The Current Recessions Impact On The Residential Mortgage...

RESEARCH PROJECT PROPOSAL 2014/2015 ‘Analysis of the current recessions impact on the residential mortgage market in the United Kingdom’ ROSS TYLER WHITING N0313007 This Research Project Proposal is submitted in part-fulfillment of the degree of BSc (Hons) in Planning and Development Nottingham Trent University, 2015 CONTENTS PAGE 1.0 WORKING TITLE 2.0 INTRODUCTION 3.0 RESEARCH GOALS 4.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 5.0 METHODOLOGY 6.0 DATA 7.0 LIMITATIONS 8.0 SUMMARY 1. WORKING TITLE 1.1 Analysis of the current recessions impact on the residential mortgage market in the United Kingdom. 2. AIM 2.1 The†¦show more content†¦4.4 What response has the mortgage market given to these consequences? 4.5 What has been done to deal with any impacts caused by the current recession on the mortgage market? 5. RATIONALE 5.1 The rationale behind this research project title is due to work experience undertaken over a fourteen-month period within the residential sales market, working closely with mortgages. The above working title is of interest due to many property transactions within the placement year not completing due to the unavailability of mortgages within the UK. 5.2 The motivation behind this research project comes from the current issues within the mortgage market, such as the decline of the availability of mortgages and affordability issues. As within a future career in developing these could be crucial factors to a development. 5.3 Furthermore, within the built environment the economic climate is a crucial topic that can affect both supply and demand of residential housing, and can have direct effects upon the availability of funds to develop. 6. CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW 6.1 A Critical Literature review will be undertaken to explore the existing literature relating to the recessions consequences and impacts upon the mortgage market. 6.2 Consequences of the current recession Scanlon Whitehead discuss the fall in the number of transactions within the housing market and how prices began to fall in December 2007 (Scanlon

A Social Media Policy - 724 Words

There are a number of governmental policies and regulations in place for employers to consider when developing, implementing and enforcing a social media policy. In contrast, the lack of a social media policy leaves an employer at a loss in regards to their avenues of disciplinary action towards employees who take to social media. The governmental policies revolve around the Constitutional right of the First Amendment and the freedom of speech. While this provides some protection for employees there are limitations and exclusions that resulted in the National Labor Relations Board stepping in and providing opinions for the legality of employer disciplinary actions regarding social media content and participation. Freedom of Speech The use of the First Amendment right to the freedom of speech is not applicable to all employees. Carson (2014) clarifies this protection is assigned to public employees only (p. 485). However, there are additional limitations to this protection for these public employees. The protection is only afforded when the statements made by a public employee meet specific criteria. As defined by Carson (2014), the criteria, using the Pickering-Connick test, as follows: A. The speech must be intended to address a matter of public concern that outweighs the employer’s interest. B. An employer speaking to their official duties are not protected (p. 485). The protection of public employees is limited under the First Amendment in regards to workplaceShow MoreRelatedPolicy and Social Media1805 Words   |  8 PagesDepartments: Korean Consumer Society Social Media’s Impact on Policy Making (Age) 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-49 50-59 60 and above Source: National Election Commission (Aug 3, 2010). 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I believe my proposal provides a complete social media marketing strategy which will culminate in highly successfulRead MoreSocial Media Policy For Hcl2356 Words   |  10 PagesSuggestions 4.1 HCL’s Social Media Policy The current social media policy for HCL provides that social technologies like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter should be used only as a means of broadcasting the company’s information for internal purposes only. The company does not use social media platforms to market or improve its business of providing IT services and solutions in India and globally. This Enterprise 2.0 Business Improvement Plan proposes the creation of a new social media policy for HCL to guideRead MoreWhat Is The Social Media Content And Posting Policy915 Words   |  4 Pages1.2 Scope The scope of this policy is intended to cover any information asset and technology owned, leased or controlled by, or operated on behalf of the Organization. The methodologies and practices of external entities that require access to the Organization’s information resources may be impacted and could be included in this scope. This document applies to all full-time and part-time employees of Societal Mixin, Inc. and subscribers who utilize Societal Mixin, Inc.’s product(s) or service(s)Read MoreEssay on Social Media Policies Within Organizations1750 Words   |  7 PagesFacebook and other social media sites at all times, companies should allow employees to spend limited time on social media because it increases employee morale, increases work efficiency, and creates an environment that encourages innovation. Many companies do not allow their employees to check their social media or conduct workplace internet leisure browsing. 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Lindsay Analyst in American National Goverment September 6, 2011 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R41987 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Social Media and Disasters: Current Uses, Future Options, and Policy Considerations Summary The development of new technologies that have emerged since the mid-1990s has led to Internetbased applicationsRead MoreSocial Media A Virtual Pandora s Box : Prevalence, Possible Legal Liabilities, And Policies1047 Words   |  5 Pagesarticle that I chose to research was, â€Å"Social Media—A Virtual Pandora’s Box: Prevalence, Possible Legal Liabilities, and Policies.† This article discusses how employees that use social media can have a serious impact on the businesses they work for. More and more people are starting to use social media, which in turn makes more businesses use social media to connect to potential customers. In the article the authors give numerous examples of how the use of social media is increasing year after year. OneRead MoreGun Control Policies Focused On The United States Of Capitol Hill, News, And Social Media2360 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction: Recently, gun control policies focused on what the 2nd amendment allows hav been on the forefront of Capitol Hill, news, and social media. Polar opposite opinions are common and have caused heated debates as well as understandable viewpoints on both sides of the argument. Some of the stakeholders that are most affected by decisions made by politicians would include hunters, criminals, those with psychological conditions, the government, and gun owners or enthusiasts. Throughout

