Tin Facts (Atomic Number 50 or Sn)

Tin is silver or gray metal with atomic number 50 and element symbol Sn. It is known for its use for early canned goods and in the manufacture of bronze and pewter. Here is a collection of tin element facts. Fast Facts: Tin Element Name: TinElement Symbol: SnAtomic Number: 50Atomic Weight: 118.71Appearance: Silver metal (alpha, ÃŽ ±) or gray metal (beta, ÃŽ ²)Group: Group 14 (Carbon Group)Period: Period 5Electron Configuration: [Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p2Discovery: Known to mankind since around 3500 BCE Tin  Basic Facts Tin has been known since ancient times. The first tin alloy to gain widespread use was bronze, an alloy of tin and copper. Humans knew how to make bronze as early as 3000 BCE. Word Origin: Anglo-Saxon tin, Latin stannum, both names for the element tin. Named after Etruscan god, Tinia; denoted by the Latin symbol for stannum. Isotopes: Many isotopes of tin are known. Ordinary tin is composed of ten stable isotopes. Twenty-nine unstable isotopes have been recognized and 30 metastable isomers exist. Tin has the greatest number of stable isotopes of any element, due to its atomic number, which is a magic number in nuclear physics. Properties: Tin has a melting point of 231.9681 °C, boiling point of 2270 °C, specific gravity (gray) of 5.75 or (white) 7.31, with a valence of 2 or 4. Tin is a malleable silvery-white metal which takes a high polish. It possesses a highly crystalline structure and is moderately ductile. When a bar of tin is bent, the crystals break, producing a characteristic tin cry. Two or three allotropic forms of tin exist. Gray or a tin has a cubic structure. Upon warming, at 13.2 °C gray tin changes to white or b tin, which has a tetragonal structure. This transition from the a to the b form is termed the tin pest. A g form may exist between 161 °C and the melting point. When tin is cooled below 13.2 °C, it slowly changes from the white form to the gray form, although the transition is affected by impurities such as zinc or aluminum and can be prevented if small amounts of bismuth or antimony are present. Tin is resistant to attack by sea, distilled, or soft tap water, but it will c orrode in strong acids, alkalis, and acid salts. The presence of oxygen in a solution accelerates the rate of corrosion. Uses: Tin is used to coat other metals to prevent corrosion. Tin plate over steel is use to make corrosion-resistant cans for food. Some of the important alloys of tin are soft solder, fusible metal, type metal, bronze, pewter, Babbitt metal, bell metal, die casting alloy, White metal, and phosphor bronze. The chloride SnCl ·H2O is used as a reducing agent and as a mordant for printing calico. Tin salts may be sprayed onto glass to produce electrically conductive coatings. Molten tin is used to float molten glass to produce window glass. Crystalline tin-niobium alloys are superconductive at very low temperatures. Sources: The primary source of tin is cassiterite (SnO2). Tin is obtained by reducing its ore with coal in a reverberatory furnace. Toxicity: Elemental tin metal, its salts, and its oxides present low toxicity. Tin-plated steel cans are still widely used for food preservation. Exposure levels of 100 mg/m3 are considered immediately dangerous. Legal permissible exposure from contact or inhalation is typically set around 2 mg/m3 per 8-hour work day. In contrast, organotin compounds are highly toxic, on par with that of cyanide. Organotin compounds are used to stabilize PVC, in organic chemistry, to make lithium ion batteries, and as biocidal agents. Tin  Physical Data Element Classification: MetalDensity (g/cc): 7.31Melting Point (K): 505.1Boiling Point (K): 2543Appearance: silvery-white, soft, malleable, ductile metalAtomic Radius (pm): 162Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 16.3Covalent Radius (pm): 141Ionic Radius: 71 (4e) 93 (2)Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.222Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 7.07Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 296Debye Temperature (K): 170.00Pauling Negativity Number: 1.96First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 708.2Oxidation States: 4, 2Lattice Structure: TetragonalLattice Constant (Ã…): 5.820 Sources Emsley, John (2001). Tin. Natures Building Blocks: An A–Z Guide to the Elements. Oxford, England, UK: Oxford University Press. pp. 445–450. ISBN 0-19-850340-7.Greenwood, N. N.; Earnshaw, A. (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-3365-4.Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

Are Athletic Departments At The University Of Kentucky

