What’s In A Name Free Essays

Ever wonder what makes people choose to buy a product simply because of the name it carries? Take for instance someone who goes out and shops for a Louis Vitton bag and pays for it for nearly thrice an ordinary bag –which may serve the same purpose as the Louis Vitton bag. What is it exactly in a name that makes people shelve out hard-earned money to get a particular product with a particular name? Is it simply because they want to be in fashion or is it something deeper? Let us look closely at what brand marketing is all about and how wide its influence is to consumers, if any. According to Wikipedia, a brand is a collection of feelings toward an economic producer or more specifically, it refers to the concrete symbols for the brand such as a name and a design scheme. We will write a custom essay sample on What’s In A Name? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Basically, a brand can be viewed as a â€Å"symbolic embodiment† of all the information associated with a company, product or service. (Wikipedia, 2006) Personally, I am of the opinion that people who purchase brand names over generic ones, so to speak, do so because they feel assured of the quality of the product or service. In a sense, a brand may serve to create associations as well as expectations among products. Wikipedia further explains that marketers naturally seek to develop or align the expectations comprising the brand experience through branding. By doing so, the marketer aims to make the brand carry with it the promise that a certain product or service has a certain quality or characteristic which make it special or unique. Without a doubt, consumers nowadays have the tendency to look at branding as a significant value added aspect of a particular service or product. So is branding really important? As noted by Mary Schnack in the online article â€Å"The Brand That is You†, a good brand name is a company’s best asset. In a sense, Schnack notes that a brand is used for the purpose of educating consumers on the type of product you have or want to sell. In our earlier example, Louis Vitton bags cost considerably higher than ordinary bags in the market and yet, people still purchase them. If we look and analyze the explanation given by Wikipedia, we can see that people who patronize Louis Vitton bags do so because they feel assured that the product they are purchasing is one of unquestionable quality. Hence, Louis Vitton has successfully associated its products to quality and endurance. Why then are brands important? Or are they really important? According to KMF Kamal in his online article entitled â€Å"Introduction to Branding†, a successful brand will allow a certain company to establish a consistent base of loyal customers. And by having a loyal and consistent base of customers, a company can weather any storm it comes its way. Branding is said to be the most important facet of any business because it is the company’s way of introducing itself to the world and more specifically, to the market it caters. â€Å"Even if all your competitors are slashing fees or prices left, right and center, your loyal customers will stick by you because you have created a relationship of lasting value with them. A brand with a large base of loyal customers is able to create predictable sales and a regular cash flow and profit stream. Predictability and a regular stream of income is good and as your well-maintained brand creates more and more loyal customers, there is no where to go but up. Conversely, if you do not have these loyal customers, you will be vulnerable to anything the competition throws at you as there is no reason for customers to stick by you without any compelling relationship of value,† says Kamal. (Introduction to Branding, 2006) In the July 27, 2006 online edition of the The Economist, it has been said that a logo was a straightforward guarantee of quality and consistency and as a result, consumers were more than willing to pay a premium. Moreover, brands are also encapsulating whole lifestyles as well as evolving into a growing social dimension. Another significant point in brands is the fact that it helps consumers buy efficiently. As Unilever’s chairman Niall FitzGerald points out: â€Å"A brand is a storehouse of trust. That matters more and more as choices multiply. People want to simplify their lives† (The Economist. com, 2006). As a result, it is not surprising to find out that successful companies that have established its own loyal base of customers invest heavily in improving their manufacturing standards in order to protect the name it has made for itself. Let’s face it: people go to brands for assurance of quality. A famous brand name brings with it trust, warmth and familiarity. They purchase a particular brand because they know they will get their money’s worth. And that is the essence why consumers favor one brand over another. Hence, it is a must for companies to go to great lengths to maintain the highest standard of quality. Another favorable aspect of brand names is the fact that the companies behind these successful names have a stronger sense of social responsibility. Most of us are aware that these companies actually fund or support charity institutions –after all, a good social image is still very much a part of a good corporate image. In fine, these companies –like Coca-cola, McDonalds and perhaps even Louis Vitton, have, in one way or the other, done their share in giving something back to the society that has patronized its products. I personally do not think there is something wrong with a person who chooses a brand name over another because companies have earned all the privileges of having a good brand name. When we take a close look at the stories behind successful companies, we will see that a lot of hard work and thought has been invested to make a great product or service. Hence, it is just right for them to charge a premium on a product or service that has been proven to be very good. If the consumers are willing to pay for that premium, then it is their rightful choice to do so. After all, let us bear in mind that developing a brand name is not as easy as it seems or as we would like it to be. It definitely is more than just choosing a catchy phrase or name, making some classy advertisements or clinching a deal with a celebrity endorser. As noted in the Buzzle website, a successful brand is a mnemonic trigger that makes a consumer feel a certain way when the brand is thought of. Hence, it is no surprise that some brands will charge a little extra for an assurance of quality. References: Brand Libra, 2006: Why Are Brands Important? [online] Available at: http://www. brandlibra. com/introbrand3. html [cited on July 27, 2006] Buzzle, 2006: Importance of Branding: What’s in a Name [online] Available at: http://www. buzzle. com/editorials/7-13-2006-102176. asp [cited on July 27, 2006] Schnack, Mary 2006: The Brand That is You [online] Available at: http://www. globewomen. com/summit/2005/Speeches/Branding-The%20Importance%20of%20A%20Brand_Schnack. htm [cited on July 27, 2006] The Economist, 2006: Who’s Wearing the Trousers [online] Available at: http://www. economist. com/displaystory. cfm? story_id=770992 [cited on July 27, 2006] Wikipedia, 2006: Brand [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Brand_name [cited on July 27, 2006] How to cite What’s In A Name?, Papers

