Liquid Crystal Displays evolution into the future Essay

Liquid Crystal Displays evolution into the future - Essay Example iversity of Illinois argued with concern about the quality of monitors which by then were television sets used within the main computer producing very low quality pictures which were not well defined and difficult to identify the content and, or follow the programs that were being broadcasted (Adee, 2008, p. 81). Due to evolution of large and colored screens, the quality of pictures improved despite the high power consumption which was mainly as a result of large components with respect to the later versions but smaller compared to the older versions respectively, overheating, the quality became poorer afterwards due to constant overheating hence the need for a different screen monitor with better resolutions to help solve the problems that they had experienced previously with the cathode Ray Tube screens as well (Bellis, 2007, p. 37). This concern led to invention of LCD technology. The term â€Å"plasma† was used in regard to the technology because the pixels that enhance screen resolution depended on plasma cells. A plasma screen is a typical display panel contains millions of tiny plasma cells in compartmentalized spaces between two glass panels which when energized reflects light that focuses on the screen to create a field of view (Delepierre et., al, 2006, p. 30). LCD- This is a fourth state of matter after solid, liquid and gaseous states, which contains definite number of electrically charged particles. However, the interaction between the neutral particles and the charged particles plays a major role in determining the usefulness and the behavior of plasma. As the energized electrons move and vibrate between the two glasses, some of the electrons strike mercury particles moving through the plasma which increases surface area for the energy level in the molecules (Chemistry, 2011, p. 27). Each pixel in a plasma display comprises of three primary colors namely blue, red and green with respect to the IEE regulations, the voltage signal variations within

Marty King Essay Example for Free

Marty King Essay Erik Erikson had numerous contributions to the field of psychology; many of which involved his developmental theory. Erikson has been compared to Sigmund Freud; as both men believed that humans develop in stages. Erikson however, believed Freud to be misguided, as Erikson believed that developmental process is one which occurs throughout one’s lifespan; whereas Freud believed that a human’s personality developed by the age of five (Chen, 2007). Erikson published numerous books on human development; as well as issues including the generation gap, changing sexual roles and racial tensions. This quantitative research paper however, discusses Erikson’s eight stages of development and how each stage correlates with symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Each of Erikson’s eight developmental stages consists of certain elements (crises), which if not resolved will result in negative outcomes. The researcher believes that when crises are not resolved within Erikson’s developmental stages, it predisposes individuals to borderline personality disorder. In order to prove this hypothesis, the researcher will conduct quantitative research on the causes and symptoms of borderline personality disorder and the negative outcomes of Erikson’s eight developmental stages; the phenomenological research will then be compared. Borderline personality disorder has been widely studied over the past several decades; however, there is limited research on what childhood (birth to age eighteen) attributes contribute to the onset of BPD. Approximately two percent (up to ten million) of adults in the U. S. are diagnosed with BPD; accounting for twenty percent of psychiatric hospitalizations (NIMH, 2008); many cases of BPD go undiagnosed. Genetic factors have been primarily studied in the past as the biological cause of BPD; however recent research shows that forty to seventy-one percent of BPD patients were sexually abused as children (NIMH, 2008), approximately seventy-three percent report physical abuse and emotional abuse and neglect are also commonly reported in BPD cases. These statistics indicate that there is reason to believe that childhood trauma could significantly predispose a person to BPD. While research as to the possible causes of BPD has been conducted, the researcher proposes that a quantitative study be conducted in order to collect phenomenological data from various studies, for comparison to Erikson’s eight stages of development. The reason for this strategy is that by comparing the results of numerous studies, the researcher can produce â€Å"the bigger picture†, of what predisposes individuals to BPD; thus increasing the probability of successful recovery. The researcher chose Erikson’s eight developmental stages as model for comparison because the eight crises depicted in this model demonstrate the traumas indicated in many BPD cases. When the eight crises are not resolved, the results correlate with BPD symptoms. The researcher aims to prove that individuals who do not resolve the eight negative crises of Erikson’s developmental model; thus suffering some form of childhood trauma, are predisposed to BPD as adults. As mentioned previously, the information proving this hypothesis can be used to improve treatment options for BDP patients. The researcher for this study would like to see a reduction in hospitalization as a treatment for BPD patients; and instead implement alternative methods, such as assisting patients through Erikson’s eight stages. Assisting patients through the eight stages will allow them to re-learn emotional skills and abilities; such as coping skills. The researcher’s professional background in BPD clinical work has allowed significant insight into the difficulties of BPD treatment. Due to the immense amount of physical and emotional energy needed to work with BPD patients; many professionals tend to provide affirmation of the history of failure and poor coping skills by treating the patient with sympathy instead of empathy. The researcher believes that understanding the reasoning behind BPD patient behavior will improve the patient’s ability to improve poor coping skills. This change in professional behavior will reduce the feelings of being burnt out and tired because the professional will be able to support the success of the patient instead of doing the work for them. Currently, there is an attitudinal barrier between the professional and the patient which results in a failure to understand the condition of BPD. The researcher hopes to promote an understanding of BPD patient behavior; behaviors which many clinical professionals find exasperating. In increasing understanding of the development of BPD behaviors, clinicians will be better equipped to work with patients in an inclusive partnership rather than feeling they are exceeding appropriate boundaries. Literature Review Erikson’s Eights Stages of Development The â€Å"Eight Stages of Development†, the process of socialization, were developed by Erik Erikson in 1956 (Child Institute Center, n. d. ). Erikson had extensive experience in psychotherapy; including children and teens of all social classes. Erikson believed that each stage presented a â€Å"psychosocial crisis† in which an individual must experience, learn and resolve in order to successfully manage the next step. Erikson’s eight stages are represented in Figure 1. The eight stages are based on the â€Å"interaction of three different systems: the Somatic system, the ego system, and the societal system† (Keenan, p. 22, 2002). The somatic system refers to the biological processes of human functioning. The ego system are the central thinking and reasoning processes (2002); and the societal system is the process an individual goes through as he becomes integrated into his society. Erikson believed that the eight stages occurred in order and each stage represented a crisis which had to be resolved by the individual. Whether the crisis was completed successfully or not would be the deciding factor on how successful the next stage would be. If the crisis was not mastered, then the individual would be ill prepared to deal with the next stage of development; this trend would continue throughout all the stages. Erikson did believe that the eight stages were relevant throughout life and that he linked a crisis to each stage because that is when the crisis was most salient (Cohen, 2007). Oral-Sensory Stage. In this first stage (trust/mistrust), the first year of life is defined as the time for building trust; this is accomplished by the infant learning trust through the parent or caregiver’s actions and responses to the infant’s needs. Feeding is the focal point of Erikson’s first stage; when the child cries for food, the parent will feed and comfort the infant. If the child is neglected, he will learn to be mistrustful. Erikson also believed if trust was not established in the first stage, the child could become â€Å"frustrated, withdrawn, suspicious, and will lack self-confidence† (Sharkey, 1997). Muscular-Anal Stage. The second stage (autonomy/doubt) consists of ages one through two years old. During this stage the child is face with the development of self-control which is accomplished by a supportive atmosphere. If basic trust was not developed in stage one, the child will have difficulty in establishing self control in stage two, resulting in a lack of self-esteem (Sharkey, 1997). If the parent is too controlling, or does not provide enough structure the child can become doubtful of himself and the environment around him.

