picks. Therefore monetary values and revenue enhancements should be connected with sustainability. Local authoritiess have to self-finance the development and care of substructure giving besides incentives for local companies for use of intermodal conveyance. They besides have to follow purely the rules of â€Å" user wages † and â€Å" defiler wages † and extinguish the harmful subsidies. In add-on there is a demand of a regulative model and advanced fiscal instruments for unlocking the potency of private sector in co-financing substructure ‘s deployment and cares within public-private partnership ( PPP ) undertakings.InfrastructureTransport substructure is a cardinal component for the economic growing and development and it plays a cardinal function to increase the growing and occupations in Europe. An efficient substructure which warrants handiness could pull centres of production and ingestion and therefore impacts positively on the regional economic system. More eff icient substructures enable a better mobility for people and goods every bit good as a better connexion between parts. In add-on, planning, design and building of substructures have remained mostly unchanged over the last century ; therefore attending has to set besides on the research of new building stuffs processes with the purpose to introduce the sector. Research has to be concentrated on processs and stuffs that minimize nursery gas emanations, on design and planning that respect landscape and geographical diverseness whilst lending to decongestion major conveyance corridors, and on techniques that will guarantee longer life and reduces care intercessions.Road substructureEuropean Union has made great attempts to advance multimodality but route conveyance has still a turning tendency. For this ground there is an immediate necessity to increase route capacity and efficiency. Roads must be able to absorb the ongoing and increasing flow of vehicles and guarantee at the same clip an equal degree of safety. Such public presentations must be developed in largest portion on bing webs. Therefore non me rely new building methods, but besides sustainable care of the bing web is paramount. Care of route substructure deserves a particular attending for two chief grounds. First, many accidents ( e.g. rollovers of HV or skidding of vehicles in general ) have caused due to the hapless status of route substructure. Second, care plants hinder and disrupt the bringing ‘s free flow therefore increasing their costs. For avoiding these two scenarios, more effectual and lasting care techniques are needed i.e. safe and efficient night-time operations. Furthermore, there is a demand for more fluid traffic flow to cut down vehicles emanations, as transit sectors accounts the biggest per centum of CO2 emanations ( Laura, V, 2008 ) . Some of the most of import roads are included in the Trans-European route web. It includes more than 65.100 kilometer expresswaies and 5.000.000 kilometers paved roads ( Steer Davies Gleave, 2009 ) , whether bing, new or to be adapted which: Play an of import function in long-distance traffic Bypass the chief urban centres on the routed identified by the web Provide interconnectedness with other manners of conveyance Link landlocked and peripheral parts of the Union Beyond these, this web guarantees users a high, unvarying and uninterrupted degree of services, comfort and safety ( Bergmans, L, 2009 ) .Sea and river portsHarmonizing to ( CIA, 2011 ) in European Union there are 24 oversea ports. The most of import one is the Port of Rotterdam which is the largest one and located in the metropolis of Rotterdam. Such havens can function at their quayside deep-sea vass with a loading capacity of more than 8.000 container units ( TEU ) . Smaller regional ports are linked with the oversea ports by Feeder vass which have capacity up to 1.200 TEU. Inland flatboats are used to transport containers into the backwoods on rivers and channels and they are besides served by Cranes. Ports can be divided into two subdivisions: riders and lading. The latter one normally offers terminal installations. Such terminuss consist of two external interfaces. These interfaces are the quayside with burden and unloading of ships, and the landside where the containers are loaded and unloaded on/off trucks and trains. When a container vas arrives at the port, it is assigned to a position equipped with Cranes to lade and unload containers. At the instance of RoRo vass, trucks with their lading issue from the inclines. Unloaded import containers are transported to yard places near to put where they will be transshipped following. Containers geting by railroad or route are managing within the truck and train operation country ( Steenken et al. , 2004 ) . Seaport terminal.jpg Figure: Container terminus system ( Beginning: Steeken et al. , 2004 ) At every port terminus there is managing equipment such as Cranes, conveyance agencies and helping systems. The quay Cranes for lading and droping ships play a polar function. There are two types of quay Cranes: single-trolley Cranes and dual-trolley Cranes. Crane drivers are supported by a semi-automatic guidance system. These Cranes can function