Benefits and Costs to U.S. Adoption of IFRS Free Essays

There are different ways in which researchers can present the findings of their research to readers or users of the research information. It is important to follow all the rules of research presentation in order for the research information to be clear to all the people who rely on it. This paper aims at analyzing the article on the costs and benefits of US adoption to the IFRS system of accounting by David Albrecht. We will write a custom essay sample on Benefits and Costs to U.S. Adoption of IFRS or any similar topic only for you Order Now The aim of this paper is to analyze whether the author has followed the necessary steps and format in presenting the findings on his research, in order to evaluate whether it meets the international standards for presenting research papers. Summary. According to Albrecht (2008), the author carries out a cost benefit analysis in order to evaluate whether the decision to change from GAAP standards to IFRS, by US firms is feasible. He uses the incremental analysis model to come to a conclusion on the subject. He finds that the costs outweigh the benefits, considering that the cost of changing the system in monetary terms is over $3 million. These costs arise from the need to train accountants and conversion costs for companies. The benefits amount to $100 billion, from reduced audit fees. He therefore concludes that the accounting system should not be changed. The paper is written for a general audience judging from the absence of corroborated arguments and evidence from secondary and primary sources, required by experts. Organization. The research paper has not been organized into clearly defined parts. It has been written as one long essay which is not structured into different parts, and this may present problems to readers who are keen to analyze various arguments by the author. A basic research paper should include an abstract, an introduction, the background of the problem, literature review, research methodology and findings, analysis of findings and finally a conclusion and recommendation of the issues discussed (Kothari, 2005). However, in analyzing the article, the author gives a very brief introduction in the first line. He says that US corporations face dilemmas in deciding whether to adapt to the IFRS system or not. He further explains in the second paragraph that this decision should be guided by incremental analysis. This means that the benefits of adapting to the IFRS system should outweigh the costs of the same decision. Research. The author supports his research using the incremental analysis framework. He further uses quotes from the US Securities and Exchange commission. However, he does not quote the source of this information, which makes it difficult to determine the authenticity. Since the research does not cite the references, it is difficult to know the documentation style. It also becomes difficult to know whether the author is paraphrasing quotes from other researchers. Style. The author uses the present tense in writing the article throughout the paper. However, he uses the first person and third person when writing different parts of the paper. The first person tense is used when he gives his own opinion, for instance, in the last sentence of the article he says that â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ is the reason why I oppose switching from GAAP to IFRS†. He uses contractions in some parts of the paper, for instance in the eleventh paragraph where the last sentence says â€Å"Let’s say another trillion†. The overall grammar used in the article is relatively poor, due to the use of slang, contractions, and short forms among other grammatical mistakes. For instance, in the seventh paragraph, he says â€Å"execs’ instead of executives Conclusion. The paper lacks some aspects of research work, most of which have been explained. The author does not also have references to sources which have been used for research. The content can also be said to be biased, since the author does not mention the connection between the GAAP standards and collapse of mortgage crisis in firms like Lehman Brothers. GAAP standards and specifically asset valuation was one of the causal factors of its downfall. However, the article is useful as it can serve as a source of doing further research on the subject. In future, the author should ensure that his research confirms to all aspects of research work. References. Albrecht, D. (2008). Benefits and costs of adoption of IFRS. Retrieved on January 26, 2008 from . http://profalbrecht. wordpress. com/2008/10/01/benefits-and-costs-to-us- adoption-of-ifrs/. Kothari, C. R. (2005). Research Methodology: Techniques Methods. New York: New Age Publishers. How to cite Benefits and Costs to U.S. Adoption of IFRS, Papers