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome Genetics

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome Genetics Progeria is a rare, fatal, sporadic, autosomal dominant syndrome that involves premature aging, generally leading to death at approximately 13 years of age due to myocardial infarction or stroke. The genetic basis of most cases of this syndrome is a change from glycine GGC to glycine GGT in codon 608 of the lamin A (LMNA) gene, which activates a cryptic splice donor site to produce abnormal lamin A; this disrupts the nuclear membrane and alters transcription. Mutations in the Lamin A: To date, models have been proposed to explain how mutations in the lamin A gene could lead to HGPS, structural fragility and altered gene expression. One model links HGPS to stem cell-driven tissue regeneration. In this model, nuclear fragility of lamin A-deficient cells increases apoptotic cell death to levels that exhaust tissues ability for stem cell-driven regeneration. Tissue-specific differences in cell death or regenerative potential, or both, result in the tissue-specific segmental aging pattern seen in HGPS. Children born with HGPS typically appear normal at birth, but within a year they begin to display the effects of accelerated aging. Typical facial features include micrognathia (small jaw), craniofacial disproportion, alopecia (loss of hair), and prominent eyes and scalp veins. Children experience delayed growth and are short in stature and below average weight. Due to a lack of subcutaneous fat, skin appears wrinkled and aged looking. Other key abnormalities include delayed dentition, a thin and high pitched voice, a pyriform (pear-shaped) thorax, and a horse riding stance. As they mature, the disorder causes children to age about a decade for every year of their life. This means that by the age of 10, an affected child would have the same respiratory, cardiovascular, and arthritic conditions as a senior citizen. On average, death occurs at the age of 13. HGPS vs. Inheritance HGPS had been proposed to be a recessive disorder due to observations of affected individuals found in consanguineous families. However, many cases of progeria were also observed in families in which the parents were not related, suggesting sporadic autosomal dominant inheritance, which has been confirmed with the discovery of the causative mutations. Others have reported the presence of various chromosomal abnormalities, such as an inverted insertion in the long arm of chromosome 1, as possible contributing factors to the disease. These cytogenetic clues proved to be critical for discovery of the HGPS gene. HGPS vs. Genetics After many years of appreciating that HGPS was caused by genetic rather than by environmental factors, researchers took the first steps in isolating genetic mutations that cause HGPS. A team centered at the National Human Genome Research Institute in Maryland, under the direction of Francis Collins, initiated their search with a genome-wide scan. Using 403 polymorphic microsatellite markers, the investigators found no evidence of homozygosity in 12 individuals with classical HGPS. However, two individuals showed uniparental isodisomy of chromosome 1q, and one had a 6Mb paternal interstitial deletion in 1q. From this observation, the investigators concluded that the HGPS gene must lie within a 4.82Mb region on chromosome 1q. This region contains approximately 80 known genes, including Lmna. Lmna and Types A-type and B-type lamins (Type V intermediate filaments) are the main components of the nuclear lamina, the innermost layer of the nuclear envelope. The nuclear lamina in mammalian cells is a thin (20-50 nm) protein meshwork that interacts with various proteins and chromatin and is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the nuclear envelope, the protective barrier between the cytoplasm and nucleus. Cell studies of HGPS patients Immunofluorescence studies with antibodies against lamin A/C were performed using fibroblasts from HGPS subjects and their parents. The results showed structural nuclear abnormalities in 48% of HGPS cells compared with

All about star wars :: essays research papers

Star Wars, by George Lucas, is an excellent movie. This movie is filled with archetypal and mythic patterns , and the ideas represented in the film are essential ingredients to human emotion . The most obvious idea represented by the movie is religion. Good versus Evil, Light versus Dark, and the Rebels versus the Empire -- these are all spiritual overtones in the elaborate story line. The religious connections become apparent when aspects of the movie are analyzed. Star Wars opens with a deserted desert planet where the viewer is introduced to the main character, Luke Skywalker, and his aunt and uncle. Luke is a young kid who yearns for adventure, he is gifted with a strong grasp of "The Force", a mystical ability to manipulate the environment with one’s mind. At first, Luke is unaware of his gift, and unsure of his beliefs. He is guided by a old wise man named Obi-Wan Kenobi, A once Jedi Knight. Jedi Knights were once the protectors of the galaxy but are all but extinct. Obi-Wan provides guidance for the young Skywalker, teaching him how to use his gift for good. Once Luke lets go of his mental block, and is able to feel the force, Obi-Wan tells him "You've taken your first step into a larger world." The force is a religion that is not only an idea, but seems to have physical properties to it. It's all powerful, like a God, but yet the Jedi have found a way to interact with it. The force is balanced between good and evil, providing room in the galaxy for both. Obi-wan describes the force as "†¦what gives the Jedi his power... It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, it penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.† Also on the good side of The Force, there are the Rebels, and Princess Leia. It is interesting to note that all of the foot soldiers of the Rebel Alliance wear helmets which are open faced, so that the viewer can see the face of the rebel, and humanize them. Princess Leia represents the damsel in distress that is held captive by the evil lord, Darth Vader. The Princess is dressed in a white gown to show innocence, purity, and truth. There are also characters in Star Wars that are somewhat neutral when it comes to The Force.