When it comes to going to college, one would think that athletic departments at schools like University of Kentucky and University of North Carolina would make the effort to put strong emphasis for their student-athletes to have a high academic standing in order to play. Sadly now a days, the case is the opposite and they ultimately lose as students. Domonique Foxworth, who played college football at the University of Maryland from 2002 to 2004, he sparks conversation with the statement that â€Å"When I played college football in the University of Maryland, we kind of had a motto, which is that C’s get degrees. That’s what we do. Everyone pretends, but you know that your responsibility is to win football games.† (Schooled: The Price of College Sports). He also adds that â€Å"I knew it was more valuable to my school that I get a C on an exam. An interception on Saturday than it was that I get straight A’s and get no interceptions on Saturday; that doesnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t bring in the fans to fill the stadium† (Foxworth). Kevin Anderson, Athletic Director at University Of Maryland, makes a comment saying â€Å"We’re providing an opportunity for a lot of young people that wouldn’t have that opportunity. How do you put a price tag on that? How do you put a price tag on education?†. (Schooled: The Price of College Sports). Foster states on the contrary, â€Å"†¦.but football interferes with being a student first† (Foster) There was a study conducted by Suzanne Cosh and Phillip Tully in South Australia where theyShow MoreRelatedCollege Athletes : The Masters Of Multitasking1305 Words   |  6 Pagesdoubt are the masters of multitasking. Not only being able to play there individual sports at a high level but also finding the time to dedicate to there academics and achieve relatively decent grades. The amount of time that they dedicate to there university out on the game field and in the classroom should be deserving of a reward. Some argue that the problem would be that not every school can afford to give college athletes a decent compensation in every sport; for instance teams that do not bringRead MoreBenefits Of Faculty And Staff Of Universities1621 Words   |  7 PagesMutual Benefits. Faculty and staff of universities also benefit from student athletes. Specifically, among these faculty and staff, a major topic of debate has been the salaries of college coaches. As coaches have continued to be pa id more over the past years, the debate to pay college athletes has gained momentum. Through the disparity between student athletes’ compensation and coaches’ salaries the unbalanced system allows athletes to earn below minimum wage while coaches like Nick Saban of AlabamaRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1088 Words   |  5 Pagespeople say â€Å"yes sure it’s a great idea†. Others say â€Å"no not at this time†. Paying college athletes for participating in sports is a bad idea. Athletes getting paid to play sports could take the focus of education away, it would cost way too much for universities, take the love and passion of the sport away, and many other reasons. Mostly all athletes get scholarships anyway which pays for their tuition, dorm, meals, etc. As the athletes receiving scholarships have a full ride through college their paymentRead MoreShould The Ncaa Pay College Athletes?989 Words   |  4 Pagesmillions of dollars, but bil lions of dollars, and that enriches everybody around expect themselves†- Joe Nocera (Should the NCAA Pay College Athletes?). In an effort to draw a clear line between college and professional sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has prohibited the payment of athletes for their sports related skills by emphasizing that college sport is one of the many branches of the educational program. However, it is my belief that the established guidelines by the NCAA seemRead MoreMarketing And Communication Strategies Of Sidearm Sports1355 Words   |  6 PagesMARKETING AND COMMUNICATION Introduction A strong marketing and communication plan provides IACR the opportunity to engage alumni, parents, staff, students, and friends of Javelina athletics. The ADDA will collaborate with the ICAR and OASG to execute the marketing and communication strategies. The communication and marketing pieces will focus on general mass communication and affinity driven alumni-athlete communication. The communication strategies will include: †¢ Digital communication (emailRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1708 Words   |  7 Pageswell as the players, has become a very hot pressed topic in which the collegiate athlete is losing out on much of the money generated by their performances either on the field or the court. Because many of these players help bring in money to the university, they believe that a portion of that money should be given back to them. Millions of dollars are made each year in collegiate sports but few of those dollars have been given back to the players, who are the one’s actually playing the sports collegesRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid? Essay1567 Words   |  7 Pagesofficial non-profit intercollegiate organization that represents athletes from all colleges and universities. Subsequently, it became permanently known as the NCAA in 1910. In the last few decades, college sports have grown vastly in popularity and as a result of this popularity, the growth