Moving to Hybrid Cars Research Paper Example

Moving to Hybrid Cars Research Paper Example Moving to Hybrid Cars Paper Moving to Hybrid Cars Paper 1.0 Introduction Australia has the largest per capita level of green house gas emissions in the developed world, mainly due to a heavy reliance on coal to generate electricity. Every person contributes 27.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, which is 27 percent higher than that of an average American citizen. (Peatling, 2004) This, included with the constantly rising fuel prices creates an ever increasing demand for more energy efficient and lower pollution level cars. Hybrid cars are a well known solution to the issue however consumer confidence in these cars is extremely low. A hybrid car is a car that can run off two or more sources of fuel, such as petrol, electricity or gas. Hybrid cars have been around for a very long time with the first one being built over one hundred years ago by Porsche. (A Hybrid Car, 2006) The following report is a marketing plan for the introduction of the Nissan Nuvu into the Australian market. The report will give a detailed situation analysis on the current Australia n car industry with specific targeting of the environmentally friendly cars market segment, stating our marketing objectives for the introduction of the Nissan Nuvu and develop a detailed marketing strategy for this product. The Nissan Nuvu is shown in the picture below. Picture: (Hybrid and Electric Cars Shine in Paris, 2008) 3.0 Product Evaluation In order to maximise the marketing of the Nissan Nuvu, the product must be evaluated and analysed on a number of levels. Looking at the elements of a product, its brand name, strengths and weaknesses, aspects of competition products and a number of other factors enables us to price, place and promote the product accordingly in order to achieve optimum success. 3.1 Elements of the Product The Nissan Nuvu can be broken down into three levels; the core, actual and augmented products it offers. 3.1.1 Core The core product is the benefit that consumers obtain when purchasing the product. In this case the core product would be a low-running costs and environmentally-friendly means of transport for city driving. 3.1.2 Actual The actual product is the attributes of the product that combine to convey the core product. The Nissan Nuvu is a short, compact, three seater city car powered by an electric motor. Solar panels are situated on the roof which provides power to the motor and the car is built using an extensive amount of natural, organic and recycled materials. (Lavrinc 2008) 3.1.3 Augmented The augmented product is the package of the actual product and the additional features and services that come with it. For the Nissan Nuvu it is the actual product listed above along with services that would be decided by the actual distributers of the product at the point of sale. Such services are only prospective but would include things like car warranty, car maintenance and servicing for the first 1000kms, home delivery and opportunity of choosing additional features on the car. 3.2 Product Classification The Nissan Nuvu is classified as a consumer good as it is used for personal use and consumption. Under this heading the Nissan Nuvu is categorised as a Specialty product as it is an exclusive product that consumers would make a special effort to obtain, it is very unique at the current time and distribution will almost certainly be exclusive. However in the near future (five to ten years) it is anticipated that there will be a big move to this particular style of car (electric-powered) due to rising oil prices and environmental concerns. In this case the scope of the competition will grow and the Nissan Nuvu will hopefully become a Shopping product that is widely-distributed and also very common and popular. 3.2.1 Product Lifecycle The Nissan Nuvu is still in the product development stage of the product lifecycle as no actual sales have been made and it is still only a concept as commercial production has not yet commenced. 3.2.2 Branding Nissan has an established and well reputed brand name. Many customers value and trust the brand and would be willing to consider the Nissan Nuvu as a new product. The Nissan brand has a number of attributes such as durable and reliable. Nissan claims on its website that it is renowned for excellent engineering and searing handling and dynamics technology (Heritage n.d.). Customers relate benefits to the Nissan brand such as trusting the vehicle to reach the destination without any concerns or problems, not having to buy a new car for an extensive time, having a comfortable and safe way of transport. Values attached to the Nissan brand include durability, comfortableness and reliability. Nissans brand personality would be that it is straight, trustworthy and responsible but also innovative and adaptable. Nissan has reasonable brand equity through almost full awareness in Australia, high perceived quality and an extent of brand loyalty. The label or name of the product Nissan Nuvu, meaning new view gives the product an innovative appeal and implies that it is addressing the needs of tomorrow and providing a credible solution to this. 3.2.3 Comparing to Competition At the current time the only real competitors in the market for a low-running cost city car are hybrid models Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid which run on both a petrol motor and an electric motor (Hybrid Cars 2008). Australia is yet to release a commercially available all-electric car (Start your (electric) engines n.d.). Obviously all other cars and means of transport around a city can be considered as competition but it is rational to look closer at products that aim at a similar market segment and offer similar benefits and attributes. The most prominent competitor is the Toyota Prius which has been commercially available in Australia since 2001 (Sustainability Report 2007). In this time over 5000 units have been sold, 1974 of them in 2006 and 195 in January 2007, a 96% increase on sales in January 2006 (Sustainability Report 2007) showing an increased demand for this particular model. The Toyota Prius is starting to appeal to a growing market but there is certainly room for another product in this market. The Nissan Nuvu has an advantage over such competitors with the extensive use of organic, natural and recyclable materials but also it is even cheaper to run and more environmentally-friendly than the hybrid cars as it has zero emissions. The Nissan Nuvu is currently very unique as it will be the only all-electric car commercially available in Australia. It is anticipated that in the near future the prospect of owning such an eco-friendly car will become more plausible for Australian drivers who at the moment car more for performance and looks in a car and not so much in how economical and environmentally-friendly it is. It is also anticipated that as this becomes the case the number of competitor products will also increase and the product will need to be regularly reviewed and improved to keep an edge on such competitors. 