Allelopathy

Allelopathic potential of crop residues for weed management in wheat under semi-arid conditions of Pakistan Muhammad Ashraf Professor of Agronomy, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. [email  protected] com RATIONALE †¢ Rainfed Wheat- Main winter crop grown by about 80% of the farmers on residual soil moisture, received during monsoon1. †¢ Weeds infestation- a major yield reducing factor (25-30%v); †¢ If weeds are controlled, crop yield can be enhanced by about 37%2. 1 Khaliq et al. , 2007) 2 (Bibi et al. , 2005). Cont†¦..Existing Weed Control systems: †¢ Traditional weed control methods (Hand weeding) are time consuming, weather dependent and labor intensive1 ; + Socio-economic issues:[small land holdings, family size =8, poverty, migration to cities] †¢ Herbicides use is limited in drylands + these are expensive with Environmental hazards2; Reduced Nutritive value of many crops 3 and Herbicide resistance4. 1 (Naveed et al. , 2008) 2 (Mancini et al. , 2008) 3 (Nazarko et al. , 2003). Cont†¦.. †¢ WM programs should focus on environmental safety along with benefits to the farmers. Alternate weed management systems need to be developed aimed to control weeds and raise the income of resource-poor farmers (increased crop yields) without despoiling the natural resource base. ALTERNATE WEED MANAGEMENT OPTIONS †¢ Allelopathy ? a mechanism of plant interference1 is a natural, inexpensive, environmentally safe and an organic approach to control weeds and increase crop yields while conserving the ecosystem2. †¢ Sorghum is highly allelopathic3 †¢ Sorghum residue may be effectively used to manage some of the important weeds in rainfed wheat without affecting crop in semi-arid environment4. (Weston, 2005) 2 (Inderjit and Duke, 2003) 1 (Weston and Duke, 2003) 2 (Inderjit and Duke, 2003) Cont†¦.. †¢ Water Extracts of different plant parts have different allelopathic potential 1. †¢ Sunf lower – possessed weed suppression ability 2 . †¢ The combination of two or more allelopathic aqueous extracts may act synergistically and cause more phyto-toxic effect on weeds 3. †¢ Mixing and applying sunflower and sorghum residue water extract (WE) may increase the spectrum of phytotoxic effects and may result in synergistic phytotoxic influences on weeds growth. 1 (Ben-Hammouda, et al. 001; Chung, et al. , 2003; Roth et al. , 2000) 2 (Bertholdsson, 2004; Singh et al. , 2001 ) 3 (Duke et al. , 2000; Cheema et al. , 2010) Cont†¦.. OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH Overall objective: Evaluate the use of allelopathic crop residue collected from summer crop plants grown under drought and mineral stress conditions for weed management in wheat in semi-arid areas of Pakistan: Specific Objectives: †¢ Test water extracts (WE)of different plant parts of sorghum residue for weeds suppression in wheat. †¢ Evaluate the effects of sorghum residue mulch and sorghum WE for weed management in wheat. Investigate the influence of sole and combined sorghum and sunflower WE spray on weeds in wheat. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS †¢ Location: Three experiments were conducted at University Research Farm, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (33o 46 N, 73o 08 E). / / †¢ ~500 m above the sea level †¢ Experimental years: successive Rabi (winter) seasons from 2007-2010. Cont†¦.. †¢ Environmental Characterization: Climate Rainfall and ET o 200 160 Rainfall and ET0 (mm) 160 143 120 ETo 80 40 0 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr Rain 140 121 Mean Monthly Rainfall (mm) 20 100 80 67 60 40 26 57 56 Sever Stress Period 27 21 7 15 39 43 20 0 Month Rainfall Distribution (1977-11) Source: Soil and water conservation Research Institute, Chakwal, Pakistan Growing Season Rainfall Period Monthly rain (mm) Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April Total 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Long-term Av. (1977-07) 0 42 30 0 166 147 14 20 7 15 27 39 56 43 Soil charact eristics †¢ Rawal soil series (Inceptisol-silty-clay-loam, Typic Ustochrept USDA classification and Calcaric Cambisols FAO classification scheme) with †¢ Organic matter 0. 5%. †¢ pH 7. 40 †¢ Ece 3 dSm-1 Cont†¦.. Weed Flora †¢ Anagallis arvensis L. (Blue pimfernal), †¢ Chenopodium album L. (Lambs quarter), †¢ Fumaria indica L. (Fumitory), †¢ Medicago polymorpha L. (Bur clover) †¢ Avena fatua L. (Wild oat), †¢ Convolvulus arvensis L. (Field bindweed), †¢ Medicago denticulata L. (Denticulate Medick), †¢ Rumex dentatus L. (Toothed dock) and †¢ Melilotus indica L. (Sweet clover) The experimental area was free of noxious and perennial weed species. Treatments (Exp-1) †¢ Control (Un-weeded check) WE: Water extract Hand weeding at 60 days after sowing (DAS) †¢ Herbicide (Logron) @ 250 g ha-1 at 60 DAS †¢ Sorghum root WE spray @ 10 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS †¢ Sorghum stem WE spray @ 10 L ha-1 at 60 and 8 0 DAS †¢ Sorghum leaf WE spray @ 10 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS †¢ Sorghum stem + root WE @ 5+5 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS †¢ Sorghum stem + leaf WE @ 5+5 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS †¢ Sorghum root + leaf WE @ 5+5 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Treatments (Exp-2) WE: Water extract †¢ Control (Un-weeded check) †¢ Hand weeding at 50 and 80 DAS †¢ Sorghum mulch @ 5 Mg ha-1 (Soil incorporated) †¢ Sorghum mulch @ 10 Mg ha-1 Soil incorporated) †¢ Sorghum WE @ 10 L ha-1 at 50 DAS. †¢ Sorghum WE @ 10 L ha-1 at 50 and 80 DAS. †¢ Sorghum WE @ 20 L ha-1 at 50 DAS. †¢ Sorghum WE @ 20 L ha-1 at 50 and 80 