Conflict and Negotiation for Hormel Negotiation- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theConflict and Negotiation for Hormel Negotiation. Answer: Primary objectives of each of the parties in the Hormel negotiation Objective of company Due to recession in the economy; company want to be competitive for their survival in the industry thus the core objective of negotiation was minimised the wage rate as possible as they can to ensure optimal pricing strategies for their product (Rachleff, 1993). Objective of workers Wage cut proposed by the company was significantly high as they cut wage from $10.69 to $6.50. Along with this; other benefits were also reduced and work environment was also not safe (Kuhle and Knox, 1992). The primary objective of negotiation for workers was to get sufficient pay to survive the recession and their job security supported by the safe working environment. 2 Linkages (interconnections between various characters) affected (helped or hindered) these objectives Union They had supported workers but not the objectives of the company as they went against at the time where their support was needed most and as a consequence company hired skilled workers for their new plant by developing new factory with the new rules (Compa, 1986). They had not accepted the final offer of $10.00 wages per hours and due to the absence of good faith, there was the drastic consequence on employment. Mediators They had developed win-win proposal to resolve the strike and develop good relations among labour and company. Although; the their offer was misinterpreted. Wise president To resolve the conflict among employees secret ballot voting was held by him to give positive chance to proposed offer and received vote were 775 to 540. References Compa, L.A., 1986. A Second Look at the Hormel Strike.Working Papers, p.82. Kuhle, B. and Knox, K., 1992. The Hormel Strike at Austin, Minnesota.International Journal of Conflict Management,3(1), pp.45-68. Rachleff, P.J., 1993.Hard-pressed in the Heartland: The Hormel strike and the future of the labour movement. South End Press.