3.3 Strengths and Weaknesses 3.3.1 Strengths * Only all-electric car commercially available in Australia unique * Zero emissions therefore extremely environmentally-friendly * Compact, agile, easy to drive and very easy to park * Roomy interior 3m long, 1.7m tall and 1.55m wide (Lavrinc 2008) * Extremely low running costs * Strong brand name and reputation 3.3.2 Weaknesses * Small market segment opposes Australian culture (generally Australians value performance and/or looks in a car * Customer uncertainty will be first all-electric car 4.0 Consumer Evaluation 4.1 Introduction The hybrid and environmentally friendly car industry is targeting the entire population that purchase cars. However, consumer attitudes in the past towards such cars have been poor, regardless of how high fuel prices go it appears that the uncertainty levels towards these cars will remain high. Hybrid cars as a general rule across western countries account for a very small share of the car market as a result of this lack of confidence. In America, hybrid cars account for only 3 percent of the total car market, although this is increasing with a twenty five percent increase in sales in the last four months. (Zimmerman, 2008) This is somewhat strange because in a recent study hybrid cars have been shown to save the consumer anywhere between $500 to $4500 dollars over a five year period compared to a car running on gasoline, savings are much higher over normal petrol models. (Consumer reports, 2008) This group of consumers can be broken into several, more defined market segments base up on demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioural characteristics. Each market segment may be marketed to in a slightly different way to maximize efficiency. 4.2 Market Segmentation Market segmentation is the process of dividing a market such as the Australian car market up into segments or groups based on a number of variables. These variables are: 1. Demographic Variables This is to divide a market up into groups based on age, sex, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion and nationality. 2. Geographic Variables This is to divide a market up into groups based on region, city size, density and climate. 3. Psychographic Variables This is to divide a market up into groups based on socioeconomic status, values, attitudes, lifestyle groups and personality. 4. Behavioural Variables This is to divide a market up into groups based on frequency of purchase, usage rate, loyalty to product or brand, attitude towards product and what their user status is. All of the above ways can be used to segment a market however, not all possibilities are seen as effective ways to manage market segmentation. There are four key characteristics that market segments must have to be successful. The first is measurability and this refers to the extent of which the size of the market segment and the purchasing power of its consumers can be effectively measured. (Market segmentation, n.d.) The second characteristic is accessibility and this measures the extent to which the segment can be targeted effectively with advertising and the product distributed effectively. The third characteristic is substantiality and this simply measures if the segment is large enough to be profitable. The final characteristic is actionability and this measure the extent to which programs can be constructed and carried out to attract and serve the segment as a whole. (Kotler et al, 2006. 217 229) 4.2.1 Segmentation of Australian car market The Australian car industry can be segmented in many ways. On a broad scale you have segments such as large family cars, four wheel drives, small cars and hybrid cars. Within the large segment of hybrid cars comes another group of market segments. These segments can be determined depending on which characteristics are use to classify them. The four types of characteristics are above. 4.2.2 Demographic segmentation Demographic segmentation divides a market up into segments based on age, sex, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion and nationality. Demographic segmentation is generally the most common form of segmentation. In general, * Younger people have less disposable income and are fewer worries about safety features and energy efficiency. * Large families require bigger cars so they can transport everyone in the same vehicle and store more luggage. * People with higher disposable income will look at luxury features in cars such and be fewer worries about efficiency. * Occupation can have a direct impact on the sort of car people drive. For example a consultant who drives a large amount of kilometres would want a bigger car which is better on the open road and more comfortable to drive large distances. * Education, religion and nationality are characteristics which are, in general not related to the car industry. 4.2.3 Geographic segmentation Cars can be segmented according to geographic segmentation; this includes variables such as region, city size, density and climate. The main type of geographic segmentation is the difference between country and city living styles. People living in the country generally have larger cars such as sedans and four wheel drives. This is because they are driving larger distances than people living closer to the cbd. In the current economic and environmental climate the general population who live in and around major cities are targeted with smaller, more fuel efficient cars. A great example of the swing to smaller, more fuel efficient cars is evident in the current US market with all major car companies sales decreasing with companies like General Motors, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda. On the other hand the Volkswagen mini increased in sales by 24 percent, which clearly proves a move in consumer demand. (Kiley, 2008) 4.2.4 Psychographic segmentation Cars are in general not segmented using psychographic variables which include socioeconomic status, values, attitudes, lifestyle groups and personality. However variables such as personality may influence a buyers decision process when buying a car. For example a female with a feminine and out there personality may choose a convertible as there car because it suits there personality. 4.2.5 Behavioural Segmentation The Australian car industry is not an industry in which behavioural variables would be considered a primary source of segmentation. Behavioural variables include frequency of purchase, usage rate, loyalty to product or brand, attitude towards product and what their user status is. However loyalty to a specific company can once again play a significant role in the buyers decision process in terms of which company he ultimately goes with. 4.2.6 Consumer segment profiles for hybrid/ electric car market Within the hybrid and electric car market exists a few different market segments. The first market segment is very broad and includes most females between the ages of twenty five and sixty. This market segment contains a large proportion of the total market because females in this age group are the ones who would buy these cars. Young to middle age males are not included at all as a market segment because, in general these people are not at all interested in buying these cars and marketing to them is a waste of resources. However in the future if more attractive cars are made then the male segments of the traditional cars market may be attracted towards more energy efficient cars. 4.3 Analysis of customer behaviour 4.3.1 Types of buying decision behaviour Consumer decision making can vary with the type of buyer decision. More complex decisions are more than likely going to involve more buying participants and more buyer consideration. There are four types of buyer behaviour, they are: * Complex buyer behaviour The buyer is highly involved in the purchasing process and there are significant differences between competing brands. Consumers can be highly involved when the product is expensive, complex or a risky purchase. * Dissonance reducing buyer behaviour Occurs when consumers are highly involved in the purchase because it is risky or expensive and there is very little difference between competing brands. * Habitual buyer behaviour When there is low consumer involvement and there is very little difference between competing brands. * Variety seeking buyer behaviour When there is low consumer involvement but there is a large amount of difference between brands. The hybrid and electric car market would be classified under complex buyer behaviour. This is because there is a high amount of buyer involvement in the decision process because the product is both expensive and can be considered risky. The hybrid and electric cars market because it is relatively new; there are a lot of different products on the market because each company is trying to get a feel for what consumers want. (Kotler et al, 2006. 