Self-Evaluation and Pay Discrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-Evaluation and Pay Discrimination - Essay Example However, the employer may be asked to make some modification in his self evaluation program incase it does not meet the general standards. The third step is that OFCCP reviews the documents that the contractor keeps to undertake the self-evaluation program. After the review of the documents, a technical team is employed by OFCCP to determine whether the contractor self-evaluation program complies with the general standards as speculated by the voluntary guidelines provided by OFCCP (Rosen 19). This is followed by treating the information provided by the contractor as confidential. This implies that the information cannot be released to the public as long as the contractor is in the business. To ensure that the contractors self-evaluation program is effective, OFCCP allows the contractor to certify the compliance of his program with 41 CFR 60-2.17(b) (3) in order to avoid legal disputes. However, this is undertaken when the contractor produces the results of the self evaluation progra m to OFCCP. To conduct an evaluation, our company must maintain documents that indicate justification of its decisions with respect to Similarly Situated Employee Groupings (SSEGs). Additionally, statistical data that depicts the results of the two years statistical analyses must be provided to OFCCP. In case of disparities, the company must retain the documents that were used in any follow-up investigation. Such documents must be retained for two years. For an effective self evaluation program, the company should form a SSEGs that involves 30 employees with extra 5 members representing non-minority/ minority or male or female. With an all inclusive employees groupings, Rosen 26 argues that an employer will effectively undertake a self evaluation program that will ensure adoption of motivation factors focused at improving the performance of the