around 50 boxes per hr, while in operation the public presentation is about 25 boxes per hr. A 2nd class of Cranes is applied to tonss. There are either rail mounted gauntry Cranes ( RMG ) which are more stable, or rubber tired gauntries ( RTG ) which are more flexible, and over-head span Cranes which are mounted on concrete or tip pillars. At port terminuss there is besides a assortment of vehicles for the horizontal transit both for the ship-to-shore transit and the landside operation. The first category of vehicles is these which are non able to raise containers i.e. trucks with dawdlers, multi- dawdlers and automatic guided ( AGV ) ( Vis and Harika, 2004, Yang et al. , 2004 ) . Transport vehicles of the 2nd category are those which are able to raise containers i.e. Straddle bearers, forklifts, and range stackers. The first 1 is the most of import because it can besides stack containers in the pace. Last but non least are the helping systems which help for the organisation and optimisation of the work flow. Such systems are communication systems and positioning systems. Terminal operators support a really frequent communicating with external parties like agents, transporting lines, truck and rail companies, forwarders, governmental governments like imposts, waterway constabulary and others. The communicating is based on international criterions ( EDIFACT ) and every alteration of lading position is communicated between the several parties ( Steeken et al. , 2004 ) .Rail substructureHarmonizing to ( Steer Davies Gleave, 2009 ) in TEN-T web there are more than 212.000 kilometer of rail lines, out of which about 110.500 kilometers are electrified and the cargo conveyance trains could make a length up to 750 m. There are besides many road-rail container terminuss which support this web. Such terminuss include: Gates, internal route web, Loading and driving lanes for the trucks, Storage or buffer lanes for IntermodalTransportUnits, Transshipment paths ( besides called as burden paths ) for the train loading/unloading operations, and Rail turnouts for train/wagon storage, marshalling and review The equipment which seems to rule among conventional equipment is reach stackers and rail-borne gauntry Cranes. On little terminuss reach stacker is the major mean for raising, managing, transporting, and stacking ITUs. This is due to the low cost and flexibleness that offers ( Ballis and Golias, 2001 ) . Unlike rider terminuss, rail cargo paces do non hold to be so centrally located because of the great trade of infinite for multiple paths for marshaling. Rail paces, could pull fabricating activities able to utilize distribution capablenesss of rail, and therefore go industrial zones. In add-on, rail cargo terminuss perform four major maps ( Rodrigue et al, 2009 ) : Majority: These rail terminuss are linked with extractive industries such as agribusiness, excavation and wood merchandises. Grain lifts are normally used to hive away, blend, and burden grain into railway cars. Roll on/ Roll off: Vehicles are rolled in a railway car utilizing a incline. This operation requires a big sum of parking vehicles. Intermodal: The map of burden and droping unitized cargo from railway cars demands specific intermodal equipment. Shunting: The map of piecing, screening and breakage of cargo trains. Trains can be composed of up to about 100 railway cars. The major job of cargo conveyance in European Union are the obstructions its faces on cross-border traffic. For case, the most dramatic grounds of such barriers is different path gages, electricity supply and the signaling systems. The deployment of ERTMS, the European signaling system, is come oning easy ; so far, merely discontinued subdivisions of lines are equipped, and engines still need to be to boot equipped with national systems. Furthermore, the length of trains is non harmonized across Europe. Another job is the deficiency of efficient and effectual intermodal terminuss, different service degrees across manners, deficiency of criterions, and losing substructure links, particularly across boundary lines ( Impact Assessment, 2010 ) .Freight VillageIn international bibliography, the term â€Å" nodal centre † or â€Å" freight nodal terminus † is encountered with assorted names: â€Å" Cargo Villages † ( United Kingdom ) , â€Å" Platformes Multimodales/L ogistiques † ( France ) , â€Å" Logistics Park, Interporto † ( Italy ) , â€Å" Gueterverkehrszentren † ( Germany ) ( Tsamboulas and Dimitropoulos, 1999 ) . The first cargo small towns were created in France around 1960 and subsequently appeared besides in Italy and Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom ( Kapros et. al. , 2005 ) . A freight small town is the hub of a specific country where all the activities associating to transport, logistics and goods distribution – both for national and international theodolite – are carried out, on a commercial footing, by assorted operators ( Ballis and Mavrotas, 2007, Pal otas, and Bazaras, 2004, Afandizadeh and Moayedfar, 2007 ) . It is noted that â€Å" intermodal † or â€Å" multimodal † terminuss constitute a chief constituent of nodal centres for goods where the transshipment of goods from one manner