Role of Multinationals on Productivity of Firms Essay

Role of Multinationals on Productivity of Firms - Essay Example A benchmark model to contrast income from local and multinational corporations is an insight to the contribution of multinational corporations on technology spillovers that benefit local firms. However, results from the case study's contribution of multinationals on growth of firms are quite confusing with both positive and negative contributions. Pertinent questions on the issue of technological advancements attributed to multinationals perturb the numerous stakeholders in this field. Uncertainties lie on whether the technology can be used effectively, competition and the market success of the new technology (Kafouros, 2008). There is evidence of recent appraisal for multinationals with hostilities based on factors such as globalization (Gorg and Greenway, 2004). The caveat of bipartite connection of multinationals and positive effects is always present. Some authors state that these are just effects from subsidiary factors such as inflation tax, currency stability and difficulties by most communities to embrace change (Reinert, Tajan & Glass, 2008). Technology transfer and multinationals Theoretically, the fact that competitive edge given by technological superiority not only improves a firm’s productivity, but also its general economic performance is widely accepted. Kafouros (2008) looks at technology transfer to encompass techniques involving the use of better machinery. This definition is quite constrictive and does not give better insight to the varied advantages of multinationals in technology transfer. A more knowledgeable and pedagogical approach interfaces this concept with innovative organizational, technological, managerial as well as more efficient production processes. More striking, is its recent contribution to globalization and an increase in demand for better produce by consumers. Technology in this context can be looked at in the essence of a form of embodiment. It can be looked at as general information, specific information, practic e and hardware. General information involves conceptual know how on a method of operation or system. For example; learning how to operate machinery. Specific information is just as the title explains; it involves details on the whole process of a technology. For instance, information on what a software is made of, how it operates, in what instances it is used and for what purpose. Procedures are codified instructions in the operations of a certain technology. Lastly, hardware involves information in physical form for example a piece of equipment originating from the source of technology. These technology transfers are usually obtained from spill over channels (Gorg & Greenway, 2004). Imitation, competition, exports and skills acquisition from multinationals are said to be ways of improving productivity. Imitation was successfully used in most Asian countries and Latin America in the manufacturing industry (Aitken & Harrison, 1999, 618). This is more of the transfer of knowledge and should not be confused with replication (Gorg & Greenway, 2004). As noted by Freeman and Shaw (2009), the complexity of a process in conjunction with duration of exposure, greatly determine imitation. Research done by Freeman and Shaw (2009) shows that the presence of multinationals in Japan was an insight to the country’s initial engagement in exportation. The sentiments are shared by other scholars such as Grog & Greenway (2004) who state

Poetic Reflections on Mortality and Ephemerality Essay Example for Free

Poetic Reflections on Mortality and Ephemerality Essay Have you ever hypothetically pondered the details of your own fatality? Everyone covets a bit of certainty that not many realities allow, but mortality -while a glum concept- is a definite fate we will all ultimately encounter in our respective lifetimes. â€Å"Nothing is more predictable than death. Each of us will die without any need to take adventuresome risks. † (Kelly, 1986). This is likely the reason prolific poets Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost have created quite similar themed poems using dissimilar imaginative slants in which they optimistically convey the topic of human transience. Death is a disheartening, tragic matter that not very many individuals readily wish to discuss. Because ephemerality is, however, an extremely ordinary notion to countless expressive artists, it is vital to notice the literary elements these renowned authors applied which set such works apart from less potent pieces. The symbolism, tone, assonance, rhythm, and other literary techniques behind the elegies â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) and â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893) fervently beg for further exploration. No matter which approach authors apply to such deviations, one truth remains; the amount of life contained in the works by Frost and Dickinson is somewhat ironic to say the least. If you envision the scenery described in literary pieces you read as if you are a participating, fictional character, you exceptionally possess â€Å"The human power that shapes artistic expression † (Clugston, 2010 a). Put in simpler terms, you clearly have a vivid imagination! Prodigious writers can and will effortlessly incorporate such imagery into their work by imploring the implicit values of society and culture(s). Nothing Gold Can Stay† by Robert Frost (1969) is unquestionably far from the exception as he connects the way leaves grow, change, and die to our eventual demise with ease. Frost wrote, â€Å"Natures first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. † (Frost, 1969). With the introduction of this allusive writing technique, he develops a clear yet slightly ambiguous mental picture for his readers to envisage. Of course, we know nature is not a person nor does have hands in which it could literally grasp a color. Hence, the meaning of Robert’s words is symbolic and figurative. Sure, Mr. Frost could very well have written something resembling â€Å"Beings age like leaves change colors. † Instead, this brilliant poet was aware of the fact that generating embodiment versus the aforementioned simile delivers the most