The Concept Of The Value Chain

The Concept Of The Value Chain The concept of the value chain encompasses the activities that companies perform to achieve that competitive advantage, where the competitive advantage is having the ability to create superior value to its customers and at the same time superior value to themselves. Value chain analysis together with supply and demand chain analysis are staples of Modern Business Management. An effective business strategy must encompass all parts of the value chain configuration which includes both primary and secondary activities. The value chain concept was first developed by Michael Porter (1958) in his work on Competitive Advantage in which he analyses the basis for competitive advantage and presents the value chain as a framework for diagnosing and enhancing it. However since then there has been a considerable amount of work done to expand on Porters original concept. Today more and more Managers are using value chain analysis part of strategic planning. The process of globalisation incorporates the interaction and integration amongst people, companies and governments of different nations. According to Black 2002 globalisation is defined as:- ..process by which the whole world becomes a single market. This means that goods and services, capital and labour are traded on a world wide basis and information and the results of research flow readily between countriesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Through globalisation economies both domestically and internationally have been opened up. Governments have adopted a free market economics systems whereby increasing their own productive potential in addition to creating opportunities for international trade and involvement. There is also the controversial aspect of globalisation where proponents argue that through globalisation poor countries and their citizens are allowed to grow economically. On the other hand opponents of globalisation claim that multinationals of the western world benefits at the expense of local enterprises, cultures and the common people. BP BP is a multinational oil company with it headquarters based in the United Kingdom, London. It is one of the worlds top 10 private sector energy corporations in the world today. BP is engaged in oil, natural gas and alternative fuel exploration in addition to the marketing and sale of petroleum products. They are also at the forefront of delivering diverse, material and real solutions to meet the worlds needs for more, cleaner and affordable energy. Bp operates worldwide with branches in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America with operations in over 80 countries. Their largest division is BP America, which is the biggest producer of oil and gas in the United States of America. BPs operating income in 2009 was USD $ 26.43 billion with a revenue of USD $ 246.1 billion. As at Dec 2009 they employed 80,600. In 2000 BP Amoco changed their name to BP and introduced a new slogan Beyond Petroleum. They also replaced their Green Shield logo with the Helios symbol, a green and yellow sunflower pattern representing energy in its many forms. (Wikipedia 2010) BPs rapid growth in world trade and investment is a direct result of the globalisation process in which multinational companies increasingly target parts of the globe as their domestic market. Since value chain is utilised to develop an organisations sustainable competitive advantage, it has become a powerful tool for Managers. The ability of any organisation to identify key activities and by extension perform activities along the line of value chain would create that competitive advantage that Michael porter spoke about. Through its history Bp has invested in countries abroad such as the US, Middle East, Iraq Egypt, Indonesia and Trinidad and Tobago. In doing so they have been able to secure large oil reserves and be identified as one of the largest oil and gas exploration company ion the world today. Being true to their values of being progressive, innovative and performance driven they have integrated the key activities of the value chain to the benefit of their customers BPs global strategy in their operations has assisted in their objective for being cost competitive through the securing of various economies of scale. Their heavy investment in the U.S. is testimony to this, since the U.S. remains one of the most lucrative markets in the world for energy and energy related resources. They consume over 1.2 billion litters of oil per year an this figure is constantly growing. This together with political stability, infrastructure and transport mechanisms are vital ingredients towards BPs investments there. Through mergers and acquisitions over the years, Bp has managed to receive that competitive advantage. With the acquisition of Valdes oil terminal in the late 60s, Standard Oil of Ohio in the 70s and the merging of Amoco in 2000 they captured most of the US. market share. By maintained this by continuing to sell Amoco branded products through their service stations although they were already converted to reflect the BP brand, as Amoco was rated best petroleum by consumers. Today BP continues to seek mergers and acquisition s worldwide in an effort to bring in additional revenue, increased profits, foreign assets and Human resources. Using an appraisal system based on the porters five forces which key elements include Threat of potential entrants,(2) substitutes, (3) bargaining power of suppliers and (40 power of buyers, together with an exploration of (5) degree of competitive rivalry, BOP appears to be highly competitive in their area of production. Through increased exploration in new territorities such as Asia Pacific, Azerbaijan, Angola, Trinidad Gulf of Mexico and in more recent times Russia, BP is able to increase