Designed House Cooling System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Designed House Cooling System - Research Paper Example The design to be improvised is affordable and readily available. According to Givoni, countries with hot, humid climates call for a building layout that provides a potential for cross ventilation. The following outlines the priority features in the solving of the housing problem in An Minh with respect to obtaining a serene environment.†¢ Roofing will constitute the use of light reflecting fabrics interwoven on coconut leaves to reduce cost. The essence of using reflective materials is to minimize the level of absorption thereby, minimizing the amount of heat to the housing unit.   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ The roof will be narrow and tall to enhance air circulation and give room for air movements; it will also be extended to provide extra room for shading and less heat radiation thus, minimize heat from the sun entering the house. Cool roofs are remarkably effective in the reduction of power consumption for cooling system.†¢ Double ceiling incorporating readily available materials and ext ends with the roof to encase and prevent any heat absorption to the house. The ceiling insulation will be waterproof and heat resistant material like old newspapers or clothes.  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ There will be an extractor fan designed to be installed ten meters above the ground in the house.   This will enhance air circulation by using air from outside to cool the house. A fan is an appliance used for ventilation of a room or any enclosed spaced.   It extracts air and moisture hence keeping the house less humid.  ... The ceiling insulation will be waterproof and heat resistant material like old newspapers or clothes. There will be an extractor fan designed to be installed ten meters above the ground in the house.1 This will enhance air circulation by using air from outside to cool the house. The fan is an appliance used for ventilation of a room or any enclosed spaced.2 It extracts air and moisture hence keeping the house less humid. Warm air rises as it is lighter than cool air, thus extracted by the fan placed in the house. Consequently, the sun heats the air in the roof space; therefore, the presence of the fan is highly critical as it will extract the warm, humid air from the house before it circulates. The windows will be placed on opposite sides of the housing unit, and the orientation of the house will be directing towards the direction of summer winds. The positioning is in such a manner as to enhance entry of cool air in the morning and facilitate maximum air circulation when it is hot. The windows will be accompanied by shutters which will enhance air circulation and contribute to the cooling process. The ceiling and interior roofing of the house will be insulated with readily available materials like old newspapers, clothes, shoes, and rice husks. This will maintain the cool air in the house as it will not allow heat from outside to enter into the housing unit. The use of evaporative window technique is also critical in cooling system; this can use old clothing materials on the large windows devised for air circulation.3 Consequently, the windows will be enlarged, placed above the plants outside and obliquely designed at 20o- 120o to the wall to enhance cooling system.4 They will also contain shutters that