DAS Treatments (Exp-3) †¢ Control (Un-weeded check) WE: Water extract †¢ Sunflower WE @ 20 L ha-1 at 50 DAS †¢ Sorghum WE @ 20 L ha-1 at 50 DAS †¢ Sunflower WE + sorghum WE @ 10 +10 L ha-1 at 50 DAS †¢ Sunflower WE @ 20 L ha-1 at 50 and 80 DAS †¢ Sorghum WE @ 20 L ha-1 at 50 and 80 DAS †¢ Sunflower WE + sorghum WE @ 10 + 10 L ha-1 at 50 and 80 DASResearch Methodology: Preparation of water extract †¢ Sunflower and sorghum plants were harvested at maturity, grains were separated and residue was sundried and chaffed with fodder cutter into 2 cm pieces. †¢ Chaffed residue was soaked in de-ionized water in 1:10 (1 kg each of herbage in 10 L of water) in separate containers for 24 h at room temperature to prepare water extract (WE) . †¢ WE from respective containers were obtained by filtering the mixture through a screen. The volume of respective filtrate was reduced twenty times by continuously boiling at 100 0C to prepare water extract (Cheema and Khaliq, 2000). Sowing and cultural practices †¢ Seedbed was prepared by giving four cultivations each followed by planking. †¢ Fertilizer @ 125- kg N and P2O5 ha-1 was applied at the time of seedbed preparation. †¢ Wheat cv. ‘Inqilab-91’ was seeded @125 kg ha-1 was during November with a single row hand drill in ro ws 30 cm apart. Layout design: RCBD with 4R; Eight rows 30 cm apart per treatment were maintained in plot size of 7. 0 x 2. 4 m. †¢ The wheat variety, sowing time, layout plan and other cultural practices were almost same for every year. Measures: Weeds †¢ Weed density †¢ Weed dry weight (biomass) Wheat †¢ Spike length (cm), †¢ Spikelets spike-1 †¢ Grains spike-1 †¢ Fertile tillers m-2 †¢ 1000-grain weight. Statistical analysis The data were subjected to analysis of variance technique. F-statistic was based on residual mean square error.The LSD at 5% level of probability was used for comparison of treatment means (Montgomery, 2001). RESULTS & DISCUSSION Experiment # 1 Phyto-toxic effects of root, stem and leaf water extract of mature sorghum on Weeds density & Dry weight Treatments Control (Un-weeded check) Hand weeding at 60 DAS Exp-1 Weed density ( m-2) 80 DAS 105 DAS Weeds dry weight (g m-2) 80 DAS 105 DAS 147 a 79 d (-46*) 132 a 78 f (-41) 36. 7 g (-72) 102 c (-22) 112 b (-15) 113 b (-14 88 e (-33) 94 de (-29) 102 cd (-23) 8. 52 2 a 12 e (-45) 5. 5 f (-75) 18 cd (-16) 20 b (-8) 20 b (-8) 17 d (-22) 17 cd (-20) 19 bc (-14) 1. 54 27 a 17 e (-38) 8. 77 f (-67) 21 c (-21) 24 b (-11) 23 b (-14) 18 e (-34) 20 d (-27) 27 c (-20) 1. 57 Herbicide (Logron) @ 250 g ha-1 34 e (-77) at 60 DAS Sorghum root WE spray @ 10 L 117 c (-21) ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum stem WE spray @ 10 L 129 b (-12) ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum leaf WE spray @ 10 L 127 b (-14) ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum stem + root [email  protected] 5+5 L 113 c (-23) ha-1 at 60 and 80DAS Sorghum stem + leaf [email  protected] 5+5 L 111 c (-24) ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum root + leaf WE @ 5+ 5 121 bc (-18) L ha-1 60 and 80 DAS LSD (0. 05) 10. 41 * Figures in parenthesis show % decrease in weed density/dry weight compared to control. Effect of root, stem and leaf water extract of mature sorghum on yield components and wheat grain yield Treatments Control (Un- weeded check) Tillers (m-2) Spike length (cm) Spikelet # spike-1 Grains # 1000-Grain spike-1 weight (g) Exp-1Grain yield (T ha-1) 345e Hand weeding at 60 DAS 396b Herbicide (Logron) @ 250 g 427a ha-1 at 60 DAS Sorghum root WE spray @ 10 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum stem WE spray @ 10 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum leaf WE spray @ 10 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum stem + root [email  protected] 5+5 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum stem + leaf [email  protected] 5+5 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS Sorghum root + leaf WE @ 5+ 5 L ha-1 60 and 80 DAS LSD (0. 05) 9. 0e 10. 3abcd 11. 2a 10. 0bcde 9. 5de 9. 8cde 10. 9 ab 10. abc 10. 7 abc 1. 03 20. 7 21. 0 20. 9 21. 1 20. 5 21. 1 20. 2 21. 0 20. 2 – 41. 7c 47. 3ab 49. 4a 48. 8ab 47. 3ab 46. 1b 49. 0ab 48. 0ab 48. 0ab 3. 04 32. 5e 33. 7d 34. 6bc 35. 6a 33. 6d 33. 1de 36. 0a 33. 9cd 35. 2ab 0. 90 2. 76f 3. 2bc (+18) 3. 5a (+26) 3. 1cde (+12) 3. 0de 2. 9ef (+8) (+6) 365cde 353de 349e 357de 385bc 376bcd 54. 45 3. 3ab (+20) 3. 3abc (+19) 3. 2bcd (+14) 213. 2 * Figures in parenthesis show % decrease in weed density/dry weight compared to control.FINDINGS FROM EXPERIMENT # 1: †¢ Sorghum stem + root [email  protected] 5+5 L ha-1 at 60 and 80 DAS treatment caused 33% reduction in weed density and dry weight by about; †¢ This reduction was 41% in hand weeding and 72% by the application of Logron @ 250 g ha-1 at 60 DAS †¢ The increase in grain yield in stem + root and stem + leaf WE treatments were statistically same as in hand weeding and herbicide application. Cont†¦.. Experiment # 2 RESULTS & DISCUSSIONFINDINGS FROM EXPERIMENT # 2: †¢ Data showed that incorporation of sorghum herbage mulch @ 10 Mg ha-1 and twotimes sprays of Sorghum water extract @ 20 L ha-1 at 50 and 80 DAS decreased weeds density by about 42%, and weeds dry weight by 34%, respectively compared to control measured at 95DAS. †¢ Maximum increase (33%) in wheat grain yield was recorded in plots where two times Sorghum WE @ 20 L ha-1 was sprayed at 50 and 80 DAS over control. Cont†¦.. Experiment # 3 RESULTS & DISCUSSIONFINDING FROM EXPERIMENT # 3: †¢ Sorghum water extract was more effective than sunflower water extract and combination of both these extracts performed