assets and by extension establish leadership position in these areas. With the liberalisation of markets, advancement of technology and new regulatory regimes that stress greater competition international competition has increased. As a result Multinationals are forced to become more efficient in areas of production and marketing to achieve that sustainable competitive advantage. All organisations consist of activities that link together to develop the value of its business. Together these activities form the organisations value chain. Bps value chain over the years has become more complex. One of the ways they have addressed this is by diversifying their operations of petroleum exploration and refining system into retailing in cafes, bakeries and convenience stores. Their aim is not only to ensure customer satisfaction but also to be an attraction to prospective customers by marketing differentiated products, consequently creating a competitive edge and becoming more effectively aligned to its customers needs. As mentioned earlier all organisations consist of activities that when linked together develop the value of the business and form the value chain. These activities are referred to as the primary and secondary activities, where primary is related to production inclusive of inbound and outbound logistics, operations, marketing and sales and service. The secondary or support activities assist in the effectiveness and efficiency of the company. Bp to date has effectively utilised both logistical and value chain strategies in its overseas operations. In doing so, they have achieved competitive strengths and core competencies in the market place, ultimately creating value for the customer. Inbound logistics A substantial part BPs production is derived from a number of oil and gas fields worldwide. The oil and gas are transported via a series of pipelines and ships to various conversion facilities like refineries, power stations and industrial facilities at different locations. The use of BP shipping, a subsidiary of the BP group also provides the logistics to move oil and gas cargoes. The BP management fleet consists of Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers and coasters. Bp has also shifted some of their exploration activities from Alaska and the North Sea since leaks were discovered in the pipelines and posed a threat to the environment. Explorations are now concentrated in the Soviet Union, Rumaila and The Gulf of Mexico. Through pioneering new technologies such as digital imaging of reservoirs there is also the potential to discover additional oil and gas out of some of their mature fields. BPs interest in the Canadian Oil sands also provides a unique opportunity for creating a balance in upstream production and downstream conversion. Operations The operation of BP is spread over six continents. As at 2004 there were 23 refineries of which 5 are in the US, 12 in Europe and 6 in other parts of the world. At the refineries crude oil is refined through a process called cracking during which it is cleaned and purified, separating gasoline, fuel oil and other hydro carbons. Over the years the demands for energy has been on the increase and as a result Bp has invested heavily in the promotion of alternative energy in addition to improving energy efficiency in their operations. Safety has also become a top priority In BPs operation and is viewed as fundamental to their success. Consequently, they are constantly upgrading their refineries to improve safety. This has resulted in injury rates reducing by close to 75%. Outbound logistics BPs transport network criss-crosses the globe. They control an international tanker fleet of more than thirty-five vessels, either fully owned or on long-term charter . Finished products such as fuel lubricants and chemical products are transported to various destinations through different methods. Fuels, for example are transported domestically through a vast truck and rail system, which is then stored in tanks at service stations to be retailed to the consumer. For the international market the finished product is transported via carriers which are then loaded onto trucks and rail cars for distribution. In the case of natural gas, depending on the location of the field it is transported through pipes to local distribution companies (LDC), or shipped using LNG carriers. Marketing and Sales This departments main strategy is to operate in markets where they can get the largest share and ensuring that it is kept well supplied at all times by supply advantage. The introduction of retail sites with convenient stores is one of the strategies adopted to achieve this Environmental issues such as global warming have forced BP to address the issue of climate change. Their initial step was the changing of its brand image and logo. Being true to their values, BP is continuously seeking to increase energy efficiency throughout their operations. They also work alongside vehicle and equipment manufacturers, towards improving overall efficiency in the use of their fuel and lubricants. Bp has also differentiated themselves from their competitors by playing a leading role in the growing low carbon energy sector, focusing on bio fuels, wind and solar energy and carbon capture and storage. Services The dependence of oil, gas and energy related industries from unstable and or difficult parts of the world have always been a concern for many countries. Although the price volatility over the past few years has softened some of these concerns, they continue to exist. Terrorism in particular has become a top priority since September 11 20011. Consequently, Bp has taken steps in securing all activities along its value chain. Additionally, it is quite evident that BPs commitment towards safety and climate change is constantly growing.