enticing reading experience to the audience. In â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893), the author similarly dishes out a full serving of powerful metaphors making this another comparable aspect to personification found in Frosts’ poem. At the very beginning, Emily Dickinson refers to unescapable, human cessation as a chivalrous gentleman when she states, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me;† (Dickinson, 1893). The author is actually being extremely facetious as a deliberate, artistic maneuver in order to give life to the darkest of subjects. She selects to represent passing away in a more graceful process. It is a steady flowing motif continuing throughout the body of this work to form a concise, elucidating theme. From centuries beyond the grave, the narrator describes the peaceful process of her passing, in which Death is personified and escorts her in his carriage. During the leisurely ride, she passes many ordinary sights: a school house, fieldsbut finally realizes that the ride will last for all eternity. † (Chen Aull, 1993). Dickinson’s apparent intention in this poem is depiction via exemplification. Her language is a quintessential representation of an all egory with more thought provocation than verity. Again, readers should prepare themselves to observe a nonliteral or rhetorical scenario and focus on ascertaining the seriousness hidden behind a much more abstract meaning. Symbolism is another conceptualized, literary element featured in both stories despite being more prevalent in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969). Frost used the typical colors of nature (green and gold) imply symbols of spring, that progress as the remaining cycles of nature seasonally occur. Furthermore, he hints at a deeper meaning behind death— a period of transformational change. In order to appreciate this impression, â€Å"Recall Socratess argument: ‘the state of death is one of two things: either the dead man wholly ceases to be and loses all consciousness or, as we are told, it is change and a migration of the soul to another place’. † (Deppman, 2000). He picked the color gold to symbolize the fragility and eventual insignificance of even our most valuable physical and emotional possessions. By his statement, â€Å"Then leaf subsides to leaf, So, Eden sank to grief. † (Frost, 1969), Frost selects to demonstrate the sorrow felt after loss of life as well as depicting an analogous allusion to the biblical Creation story. Whereas in â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (1893), Emily Dickinson poses a more unconventional attitude toward her own demise. In lines five through eight, she writes, â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away, My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. † (Dickinson, 1893). When the speaker refers to ‘his’ â€Å"kindness† and â€Å"civility†, she is articulating death as a slow, patient, and compassionate. â€Å"She progresses from childhood, maturity (the gazing grain is ripe) and the setting (dying) sun to her grave. The children are presented as active in their leisure (strove). The images of children and grain suggest futurity, that is, they have a future; they also depict the progress of human life. † (Unknown Author, 2009). Thus, the carriage ride actually symbolizes the act of abandoning her life and the memories it contained. She humbly revers death as the calm, quiet finally of incarnation. Dickinson even insinuated the harsh reality of visiting of her own grave when she wrote, â€Å"We paused before a house that seemed, A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, The cornice but a mound. (Dickinson, 1893). Aging to the point of loss of life does remain the central theme inside both poems, but representations are a tad more distinct in Frosts’ than in Dickinson’s symbolic approach. Have you ever witnessed one’s mood shift completely? Authors generally try to maintain the same theme throughout one work. It is equally as important to discern the how t he author’s tones contribute to the clarity of each piece. Sometimes, whether done by the author accidentally or with intent, we observe a change in the mood(s) of a motif. While Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost mutually demonstrate the qualities of human temporariness, their tones are also diverse. By writing, â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969), the permanent state of leaving this world is denoted in a matter of fact way. Frost does not truly elude to his personal outlook on an afterlife, but focuses more on the cycle of life itself. Dickinson not only utilizes the same facet, but also takes it a step further when she states, â€Å"Since then tis centuries, and yet each, Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses heads, Were toward eternity. (Dickinson, 1893). She began her countenance with succinct tenor that later becomes a bit clouded. Dickinson’s audience receives a definite resolve rather than experiencing the need to imply ideals she holds about her faith. Each of these poems is incredibly whimsical, but Frost concisely manipulates the setting of nature giving his work the currency of application to any period i n time. Sound patterns are another inspired technique both composers have exposed us to in the intricacy of their work. We automatically follow the rhythm these superb authors display. For instance, Frost uses alliteration in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† when he writes, â€Å"So dawn goes down to day. † (Frost, 1969). The repetition of words that begin with a â€Å"d† is a strategy meant to make the thought stronger and more emphatic for readers. His rhyme scheme is comprised of modest, consonant couplets (non-alternating). Dickinson actually used the complete opposite effect. In her poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893), she integrated the repetition of vowel sounds by presenting an alternating pattern of words known as assonance. Again, an example is unmistakable in the lines, â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away, My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. † (Dickinson, 1893) and more specifically the poetic harmony of the words â€Å"away† and â€Å"civility. † With the