Indonesia Anthropology and Ethnography free essay sample

A paper which examines the reasons why Indonesia seems to lure anthropologists and ethnographers, and what it is that appeals to their imagination. The paper shows that though it is impossible to determine why exactly Indonesia, at least for the past two generations, has seemingly laid an irresistible spell on the anthropological world, it is possible to suggest some of the reasons. This paper examines the corner of the state of anthropological practice and theory as they pertain to Indonesia and how these have created intimate links between symbolic anthropology and Indonesian ethnography. The paper discusses how many fine ethnographies have been produced as a direct result of anthropologists theoretical and paradigmatic interest in Indonesia, of the fact both that anthropological discourse can be seen as a subset of human imaginings and as a result of the fact that some places seem to be better to dream in. The paper examines Tania Murray Lis article Compromising Power: Development, Culture and Rule in Indonesia in Volume 13, No. We will write a custom essay sample on Indonesia Anthropology and Ethnography or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 3 of Cultural Anthropology, on the subject. Indonesia with its own contentious colonial history was an ideal setting if one wished to make sense of the role and evolution of cultures in a world in which colonial structures were falling away. Indonesia had at least three other additional inducements for at least American and British anthropologists: Their own countries had not been involved in the colonization of Indonesia so they did not have to feel any guilt over what they found; unlike many primitive cultures, Indonesia societies (for of course this island nation is home to a number of very different cultural groups) are home to not only sophisticated performing and visual arts but also nuanced and complex literary traditions and a history of beautifully proportioned and ingeniously constructed architecture.

Significance of the Corporate Governance Framework

Question: How it positions the firm to engage with stakeholders on local and international levels. In a global context, what ethical challenges can you see for this firm that may or may not be addressed with its current governance arrangements? Answer: Introduction Governance can be generally defined as a set of rules and regulations which regulate and control various activities of the individuals or group of individuals following the corresponding set of rules. The governance can also be defined as the set of best practices for a number of activities and tasks. Corporate governance is the concept which evolved from the application of governance in a number of industries across the world. The application of the governance concept to the organisations operating in various industries across the world allows the organisations to operate under certain sets of rules and regulations. So the term Corporate Governance can be defined as the framework which is developed and implemented by the management of the organisations to have a set of best practices and guidelines to guide all the employees working in various business functions of the organisations (Dam, 2007). This report focuses on the corporate governance implemented in the workplace of Virgin A ustralia and the various effects of the governance on various business functions of the organisation. The report will mention a number of corporate governance frameworks which could be implemented in the workplace of the organisation. Along with the various corporate governance frameworks, the report also focuses on three of the features of the corporate governance framework implemented in the workplace of Virgin Australia. The three key features which are included in this report are the remuneration practices, transparency and disclosure and social responsibility. These key features included in the corporate governance framework implemented in the workplace of Virgin Australia allow us to understand and analyse the effects of the same on the business functions at a deeper level (Carney, 2006). The remuneration practices included in the corporate governance framework of Virgin Australia defines the guidelines which the management of the organisation follows for the management of the remunerations provided to the employees working in various business processes across the organisation. The transparency and disclosure feature of the corporate governance framework implemented in Virgin Australia defines various guidelines and best practices which allows the flow of information in the workplace of the organisation to be clean and transparent. The social responsibility feature of the corporate governance framework implemented in the workplace of Virgin Australia defines the guidelines for the various corporate social responsibilities and activities of the organisation in the operating country (Tomasic, 2006). Frameworks As mentioned earlier, there are a number of frameworks which can be utilised for the development and implementation of corporate governance in the workplace of Virgin Australia. This section of the report mentions a number of corporate governance frameworks which could be used for the workplace of Virgin Australia along with the one which is already in place. From agency approach This approach to the corporate governance framework in the workplace of the organisation allows the guidelines and best practices included in the corporate governance of the