Control system for microgrid

Control system for microgrid Abstract In this study an example of a microgrid composed of diesel generator and two uninterruptable power supply systems is considered. This microgrid installed in the three buildings of the Tallinn University of Technology. This paper deals with how to implement a distributed control and monitoring system based on the Ethernet network in the microgrid. The paper describes a control strategy to implement both grid connected and islanded operation modes of the microgrid. Keywords Control system, diesel generator, microgrid Introduction Distributed generation (DG) is becoming an increasingly attractive approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to improve power system efficiency and reliability, and to relieve todays stress on power transmission and distribution infrastructure [1]. Distributed generation encompasses a wide range of prime mover technologies, such as internal combustion engines, gas turbines, microturbines, photovoltaic, fuel cells and windpower [32]. A better way to realize the emerging potential of DG is to take a system approach which views generation and associated loads as a microgrid [21]. Microgrid is a concept of defining the operation of distributed generation, in which different microsources operate as s single controllable system that provides power and heat to a cluster of loads in the local area [3], [8] [9]. A well designed microgrid should appear as an independent power system meeting the power quality and reliability requirements [3]. The primary goal of microgrid architectures is to significantly improve energy production and delivery to load customers, while facilitating a more stable electrical infrastructure with a measurable reduction in environmental emissions [10]. The most positive features of microgrids are the relatively short distances between generation and loads and low generation and distribution voltage level. The main function of a microgrid is to ensure stable operation during faults and various network disturbances. The microgrid is a promising concept in several fronts because it [18]: provides means to modernize todays power grids by making it more reliable, secure, efficient, and de-centralized; provides systematic approaches to utilize diverse and distributed energy sources for distributed generation; provides uninterruptible power supply functions; minimizes emissions and system losses. Despite many advantages of microgrid there remain many technical challenges and difficulties in this new power industry area. One of them is the design, acceptance, and availability of low-cost technologies for installing and using microgrids [4]. The increased deployment of power electronic devices in alternative energy sources within microgrids requires effective monitoring and control systems for safe and stable operation while achieving optimal utilization of different energy sources [35]. Microgeneration suffers from lack of experience, regulations and norms. Because of specific characteristics of microgrids, such as high implication of control components, large number of microsources with power electronic interfaces remains many difficulties in controlling of microgrids. Realization of complicated controlling processes in microgrids requires specific communication infrastructure and protocols. During the process of microgrid organization many questions concerning the protection and safety aspects emerge. Also, it is required to organize free access to the network and efficient allocation of network costs. The predominant existing distributed generation is based on an internal combustion engine driving an electric generator [36]. To investigate various aspects of integration of alternative energy sources such as conventional engine generators, this paper proposes a prototype of the microgrid for three academic buildings at the Tallinn University of Technology which consists of a diesel generator, and batteries storage with power electronic interface. The main goal of this work is to design an intelligent control system of the microgrid that is efficient enough to manage itself for power balance by making use of state of the art communication technology. Moreover, the aim of this paper is to describe the control strategy of the microgrid operation in both stagy state modes. This control system enables the microgrid system to balance the electric power demand and supply and to simultaneously control the state of power network. Microgrid Theoretical Background A microgrid is described as a small (several MW or less in scale) power system with three primary components: distributed generators with optional storage capacity, autonomous load centers, and system capability to operate interconnected with or islanded from the larger utility electrical grid [10], [11]-[13]. According to [39], [22], multiple facility microgrids span multiple buildings or structures, with loads typically ranging between 2MW and 5MW. Examples include campuses (medical, academic, municipal, etc), military bases, industrial and commercial complexes, and building residential developments. Microgrids include several basic components for operation [3], [4]. An example of a microgrid with is illustrated in Fig.1. Distributed Generation Distributed generation units [1] are small sources of energy located at or near the point of use. There are two basic classes of microsources; one is a DC source (fuel cells, photovoltaic cells, etc.), the other is a high frequency AC source (microturbines, reciprocating engine generators, wind generators), which needs to be rectified. An AC microgrid can be a single-phase or a three-phase system. It can be connected to low voltage or medium voltage power distribution networks. Storage Devices Distributed storage technologies are used in microgrid applications where the generation and loads of the microgrid cannot be exactly matched. Distributed storage provides a bridge in meeting the power and energy requirements of the microgrid. Distributed storage enhances microgrid systems overall performance in three ways. First, it stabilizes and permits DG units to run at a constant and stable output, despite load fluctuations. Second, it provides the ride through capability when there are dynamic variations of primary energy (such as those of sun, wind, and hydropower sources). Third, it permits DG to seamlessly operate as a dispatchable unit. Moreover, energy storage can benefit power systems by damping peak surges in electricity demand, countering momentary power disturbances, providing outage ridethrough while backup generators respond, and reserving energy for future demand. There are several forms of energy storage, such as the batteries, supercapacitors, and flywheels. Interconnection Switch The interconnection switch is the point of connection between the microgrid and the rest of the distribution system. New technologies in this area consolidate the various power and switching functions (power switching, protective relaying, metering, and communications) traditionally provided by relays, hardware, and other components at the utility interface into a single system with a digital signal processor. The interconnection switches are designed to meet grid interconnection standards. Control System The control system of a microgrid is designed to safely operate the system in grid-parallel and stand-alone modes. This system may be based on a central controller or imbedded as autonomous parts of each distributed generator. When the utility is disconnected, the control system must control the local voltage and frequency, provide (or absorb) the instantaneous real power difference between generation and loads, provide the difference between generated reactive power and the actual reactive power consumed by the load, and protect the internal microgrid. Structure of the Proposed Microgrid The microgrid installed in three buildings of the Tallinn University of Technology (TUT): Faculty of Power Engineering, TUT Library, School of Economics and Business Administration. Consequently, according to the classification given in [22], this power system can be defined as a multiple facility microgrid. Fig.2 illustrates the various components of the power system of the microgrid at TUT. The structure of the microgtid for the campuses of the TUT is proposed. Fig.3 shows a schematic of the power system. Microgrid systems targeted in this study are autonomous areas having the power demand of several kilowatts including a diesel generator, two uninterruptable power supply (UPS) systems with batteries storage, and loads. They are connected to the power electronic interface forming local AC network with 230V, 50Hz. The diesel generator is used as the main distributed energy resource in this microgrid. It has a nominal power of 176kW/220kVA, voltage of 240V/400V and maximum current of 318A. This generator is connected to the AC bus via the automatic relay logic (ARL2). The ARL2 is continuously observing it both sides: the main grid and the microgrid. If there is a fault in the general grid, the ARL2 will disconnect the microgrid, creating an energetic island. The battery banks (E1 and E2) are used as the distributed energy storage devices in the microgrid to insure continuous supply of the local load. They are interfaced to the electrical network through the two UPS systems: UPS1 (160kVA), and UPS2 (240kVA). Hence, we can conclude that the microgrid has two main possible operation modes: grid-connected and islanded mode. Main customers of the microgrid are the computers and servers located in the laboratories and office rooms in the three buildings of TUT. The clients in the Library Building (computers) are interfaced to the electrical network using ARL1. In addition, four experimental loads (Experimental loads 1..4) are used that can be connected to the distributed shield located in the Laboratory of Electrical Drives. The nine intelligent sensors (P1..P9) assign these loads. Their task is to measure electrical power and energy parameters of the network, such as voltage, current, power, energy, power factor and transmit this information to the controller. The microgrid is connected to the general city electricity grid using two two-section transformer substations (6000kV/400kV) located in the Faculty of Power Engineering and the School of Economics and Business Administration Buildings. Description of the Control System Taking into account the configuration and features of the power network of the Tallinn University of Technology, the control system structure for the microgrid is designed with the following specifications: the balance of electric power demand and supply of power network are provided; both the steady state modes and the transient performance of the microgrid are achieved. A block diagram of the hierarchical control system which is based on the multiagent technology [40], [41], is demonstrated in Fig.4. The design of the control system can be divided into hardware and software. The control structure of the microgrid has three levels: Operator console and application server; Central controller (CC); Local controllers (LC) and measuring devices. Operator console is a computerized workstation with special software which comprises of supply and demand calculation units, monitoring units, control schemes and dispatching units. The function block diagram of the software is shown in Fig.5. The operator console heads the hierarchical control system. Its main goals of are: to keep track of the whole system by monitoring the status of the communication nodes and generating units; to collect data from the measuring devices; to calculate supply and demand of power; to visualize information received; to display the basic modes of the microgrid; and to transfer control commands to the central controller. Application server is designed for archiving data received from the measuring devices. The main interface between the operator console and others communication nodes of the microgrid control system is the central controller. It is the main responsible for the management of the microgrid. for the optimization of the microgrid operation. The central controller operates in real time. Its main functions are: connection and disconnection of the microgrid, the synchronization process, the detachment of loads. In addition, the aims of the central controller are: to collect information from the measuring devices; to transfer data from the operator console and the application server; to manage the power supply switches; and to transmit the control commands to the local controllers. Group of the local controllers are related to the third hierarchical control level. They include microsource controller that located in the distributed resources of the microgrid. It manages active and reactive power production levels at the diesel generator. Moreover, the microsource controller is responsible for the maintaining desired steady-state and dynamic performance of the power network. The other local controllers are located in the two UPS systems. Their main goals are to provide management of charge of the batteries storage. Measuring process Information required by the proposed monitoring and control system is voltage, current, power, energy, and power factor measurements. Real-time information is acquired through the intelligent measuring devices located at the output of the energy source, at the input of each loads, and at the both UPS systems. In this system, Allen-Bradley Powermonitor 3000 [25] is used to measure these instantaneous values. It implements real-time power monitoring with 50 ms selectable update rate. Such operating information is displayed in real-time for monitoring and energy management purposes. Communication network A communication infrastructure is needed between the central controller and the local controllers [23]. The short geographical span of the microgrid may aid establishing a communication infrastructure using low-cost communications. The adoption of standard protocols and open technologies allows designing and developing modular solutions using off-the-shelf, low-cost, widely available, and fully supported hardware and software components. At the present time, many low cost microcontrollers include at least an Ethernet controller, standalone cheap controllers are also available. The main advantages of using Ethernet are: the transition from a centralized control to a distributed control; wiring reduction no need for point to point connections. This solution provides flexibility and scalability for low-cost implementations. Taking these into account, the Ethernet industrial protocol has been chosen in this microgrid as communication network for data transfer for all those control units. The amount of data to be exchanged between network controllers includes mainly messages containing set-points to LC, information requests sent by the MGCC to LC about active and reactive powers, and voltage levels and messages to control microgrid switches. The LC is responsible of collecting local information from the attached energy resource and takes some real-time decisions based on the control algorithm. The communication network of the control system is illustrated in Fig.6. Every communication node has to get registered to the master server. The node sends its information to the master server through diverse communication channel. Furthermore, this topology provides an opportunity for immediate control center access via remote consoles and web based laptops for necessary actions to be taken. To include new generation resources or storage devices in a flexible manner into the microgrid, multi-agent technologies [40] might be applied. The proposed hierarchical control scheme provides a flexible platform to make high level decisions. Control Strategy of Operation of the Microgrid A microgrid may operate either connected to the main grid or disconnected from it. There are two steady states of operation, grid-connected (Mode-G) and islanded (Mode-I). Furthermore, there are two transient modes of operation, transfer from Mode-G to Mode-I and transfer from Mode-I to Mode-G. The key issue of the control is how to maintain the voltage and frequency stability of the microgrid [20]. Grid-connected mode In the grid-connected operation mode, the main function of a DG unit is to control the output real and reactive power. The real and reactive power generated by a DG can be controlled through current or voltage regulation, thus the DG output power control schemes can be generally categorized as current-based and voltage-based power flow control [43]. During Mode-G operation, the voltage and frequency of the microgrid is set by the main grid. The aim of the uninterruptible power supply systems is to obtain energy backup as much as possible, so during Mode-G operation, the main grid, the microgrid or both of them, will charge the batteries [20]. In grid-connected mode the balance between the generation and the consumption as well as the control of the parameters of the system is guaranteed by the utility grid. Thus, generators are regulated with the criterion of optimized economic exploitation of the installation [23]. Concerning the programmable generator, the objective of the control is to optimize the microgrid performance. Islanded mode The MG operates autonomously, in a similar way to physical islands, when the disconnection from the main grid occurs [37]. When the grid is not present, the ARL2 disconnects the microgrid from the grid, starting the autonomous operation. The instant at which the intentional islanding occurs must be detected in order to the inverter changes between grid-connected to intentional island modes. The detection is achieved using an algorithm described in [23]. When the main distribution network is faulted, the fault current will flow into the main grid from the microgrid continuously. At the same time, the circuit breaker of microgrid should detect the frequency and voltage-drop, and open in time, which makes the microgrid disconnect automatically from the main grid and change to islanded operation mode. Diesel generator should adopt the reasonable control strategies to ensure the stability of frequency and voltage in microgrid [42]. While switched from Mode-G to Mode-I, the UPS system operates in voltage control mode, is setting the voltage and frequency of the microgrid through absorbing or releasing energy. In islanded mode, due to the unavailability of the utility grid, two requirements must be fulfilled: the power balance between the generation and the consumption and the control of the main parameters of the installation (voltage amplitude and frequency). In synchronous islanded mode this reference is the same as the grid voltage. This mode is also called synchronization mode and it is the mode that necessarily precedes a reconnection with the grid. The control system is responsible for assuring the power balance. In case of energy excess the management system can limit the output power of the diesel generators power in order to avoid the operation in extremely inefficient low power generation modes. On the contrary, if all the available power is not enough to feed the local loads, the management system will detach non-critical loads. The control system is voltage controlled and it regulates the main parameters of the system. The UPS systems sets the voltage and frequency of the islanded microgrid and maintains them within acceptable limits by injecting or absorbing active power and reactive power as required. As soon as the presence of mains is detected, the microgrid control system uses feedback information from the mains voltage to adjust the energy storage unit voltage and frequency control loops to synchronize the microgrid voltage with the main voltage of the main grid. Transition from Grid-Connected to Islanded Mode There are various islanding detection methods proposed for DG systems [44]. As mentioned above, there is a different control strategy when the laboratory-scale microgrid system operates in Mode-G or Mode-I. If there is a transition between these two modes, the control mode of the battery inverter will change. A switching circuit, as shown in Fig.7, is designed to realize this transition [20]. A load-voltage control strategy proposed by [23] is employed to provide the operation of the microgrid. Disconnection of the microgrid from the grid can be provoked by many causes, like unsatisfactory grid voltage (in terms of amplitude or waveform) or even economic aspects related to power price. In order to monitor grid voltage characteristics a Voltage monitoring module is required. This module measures continuously the rms grid voltage comparing it with a preestablished threshold value. When any of the phase voltages goes down the threshold value (0.9 pu in this case) the detection signal is activated. If 20 ms after the first detection this signal is still activated the microgrid must be disconnected from the utility grid and it must pass to islanded operation mode, otherwise the microgrid will remain connected to the utility grid. This way unnecessary islandings are avoided and selectivity is respected. A 20 ms time window has been chosen after verifying through experimental tests and standards [47] that a personal computer (which is considered as the most critical residential lo ad in this microgrid) is not affected by a 20 ms voltage interruption. As soon as the microgrid is disconnected from the grid, the programmable generator controller passes from a power control mode to a voltage control mode. Microgrid power consumption is also continuously measured in order to detach non-critical loads if there is no enough local available power. In addition if consumption or generation conditions are modified and it becomes possible to feed all the local loads, non-critical loads will be reconnected. Transition from Islanded to Grid-Connected Mode When the grid-disconnection cause disappears, the transition from islanded to grid-connected mode can be started. To avoid hard transients in the reconnection, the diesel generator has to be synchronized with the grid voltage [23]. The DG is operated in synchronous island mode until both systems are synchronized. Once the voltage in the DG is synchronized with the utility voltage, the DG is reconnected to the grid and the controller will pass from voltage control mode to current control mode. When the microgrid is working in islanded mode, and the ARL2 detects that the voltage outside the microgrid (in the grid) is stable and fault-free, we have to resynchronize the microgrid to the frequency, amplitude and phase of the grid, in order to reconnect seamlessly the microgrid. If the grid-disconnection cause disappears and the gridvoltage fulfills the desired requirements, the transition from islanded to grid-connected mode can be started. The grid voltage conditions will be again monitored by the Voltage monitoring module. This way if the grid voltage exceeds the threshold value the detection signal is deactivated. If 20 ms after the first detection the detection signal is still deactivated it means that utility grid has returned back to normal operating conditions and the microgrid can reconnect to the grid. However, before the reconnection, the microgrid has to be synchronized with the grid voltage in order to avoid hard transients in the reconnection. To do so, the microgrid operates in synchronous islanded mode during 100 ms with the aim of decoupling the reference variation and the physical grid reconnection transients. In this operating mode the voltage in the microgrid is set to the characteristics of the grid voltage, frequency and phase. Once the voltage in the microgrid is synchronized with the utility voltage the microgrid can be reconnected to the grid and the programmable generator controller will pass from a voltage control mode to a power control mode. In the same way if non-critical loads are detached they are also reconnected. In the presence of unplanned events like faults, microgrid separation from the MV network must occur as fast as possible. However, the switching transient will have great impact on microgrid dynamics. The microgrid functionalities as well as its control methods depend on the mode of operation [23]: Islanding of the MG can take place by unplanned events like faults in the MVnetwork or by planned actions like maintenance requirements. In this case, the local generation profile of theMG can be modified in order to reduce the imbalance between local load and generation and reduce the disconnection transient [48]. Conclusions In this paper the microgrid system installed at the Tallinn University of Technology, has been presented. The microgrid includes a diesel generator, batteries storage with power electronic interface. The architecture of the microgrid for the Tallinn University of Technology and a control system structure for the microgrid were proposed. Design of a control and monitoring system for a microgrid is presented in this paper. A hierarchical control scheme is proposed. This will enhance the reliability and stability of the microgrid on one end and will make microgrid an easy to use product on the other. Acknowledgement This paper was supported by the Project DAR8130 Doctoral School of Energy and Geotechnology II. References A.M.Borbely,J.F.Krieder, Distributed generation: the power paradigm for the new millennium, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 2001, 388p. P.Nabuurs, SmartGrids, European Technology platform, Strategic Deployment Document for Europes Electricity Networks of the Future, September 2008, 68p. R.Lasseter, Microgrids, Proceedings of 2002 IEEE Power Engineering Society Winter Meeting, vol.1, NewYork, NY, 2002, pp.305-308. B.Kroposki,T.Basso,R.DeBlasio, Microgrid Standards and Technologies, Power and Energy Society General Meeting Conversion and Delivery of Electrical Energy in the 21st Century, 2008, pp.1-4. P.Mazza, The Smart Energy Network: Electricitys Third Great Revolution, Jun. 2003. [online]. Available: http://www.microplanet.com/upload/pdf/SmartEnergy.pdf, 22p. J.A.Momoh, Smart Grid Design for Efficient and Flexible Power Networks Operation and Control, IEEE Power Energy Society Power Systems Conference and Exposition, Seattle, Washington, 2009, pp.1-8. A.Mehrizini-Sani,R.Iravani, Secondary Control for Microgrids Using Potential Functions: Modeling Issues, Conference on Power Systems (CIGRECanada2009), Toronto, Canada, 2009, pp.1-9. A.Mohamed, Microgrid modeling and online management, PhD thesis, Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki, Finland, 2008, 169p. D.Yubing,G.Yulei,L.Qingmin,W.Hui, Modelling and Simulation of the Microsources Within a Microgrid, Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS 2008), Jinan, China, 2008, pp.2667-2671. C.M.Colson,M.H.Nehrir, A Review of Challenges to Real-Time Power Management of Microgrids, IEEE Power Energy Society General Meeting, Calgary, Canada, 2009, pp.1-8. C.M.Colson,M.H.Nehrir,C.Wang, Ant Colony Optimization for Microgrid Multi-Objective Power Management, IEEE Power Energy Society Power Systems Conference and Exposition, Seattle, Washington, 2009, pp.1-7. S.Ahn,S.Moon, Economic Scheduling of Distributed Generators in a Microgrid Considering Various Constraints, IEEE Power Energy Society General Meeting, Calgary, Canada, 2009, pp.1-6. C.A.Hernandez-Aramburo,T.C.Green,N.Mugniot, Fuel Consumption Minimization of a Microgrid, Industry Applications, IEEE Transactions, 2005, vol.41, no.3, pp.673-681. A.Arulampalam,M.Barnes,A.Engler,A.Goodwin,N.Jenkins, Control of power electronic interfaces in distributed generation Microgrids, International Journal of Electronics, vol.91, no.9, London, GB, 2004, pp.503-524. F.Pilo,G.Pisano,G.G.Soma, Neural Implementation of MicroGrid Central Controllers, IEEE International Conference on Industrial Informatics, New York, 2007, pp.1177-1182. R.H.Lasseter,P.Piagi, Control and Design of Microgrid Components, Final Project Report Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC-06-03), 2006, p. 257. P.Piagi,R.H.Lasseter, Autonomous Control of Microgrids, IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2006, pp.1-8. F.Z.Peng,Y.W.Li,L.M.Tolbert, Control and Protection of Power Electronics Interfaced Distributed Generation Systems in a Customer-Driven Microgrid, IEEE Power Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM 2009), Calgary, Canada, 2009, pp.1-8. R.H.Lasseter,P.Piagi, Microgrid: A Conceptual Solution, IEEE 35th Power Electronics Specialists Conference (PESC2004), vol.6, Aachen, Germany, 2004, pp.4285-4290. Y.Che,Z.Yang,K.W.EricCheng, Construction, Operation and Control of a Laboratory-Scale Microgrid, 3rd International Conference Power Electronics Systems and Applications, (PESA2009), 2009, pp.1-5. R.Lasseter,A.Akhil,C.Marnay,J.Stephens,J.Dagle,R.Guttromson,A.S.Meliopoulous,R.Yinger,J.Eto, The CERTS MicroGrid Concept, CEC Consultant Report P500-03-089F. Sacramento, CA: California Energy Commission, 2003, 32p. M.Adamiak,S.Bose,Y.Liu,J.Bahei-Eldin,J.DeBedout, Tieline Controls in Microgrid Applications, Bulk Power System Dynamics and Control VII. Revitalizing Operational Reliability, 2007 REP Symposium, 2007, pp.1-9. H.Gaztanaga,I.Etxeberria-Otadui,S.Bacha,D.Roye, Real-Time Analysis of the Control Structure and Management Functions of a Hybrid Microgrid System, IEEE 32nd Annual Conference Industrial Electronics, (IECON2006), 2006, pp.5137-5142. A.Rà ¶Ãƒ ¶p(editor,reviser), Annual Report 2008 Department of Electrical Drives and Power Electronics, Tallinn: TUT Publishing, Estonia, 2009, 74p. http://www.ab.com/PEMS/pm3000.html http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellsoftware/assetmgmt/energymetrix/sysreq.html http://www.ab.com/programmablecontrol/pac/controllogix/ Design and Implementation of a Control System for a Microgrid involving a Fuel Cell Power Module A. P. Agalgaonkar, S. V. Kulkarni, S. A. Khaparde, and S. A. Soman, Placement and Penetration of Distributed Generation under Standard Market Design, International Journal of Emerging Electric Power Systems, Volume 1, Issue 1 2004; Article 1004 TOWARDS A SMART NETWORK IN A BUSINESS DISTRICT. COMBINING DISPERSED UPS WITH DISTRIBUTED GENERATION Designing the Optimal Stand alone Power System which uses Wind Power and Solar Radiation for Remote Area Object Placement and Penetration of Distributed Generation under Standard Market Design Off-Grid Diesel Power Plant Efficiency Optimization and Integration of Renewable Energy Sources Model. Validation and Coordinated Operation of a Photovoltaic Array and a Diesel Power Plant for Distributed Generation Distributed monitoring and control of future power systems via g