Experimental Estimating Deflection of a Simple Beam Bridge Model Using Grating Eddy Current Sensors

Abstract: A novel three-point method using a grating eddy current absolute position sensor (GECS) for bridge deflection estimation is proposed in this paper. Real spatial positions of the measuring points along the span axis are directly used as relative reference points of each other rather than using any other auxiliary static reference points for measuring devices in a conventional method. Every three adjacent measuring points are defined as a measuring unit and a straight connecting bar with a GECS fixed on the center section of it links the two endpoints. In each measuring unit, the displacement of the mid-measuring point relative to the connecting bar measured by the GECS is defined as the relative deflection. Absolute deflections of each measuring point can be calculated from the relative deflections of all the measuring units directly without any correcting approaches. Principles of the three-point method and displacement measurement of the GECS are introduced in detail. Both static and dynamic experiments have been carried out on a simple beam bridge model, which demonstrate that the three-point deflection estimation method using the GECS is effective and offers a reliable way for bridge deflection estimation, especially for long-term monitoring. Keywords: three-point method; deflection estimation; relative deflection; absolute deflection; grating eddy current sensor (GECS) OPEN ACCESS Sensors 2012, 12 9988 1. Introduction. After a bridge is put into use, gradual deterioration is inevitable because of loading, temperature changes or other environmental factors. In order to guarantee the safety and durability of those bridges which are expensive and closely related with people’s livelihood, long-term and continuous structural health monitoring is an essential part of the maintenance management. Among the various structural performance evaluations, vertical deflection is an important parameter that can directly and effectively indicate a bridge ’s behavior. In terms of instrumentation for deflection estimation, there are contact and non-contact deflection estimation methods. Traditional displacement sensors such as mechanical dial gauges or linear variable differential transducers (LVDTs) are used in contact measurement, through which static or real-time displacement values can be obtained directly or fed into a computer for processing and displaying via a data cable. This method, however, requires access under the bridge and installation of a temporary supporting system to mount sensors, which is time consuming and not very efficienct. In addition, it might even be unavailable when bridges are over rivers, highways or have high clearance. Another contact sensor is the fiber optic Bragg-grating (FBG) sensor through which the deflection is calculated from the measured strain data and displacement-strain relationship [1,2]. In this way, however, the calculated displacement from strain data is sensitive to noise, and the sensors are expensive and must be embedded into the structure, which to a certain degree is difficult for bridges in service. To cope with those inconveniences in contact measuring methods, various non-contact approaches have been proposed. Based on the detection of the Doppler shift of the laser light, a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) equipped with displacement and velocity signal decoders can measure both bridge deflection and vibration simultaneously [3]. In this way, a static reference point (usually underneath the bridge) is needed for device mounting, and the device should be attended, which limits it’s usability for long-term monitoring. Among image methods, dynamic deflection with high resolution of the bridge can be obtained through using digital image processing techniques [4], while deflection distribution from the images of the bridge girder surface recorded by a digital camera before and after deformation can be evaluated by digital image correlation techniques [5], and digital close-range terrestrial photogrammetry (DCRTP) can measure the spatial coordination in three-dimensions [6,7]. Like the LDV, devices such as video cameras used in image methods cannot be left unattended and they are easily affected by weather conditions. Use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) can provide spatial locations of the measuring points on the bridge in real-time by comparing with a continuing operational reference station (CROS). It offers a long-term monitoring approach without being affected by climatic factors [8,9], but due to its relatively low accuracy, it is only applied to those bridges with significant deformations. All the non-contact methods mentioned above, although they differ in instrumentation, have one thing in common, a static reference point or CROS that is kept a certain distance away from the bridge is selected for installation of the measuring device, otherwise measurements cannot be carried out. Another method is using inclinometers which can be installed on the bridge directly along a line paralleling the bridge span axis [10,11], and both static and dynamic deflection time history curves can be calculated through curve-fitting technology based on the accurate angle records of the inclinometers. An outstanding feature of the inclinometer is that static reference Sensors 2012, 12 9989 points mentioned above are no longer needed. This approach reduces the dependence on environmental conditions and it is suitable for long-term monitoring. To avoid those deficiencies in conventional estimating deflection methods mentioned above, a novel three-point deflection estimation method is presented in this paper. Measuring points along lines paralleling the bridge span axis are chosen equidistantly. Among these measuring points, every three adjacent measuring points are defined as a measuring unit in which a straight connecting bar linking the two endpoints is taken as a relative reference line. Relative deflection of the mid-measuring point relative to the intermediate point of the connecting bar on which a displacement sensor is fixed can be measured, and thus the absolute deflection of each measuring point can be calculated from the relative deflections of all the measuring units. Compared with the contact and non-contact methods mentioned above, only real spatial positions of the measuring points are taken as relative references without any other static reference points. Moreover, the selected displacement sensor is the grating eddy current absolute position sensor (GECS) which is different from traditional eddy current sensors based on vertical characteristics [12,13]. Since the structure of grating reflective conductors is adopted, the measurement range is extended but without compromising the accuracy. In addition, as an inductive sensor, the GECS is waterproof and dustproof in principle, thus it can work under bad weather conditions, which makes it ideal for long-term monitoring. In this paper, both the principles of the three-point method and displacement measurement of the GECS are presented. Then, this three-point method for deflection estimation is verified in a simply supported girder bridge model in the laboratory. Comprehensive static and dynamic experiment results on the laboratory tests demonstrate this method is effective and offers an alternative way for bridge deflection estimation.