organisation to focus on the benefits of the agency itself instead of the stakeholders. This approach allows the governance in the organisation to provide most of the benefits to the organisation itself instead of the stakeholders (Steenkamp, 2007). From stakeholder approach This approach of the corporate governance framework focuses on the individuals or group of individuals who are affected by the various business decisions and activities. These individuals and groups of individuals are known as the stakeholders of the organisation. So this approach focuses on the benefits of the stakeholders of the organisation instead of the organisation itself. Key features Remuneration practices This feature of the corporate governance related to the remuneration practices is known as the principle named as, Remunerate fairly and responsibly. The remuneration practices in the workplace of Virgin Australia are managed by the remuneration committee established in the workplace of Virgin Australia. The remuneration committee of Virgin Australia is a group of a number of significant people playing the roles of non-executive directors in the workplace of Virgin Australia. This remuneration committee is responsible for the development and implementation of various policies and programs related to the remunerations provided to the employees working in various business functions of the organisation (Graham, 2006). The remuneration committee focuses on maintaining fair and responsible remuneration policies in the workplace of Virgin Australia which allows the employees to maintain enough motivation to have effective and efficient completion of the business tasks assigned to them. The remuneration policies established by the remuneration committee takes a number of factors into consideration before deciding the remuneration provided to the employees working in Virgin Australia. The entire salary structure of the employees in the organisation is decided based on a number of factors which satisfied the expectations of the employees and the current market standards. This allows each of the employees in the workplace of Virgin Australia to have satisfactory remuneration provided to them against their performance in various business tasks assigned to them. The basic salary structure of the employees in the workplace of Virgin Australia is associated with a number of bonus payments and variable components. The remuneration policies included in the corporate governance framework of Virgin Australia allows the management to determine the bouquet of benefits provided to the employees along with the basic salary structure provided by the organisation. The corporate govern ance framework of the organisation allows the managers and supervisors to monitor and review the performance of the employees working in various business functions and provide bonuses to them based on their performances in the workplace of Virgin Australia (Steenkamp, 2007). The remuneration practices of the organisation is based on the decisions of the remuneration committee which follows the corporate governance framework established in the workplace of Virgin Australia. The performance of the employees are monitored and reviewed in terms of a number of goals which are assigned to each and every employee of the organisation at the beginning of the financial year. The percentage of coverage for each of the assigned goals for each of the employees define the relative performance of the employees in the workplace of the organisation. The remuneration policies of Virgin Australia allows the management to provide rewards to the employees based on their performance and completion of goa ls in each financial year. The corporate governance in Virgin Australia defines these goals of the individual employees by aligning them to the organisational goals and objectives. This allows the remunerations to be provided to the individual employees for allowing the organisation to proceed in the direction of achieving its goals and objectives (Tomasic, 2006). Transparency and disclosure The corporate governance framework implemented in the workplace of Virgin Australia defines a number of policies under the principle of maintaining continuous disclosure of information. This feature of the corporate governance of the organisation is defined as the transparency and disclosure which is related to the information flow in the workplace of Virgin Australia. This section of the report describes this feature of the corporate governance of Virgin Australia. The management of the organisation include the tasks of maintaining transparency and disclosure in the workplace of the organisation in the business responsibilities. The major guidelines included in the corporate governance framework of the organisation in relation to the transparency and disclosure feature is mentioned below. Virgin Australia aims to provide all of its employees with the clear and pure information regarding the various ongoing and planned activities in the workplace of the organisation. Virgin Australia allows all of its shareholders to have clear and accurate information regarding all the ongoing and planned activities involved in the business model of the organisation (Carney, 2006). Virgin Australia complies with a number of obligations established by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in relation to the continuous disclosure and transparency. The continuous disclosure policy defined in the corporate governance framework in Virgin Australia requires all the employees in each and every level of the hierarchy to maintain the transparency and disclosure of all the information related to the business model of the organisation. The organisation ensures that all the stakeholders of the organisation get the timely and accurate information related to all kinds of business decisions and events which are significantly influential (Tomasic, 2006). The most important concept included in the continuous disclosure policy of the corporate governance framework of Virgin Australia is the definition of the market sensitive information. The market sensitive information can be defined as the information which has the potential of damaging the market position of the organisation or the market performance of the organisation is disclosed in public. So the corporate governance of Virgin Australia allows each and every employee to have the clear knowledge of all the market sensitive information which allows them to control