Depression Essay -- essays research papers

Depression. Depression is one of the most common psychological problems, affecting nearly everyone through either personal experience or through depression in a family member. The cost in human suffering cannot be estimated. Depression can interfere with normal functioning, and frequently causes problems with work, social and family adjustment. It causes pain and suffering not only to those who have a disorder, but also to those who care about them. Serious depression can destroy family life as well as the life of the depressed person. Impact of Depression:  Causes tremendous emotional pain  Disrupts the lives of millions of people  Adversely affects the lives of families and friends  Reduces work productivity and absenteeism  Has a significant negative impact on the economy.  Depression is a psychological condition that changes how you think and feel, and also affects your social behavior and sense of physical well being. We have all felt sad at one time or another, but that is not depression. Sometimes we feel tired from working hard, or discouraged when faced with serious problems. This too, is not depression. These feelings usually pass within a few days or weeks, once we adjust to the stress. Cause of depression: Clinical depression is a very common psychological problem, and most people never seek proper treatment, or seek treatment but they are misdiagnosed with physical illness. This is extremely unfortunate because, with proper treatment, nearly 80% of those with depression can make significant improvement in their mood and life adjustment. â€Å"You may have heard people talk about chemical imbalances in the brain that occur in depression, suggesting that depression is a medical illness, without psychological causes†. However, all psychological problems have some physical manifestations, and all physical illnesses have psychological components as well. In fact, the chemical imbalances that occur during depression usually disappear when you complete psychotherapy for depression, without taking any medications to correct the imbalance. This suggests that the imbalance is the body's physical response to psychological depression, rather than the other way around. People who have low self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism, or who are readily shoc... ...treatment. This may involve encouraging the individual to stay with treatment until the symptoms begin to decrease (several weeks), or to seek different treatment if no improvement occurs. On occasion, it may require making an appointment and along with the depressed person to appointments with the psychologist. Invite the depressed person for walks, outings, to the movies, and other activities. Be gently purposeful if your invitation is refused. Encourage participation in some activities that once gave pleasure, such as hobbies, sports, religious or cultural activities, but do not push the depressed person to undertake too much too soon. The depressed person needs deviation and company, but too many demands can increase feelings of failure. â€Å"A complete psychological diagnostic evaluation will help you decide the type of treatment that might be best for you†. Psychologists†. Bio................. The National Institute of Mental Health Psychology Information Online , developed by Donald J. Franklin, Ph.D., provides information about the practice of psychology, features Continuing Education Programs and a Psychology Bookstore, and hosts the National Directory of Psychologists.