Mba Internship Report Ufone - 7776 Words

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I’m grateful to All Mighty ALLAH for giving me strength to put together this report and I would like to thank my parents for their throughout support, my teachers for instilling in my enough knowledge to be able to carry myself efficiently during my internship and last but not least the staff of Accounts Payable Department especially Mr. Awais Khan, Mr. Waqas Ali, Mr. Saboor , Mr. Akhtar, Mr.Muhammad Farhan., who were extremely helpful during the internship and for the compilation of this report too. Executive Summary This report has been written to fulfill my MBA degree requirement. The contents of this report are based on my 6 weeks internship, starting from 22nd July 2009 till the 6thof August 2009, at Ufone GSM. This†¦show more content†¦Today this telecom sector is providing Job opportunities to many people. Especially this sector has increased the pay scales and reward systems for employees. Earlier people tried to find government jobs but with the introduction of companies like Telenor, Warid and Mobilink the private sector has progressed massively and people now earn a much higher income. At present there is a tough competition between Ufone, Telenor and Mobilink. Each company has its distinct advantages. Mobilink on one hand is the Market leader; Telenor on the other hand is renowned for attracting the employees of these 2 companies towards itself by offering them better monetary rewards. Ufone on the other hand is now experiencing a Rapid Growth. Company Background Ufone PTML is a wholly owned subsidiary of PTCL established to operate cellular telephony. The company commenced its operations, under the brand name of Ufone, from Islamabad on January 29, 2001. As a consequence of PTCL’s privatization, 26% of its shares were acquired by Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat). Being part of PTCL, the management of Ufone has also been handed over to Etisalat. During the year July 2005 to June 2006, Ufone continued on the path to success. The Company further expanded its coverage and has added new cities and highways. Ufone hasShow MoreRelatedInternship Report on Mcb20087 Words   |  81 Pagesin the organizational environment which is dramatically different from the educational environment. That two months period called â€Å"Internship Period†, if spent properly and sincerely, enables the students to be more confident, more knowledgeable, more responsible and, above all, more committed to its work in the  practical field. I have also been assigned to do internship of six weeks period in MCB Allama Iqbal Town Branch Lahore. It has enabled me to understand the practical scenario and sharpen our

Cultural Challenges Facing Military Operations in Pan Arab...

For this assignment the cultural manifestations I selected to discuss as being important to our Unit’s success are Wasta, Deference to authority, and Tendency to seek compromise. Of course understanding all of the cultural manifestations are important to our unit’s success, but each region within the Middle East-North African (MENA) region will have their own variations based upon which branch of Islam is dominant in the region, what that region’s experience has been with the U.S. or a Western presence in general and numerous other factors such as the prevailing socio-economic factors of the region. By way of back ground, I thought it would be helpful to point out that the MENA region is a pretty diverse area comprised of â€Å"have’s† and†¦show more content†¦The bottom line for our team however, is to understand that the widespread practice of wasta in the Middle East is assumed, it is a given. So we must learn the nuances of the practice and use it to our advantage to be successful in our mission. That means finding the right Wasta to curry influence with the particular elders you are working with. Originally based upon family loyalty, the family is still the primary wasta channel, but that familial relationship has expanded to include friends and acquaintances, as well as private agreements whereby services are provided in exchange for gifts or specific fees. In the words of one observer, â€Å"Todays wasta is too often a middle-man, seeking fame and fortune by doing favors. Our job is to find that Middle Man and enter into that relationship with our eyes wide-open, knowing it isn’t going to be a cheap date, but that it will be worth the lives it will save down the road. Incidentally, the IMF, World Bank and regional economic leaders consider the â€Å"taming† or conversion of wasta as necessary to the MENA Region ultimately becoming an emerging market leader and engine of world growth, its effect in the regional economy is that debilitating. So let’s do our part to keep it that way! Where’s my Wasta!?! Here wasta wasta! Deference to Authority: As LTC Wunderle describes, Arab culture favorsShow MoreRelatedInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 PagesInc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the United States. 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Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesD421.E77 2010 909.82—dc22 2009052961 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992 Printed in the United States of America 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1 C ONTENTS Introduction Michael Adas 1 1 World Migration in the Long Twentieth Century †¢ Jose C. Moya and Adam McKeown 9 †¢ 2 Twentieth-Century Urbanization: In Search of an Urban Paradigm forRead MoreRetailing Characteristics of Fast Food Stores and Their Impact on Customer Sales and Satisfaction29639 Words   |  119 Pagesfruits and vegetables being sold through traditional marketing channels. Supermarket growth around the world has, in part, resulted from the considerable competition between supermarket chains, particularly in the United States and Europe. In the West this competition has led to increased supermarket share by the squeezing out of smaller, less efficient retailers. Chains in developed countries have responded to the impact of fierce domestic competitionRead MoreCase 11 Mabindra Mabindra B 10337 Words   |  42 Pagesgiant Mahindra Mahindra Ltd. (MM) was featured on the Forbes Global 2000 list,2 a ranking of the biggest and most powerful companies in the world. Besides MM, some of the other Indian companies that figured on the list were Reliance Industries, State Bank of India, Oil Natural Gas Corp., ICICI Bank, NTPC, Bharti Airtel, Larsen Toubro, and Tata Motors. Emerging markets such as China and India, with 113 and 56 members respectively on the list, were growing steadily and gaining prominence at theRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesReed−Lajoux and others . . . This book was printed on recycled paper. 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Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Director of Editorial Services:Read MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pagesthis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978)