Management and Steel Industry Essay Example for Free

Management and Steel Industry Essay 1. List and elaborate some strategic issues facing NUCOR. Key strategic issues challenging NUCOR include legislation related to climate change, fluctuating cost and supply of iron ore and scrap steel, increasing amount of steel imports, production technology improvements and economic weakness. Changes in legislation could have severe impacts on the firm’s numerous production facilities and could be costly to become compliant. The fluctuations in both the cost and supply of iron ore and scrap steel directly impact the firm’s profitability because it is difficult to pass those costs on to the customers due to the price-driven level of competition in the steel industry. The rise of low cost steel imports increases the domestic U.S. supply which puts pressure on NUCOR. The firm must stay at the front of technological advances for the production and processing of steel in order to stay competitive. Common for many firms and industries, economic weakness is an issue that challenges NUCOR’s strategy because it can impact the demand for its reputable high quality steel products. 2. What are the key elements of NUCOR’s low cost strategy? What factors have helped NUCOR achieve a low cost position? Key strategy elements for NUCOR: Conservative financial strength Team-based culture and decentralized operations Vertical integration Diversification Innovation – information technology, speed of design process Close proximity to important customers Financially stable employees – higher than average wages and non-discretionary incentive programs Employee empowerment Honesty and openness within the company No employee lay-offs Factors that have contributed to NUCOR’s low cost position: Strong, long-term relationships with outside parties for services such as research and development, purchasing recommendations, advertising, public relations, and  legal or environmental regulation compliance Stepping away from the steel industry’s tradition of equalized freight and offering all customers the sales terms of price plus actual shipping costs Not offering customers volume discounts Fleet of nearly 150 trucks for product delivery Vertical integration from joist manufacturing into steel production Steel production utilizing mini-mill technology Holding workstations responsible for identifying bottlenecks to increase efficiency Sophisticated computer program is used to compute accurate bids Improvements in the melting and casting processes for steel production including â€Å"continuous casters† Flat organizational hierarchy 3. Please apply Porter’s Five Forces model to the steel industry. While doing so, clearly identify who is behind each force and what the impact is of each force on the profitability of the industry (high/medium/low). At the end, also provide a summary of all the five forces and propose whether you think the steel industry is attractive or not. The bargaining power of buyers is high due to minimal product differentiation, low switching costs, excess capacity of steel production and large volume purchases. The threat of substitutes is medium because substitutes such as aluminum and plastic would not provide equivalent strength and durability but could still serve the same purpose as steel. The bargaining power of suppliers is low primarily due to the product being a commodity, high ratio of imported raw materials, and low switching costs. The threat of new entrants is low due to the trend toward consolidation and high amount of capital required to establish production/processing facilities capable of achieving economies of scale. Rivalry is intense because the steel industry is mature with little differentiation among products and mergers both in the U.S. and across the globe creating giant companies with deep pockets. Generally speaking, I think the steel industry is unattractive primarily due to its maturity, significant capital requirements and intense price-based competition that ultimately lead to low profitability. 4. What are NUCOR’s resources and capabilities? Resources: Team-based organizational culture Alliances with outside parties for support services Joint ventures with Physical locations of plants in proximity to key customers Loyal employees comprised of production workers, department heads, support and administrative staff, and senior management Innovative mini-mill technology Own fleet of nearly 150 trucks for distribution Computer program to generate bids Plants, mills, equipment, and machinery Reputation Financial capital Capabilities: Management’s philosophy and leadership skills Successful quality control process Flat organizational hierarchy and incentive program that keeps the workforce cooperative and productive Acquisition management Multidivisional coordination Speed of design process 5. Elaborate on some of the key lessons you have learnt from the case analysis. The most significant lesson I learned from this case analysis is that management style and culture can be key to being competitive. These really are the two things that will give NUCOR sustainable competitive advantage  because they are the most difficult to find and imitate. Building such an impressive employee loyalty takes time and cannot be replicated easily. In addition, the minimization of the corporate bureaucracy is something that makes employees at all levels feel comfortable and as if they are part of a family. I think there are many companies, including the one I work for that could really benefit from adopting this management style.

Free College Essays - Sea Wolf :: Sea Wolf Essays

Sea Wolf      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wolf Larsen was a character in the book who never made it all the way through the book, but he tried very hard.   He was a very strong, brutal man with almost no respect for human life.   With all the people in the world, one dead person meant nothing to him.   He was a patient man and usually kept himself under control.   He was surprisingly smart and thoughtful for a pirate who lives on the sea.   He loved the sea and knew many things about it, such as how to outwit his brother when he came near Wolf's boat.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Humphrey Van Weydon, or Hump as he was called on the boat, was a landlubber.   He had a very comfortable job, and very soft skin showing how soft his life had been.   He had barely any muscles and lived a very pampered living.   He was a gentleman and very proper.   Being proper, he was very intelligent and had a very extensive vocabulary. He seemed very surprised when he realized Wolf and he both shared some vocabulary words and meanings.   Hump wasn't used to living on a boat, but he soon learned to live on one.   He became accepted on the boat with the crew.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wolf and Hump were very different people with few similarities. Wolf was very strong and bullied everyone around.   He believed everyone was insignificant, while Hump was nice, proper and believed everyone was unique and we all should live and that one person can make a big difference and change in the world.   Wolf also tried to turn Hump into a strong man, since Hump was a wimp in everyone's eye on the boat.   Wolf had one disadvantage though, during his voyages, he read many books, but was never able to say what he read or really talk about anything he read.   When Hump came along, they shared and exchanged knowledge and each learned new things about the books they read.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One scene that stands out the most from the book was when Wolf Larsen was engaged in a battle with his brother.   Wolf played Hide-N- Seek with his brother behind fog on the seas for a long time.