of monetary r evenue for institutions have increased substantially (Mondello et.al 106). With the success of college athletics, it is no wonder the monetary gain has come to the forefront and is now one the greatestRead MoreCollege Sports Is Not A Career Or Profession1285 Words   |  6 Pagessays that there are only fourteen schools that are making profit without have to rely on institutional support. Those schools include, Notre Dame, Louisiana State University, Alabama, University of Missouri, University of Texas, University of Florida, University of Tennessee, Nebraska, and Ohio State University. She uses Western Kentucky as an example and explains how they spend 5.6 million dollars on grants-in-aid and then take 8.2 million dollars from the school to balance the budget. She then saysRead MoreTitle Ix And Its Impact On Society1439 Words   |  6 Pagesof life but when most people think of Title IX, sport first comes to mind. Women had played sports before this time, but did not receive all the same opportunities as men. Women athletic programs were not provided with the same funds that men sports and female college athletes received only two percent of overall athletic budgets. There was much less woman participating in sports than men so before Title IX only 1 in 27 girls played high school sports. After Title IX, things drastically changedRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1390 Words   |  6 PagesA highly debated topic in college sports today is whether or not schools should begin to pay their athletes. As major college sports become more popular, more money is being brought into universities because of their athletics. High level Division 1 coaches and athletic directors make millions of dollars, and some are the highest paid state employees if they are at a public institution. Because of the profits athletes can generate for schools, student-athletes should receive some amount of compensation

Basic Steps in Planning and Writing A Successful Grant Application

Question: Describe about the Basic Steps in Planning and Writing A Successful Grant Application. Answer: Background: A request for proposal has been placed by the federal government which is related to the sale of the computers, their installation, and repairing. The requirement of the proposal is highlighted with equipments needed for the satellite site such as ten desktop computers, capabilities of wireless LAN, LED monitor of 20 inch, hard drive of 500 Giga byte, RAM of 8 Giga byte, high speed printer, scanner, or fax machine. The software support should be of window 7 operating system. The proposal should include the techniques for overcoming 11 LAN drops from the server. As the owner of the small computer consulting business which is located n Beaumont, the biggest challenge which is to be faced is to design the proposal to be approved by the government and helps in overcoming the competitors. Proposed Model: The design below shows the placement or installation of the equipments which are needed for maintaining the new satellite site. Techniques for overcoming 11 LAN drops from the server are summarized below: Sometimes the speed of detecting the network connection is complicated; to overcome this problem auto detection system should be used (Rinehart, 2003)). Identification of the denial of service attacks The web server which are used should be of high bandwidth The limit should be proposed for the router to overcoming the congestion Filters should be added to drop the packets which are predicted as attacks Proposed timeout schedule for the half open connection Malformed packages should be dropped Facility of calling ISP or hosting provider Filters should be added to drop the packets which are predicted as attacks Advantages of the proposed solution: It provide the flexibility to the system over the wired network which was used by the company The installation of the proposed solution is easy It is a durable solution for the problem which is encountered of LAN drops It is cost effective The mobility is provided in the communication Convenience in providing strength to the devices The problem of losing of connection can be overcome Improved version of responsiveness Easy accessibility to the information The network expansion can be easily handled The coverage area of the proposed solution is high It provides security from the unauthorized users Problem of installation can be overcome The proposed solution is less expensive because it requires the minimum cost for installation of the system and no additional cost for improving the infrastructure. Benefits of new satellite site: Ubiquitous coverage Consistency in the quality of the service provided to the end user No additional infrastructure is needed Predictability of the cost can be easily done Better congestion control of the traffic The satellite connection are scalable and reconfigurable It keeps monitoring on the total network management It provides security from the unauthorized users It is a long term solution for the technological