rhythm in this poem, there is rhyme, but it has a much greater reliance on pronunciation. She may have started a trend in literature as, â€Å"Assonance is frequently substituted for end rhymes in modern poetry. † (Clugston, 2010 b). The authoring style Frost exercised was extra simplistic, yet multidimensional as well. Is it not an astounding conception to think of the distinguished artistry that must have went into two ostensibly austere compositions about the matching theme of impermanence? The fact that we cannot artlessly disregard the scholarly adeptness and literate gifts of Dickinson and Frost is surpasses distinction. Even more significant than the expiry themes both versifiers applied is the presence of underlying secondary themes. Frost hints life as being â€Å"golden,† leading one to surmise he is ‘saying’ to â€Å"Carpe Diem† or â€Å"Enjoy the day. (Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010). Therein, he selects to show life has precious intrinsic worth. Even though there are purity and a biblical reference in Frost’s â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (1969), his nature theme additionally highlights environmental/scientific characteristics. Syntax expended by Dickinson in â€Å"Because I could not stop for death† (Dickinson, 1893), in fact, alludes to a compassion and sympathy being felt for the persona. A prime example is her statement, â€Å"The carriage held but just ourselves, And Immortality. † (Dickinson, 1893). If the dramatic concentration of this author was to deliver a graceful reflection on her evolution, she was unequivocally efficacious. Some find it helpful to get an outsider’s opinion of the depressing conversational topic of human immortality. While our passing lingers as a fully common subject for individuals to contemplate spiritual principles, authors have written pieces that include a plethora of other beneficial notions worth uncovering. â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893) is exquisitely illustrated by Emily Dickinson and venerated as an allegoric requiem with assonance that produced solid imagery. Likewise, Robert Frost impeccably regulated â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) to communicate symbolism with a classic form of consonance that is painless to identify. Both literature icons fine-tuned those components with figures of speech, personification, and tone and themes, rhyme schemes, and other literary techniques all requiring immense, prior critical thought in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) and â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893). They expel an aura of chirpiness that renders as a refreshing and unique outlook encompassed in positivity. These poetic mavens wanted their audience(s) to derive a deeper message about making the most of our lives. Two notorious, inspirational pieces of literature are calling upon us to take some risks and make an impression before we take our last breathe.

Anysys Fluent Simulation Of Turbulent Flow Engineering Essay

Anysys Fluent Simulation Of Turbulent Flow Engineering Essay The characteristics of fluid flow with sudden expansion in a 1:2 diameter ratio pipe are investigated using ANSYS Fluent. Results show fluid re-circulates just after expansion, length of recirculation zone approximates to 0.35m. Velocity, turbulence intensity and pressure vary along pipe length in accordance with Bernoullis principle. Influence of change in turbulence models on accuracy is also investigated with the Reynolds Stress model providing the relatively best fit although other turbulence models (realizable k-ÃŽÂ µ and SST k-à Ã¢â‚¬ °) provide reasonably close fitting models. Results were checked for mesh independence and validated. Computational Fluid dynamics (CFD) involves computational simulation of fluid flows in different situations employing numerical solution of basic flow equations e.g. the continuity equation and other equations over a discretized unit reference (Versteeg, and Malalasekera, 2007). The usage of CFD transcends the traditional scope of chemical engineering profession into wider areas such as oceanography, biomedical engineering electrical circuitry, etc (Fairweather, 2011). Sudden expansion in pipes involves fluid flow from a smaller hydraulic diameter to a larger one. Flow separation usually occurs in a sudden expansion scenario, where a part of the fluid flows in opposition to the main fluid flow. This are called eddies, and are strong contributors to the irreversibility of practical flows as energy is dissipated by this eddies. Thus it is of great significance to be able to model eddies in a sudden expansion flow adequately and observe the characteristics of this recirculation zone (efluids, 2011; Gharegbagi and Ali, 2011; Mahmud, 2011: Roy, et al 2010). Sudden expansion is a simple looking but intriguing case of fluid flow in pipes. Sanmiguel-Rojas (2010) implies that not many significant studies have been done on instabilities encountered in steady, turbulent, sudden expansion fluid flow with respect to spatial structure of piping with D2/D1 = 2. However, previous remarkable work in this field includes Roy, et al (2010) and Mansoori and Bazargan-Lari (2007). Examples of scenarios in which the above phenomenon occurs include; Flows into a tank, oil drilling and extraction, plug flow reactors, combustion engines, aerodynamics, etc. Software ANSYS Fluent is a commercial CFD package that models flow via the finite-volume method (a variation of the finite difference method) created by the company Fluent (now part of ANSYS Inc.). Pre-processing of the case study (meshing) was done on Gambit which comes along with Fluent (now ICEM). The version of Fluent employed in this report is 12.1 (CFD-online, 2011; Weidner, 2011; ANSYS, 2009). This report covers the Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) modelling of turbulent flow with sudden expansion in a 1: 2 diameter piping, using the pressure based solver and the second order upwind difference scheme in ANSYS Fluent. Effects of changes in turbulence models on computational time, and accuracy would be examined, visual plots would be used to describe and analyse modelling results. SIMULATION METHODOLOGY Fig 1: diagrammatic representation of