Helping Victims of Domestic Abuse Essay

Domestic abuse has grown to be one of society’s most shameful scourges. Its victims who more often that not comprise of women, endure public humiliation meted out by their spouse, extreme jealousy, control over who they see and talk to, spousal financial control, sexual assault, emotional and mental manipulation and in most cases, physical violence. There are many ways by which domestic abuse is perpetrated by abusive spouses but very few of its victims are willing to admit to it or are even aware that they are indeed being abused. When nineteen-year old Vickii Coffey married her childhood sweetheart at age 19, she thought her wedding day was just the first day of the life of her dreams. Little did she know that the following eight years of her married life would be spent in and out of hospitals as a victim of domestic violence. After 8 years of enduring such abuse and fearing for her and her son’s safety, Vickii finally filed for divorce. Today, 13 years after her nightmarish marriage, Vikki is happily married and works as the executive director of Greenhouse, Chicago’s oldest and largest shelter for battered women and their children. (Barber) â€Å"†The question I get all the time is, ‘Why would a woman stay there and take something like that? What’s her problem? ‘† says Coffey who now counsels women on their options to violence. † (Barber) Medical Sociologist Dr. Jacquelyne Johnson Jackson from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N. C. , believes that many women, who stay and endure spousal abuse, have been â€Å"conditioned† to know their place as women often subservient to their fathers and other male members of the family(Barber). Some women however, stay because they do not know they are actually being abused. A newspaper article that appeared in Glasgow, Scotland’s Sunday Mail in January 23, 2005, details the experience of Julie Black, a 47-year old woman from Dumfries who nearly lost her life after being badly battered by her husband, David Hill for three hours (â€Å"It All Started with† 34). Hospital staff who tended to her counted up to 56 injuries on her body including a fractured skull and badly beaten eyes that puffed up so she could hardly see. Of her experience, Julie is quoted as saying: ‘He had to almost kill me before I realised I didn’t deserve to be treated that way. ‘I’m a fairly strong person. I’ve never thought of myself as a victim. But domestic violence creeps up on you so gradually you hardly notice†¦ ‘My friends and family were horrified. I was so ashamed of what was happening, I’d kept the abuse secret. Perhaps if I’d confided in someone, they could have talked sense into me and I’d have got out sooner. ‘ (â€Å"It All Started with† 34) It is normal for concerned friends to want to help people they suspect of being victims of abuse. While one’s first instinct would be to call the police or crisis agencies, sometimes the only thing they need to do is to just listen and be a friend. Here are a few guidelines (â€Å"How to help†) in how people should talking to a friend whom they suspect of being abused by her spouse: In preparing for the talk, concerned friends or family members must set aside some time to talk with her. They must make sure to pick a quiet place where the victim feels safe and comfortable. It is important to keep in mind that discussing such a serious and personal issue as abuse may not be easy at first. As the victim begins to talk, it is important that she feels her friend’s concern, as well as receive assurance that what she is going through is not â€Å"normal. † Victims of spousal abuse often feel that they deserve the abuse their partners do. They need to be re-assured that they are being understood and that the abuse is not their fault. It would be good for friends to let the victim know that they are worried for her and if any, her children’s safety. Victims constantly need to be reminded there are people who love and care for her who are ready to help the minute she asks. It is important that she doesn’t feel judged. Friends should be prepared to listen and simply be the victim’s friend. Let her talk at her own pace and in her own terms. Victims who feel comfortable in their friends’ presence will find it easier for to open up and just let the words flow. Shame and guilt are common among victims of abuse. Friends must be ready to reassure the victim that she is not alone in her situation and there are many people willing to help should she wish to ask for it. Abused women should never feel forced to do things she may not be ready to do as yet such as packing up and leaving her partner. While concerned friends may be tempted to tell the victim what to do, they must respect her space and decisions. If the victim does ask for advice, it is best to help her explore her options rather than give direct feedback. A â€Å"safety plan† she may follow should things get to be too difficult at home is always helpful. Whenever possible, concerned friends and family members are advised to read up on brochures and information regarding crisis centers and women’s support groups so that they may be able to give informed advice to the victim. It will probably be a good idea to offer to look up sources of help on her behalf. She may not want to right now but in the future, it may be good to have an idea of possible agencies that may be able to help her such as women’s crisis centers, psychiatrists or shelters. If after all is said and done and the victim still wishes to go back to her relationship, people must be able to respect her wishes and support her. It can be frustrating at times when after all the talking and crying is done, the victim may still decide to stay in an abusive relationship. It is very important to remember however that one cannot just â€Å"rescue† a friend. There are simply some things that take time and victims may need such time to come to terms with the reality of their situation before being able to concretely decide what to do. Works Cited Barber, Marchel’Le Renise. â€Å"Why Some Men Batter Women (and Why Some Women Take It): Domestic Violence Is America’s Most Common Crime. † Ebony Oct. 1990: 54+. Questia. 22 Oct. 2007 . â€Å"How to Help a Friend Who is Being Abused. † Violence Against Women. National Women’s Health information Center. 4women. gov. 21 Oct. 2007