Racism in Canada as a Social Problem Essay

Introduction Racism. A relatively new word in our vocabulary. The word was not defined until 1936, when Webster’s dictionary defined racism as 1: A belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2: Racial prejudice or discrimination. This is a definition of racism that was written by white men, back wen it was ok to deny the access of certain facilities to blacks. This was even considered a white man’s moral duty. (Paul Lotus, 2000) Some might think that racism is a thing of the past, yet every day individuals still face racism in a social system in which power is controlled by a white majority. see more:reasons for old age homes Racism is not only present between blacks and whites, it is an issue concerning everybody, based on the colour of their skin, their religion and other factors. For example, since the attack on the World Trade Centre, Muslims and Arabs have been experiencing an extreme amount of racism in the United States but also here in Canada (Fakhreddin Jamali, 2003). This proves that people are simply looking for someone to hate. Anything can set it off but it is hardly ever justified. Nature and Scope of the Problem Racism is difference plus power. All forms of racism suppose that different races cannot coexist equally in one society. For the racist, expulsion and elimination are the only options. Racism is discrimination based on race, it is the belief that one race is superior to others and that differences in race also mean difference in human character and ability. Racism exists when one group excludes or seeks to eliminate another based on differences that are believed to be hereditary and unchangeable. (Ormond McKague 1991) Some might say that victims can beat racism by ignoring it. â€Å"Sticks and stones will break by bones but words will never hurt me.† On the other hand, when looking at hate crimes, we can see that racism can go much further. It is not only a question of insults; it even goes past segregation. Racism can lead to hate crimes and in some places, these are even common. â€Å"A hate crime is any criminal act or attempted criminal act directed against a person, institution, or property based on the victim’s actual or perceived race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender.† (Lambda Community Center, www.lambda-sacramento.com) In other words, hate crimes can vary from anything that results in injury, threats of violence that look like they can be carried out to acts which result in property damage. During 1999, a total of 7,876 bias-motivated hate crimes were reported to the FBI in the United States. However, we have to remember that reporting is voluntary and hate crimes are seriously under-reported. In the year 2000, 366 hate web sites were found. ( Religion News Blog, 2002) Racism can also be expressed in hate incidents. Hate incidents are similar to hate crimes in that the act is directed against people based on the victim’s race. The difference between a hate incident and a hate crime is that a hate incident is a non-criminal act. Some examples of hate incidents are passing around offensive material such as hate flyers or hate graffiti in public places. Racist actions happen all the time but some are more serious than others. Canada has a long history of hate-motivated violence towards racial or ethnic minorities. For example, back in 1907 in Vancouver, a mob of whites attacked the Chinese and Japanese communities, causing damage to stores and several fatalities. In the 1970s, there was a series of subway attacks against members of the South Asian community. (Margaret Cannon, 1995) A Social Problem A condition becomes a social problem when most people in a society agree that the condition exists, threatening the quality of life for certain people and their most cherished values. When they also agree that something should be done to remedy it (Ormond McKague, 1991). Racism fits under all these aspects. Racism threatens the quality of the victim’s life. Day after day, people who are different experience insults, exclusion or even physical attacks. Racism also attacks some people’s religious values and beliefs. For  example, prejudice towards Jews. Furthermore, people do agree that something should be done to prevent and put an end to racism. Many programs have been started in hopes of accomplishing both these goals. Also, we live in a democratic society where we believe in equality of all but racism is proof that we do not live by that ideal. Widespread According to a recent United Nations report, racism and racial discrimination are on the rise world-wide, especially against immigrants. A document was presented to the UN Human Rights Commission, indicating that racist ideologies are spread world-wide through the most modern technologies, especially via the internet (Daily Online, 1996) There has been an increase in web sites used to provoke hatred against Arabs, blacks and particularly Jews. Racism is on the rise due to many different factors. For example, it is the direct consequence of the electoral success of nationalist and extreme right parties in a number of countries. Today there are about 22 million refugees around the world who were forced to abandon their homes because of nationalistic wars (Margaret Cannon, 1995) There has also been a significant rise in racism following September 11th. People everywhere, American or Canadian tend to identify any Arab and Muslim with terrorists. Even the US media take part in spreading a negative image of Arabs. Even in the most developed countries, racial oppression continues. In the USA, the wealthiest capitalist country, African Americans continue to face severe racial oppression. In Australia the indigenous population suffers Third World living conditions and gross racial discrimination. Who is affected? Obviously, people who belong to minority groups, such as black people. They can be affected directly if they are victims of hate crimes. They can also be affected directly but in more subtle ways. For example, a white taxi driver might not pick up a black person. (Clayton E Tuker-Ladde, 2000) Teens can also be affected. Black teenagers are more likely to drop out of school  because they worry about completing their education and not finding jobs. They also tend to do poorly in school due to low self-esteem and the negative attitudes of teachers towards black students. (Margaret Cannon, 1995) They can also be affected indirectly. Children might be growing up in poverty due to their parent’s experience with racism. Some people might not get the same opportunities in life due to their ancestor’s experience with racism. Other people can also be affected indirectly by racism. For example, children might feel pressured not to be friends with a black child if others around t hem are racist. Nowadays, white people also feel they are suffering from racism and they are responding by blaming affirmative action for not getting jobs. Racism can affect black people everyday in every aspect of their life. For example, if a black person needs to move they can never be sure of having the opportunity of renting or purchasing a house in an area which they can afford and in which they would want to live. They can never be sure that new neighbours in such a location will be neutral or pleasant towards them. They can hardly ever turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of their race widely and positively represented. They cannot go into any supermarket and find the foods that fit with their cultural traditions or into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut their hair. If they swear or dress in second-hand clothes, people will often attribute these choices to the ‘bad morals’, ‘the poverty’ or ‘the illiteracy’ of their race. On the other hand, if they do well in a challenging situation, they are often called a credit to their race. They can be pretty sure that if they ask to talk to the person in charge, they will not be facing a person of their race. They can never be sure that if they need legal or medical help their race will not work against them. They are never sure that standards of behaviour where they work or go to school will be set by people of their race and that they will be judged on their behaviour not on their race. So in short, racism can attack them at any point in their daily life. Many researchers have also found that racism is a source of stress for Blacks that negatively impacts physical and psychological well-being (James W Clarke, 1998). Emergence of the social problem The late start of the word ‘racism’ has led some to believe that the phenomenon itself must be relatively new. But contrary to this belief, racism has been around for a very long time. Racism can be traced back to the Columbus invasion of 1492. In order to get the gold and silver of the native Americans, and later to use their land for the establishment of plantations to grow sugar, tobacco, and rice for commercial export to Europe, the European colonists killed enormous numbers of native Americans. As a result, the European plantation owners faced a shortage of labour. Some system of labour was necessary to bring workers to the new lands and to force them to work for masters. At first the land relied on the servants or serfs from the mother countries. But there was one major problem. Unless they were marked, if they ran away they could not easily be distinguished from free colonists or their masters. It became increasingly urgent to find new, more abundant and more easily identifiable sources of forced labour. The African slave trade came to the masters rescue. Black slaves could be purchased cheaply and brought in unlimited numbers from Africa. The colour of their skins made them easily identifiable, stopping them from escaping and merging with the rest of the colonial population. The colour of their skins became the sign of servitude. This was the origin of racism. Contrary to popular belief, slavery was not motivated by racism. Racism, the view that those with non-white skins were inferior to those with white skins, was gradually elaborated to justify the particular form of slave labour. (Ormond McKague, 1991) Even though racism has always been present, it is only recently that it was recognised as a social problem. In 1960, the Canadian bill of rights was written. The bill of rights says. It is hereby recognised and declared that in Canada there have existed and shall continue to exist without discrimination by reason of race, national origin, colour, religion or sex, the following human rights and fundamental freedoms, namely, (a) The right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property, and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law; (b) The right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law; (c) Freedom of religion; (d) Freedom of speech; (e) Freedom of assembly and association; and (f) Freedom of the press.’ Before this date, racism was very accepted and even expected in some situations (Canadian Bill Of Rights, www.laws/justice.gc.ca) The only people who saw racism as a problem were people belonging to minority groups, the people experiencing the effects of racism first hand and the rare non-racists. People have different opinions concerning racism and its history, some will say it was never a problem. What changed peoples ideologies concerning racism were different black activists who decided to speak up and let their country know they had had enough. The best example of someone who fought for equal rights till the day he died was Martin Luther King (1929-1968). After half a century of black activism, the result we saw was the end of segregation in 1954. Another decade of protest and activism led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Within twenty years, the federal government began an era of affirmative action retrenchment. There has been much improvement in the lives of Black Americans yet we still see racism everyday (www.MLKonline.com). In Canada there was an anti-slavery movement that went on approximately between 1830 and 1870. The abolition of slavery also brought the racism  problem to attention. At this point people started to see that it was wrong to treat people terribly simply because of the colour of their skin. The current attitude towards racism today is unclear. It obviously still exists but people still express surprise that there is a race problem in Canada. Discrimination today might be more subtle than it was in the past, but it is present, affecting where we live and work. For example, in 1994, a study gave white and black applicants equal skills and sent them out to look for jobs and rent apartments. In almost every case, the white applicant was given better treatment. In the same study, black males noted that no matter how professional they looked, when they walked into an elevator with a white woman, she would clutch her purse in fear. Despite the progress in culture, science and technology, racism has been mainly responsible for the death of over 62 million human beings in the last 100 years. (http://www.crr.ca/en/Publications/ePubHome.htm) Most Canadians today consider racism a social problem even though some do think it is a problem of the past and is now rare. For example, direct victims of racism will say that it is a current problem. Blacks, Arabs, Jews, etc. They are daily victims of atrocious abuse: verbal, physical and emotional. Non-racists also consider racism a problem. For this reason, many programs have been started in hopes of stopping racism. Sociologists also consider racism to be a problem because the characteristics fit under the characteristics of a social problem and social workers everywhere have also been working in hopes of preventing and ending racism. Causes of Racism Many theories have been developed concerning racism, one of them is the conflict theory. The conflict theory originated from Marxism and Carl Marx’s beliefs. The basic principle of the conflict theory is that the natural evolution of societies is described as a series of clashes between conflicting ideas and forces that at the end of each clash, a new and improved set of ideas emerges. Both Marx and this theory agree with the idea that when members of a class see themselves as individuals with only  individualistic needs rather than members of a group with collective needs and fate, it limits any constructive change. This can be applied to racism. (Hamlin, J. 1996) A second theory used to explain racism is the frustration-aggression theory. To understand this theory we must first understand frustration. Frustration is a feeling of tension that occurs when our efforts to reach a goal are blocked. Frustration can lead to feelings of anger, which in turn can become feelings of aggression and aggressive behavior. This theory has been used to explain a lot of violent behavior over time. This theory explains racism as a type of relief from frustration. A scapegoat is chosen and becomes the object of aggressive behavior. This is often because one cannot take out their feelings of aggression on the person directly concerned. For example, someone who is frustrated with their job cannot express feeling of aggression towards their boss or co-workers so they redirect their frustration and act aggressively towards others. However, this cannot be an adequate explanation because it neither explains the presence of racism when there is no frustration nor does it explain why the scapegoat is chosen based on their race as opposed to perhaps gender, class, etc. (Yassine, A. 2001) The next theory is the theory of authoritarian-personality. The authoritarian personality is one whose personality makes the person more susceptible to racist ideologies. Adorno (1950) suggested that authoritarian parenting style created the authoritarian personality. The authoritarian style creates aggression, frustration and hatred, which is then directed towards chosen scapegoats. When this parenting style is used, The demand for good behavior is excessive and uncompromising. There is intolerance of behavior and things that are different. Adorno reported a direct relationship between authoritarian personality and prejudice. Other studies have shown relations between authoritarianism and xenophobia If prejudice and discrimination are directly related with the authoritarian personality, then authoritarianism may explain negative put-downs, oppression and racism. But on the other hand, some studies  replicating Adorno’s work found no evidence to support Adorno, and in some cases they found contradictory results. (Brown, R. 1995) People with an authoritarian personality exist in large numbers in every society, and it is probably manipulation by them that give racism its strength. But once again, this does not really explain racism any more than it explains non-racism, because people with authoritarian personalities could be non-racists, and this would have the opposite effect, diminishing racism. The last theory is a very simple one, and the most common one. This theory says that racism is learned. It originates from Fraud’s idea of being born as a blank slate. This means that every child is born neither good nor bad. Every behavior is learned from the child’s parents and surroundings. This theory was examined and proven with many experiments. The most popular one being an experiment done by a third grade teacher in Riceville, Iowa. The teacher divided the class into two groups: blue-eyed and brown-eyed. Each group got the same special privileges and praise on alternate days while the other group was put down and deprived in different ways. Within a few hours, they started to act negatively towards each other, starting fights and insulting the children from the group who was not favored that day. Friendships were easily forgotten and hatred started to stir up in the schoolyard. Before hand, these students had no reasons to dislike each other until they were give n one. They were told by an authority figure how they should be acting towards people with different colored eyes. They were taught to be prejudice. This study proves that humans seem much better at learning prejudices than math. A similar study was done by Sheriff. He designed a boy’s camp in hopes of studying group relations. The camp was separated into two groups. Members from each group did everything together. Then, Sheriff had the groups compete against each other in various games such as tug-of-war. The friendship and group spirit within each group was evident and at first, there was good sportsmanship between both groups. But soon tension and animosity developed. There was name-calling, fights, and raids on the â€Å"enemy† cabins. After seeing these results, Sheriff tried to get the two groups together for good times. Good food, movies, etc. But nothing could be  done, the anger continued. The two groups had learned to hate each other. The groups threw food at each other, shoved, and yelled insults. Next, the camp set up several situations where the two groups had to work together to get something they wanted. There was a break in the water line that had to be fixed (or camp would be closed). The food truck broke down and it took everyone’s cooperation to push it. When they worked together on these serious, important tasks, they didn’t fight. Friendships developed. Just as competition led to friction among equals, cooperative work led to positive feelings. This also shows that any behavior, good or bad is learned and can easily be erased by the next thing the child is taught. This brings along a serious question. When was the last time our country cooperated with other countries to help those in need? Maybe the solution to racism isn’t so far away. (Tuker-Ladd, C. 2000) Social Intervention Since 1966, the United Nations has recognized The 21st of March as the International Day for the Elimination of racial Discrimination. In 1989, the department of Canadian Heritage launched its annual March 21st Campaign. The most important and effective solution to racism will always be education, on many different levels. Too many people are ignorant when it comes to racism. This is said in the sense that many people chose feelings over rationalities. They chose to ignore facts because they prefer to simply accept what they believe is the truth. For example, some might think that colored people are not as smart as white people are. They strongly believe this is the truth and chose to ignore facts such as black people working at NASA or working as doctors. Obviously these people are probably smarter than the average person is, black or white. The great accomplishments done by black people is solid proof that they are as capable as anybody but some chose to ignore this clear evidence. This is why they have to be educated. A good first step is understanding history. If we can show that racism has a beginning, then the argument that racism is part of human nature does not hold much water. And if racism has a beginning, then we can argue that it can have an end. Some will also argue that racism is something that happens  to people who are new in Canada. â€Å"The new kid always gets teased†. It is unfortunate, even cruel, but its part of life and it will go away in time, especially when somebody else newer arrives. The only response to this can be to take a look at the native people and how they are treated. The first People to inhabit this continent yet history shows that they were, and continue to be treated with discrimination. (McCaskell, T. 1994) Education is also important because only when we fully understand the conditions that promote the development of racist ideas and practices will we be able to make sure they do not happen again. All of us must also acknowledge our personal racism, our misperceptions, suspicions and hang-ups about people different from ourselves. We must avoid the temptation of anger and prejudice, even if others have wrongfully hurt us. No matter how difficult and painful it might be, no matter how unworthy of trust we might think other groups are, we must try to find our common ground and begin dialogue to heal our community and our nation Effective racist campaigns must oppose the actual racist policies being carried out in society, such as the denial of land rights to Aborigines, racist law enforcement, discrimination in employment, attacks on the rights of refugees and immigration cuts. Laws and policies Today we have laws made in the hope of eliminating racism but we have to remember that not so long ago, laws were made to promote racism. For example, in Chicago in the 1940’s, African-Americans were not allowed to eat in restaurants with whites but were forced to go to the back door to place their order and then take the food home to eat. Also, in Montgomery in the 1930’s, African-Americans were forced to sit at the back of the bus or drink in separately marked water fountains than whites. Some of he present laws include the Canadian Bill of Rights, stating laws concerning all types of discrimination (as mentioned in Part I). It is also  a criminal offence under the Public Order Act 1986 to use threatening, abusive or insulting language or behavior in order to stir up racial hatred. Preventing Racism Racism can be prevented on a macro level like worldwide or through a country. It can also be dealt with on a micro level such as in school or in the work place. On a macro level policies can be made in order to prevent people from treating minority groups in a discriminating way. A good example of this was affirmative action. This encouraged employers to hire people of color. The media is a very powerful way of getting messages to many people at once and different types of media can have a very positive influence. It can deliver anti-racism messages to many different generations. The media is very convincing. It can also use this ability to convince people in a positive way. On a micro level some of the things that we can do to prevent racism fall directly on parenting. Parents in our society have the primary responsibility to teach their children social skills. In our society, over 65% of mothers with children under the age of 5 are working outside the home. These mothers are so busy with work they are forgetting to teach their children right from wrong. (Tyler, D. 1999) Racism programs can also take place in schools, both elementary and secondary. Companies can also have a program in order to help prevent racism in the work place. It is never too late, it is as important to educate children as it is adults. (Cannon, M. 1995) Everybody can make a difference no matter how old. Another Micro level suggestion would be to accept people on all levels. For example, during the recent Olympic games in Salt Lake City, not a single new channel had a black woman anchor person. (Tyler, D. 1999) Bibliography Part II Books Cannon, Margaret. The Invisible Empire: Racism in Canada Random House of Canada Limited, 1995. Toronto Hurley, Jennifer A. Racism (Current Controversies) Greenhaven Press, 1998. San Diego McKague, Ormond. Racism in Canada Fifth House Publishers, 1991. Saskatchewan McCaskell, Tim. A History of Race/ism Toronto Board of Education, 1994 Internet www.immi/yassine.htm Causes of Racism, 2001 By: Abdel-Qadar Yassine Alleydog.com Psychology Glossary, 1999 Query: Frustration-Aggression Conflict Theory: Sociological Theories of Deviance Hamlin, John. 1996 Carl Marx and the Conflict Theory By: Jennifer A. Johnson The Blank Slate The Modern Denial of Human Nature By Steven Pinker, 2002 Disliking others Without Valid Reasons: Prejudice Calyton E tuker-Ladde, 2000 Understanding prejudice, racism, and social conflict. Brown, R. 1995