Nike Rhectorical Essay - 1029 Words

Richard Jones ENGL 202D 9/10/14 Nike Americans everyday procrastinate on goals and achievements, wishing of getting out and obtaining their personal ambitions. Although everyone wishes to be the best, success relieves on the drive the athlete has inside. Imagine a shoe that can increase that motivational drive. The Nike text creates a conceptual situation that any Nike products can make you perform better. Nike is one of America’s top sportswear brand that bring tons of Rhetorical Analysis with their advertisement. Nike goal is to bring inspiration and motivation to every athlete in the world. NIKE designs, develops, and sells a range of products and services to help in playing basketball and soccer, as well as in running, mens and†¦show more content†¦Nike uses emotional context to appeal to a sports player mind. â€Å"Just do it†, Nike’s slogan, is encouraging athletics across the world to go on the field or gym and give it their all. Without seeing or directly experiencing the produ ct, they convey a feeling to the audience to experience what it would be like to use their products. The main purpose of the Nike website is to adapt their audience to this ultra world of sports. Nike gives you the ability to do anything. Nike is a creditable source for quality sport clothing. They have contracts with Professional teams. When addressing counter arguments Nike has made it known to the world that they product the best athletic wear. Since being around from the 1960s Nike have been beating other competitive companies, such as Reebok, Adidas, and Under Armor. Stated by Hoover’s, Nike has 8 billion more total revenue then Adidas. They have been number one in their market for years. They challenge they best competitors, on Nike home page website they have the Jordan Jumpman label. Jordan is he greatest basketball player. With Jordan being with Nike there is no way none for the basketball audience to use a different brand then Nike. http://www.nike.com/us/en_us/?cp= usns_kw_AL!1778!3!43361374022!e!!g!nike!c YouTube is another way for Nike to grab the audience attention with a modest environment. The audience of this video was runners, basketball players, and people who like LeBron James. The YouTube video consists of LeBron

Round-Trip Copper Reactions Lab Report Free Essays

AP Chemistry 12/13/11 Round-Trip Copper Reactions Lab The purpose of this lab was to evaluate our skills of decanting a supernatant liquid without losing the solid and successful completion of a series of reactions. This was done through five chemical reactions involving copper. In this lab, elemental copper was put through five different chemical reactions in order to convert it into different compounds. We will write a custom essay sample on Round-Trip Copper Reactions Lab Report or any similar topic only for you Order Now By the end of the fifth reaction, the copper was back to its elemental state. In the first reaction, 0. 95 g of pure copper was reacted with 4. 0 mL of concentrated nitric acid under the fume hood. The solution was swirled until all of the copper had dissolved. The balanced equation for this reaction is as follows: Cu (s) + 4HNO3 (aq) a Cu(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NO2 (g) + 2H2O (l) When the nitric acid came into contact with the solid copper, a brown gas was immediately released into the fume hood. This brown gas was nitrogen dioxide as the balanced equation above shows. As the copper dissolved, the solution slowly turned blue because of the copper ions. In the second reaction, distilled water was added to the copper (II) nitrate solution until the beaker was half full. Then, 30 mL of 3. M sodium hydroxide was added to the solution. The balanced equation for this reaction is as follows: Cu(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) a Cu(OH)2 (s) + 2NaNO3 (aq) When sodium hydroxide was added to the copper (II) nitrate solution, a bright blue gel-like precipitate was formed instantly. This precipitate was copper (II) hydroxide. The precipitate was blue because of the copper ions. In the third reaction, the c opper (II) hydroxide solution was heated above a Bunsen burner. Continual stirring was required to reduce the â€Å"bumping†, or formation of bubbles that release gas very quickly that have the potential to cause injury. The balanced equation for this reaction is as follows: Cu(OH)2 (s) a CuO (s) + H2O (l) When the solution was heated, the bright blue precipitate slowly began to darken, at first by showing flakes of black, then eventually turning completely black. This is due to the copper reacting with oxygen, or oxidizing. The black precipitate was allowed to settle and then the supernatant, the clear liquid that lies above a precipitate, was decanted, or poured carefully off. Then, 200 mL of hot distilled water was added and the precipitate was allowed to settle to repeat the decanting process again. In the fourth reaction, 15 mL of 6. 0 M sulfuric acid was added to the copper (II) oxide while stirring. The balanced equation for this reaction is as follows: CuO (s) + H2SO4 (aq) a CuSO4 (aq) + H2O (l) + SO2 (g) When the sulfuric acid was added to copper (II) oxide, the solution turned blue. This was due to the formation of aqueous copper (II) sulfate, which produced the copper ions to change the color of the solution. In the fifth reaction, 2. 