to the other takes topographic point. However, freight small towns reflect to a modern manner of forming logistics, conveyance and goods distribution activities. Normally provides subsidiary installations such as warehouses, distribution centres, storage countries, offices, truck services, bank, postal, insurance services and in certain instances Customs substructures ( Europlatforms, 2004 ) . In add-on, a cargo small town located in the locality of a big metropolis may supply an efficient solution to urban conveyance jobs including traffic congestion, regional competiveness, and quality of life. The cost of land acquisition and cargo small town buildings every bit good as with distribution systems and operations of storage is high plenty. For this ground, such an investing has to take attention of all related facets that include site location choice, site-level layout planning and warehouse design facets.Warehouse and cross-docking countriesCross-docking services are chiefly used by many companies in different industries ( e.g. retail houses and less-than-truckload ( LTL ) logistics suppliers ) . The thought behind cross-docking is to reassign incoming cargos straight to surpassing vehicles without the procedure of storage between these two operations. The end of this service is to consolidate the cargos, to cut down the bringing lead clip and costs, etc. The function of cross-docking in industry even seems to increase ( Boysen and Fliender, 2010, Apte and Viswanathan, 2000, Saddle Creek Corp. , 2011 ) . Cross-docking can be describes as the procedure of consolidating cargo with the same finish ( but coming from several beginnings ) , with minimum handling and small or no storage between droping and burden of the goods ( Belle et al. , 2012 ) . The focal point on cross-docking services is now on the transshipping, non keeping cost. On the other manus, warehousing includes four major maps: receiving, hive awaying, picking, despatching. Storage and picking are the normally the most dearly-won. Storage is expensive due to the stock list handling costs and picking due to labour intensive. Goods can be stored for several yearss or even hebdomads, alternatively of approximately 24h as many writers say in cross-docking ( Bartholdi and Gue, 2004, Li et al. , 2004, Vahdani and Zandieh, 2010, Wen et al. , 2009 ) . But many organisations use a mixture of warehousing and cross-docking to unite the benefits of both attacks. A terminus which its chief installations are for cross-docking is called cross-dock. Most cross-docks are long, narrow rectangles ( I-shape ) , but other forms are besides used ( L, T, X, aˆÂ ¦ ) ( Bartholdi and Gue, 2004 ) . There is no particular substructure to present cargo, a ‘strip door ‘ where the cargo is unloaded, and a ‘stack door ‘ where the cargo is loaded on the outbound trucks. The advantages of a cross-dock ( Belle et al. , 2012 ) are the undermentioned: Cost decrease ( warehousing costs, stock list costs, managing costs, labour costs, transit costs ) ; Shorter bringing lead clip ( from provider to consignee ) ; Improved client service ; Faster stock list turnover ; Decrease of storage infinite ; Fewer overstocks ; Reduced hazard for loss and harm ; Consolidation cargos ; Improved resource use ( e.g. full truckloads ) ; Better lucifer between shipment measures and existent demand. The advantages make cross-docking an interesting logistic scheme that can give companies considerable competitory advantages.EnvironmentTransport contributes significantly to general economic development. However, conveyance has negative influences on wellness and the environment, notably through air pollution, route traffic hurts, traffic noise, psychological and societal impacts, land usage and possibilities for physical activity ( WHO, 1999 ) . Harmonizing to ( UNECE/WHO Europe, 2004 ) , policy has besides focused on the function of conveyance on clime alteration.Air pollutionThe conveyance sector contributes about 25 per cent of the air pollution burden, most of it from vehicles. Air pollution is responsible for many symptoms and diseases. It leads to increased mortality ( premature deceases ) , increased admittances to hospital for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, increased frequence of respiratory symptoms and usage of medicine by people with asthma, and reduced lung ma p ( WHO Europe, 1995 ) . It besides reduces life anticipation. Ozone ( O3 ) , airborne particulate affair ( PM ) and lead ( Pb ) are the transport-related pollutants that pose most concerns, but sulfur dioxide ( SO2 ) , nitrogen dioxide ( NO2 ) , C monoxide ( CO ) , lead scavengers and assorted carcinogens are besides noteworthy. In EU states life anticipation is estimated that it is shortened by 8.6 months by air pollution ( UNECE/WHO Europe, 2009 ) and at 2000 about 350,000 lives lost due to exposure to air pollution ( WHO Europe, 2005 ) . WHO has set an air-quality guideline degree at 20 I?g/m3. However, harmonizing to ( ENHIS, 2007 ) exposure degrees to PM10 ( Particulate affairs with diameter less than 10 I?g ) varied from 13 to 14 I?g/m3 ( Finland, Ireland ) to 53 to 56 I?g/m3 ( Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia ) . The study of ( ENHIS, 2007 ) besides summarized that 89 % of people in European part are exposed to more than the WHO ‘s bound and around 14 % of population exceeds the EU bound value of 40 I?g/m3.NoiseWHO guidelines limit noise degrees for residential countries to 55 dubnium ( A ) during the twenty-four hours and to 45 dubnium ( A ) during the dark ( WHO, 1999 ) . Conveyance is the most of import beginning of community noise across Europe. Approximately 30 % of the EU-15 population is exposed to degrees of route traffic noise of more than 55 dubnium ( A ) . In general, the WHO guidelines for noise are frequently exceeded in South East Europe on route with high traffic tonss ( UNECE/WHO Europe, 2009 ) . But noise is emanating non merely from the motion of conveyance vehicles but besides from the operations of ports, airdrome and rail paces. Break of communicating, damage of hearing, and bad sleep quality can be effects of noise. Continuous noise above 30 dubnium ( A ) and indoor noise above of 45dB ( A ) can impact sleep quality, cause weariness and reduced public presentation. Prolonged or inordinate exposure to resound ( e.g. 65-70 dubnium ( A ) ) can do lasting medical conditions such as high blood pressure ( Berglund et al. , 1999 ) . European Commission aims are to guarantee a high degree of wellness and environmental protection and at the same time to safeguard internal market for motor vehicles. To accomplish this Commission ‘s proposal foresees a entire decrease of 4 dubnium ( A ) for light vehicles and 3 dubnium ( A ) for heavy vehicles ( European Commission, 2011 ) . This measure will be introduced from 1 January 2015.Energy usageMotorized conveyance depends on fossil fuels, e.g. oil merchandises, which account for more than 98 % of the conveyance sector ‘s energy ingestion. Alternatively of fossil fuels, there are besides other prevailing options, such as biogas, H, electricity, and intercrossed vehicles. However, there is besides a strong trust on fossil fuels. As a consequence, GHG emanations from conveyance are closely tied to transport demand ( BRRT, 2007c, Woodcock et al. , 2007 ) . Since the terminal of 1990s, energy ingestion has been increasing across Europe. Coal is more competitory than the high gas monetary values. This tendency may go on if no extra policies and steps are implemented ( BRRT, 2007d ) . The ratio of addition from 1990-2000 is 2 % which is equal to 365 Mtoe ( million dozenss oil equivalent ) in 2000 ( some 35 % of all energy usage ) . As a effect, the more energy is consumed the more CO2 emanations from conveyance are produced. In add-on, energy ingestion per capita for conveyance is 2 or 4 times higher in Western Europe than in the other European parts ( UNECE/WHO Europe, 2009 ) . Harmonizing to International Energy Agency, conveyance sector consumed 42 % of the oil in 1973 and this portion climbed to 61.5 % in 2010. But in recent old ages oil monetary values have increased and this crated the demand to utilize more energy efficient manners. The two most energy efficient manners for freight transit are rail and maritime conveyance. Inland waterways besides provide an energy efficient method for transporting ladings. For illustration, a tow boat traveling a typical burden of 15 flatboats is tantamount to 225 railway cars or 870 truckloads ( Rodrigue et al, 2009 ) . Furthermore, oil militias are shriveling, costs of crude oil are increasing and the demand to cut down emanations of harmful pollutants is now more imperative. For this ground, the solution of alternate fuels in the signifier of non-crude oil resources is needed. The most prevailing options being consider are: Biogas such as ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and biodiesel can be produced from the agitation of nutrient harvests ( sugar cane, maize, cereals, etc. ) or wood-waste. Hydrogen which is produced by electrolysis of H2O or by pull outing it from hydrocarbon Electricity which is stored in a pure battery Hybrid vehicles dwelling of propulsion system utilizing an internal burning engine supplemented by an electric motor and batteries, which provides chances uniting the efficiency of electricity with the long drive scope of an internal burning engine. Monetary value of oil will surely go on to increase, as there are serious restrictions of non-fossil fuels in the transit sector.Climate alterationClimate alteration is already impacting human wellness, by doing new hazards and force per unit areas such as nutrient deficits and hungriness, change of H2O resources and harm to physical substructure ( peculiarly by low-lying rise and utmost conditions events such as inundations, heat moving ridges etc. ) . Harmonizing to UNECE C dioxide ( CO2 ) is non a pollutant but a nursery gas which contributes chiefly to planetary heating effects holding a prevailing portion of 55 % . ( OECD/ITF, 2008 ) and which is associated to climate alteration. As it is shown in Figure 12 conveyance sector ‘s portion of GHG emanations is about 30 % . Conventional engines besides produce other emanations such as methane ( CH4 ) , azotic oxide ( N2O ) , and ozone ( O3 ) which are besides responsible for the nursery phenomenon.