the negative usage of the information in the market containing the competitors and customers of the organisation. The corporate governance framework implemented in the workplace of Virgin Australia involves a number of steps provided to help the employees and management of the organisation to determine the market sensitive information among a large storage of information. These steps included in the corporate governance of Virgin Australia allows the transparency and disclosure to be maintained in the workplace of the organisation, which in turn allows the employees to feel more involved in the business model of the organisation (Graham, 2006). Social responsibility This feature of the corporate governance implemented in the workplace of Virgin Australia defines the activities which are included in the business model of the organisation as the responsibilities of the organisation towards the societies of operation. This in turn allows the management to follow the guidelines involved in the corporate governance framework to carry out various social responsibilities which in turn allows the organisation to repay the societies for the various business functions carried out in the market. The corporate governance framework of Virgin Australia involves a number of guidelines to maintain the corporate social responsibilities. These guidelines allows the management to carry out a number of social responsibilities programs in the workplace of the organisation and its surroundings. This section of the report focuses on such social responsibilities of the organisation which are involved in the corporate governance framework of the organisation (Solomon, 2 007). The management of the organisation focuses a lot on reducing the emission of several greenhouse gases from any of the business functions of the organisation. The management of the organisation invests a large number of resources in the task of minimising the emission of various greenhouse gases from any of the business functions of the organisation. The management of Virgin Australia is one of most developed organisation in terms of achieving fuel efficiency in any of the business functions. The high amount of fuel efficiency allows the organisation to minimise the adverse effect on the environment (Bachoo, 2006). The organisation also is a member of a number of sustainable projects such as carbon offsetting which allows the reduction of adverse effects on the environment. Virgin Australia also carries out a number of processes, researches and programs with high amount of investments to minimise the noise pollution due to the business functions of the organisation. The organisation also carried out a number of programs to engage all of its employees and stakeholders to complete a number of tasks maximising the positive effects on the environment of the country of operation. The organisation is also investing a lot of resources in a number of other programs such as developing renewable jet fuel and fly carbon neutral, which in turn reduces the negative impacts on the environment of the entire world (Padgett, 2011). Conclusion The report described the significance of the corporate governance framework in the workplace of an organisation. The report described the effects of the presence of the corporate governance framework on the business model of the organisation. The corporate governance framework defined and implemented in the workplace of Virgin Australia was closely reviewed and analysed which allowed us to understand three key features of this corporate governance framework and its effects on the business model of the organisation. The report focused on these three features of the corporate governance framework of Virgin Australia which can be considered to be the most important features (Mendoza, 2010). References Bachoo, K., Burritt, R. L., Tan, C. W. 2006. Sustainability ratings: a social responsibility investment perspective on listed airline companies in Australia (Doctoral dissertation, School of Commerce of the University of South Australia). Council, A. C. G. 2014. Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations. Australian Securities Exchange, Sydney. Carney, M., Dostaler, I. 2006. Airline ownership and control: A corporate governance perspective. Journal of Air Transport Management, 12(2), 63-75. Dam, L., Scholtens, B., Sterken, E. 2007. Corporate governance and international location decisions of multinational enterprises. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 15(6), 1330-1347. Enquist, B., Sebhatu, S. P. 2014. The" Grammar ofTrust: the challenge of interlinking corporate governance, corporate socialresponsibility and business models in business practices. 2014 Proena, J., Castelo Branco, M. 2014. Corporate social responsibility practices and motivations in a peripheral country: two Portuguese illustrative cases. Corporate Governance, 14(2), 252-264. Graham, J., Kaye, D. 2006. A risk management approach to business continuity: Aligning business continuity with corporate governance. Rothstein Associates Inc. Mendoza, J. M., Van der Elst, C., Vermeulen, E. P. 2010. Entrepreneurship and innovation: The hidden costs of corporate governance in Europe. SCJ Int'l L. Bus., 7, 1. Misangyi, V. F., Acharya, A. G. 2014. Substitutes or complements? A configurational examination of corporate governance mechanisms. Academy of Management Journal, amj-2012. Mishra, S., Mohanty, P. 2014. Corporate governance as a value driver for firm performance: evidence from India. Corporate Governance, 14(2), 265-280. Padgett, C. 2011. Corporate governance: theory and practice. Palgrave Macmillan. Schiehll, E., Ahmadjian, C., Filatotchev, I.2014. National governance bundles perspective: Understanding the diversity of corporate governance practices at the firm and country levels. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 22(3), 179-184. Sebhatu, S. P., Enquist, B. 2014. Are Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility having a role for sustainable Service Business?: An explorative study of IKEA, Starbucks and HM. Solomon, J. 2007. Corporate governance and accountability. John Wiley Sons. Steenkamp, P. 2007. Fidentia: a strategic and corporate governance analysis (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch: University of Stellenbosch). Tomasic, R. 2006. The Modernization of Corporations Law: Corporate Law Reform in Australia and Beyond. Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 19(1), 2-34.