168) 4.3.2 The buyer decision process The buyer decision process is an analysis of the stages buyers go through to reach a buyer decision. A diagram of the five stages is shown on the right hand side of the document, sourced from (Hurren, 2008). The need recognition stage, put simply, is the buyer recognising a problem or need. Information search is the buyer making the conscious decision to investigate and find more information on a specific product or market. After the consumer has gathered information and reached a conclusion of several final brand choices, the buyer would compare and contrast each to find the most attractive and suitable product for them. After this the purchase decision is made based on a analysis of the brand alternatives. Following the purchase, comes the evaluation of whether the buyer is satisfied or dissatisfied with their purchase decision. The consumer is satisfied when their expectations meet the performance of the product. (Kotler et al, 2006. 169 171) 4.3.3 Types of Purchase decision There are two factors that can influence the purchase decision when buying a car. The first is the attitudes of significant others towards a particular consumers product choice. For example if your girlfriend disapproves of a certain brand then you would be less likely to purchase that particular brand. The second factor is influencing purchase decisions is unexpected situational influences. For instance if you base a purchase decision on expected income, expected cost and expected useful life of product and then you lose your job, this is more than likely going to influence the purchase decision. 4.3.4 Consumption information Consumption information is hard to come by for the Australian market, due to the fact that there is still no electric car on the market. However hybrid cars which are cars using more than one source of fuel, have shown strong increases in demand since coming onto the market. This is evidenced by the Toyota Prius which is a petrol electric hybrid, this year reaching one million in sales, breaking records as the first hybrid to reach this mark.(Kageyama, 2008) There are a number of social influences that have dramatically affected consumption of these cars. The first is the public perception that they do not perform as well as conventional petrol and diesel competitors. However with the ever rising cost of crude oil, consumers are being forced to revaluate the cost of performance. In a recent study in the US, of the population sample surveyed, only 0.65 percent of people had ever owned or currently owns a hybrid vehicle. (Miller, 2005) In America, hybrid cars account for only 3 percent of the total car market, although this is increasing with a twenty five percent increase in sales in the last four months. (Zimmerman, 2008) 4.3.5 Attitudes towards hybrid and electric cars Attitudes towards hybrid and electric cars in the past have been poor. They have been on the market since 1999, with the Honda Insight. This was closely followed by the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic. Attitudes have changed in the past few years with Toyota making the prius more powerful and bigger. (Blake, 2006) However for a long time there has been a perception that they are over priced, ugly and are bot up to scratch with the average vehicle available on the market today. Apart from the Toyota Prius Hybrid and electrical cars are still quite new to the Australian market and their reputation needs to be fixed with well structured marketing plans. 4.3.6 Consumer Benefits of hybrid and electrical cars Hybrid cars, although seen as expensive in comparison to other cars are relatively competitive on price because in a recent study hybrid cars have been shown to save the consumer anywhere between $500 to $4500 dollars over a five year period compared to a car running on gasoline, savings are much higher over normal petrol models. (Consumer reports, 2008) The key benefit of owning a hybrid car should still be the benefit to the environment. The car can do basically everything that a regular petrol car can do and has the above benefits. The key issue in todays market is getting people disregard the general public perception and realise the benefits such a car can offer. 4.3.7 Customer Loyalty Customer loyalty plays a big part in the purchasing process for consumers in todays car market. However in the hybrid and electrical car segment, companies dont have large enough established market shares to enable them target loyal customers in their advertising. Current advertising for this segment is minimal and is mainly used to get more market exposure. In America, hybrid cars account for only 3 percent of the total car market; this is a very small share of the market. (Zimmerman, 2008) 4.3.8 Best consumer prospects The best prospects for hybrid and electrical cars until they become more wide spread are environmentally conscious people and females between the ages of 25 60. This is because these are the people you can target with marketing appealing to their feeling of social responsibility, especially in consideration of the environment. \ 5.0 Competitor Analysis 5.1 Direct and Indirect Competition A direct competition is where two or more products with the same functions compete against each other. On the other hand, an indirect competition is where products which are close substitutes for one another compete. For example, butter competing with margarine. (BusinessDictionary.com n.d.) The Nissan Nuvu is no different from any other automobiles and has a large amount of both direct and indirect competitors. Its direct competitors include hybrid and electrical cars that are produced by other companies. On the other hand, there is also a large number of indirect competitors which include cars of the same size and shape such as the Smart Fortwo and other forms of transport such as motorcycles. One example of its direct competitor is the Toyota Prius developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation. The Toyota Prius is a hybrid car which is also capable on running with electricity which is the same as the Nissan Nuvu. The Toyota Prius has been out in the market since 1997 and have already launched three models since its first launch (Toyota Motor Sales n.d.). This has allowed the Toyota Prius to have a stable influence on consumers who would want to purchase an environmental friendly and economical car. 5.2 Strength and Weaknesses One of the strengths of the direct competitors is the capacity as they are mainly 3+1 seaters or more while the Nissan Nuvu would be based as a 2+1 seater instead (Autocar September 8, 2008). The influence of its direct competitors on the market is also much greater as other companies have already released popular hybrid cars long ago such as the Toyota Prius. This would make the consumers to feel safer and more confident to purchase a Toyota Prius over a Nissan Nuvu it is the first car of its concept and not many people are that of risk takers. Not only those, the direct competitors also have a larger distribution area within Australia compared to that of Nissan. They are also putting a lot of effort into the promotion of their respective hybrid models to increase sales. This would definitely give them a larger overall advantage. 