Week 1 Essay

Week 1 Essay Week 1 Essay POL 201 Quantitative Research Methods in Political Science  © Colin Whelan 2013 THE BASICS POL I 201: Research methods in political science am Colin Whelan cew6@sfu.ca Tentative ofï ¬ ce hours: Tuesdays 12:30-2:15 (after class) or by appointment Labs start week 2 FORMAT OF THE COURSE Labs Homeworks Quizzes Exams R R is the statistical software we will use in this course Instructions syllabus to download and install it are included in the It is a difï ¬ cult software to learn but I use it for two main reasons: It is free It forces you to understand what you are doing KELLSTEDT AND WHITTEN The main textbook for the course Readings Make There are not too long, generally easy to read sure to read thoroughly though! are readings for week 1 and 2 (sorry!) For week 1: Focus on 1.3; and 2.2-2.4 The rest is important; but is mainly good background info First quiz next week! SOME VOCAB Research Question: an empirical question about why or how some phenomenon varies Research questions should be general Research questions should be about all relevant cases Notice that we are studying variation. Variation can be over time or across different cases. Each case is a unit of analysis We measure the concepts as variables VARIABLES Variables require some variation in the concept of interest If our unit of analysis is people, than species is not a variable; if it were animals, species would be a variable Variables map a concept to a measurement, we call this operationalization For any research question we differentiate between: The Dependent Variable; and Other Independent Variables VARIABLES EXAMPLES We use the term variable to refer to both the concept in theory, and the measurement of the concept in our dataset. Here are some examples: Concept Measure Economic status GDP per capita Ideology left-right scale Rights and freedoms POLITY IV Policy preference A Likert scale TWO EXAMPLES DO VOTERS GET MORE CONSERVATIVE AS THEY AGE? Source: 2008 Canadian Election Study DO

The Japanese Christmas Song Awatenbou no Santakuroosu

The Japanese Christmas Song Awatenbou no Santakuroosu Christmas has become a popular celebration in Japan, even though less than one percent of the Japanese are Christian. However, Christmas is not a family time in Japan. In fact, it is not even a national holiday. December 23rd, though, is a holiday because it is the birthday of the present emperor. Most Japanese work on Christmas day, just like any other day. On the other hand, New Years Day is an important holiday where families get together and have a special feast. So, how do the Japanese celebrate Christmas? It is a time for lovers to have a romantic dinner and give presents, much like St Valentines Day. The media now really push Christmas Eve as being a time for romance. Thats why Christmas Eve is more important in Japan than Christmas day itself. Fancy restaurants and hotels are often booked solid at this time. In December, Christmas classics are played everywhere. Most popular Japanese Christmas songs are for lovers. Here is a Japanese Christmas song for children called, Awatenbou no Santakuroosu (Hasty Santa Claus). You can check out the animated version of Awatenbou no Santakuroosu on Youtube. 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Here are some examples: Okorinbou 怒りんå Å  - a short-tempered or irritable personKechinbou 㠁‘㠁 ¡Ã£â€šâ€œÃ¥ Å  - a stingy person; a miserAmaenbou 甘㠁ˆã‚“å Å  - a pampered or spoiled person.Kikanbou 㠁 Ã£ â€¹Ã£â€šâ€œÃ¥ Å  - a naughty or unruly personAbarenbou æš ´Ã£â€šÅ'ã‚“å Å  - a rough or disorderly person.Kuishinbou é £Å¸Ã£ â€žÃ£ â€"ã‚“å Å  - a gourmandWasurenbou Ã¥ ¿ËœÃ£â€šÅ'ã‚“å Å  - a forgetful person The Prefix ma Makkuro means as black as ink. Ma is a prefix to emphasize the noun that comes after ma. The Japanese title for Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is Makkana ohana no tonakai-san. Lets look at some words that include ma. Makka çÅ"Ÿã  £Ã¨ µ ¤ - bright redMakkuro çÅ"Ÿã  £Ã© »â€™ - black as inkMasshiro çÅ"Ÿã  £Ã§â„¢ ½ - pure whiteMassao çÅ"Ÿã  £Ã© â€™ - deep blueManatsu çÅ"Ÿå ¤  - the middle of summerMafuyu çÅ"Ÿå† ¬ - the middle of winterMakkura çÅ"Ÿã  £Ã¦Å¡â€" - pitch-darkMasski - at the very firstMapputateu - right in twoMassara - brand new The Prefix o The prefix o is added to kao (face) and hige (beard; mustache) for politeness. Again, the title Makkana ohana no tonakai-san (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) includes the use of the prefix o as well. Hana means nose and ohana is the polite form of hana. Onomatopoeic Expressions There are many onomatopoeic expressions used in songs. They are words that describe sound or action directly. Rin rin describes a ringing sound, in this case the sound of a bell. Don expresses thud and boom. It is used to describe the sound that Santa Claus makes as he comes down a chimney.