Fiber Optics Essays (4499 words) - Optical Fiber, Fiber Optics

Fiber Optics Fiber optics produced by special methods from silica glass and quartz which replaced copper wire is very useful in telecommunications, long distance telephone lines and in examining internal parts of the body (endoscopy). Equipment for photography is available with all current fiber-optic endoscopes. Through a process known as total internal reflection, light rays beamed into the fiber can propagate within the core for great distances with remarkably little attenuation or reduction in intensity. In general, the methods of fiber production fall into three categories; (a) the extrusion method for synthetic fibers; (b) hot drawing of fibers from molten bulk material through an orifice; and (c) drawing of uncoated, coated and multiple fibers from assemblies of rods and tubes fed through a hollow cylindrical furnace. Three forms of fiber optics components have been proposed for the improvement of the image quality, field angle and photographic speed of various types of optical systems. These fiber optics elements, in the form of a field flattener, a conical condenser and distortion corrector, can be used separately or combined into a single unit called a "Focon". BOAZ? ?NVERSTES MAKNA M?HENDSL DEPARTMANI MALZEME DERS D?NEM PROJES YAZ OKULU 2000 ?ZET G?n?m?zde bakr tellerin yerini alan silikon camndan ve kristalinden ?retilen fiber optikler, telekom?nikasyonda, uzun mesafeli telefon hatlarnda ve insan v?cudunun i? ksmlarn inceleyen endoskopilerde kullanlmaktadr. Fotoraf ekipmanlarnda da b?t?n fiber-optik endoskoplara kullanlmaktadr. Tam i? yansma olarak bilinen ilem yoluyla, fiberin i?inde toplanan k nlar, uzun mesafeler boyunca iddetinde kk bir azalma ve bozulmayla yol alabilmektedir. Genellikle, fiber ?retimleri kategoridedir; Sentetik fiber ?retiminde dna ?karma methodu; Erimi d?kme maddelerden azlarna doru oluan fiberlerin scak ?izimleriyle, kaplanm,kaplanmam veya kark fiberlerin ?izimleriyle. ?eit olan fiber optik par?alar; g?r?nt? kalitesini, ?eitli optik sistemlerdeki alan a?s ve fotografik hzlar gelitirmek i?in dn?lm?t?r. Bu fiber optik elemanlar; alan d?zletirici, konik younlatrc ve sapma d?zenleyici ekillerindedir ve ayr veya "Focon" ad verilen ?nite i?in birlemi olarak kullanlabilirler. LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Photograph of the earliest bundle of uncoated aligned fibers Page 7 Figure 3.1 Core of a step index fiber Page 8 Figure 3.2 Schematic diagram of a typical fiber drawing Page 9 Figure 3.3 Preform manufacturing apparatus used in Silica-Quartz Page 11 Figure 3.4 Comparison of static,dynamic and spitial filtering imagery Page 12 Figure 4.1 Field flattener system of photography Page 13 Figure 4.2 Showing the image transmission through a conical fiber bundle Page 14 Figure 4.3 Fiber optics distortion correctors Page 14 Figure 4.4 Limiting resolution of Focon system Page 15 Figure 5.1 Single lens reflex camera Page 16 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. HISTORY OF FIBER OPTICS 3. WHAT IS FIBER OPTICS? 3.1 WHAT IS SILICA? 3.2 WHAT IS QUARTZ? 3.3 WHAT IS ENDOSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPHY? 4. ENDOSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPHY ELEMENTS 4.1 FIELD FLATTENER 4.2 CONICAL CONDENSER 4.3 DISTORTION CORRECTOR 4.4 FOCON RESOLUTION 5. ENDOSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES 5.1 COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY WITH FIBRE-OPTIC ENDOSCOPES 5.2 CINE- ENDOSCOPY 5.3 CLOSED CIRCUIT COLOUR TELEVISION ENDOSCOPY 5.4 GASTRO-CAMERA EXAMINATION 6. CONCLUSION 7. REFERENCES 8. APPENDIX 1. INTRODUCTION The technology of fiber drawing for nonoptical applications is old and fairly standard. Very-small-diameter glass and quartz fibers were made as early as by Faraday. In the early stages of the production of glass fibers on an industrial scale, the main application of the fibers was envisaged in the textile industry. More recently, they have been used for insulation against sound, heat and electricity. Presently, very fine fibers are being made of materials such as glass, quartz, nylon, polystyrene, polymethylcrylate. Of these, glasses, quartz and plastics are preferred for optical use because of their higher visible light transmission, longer thermal working range, better surface characteristics and mechanical strength. Furthermore, it has been shown that glass fibers can have greater tensile strength than can be expected from the bulk material. 