Economic Problems in Keplers Company

Problem Statement In the case of Kemper’s Furniture, the company has experienced a considerable drop in sales within the past year. While it may be true that new entrants into the market in the form of Sears has chipped away at its market lead, the fact remains that it should not have resulted in the sheer drop in sales that the company has experienced.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Economic Problems in Keplers Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is despite the considerable level of community support the retailer has received and the increase in the amount of homes constructed in the suburbs which should have increased the company’s sales. It is based on this that this paper will attempt to determine why the sales of Kemper’s Furniture have been decreasing despite the various positive points that should have increased sales for the company or should have at least maintained i t at its previous highs. Situational Analysis Strengths The main strength of Kemper’s lies in its considerable ties with the local community. The company has sold furniture in the same area for over 75 years and has created a considerable level of consumer patronage for its products. Based on the study of Min, Kalwani Robinson (2006) which examined the ability of new players to enter into a saturated market, they revealed that there is a considerable disadvantage for new competitors since consumers are more likely to stick to a retailer that they know and trust rather than go for an untested retailer in the same market (Min, Kalwani Robinson, 2006). While it is true that there will be a slight reduction in the amount of sales that goes towards the retailer that was already ready present, the real disadvantage lies with the new competitors since they have to catch up to the dominating market share of the market leader within that specific market. This shows that despite the level of competition between Kemper’s, Sears and Myer, Kemper’s still has the advantage. Weakness The main weakness of Kemper’s lies in the fact that it will be unable to match the lower prices of a major retailer such as Sears. Large retailers often have more efficient supply chains as possess the ability to leverage better contracts with product suppliers enabling them to sell products at a far lower cost as compared to small and medium enterprises. (Golhar Banerjee, 2013) Even if the retailer were to lower its profit margin on individual products to 25% percent, it will still be unable to compete with a large retailer that can outlast a medium scale retailer if it ever came down to a price war between both establishments.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another factor that should be taken into consideration is that Sears is a well known national brand and, as such, would generate a considerable degree of consumer interest in its product offerings. Lastly, as a nationwide retailer it can leverage a far higher advertising budget thereby allowing it to overwhelm any local advertisements made by its competitors within its current market. Opportunities One of the noted opportunities from the case study comes in the form of a considerable level of new home construction within the suburbs. This means that more families are moving in which increases the amount of potential new sales for the company. What is needed in this particular case is a sufficient enough strategy that can help entice these new home owners to shop at Kemper’s instead of at Myers or Sears. Threats The main threat for Kemper’s is Sears and Myers; these two competitors are in effect eroding its market share of consumers. Based on the case data, it was seen that the arrival of Sears within the area did result in a considerable reduction in sales for Kemper’s which the company attempted to mitigate by increasing the amount of product offerings it had at different price levels. Examination When examining the various facets of the case, it became obvious that the problem with Kemper’s Furniture was that they were attempting to directly compete against Sears and Myers in their respective product markets and, as a result, over extended itself. Its strategy of offering price points in the low-medium-high range for all major household appliances is actually working against the company. This was revealed in the focus group data which showed that Kemper’s was originally known for its mid to high end products that specifically focused on the quality-seeker consumer group as opposed to the price-seeker consumer group. It was even revealed in the group data that consumers saw no discernible difference in the stores and merely shopped based on brand familiarity. Shoppers shopped at Kemper’s due to its ties with the local community while people shopped at Sears due to the popularity of the brand. However, when examining the contents of either store, it was shown that Kemper’s Furniture initially had high end appliances as compared to Sear’s more affordable choices. Furthermore, it was noted that the appliance line of Sears was designed to appeal more to price-seekers rather than quality seekers based on the type appliances they had. When taking into consideration the fact that nearly 60% of shoppers at Kemper’s consists of quality seekers while only 40% were price seekers, it becomes immediately obvious that the current slump that the company is experiencing is due to mismanaging the type of consumer group it is supposed to focus on.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Economic Problems in Keplers Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Analysis of Alternatives The best option for Kemper’s is to go back to its original consumer tactic of selling mid to high end appliances. The reasoning behind this is quite simple; most of the company’s customers are quality seekers rather than price seekers. This explains why despite the increasing average price, the number of sales has been going down. This is due to the fact that a majority of the company’s consumers prefer high end appliances as compared to their current selection of low, mid and high end products. By shifting back to its original business model, Kemper’s will be able to gain back the customers it lost due to mismanagement of its business model (McCrary, 2009). Furthermore, it is recommended that the company attempt to differentiate the overall appearance of the shop from its competitors. As seen in the focus group report, the people that were questioned stated that they found no discernable difference between Sears, Kemper’s and Myers. As such, by introducing new design elements and ma king it easier for consumers to immediately get the product they want, it is likely that the company will be able to outpace its local competition through better product offerings and a better store layout. It should also be noted that Kemper’s should attempt a more economical approach towards its advertising budget. One possible method would be to utilize online social networking in the form of Facebook. This can be done by getting loyal customers to like and share the posts of Kemper’s as well as encourage more people to join the company’s Facebook network through a variety of online competitions where people can win prizes by liking and sharing specific posts (Shu-Chuan, 2011). Through such a strategy, more people will be aware of the company while at the same time lowering the overall amount of money that is spent on advertising (Shu-Chuan, 2011). Reference List Golhar, D. Y., Banerjee, S. (2013). An optimal ordering strategy for a third-party managed suppl y chain. International Journal Of Production Research, 51(10), 2969-2980. McCrary, M. (2009). Enhanced customer targeting with multi-stage models: Predicting customer sales and profit in the retail industry. Journal Of Targeting,  Measurement Analysis For Marketing, 17(4), 273-295Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Min, S., Kalwani, M. U., Robinson, W. T. (2006). Market Pioneer and Early Follower Survival Risks: A Contingency Analysis of Really New Versus Incrementally New Product-Markets. Journal Of Marketing, 70(1), 15-33. Shu-Chuan, C. (2011). Viral advertising in social media: participation in Facebook groups and responses among college-aged users. Journal Of Interactive  Advertising, 12(1), 30-43. This case study on Economic Problems in Keplers Company was written and submitted by user Ryland Eaton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Your Social Curation Tool And Chrome Extension

Your Social Curation Tool And Chrome Extension Social  sharing  just  got  easier with a brand new social curation tool in ! With the Chrome extension, you can quickly  curate, create, and share content with followers without ever leaving your browser. No more copy/paste commands or switching from one tab to the next!How To Use The Brand New Chrome Extension As Your #SocialCuration ToolCurate  Content In  SecondsShare  articles, quotes, and links from your own content as well as your  favorite  bloggers! Simply click on the extension and quickly schedule a share right onto your calendar. Highlight Text,  Add Images,  And  Instantly  Share With  Followers Instantly  pull  in  blog  post  headlines  to  quickly  create  shareable  content.  Or  customize  your  copy  by highlighting the text, opening the extension, and pulling any line of text into your social share. Want  to  add  an  image?  No  problem.  The  Ã‚  extension  intuitively pulls the header image for you. That saves you valuable time- no more downloading, saving to your hard drive, then uploading an image to your share! Use  the  color  filter  to keep  your posts organized  and easily  accessible on your  editorial calendar. Not ready to post immediately or  need  approval?  No  worries!  Use  the  status  dropdown and push your posts to the correct bin: draft, scheduled, or pending  approval. Schedule And Sync Curated Content With Your Editorial Calendar Scheduling social shares  is  easier  than  ever, too! With the extension, you can post right away or at a later date. Auto-sync capabilities allow the extension to sync with your calendar, too,  which helps you know exactly what youve scheduled and when itll go out on social media. Why waste time playing the copy/paste game? Switching from one tab to the next? Streamline your social sharing with the extension social curation tool and eliminate unnecessary steps to sharing content with your followers.