problem New services can be easily added up Improved version of responsiveness Proposed Schedule: The proposed completion of the project is of duration of 87 days. The starting date of the project is Friday, 15 July, 2016. The finishing date of the project is Monday, 14 November, 2016. The activities which are associated with the project can be categorized as procurement of the computer, identification of the specification of the system, selection of the specific model which is based on the specific requirement, communication with the vendors, purchasing of the equipment from the vendors, assembling of the computer equipments, installation of the computer equipments, training provided to the staff, and commissioning of the system (Steven, 2015). The time is also required to train the staff according to the proposed model of new satellite site (Bob, 2013). The complete information of the schedule is described in the table which is summarized in the appendix. Proposed Budget: The proposed budget of the whole project is $ 11,093.15. For the implementation of the project the hardware equipments which are needed can be categorized as desktop monitor, hard disk drive, RAM, wireless router, wire based connection, wireless NIC, and high speed combination copier/printer/scanner/FAX machine (Buhalis, 2012). The other costs which are associated with the project are installation of the operating system, total installation of the lab, and miscellaneous. The complete information of the budget with quantity and individual cost is described in the table which is summarized in the appendix. Proposed Services: Our Company offers 24 * 7 hours service facility Provides the facility of customer service Provides the facility for maintenance of the system Enhanced Service facility Minimum cost of equipments Warranty of the equipment used in designing the proposed model Clear description of the schedule of the plan and accordingly the delivery of the project (Richard, 2010) Conclusion: The design is shown which covers the placement or installation of the equipments which are needed for maintaining the new satellite site. Sometimes the speed of detecting the network connection is complicated and to overcome this problem auto detection system should be used. The proposed completion of the project is of duration of 87 days. The proposed budget of the whole project is $ 11,093.15. The new satellite site proposed solution provides the flexibility to the system over the wired network which was used by the company. In the proposed solution the security concern is taken into consideration to overcome the problem of accessing the system by the unauthorized user. References: Rinehart, E. (2003). PROPOSAL WRITING The Basic Steps in Planning and Writing A Successful Grant Application (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://www.illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/BeginHere/Documents/ProposalWriting2003.pdf Steven, B. (2015). Business Proposal (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://www-bcf.usc.edu/~trinagre/itp101/labs/ITP101_Lab1_PowerPoint.pdf Bob, O. (2013). Sample Proposal for Organizational Development Services (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://managementhelp.org/misc/Sample-Proposal.pdf Buhalis, C. (2012). A Guide to Writing a Request for Proposal (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://www.werc.org/assets/1/assetmanager/rfpwritingguide.pdf Richard, D. (2010). Sample Proposals (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://www.alanweiss.com/styles/pdf/Sample%20Proposals.pdf

The History of Rocketry free essay sample

The history of rocketry from concept to modern day space travel. Researches the rocket engines international development and significance in the space program. This research paper investigates the science of rocketry starting with the original concept, up to the present day space program. Developments in Germany, Russia, and the U.S. are detailed, along with the ways in which rockets have been used both on earth and in space. Most of the paper will deal with the development of the rocket engine up to its present day standards and its history in space flight. From the paper: The notion of flying has fascinated people since the beginning of history, and most likely since the beginning of time. With the development of astronomy, man shifted that dream to another realm: outer space. Robert H. Goddard, a physicist of the early 1900?s, once told a story in his autobiography of how he was inspired to follow the dream of space flight. We will write a custom essay sample on The History of Rocketry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He recalls once when he was 17 years old; he was trimming branches in a cherry tree, and looked out at the sprawling country landscape. He imagined how fabulous it would be to soar upward into space, watching the earth receding below him. ?I was a different boy when I descended the ladder,? Goddard states, ?Life had now a purpose for me.?