Baseline Magazine Website Review

Change is the only constant in our new reality. That’s why any IT professional should continuously update his information and continuously learn to have an idea about new concepts, researches and tools to be able to compete among other professionals. This is what the baseline magazine web site provides for IT professionals in generals and IT leaders and executives in specific.This paper aims at reviewing the baseline magazine website by giving a summary description of its structure and purpose, its overall ‘look and feel’ and adequate audience, useful links and interesting things about the site, and finally it gives a bottom-line evaluation of its value. Summary description of its structure and purpose Baseline magazine website enables IT professional in general and technology executives in specific to have an idea about the recent news and updates in the IT field in all forms whether written articles or videos and podcasts.The magazine -itself- has many sections such as: features, topline, jobsite, baseline 500, techknow, workbook, opinion. While the content of the site is separated into main sections which are: compliance, intelligence, news, IT management, projects, and mid market. Other forms are provided such as podcasts, videos, and slideshows which support and enrich the content. The site provides many added values from other sites within the Ziff Davis network.Within the home page, there are other valuable links such as: most read stories, baseline in depth, blogs/opinions, upcoming eseminars, especially top IT resources, most read white papers and research. Links at the bottom of the site enrich the site with adding more features to the magazine’s content such as careers, esiminars, Developer shed.. etc. of course, the site also provides a lot of sponsored content, obviously, to support the magazine. Its overall ‘look and feel’ and apparent target audience Concerning the magazine pages on the site, the design of the site is elegant and professional but unfortunately still traditional.In another word, the user will feel like it is an online entry for the printed magazine. The main focus of the magazine is on technology leaders and executives and this is what mentioned in the registration welcome message and what is reflected by the level of the content. But it is clear that the website could practically benefit any IT professional in general. What you find useful about this site The main advantage is that baseline magazine belongs to the Ziff Davis Enterprise network so the benefits are not only obtained from the content of the magazine. Stories in general really hit the bottom line of IT management and decision making.And the first thing the user notices is that news and stories are edited or filtered and this is an advantage compared with other sites. The mix of written and multimedia content is interesting and doesn’t make the navigation of the site boring at all. Not to mention th e wealth acquired from the integration of all Ziff Davis network sites. Available blogs’ entries are rich and classified into main sub entries. Other interesting thing is that users can subscribe to the newsletter -which gives updates about all different issues belong to the Ziff Davis network- with one subscription form.Links there that you either did or intend to follow up I liked the ‘projects’ page because it is categorized projects into main thirty-two projects sub categories in main topics in IT (Enterprise planning, SOA, outsourcing†¦) and this way it makes it easy for users to track certain projects concerning certain topics. Once I tried to check the research link for example, the first link was titled â€Å"how Google works† where I found all related articles that answer the question â€Å"how Google works†, so I guess this is an added value for any IT professional. That’s why I intend to follow the whitepapers and researches u p.The career link -in my opinion- deserves to be followed up in the future. Also, online videos, e-seminars and podcasts are real added value that enriches the written content. Above all of those links, I really liked the ‘Developer Shed’ mini site and I do intend to follow this link up in the future; especially, the ‘Tutorialized’ section. Any other things about the site that you find interesting I found that the idea of providing a free service offering such as an online magazine is interesting when it is used effectively to attract advertisers in IT domain to bring a business value.I think the heavy advertising on the site prove that they are succeeding in this. Bottom-line evaluation of its value to you In brief, the site is a valuable resource for IT professionals in general and professional who has something to do with decision making -like leaders and executives- in specific. The power of the site comes from the integration of all sites of Ziff Davis network which enables users to get the information and knowledge he seeks in all form whether written articles, researches and white papers, or multimedia content like videos, podcasts, and esiminars.However, I guess they didn’t get the maximum benefit from their service yet. The site should make an effective integration and evolution to replace the old business model which provides what the company has with the new business model which focuses on the customer. Each entry is separated and this makes confusion to the user because the user expects to see services which focus on his needs not a website that provides only what is available.

Set CheckBox.Checked Without the OnClick Event

Set CheckBox.Checked Without the OnClick Event The TCheckBox Delphi control displays a checkbox that can be on (checked) or off (unchecked). The Checked property specifies whether the checkbox is checked or not. When the user clicks the checkbox to change its Checked state, the OnClick event for the checkbox is fired. Changing the Checkbox's Checked Property Since there is no OnCheckedChanged event, you will probably handle the program logic dependent on the checked state of the checkbox in its OnClick event. However, if you programmatically change the Checked property, the OnClick event will be fired even though no user interaction took place. There are (at least) two ways to programmatically change the checked property of the checkbox while disabling the OnClick event. Remove OnClick Handler, Change Checked, Put Back the Original OnClick handler In Delphi for Win32, an event can have only one event handler (procedure) attached to it (even though there is a way to mimic multicast events in Delphi for Win32). The OnClick events signature of a TCheckBox control is type TNotifyEvent procedure(Sender: TObject) of object; If you assign NIL to the OnClick event before you change the state of the checkbox, then revert to the original OnClick event handling procedure - the OnClick event will not be fired. procedure SetCheckedState(const checkBox : TCheckBox; const check : boolean) ;var   Ã‚  onClickHandler : TNotifyEvent; begin   Ã‚  with checkBox do   Ã‚  begin   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  onClickHandler : OnClick;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OnClick : nil;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Checked : check;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OnClick : onClickHandler;  Ã‚  end;end; Usage of this procedure is simple:   //toggle Checked statebegin   Ã‚  SetCheckedState(CheckBox1, NOT CheckBox1.Checked) ; end; The SetCheckedState above toggles the Checked property of the CheckBox1 check box. Protected Hack: ClicksDisabled:= true Another way to stop the OnClick from executing, when you programmatically change the Checked property of a checkbox, is to take advantage of the hidden (protected) ClicksDisabled property. By looking at the TCheckBoxs SetState procedure which gets executed whenever the Checked property changes, the OnClick is fired if ClicksDisabled is not true. Since ClicksDisabled is protected you cannot access it from your code. Luckily, the protected hack technique enables you to access those hidden/protected properties of a Delphi control. The accessing protected members of a component provides more info on the subject. What you need to do is to declare a simple dummy class extending the TCheckBox in the same unit where you will use the ClicksDisabled property. Once you get your hands on the ClicksDisabled, simply set it to true, change the Checked property, then set ClicksDisabled back to false (default value): type TCheckBoxEx class(TCheckBox) ; ... with TCheckBoxEx(CheckBox1) dobegin   Ã‚  ClicksDisabled : true;   Ã‚  Checked : NOT Checked;   Ã‚  ClicksDisabled : false; end; Note: the above code toggles the Checked property of the checkbox named CheckBox1 using the protected ClicksDisabled property. Building Applications with Delphi Beginners Guide to Delphi Database Programming​​​​Integrating Basic Charts into Delphi ApplicationsHow to Move and Resize Controls at Run Time​Multithreaded Delphi Database Queries

Ed and Oped Indian Express Essay Example

Ed and Oped Indian Express Essay Example Ed and Oped Indian Express Essay Ed and Oped Indian Express Essay Essay Topic: Op Ed EDITORIAL AND OP-ED Lay out The editorial page has 7 columns and covers about 6 stories. It also has an entire column dedicated to ‘letters to the Editor’, wherein 3-4 letters from their readers are published. The editorial-page is entirely black and white, including images, so as to give the page a serious attitude the editor’s column features 3 articles while the other 3 are the voices of experts and/or other journalists and columnists. The OP-ED page also has 7 columns. It covers 4 stories that are mainly written by experts. The stories include both hard and soft news and are placed in the following order on the page: the hard story on top followed by the softer stories below. On the right hand side of the page are weekly columns. On Wednesdays the is the ‘view from the left’ and on Thursdays is ‘the view from the right’. The OP-ED page is again in black and white Content The editorials are perceptive and readable and are mostly based on political or economic issues. Though sports and entertainment too feature, depending on the weightage that the news holds. Content analysis The articles on an average, in general have a very socialist approach. And though they do not have any political ideologies that they favour, they tend to lean towards the right of the centre. In terms of political leanings, The Express does not favour any party but their slight right leaning makes them tend to support the RSS and BJP at times. The express raises bold and relevant points in its editorials that are backed by appropriate and sufficient evidence and are well justified.