simulation process (Fairweather, 2011) Nature of Fluid flow under consideration Calculating the Reynolds number of the flow helps to determine the nature of the flow. At Normal Temperature and pressure (P = 101.325 kgm-2, T = 288.16 K) Generally it is accepted that flows with a Reynolds number (Re) > 4000 are turbulent in nature. Therefore it is established that the flow under consideration is a turbulent flow Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) RANS involves the time averaging of the equations that govern turbulent fluid flow to capture information on variations that occur on a minute scale while avoiding horrendously lengthy computation times. RANS represents variations as a mean such that ; ; ; and P RANS is employed in obtaining the equations that were numerically solved in this report assuming constant velocity and viscous flows (Fairweather, 2011). Geometry: The geometry consists of two pipes of diameter ratio 1:2 joined together through which fluid flows with no bends as shown below Fig 2: geometry of pipe showing mesh grid/mesh discretization Governing Equations Continuity equation: Momentum equation (x-direction only) Where:; ; ; ; ; ; TURBULENCE MODELS Realizable k-ÃŽÂ µ model The k-ÃŽÂ µ model is a two equation model that assumes a linear relationship between Reynolds stress and rate of strain. It has the advantages of fast computation time, wide usage and extensive validation. However, it predicts badly the length of eddies for complex flows. The realizable k-ÃŽÂ µ model is an update to the model based on observed strengths and weaknesses of the standard k-ÃŽÂ µ model (Fairweather, 2011; ANSYS, 2009). Below is a mathematical representation of the standard k-ÃŽÂ µ model Where: ÃŽÂ ¦ = k or ÃŽÂ µ; SÃŽÂ ¦=source term for k or ÃŽÂ µ; Sk= G-à Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µ (production rate of k-destruction rate of k); SÃŽÂ µ= (C1G-C2à Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µ)(ÃŽÂ µ/k) = (production rate of k-destruction rate of k) ; N.B. for this simulation: ; and SST k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° model The k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° model is also a two equation model based on the Wilcox k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° model. It is suitable for wall bounded flows and free shear flows as it performs low Reynolds number corrections, computation time is relatively fast and accuracy is better than the k-ÃŽÂ µ model in most cases. à Ã¢â‚¬ ° is specific dissipation rate and is analogous to a ratio of ÃŽÂ µ/k. The SST k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° model is an improved version of the standard k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° model (ANYSYS, 2009). Reynolds Stress Model This is a very rigorous model, with seven equations unlike the preceding 2-equation models. It provides more accuracy where other models are faulty e.g. impinging flows and can predict fluid flow for a lot of cases closely without any dedicated / individual adjustments. However, computing costs are large (Fairweather, 2011) The first six equations of the RSM model can be condensed into the equation below Where: ; ; ; The seventh equation (turbulence dissipation rate) is N.B. in this simulation: ; and Numerical methods The discretization employed is the finite volume method. It is a variant of the finite difference method. This scheme splits up the domain into discrete control volumes over which the control equations are resolved using a truncated Taylor series expansion. Finite volume method is the most established of Discretization schemes in CFD modelling. Convective fluxes were evaluated with the second order upwind-difference scheme (Fairweather, 2011; Versteeg, and Malalasekera, 2007). Boundary conditions Table 1: boundary conditions for numeric solution (adapted from Versteeg, and Malalasekera, 2007) Realizable k- ÃŽÂ µ model SST k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° model Reynold Stress model Inlet k = 0.01148438 m2s-2 ÃŽÂ µ = 0.02888982 m2s-3 k = 0.1148438 m2s-2 à Ã¢â‚¬ °= 27.95085 Rij = ÃŽÂ µ = Outlet ; ; ; Interior k = 0 ; ÃŽÂ µ = 0 k = 0 ; à Ã¢â‚¬ ° = 0 Rij = 0 ; ÃŽÂ µ = 0 Walls law of the wall Law of the wall Wall functions Convergence criteria and levels For all the equations solved by each model, a uniform convergence criterion of 1.0 x 10-4 was used for every equation solved. The value represented an informed compromise between acceptable accuracy and realistic computation time (ANYSYS, 2009). It is worthy of note that for the RSM model, this relatively stringent criterion caused the number of iterations to exceed 14,000 without any obvious improvement in results as shown in fig 2. Therefore a cap of 4,000 iterations was placed on the RSM calculations. Results show there was no ensuing negative impact on accuracy of numerical solution. Fig 3: Iteration length for RSM model showing Mesh Independence test The table below shows that results from the modelling experiment are similar and essentially the same within three (3) decimal places of precision irrespective of mesh size employed. Also since assurance of mesh independence cannot be guaranteed by mere reduction in cell size (Sloan et al, 1986), an attempt was made at adaptive meshing to attenuate important flow variations and phenomenon with the same results obtained. Table 2: Grid/Mesh independence of simulation Gambit Mesh/Grid size Volume of unit cells Mass flow rate at inlet [kgs-1] Mass flow rate at Pressure-outlet [kgs-1] Error Percentage Difference (%) 5 439,993 0.016809944 0.016809996 -5.22E-08 3.09 x 10-4 7 163,311 0.01678467 0.016784551 1.19E-07 7.08 x 10-4 10 55,182 0.016728994 0.016729204 2.1E-07 1.255 x 10-3 10b 100,693 0.016728994 0.016728895 -9.9E-08 5.9 x 10-4 15 16,750 0.016609019 0.016608695 -3.24E-07 1.95 x 10-3 N.B. 10 b means mesh size 10 with boundary layer mesh added (adaptive meshing) Grid optimization (Mesh finesse Vs Time trade off) The greater the volume of unit cells in grid per geometry, the better the accuracy of numeric analysis. However, within the scope of grid independence, results are relatively uniform irrespective of mesh size. The cost of finesse of grid is computation time could be noticed with the case of mesh size 5 (439,993 