better than their sole application. Cont†¦.. CONCLUSION I. Stem + root water extract suppressed weed density by 33% over control i. e. about half of the effects of herbicide â€Å"Logron† application (72%) in wheat. The increase in grain yield in stem + root and stem + leaf WE treatments was statistically at par with hand weeding and herbicide application.Although root WE alone and in combination with stem or leaf WE was more effective in suppressing weeds and improving wheat yields but using whole plant sorghum herbage seems more practicable. II. Incorporation of sorghum herbage mulch @ 10 Mg ha-1 and two times sprays of sorghum WE @ 20 L ha-1 at 50 and 80 DAS decreased weeds density by about 42%, and weeds dry weig ht by 34%, respectively compared to control measured at 95 DAS. Maximum increase in wheat grain yield by 33% over control was recorded in plots where two times sorghum WE @ 20 L ha-1 was sprayed at 50 and 80 DAS.III. Sorghum WE was more effective than sunflower WE and mixture of sorghum and sunflower reduced weed density and weed dry weight by 27% and 26% over control respectively, and increased wheat yields by 48% over control. RECOMMENDATION †¢ The mixture of preceding allelopathic crop herbage use as mulch or water extract for weed management both for summer and winter crops need to be further investigated under different ecological zones of Pakistan. Muhammad Ashraf Professor of Agronomy [email  protected] com

Consumer Traits and Behavior Paper

The practice of making a purchase or the influence of purchasing habits consists of several unseen processes. Most of these processes consist of consumer traits, social, psychological, decision, and behavior processes, which are in need of research. Organized study has gathered several theories and reasons concerning how, and why consumer traits and behavior have influence concerning the purchasing process. The consumer psychologist propose that each purchase made by consumers are in a number of ways influenced by components, such as cultural influences, psychological, and social processes, internal, and external factors. Consumers of today are demonstrating a desire for fresh products and services. Because of these desires, doors of opportunity are opened for consumers, marketing providers, and businesses to approve or disapprove new concepts. Organizations will need to conduct nationwide research concerning the consumer’s behavior, and his or her decision- making processes. The research will support a variety of roles and ideas for product development. A successful marketer understands the numerous causes, motivation, and influences of consumer purchasing. A psychological process occurs in the minds of individuals, and usually affects the individuals’ behavior. Concerning this topic, psychological process determines the consumer’s behavior. The team member will discuss three psychological processes, and three social processes. The team member will begin with psychological processes. Motivation: The internal force that encourages the consumer to take certain actions, Memory: Consumers use this process to store, acquire, retain, and retrieve information sometimes later. Perception: by perception, consumers interpret, and organize sensations that affect him or her, and important to his or her lives. A social process occurs in an individuals’ life or surroundings. An individuals’ social life may affect his or her patterns of behavior and interactions. Social influence processes include: Family and role influences: How individuals are raised and family roles often determine how he or she responds to the environment. Opinion leaders: Individuals are usually affected by those who influenced his or her life. Culture: Individuals may acquire similar or different interests, or likes. The importance of understanding consumer motivation will help businesses to develop marketing strategies that work. Businesses can communicate with his or her customer in ways that highlight his or her most valuable attributes. A successful business relies upon its capability to draw and keep customers, eager to buy goods and services at costs that will profit the business. Consumer perception explains how consumers and probable consumers view other companies, and his or her goods and service. Consumer perception becomes significant for a business because it can influence the customer’s behavior, which eventually affects the businesses profits. A variety of businesses spend huge quantities of capital to persuade customer awareness. Consumer perception can most times determine success or failure for a business. An example of this consists of an individual who own his or her restaurant, and the restaurant has a reputation for serving good food. The general perception would indicate that everyone should eat at this particular restaurant because it serves the best foods in town. This perception could boost revenue for the restaurant, but on the other hand if consumers had a negative perception about the restaurant, it could hinder profits. Consumer memory allows consumers to remember and identify information for future use. Therefore, memory plays an important role concerning the decision- making process of consumers, by moving his or her awareness and remembrance of marketing information. Consumers used information stored in his or her memory knowingly and unknowingly when making decisions. These decisions range from what brand and flavor of soda to drink or what manufacture, and type of car to purchase. By understanding these important processes marketers can better prepare to market new product and services to consumers.