29 g of zinc was added to the copper (II) sulfate solution under the fume hood. The balanced equation for this reaction is written as followed: Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq) a ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu (s) When the zinc was added to the copper (II) sulfate solution, the solution started to bubble. As the solution was stirred, it turned a cloudy blue. Small flecks of a brown solid were visible. As the solution became colorless, the brown solid settled to the bottom of the beaker. The solid formed was copper in its elemental state. The color faded from the solution as the copper ions slowly formed into solid copper. The copper was poured into a funnel with filter paper and washed three times with 25 mL of distilled water and ethanol. In order to dry the copper, it was placed on a watch glass weighing 29. 91 g over a beaker half full of water on a hot plate. One the copper appeared to be dry, the beaker was removed from the hot plate and allowed to cool. The copper was massed on the watch glass and was recorded as 30. 79 g. This was left to sit overnight and was massed again the next and recorded as 30. 77 g. By subtracting the mass of the watch glass from the final mass of the copper and watch glass, the mass of the copper was obtained and recorded as 0. 86 g. In conclusion, the percent yield of copper from the original copper was calculated to be 90. % by the formula: actual x 100 = percent yield theoretical 0. 86 g x 100 = 90. 5% 0. 95 g In theory, the amount of copper at the end of the lab should have been the same amount that was started out with. Due to decanting and changing containers, some of the mass was lost. The calculated percent yield above is fairly accurate considering that some of the mass was los t during decanting and transferring the copper from the filter paper onto the watch glass. How to cite Round-Trip Copper Reactions Lab Report, Papers

Logistics & Supply Chain Specialists Australia-Samples for Student

Question: Discuss about the Logistics and Supply Chain Specialists Australia. Answer: Introduction The transport and logistics industry plays a crucial role in providing a reliable mode of transport of commodities for all the major economic sectors in all countries across the globe. The Australian transport and logistics industry contributes an estimated 15% of the countrys GDP as it serves some of the vital economic sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and mining industry (Waters, 2003). The logistics industry of Australia has undergone rapid growth in the recent decades due to the tremendous growth in technology. The current advancements in technology have led to the emergence of fast and reliable transport equipment. It has also improved the safety and security of goods in transit as well as the security of those who handle them, and hence, the improved efficiency in the logistics industry. Conversely, there are numerous challenges that are encountered by stakeholders in the logistics industry. Some of the challenges include but not limited to accidents and destruction o f goods in transit, delays in roads and ports, theft and the lack of safety and security of commodities in transit or in storage. Besides, there are policies and regulations that international and local players in the industry have to comply with to move commodities across inter-border regions (Australian Bureau of Meteorology, 2011). These challenges have derailed the performance of the Australian transport and logistics industry. As a result, logistics companies need to take a lot of consideration a lot of logistics management issues during the planning phase to ensure smooth operations. A new international mining company requires to transport thermal coal on a soon-to-be built 500 km railway between the townships of Alpha in Central Western Queensland to Abbot Point port in Northeast Queensland. However, this company first need to import 40 standard gauge locomotives that weigh 100 tons each and 600 coal wagons, which are to be transported from an inland regional setting in Germa ny, which is the point-of-origin, to Abbot Point Port, which is the final destination. Aim The safe arrival of the locomotives and coal wagons mentioned above require proper planning to overcome the challenges that are associated with the transport and logistics industry. In this regard, the aim of this paper is to provide a report that highlights some of the challenges in the Australian transport and logistics industry and the measures that this particular mining company should take into consideration to ensure a successful transportation of the 40 standard gauge locomotives and the 600 coal wagons from Germany to Abbot Point Port. In line with these aspects, this report is going to discuss the logistics industry by examining some of the logistics issues that are associated road and sea transport in these two countries. In addition, the report will discuss the Australian Custom Issues, warehouse management, and risk management in the transport and logistics industry. Scope The scope of this report is limited to the Australian and German transport and logistics industry. The focus is going to be on three modes of transport namely, sea, road, and railway. This report will limit its discussion to some of the logistic issues surrounding sea freight and road transport, as well as the vital activities that contribute to the successful transportation of commodities from the point of origin to final destination. Logistics Issues The process of transporting commodities from the place of origin to the final destination is normally accompanied by several challenges. Therefore, while transporting the 40 locomotives and the 600 wagons, this mining company will encounter a number of issues; however, the following are the three major issues that the company will encounter. Safety and security One of the major logistic issue that this mining company will encounter is the safety and security of the locomotives and the wagons during the transportation process. To deliver these commodities to Abbot Point, the mining company will rely on the use of road and sea transport. Roads will be used to transport the locomotives and wagons from the inland point to