Uncalculated Risks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Uncalculated Risks - Essay Example The above issue takes centre stage as to why licensing is not a compulsory issue for drilling engineers, while the aeronautical industry requires that all engineers in its field be licensed. In addition, the experience of these engineers is in question following the lack of need to attend classes for academic qualification. Rather than this, all that is required is experience, and this does not allow the engineers to make sound decisions, as they cannot calculate the cost of their negligence or lack of knowledge of the technicalities involved. As such, further concerns come up as to whether having licensed engineers would culminate in responsible conduct and decision making at drilling rigs. The exemption of licensing for these engineers is to be thought of again and a sound decision made regardless of the political pressure involved. The practice of exempting drilling engineers from getting licensing stands to be unethical owing to the lack of accountability to the public and that the said persons cannot stand prosecution. This is because if they are accountable, their accountability is only owed to their employers and the shareholders of the said company for which they work. In addition, the lack of licenses for engineers points to their ability to get away with their mistakes and failures to follow standard operating procedures that have been approved. Mitigation practices would entail passing legislation that cuts across the board on a federal scale rather than state law. This is to ensure that in light of public concerns and their safety, all engineers have undergone training and are licensed. This allows employers to distinguish clearly between unscrupulous persons masquerading as engineers, while they are not willing to take responsibility for their actions as they lack qualifications to comprehend the gravity of their mistakes. As such, having a central

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

Biopsychology - Essay Example For they become colourd by reflecting the Light of their own Colours more copiously, and that of all other colors more sparingly." (Opticks, Book I, Part II, Experiment 15)    Generally, colour vision is merely a physical ability of an organism or human being. A colour is perceived by the human eye as a combination of different wavelengths. The ability of humans to distinguish colours is an interesting question, which has been discussed by scientists for many years. Thus, a number of theories have been created. These theories will be discussed in the present paper. According to Peter Gouras â€Å"color vision is an illusion created by the interactions of billions of neurons in our brain. There is no color in the external world; it is created by neural programs and projected onto the outer world we see. It is intimately linked to the perception of form where color facilitates detecting borders of objects† (Gouras , 1969). There are two main theories explaining the ability of humans to distinguish colours: trichromatic colour vision and opponent process theory. The researches devoted to the development of trichomatic colour vision were initiated in 18th century by Thomas Young. This scientist claimed that human vision is caused by interaction of three different kinds of photoreceptor cells. Later on, claims of this scientist were experimentally proven by Hermann von Helmholtz. Therefore it was proven that a human required 3 wavelengths in order to distinguish all colours. More detailed discussion of this theory requires additional facts. There are 3 kinds of cones in the retina of the eye; each of these 3 cones has various photosensitive pigments. Different kind of pigment is sensitive to different light wavelength. Cones are of three different types: long, medium and small, ranging from 560 nm to 420 nm respectively (Dacey,

Strategic Planning & Decision Making (SWOT Analysis) PART TWO Assignment

Strategic Planning & Decision Making (SWOT Analysis) PART TWO - Assignment Example The company mission statement; to save people’s money as a way of uplifting their lives has shaped the company policies. This is because the company has focused on cost reduction in order to ensure price leadership (Kneer 2009). The company targets the medium income earners with an average annual income of $35000. The company has also focused on implementing new technology as a way of keeping it ahead of its competitors and ensuing that it delivers quality products and services to its consumers. One of the main strengths that Wal-Mart has is that they are able to offer a wide array of goods in one store. Moreover, because of its large scale of economies, the company is able to offer competitive prices which are highly discounted with make them offer the best prices. This makes the company stand out because its rivals may not have the advantage since they may not have the advantage of getting huge discounts from supplier that comes with buying goods in bulk. These discounts are then passed down to the consumers (Kurtz, 2013). The consumers can thus buy different good within a single store at low prices which is quite convenient. Another strength that makes the company outstanding is the fact that the company sells goods with their own brands together with good from other major brands. This makes it possible for the company to reach out to a wider market as it supplies different segment of the market. This is in contrast with her competitors who may focus on selling products form a single brand. The consumers thus have a wide range of substitute products to pick from which is convenient. A major weakness facing this company is that since it is focused on offering goods at low prices, its clients may sometimes question the quality of these products. This is because high prices are often associated with high quality. The company could overcome this problem by consistently ensuring that all