Amul: Deary Cooperative in India Essay

Abstract In this paper we describe a case study of a dairy cooperative, AMUL, in western India that has developed a successful model for doing business in large emerging economy. It has been primarily responsible, through its innovative practices, for India to become world’s largest producer of milk. A subset of strategies followed by AMUL would still be very useful. Thus, firms that are contemplating addressing large undeveloped markets or have an intention of taking advantage of extensive but marginal supplier base would still benefit. Introduction The Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited was established on December 14, 1946 as a response to exploitation of marginal milk producers in the city of Anand (in Kaira district of the western state of Gujarat in India) by traders or agents of existing dairies. Producers had to travel long distances to deliver milk to the only dairy, the Polson Dairy in Anand – often milk went sour, especially in the summer season, as producers had to physically carry milk in individual containers. These agents decided the prices and the off-take from the farmers by the season. Milk is a commodity that has to be collected twice a day from each cow/buffalo. In winter, the producer was either left with surplus unsold milk or had to sell it at very low prices. Moreover, the government at that time had given monopoly rights to Polson Dairy (around that time Polson was the most well known butter brand in the country) to collect milk from Anand and supply to Bombay city in tu rn (about 400 kilometers away). India ranked nowhere amongst milk producing countries in the world in 1946. The producers of Kaira district took advice of the nationalist leaders, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (who later became the first Home Minister of free India) and Morarji Desai (who later become the Prime Minister of India). They advised the farmers to form a cooperative and supply directly to the Bombay Milk Scheme instead of selling it to Polson (who did the same but gave low prices to the producers). Thus the Kaira District Cooperative was established to collect and process milk in the district of Kaira. Milk collection was also decentralized, as most producers were marginal farmers who would deliver 1-2 litres of milk per day. Village level cooperatives were established to organize the marginal milk producers in each of these villages. The first modern dairy of the Kaira Union was established at Anand (which popularly came to be known as AMUL dairy after its brand name). The new plant had the capacity to pasteurise 300,000 pounds of milk per day, manufacture 10,000 pounds of butter pe r day, 12,500 pounds of milk powder per day and 1,200 pounds of casein per day. Indigenous R&D and technology development at the Cooperative had led to the successful production of skimmed milk powder from buffalo milk – the first time on a commercial scale anywhere in the world. The foundations of a modern dairy industry in India had just been laid as India had one of the largest buffalo populations in the world. We move to year 2000. The dairy industry in India and particularly in the State of Gujarat looks very different. India has emerged as the largest milk producing country in the world. Gujarat emerges as the most successful State in terms of milk and milk product production through its cooperative dairy movement. The Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited, Anand becomes the focal point of dairy development in the entire region and AMUL emerges as one of the most recognized brands in India, ahead of many international brands. Starting with a single shared plant at Anand and two village cooperative societies for milk procurement, the dairy cooperative movement in the State of Gujarat had evolved into a network of 2.12 million milk producers (called farmers) who are organized in 10,411 milk collection independent cooperatives (called Village Societies). These Village Societies (VS) supply milk to thirteen independent dairy cooperatives (called Unions). AMUL is one such Union. Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation or GCMMF is the marketing entity for products of all Unions in the State of Gujarat. GCMMF has 42 regional distribution centers in India, serves over 500,000 retail outlets and exports to more than 15 countries. All these organizations are independent legal entities yet loosely tied together with a common destiny. In a recent survey GCMMF was ranked amongst the top ten FMCG firms in the country while AMUL was rated the second most recognized brand in India amongst all Indian and MNC offerin gs. 2nd Phase: In 1966, Amul hired Sylvester daCunha, then managing director of the advertising agency AS to design a new ad campaign for Amul Butter. daCunha designed an add campaign as series of hoardings with topical ads, relating to day-to-day issues.[14]The campaign was widely popular and earned a Guiness world record for the longest running ad campaign in the world. Since the 1980s, cartoon artist Bharat Dabholkarhas been involved with sketching the Amul ads, who rejected the trend of using celebrities in advertisement campaigns. Despite encountering political pressure on several occasions, daCunha’s agency has made it a policy of not backing down. Some of the more controversial Amul ads include one commenting on Naxalite uprising in West Bengal, on the Indian Airlines employees strike, and the one depicting the Amul butter girl wearing a Gandhi cap. Amul hired DraftFCB+Ulka for the brands of Amul milk, chocolates, paneer, ghee, ice-cream. The establishment of Amul is also known as White Revolution. The White Revolution of India inspired the notable Indian film-makerShyam Benegal to base his film Manthan (1976) on it. The White Revolution ushered an era of plenty from a measly amount of milk production and distribution. Aside from the great measurable success that this project was, it also demonstrated the power of â€Å"collective might†. A small set of poor farmers of Kheda district in Gujarat had the vision and foresight to act in a way that was good for the society and not for the self alone. There have been several factors driving the restructuring of the dairy business (which has chiefly been organized around cooperative principles). These include efficiencies in managing fewer large plants versus a number of under-utilized small plants, need for more milk supply (and declining membership), need to offer wide variety, improvements in trucking & milk handling thereby facilitating long hauls, opening of new international markets (also markets for new products), seeking marketing clout and need to bring investment from outside the cooperatives. AMUL in India has learnt from many experiences and has been influenced by practices in dairies around the world especially in its formative years. It has, however, formed it own organizational structure (i.e., AMUL is a cooperative of village cooperatives) to bring about a change in the lives of marginal farmers of India. The AMUL experience has attracted considerable interest from the development community – predominantly an thropologists, development & agriculture economists, and political scientists. Key areas of their enquiry have been the role of AMUL in reducing social and economic inequality in the region of the cooperative, the sociology of cooperation, interface of the dairy cooperative and the rural power structure, relation of the State and the Cooperative and the role of government in its growth (interestingly, AMUL has successfully managed to exercise its independence from the government unlike other cooperatives in India), elements & replicability of the cooperative movement at Anand, cost effectiveness of subsidies to AMUL (in its initial years) etc. A few studies have evaluated the operational effectiveness of the operations at AMUL. Studies have reported usage of mobile veterinary dispensaries, wireless sets to link mobile units to service centers as early 1951, developing a programme of cross breeding of cows in early 1970s etc. that have led to a phenomenal rise in productivity of milk (Patel, 1988). AMUL’s Journey towards Excellence AMUL’s journey towards excellence is marked by some critical understanding of the business environment in large emerging economies like India where markets have to be developed by combining efficiency related initiatives with