cells) which took almost forever to compute using the RSM model and had to be terminated. Thus mesh 10 (55,182 cells) and 10b (100,693 cells) were employed for analysis with other mesh sizes serving as validation checks RESULTS AND ANALYSIS Part 1 Taking a close look at flow close to the walls of the pipe, we see the effect of sudden expansion resulting in backflow of fluid creating velocities in the opposite direction (red box). Recirculation zone is approximately 0.37m in length. We also can see how the fluid adjust to changes in geometry with a sharp rise velocity to fill the voids created by liquid moving backwards then a gradual decrease as pressure pile us towards the exit of the pipe Fig 4: velocity variation along length of pipe close to the walls showing effects of recirculation Fig 6 shows the variation in turbulence intensity. It can be seen that the flow becomes more turbulent around the recirculation zone with dead (stagnant) flow occurring just at the corners of the pipe. Fig 7: displays the total pressure variations in the pipe. It can be noted that sudden expansion causes a drop in total fluid pressure. Fig 8 shows the radial velocity and profile. It can be noted that velocity variation in the radial direction is minimal, which is typical of plug fluid flow depicted by fig 5. Fig 9 is a streamline plot of axial velocity, velocity variation along the axial direction is more dominant than in the radial direction, also worthy of note is the length of the recirculation zone (black box) and the reattachment zone. Fig 5: stages of flow development at different positions on pipe length Fig 6: Turbulence intensity profile of fluid along length of pipe Fig 7: Total pressure profile of fluid along length of pipe Fig 8: Radial velocity profile of fluid Fig 9: streamline plot of axial velocity of fluid Part 2 Fig10(a-c) shows axial velocity profiles for different turbulent models in order of increasing complexity (realizable k-ÃŽÂ µ à ¢Ã… ¸Ã‚ ¶ SST k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° à ¢Ã… ¸Ã‚ ¶ RSM). Curves get smother showing a more gradual response of the fluid to changes and also approach exact solution, as model complexity increases. However, all the essential features of the fluid flow are well represented by all models. Fig 11(a-c) displays turbulence intensity variations, more variation details are captured as model increases in complexity. Worthy of note is that the SST k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° model provides a more detailed picture of turbulent intensity variation in reference to the other models picking up intensities as low as 5.42 x 10-5 %, while the realizable k-ÃŽÂ µ picks up a minimum of 0.336% and RSM 1.45% Fig 12(a-c) shows streamline plot of axial velocity, though length of recirculation zone remains approximately the same the representation of velocity magnitude in recirculation zone varies visibly for each model. Fig 13(a-c) is the radial velocity profile; the SST model indicates larger radial velocities along pipe length than both than both the realizable k-ÃŽÂ µ and the RSM models. For all models radial velocity variation is dominated by axial velocity variations Fig 10a: k-ÃŽÂ µ model Fig 10b: SST model Fig 10c: RSM model Fig 11a: k-ÃŽÂ µ model Fig 11c: RSM model Fig 11b: SST model Fig 12a: k-ÃŽÂ µ model Fig 12b: SST model Fig 12c: RSM model Fig 13a: k-ÃŽÂ µ model Fig 13b: SST model Fig 13c: RSM model VALIDATION OF RESULTS For CFD, convergence of numerical iterations does not really count for much as Versteeg and Malalasekra (2007) put it results are at best as good as the physics embodied in it, or at worst as good as the skill of the operator. Thus, validation of results becomes extremely important. The results obtained herein would be validated thus: Bernoullis equation For an ideal fluid flow Bernoullis equation enables us to calculate the velocity at any point in the pipe (assuming constant flow rate, and negligible friction losses). Therefore we can validate output velocity from fluent using this principle (Roymech, 2011). Where vin = 1.73855 ms-1, P1= 101.325 kgm-2, P2= 101.325 kgm-2, g = 9.81 ms-2; à Ã‚  =1.225 kgm-3; z1 = 0.1m; z2 = 0.1m; Therefore Mass flux variation results from Fluent The third mechanism for validation will be the CFD package fluent itself. Analysis of the computation results as presented in table 4.0, show that value of errors resulting residuals is very low (less than 0.0095%) indicating conservation of mass during numerical calculations which lend credit to suitability and accuracy of model. Table 3: comparison of percentage error of each model MODEL/mesh volume K-EPSILON (%) SST K-OMEGA (%) REYNOLD STRESS (%) 5 0.000309 0.00352 N/A 7 0.000708 0.004468363 0.000673233 10 0.001255 0.007867 0.001124 10 b 0.000153 0.00258 0.001488 15 0.00195 0.000783 0.00927 N.B. 10 b means mesh size 10 with boundary layer mesh added Research journals In addition to the above validation processes, the results of modelling experiment reported in this work were compared with previous research works such as (Roy, et al 2010), (Mansoori and Bazargan-Lai 2007) and (Teyssandiert, 1973). Results obtained corroborated foregoing analysis and results obtained it the above mentioned papers. CONCLUSION In summary, CFD modelling of sudden expansion flow in a 1:2 diameter ratio piping posses the following characteristics. Sudden expansion in pipe flow results in local pressure losses Flow fully develops into plug flow before exit at outlet and majority of the variations occur axially along reactor length Recirculation of fluid occurs after sudden expansion for a lengthspan of approximately 0.35m along pipe Viscous effects along wall boundaries help dissipate energy of turbulent eddies The realizable k-ÃŽÂ µ model predicts the size and strength of recirculation zone poorly, but as flow develops into plug flow, the models accuracy remarkably improves with reference to the other models tested. Turbulence models become better with increase in complexity of model from k-ÃŽÂ µ to SST k-à Ã¢â‚¬ ° to RSM. Ability of other models to better the k-ÃŽÂ µ model in recirculation zone prediction can be attributed to embedded corrections for boundary layer flow, turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rates.