5.3 Weaknesses of direct competitors Despite the disadvantages that the Nissan Nuvu has on its direct competitors, it also has advantages over them. One main advantage is the design of the Nissan Nuvu which is futuristic especially in terms of design and price as the Nissan Nuvu has a futuristic design with an all-glass roof covered with solar panels placed in the pattern of leaves on a tree. (Autocar, Sep 9 2008). The Nissan Nuvu is also powered by a single battery pack and does not use hydrogen nor petrol while other hybrid cars still require petrol or hydrogen to allow them to function. This means that the Nissan Nuvu would not emit any CO2 thus making it very environmentally friendly (Alina S. February 2, 2008). Not only that, families nowadays are also very small and usually only have one child and so, this would make the smaller families think that they would not need such a big car with a 3+1 seater. Therefore, the Nissan Nuvus 2+1 seater would be just right for them since it already has enough space for everyday shopping built at the back of the car. (Autocar September 8, 2008). 5.4 Likely major competitors in the future The Nissan Nuvu would be having a large number of major competitors in the future which would include all motor corporations as the world is moving towards the environmentally friendly age. Due to the shift to the environmentally friendly age, all motor corporations are also investing to the research of such hybrid cars. Hence, cheaper environmentally friendly cars would definitely threaten the future of the Nissan Nuvu. 7.0 Marketing Objectives The key marketing objective of this report is to gain the maximum amount of market exposure possible in the first twelve months following the release of the Nissan Nuvu onto the Australian market. 8.0 Marketing Strategies 8.1 Target Markets 8.2 Marketing mix 8.2.1 Product Strategies Product strategies are an essential part of the marketing mix in determining how to market your product. Product strategies take into consideration elements such as branding, packaging and labelling. Branding is the first key element of product strategies. A brand is a name, term sign symbol or design used to identify a certain service or group of products and differentiate them from competitors. The Nissan brand name carries traits such as quality, performance and reliability and has a long history of providing for its customers. The Nuvu is a new and attractive sounding brand name and is easy to say and remember. However this does not guarantee product success. A combination of all four elements of the marketing mix is the best way to achieve success in marketing a product. Packaging includes designing and producing the container or wrapper for a product. However in terms of the car market, packaging is not overly applicable. The only area which comes into packaging is generally the colour options of the car. The Nissan Nuvu will be released in a wide range of colours which will be modern and eye catching in design as well as more tradition colours. Labelling of a product serve s a very simple purpose, which is to help identify the Nissan Nuvu from other cars and further promote the vehicle. 8.2.2 Pricing Strategies 8.2.2.1 Market-share Leadership With the anticipation of an increasing demand for low-running cost and environmentally-friendly cars in the near future it would be in best interests to take a market-share leadership approach to pricing in an attempt to dominate the market now while the market is small in the hope of maintaining a large market share in the future. Influencing factors such as costs of research and development cost of production, competitors pricing, the anticipated demand for such a product and market objectives must be considered when deciding a price for the product. As gaining as much market share as possible is a significant objective, keeping prices at a competitive price is essential in order to penetrate the market as effectively as possible. However at the current time an all-electric car will be unique so there is no actual price to compete against apart from the similar hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid which are priced at $36,500 and $29,990 respectively (Hybrid Cars 2008). Due to the Nissan Nuvu being a unique product a relatively high price would be acceptable, however with the anticipation of a number of competitors entering the market in the near future the price would need to be lowered in order to be more competitive and maintain a strong market share. 8.2.3 Distribution Strategies The Nissan Nuvu, like any other cars undergo Exclusive Distribution as it is a high-priced and upscale merchandise. Exclusive distribution is a retail selling strategy typically used by manufacturers of high-priced, generally upscale merchandise, such as cars (Answers.com n.d.). By using this type of distribution, the Nissan Motors Corporation can ensure that: Only certain dealers have exclusive territorial rights to sell the product. They can control over the way the Nissan Nuvu would be merchandised. They can provide the extensive installation or repair services that are necessary at first hand. They would be able to use their own sales force to sell directly to the consumers. They can maintain the uniqueness of their product. However, the market for hybrid cars is already very intense due to the large amount of car dealer companies within Australia and the large amount of competition with the different brands. Therefore, the Nissan Nuvu would have to be set away from this competition as one of the first zero CO2 emission cars that would only run on a single battery pack powered by either electricity or solar energy. The Nissan Nuvu should also be in a position where it would be known as an ideal economical and environmentally friendly car. As the Nissan Nuvu would be one of the first Electric-Solar Powered cars that do not require hydrogen or petrol to run to hit the market, it would most likely be more popular with environmentally aware consumers who live within the country. This would definitely give the Nissan Nuvu an edge over its competitors. Not only that, the car would also appeal to others especially Generation Y consumers with its unique features and futuristic design. Generation Y consumers are more concerned about the environment and this car would definitely be popular with them as well. Not only that, the future type of families can also be foreseen as a family with a single child which is exactly right for the Nissan Nuvus 2+1 seater. Due to the novelty of the product, we should not follow the past strategies in the distribution of cars to the dealer networks. Instead, we should develop a centralized inventory where the dealer would take orders from the customers and then have the Nissan Nuvu shipped and delivered to the dealership. This centralized distribution network would no doubt result in higher transportation costs, but it would also increase the efficiency of the distribution. Besides that, as one of our main target segment would be the Generation Y, we should also sell the car online where a vehicle would be shipped to the respective dealer when the order is placed online. This would not only increase efficiency in sales and distribution, it would also increase the convenience of the consumers who would want to purchase the car. Customers should also be allowed to customize the car online as different consumers would have different types of budget and taste on how their car should look. As we are currently in the technology age, this way of distributing and selling the car would be effective. By selling the car online, it would not only be effective in the present time, but it would also be effective in the future towards the newer generations as they would all be more technology and internet savvy. This would not only increase the efficiency of sales, it would also be able to penetrate the markets in the future, not only for the Nissan Nuvu, but also for all the other Nissan car models.