a German port, while sea freight will be used to transport them from Germany to Abbot Point Port. During transportation, the commodities will be under threat of getting stolen by highway robbers or by pirates in the sea (Australian Associated Press, 2004). The commodities are also under the threat of getting damaged from accidents that may occur on roads. Road transport is vulnerable to truck accidents due to the poor condition of roads or mistakes by drivers (Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, 2010). Equally, sea transport is also vulnerable to accidents resulting from sea tides or attack by pirates, which results could to damages to the locomotives and wagons. Besides the safety and security of the commodities, there are safety and security issues associated with the storage of commodities (Sydney Motorways, 2011). At storage, the locomotives and wagons are under the threat of theft or warehouse fire accidents. In this regard, the mining company will have to identify and implement appropriate safety and security measures to ensure that all their commodities arrive in good conditions. Distance and poor conditions of roads The mining company will encounter the issue of long distance and poor road conditions. After receiving the locomotives and the wagons at the port, the company will rely on road transport to deliver them to Abbot Point Port. The long distance between the point of origin and the point of destination is one of the major transport and logistic issues that affect the transportation of commodities. There are long distances between mining quarries and other major Australian cities, for example, the 500kim between Alpha West and Abbot Point Port. Therefore, the mining company will experience delays in the delivery of commodities due to the time-consuming transport activities (Hult, Craighead, Ketchen, 2010). The geographical location of places such as mineral mining sites in the NSW are in very remote areas, and hence, the involved long distances complicate the entire process for the logistics firms. In addition to this, the presence of poor conditions of roads is also another major logisti c issue that this company will have to deal with. The poor conditions of the roads in the remote areas in the Alpha North makes the transportation very difficult for the truck drivers who need to plan well in advance. Due to the long distances and poor condition of roads, truck drivers get fatigued along the way; however, due to pressure to deliver the commodities on time, they become vulnerable to accidents leading to deaths and destruction of valuable commodities. Transport Mode Sea Road The Australian sea freight has experienced a reduced growth in the recent decades; however, modern shipping facilities have been launched to accommodate the rising demands of shipping services (Hair, Sarstedt, Pieper, Ringle, 2012). The transportation of the locomotives and wagons from Germany to Abbot Point Port will be through sea freight due to their bulky nature. The company will have to choose several large cargo ships that that can accommodate bulky commodities the size of a locomotive. This mining company will use road transport to move their commodities from one point to another. Therefore, for appropriate choices, the company should be aware of the types of roads in Australia. In Australia, the road network consists of local roads, state highways, and federal highways. This company will use trucks to move their commodities, in this regard, to ensure the safety and security of commodities, the company should rely on state and federal highways due to their relatively good con ditions (Waters, 2003). These roads are fixed with safety features such as warning signs, road reflectors, barriers, and guard rails to enhance road safety. The company should select modern trucks with powerful engines and with enhanced safety features while moving the wagons or other mine products. Besides, the company will have to hire qualified and experienced truck drivers to ensure compliance with road transport regulations. Australian Customs Issues AQIS In its operations, the new mining company will have to adhere to the Australian custom requirements. In this regard, the company will be required to observe the quarantine laws in the country as stipulated in the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). Australia has a highly strict import and export environment due to its fragile econ-system, therefore, the AQIS was formulated and implemented to ensure the exportation and importation of safe products in the country (Waters, 2003). AQIS requires a thorough inspection and certification of all commodities that leave or enter the country. This quarantine law is useful in reducing the risks of diseases and pests, and it protects the Australian major economic sectors. In line with these aspects, the new mining company will have to produce high-quality and safe coal products according to AQIS standards. Warehouse Management The new mining company will need to be acquainted with effective warehouse management activities to ensure proper storage of received commodities and those that need to be exported. The success of a business such as mining companies depends on how effective the warehouse is managed. This is because an effectively managed warehouse optimizes the business activities of the involved company. The following are some of the important warehouse management activities that should be taken into consideration. According to Richards (2011), there are three main activities related to warehouse management. Inbound is the first step in warehouse management. It is where the warehouse receives commodities, after which the received commodities are taken through inspection to determine whether they are the right products and whether they are in the desired condition and the right quality before storage. There are other activities that take place during the inbound process. At this stage, the repackaging of the received commodities take place, and they are labelled accordingly. They are labelled using barcodes for accurate electronic record keeping. The second warehouse management process is storage. At this stage, the commodities are stored based on how they