Titanium And Titanium Alloys Engineering Essay

Titanium And Titanium Alloys Engineering Essay Material selection in manufacturing process is an important stage because proper selection of material not only can prevent catastrophic events from happening, but it allows a product to be manufactured in an efficient and effective way at low cost while meeting product performance objective. In this assignment, we are going to research into two material topics and identify the usage of these materials and overview some of the properties as to why they are chosen for specific application over the others and manufacturing processes. Topic1: Titanium and Titanium Alloys 1.1 Applications of Titanium Alloys Titanium and its alloys are widely used in variety of areas. These areas include aerospace industry, marine operation, automobile, bio-medical applications, etc. Figure 1: Applications of titanium alloy 1.2 Automobile Connecting Rod One application of titanium alloy is applied in producing connecting rod for automobile in order to achieve high performance for high end racing vehicle. Connecting rods are one of the most important automotive components as it responsible for changing the reciprocating motion of piston into rotary motion so that the power generated by the chemical energy can be transmitted from piston to crankshaft and finally producing forces driving the vehicle. 1.3 Material Properties require for Connecting Rod Weight is always an important factor to consider in racing sport competition, therefore in racing sport arena, car builders always try to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle so that every single drop of power generated by the engine can be utilized in providing motion for the vehicle rather than carry its own weight. This result in many of the car components are replaced by materials which are light, robust without compromising other materials properties like tensile strength, compression strength, damping capability, creep, fatigue, etc. This includes the connecting rod for the engine. The weight of the connecting rod is important because it influences the performance of the engine is terms of forces generated and response of the engine. If the connecting rod is made lighter, it is usually better as less weight enable the throttle action and acceleration can be carry out more smoothly and effectively, thus enhance the engine efficiency. However, strength and other aspect of mat erials properties are equally important owing to the reciprocating load generated by the movement of piston inside the cylinder and crankshaft. For every revolution of engine rotation, the connecting rod is under huge amount of compression and tensile forces. Hence, it is necessary that the connecting rods strong enough to handle all the power produced by the engine and withstand all the forces that tend to pull the rod apart during exhaust and crumble the rod during compression which results in irrepairable engine failure. Since the engine is operating at high temperature and needed to sustain a sudden force caused by the explosion of chemical happen within the cylinder, as a result it is very important that connecting rod possess high fatigue strength, high fracture toughness at elevated temperature, high shock resistance, etc. Summarizing the needs for connecting rod, materials properties requires for a connecting rod include: High strength to density ratio Low density Low thermal expansion High fatigue strength in elevated temperature High fracture toughness in elevated temperature High shock resistance Low ductile-to-brittle transition at low temperature High melting point 1.4 Manufacturing Processes of Connecting Rod In general, connecting rods are produced by conventional forging method Figure 2: Conventional Forging Manufacturing Processes for Connecting Rod 1.5 Conventional Forging Method 1.5.1 Material Titanium is extracted from titanium ore by Kroll Extraction process follow by blending, melting, casting, forming and heat treatment to produce the required material for connecting rod. 1.5.2 Cutting to length of material The material is cut to the length near the final end product. 1.5.3 Billet Heating Alloy is heated to make it malleable prior to forming operation. 1.5.4 Hot Forging Red hot alloys which are in plastic condition are shaped into connecting rod by using compressive force. The alloys gone through the heating process is placed into die block and compressive force is imposed on the material by a hammer to strike it into the shape of connecting rod. 1.5.5 Trimming After the forging process, the ledge of excess material is removed by trimmer machine. 1.5.6 Piercing The material in the center of the holes is removed. 1.5.7 Shot Peening Shot peening is used to produce a residue compressive force to modify the mechanical properties of the surface to further improve the fatigue resistance. 1.5.8 Machining Machining process include deburring, milling, grinding, polishing, drilling, boring and inspection are carried out to produce the final connecting rod. 1.6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Titanium Alloys 1.6.1 Advantages of Titanium Alloys High strength-to-density ratio allows titanium alloy to replace steel and other materials in many areas. Figure 3 and 4 reveals the superior structural efficiency of titanium alloys compared to other alloys, especially as service temperatures increase. Figure 3: Structural Efficiency at Elevated Figure 4: Density Comparison for various Temperature Metal Specific Strength of Titanium Alloys is generally higher than any other alloy at elevated temperature. Figure 5: Specific Strength for several alloy at elevated temperature Titanium alloys have better fatigue strength than other lightweight alloys. For instance, aluminium, magnesium, etc. The corrosion resistance of titanium alloys also far better than steel and even aluminium alloys. This enables titanium alloy product suitable to be used in caustic environment. The high reactivity of titanium with oxygen enable immediate forming of oxide layer which protect the material from corrosion. The primary reasons why titanium alloys are attractive materials in many areas is because it exhibits excellent strength to density ratio, low density and corrosion resistance. Other aspect of material properties including the following: High fatigue strength in air and chloride environments   High fracture toughness in air and chloride environments   Low modulus of elasticity   Low thermal expansion coefficient   High melting point   High intrinsic shock resistance   High ballistic resistance-to-density ratio   Nontoxic, non-allergenic and fully biocompatible   Excellent cryogenic properties 1.6.2 Disadvantages of Titanium Alloys Titanium extraction process is difficult and expensive. Titanium alloys have much higher flow stress than Al alloys or steels, thereby requiring much higher forging pressure capacity. Titanium and its alloys are more difficult to machine especially beta phase titanium alloys in comparison with steels and aluminum alloys for conventional methods such as milling, turning, drilling, etc. Titaniums has low thermal conductivity which reduces heat dissipation at the metal work-piece interface causing tools lifetime reduce and decreased welding or galling at tool and work-piece interface. 