Walmarts Competitive Advantage

Appraising Investment Decisions and Affects of Non Financial Factors The WritePass Journal

Appraising Investment Decisions and Affects of Non Financial Factors 1. BACKGROUND Appraising Investment Decisions and Affects of Non Financial Factors 1. BACKGROUND2. LITERATURE REVIEW2.1 Investment2.2 Investment Decision2.3 Investment Appraisal2.4 General or Conventional Appraisal Techniques2.4.1 Payback period2.4.2 Return on Investment2.4.3 Discounted Cash Flow Methods2.4.3.1 Net Present Value (NPV)2.4.3.2 Internal Rate of Return (IRR)2.5 Limitation of Conventional Techniques2.6 Strategic Investment3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY3.1 Research Objective3.2 Research Questions3.3 Research Philosophy3.4 Research Approach3.5 Research Design3.6 Research Strategy3.7 Data Collection Techniques3.8 Qualitative Research4. TIME PLAN4. CONCLUSION5. REFERENCESRelated 1. BACKGROUND The search for reliable techniques for project appraisal is an aged activity. Still it is of prime importance because the survival of a corporation is predominantly determined by its ability to revitalize itself through the allocation of capital to productive use (Arnold and Hatzopoulos, 2000). Inadequate use of decision tools expand the possibility of less return then the cost of capital, resulting in destruction of firm’s value (Copeland et al., 2000). A successful investment can make profits, increases market share and adds value to the firm, but on the contrary, if it is unsuccessful the firm will experience a loss. An incorrect investment decision may even lead to closure of a firm or bankruptcy. Therefore, the decision to invest or not is very crucial to any firm as it determines its future, and at the same time, this decision signifies the importance of investment evaluation techniques accordingly. Due to importance of such decision and extensive research, there is no shortage of tools and techniques to analyze an investment. Numbers of tools are available to find out the extent of profitability of an investment to help managers in making this vital decision (Akalu, 2001).   The most popular techniques are the net present value, internal rate of return, return on investment, benefit/cost ratio method and payback period (Remer and Nieto 1995). Scholars and some other sources tend to emphasize discounted cash flow methods, especially NPV approach, as superior to other methods (Tatsiopoulos and Tolis, 2002; Kaplan and Atkinson, 1998; Zimmerman, 1997). However, these conventional appraisal techniques (especially DCF methods) sometimes misinform when they are improperly used, estimation of cash flows are inaccurate, rough identification of discount rate or when vital non-quantifiable aspects of projects are omitted (Kaplan, 1986; Dugdale and Jones, 1995). In literature almost all of the proposed techniques are not free from criticism. The most common and major argument made by scholars is that conventional methods of appraising investment does not give adequate information due to risk and uncertainties; and they are not even appropriate to analyze strategic investments (Bierman, 1980; Brealey et al, 1992; Cox et al, 1985). Risk can be reduced if identified and uncertainties may even be dealt with research, but it’s almost impossible to eliminate these factors from investment. To deal with these factors scholars have proposed some additional methods like sensitivity analysis, simulation analysis, scenario analysis, probability analysis and portfolio theory (Pike and Neale, 2006). Though, in regard to strategic investments, conventional appraisal techniques fall short because they don’t capture intangible or non financial project attributes (Busby and Pitts, 1997; Dempsey, 2003). Butler et al. (1991, p. 402) noted: â€Å"In making decisions on strategic investments, quantifiable financial performance factors (whether measured by discounted cash flow techniques, payback period, or impact on sale and profits) were viewed as of secondary importance by most respondents. Product quality, fit with business strategy and improving the competitive position of the firm were the most important factors considered by all informants.† Some special methods for appraising strategic decision are also established and described by scholars. Among these, the balance scorecard, real option analysis, value chain analysis, benchmarking and technology roadmapping are of vital importance (Kaplan and Norton, 2001; Hoque, 2001; McCarthy, 2003; MacDougall and Pike, 2003). However, continuous usage of conventional appraisal methods, despite their recognized limitation, leaves us in a vague situation and inclines us to explore more. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Investment Investment is employment of funds or capital with the aim of making future benefit. In literature and corporate world this activity is also referred as capital investment. G.H Lawson and Richard Pike (1981) describe it as: â€Å"Capital investment usually refers to the commitment of funds to fixed capital expenditure in the anticipation of returns that compensate for the risk of the investment and the delay in the enjoyment of funds, i.e. consumption.