2. HISTORY OF FIBER OPTICS The conduction of light along transparent cylinders by multiple total internal reflections is a fairly old and well known phenomenon. It is entirely possible that grecian and other ancient glassblowers observed and used this phenomenon in fabricating their decorative glassware. In fact, the basic techniques used by the old Venetian glassblowers for making ?millifiore' form an important aspect of present-day fiber optics technology. However, the earliest recorded scientific demonstration of this phenomenon was given by John Tyndall in 1870. In demostration Thyndall used an illuminated vessel of water and showed that, when a stream of water was allowed to flow through a hole in the side of the vessel, light was conducted along the curved path of the stream. In 1951 when A.C.S. van Heel in Holland and H.H. Hopkins and N.S. Kapany studied on the transmission of images along an aligned bundle

John F. Kennedy and PT-109 in WWII

John F. Kennedy and PT-109 in WWII PT-109 was an 80-ft. patrol torpedo boat used by the US Navy during World War II. Commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy, it was sunk by the destroyer Amagiri on August 2, 1943.   After the loss of PT-109, Kennedy went to great lengths to have his crew rescued. Nation: United StatesType: Patrol Torpedo BoatShipyard: Elco - Bayonne, NJLaid Down: March 4, 1942Launched: June 20, 1942Fate: Sunk August 2, 1943 Specifications Displacement: 56 tonsLength: 80 ft.Beam: 20 ft. 8 in.Draft: 3 ft. 6 in.Speed: 41 knotsComplement: 12-14 men Armament 4 x 21 torpedo tubes ( 4 x Mark VIII torpedoes)4 x .50 cal. machines guns1 x 20 mm cannon1 x 37 mm cannon Design Construction PT-109 was laid down on March 4, 1942, in Bayonne, NJ. Built by the Electric Launch Company (Elco), the boat was the seventh vessel in the 80-ft. PT-103-class. Launched on June 20, it was delivered to the US Navy the following month and fitted out at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Possessing a wooden hull constructed of two layers of mahogany planking, PT-109 could achieve speeds of 41 knots and was powered by three 1,500 hp Packard engines. Driven by three propellers, PT-109 mounted a series of mufflers on the transom to reduce engine noise and allow the crew to detect enemy aircraft. Typically manned by a crew of 12 to 14, PT-109s main armament consisted of four 21-inch torpedo tubes which utilized Mark VIII torpedoes. Fitted two to a side, these were swung outboard before firing. In addition, PT boats of this class possessed a 20 mm Oerlikon cannon aft for use against enemy aircraft as well as two swivel mounts with twin .50-cal. machine guns near the cockpit. Completing the vessels armament were two Mark VI depth charges which were placed forward of the torpedo tubes. After work was complete in Brooklyn, PT-109 was dispatched to Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) Squadron 5 in Panama. Operational History Arriving in September 1942, PT-109s service in Panama proved brief as it was ordered to join MTB 2 in the Solomon Islands a month later. Embarked aboard a cargo ship, it arrived at Tulagi Harbor in late November. Joining Commander Allen P. Calverts MTB Flotilla 1, PT-109 began operating from the base at Sesapi and conducted missions intended to intercept the ships of the Tokyo Express, which were delivering Japanese reinforcements during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Commanded by Lieutenant Rollins E. Westholm, PT-109 first saw combat on the night of December 7-8. Attacking a group of eight Japanese destroyers, PT-109 and seven other PT boats succeeded in forcing the enemy to withdraw. Over the next several weeks, PT-109 took part in similar operations in the region as well as conducted attacks against Japanese shore targets. During such an attack on January 15, the boat came under fire from enemy shore batteries and was holed three times. On the night of February 1-2, PT-109 took part in a large engagement involving 20 Japanese destroyers as the enemy worked to evacuate forces from Guadalcanal. With the victory on Guadalcanal, Allied forces began the invasion of the Russell Islands in late February. During these operations, PT-109 aided in escorting transports and provided security