Measurements/Assessments Paper -- Research Methodology

Measurements/Assessments Paper Instrument, Data Analysis, and Reporting Plan In phenomenological research, the researcher is the instrument, but the data collected through interviews, participant observations, questionnaires, case studies, or focus groups is the actual data source from which the researcher retrieves her information (Patton, 2002). The phenomenological researcher believes that language is the principal avenue through which understanding is formed and communicated, and therefore the meanings of individual experiences can be captured through communication (Patton, 2002; Schram, 2006). Upon investigation of all the methods available for data collection, this researcher selected face-to-face interviews using specific questions retrieved from a pre-existing peer-reviewed questionnaire modified to address the focus of the proposed study. The purpose of these interviews will be to convey the essence or fundamental meaning (Moustakas, 1994) of speech-language pathologists’ experiences and perceptions regarding their academic and clinical pre paration for assessment and treatment of stuttering. A licensed and clinically certified speech-language pathologist will conduct all interviews, and each interview session will be audio taped and transcribed verbatim. The speech-language pathologists participating in the study will be asked to provide detailed descriptions of their lived experiences with academic course work preparation and clinical opportunities for the assessment and treatment of stuttering and these descriptions will be used as raw data for analysis. The responses of the speech-language pathologists will be prompted by the researcher’s questions. The face-to-face interview process will allow the speech-la... ...s, CA: Sage. Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Onwuebuzie, A. J., & Leech, N. L. (2007, Feb). A call for qualitative power analysis. Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology ,41(1) 105-121, Retrieved January 15, 2010, from PsycINFO database. doi: 10.1007/s11135-005-1098- Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Schram, T. H. (2006). Conceptualizing and proposing qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall. Shank, G. D. (2006). Qualitative research: A personal skills approach. NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall. Writing @ CSU. (2010). Introduction to content analysis. Retrieved July 24, 2010, from Writing @ CSU: http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/content/pop2a.cfm

Multicultural Issues in the Workplace

Needs, values, priorities of employees and employers have changed dramatically over the last decade. On all levels of the corporate ladder, men and women are seeking new ways to manage the time they spend working so they can spend more time living. In the boardrooms, executives are seeking ways to attract – and retain – the best employees so they can continue to survive and thrive in a highly competitive global economy. As companies are becoming more and more diverse it is becoming more and more important for companies to understand and manage diversity.The people of different background, races, religion creates diverse workforce. There is an importance of having diverse workforce to provide better performance. There are perspectives of managing the diverse workforce, which require organization leaders and managers of being responsible of attaining better diverse workforce. Diversity means differences, difference of age, sex, race, religion and culture etc. People with different demographic differences working in the organization makes diverse workforce. And it is becoming more important for the organizations to know about these differences and how to manage it.Diversity is also the common issue in the workforce environment, in some companies employees often get discriminated or misunderstood because of the diverse features. So it is important for the companies to manage the diversity workforce to value best performance. As differences have often been associated with discrimination, bias, unfair treatment and conflicts, managing diversity in workforce is an important task for managers today. Managing diversity in the workplace refers to the ways of managers used in ensuring employees in the organizations who come from different group do not suffer discrimination.Management can mobilize the differences and similarities in each and every one of the employees for the benefits of both the individuals and organizations. Ensuring fairness and equality i n a diverse workplace is more than just doing a good deed, it is imperative in today’s fast moving and sophisticated business world. Diversity is increasing everyday in every organization: in America 1 in 4 Americans belongs to a minority or is foreign-born. Women, who currently make up less than half the work force, are expected to fill 65 percent of the jobs created during this decade. Whether you are a business owner, executive, salesperson or customer- service professional, your success will increasingly depend on your ability to function in a culturally diverse marketplace,† (Profiting in America’s Multicultural Marketplace’ Lexington Books). Why should companies concern themselves with diversity? Many managers answered this question with the statement that discrimination is wrong, both legally and morally. But today managers are voicing a second notion as well. A more diverse workforce, they say, will increase organizational effectiveness.It will lif t morale, bring greater access to new segments of the marketplace, and enhance productivity. In short, they claim, diversity will be good for business. Research stated that the Canadian companies leading the way in the area of diversity management have discovered that by embracing the elements of ethnic and cultural diversity in their workforce they have enhanced their ability to understand and tap new markets, both within Canada and abroad. Managing diversity There is no doubt that the American workforce has changed in dramatic ways.Twenty years ago the American workforce was predominantly white and male: in the 70’s, non-Hispanic white males represented about 68% of the workforce while in 2006 represented less than 40% of the workforce. (Ivancevich,p54). One of the reasons white males no longer dominate the workforce is that women have entered the workforce in record numbers. It is estimated that at the end of the decade, more than 60% percent of adult American workforce, o r almost half of the American work force will be female(Ivancevich. 