Harvard Business Review: Carter Racing Case Essay

This is a really tough decision and the mind is constantly changing against to the conclusion. But after a thorough consideration, I don’t think the team should race this time. John should get more data and information for the engine failure until he decides to race again for the next season. There are numerous ways to decide to race or not for John Carter when it comes to decision making. He can make the decision based on either his fellow chief mechanic Tom’s view, or the engine expert Paul’s assumption. However, regardless either way, the conclusion should be reached by some sort of quantitative analysis. At the first glance at the scenario, the immediate reaction was to throw all the numbers provided into the opportunity cost calculation, and compare the pros and cons between the options. However, in order to come up with the most accurate prediction on the expected value of the outcome, it is necessary to gather the all of the associated costs in dollars. John can easily calculate the cost to withdraw by adding up the fees from the data that was provided in the case. Yet, for the other options: race and win, race and fail, it is impossible for us to calculate the precise cost of â€Å"winning† and â€Å"failure† since there are no price tags for fames and sponsorship possibilities if the team wins the race, as well as the risks that might happen in relation of gasket failure such as life, and destructing in team reputation. Thus, without the inclusion of all the necessary factors, the result of calculated the expected value would be useless in measuring losses and gain s. The second reason that I think John should wait for the race is due to insufficient information provided in the case. In addition to the chart that was provided by Tom (exhibit 1), there should also be a chart showing the distribution on head gasket success is related to temperature since the race might begin in a day with fairly low temperature. Thus, if I were John, I would have to determine to postpone the race until further information is gathered. Of course it is not easy to convince someone on things that no one can be guarantee of. Thoughts and doubts gone through the mind such as: the race  itself is in the nature of a risky business; wondering if John should grab the opportunity right now before it flies away because next season is still unknown, etc†¦ Even after knowing insufficient information was available, it is still really tempting to choose racing rather than withdraw. This tension fighting unconsciously in the mind reminds me of the principle of scarcity , which people tend to value potential loss (the fees for racing) more heavily than potential gains (engine invested and human life). These feeling often caused managers to have bias on decision making. Besides the method of quantitative calculation on costs, the problem John faces also consists of the selection between two different sides of recommendations: one from his chief mechanic Tom who suggests for race, and the other engine mechanic Paul who opposes the race. The argument and data presented by these two mechanics act as a persuasion to John. Whereas, Tom and Paul both have extensive experience in racing, yet Paul â€Å"lacked the sophisticated engineering training† as mentioned in part B of the reading raised an interesting dilemma on whether John should shift more of his selection power towards Tom based on the insufficiency of Paul’s training. To tie this case to Mulvey’s article, the purpose of a team is increase the strength of the organization by forming and adding up the different perspectives together. For organization leaders, John, in this case, it is very important for him to balance the team dynamics to make sure each person’s voice is equally weighed in team function while such balance is very easy to lose grip once one side of the opinion is valued too heavily. This situation is well demonstrated between John, Paul, and Tom. At the beginning of the case , Paul showed his position as a strong opponent against the team to race. But as the case evolves, Paul’s attitude changed as Tom showed the chart in exhibit 1, and agreed to race at the end. It seems that Paul has given up his beliefs and agreed with the team on racing by accepting the data provided by Tom of who that has a higher rank than Paul even though the data seem to be insufficient to persuade Paul’s position from racing. This matches Mulvey’s views of the presence of someone with expertise and compelling argument since Tom is the chief of mechanic, which might have led an assumption to indicate higher level in  qualification. With such precedence assumption and numerous useless discussions on with John on the gasket problem, it is very likely for Paul to accept Tom’s data as long as it makes some sense in explaining the gasket problem. In addition, there is also a subtle sense that Paul may have felt the pressure from the team to cause him to conform. It is clear that the team leader, John, is feeling frustrated about the race sponsorship and eagerly wishing to get both of the mechanics’ approval to race. Being the only person that disagrees, Paul gradually lessened his voice. This illustrates the points of pressure from others to conform and dysfunctional decision making climate that Mulvey has brought up. In sum, as if I were John, it is essential for team leaders to manage the team with a great sensibility of each team member’s personality and expertise in order to maintain the participation spirit. A well balanced team would allow people like Paul to speak up his mind and not compromise his views, and still utilize Tom’s expertise. A well-functional team is the only way to have a possible appropriate decision making solution. work cited: Mulvey, Paul. â€Å"When teammates raise a white flag.† Academy of Management Executive. 1996 pp. 43