offshore. Amid the fighting in early 1943, Westholm became the flotilla operations officer and left Ensign Bryant L. Larson in command of PT-109. Larsons tenure was brief and he left the boat on April 20. Four days later, Lieutenant (junior grade) John F. Kennedy was assigned to command PT-109. The son of prominent politician and businessman Joseph P. Kennedy, he arrived from MTB 14 in Panama. Under Kennedy Through the next two months, PT-109 conducted operations in the Russell Islands in support of the men ashore. On June 16, the boat, along with several others, moved to an advanced base on Rendova Island. This new base became a target of enemy aircraft and  on August 1, 18 bombers struck. The raid sunk two PT boats and disrupted operations. Despite the attack, a force of fifteen PT boats was assembled in response to intelligence that five Japanese destroyers would be conducting a run from Bougainville to Vila, Kolombangara Island that night. Prior to departing, Kennedy ordered a 37 mm gun field mounted on the boat. Deploying in four sections, PT-159 was the first to make contact with the enemy and attacked in concert with PT-157. Expending their torpedoes, the two boats withdrew. Elsewhere, Kennedy patrolled without incident until spotting firing along the south shore of Kolombangara. Rendezvousing with PT-162 and PT-169, he soon received orders to maintain their normal patrol. Due east of Ghizo Island, PT-109 turned south and led the three-boat formation. Moving through the Blackett Straits, the three PT boats were spotted by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri. Turning to intercept, Lieutenant Commander Kohei Hanami bore down on the American boats at high speed. Spotting the Japanese destroyer at about 200-300 yards, Kennedy attempted to turn to starboard preparatory to firing torpedoes. Too slow, PT-109 was rammed and cut in half by Amagiri. Though the destroyer suffered minor damage, it safely returned to Rabaul, New Britain the following morning while the surviving PT boats fled the scene. Thrown into the water, two of PT-109s crew were killed in the collision. As the forward half of the boat remained afloat, the survivors clung to it until daylight. Rescue Aware that the forward section would soon sink, Kennedy had a float fashioned using a timber from the 37 mm gun mount. Placing badly burned Machinists Mate 1/c Patrick MacMahon and two non-swimmers aboard the float, the survivors succeeded in evading Japanese patrols and landed on uninhabited Plum Pudding Island. Over the next two nights, Kennedy and Ensign George Ross unsuccessfully attempted to signal patrolling PT boats with a salvaged battle lantern. With their provisions exhausted, Kennedy moved the survivors to nearby Olasana Island which possessed coconuts and water. Seeking additional food, Kennedy and Ross swam to Cross Island where they found some food and a small canoe. Using the canoe, Kennedy came into contact with two local islanders but was unable to get their attention. These proved to be Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, who had been dispatched by Sub Lieutenant Arthur Reginald Evans, an Australian coastwatcher on Kolombangara, who had seen PT-109 explode after the collision with Amagiri. On the night of August 5, Kennedy took the canoe into the Ferguson Passage to try to contact a passing PT boat. Unsuccessful, he returned to find Gasa and Kumana meeting with the survivors. After convincing the two men that they were friendly, Kennedy gave them two messages, one written on a coconut husk, to take to the coastwatchers at Wana Wana. The next day, eight islanders returned with instructions to take Kennedy to Wana Wana. After leaving supplies for the survivors, they transported Kennedy to Wana Wana where he made contact with PT-157 in the Ferguson Passage. Returning to Olasana that evening, Kennedys crew was ferried to the PT boat and transported to Rendova. For his efforts to rescue his men, Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. With Kennedys political ascent after the war, the story of PT-109 became well known and was the subject of a feature film in 1963. When asked how he became a war hero, Kennedy replied, It was involuntary. They sank my boat. The wreck of PT-109 was discovered in May 2002 by noted underwater archaeologist and oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard.

Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Debate - Essay Example Shareholders value refers to the wealth and profits of the shareholders. It is a part of business ethics that company should strive continuously for maximizing the shareholders value (Zairi, 1998). According to the Vermaelen (2008), Professor of Finance at INSEAD, in the consideration of capitalist economy it is assumed that management has the responsibility to maximize the shareholders value. The value maximization should be considered as an implicit contract and in his opinion it is an ethical responsibility of the managers. Hence, the policies of the company that are designed to reduce the application of this implicit contract must be considered as an unethical practice. Until, of course, the Company has clearly stated in the shareholders contract about the different objectives of using the profit for other purposes. For example, a company decided to start a corporate social responsibility practice in the society for the sake of humanity. The application of this practice will be d one by distributing five percent of the company’s profit among the social welfare institutions. ... fessor Vermaelen clearly indicates that the mangers are liable to maximize the shareholders value, if they do so then they are on a right track, and if not, then they are violating the conducts of business ethics. Sometimes it seems that the companies violate the conducts of social ethics in maximizing the shareholders value. Here the question arises, is that ethical to violate the conducts of social ethics to maximize the wealth of shareholders? The profit of shareholders is associated with company’s profit and it has a positive relationship with profit as well. In the consideration of raised question the business ethics are designed to protect the rights of employees, customers, shareholders and the society. And companies are liable to follow the conducts of business ethics. The implementation of business ethics creates the company’s image in the society. The example for violation of business ethics and social ethics is given to understand the importance of considerin g the business and social ethics in the company’s practices. The case of Nokia in china is the perfect example for understanding the consideration of social ethics in the maximization of shareholders value. Everyone is aware with the fact that the China has low labor wage rates when comparing it with wage rates of other countries. China is highly focused on achieving economies of scale and they are getting success in their vision. Nokia is in contract with few Chinese electronic factories for the supply of mobile parts and accessories. But the factories do not supply the finished products. The factory has a great number of female labors. When the survey was conducted in the factory and female labor are asked to give their reviews regarding the application of policy of business ethics then a

Concepts of Irish Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Concepts of Irish - Essay Example It cannot be denied that the Vikings invasions throughout Western Europe played a role in the shaping of society, both politically and socially in the ninth and tenth centuries. In his book, Kings and Vikings, Sawyer notes that although the Vikings were disruptive and destructive when raiding, they made a positive contribution to society as conquerors and colonists.(Sawyer, 1994).This is a revised view of Vikings, where previously they were thought to be plundering and murderous villains and is more accurate if we are to take the evidence of the social development due to the Vikings into account. Ireland was affected strongly by the impact of the Vikings. Before the invasions of the Norse, the Irish were a race of cattle farmers, living mainly inland and there was little commerce or trade within Ireland or between Ireland and the rest of Europe. After the Norse had settled the Irish concentrated on the coastal areas and a rich system of trade developed. This shows that the Vikings had a significant impact on the culture and society of the Irish, without which they would not have developed so quickly. It is the attitudes of these Normans towards the Irish that is particularly interesting, however. Gerald of Wales describes the Irish people as uniformly barbaric, with only a talent for music to recommend them. Gerald of Wales was born in about 1147 at Mamobier Castle, Pembrokeshire. His father was a Norman knight, and his mother a Welsh princess. After his studies he became a teacher in Paris. Later he was appointed Court Chaplain to King Henry II. In 1185 Henry ordered Gerald to accompany Prince John to Ireland. He wrote about these experiences in his books, The Topography of Ireland and The Conquest of Ireland. Gerald was particularly interested in the military tactics used by both sides. Although Gerald was critical of the Irish his book shows concern for the way they were treated by John's army. In The Topography of Ireland, Gerald of Wales writes in great length of the beauty of the land, all the while keeping it in perspective to Britain, which the author obviously feels is superior in many ways to Ireland. After the beautiful description of the land and its resources, however, Gerald speaks about the rudimentary cultures of the people. "This people are not tenderly nursed from their birth, as others are; for besides the rude fare they receive from their parents, which is only just sufficient for their sustenance, as to the rest, almost all is left to nature. They are not placed in cradles, or swathed, nor are their tender limbs either fomented by constant bathings, or adjusted with art. For the midwives make no use of warm water, nor raise their noses, nor depress the face, nor stretch the legs, but nature alone, with very slight aids from art, disposes and adjusts the limbs to which she has given birth, just as she pleasesBut although they are richly endowed with the gif ts of nature, their want of civilization, shown both in their dress and their mental culture, makes them a barbarous people. For they wear but little woollen, and nearly all they use is black, that being the color of the sheep in this country. Their clothes are also made after a barbarous fashion, " (Cambrensis, 2000). It is apparent that Gerald of Wales did not have high respect for much of Irish culture. In Contrast, Bede the Venerable seemed