are labelled. This process is normally carried out using the Warehouse Management System (WMS), which is an electronic software application that allows for the centralization of activities such as stock locations and tracking inventory (Emmett, 2011). The storage should be divided into two; bulk storage and pic storage. The bulk commodities should be stored in pallet racking while the less bulky should be stored in shelves. The final process of warehouse management is outbound, which is where the involved company picks and packages the products that are to be shipped to clients (Emmett, 2011). The company should pick orders using the single-order picking for single order items, batch picking for multiple orders, and zone picking for orders to be delivered to a particular zone. At this stage, the company should ensure that all the commodities to be delivered to clients are correct, are of high-quality, and are packaged appropriately. Risk Management Findings The transport and logistics industry is faced with numerous issues, for example, risk and compliance, accidents and damage of commodities in transit, delays, and government restrictions. However, the two major logistics issues that will affect the new mining company are safety and security problems and long distance and poor condition of roads. There are risks such as theft of commodities, damages to goods, and destruction of commodities through fire or road and rails accidents (Mayhew, 2001). The findings also reveal that the Australian international trade activities are governed by strict rules and regulations. Therefore, the mining company will be required to adhere to the rules and regulations regarding import and export activities in the country. This includes laws such as the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). The appropriate management of warehouse management operations is necessary for the success of mining companies. Analysis and discussion The logistic issues highlighted in the findings section above will negatively impact the performance of this new mining company. The lack of sufficient safety and security in the transport and logistics industry will have significant negative impacts on the performance of this company (Wang, Jie, Abareshi, 2014). The presence of highway robbers who will target the companys commodities will lead to massive losses in the profit margins of the company (Leonard, 2009). There is also the risk of theft of commodities at the place of storage. The risk of theft of commodities during transit can be managed by employing security personnel to escort trucks that are transporting the companys commodities to their various destination (Waters, 2011). To prevent theft at the warehouses, the company should use the warehouse management system to maintain accurate records of inventory. This should be backed up by the use of physical surveillance through the use of CCTVs and security personnel to monit or the activities at the companys warehouses. Long distances and the poor road conditions is also another major stumbling block to the transportation and logistics activities of this mining company (Australian Department of Infrastructure and Transport, 2011). There is a long distance between Alpha region and Abbot Point Port, and the conditions of roads are very poor between these two points, and therefore, there will be significant delays in the delivery of commodities to and from this mining company (Faure Peeters, 2008). Delays will result from the slow movement of trucks that will be forced to travel at a slow speed to minimize accidents due to the poor road conditions. This will give rise to other negative events as the drivers will get fatigued in along the way, making them vulnerable to causing more accidents (Andreas Carl, 2012). This risk can be managed by improving the conditions of roads that connect mining companies with ports to eliminate instances of delays in the delivery of commodities (New South Wales Roads a nd Traffic Authority, 2011). This will minimize the damage to goods in transit by reducing the events of road accidents. The company needs to train its members of staff on effective warehouse management activities to manage the risks that are associated with warehouse and port activities (Sanchez-Rodrigues, Potter, Naim, 2010). To reduce the risk of goods damaged during inbound and storage processes, the new mining company should hire workers who are equipped with appropriate schools of handling inbound and outbound goods (Simangunsong, Hendry, Stevenson, 2012). Besides, the workers should be equipped with safety and security skills such as anti-theft and fire prevention to minimize the destruction of goods under storage (Patil, Shrotri, Dandekar, 2012). Conclusion In summary, the new mining company will be faced with several transport and logistic issues. The two major logistics challenges that the company will encounter while importing the locomotive and wagons and its coal products are safety and security issues and the challenges associated with long distance and poor condition of roads. The commodities of the company are under the threat of theft or destruction from accidents during transport activities. The long distances between mining sites and ports and the poor road conditions in rural areas will result in delays in delivery. The company will have to have to adhere to Australian custom issues such as the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). As a measure against the risks that have been identified in this report, the mining company should hire security personnel to guard their products during transport. The company should also use physical surveillance such as CCTV to minimize the theft or vandalism of their products du ring transport and storage. Finally, the company should hire workers with effective skills and knowledge on warehouse management to prevent the damage of goods in storage. Key recommendations To promote security in the transport and logistics industry, the Australian Federal government should improve security on highways and sea transport by posting police officers and installing surveillance equipment to monitor activities in the industry. 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