increasing the base of marginal suppliers and consumers. The essence of AMUL’s efforts were as follows: †¢ It combined market and social development in an emerging economy. It recognized the inter-linkages between various environments that governed the lives of marginal milk farmers and the unmet needs of consumers. It also changed the supply chain paradigm in order to reduce the cost to the consumer while increasing the return to the supplier. †¢ It realized that in order to achieve their objectives, it had to benefit a large number of people – both suppliers and consumers. While large scale had the danger of failure due to poor control and required more resources, it also had the advantage of creating a momentum that would be necessary to bring more people into the fold and thereby help more suppliers and consumers. †¢ It also realized that its goal could only be achieved in the long run and this required developing values in people and processes that were robust, replicable and transparent. †¢ It also realized that the cooperative would not be independent and viable in the face of competition if it were not financially sound. Leadership While Kaira Union (or AMUL) had the support of national leaders who were at the forefront of the Indian independence movement, its local leaders were trained in Gandhian simplicity and had their feet rooted firmly amongst people whom they had mobilized – the poor farmers of Anand. The foremost amongst them was Tribhuvandas Patel who had led the movement for the formation of cooperatives of small and marginal farmers in order to compete against investor owned enterprises on one hand, and keep bureaucracy away on the other hand. Tribhuvandas was the first Chairman of the cooperative. His skills lay in organizing the village producers, in making them believe in the power of cooperation and their rights towards improvement of human condition. He is remembered as fair and honest person whose highest sense of accountability to the members of the union laid the foundation of trust between network members. Another important aspect of his remarkable management style was his gentleness and ability to repose trust in people – he gave complete autonomy to managers of the union and earned complete commitment from them. Verghese Kurien was one such manager who would, first, shape the destiny of the Union and then the milk movement throughout the country. Several young people left better paying jobs to help create a dream of making India the milk capital of the world. Kurien had learnt the persuasive charm of Tribhuvandas through plain speaking and had soon created a cadre of highly capable managers to whom he had delegated both management as well as commitment. These leaders were created at the village, district and state levels in different organizations of the network. Tribhuvandas knew that his fledgling cooperative needed a technocrat manager who shared his concern for the farmers and also had the tenacity to organize marginal producers. Convincing farmers to join the cooperative required commitment bordering on stubbornness, a can do attitude and a desire to change lives of poor people. Verghese Kurien had those skills and had linkages to the government. He was charismatic in his communication and committed in his effort. Over a period of time, he developed a very close link with the poor farmers who, as he always says, â€Å"w ere his employers† at the cooperative. He would travel through the villages along with Tribhuvandas and work out the details of how the milk collection cooperative would work, how trucks would pickup milk from village societies, how the cattle would have to be taken care of and how all of this would help the poor milk farmer come out of poverty and the clutches of the middleman. Operational details were meticulously planned and executed. And then, he along with two of his close associates would work on the design of the dairy plant including conducting experiments to create powder out of buffalo milk – a task that was ridiculed by all who heard of it including the international aid agencies in the dairy industry. Tribhuvandas and Kurien were able to convince the government also of the value of his efforts and secured funding for several projects of the cooperative. Kurien’s biggest strength lay in his ability to convince people that the cause of rural farmers was important thus establishing an important shar ed value. Subsequently, he could convince the government to replicate the AMUL model in almost all states of the country. Strategy AMUL’s business strategy is driven by its twin objectives of (i) long-term, sustainable growth to its member farmers, and (ii) value proposition to a large customer base by providing milk and other dairy products a low price. Its strategy, which evolved over time, comprises of elements described below. Simultaneous Development of Suppliers and Customers: From the very early stages of the formation of AMUL, the cooperative realized that sustained growth for the long-term was contingent on matching supply and demand. Further, given the primitive state of the market and the suppliers of milk, their development in a synchronous manner was critical for the continued growth of the industry. The organization also recognized that in view of the poor infrastructure in India, such development could not be left to market forces and proactive interventions were required. Accordingly, AMUL and GCMMF adopted a number of strategies to assure such growth. For example, at the time AMUL was formed, the vast majority of consumers had limited purchasing power and was value conscious with very low levels of consumption of milk and other dairy products. Thus, AMUL adopted a low price strategy to make their products affordable and guarantee value to the consumer. The success of this strategy is well recognized and remains the main plank of AMUL’s strategy even today. To summarize, the dual strategy of simultaneous development of the market and member farmers has resulted in parallel growth of demand and supply at a steady pace and in turn assured the growth of the industry over an extended period of time. Cost Leadership: AMUL’s objective of providing a value proposition to a large customer base led naturally to a choice of cost leadership position. Given the low purchasing power of the Indian consumer and the marginal discretionary spending power, the only viable option for AMUL was to price its products as low as possible. This in turn led to a focus on costs and had significant implications for managing its operations and supply chain practices (described later). Focus on Core Activities: In view of its small beginnings and limited resources, it became clear fairly early that AMUL would not be in a position to be an integrated player from milk production to delivery to the consumer. Accordingly, it chose a strategy to focus on core dairy activities and rely on third parties for other complementary needs. This philosophy is reflected in almost all phases of AMUL network spanning R&D, production, collection, processing, marketing, distribution, retailing etc. For example, AMUL focused on processing of liquid milk and conversion to variety of dairy products and associated research and development. On the other hand, logistics of milk collection and distribution of products to customers was managed through third parties. However, it played a proactive role in making support services available to its members wherever it found that markets for such services were not developed. For example, in the initial stages, its small and marginal member farmers did not have access to finance, veterinary service, knowledge of basic animal husbandry etc. Thus to assure continued growth in milk production and supply, AMUL actively sought and worked with partners to provide these required services. Managing Third Party Service Providers: Well before the ideas of core competence and the role of third parties in managing the supply chain were recognized and became fashionable, these concepts were practiced by GCMMF and AMUL. From the beginning, it was recognized that the core activity for the Unions lay in processing of milk and production of dairy products. Accordingly, the Unions focused efforts on these activities and related technology development. Marketing efforts (including brand development) were assumed by GCMMF. All other activities were entrusted to third party service providers. These