2007).Organizations have to follow the many guidelines to get diversity stick: they have to focus on getting the best talent out of the person regardless of different age, sex and other demographic differences; they have to develop career plans for all employees of the organization including the minorities; they have to promote minorities to responsible positions in the workplace; they have to make managers responsible to obtain diversity goals by managing their employees well. Managers also have to communicate well with all the employees and listen to their problems that are of different background or cultures.Also organizations should build diversity into senior management. Improved understanding of diversity seems to be an obvious need, yet most firms fail to invest time and resources to become â€Å"diversity-friendly. † Even though there is a long way until diversity in the work force will be fully integ rated, there are a few success stories about diversity management that could serve as an example. For example United Airlines experienced an increase in Spanish-speaking travelers when it installed a Spanish-speaking telephone reservation line.Avon Products had significant revenue growth after it hired African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American sales and marketing personnel. Another example that we can use is Pillsbury Company and Kraft General Foods who both recorded access to more of the African American and Hispanic American markets after increasing the number of sales and advertising professionals from these ethnic-racial groups. Lookism Lookism is the ugly prejudice that judges people on their physical beauty instead of their ability.This happens everywhere: in the office, on the street, in the media and in virtually every aspect of our lives. The media fully perpetuates this myth that beauty is more important than anything else, that skinny women are more beautifu l than overweight women, and that beautiful skin, hair and teeth make a person better than the one that is considered plain. If you’re unattractive in face or body, you probably learned early on that you pay a price. In school, you were excluded from the â€Å"in† group. When you wanted to date, few people were interested.On the street, people look not at you but past you. We all know that, after all, looks does matter. And it matters in the workplace too. As we can read in the article â€Å"Your appearance, good or bad, can affect size of your paycheck†, a â€Å"growing body of research supports what many suspect: in the workplace, an employee's physical appearance is a powerful symbol that affects job success. Reading more we discover that , â€Å"Looking good on the job is an intangible asset that can be important, just as sharp technology skills or the ability to be a team player can give certain workers an edge†.We have to admit that there are indus tries that solely judge people by their looks such as the entertainment industry and modeling. In those industries, a person's looks is his/her commodity because the public want to see attractive gods and goddesses, not average-looking people. As a conclusion I can say that even though people are protesting the fact that lookism is deemed as discrimination, there is a slim chance that the concept of judging people based upon looks will change overnight.In order for this to change, we all have to change. We, as people, we need to stop judging by the look. We should judge by the qualities that a person has. Organizational Culture An organization's culture varies as widely as the nature of work itself. Oftentimes a unique different mix of values and norms govern the cultural environment of an organization. In today's fast changing business environment, the cultural make-up of an organizations plays a critical role in the success of the firm to achieve its strategic objectives.Culture i s not an easily defined concept, but generally it is the values, beliefs, and norms expressed in work practices and behavior. An organization's culture is not necessarily an articulated list of values found in an appendix in an annual report. Rather, culture is created by the organization itself. Many corporations have recognized that diversity contributes to the bottom line by making it easier to retain good employees, lowering costs by developing skill in-house and developing a reputation that helps attract new employees.As Swanson states in the article â€Å"Diversity: Creating an Environment of inclusiveness†, â€Å"It has been suggested that one of the keys to integrating diversity is developing the ability to hold multiple perspectives without judgment. A statement easier written than accomplished! Although this is a challenge, there are several strategies that we can use to develop this skill: staying in the present, working to increase our comfort level with ambiguit y, striving to decrease distortion, and choosing actions that support our desired outcomes. †We can see that organizations have created specific recruiting programs that target traditional minority universities and trade schools. They have also tied the recruiting programs into a reporting relationship with the diversity council and other leadership initiatives. In tandem with recruiting programs, retention programs have been formed to address existing employees. Almost all organizations have started diversity programs. As a result high quality minority candidates are being recruited by other companies. This has created a highly competitive market for the very best minority employees.Gender In early