Case Report of the Alaska-Airline Disaster

This case report discusses about the Alaska-airline crash that has occurred on Jan, 31, 2000 at California. The causes, contributing factors, potential hazards and safe- guards that were ignored in accordance with air crash were discussed. This incident teaches a great lesson to the world to prevent future air- accidents and the inadequacies in policies to prevent loss of life and property.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The most miserable disaster of Alaska-Airline took place on 31 st January, 2000 at approximately 1621 Pacific- Standard time. The flight 261 that involves MD (McDonnell Douglas) - 83, N963AS was crashed at approximately 2.7 miles in the Pacific Ocean specifically at the north side of Anacapa- island of California. All the people in the flight that includes two pilots, three crew-members of cabin as well as 83 passengers were killed with destruction of the flight by impact forces (Carmody, 2002). There were dozen causes that have contributed to this disaster and have taught a great lesson about flight maintenance.    The main cause is that the in-flight failure of the acme- nut threads that is present on the jack-screw assembly (trim system) of the horizontal-stabilizer of flight has occurred. This has lead to the loss of pitch control of the flight. NTSB (2003) has stated that the jack-screw assembly is the most integral as well as crucial part of the trim- system of horizontal-stabilizer that acts as a critical airplane system and the destruction of this jack-screw assembly has caused the flight disaster. Moreover, the thread failure has occurred due to the insufficient lubrication that has lead to the excessive wear of the Alaska Airlines (Cockpit database, 2000). Basically, there was a fault in the fundamental MD- 83 flight design as it has no fail-safe design to counteract the thread loss of the total acme-nut that has lead to the catastrophic effects. In this disaster, improper adherence to the maintenance process as well as inspection of the jack-screw parts has exacerbated the design fault and has resulted in crash (Carmody, 2002). Another factor that has contributed was the extended interval for lubrication process. The Federal aviation-administration (FAA) has approved the extended lubrication interval that has contributed to the missing or improper lubrication. This has resulted in the complete wear of the threads of acme-nut. Further, increased interval for end- play check with approval from FAA for extension has allowed to the excessive wear that has progressed to failure without detecting the flaw. The horizontal-stabilizer has stopped working to the commands of the pilot and they were unable to rule out the cause. The acme- nut threads have worn inside the horizontal stabilizer and were sheared off completely. Then, the acme-screw and nut has jammed that has prevented the movement of horizontal-stabilizer. Later, the jam was overcome that has allowed the acme-screw to pull acme-nut causing the airplane to pitch downward (NTSB, 2003). It had lead to the (low- cycled fatigue) fracture of the torque tube again lowering the pitch from which regaining is impossible.   The use of auto-pilot at the time of horizontal stabilizer jam was inappropriate. Moreover, lack of checklist to land at these circumstances is an additional drawback. The pilots were not provided with clear guidelines to avoid experimenting with improper troubleshooting measures (Woltjer, 2007). The slats and flaps should have extended by the captain when the flight was controlled by the configuration after initial drive. The acme-nut threads were found to have worn extensively due to ineffective lubrication on the acme parts that have lead to the disaster. The recovered acme showed dried degraded grease that suggests that, it was not greased recently. The post-accident interviews of SPO-mechanic indicated that they had no knowledge to lubricate acme (NTSB, 2003). The safety board concluded that inadequate lubrication and lack of standard measures have lead to the accident. Fig: 1 shows acme-nut with plugged grease Increased pressure in the flight maintenance area in correcting, maintaining and delivering the flight in given time has contributed to this disaster. In this disaster, they have falsified the records that the flight has passed through the inspection process due to the increased pressure on them to make a scheduled return (Carmody, 2002). The measurements have showed that the jack-screw was in the brink to wear out and requires to be replaced by a newer jack-screw: but as it may delay the departure time, they have altered the record to be airworthy (ATEC, 2005).  The maintenance persons don’t have assertiveness to speak about the importance of lubrication and replacing the wear to the company.   The maintenance personnel have not helped the pilots when they were at horizontal-stabilizer problems. The safety issues in this accident include improper lubrication with inspection of the jack-screw, extended end-play check-intervals, over-haul procedures of jack-screw and design with certification of horizontal-stabilizer, maintenance program and FAA’s inadequacies has lead to disaster. Standards should be issued to pilots with the instructions to handle mal-functioning situations. NTSB (2002) ordered MD flights to replace dried greases with fresh grease. The size of the access-panel was increased to lubricate the jack-screw properly (FAA, 2002). The lubrication procedure for jack-screw was established as an inspection item to be signed by an inspector. The existing intervals were reviewed to identify the fault in the flight components. NTSB (2002) has conducted an evaluation and has issued a report with recommendations for maintenance. Improving fail- safe mechanism in MD design, promoting end-play check interval, issuing newer certification regulations and policies for horizontal stabilizers ensures safe air-travel. ATEC. (2005)  Incorporating Air Transport Association Codes into Maintenance Curriculum, ATEC Journal, 26 (2). Available from Aviation Technician Education Council [Accessed 28/02/17] Carmody, C.J. (2002)  Aircraft Accident Incident Report. Loss of Control and Impact with Pacific Ocean Alaska Airlines Flight 261 McDonnell Douglas MD-83, N963AS About 2.7 Miles North of Anacapa Island, California January 31, 2000, National Transportation Safety Board, Washington, DC:   National Transportation Safety Board. [Accessed 28/02/17] Cockpit database. (2000) Cockpit voice recorder database. Available from https://www.tailstrike.com/310100.htm [Accessed 28/02/17] FAA. (2002) Accident Board Recommendations, U.S.  