† 2.2 Investment Decision It is the process where managers or investors decides whether or not, when and how to spend money on the project. The heart of all investment appraisals is to calculate the value of spending money, by comparing the benefits with the costs. If this is done incorrectly, it could hammer the investor or firm’s growth (Mott, 1982). 2.3 Investment Appraisal The most important step to start appraising the investment is the identification of cost and benefit associated with it. This step requires immense of experience and expertise as it is an anticipation and mainly this reason has also forced Aggarwal (1993) to argue that â€Å"evaluating capital investment is close to an art and father from a science than is desirable†. Hence it can be said that investment appraisal techniques can never replace managerial judgment, but they can help make judgment more sound (Lumby and Jones, 1999). The major questions to be asked while investment appraisals are highlighted by Campbell (2006), these are: What return on capital employed will the project deliver? How quickly will the project pay for itself? Will the project add value to business? 2.4 General or Conventional Appraisal Techniques 2.4.1 Payback period This non-discounted appraisal techniques seeks to assess how quickly the positive cash flow recovers the initial capital investment. It is calculated by estimating the timely cash flows and at what time the project over comes the investment by the later returns. The project is accepted if it is equal to or less then the predetermined acceptable time or the one with lesser recovery time among available alternatives is accepted (Mott, 1982; Campbell, 2006). 2.4.2 Return on Investment Return on investment or return on capital employed is another non-discounted method for project appraisal. It is a ratio indicator which tells how well the investor or firm is utilizing the capital to generate revenue. The calculation is done by taking profit before tax and divides it by the difference between total asset and current liabilities (Lumby and Jones, 1999). This method has also some disadvantages but is a useful technique as well. 2.4.3 Discounted Cash Flow Methods These methods covers the issue of time value of money, which is, the future money is worth less than money at present. DCF technique converts the future cash flows value into the value of present day. In this manner we can worth the investment at the point when we are actually making it (Brealey et al, 2009). Among the family of discounted cash flow techniques net present value and internal rate of return are vital. 2.4.3.1 Net Present Value (NPV) Net present value is calculated by converting all future cash flows in today’s date and then deducting it from today’s investment. Positive NPV implies that the project is worth to create value and generally the project is accepted when NPV is greater than zero or the one with higher NPV is selected among available alternatives (Campbell, 2006). 2.4.3.2 Internal Rate of Return (IRR) It is that rate at which the net present value is zero. It is complex and difficult to calculate manually, as it is a trial and error method. Generally the project is accepted if the IRR is greater than the hurdle rate, discount rate or in simple terms the opportunity cost (Blank and Tarquin, 1989). 2.5 Limitation of Conventional Techniques Although every technique has its own and unique limitations but here general limitations are mentioned. The non discounted methods are normally criticized due to time value of money and discounted methods are argued due to its complexity. The most common errors found in applying DCF methods are: pre tax calculation of discount rate; anticipation of non-economic statutory in discount rate which may leads to error and incorrect results; interest charges are included in cash flows; cash flows are specified in today’s money (excluding inflation); use of single cut of rate instead of rate reflecting project risk (Pike and Neale, 2006). A major limitation of these techniques, which I have also mentioned earlier, are incapability to include the non financial factors into consideration like risk, uncertainties and factors involved in strategic investments. It has been argued that every single benefits of strategic investment are difficult to quantify and some other approach is required for strategic investment decisions, other than conventional financial techniques ((Butler et al., 1991; Covin et al., 2001). 2.6 Strategic Investment Strategic investment decisions mainly concerns long term investments in asset. Common type of SIDs includes: new product development, new market development, new technology or infrastructure, mergers and acquisitions (Harris et al., 2009). Strategic investments does not only brings economic value to the firm; benefits like increase in product quality, better competitive position, fit with business strategy, increase in customer loyalty can an advantage of strategic investment (Butler et al., 1991). 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Objective The main purpose of this research is to examine the importance of non-financial factors that could affect the investment appraisal process.   The research aims to analyze and study conventional investment appraisal techniques and highlight their limitations. Moreover, the research shall investigate the non-financial factors that are considered important in evaluating strategic investment projects.   