include logistics of milk collection, distribution of dairy products, sale of products through dealers and retail stores, some veterinary services etc. It is worth noting that a number of these third parties are not in the organized sector, and many are not professionally managed. Hence, while third parties perform the activities, the Unions and GCMMF have developed a number of mechanisms to retain control and assure quality and timely deliveries (see the sub-section on Coordination for Competitiveness later in the paper for more details). This is particularly critical for a perishable product such as liquid milk. Financial Strategy: AMUL’s finance strategy is driven primarily by its desire to be self-reliant and thus depend on internally generated resources for funding its growth and development. This choice was motivated by the relatively underdeveloped financial markets with limited access to funds, and the reluctance to depend on Government support and thus be obliged to cede control to bureaucracy. AMUL’s financial strategy may thus be characterized by two elements: (a) retention of surplus to fund growth and development, and (b) limited/ no credit, i.e., all transactions are essentially cash only. For example, payment for milk procured by village societies is in cash and within 12 hours of procurement (most, however, pay at the same time as the receipt of milk). Similarly, no dispatches of finished products are made without advance payment from distributors etc. This was particularly important, given the limited liquidity position of farmer/suppliers and the absence of banking facilities in rural India. This strategy strongly helped AMUL implement its own vision of growth and development. It is important to mention that many of the above approaches were at variance with industry practices of both domestic and MNC competitors of AMUL. Organization AMUL is organized as a cooperative of cooperatives (i.e., each village society, a cooperative in itself, is a member of the AMUL cooperative) thereby deriving the advantage of scale and uniformity in decision making. The founders of Kaira Union realized that to fulfill their objectives, a large number of marginal farmers had to benefit from the cooperative – a network of stakeholders had to be built. And once built, it had to grow so as to draw more rural poor to undertake dairy farming as a means of livelihood. The network had to have several layers – the organizational network where the voice of the owners governed all decisions, a physical network of support services and product delivery process and a network of small farmers that could deliver the benefit of a large corporation in the market place. More importantly, a process had to be put in place to build these networks. Building an organizational network that would represent the farmers and the customers was the most complicated task. A loose confederation was developed with GCMMF representing the voice of the customers, the Unions representing the milk processors and the village societies representing the farmers. Competition in the markets ensured that the entire network was responding to the requirements of the customers at prices that were very competitive. The task of ensuring that returns to the farmers was commensurate with the objectives with which the cooperatives were setup was achieved through representation of farmers at different levels of decision making throughout the network – the board of directors of societies, Unions and the Federation comprised farmers themselves. In order to ensure that most returns from sales went to the producers, the intermediaries had to operate very effectively and on razor thin margins. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise – the operations remained very â€Å"lean† and started to provide cost based advantage to the entire network. AMUL establ ished a group to standardize the process of organizing farmers into village societies. In addition to establishing the criteria for selecting members, the group had to train the VS to run the cooperative democratically, profitably and with concern for its members. This included establishing procedures for milk collection, testing, payment for milk purchased from member farmers and its subsequent sale to the union, accounting, ensuring timely collection and dispatch of milk on milk routes established by the union, etc. The Village Societies Division at AMUL acts as the internal representative of village societies in their dealings with the Union. Cooperative development programmes at the village level for educating & training its members have become an important part of the strategy to build this extensive network. Milk procurement activity at AMUL comprises development and servicing of village societies, increasing milk collection, procurement of milk from societies & its transport to the chilling locations, and resolving problems of farmers and village societies. Thei r stated objective is to ensure that producers get maximum benefits. The Village Societies Division coordinates these activities. Milk collection takes place over a large number of pre-defined routes according to a precise timetable. The field staff of this division also help village societies interface with the Union on various issues ranging from improvement of collection, resolving disputes, repair of equipments to obtaining financing for purchase of equipment etc. In addition, they are also responsible for the formation of new societies, which is an important activity at AMUL. In essence, the organization structure of AMUL allows effective utilization of resources without losing the democratic aspiration of individual members. It is obvious that such a system needs charismatic leadership to achieve consensus across issues – a process that has long-term benefits for any organization. Marketing GCMMF is the marketing arm of the network and manages the physical delivery and distribution of milk and dairy products from all the Unions to customers. GCMMF is also responsible for all decisions related to market development and customer management. These activities, which range from long-term planning to medium-term and short-term operational decisions are described below. As mentioned earlier, introduction of new products and choice of product mix and markets should be consistent with the growth strategy, and synchronous with growth in milk supply. GCMMF’s demand growth strategy may be characterized by two key elements: (i) developing markets for its high value products by graduating customer segments from low value products, and (ii) maintaining a healthy level of customer base for its base products (low value segment). This strategy often requires GCMMF to allocate sufficient quantity of milk supply to low value products, thereby sacrificing additional profits that coul d be generated by converting the same to high value products. Interestingly, advertisement & promotion (a la FMCG) was not considered to be enough of value addition and hence the budget was kept relatively small. Instead, GCMMF preferred a lower price with emphasis on efficiency in advertising. In this context, GCMMF provides umbrella branding to all the products of the network. For example, liquid milk as well as various milk products produced by different Unions are sold under the same brand name of AMUL. Interestingly, the advertising has centred on building a common identity (e.g., a happy & healthy â€Å"cartoon† AMUL girl) and evoking national emotion (e.g., the key advertising slogan says â€Å"AMUL – The Taste of India†). GCMMF also plays a key role in working with the Unions to coordinate the supply of milk and dairy products. In essence, it procures from multiple production plants (the thirteen Unions), which in turn procure from the Village Societies registered with each Union. GCMMF distributes its products through third party distribution depots that are managed by distributors who are exclusive to GCMMF. These distributors are also responsible for servicing retail outlets all over the country. GCMMF sales staff manages this process. Retailing of GCMMF’s products takes place through the FMCG retail network in India most of whom are small retailers. Liquid milk is distributed by vendors who deliver milk at homes. Since 1999, GCMMF has started web based ordering facilities for its customers. A well-defined supply chain has been developed to service customers who order in this manner.