Department  of  Transportation. Available from https://lessonslearned.faa.gov/ll_main.cfm?TabID=1&LLID=23&LLTypeID=4 [Accessed 28/02/17] NTSB. (2003) Loss of control and impact with Pacific Ocean, Alaska Airlines Flight 261, McDonnell Douglas MD-83, N963AS, about 2.7 miles north of Anacapa Island, California, January 31, 2000 (Aircraft Accident Report No. NTSB/AAR-02/01), National Transportation Safety Board. Washington, DC: National Transportation Safety Board [Accessed 28/02/17] Woltjer, R., & Hollnagel, E. (2007) The Alaska Airlines Flight 261 accident, A systemic analysis of functional resonance. Proceedings of the 2007 (14th) International Symposium on Aviation Psychology (ISAP), pp. 763-768. Available from https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:210824/fulltext01.pdf [Accessed 28/02/17]

Empirical study about the causes and social and health related impact Research Proposal

Empirical study about the causes and social and health related impact of smoking habits of Individual - Research Proposal Example This essay stresses that in order to explore the research objectives and achieving the primary aim of the research work, mixed research methodology will be taken into account. In this mixed methodology, both quantitative and qualitative research approach will be undertaken. In this regard, two prime methods of data collection, namely secondary data collection method, and primary data collection method will be taken into consideration. In the research work, the secondary data will be collected with the help of literature review method. In this method, different crucial literatures such as, books, journal article, previous research papers and online articles will be taken into account for the purpose of reviewing and retrieving information. Different books, journal articles, and online articles have been studied for the purpose of exploring some crucial information regarding smoking and its causes as well as impacts. Thsi paper makes a conclusion that in addition to this primary data related with the research work will be collected with the help of survey through questionnaire methods. In this method, an intensive field survey will be conducted with 50 randomly selected smokers. In the survey, questionnaires will be distributed among participants, and on the basis of responses provided by them, their attitude and perception regarding smoking and its effects will be analyzed.

The new atkins diet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The new atkins diet - Essay Example The diet allows for portion control and an explanation of how the restriction of carbohydrates can be beneficial to people. There is evidence that restricting carbohydrates can be beneficial to those looking to lose weight, with further evidence that restricted carbohydrates can help with diseases such as those involving seizures, Alzheimer’s or type 2 diabetes. Restricting carbohydrates, however, can be seen as restricting the body from some of the food items needed to have a balanced diet. The consideration of the New Atkins Diet is controversial and is likely not a good recommendation for a patient in search of healthy weight control. One of the first things that the writers of the New Atkins Diet state is that the diet was once a fad, but has been proven medically safe for those needing to lose weight (Westman, Phinney and Volek 2010, p. x). Westman, Phinney, and Volek (2010, p. xi) also go on to describe the benefits of low carbohydrate diets to the management of Alzheimer’s, autism, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and brain tumours. The authors do go on to say that there are a great many people, both medical professionals and layman, who do not believe that the Atkin’s form of eating is healthy or practical, but in pursuing their goals to fight obesity, they believe that the once ‘fad’ diet has the potential to revolutionize the lifestyles of those who adhere to their concepts. Looking at the framework within which the eating style is based can begin to reveal whether or not the diet is valuable as a tool for weight loss. Figure 1 is a diagram pyramid that shows how foods should be cons idered in a low carb diet. As the food lifestyle is explained, it is clear that the hope for this version is to make the consumer understand that the diet is not about eating nothing but â€Å"beef, bacon, and butter† (Westman, Phinney, and Volek 2010, p. xv). In Dr. Atkins book of 2002 which further explored his theories on weight loss, the diet is

It Has Been Two Years :: Love Letters Dating Email Relationships

Dear Matt, It has been three years since I have last held you in my arms. It is not fair how our years together feel so short lived, yet our time apart feels so long. Thank you for showing me how to number our days. The first time I ever laid my eyes on you, I was captured. It was not the way you introduced yourself or the way you shook my hand, but the look in your eyes that captured my heart. Thank you for showing me that love at first sight isn't just a fairy tale. I was convinced that you were something special. I felt it with every beat of my heart and breath that I breathed. Little did I know how right I was. As time went on we developed a friendship that I thought could only develop over years of knowing one another. Thank you for showing me that friendship cannot be measured by the amount of time spent in one and another's life. You gave me that chance where I was yours and you were mine. In that single moment all my dreams had come true. Thank you for helping me realize that dreams really do come true in real life and not just in books. We had so many wonderful times together. Some of our days were filled with adventure. In those days you brought out a side in me I never thought existed. Thank you for showing me that I too could be daring and adventurous. Then there were days filled with quiet moments. Those days are the ones I've cherished the most. Because, I would think for hours on end about happiness that I never thought that could exist between me and another person. Thank you for showing my happiness. We also had our hard days. There were fights that could have rattled the deepest depths of the ocean. We always recovered. Thank you for showing me how to forgive.