1.7 Structure and properties Titanium alloys are classified according to the amount of alpha and beta resides in the structure at room temperature. 1.7.1 Alpha titanium alloy The single phase alpha inhibits the heat treatment process. However it ensures weldability of the alloy. The strength and corrosion resistance at elevated temperature for alpha titanium alloys very much dependent upon the Aluminium and Oxygen element in the alloys. Figure 6: Ti-5% Al-2.5% Sn alloy in sheet form Figure 7: Commercially Pure Plate,0.03% iron Air cool at 732C/30Min 1.7.2 Alpha beta titanium alloy Beta stabilizing element results some beta phase to persist below the Beta Transus temperature which leading to two phase system. Two phase system enable Titanium alloy to be strengthened by heat treatment for example quenching, annealing, aging. Figure 8: Titanium Phase Diagram Figure 9 :Ti-6AL-4V Alpha-beta alloy plate air cool at 788/15 min 1.7.3 Beta titanium alloy Beta titanium alloys possess Body Center Cubic, BCC crystal structure is readily cold worked in the beta phase field. This allows solution heat treating follow by quenching giving high strength for the alloy. Figure 10: Ti-13V-11Cr-3AL alloy solution heat Figure 11: Flow stress for Titanium alloys treated at 788C/30min and water quenched Topic 2: Ceramic Coating 2.1 Ceramic Coating and Application Ceramic coating is one of the coating techniques developed for spraying ceramic material on the surface of object of interest to further improve the mechanical and physical properties for a readily available product made from certain materials so that the component life can further be extended. The typical application of ceramic coating is applied to create the thermal barrier for gas turbine engine blade, exhaust system, intake manifold and reduces the surface friction between two different materials to improve the wear resistant as well as making the interface between two materials more compatible. 2.2 Automobile Exhaust Manifold Exhaust manifold serves as a system to vent the exhaust gases away from an engine so that new round of cycle can begin. In automobile, we always wanted the engine to perform work with as high efficiency as possible, however most of the conventional exhaust manifold is usually made from cast iron alloy and other material. These materials usually having good thermal conductivity. This is not preferable because high heat dissipation rate can contribute to loss of energy which reduce the efficiency of the engine. With ceramic thermal coating applied on the exhaust system, engine performance improves in a number of ways. Firstly, they protect the exhaust system from rust and corrosion. Secondly, they reduce heat loss which can be translated into engine output. This can be viewed from several aspects. Ceramic coating insulates the heat of exhaust gases from the environment thereby keeping the exhaust gases hot which allow the gases flow more smoothly and these aids in cylinder scavenging. Next, by retaining the hot exhaust gases in the system, it reduces the engine bay temperature which results in intake air temperature reduced. Drop in intake air temperature can lead to less fuel usage and therefore increase the engine efficiency. For vehicle with turbocharger installed, the hot exhaust gases allow the turbocharger spool up more quickly making the engine more responsive. 2.3 Processes for Ceramic Coating 2.3.1. Surface Cleaning Before the manifold surface receive the ceramic coating, degreasing chemical would be used or material would be heated to high temperature to remove or burn off any foreign particle exist on the surface. The manifold will then be place in the oven at around 450 for around half an hour. 2.3.2 Coating Ceramic coatings are mainly manufactured by using atmospheric plasma spray method, APS. APS using the strong electric arc that generated between a positively charged electrode and negatively charged electrode to ionize the flowing gases into plasma state, then followed by injecting powdered ceramic into the plasma jet in order to melt the powder materials and propelling them onto the work-piece surface. This process allows the metal substrate to be coated with ceramic leaving a smooth protective layer. Figure 14: Atmospheric Plasma Spray Coating Technique 2.3.3 Finishing The manifold is then allowed to air dry for around 20 minutes before placing it in the oven to set the coating. Once it has bakes, the manifold is polished with a steel wool brush. 2.4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Ceramic Coating 2.4.1 Advantages of Ceramic Coating Ceramic coating protect the metal surface against rust and corrosion which extends the components life Ceramic coating create thermal barrier which reduces heat lost which enhance the engine performance and reduces the engine bay temperature. Ceramic coating can sustain high temperature up to 1100 which make it suitable for high heat application in aerospace as well as automobile industry. Ceramic coating can survive bending and shock without crack, peel or forming chip Ceramic coating comes in a variety range of colour which in turn improves the aesthetic for the component. Ceramic coating can be removed easily 2.4.2 Disadvantages of ceramic coating ceramic coating can be a costly process uniformity of coating thickness can be quite difficult to maintain might be difficult to apply to complex shape component owing to inside corned can have low film thickness according to Faraday Cage Effect 2.5 Microstructure of ceramic coating by Atmospheric Plasma Spray, APS Figure 15: (a) (b) Microstructure of ceramic from literature (c) Ceramic microstructure with thichness measured.

Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers

Al Capone, probably the most notorious and well known gangster in history, was born in 1887 in Naples, Italy. His father, Gabriel Caponi, immigrated to Brooklyn from the slums of Naples in 1910. After he came here he changed his last name too Capone too blend in more. Al Capone’s gang activities started out when he was young. He was in the Five Points Gang, who were known for their violence. The gang’s tradition was to scar their victims with a knife cut from the outside corners of their eyes to their ears. At the time, Johnny Torrio was a major mob boss and his uncle, Jim Colosimo (AKA "Big Jim"), hired Capone as a bouncer. Al Capone was a large man, did his job well, and soon he came to recognition in Torrio’s gang. During his stint as a bouncer, Capone one time made a disrespectful comment to Frank Galluccio’s (a member of the Brooklynite gang) sister. Galluccio pulled out his pocket knife and went for Al’s face. When it was over, Capone had 3 big scars on his face. This earned him the nick name Scar Face. He hated the name, and whoever said it to his face would not live to regret it. After his recovery, he forgave Galluccio and because of this gesture he was hired as a body guard for Torrio at $100 a week. Capone eventually told the public that his scars were old war wounds received in France. Al Capone married Mae Coughlin in 1918 and together they had a son, Albert Francis, and chose Johnny Torrio as his Godfather. Torrio gave his godson $5000 a year. Shortly after, facing possible murder charges, they fled to Chicago. When Colosimo died, Capone became the right hand man of Torrio’s gang. Together, Capone and Torrio expanded the gang’s territories by taking out the their leaders. On one occasion there were Sicilians in the Sicilian Mafia and Al for a dinner in their "honor." After they had finished their lavish meal and drank as much wine as there hearts desired, he killed the unsuspecting visitors. They also tightened there political control over the city. Capone boasted "I own the police." He actually did own the police. This was most prominent during the November elections of 1929 when a lawyer by the name of Frank Lowsch persuaded Capone to have the elections be fair. He asked to have the police arrest any gangsters or hoodlums , and they did. There was not one incident of interventio... ... lavish meal and drank as much wine as there hearts desired, the smile that had been on Capone’s face disappeared and now silence fell over the table and the unsuspecting guests looked up nervously at Capone. Then Capone said "You thought that I didn’t know, huh? Well there is one offense that I never forgive that is disloyalty." Even though Capone was ruthless, he still carried out the old custom of hospitality before execution. With saying that, his bodyguards leaped on the men and started to strangle them. Al came out with a base ball bat in hand. He beat all of them to death and, to make sure they were dead, they also shot them in the back of the head. Something else that surprised me was the competition between the gangs, who could give the most flowers and give the most lavish funerals to the men they killed from the opposite side of town. Al Capone was a very ruthless killer but he still had style, a certain classy air about him. We all know of Al Capone as a gangster but in his time he actually gave to a lot of charities and organizations. Some people thought of him as hero. To the upper class people he was an outlaw but, to the poor people, he was Santa Clause.