societies, women bore children, cared for the home, and helped maintain the family's economic production. Men hunted, made war, and, in settled societies, assumed primary responsibility for field crop production. Women's status is a complex issue and a hard-to-define subject. Aroun d the world, women's status in each society and culture varies in different ways. In some societies, women's status improved gradually, while in other, it declined or remained unchanged. As it is mentioned in the article â€Å"Why Aren’t We There Yet? An Equal Pay Day 2009 Primer on the Wage Gap. , â€Å"Unfair pay is not simply the result of women choosing the wrong college major or career. Women attend similar kinds of colleges as men, outperform men academically, and are more likely to earn a professional license or certificate. Yet women earn less than men even within majors. These wage gaps start upon entering the workforce; just one year after college, female graduates working full time earn only about 80 percent as much as male graduates earn. Ten years after graduation, women fall farther behind, earning only 69 percent as much as men earn.And college educated women still earn less than their male peers when controlling for hours, occupation, parenthood, and other f actors normally associated with pay. † However, women have made positively progress towards equality and their role in the society has been changed dramatically since the last century. The number of working women with children has more than doubled in the past 50 years. As my own opinion, I can say that even with all the changes that happen around the world regarding women’s place in the workforce, the stereotypical role of housewife is still present.Even when women break out from this role, they still not had given an equal opportunity. Men tend to hold administrative positions, while women usually have the positions that support the administrator. Religion The business world has gone global, and our diverse workplace could be the key to connecting with potential customers here and abroad. In my opinion, encouraging dialog and sharing of religious and cultural norms in the working place, not only will help decrease misunderstanding and misinformation among the employee s, but interaction with clients and vendors from other cultures and religions will become second nature.Knowing when (or when not to) shake hands, share a meal, or offer a glass of wine can give your company a good advantage in today’s global market. Based on this problem, a paragraph from the article â€Å"Religious groups and employers try a new approach to faith at work. † got my attention: â€Å"The idea of addressing religion in the secular business world often causes even seasoned human resources executives to pause and see how it complements their people-management strategies.At Texas Instruments, worldwide diversity director Terry Howard remembers his reaction when approached by 10 Christian employees about forming a company-sanctioned religious group. â€Å"The questions that I raised were: What does this mean to TI? How would recognizing you as a group help TI meet its business objectives and targets? How is it going to make TI serve customers better? How i s it going to make TI a good place to work for everyone and be inclusive? † he says.They made it quite clear that they saw themselves as being in the position to help us recruit and retain people of faith-based backgrounds. † In my opinion, having companies that respect employees religious background (allowing employees to take days off based on their religious beliefs), can attract top candidates for the company. In my opinion, each feels honored and respected and it is a win-win for the company and for the employee as well. By showing employees that you respect their beliefs and customs, you will be building a strong relation and in the same time creates employee loyalty.

How To Fix Your Marketing Strategy With Marcus Sheridan

How To Fix Your Marketing Strategy With Marcus Sheridan When you were younger, who did you go to when you had a tough question? Your single source of truth your dad. These days, when people have questions, they ask a search engine. They go to Alexa! There are big questions that companies are afraid to answer. As marketers, are you listening to questions your customers are asking? Are you answering the right questions? Today, my guest is Marcus Sheridan, author of They Ask You Answer. Premise of Book: Business philosophy of how buyers think, questions they ask, and how they want to learn and buy Elements of Success: Seen as a teacher and trusted voice in your space Many of us think and speak like marketers; be honest when creating content Big 5 subjects that determine what people buy and companies don’t want to address; cost-based, negative/problems, comparison, best of, and reviews Let customers learn from you, not someone else; consumer ignorance is no longer a viable sales and marketing strategy Stop the mindset of digital marketing as an expense and sales team as revenue Get leadership to understand concepts/results of sales and marketing initiative Marketer Psychology: Prophet to the world, but no one listens to you in hometown Why are you producing content? For marketing or sales? The falsehood of too much Emails should include education; refuse to be average Links: They Ask You Answer Marcus Sheridan Marcus Sheridan on LinkedIn Marcus Sheridan’s Email Marcus Sheridan on Twitter The Sales Lion Blog Amazon Alexa Angie’s List Seth Godin Who and what would you like to hear about and from? Send me your feedback! If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Marcus Sheridan: â€Å"It’s a business philosophy and it’s an obsession with the way buyers think, the questions they ask, and how they want to learn and how they want to buy.† â€Å"We make a big mistake within the marketing space because, fundamentally, too many of us think and speak like marketers.† â€Å"Big 5: Buyers are obsessed with them. Businesses don’t like to talk about them.† â€Å"Consumer ignorance is no longer a viable sales and marketing strategy.†