Analysis of Ethical Dilemma Essay

Britney, age 17, has been referred because of problems at school and a shoplifting charge. She admits to â€Å"smoking some dope† every now and then and having a drink or two with her friends. She is dressed in black with pierced ears, nose, and lip. Her appearance is disheveled and her hygiene poor. She appears to be overly thin. Britney’s parents were divorced when she was 5 years old. She has a brother who is 5 years older. They used to live with their mother in the same town as their father. Britney saw him frequently, although she says he was â€Å"always busy with work† and she could never talk to him about much of anything. Britney states that her mother was also busy but would â€Å"usually† stop and listen. She reports that her mother has a temper and is stressed all the time about money and work. She also reports that her mom and dad still fight about money and â€Å"us kids. † She feels like she is in the middle and is always being asked to choose. Britney feels caught in the middle of conflict between her parents. She interprets their being too busy for her as not being wanted by them. Britney’s rebellion serves to distract her mother and father from their fighting and to unite them as they attempt to control her behavior. It also serves to help solve the dilemma of whether she should leave home, leaving her mother alone. She distances herself by using drugs and alcohol but cannot really leave home and her mother because of her irresponsible behavior. Her brother has the role of doing well in the family, being responsible while the parents are in conflict. Through the use of their roles, the estranged family continues to function, albeit less than satisfactorily. Britney and her mother and brother recently moved to a new area, and Britney is at a new school this year. She is currently in 10th grade and has average grades. Her new friends are â€Å"different† from her old friends, but they â€Å"accept her for what she is. † Britney found acceptance in a counterculture when she felt rejection at home. With divorced parents, a distant father, overly stressed mother, and parents arguing over the kids, Britney has poor self-esteem and feels that she is the cause of some of the problems. She finds that using drugs with other kids relieves boredom, fear, and loneliness. She feels accepted and acceptable when she is using with them. The main ethical concerns presented in the dilemma with references to the ethics Britney uses cocaine when with friends. She learned that using helps her fit in—be â€Å"one of the gang. † She described a new, well-defined group of peers who â€Å"I like to hang out with and party with. † She is even supplied by a male classmate at school who impregnated her while they are high on drugs and sex. In addition, she has had some moderate school-related problems (e. g. , lateness) and a shoplifting charge. She entered a guilty plea for shoplifting. But approximately two weeks before her sentencing hearing, Britney inform the judge and her substance abuse counselor that she was pregnant and is still on drugs. Hence, the complexity of this ethical dilemma arises. This case taps into the substance abuse counselor many layers of personal and professional beliefs. However, careful reading of the case reveals a firm commitment to consider – not ignore – fetal interests within the framework of respect for the autonomy of the competent pregnant teenager. The case presented clearly relate to situations in which the pregnant teenager is deemed incompetent. Hence, the counselor needs a clear insight into the right approach to take when a medical intervention can benefit both fetus and mother, as in the case of Britney who is a teenager and is addicted to or abuses drugs. Application of human service profession theories and techniques In this analysis, I bring some issues and concepts of feminist ethics, post-modernism, and critical theory to reflect on an important child’s issue-policy approaches to pregnant teenager who is polysubstance user. Many people, including many law enforcement officials, child protection agents, and legislators, think that teenagers who use drugs during pregnancy should be punished for the harm or risks of harm they bring to their babies. I analyze this punishment approach and argue that the situation of pregnant teenager addicts does not satisfy the conditions usually articulated by philosophers to justify punishment. A punishment approach, moreover, may have sexist and racist implications and ultimately operates more to maintain a social distinction between insiders and deviants than to protect children. Most of those who criticize a punishment approach to policy for pregnant addicts call for meaningful treatment programs as an alternative. I interpret this treatment approach as a version of a feminist ethic of care. For the most part, theorizing about the ethics of care has remained at the level of ontology and epistemology, with little discussion of how the ethics of care interprets concrete moral issues differently from more traditional approaches to ethics. By conceptualizing a treatment approach to pregnant teenage addict as justified by an ethics of care, I propose to understand this ethics of care as a moral framework for social policy. Although I agree with a treatment approach to policy for pregnant teenage addicts, from a feminist point of view there are reasons to be suspicious of many aspects of typical drug treatment. Relying on Michel Foucault’s notions of disciplinary power and the operation of â€Å"confessional† discourse in therapy, I argue that treatment often operates to adjust women to dominant gender, race, and class structures and depoliticizes and individualizes their situations. Thus, I conclude by offering a distinction between two meanings of empowerment in service provision, one that remains individualizing, and one that develops social solidarity through consciousness raising and the possibility of collective action. Punishment Punitive legislation regarding pregnant addicts has been considered in more than thirty states and by the U. S. Congress. Although the testimony of legal and medical experts appears to have succeeded in preventing the passage of congressional legislation, at least eight states now include drug exposure in utero in their definition of child abuse and neglect. In several states without such laws, prosecutors have used existing drug-trafficking laws to file criminal charges against women who use cocaine or other controlled substances during pregnancy. By July 1992 at least 167 women in twenty-six states had been arrested and charged criminally because of their use of drugs during pregnancy or because of some other prenatal risk. A number of these women have been found guilty and sentenced to as many as ten years in prison. The majority of these cases have involved women of color, even though white women also use illegal drugs. The controversy that has been boiling about this punishment approach to policy for pregnant addicts appears in some of the appeals of these convictions. As of November 1992, twenty-one cases had been challenged or appealed, and all of these were dismissed or overturned (Roberts, 1991) As a result of increasing controversy over such punitive policies, some state and local governments have encouraged treatment as a complement or alternative to criminal punishment or child removal. Thus, California has enacted a law that requires drug treatment programs to give priority to pregnant women. The state of Connecticut has mandated that outreach workers seek out addicted mothers and mothers-to-be to encourage them to get treatment. In the fall of 1991, the city of New York instituted a program that allows addicted women to take their babies home after birth, provided that they enter treatment and agree to weekly visits from a social worker (Larson1991). This program and many others that emphasize treatment over punishment nevertheless retain a punitive tendency to the degree that they are coercing women to have treatment. Most prosecutors and policymakers