Lastly, the study shall investigate whether recently developed analysis tools such as those that aim to integrate strategic and financial analysis, being used to evaluate strategic investment projects. 3.2 Research Questions The research questions that this study shall attempt to answer through the analysis of empirical data are as follows: What are the limitations of conventional investment appraisal techniques? What non-financial factors are considered important in investment evaluation, especially in strategic investment decision? Do organisations use conventional appraisal techniques for evaluation of strategic investment projects or prefer using recently developed strategic analysis tools in order to evaluate? 3.3 Research Philosophy The research philosophy adopted by the researcher is one of ‘subjectivism’.   Morgan and Smirchich (1980) state that subjectivism perceives reality as a â€Å"social construct†.   Saunders et al (2009) state â€Å"the subjectivist view is that social phenomena are created from the perceptions and consequent actions of social actors†. In this case, the social actors are the company’s that shall be studied.   Strategic investment decision making shall be analysed and investigated in this research based upon the actions of views of these ‘social actors’. Saunders et al (2009) state that for a researcher to understand any action he should explore the subjective meanings motivating those actions. This research aims to investigate the reasons behind implementation of modern strategic analysis tools by identifying the weaknesses of conventional strategic analysis methods and understanding how non-financial factors affect investments. Remenyi et al (1998) also emphasise on this issue and discuss the importance of studying the details of a certain situation in order to understand the ‘behind-the-scenes’ reality. 3.4 Research Approach Deductive approach is defined as developing a conceptual framework by studying the theory and testing this through either confirming or rejecting the hypothesis developed based on the theory by studying the empirical data collected (Bryman and Bell, 2007).   An inductive approach, as defined by Bryman and Bell (2007), is one where theory is the outcome of research. According to Saunders et al (2009) in an inductive approach the theory follows from the collected data unlike in a deductive approach where it is the other way around. This research shall collect empirical data on strategic investment appraisal techniques using the methods mentioned below and the researcher will draw a conclusions based on the collected data by studying the inherent patterns   and thus, this study shall adopt an inductive approach. 3.5 Research Design Research design is defined by Collis and Hussey (2003) as planning procedures for conducting research in order to obtain the most adequate results. The purpose of implementing an appropriate research design is to make sure that the data collected for the purpose of the research enables the researchers to answer the research questions proposed. According to Saunders et al (2007) there are seven types of research designs and each can be used for explanatory, descriptive or exploratory research.   Since this research aims to highlight the limitations of conventional investment appraisal techniques and investigate the use of modern techniques, an exploratory research needs to be conducted.   An exploratory research is used when there are no existing models to use as a basis for the study. 3.6 Research Strategy The research strategies as discussed by Saunders et al (2009) are experiment, survey, case study, action research, grounded theory, ethnography, and archival research. The research strategy adopted for the purpose of this study is ‘case study’. Stake (2000) defines case study as an organised and systematic way of producing information on a certain topic. Cooper and Morgan (2008) define case study as â€Å"an in-depth and contextually informed examination of specific organizations or events that explicitly address theory.† Case studies help analyse the experience or activities of a particular event of phenomena. This research aims to investigate the use of recently developed strategic analysis tools and thus shall conduct an in-depth study of an organisation in order to investigate whether the said organisation implements such techniques. The company selected for the purpose of this research is Engro Corp. Engro Corp is one of the largest conglomerates in Pakistan and since I have family working within the organisation at reputable posts I have access to the company and shall be able to obtain the required primary data rather easily. Due to the fact that there is very little data on the use of recently developed strategic analysis tools and the data required for this research is not reported externally, this research shall use primary data collected through a questionnaire.   For this particular topic, only primary data can assist in answering the research questions posed and the objectives stated. 3.7 Data Collection Techniques The research shall primarily use primary data.   Some secondary data will also be used to support the primary data collection. Primary data used for this study shall be collected through a survey. An open-ended questionnaire shall be used to collect the data required for the research.   