How to Register for the SAT

How to Register for the SAT It probably feels like such a big step when you make plans to register for the SAT. First, you have to figure out what the Redesigned SAT even  is,  and then decide between that and the ACT. Then, once youve decided youre going to take the SAT, you need to figure out the  SAT Test Dates and follow these easy instructions to  register to make sure you have a spot on test day.   Benefits of Registering for the SAT Online There are a ton of good reasons to complete your registration online. In most cases, youll have to. Only a few people can complete their registration via the mail. But if you do complete your registration online, youll get an immediate registration confirmation so you wont be left wondering if youve done it correctly or not. Youll also be able to choose your test center and SAT test date in real-time, which gives you immediate access to real-time availability. Youll get online access for corrections to your registration and printing of your admissions ticket, which youll need to bring with you to the testing center. Plus, youll get easy access to  Score Choiceâ„ ¢ to select scores from prior test dates to send to colleges, universities, and scholarship programs.   How To Register for the SAT Online In order to register for the SAT online, complete the following steps: Set aside 45 minutesGo to the SAT registration website  or ask your high school counselor for flyers that explain how to register.  Click Sign-up Now once youve entered the website.Create a College Board Profile (Stuff youll need to know before you begin!)Pay!Receive your registration confirmation and youre finished! Qualifications to Register for the SAT by Mail Not just anyone can register by mail. You have to meet some qualifications. In order to register for the SAT by mail,  one or more of the following has to be true: You want to pay by check or money order. You obviously cant do that online.  You are younger than 13. In fact, if youre testing and youre under the age of 13, the College Board requires you to register via mail.You need to test on a Sunday for religious reasons for the first time. If its your second time testing on a Sunday, you can register online.  There isnt a test center near your home. You can request a test center change via mail, but you cant online. On the registration form, enter code 02000 as your first-choice test center. Leave the second-choice test center blank.Youre testing in  certain countries  that dont have online registration available or are registering through an international representative.You cant upload a digital photo of yourself. If you dont have access to a digital camera or phone, then you can mail in an approved photo with your paper registration. How To Register for the SAT by Mail Obtain a copy of the SAT Paper Registration Guide in your guidance counselors office.Find the College Board code numbers for college majors youre interested in, college and scholarship programs, test centers and high schools. You can find these code numbers on the College Board website by doing a code search or you can ask for the list of codes in your guidance counselors office.Look up your country code. The US code is 000.

Analysis, Comparison of Two Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis, Comparison of Two Articles - Essay Example The article by Tannen on the divide in communication across genders posits the thesis that men and women communicate differently, and that there is a need for both sexes to understand where the other is coming from from a communication point of view to foster greater understanding among men and women, especially in the intimate context of heterosexual relationships, marriages ,and pair bonds. The rest of the essay undertakes an analysis of these two less, and undertakes to compare them from various contexts aligned with the subject of gender differences, communication between the sexes, the power hierarchies between and among the genders, and the implications of language, word usage, and word choice in everyday relational contexts between men and women, and in such things as items of clothing, on perceptions of what how men and women form relationships and interact with each other. In Smith’s article there is an exploration of the social and gender implications of the use of the name wife-beater to refer to a piece of undershirt that has gained popularity among young people, and among men and women. The issue is not so much the undergarment itself, which is also worn on its own, a T-shirt in essence. The issue has to do with the use of the name wife-beater to refer to the shirt. The shirt has become a staple among even the most famous and popular apparel brands, from Gap to the iconic names of high fashion. Moreover, the author notes that young people, those below 25 years of age, seem to relish wearing the shirt with no qualms about its name and the social and gender, cultural implications of the name. On the other hand, the author herself has serious reservations and objections about the name wife-beater.

Airline Regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Airline Regulation - Essay Example Also, back then, ticket prices did not depend on the time of purchase (Whitaker 7). If a flight was missed for any reason, the ticket is still valid for the next available flight and on any alternate airline flying the same route; all this without any additional cost for the passenger. Reservations too were much simpler – all it took was a phone call. There was enough room to stretch one’s legs and the food was much better that what is being dished up these days (The Economist 67). However, it is through conscious consumer choice - where cheaper prices were preferred to luxurious traveling experience – that the changes came about. Hence, this line of argument for re-regulation is weak and not sound. Much had been said about the reduced prices during the de-regulated period. However, there are some definite costs, though not very conspicuous. The recent plane crash accidents are a good example. The December 1994 crash of American Eagle ATR 72 and the ValuJet McDonnell Douglas DC-10 crash had significantly added to the public unrest. Analysts now generally agree that â€Å"low-cost† is synonymous to â€Å"high-risk†. The airlines industry had promoted the concept of â€Å"low-cost† travel quite successfully, but there is a lot of illusion attached to it. The advertisements don’t reveal the complete reality – minimum seat-pitch, cheap meals, inconvenient scheduling, etc. There is also evidence that security had been compromised on more than a few occasions in the name of cost-saving. In this circumstance, regulative restrictions on the marketing practices of the industry are quite appropriate. The regulations would screen for deceptive or unreali stic claims. It will lead to more factual advertisements that serve the public need for accurate and reliable information. It will also empower the consumer in demanding more stringent security standards, especially in light of the events of September the 11th. (Whitaker 7) An

Portrayal Of Black Men In News Broadcasts In Relation To Popular Research Paper

Portrayal Of Black Men In News Broadcasts In Relation To Popular Culture In American Society - Research Paper Example It is therefore conclusive that the news affects and is affected by the dominant trends and affairs in the society. However, in the case of America, there is reason to suspect that some elements stereotypical and racism affects the objectivity of newscasters. Due to this, there are some trends in the media that portray Black men in a way that is often not clear and/or representative of the actual actions that occur in the wider society. This paper argues that the way Black men are portrayed by in the news media is strongly influenced by stereotypes amongst key players in the media as well as popular culture which has presented Black men as violent and a menace to society. Empirical Studies Research and studies have been carried out by various academics and stakeholders in the American society about the image that the news media presents of Black men. The dominant research in this area were conducted by two main figures, Entman and Romer. Entman discovered in his research that the dom inant image of Black men portrayed in the media is that of mug shots which indicates a Black man under restraint by a White police officer (330). On the other hand, White criminals who are featured in news are often shown with their past picture. This indicates that the White criminals are presented in a less harsh form whilst the Black criminal is presented as a dangerous handcuffed person who needs to be restrained because he is dangerous. Also, Entman identified that Black criminals are often presented in news without their names (342). This suggests that these Black men are seen to be just a part of a larger group of criminals who has just done what members of his group do – commit crime. On the other hand, White criminals are always presented under their individual names. This shows that the White community presents their criminals as persona non grata or persons who are singled out of their 'clean' society for inappropriate behavior to the group. Romer however conducted statistical research that led to interesting findings and conclusions that gave very different identifications to the whole idea of the way criminals of Black origins are presented in America. First of all, he identifies that Black men are thrice more likely to appear as criminal suspects and they are twice as likely not to appear as law enforcement officers (Harnett 110). This means that Black people are always seen as the bad guys. They are hardly seen as the law enforcement officers. In comparative studies, Romer identified that although 30% of homicide victims in Los Angeles are Blacks, they are seriously under-represented in police coverage of homicide victims. Most homicide victims who merit news exposure in LA are Whites (Harnett 110). Also, the American Bar Association recommends that the past crimes of suspects and victims must be aired to provide better discharge of justice in cases (Harnett 110). However, in real life, Black victims are likely to have their past criminal records disclosed through the media. This also shows that there is clear evidence that there is discrimination in the news. Whites dominate in the area of violence and felony in Los Angeles but only 20% of these crimes are ever aired on TV. Also, with a statistic of 59% of the police officers in LA being White, they are over-represented in media coverages because about 69% of police officers who appear in news broadcasts are

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Case Study Example Operating managers in SYSCO have benefited from the market-driven HR approach through developing strategies as per the information retrieved from the surveys conducted by the Virtual Resource Center (VRC). This in turn, facilitated the administration and operations in the regional branches. HR drew information from the VRC. SYSCO made use of the strategies devised by the HR. The strategies resulted in an increase in safety that in turn, lowered accident rates and hence, the number of claims of workers’ compensation. Such HR changes could be purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and development and implementation of safety programs. Added safety on the site reduces number of accidents and accordingly, the workers’ compensation claims. Employee turnover rate could be increased by increasing the compensation for night work, provision of PPE, food and transport, and sufficient rest in the day time. HR could have devised a quality improvement and management program that would increase customer satisfaction because of good quality of

Marketing Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Master - Case Study Example Price competition, backed by improved efficiency, is the main feature of this industry today (Chrisman et al 2003). Mission: the mission of Kitchen Made Pies is to produce and market high-quality fresh and frozen pies to institutional customers and restaurants. The original mission had made it clear that it was in the relatively unexploited sector that Kitchen Made Pies saw its clearest opportunity for innovation. Kitchen Made Pies set out to create a range of high-quality products that were distinctive in type, and especially appealing to people who had acquired a taste for pies. A wholesome, appetizing and, at same time, slightly exotic taste experience is what Kitchen Made Pies wanted to offer (Chrisman et al 2003). Goals: the main goal of the company is to get and keep a customer. Also, Kitchen Made Pies is aimed to achieve competitive advantage and sustainable competitive creating value for their customers, select markets where they can excel and present a moving target to their competitors by continually improving their position. Three of the most important factors are innovation, quality and inventory reduction. In order to improve logistics, the company is aimed to concentrate on doing business with drop-shippers which allow to involve larger orders. A continuum of resource sustainability is to compose resources and capabilities characterized by their durability and imitability. Financial goal is to increase sales and liquidity of business (Chrisman et al 2003; Paley, 2006). Marketing Policies Marketing policies Be in one of the most highly rated industries for stability and success, Kitchen Made Pies offers a high quality pies to everyone who wants an excellent taste. It is advantage is that Kitchen Made Pies can meet the requirement of wide audience marketing fresh and frozen pies. The high quality ingredients are the main criterion for Kitchen Made Pies. It does not want to reduce costs of production as it can worsen quality of their products. Recent years, sales of the company have failed (Paley, 2006). According the present day situation: "the current product mix, sales of approximately $35,000 per week which is $1,829,000 per year" (Chrisman et al 2003, p. 45). PR personnel also play a key role in responding to unflattering media reports or controversies that arise because of company activities in different parts of country. The basic tools of public relations include news releases, newsletters, media kits, press conferences, tours of plants and other company facilit ies. Financial Policies Financial policies Financial situation of the company suggest that it needs additional costs to cover all the expenses. According to Financial data, the net profit sales is "- 10,91%", total assets is " - 44,9%" and equity is "- 65,4%" (Chrisman et al 2003, p. 45). In general, these are very low figures for the company like Kitchen Made Pies. The other problem is that the bank note is due, and Kitchen Made Pies has to pay it. Refinancing the loan is the major concern of the company. Another negative situation is low liquidity which can have a great impact on the future financial situation of Kitchen Made Pies. Also, the major problem is Dean Distributing which has a poor payment record. High production costs are concern of the co

The Models or Schools Of Thought to the Management of Business Essay

The Models or Schools Of Thought to the Management of Business Strategy - Essay Example The present research has identified that the strategic models during the 1980s were predominantly premised upon factors external to the organization. They pertained to elements in the business environment which shaped the manner in which the corporation responded. The advantage of these strategies is that they are market-oriented and therefore are keen to capture opportunities and avoid threats; however, they largely ignore or overlook the internal resources and capabilities of the company and its strengths and weaknesses. As a result, the strategic plans are not always feasible for the company to implement, or the firm may be ill-equipped or their personnel ill-trained to properly execute it.   Porter’s model focuses on five forces that are external to the firm but internal to the industry to which it belongs. The stronger these forces are, the more limited a firm is in building profits; on the other, weak forces indicate that there are more opportunities to earn profits. O ver time, the strength of each of the forces may change, together with changing industry conditions. It is the manager’s task to take cognizance of these risks and opportunities and to formulate an appropriate strategy in response to these forces. Each of the generic strategies adopts a fundamentally different approach in â€Å"creating, sustaining, and combining a firm’s competitive advantage† and deciding on what its specific target shall be. The clear-cut distinctions the model makes among the strategies tend to be simplistic and misleading because a cost leader cannot ignore the basis of differentiation – that is, the cost leader must at least achieve parity or proximity on the basis of differentiation as its competitors for it to realize an advantage over them in cost. Conversely, the firm relying on differentiation must attain a cost structure at parity or proximity to its competitors, by reigning in costs that do not impact on differentiation.