who have pursued a punishment approach to pregnant addicts would deny that racist and sexist biases inform their practices. They claim instead that they are exercising their obligations as state agents to protect infants from harm and to hold accountable those responsible for such harms when they occur. Women who take cocaine or heroin while pregnant are wantonly and knowingly risking the lives or health of future persons and deserve to pay for such immoral harm. Punishing women who give birth to drug-affected babies serves notice to others that the state considers this a grave wrong and will thus deter such behavior. As with most punishments, the primary justifications for punitive policies toward pregnant addicts are deterrence and retribution. Neither justification, however, is well grounded. A deterrence theory of punishment relies on an assumption that people engage in some kind of cost benefit calculation before taking the actions the policies are aimed at. In some contexts this makes sense. If a city wishes to discourage illegal parking, it raises the fines and threatens to tow, and these policies usually do work to reduce infractions. The idea that a pregnant addict weighs the benefits of taking drugs against the costs of possible punishment, however, is implausible, because it assumes that it is within her power to refrain from taking drugs if she judges that the costs are too high. Many health professionals argue that punitive policies toward pregnant addicts does deter them from seeking prenatal care (Mann, 1991). Women are likely to avoid contact with healthcare providers if they believe that their drug use will be reported to state authorities who will punish them. Because drug-using pregnant women’s fetuses and babies are often at particularly high risk, they need prenatal attention even more than most. Experts claim that the harmful effects of drug use on infants can be offset, at least in part, by good prenatal care, when health professionals are aware of a woman’s drug use in a supportive nonpunitive atmosphere (Paltrow, 1990) I think that retribution is most often implicitly or explicitly the operative justification for punitive approaches to pregnant addicts. These women ought to be punished and threatened with punishment because their wrongful actions deserve sanction. Such a retributive justification for a punitive approach to pregnant addicts must assume that these women are responsible both for their drug use and for their pregnancies; if freedom is a condition for assigning responsibility, however, these are problematic assumptions. Most states where punitive policies toward pregnant addicts have been pursued do not prosecute people for drug use alone. Especially where this is so, women are essentially being punished for carrying a pregnancy to term. Such punishment must presuppose that women are responsible for being pregnant, but there are several social conditions that limit women’s choice to be or not be pregnant. Ours is still a society where women often are not really free in their sexual relations with men. Access to contraception, moreover, is not easy for many women, especially poor or young women. And, of course, even when they have it, the contraception sometimes does not work. With rapidly decreasing access to abortion for all women in the United States, but especially for young or poor women, finally, fewer and fewer women have a choice about whether to carry a pregnancy to term (Lewin, 1992). Some prosecutors and policies claim to use a punishment approach primarily as means of encouraging or forcing women into drug treatment. In line with the above arguments, one might say that a pregnant addict is morally blameworthy for harming her child only if she does not seek help in dealing with her drug use. In recent years some small steps have been taken to increase the availability of drug treatment for pregnant women, and to design programs specifically for their needs; for the most part, however, access to more than perfunctory drug treatment is limited. Most programs either do not accept pregnant women or have waiting lists that extend long beyond their due dates. Most private health insurance programs offer only partial reimbursement for treatment, and in many states Medicaid will reimburse only a portion of the cost of drug treatment. Most treatment programs are designed with men’s lives in mind, and very few have childcare options. Mandatory reporting laws or other procedures that force women into treatment, moreover, create an adversary and policing relation between healthcare providers and the women they are supposed to serve, thereby precluding the trust relationship most providers believe is necessary for effective drug therapy( Chavkin, 1991).

Social Status Essay - 930 Words

Social Status It’s Just Me Does anyone really have one specific class which they fit into? Different activities and things we do put us in many different classes. For example, if your in a prole class and you ride in a limo on prom night are you then considered to be in the middle- to high-class range? No, either you or your parents just thought it would be nice if you could take a limo instead of taking the family minivan. On the other hand, what if you are upper-class and you normally drive a McLaren F1, but it has to be put in the shop and you temporarily have to drive a Kia, does this drop you into a lower class? It shouldn’t. No one participates only in activities that fit into one specific social class. Through†¦show more content†¦The independence and supervision would probably put me into the high-prole class. Volunteering at Linwood Gardens Convalescent was something I had to do in the first place, but I began to like it so I continued to go. I assist in activities, transporting residents, reading to them, getting their drinks or whatever else they ask for. I am minimally supervised. The nurses and directors know that I know what the residents can do or have and what they cant do or have, so I have become very independent in the time I have been volunteering there. Again, with high amounts of independence, and minimal supervision this would put me into the high-prole range. I live in a two-story, three bedroom, two bathroom, house located in a nice neighborhood. It has a two car garage but with my Uncle constantly always building a new go-cart, there is no room to park the cars inside the garage. The grass is well kept and there are lots of flowers, chrysanthemums and pink geraniums, which puts me in high-prole. â€Å"There you will see primarily geraniums (red are lower than pink), poinsettias, and chr ysanthemums, and you will know instantly, without even attending to the quality of discourse, that you are looking at a high-prole setup.† (80) My motherShow MoreRelatedSocial Status And Social Class1188 Words   |  5 Pageslong enjoyable life is based on two factors: their social status and their social class. A social status is a person’s importance when it comes to other people. Social class is more directed towards ones finances or wealth. 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The existence of social class and status groups has even been questioned and whether it is a positive or negative thing. This ethnography explores groups of class and how distinctions between individuals on a macro level can affect their micro level interactions in everyday life. The differences between individuals macro distribution would not have any effect if they were not illustrated in everyday micro levelRead MoreSocial Status in Great Expectations1198 Words   |  5 PagesSocial and financial status play a big role in our environment today. The wealthy tend to get more recognition for having more money and the lower class tend to get a bad reputation of being uneducated people who have no rights as citizens. Social status in a large town relates to how well people treat a person and see them as they represent themselves throughout the community. In the book Great Expectations, Charles Dickens explains wealth and popularity in the 1800 s as a key factor of life