The questionnaire shall be self-administered and E-mail to the appropriate personnel within the company. The in-depth questionnaire shall explore the use of investment appraisal techniques within the company and if required, the researcher shall also issue a follow up questionnaire in order to collect further data for this research. 3.8 Qualitative Research Cresswell (1994) stated that qualitative research assists in understanding social or human problems by building a complex picture formed using words which report detailed views of informants.   Qualitative research involved the use and collection of a range of empirical data and involved an interpretive approach towards the subject. Hence, in this case qualitative research methods shall be used due to these aforementioned characteristics which are deemed suitable for this research. 4. TIME PLAN 4. CONCLUSION Choosing investment decision for research is due to my interest in the topic. However, it is also a part of my degree program and as per my knowledge there are some gaps which need to be filled. I will try me level best to add valuable input to this area of study. This research will definitely increase my knowledge, skills and will give me a worthy experience. 5. REFERENCES Aggarwal R. (1993). Capital Budgeting Under Uncertainty: New and Advanced Perspectives. Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Akalu M (2001). Re-examining project appraisal and control: developing a focus on wealth creation. International Journal of Project Management; 19(7):375–83. Arnold G, Hatzopoulos P. (2000). The theory-practice gap in capital budgeting: evidence from the United Kingdom. Journal of Business Finance and Accounting 27(6): 603–626. Bierman, H (1980) Strategic Financial Planning Free Press, New York Blank, L.T. and Tarquin, A.J., (1989). Engineering Economy, 3rd. ed. McGraw-Hill, New York. Brealey, R S et al (1992) Principles of Corporate Finance 2nd Canadian edn, McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd, Toronto, Canada Brealey, R. Myers, S. Marcus, A (2009). Fundamentals of Corporate Finance. 6th ed. 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How have the different types of propaganda (white, black, grey) been Essay

How have the different types of propaganda (white, black, grey) been used to manipulate opinion - Essay Example In this context, two views can be positioned in contrast. The first is the view of the civil libertarian, which posits the rights of the individual to be most important and subsequently seeks to maximize individual freedom and minimize State control of all activities pertaining to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In contrast to this are societal forces, fascist in their most extreme form, that seek organization to limit and control others as a form of governance, either for minority social, cultural, and economic interests or for personal gain, power, ego, and other self-motivating factors, often using organized political violence as a tool to further ideological ends. Control is opposed to liberty, but organization in this context is ironically more associated with the controlling aspects of power than freedom as historically conceived. Indeed, as societal structures such as those in the military and government agencies of superpower States grow to unprecedented technolo gical and economic prowess, the absence of such agencies of control still exemplifies the libertarian approach. Within this duality is the traditional duel between Marxist critics and the apologists of Capitalism, with the â€Å"Western† ideal firmly based in the historical tradition of Greece and Rome, including both democracy and imperialism in the ideal Republic. In the context of critical theory and post-modernism, the historical approach can be used to deconstruct architectures of power to delineate types of State control through the analysis of media operations and propaganda techniques found both in totalitarian regimes and liberal democracies, to see what joins and differentiates the two approaches to government and media communications. The initial discussion of personal bias and political ideology when constructing an ideal by which to judge a process such as government communications or the proper end goals of society highlights that absolute objectivity or complet ely dispassionate review is not entirely possible in the context of political analysis, contrary to the appearance of historical fact. In order to judge and analyze the activities and processes involved in media operations of governments, there must be an a priori establishment of legitimacy and this inevitably involves a decision that introduces political bias into the argumentation. As such, the humanistic context of shared social and cultural values are assumed to be the base from which â€Å"true† judgment proceeds, as these are viewed as the best of historical values shared by diverse cultures across numerous countries in the course of the evolution of civilization, as well as those that are the most fair, egalitarian, and progressive for building the future of mass-society. Yet, at the very moment when these ideals are viewed as universal, critical inquiry based in Marxist philosophy particularly challenges whether these so-called Western ideals of supposed Greek and Ro man origin are really truth as universal and divinely ordinate, or actually another form of propaganda masking the â€Å"true†