Marketing Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Master - Case Study Example Price competition, backed by improved efficiency, is the main feature of this industry today (Chrisman et al 2003). Mission: the mission of Kitchen Made Pies is to produce and market high-quality fresh and frozen pies to institutional customers and restaurants. The original mission had made it clear that it was in the relatively unexploited sector that Kitchen Made Pies saw its clearest opportunity for innovation. Kitchen Made Pies set out to create a range of high-quality products that were distinctive in type, and especially appealing to people who had acquired a taste for pies. A wholesome, appetizing and, at same time, slightly exotic taste experience is what Kitchen Made Pies wanted to offer (Chrisman et al 2003). Goals: the main goal of the company is to get and keep a customer. Also, Kitchen Made Pies is aimed to achieve competitive advantage and sustainable competitive creating value for their customers, select markets where they can excel and present a moving target to their competitors by continually improving their position. Three of the most important factors are innovation, quality and inventory reduction. In order to improve logistics, the company is aimed to concentrate on doing business with drop-shippers which allow to involve larger orders. A continuum of resource sustainability is to compose resources and capabilities characterized by their durability and imitability. Financial goal is to increase sales and liquidity of business (Chrisman et al 2003; Paley, 2006). Marketing Policies Marketing policies Be in one of the most highly rated industries for stability and success, Kitchen Made Pies offers a high quality pies to everyone who wants an excellent taste. It is advantage is that Kitchen Made Pies can meet the requirement of wide audience marketing fresh and frozen pies. The high quality ingredients are the main criterion for Kitchen Made Pies. It does not want to reduce costs of production as it can worsen quality of their products. Recent years, sales of the company have failed (Paley, 2006). According the present day situation: "the current product mix, sales of approximately $35,000 per week which is $1,829,000 per year" (Chrisman et al 2003, p. 45). PR personnel also play a key role in responding to unflattering media reports or controversies that arise because of company activities in different parts of country. The basic tools of public relations include news releases, newsletters, media kits, press conferences, tours of plants and other company facilit ies. Financial Policies Financial policies Financial situation of the company suggest that it needs additional costs to cover all the expenses. According to Financial data, the net profit sales is "- 10,91%", total assets is " - 44,9%" and equity is "- 65,4%" (Chrisman et al 2003, p. 45). In general, these are very low figures for the company like Kitchen Made Pies. The other problem is that the bank note is due, and Kitchen Made Pies has to pay it. Refinancing the loan is the major concern of the company. Another negative situation is low liquidity which can have a great impact on the future financial situation of Kitchen Made Pies. Also, the major problem is Dean Distributing which has a poor payment record. High production costs are concern of the co

Ethics paper on Privacy and Confidentiality Term

Ethics on Privacy and Confidentiality - Term Paper Example These aspects range within intellectual, behavioral and physical factors in our lives (Chmara). Relative to privacy is confidentiality, which refers to treatment of data, or information that one has disclosed with an expectation that the information will not unveil to other people. Confidentiality is based on trust and anything under confidential terms should only remain within boundaries (Rothstein). At times, there are actions and measures directed at maintaining and protecting the confidential data. While privacy is all about people, a sense of control on other people access on us, protection rights and maintaining information within the power of the participant; confidentiality is about identifiable data, extensions on privacy, and agreements about maintenance along with access controls. From this perspective, confidentiality to some extend comprises of privacy (Rothstein). From my point of view, people posses a need for prima facie rights in privacy. In life, there exists a need for a right in revealing and concealing our relationships with the society and the outer world at large. In this perspective, at our work places, issues addressing health and productivity only concern the employed and the employer (Tomes). Again, there are situations that foster public interests, through agencies, institutions or the government, that demand on legitimate basis on the quest to know. In this case, it becomes very difficult to determine the needs to give priority. The dilemma is widely based on ethical conflicts. According to the health center laws, the difference in these two terms in shown in their description. Privacy is described as a control larger than timing, circumstances and extend that is associated with intellectual, behavioral and physical sharing of others. On the other hand, confidentiality entails information treatment as disclosed by individuals in accord to trust that it will never be disclosed (Behrnd-Klodt). Now, if the need to know from the employe r’s perspective does not tally with those of an employee, a paramount decision has to be made. Conflicts in terms of ethics rise because an employer is responsible for the protection of their consequent employees against health hazards at the work place. For this phenomenon to become a reality, calls employees to give in data on their health and working conditions to the employer must be enhanced. With reference to privacy and confidentiality, the much that employees are obligated in according their information to their employers, they might want to have some data with held, as a secret or on a confidential basis (Rothstein). Working in a health center might pose many challenges especially when faced with incredibly difficult situations. An individual wanting services from a health center may not want to get stigmatized based on the health issues she is attended. A good example is a pregnant woman entering a health center to get pregnancy counseling but does not want stigmati zation. Such stigmatizations are available in most health centers especially due to the signboards that give the health center clients directions to different offices (Chmara). Although most of the hospital managements do not appear to identify this as lack of privacy, in my opinion, it is. Specialists believe that closing of windows in time of physical examination and keeping results in the private area section entails privacy. However, this is

Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Supply Chains Management Essay

Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Supply Chains Management Essay Introduction Ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of supply chains in the food sector is an important challenge to todays businesses. Fresh milk is a perishable product; its easily despoiled and risky to supply chain. In order to ensure that when the milk arrives into markets, it is safe and in the top quality at the same time, the supply chain involved in moving milk from the farm to the market has to be managed carefully. This report aimed to review particular risk issues associated with the optimisation of the supply of fresh milk. The concept of supply chain risk management including supply chain risk sources, risk consequences, risk drives and risk mitigating strategies. In this report, there were also analyses the above information and produce an outline and strategies which suitable mitigation processes to alleviate the risk within the global network. Supply Chain Risk Sources The type of supply chain risk can divide by internal and external risk. The internal risks have including supply risks/ commercial risks, operational risks, strategic risks and security risks/ technical risks. According to the Hiles and Barnes (2001, p. 31), he divided that the internal supply chain risks of an organisation can be covered into five core risks. Internal risks (Hiles and Barnes, 2001): Supply risks or Commercial risks- the risk of relationships failing or succeeding, including business interruption due to loss of key supervisory. Operational Risks- the risk of human mistake or careless, which obstruction supply chain run smoothly including design mistakes, employee practices risk and interrupt. Strategic Risks- the risk of plans failing or succeeding, for example the marketing strategy or business strategy of the company itself are imperfect. Technical risks- the risk of physical assets failing/ being damaged or enhanced, for example equipment breakdown and infrastructure failure Financial risks- lack of financial control such as over budgets External risks: The external supply chain risk sources can divide by supplier / logistics failures and environmental risks. Suppliers and Logistics failures- risks between the stream of product or information which within the network, upstream supply chain of the company. Environmental issues: the environmental risks can be divided by 5 types, for example: Natural disasters, the geological events such as earthquakes; space weather such as sunspots, and extreme weather events such as hurricanes, typhoons and floods and health pandemics such as SARS or AIDS. Natural disasters may cause infrastructure damage, telecommunication downtime, and damage to a firms assets and danger to its employees. Political risk such as international relations, unstable political and governmental policies, will become the barriers of supply chain. Infrastructure risks, including IT failures, power blackouts and transport blocking or deterioration, may delays the transportation time. Legal Liabilities, the regulations may arise from fulfilment with product liability standards. The particular risk issues in the fresh milk supply chain Environmental issues: Natural disaster The natural disaster is the significant importance risks of fresh milk supply chain. Seasons always are the problems in foods supply chain. In this case, the seasons always affect the production of milk. According to the research reported the milk production is high in spring season when the fields are at their most lush, and reduces in the late autumn and winter. In order to overcome the problem, farmers have to manage calving and feed supplement to make sure milk can produce evenly throughout the year (www.tdtvictoria.org.au). At the same time, milk quality also has been affected by seasons; the milk quality will be low during the dry season. According to the research, in spring, the cow can provide high quality milk with high production. But in winter, the production and quality of milk will become low (Alan Spedding, 2009). In addition, another natural disaster for example bad weather, Tsunami and volcanic, it will delay the transportation times, and it could add significantly increase cost including transportation costs, labour costs and the opportunity cost and costs of damage. Due to the fresh milk is a perishable product, deliver on time is very importance to meet the consumer needs, but serious delays cause by natural disaster may lead to spoilage and rejection. (www.defra.gov.uk). Technical risks logistics risks Poor infrastructure for milk collection, distribution and storage will affects the supply chain efficiency and effectiveness. The lack of technical will increase the food safety and spoilage risks. According to the David Harris (2008, p3) claims that Fresh milk sales were handicapped by the lack of an effective refrigerated supply chain from on-farm cold storage through to home storage. Long distances of transportation and insufficient chilling facilities will increase procurement cost and harmfully affect milk quality, the cold storage facilities is significant important to the long distances milk transportation (Arshad H. Hashmi, 2004). Milk suppliers need to have enough capacity and safety in technical support and milk collection centre because the lack of chilling and cooling centre at potential milk producing and supply area are not allow in the milk supply chain (www.business-ethiopia.com). Another increase the logistics risk is high cost of collecting raw milk from the manufacturer. According to the Milk Market (2010), it found that the high transport costs through political intervention such as environmental taxation, and fuel prices has increased in milk supply chain logistics costs. The motorway charges for heavy goods vehicles have increases about 15 % and the new EU-Regulations (April 2007) reduced lead- and calmtimes of the drivers become the logistics risk of milk supply chain (www.milchindustrie.de). Process risks Cows are milked twice times a day and it can be store in the refrigerated vats for no longer than 48 hours. To avoid spoilage, the milk should be collected from the vats every 24 or 48 hours by refrigerated tankers. So the process of milk stored, and transport to processing centre, retailer and supermarket should be as soon as possible (www.tdtvictoria.org.au). Especially in hot climate countries, the milk will spoilage easily, the process of milk store and transport should be fast. The production of milk process is complicated, from farms to collect centres until to supermarkets, the process is long, people cannot makes any mistakes in this whole process. The process such as milking practices, milk handling, sanitation or the process of delivering milk should be clean, safe and fast. Milks supply chain Source by: Financial risks Global supply chains risks including supply disruption, supply delays, demand fluctuations, price fluctuations and exchange- rate fluctuations (Chopra. S Meindl. P.,2010). In milk supply chains the large fluctuation in milk prices and foreign exchange risks have result significant hurt milk supply chain performance. For example, in the 2008 the supply of milk on the global market increased and the demand reduced following rising prices for dairy products and the recession. The foreign exchange risks also have a major impact on the income statement and balance sheet in Arla company ( Arla Annual report, 2008) The risk consequences of supply chain 3.1 Risk consequences in natural disaster The seasons affect the milk production and milk supply chain and it makes the financial loss, performance loss and psychological loss to the organisation. According to the Blackburn. N and Kite. E. L (2008) defines that weather has played a part in milk production with the UK predicted to produce 13.19 billion litres in the 2007-08 quota year, some 300 million litres less than 2006-07. The decrease of milk production and increases the financial loss to the company. For another example, the milk shortages case in Pakistans urban place during the summer periods. The shortage increase the adulteration processes in Pakistan. In the fresh milk process, the unscrupulous traders added the water and other substances and harmful chemicals to fresh milk (Arshad H. Hashmi , 2004). This risk consequences including in this case are financial loss, performance loss and psychological loss because the health dangers basis by these practices are huge and the costs of ignoring the current levels of adulteration in fresh milk supplies will be far costly than rectifying the system (Arshad H. Hashmi , 2004). And the milk supply chain also gain the financial loss and performance loss after the Iceland Volcanic eruption. 3.2 Risk consequences in milk process The risk consequences in milk process have including financial loss, performance loss, psychological loss time loss and social loss. The process such as milking practices, milk handling, sanitation or the process of delivering milk should be clean, safe and fast, because milk easy spoilage after 48 without cool stored and using unclean containers, drunks. The processes to refining milk also have to ensure all materials and milk products are safe for human use by destroying all bacteria that may be harmful to health. Unsafely materials will harmful to people healthy, it will increase the psychological loss, performance loss, financial loss, time loss and social loss. For example: China sick milk cases had poisoned many children, although that is human fault but this also shown that the serious risk consequences of milk process which did not process safety (BBC news, 2008). In this case, Arla facing the financial loss, psychological loss and time loss worked together with its China partner to re-establish trust in the companys products again. They also take time and money to procedure for multiple testing of the milk used in production which have been recreated and implemented (Arla annual report, 2008). 3.3 Risk consequences in technical risk and logistic risk Technology also plays an important role in the supply chain management. Morden technical can improve the milk supply chain efficiency and milk quality. The refrigerated collects milk can helps to reduce the time barriers of the milk supplier deliver milk from farms to collect centres or processing factory. The new technology also helps to produce high quality milk and milk quality control. Cooling system is too expensive to a small farm to cool a small amount of milk. So for the small farm which lack of technical, this become the risk in the milk supply chain, because milk easy spoilage in high temperature, the process to deliver the fresh milk to the milk collect centres should be fast. Delays deliver will increase the physical loss and financial loss. The risk consequences in logistics risk have including performance loss, time loss and financial loss. The long distances transportation milk will gain the time loss and reduces the quality of milk, affect the milk performance increase the milk supply chain performance risk. The high cost of logistics will cause to financial loss because it will increase the cost of milk production. 3.4 The risk consequences in financial risks When the large fluctuation in milk prices in the year 2008, the milk supply chains difficult to look forward to development in the rapidly changing global market, many milk members have chop down about 15 % of the milk, in order to survival Arla goings-on to pay its members the highest possible price for their milk, this is the difficult periods to Arla to continue their milk supply chain business, but this has significantly hurt supply chain performance. Besides that, the foreign exchange matters also are a significant factor for Arla Foods, its have a major impact on the Arlas income statement and balance sheet (Arla Annual Report, 2008). Risk drivers According to the Jutner,U., Peck,H and Christopher, M. (2003) states that the risk drivers is the issues that turn risks into consequences. The risk drivers increased the level of risk, there are including internal and external issues, for example a focus on efficiency rather than effectiveness, globalisation, the rend to outsourcing, reduction of the supplier base, political or regulation etc (Tang. C.S., Teo. C.P, Wei. K. K, 2007). The supply chain risk drivers can define by either internal or external of the companies. The external drivers have included demand, supply risk and environmental, however the internal drivers are including process risk and control risk (www.decisioncraft.com). Table 4.1 Risks drivers in milk supply chain Risk category Risks driver Risk impact Plan control risk EU health and safety regulations Increase cost of capital Supply risk Globalisation of supply chains Reduction of the supplier base Motorway charges Production stop Replacement purchase costs Logistics costs Process risk Lead time Quality Human error Repair costs Reputation loss Demand risk Demand fluctuations Changes in preferences Bullwhip effect Environmental risk Weather seasonal Opportunity costs Replacement costs Internal drivers 4.1.1 The complexity of the Legal liabilities EU health and safety regulations are once of the policies that affects to the milk supply chains. The regulation is used to identify the milk quality assurance. All of the milk supply chains especially the distribution which has participate in internationally competitive supply chain, they should fulfil with EU health and safety regulations (www.optimilk.net). In order to fulfil the EU health and safety regulations, milk supply chain improve their safety process to produce milk from farms to supermarkets. The high cost of the safety process will increase the burden of milk supply Chain Company, increase pressure on margins, cost and efficiency. The regulatory also increase the complexity of the supply chain such as assembly line, outsourcing, off-shoring, and this makes the milk supply chain outsourcing more import from outside EU (www.goodfood-project.org). 4.1.2 Transportation costs- Motorway charges The high transportation costs become the risk driver in milk supply chain. According to the Milk Market (2010), it found that the high transport costs through political intervention such as environmental taxation, and fuel prices has increased in milk supply chain logistics costs at the same time increase the capital costs in companies, it may become a financial burden in the company especially for the global companies. (www.milchindustrie.de). External drivers The reduction of the supplier base The raw material risks drivers turn a significant risk into consequences of supply chain. A great example of Arlas group, its always have shortage problems in milks and other raw material risks. The material prices will increase when in the shortage periods, in order to reduce the risk; Arla will make a fixed agreement with its suppliers to ensure price predictability (Arla Annual report, 2008). The reduction of the supplier base cannot meet the customers needs; this will cause the supply chain failure. The globalisation of supply chains The globalisation of supply chain is risking to domestic supply chains, in order to gain the competitive advantages, the domestic supply chain have to expand their business to the global supply chain. However, the global supply chain will face many barriers, such as transportation costs, language problems, different business strategy, regulation and culture. This all uncertainty management is the risk drivers in overseas supply chains. Risk mitigating strategies According to the Wu. T and Blackhurst. J (2009, p.16) states that the risk mitigation plans in the Supply Chain Risk Management should include: Risk identification and modelling- identify the root causes of risks Risk analysis- analysis the potential consequences in the supply chain risk Risk management- selecting solutions and undertaking the implementation Risk monitoring and evaluation- monitoring, controlling and managing solutions Organisational and personal learning- such as knowledge transfer to others within the organisation and its supply chain members. Tang, C, (2006) has provide a robust nine strategies for mitigating supply chain disruptions. The strategies including postponement , strategic stock, flexible supply base, make and buy, economic supply incentives, flexible transportation, dynamic pricing and promotion, assortment planning and silent product rollover (see Appendix A) 5.1 The mitigation of milk supply chain risk There have found that the main risks in the milk supply chain are natural disaster, Technical risks logistics risks and process risks. There have several strategies below that can mitigation of milk supply chain risk: Postponement: delays deliver because of the natural disaster in the milk supply chain always affects the milk quality, in order to maintaining the transportation costs and maintaining the quality of milk. Milk supply chain companies can using the postponement strategy aims at delaying some supply chain activities until customer demand, this designed to increase flexibility and responsiveness and also maintaining unit cost and quality (Bowersox.D.J, Closs. D.J, Cooper.M.B, 2010). This will mitigate the time loss and financial loss in milk supply chain risk. Flexible transportation 3PL: for the logistics risk in milk supply chain, the milk supply chain can use the 3rd party logistics method not only can share the logistics risk with them. 3PL offers many types of transportation services, after milk supply chain using a 3PL provider, the milk supply chain companies can focus on the milk production. This will improve the milk quality and also increase the efficiency and effectiveness in supply chain. Today, many food companies are outsourcing various supply chain activities- 3PL to gain a competitive advantage, for example Cadbury Adams, Hershey, Nestle they all have works together with 3PL logistics. Flexible supply base Joint venture: Lack of the supplier always is the risk in the milk supply chain, outsourcing and joint venture with others farmers is the another method to increase more suppliers. For example, Arla occasionally buy milk from others suppliers provided them technical to meet the quality standards. The joint venture method has brought UK farmers closer to Arla and to develop the cooperation with their Finnish milk suppliers and collaborators (Arla Annual Report, 2008). For the milk supply chain companies who lack of supplier, the joint venture is the goods method to remove this risk. Adoption of new technology: Processing risk is the serious risk in milk supply chain; the failure process in milk production will come out significant consequences. In order to remove the risk, the training on milk handling practises, farm processing are needs. For the complexity of the food safety regulation, milk supply chain should encourage adoption of new technology complimented farm production extension resources to enforce food safety regulations. Arla Foods after using wastewater treatment technologies the problem of milk spillages have been reduced by around 400-1000 litres per day and also reduce discharge costs at its milk processing plant in Hobro Mejer (Shaun Weston, 2009). Conclusion There have many internal and external supply chain risks in the milk products. The risks issues have included environmental issues, process risks Technical risks logistics risks. The risk consequences in milk supply chain industries are very wide, it have include financial loss, performance loss, psychological loss, time loss and social loss. The supply chain risks always occurs, there are no such a ways to remove all the risks. The suitable mitigation processes to alleviate the risk with the global network there have: Postponement strategy: to delaying some supply chain activities until customer demand, increase flexibility and responsiveness and also maintaining unit cost and quality. Flexible transportation: working with 3PL logistics provider helps to increase the integrated operation, warehousing and transportation services in milk supply chain and also can share the risk with others. Flexible supply base: Joint venture with others to increase the supply flexibility, firm can to shift production among suppliers promptly. Innovation of technology: to maintain and increase the quality of products. Appendix A: Supply chain risk mitigation strategies