Friday, August 21, 2020

Major Equipment Design - Centrifuges In The Pre-treatment Section Of

Major Equipment Design - Centrifuges In The Pre-treatment Section Of Major Equipment Design - Centrifuges In The Pre-treatment Section Of PHB Production â€" Assignment Example > Type of Major Equipment Designed: Centrifuges in the Pre-treatment Section of PHB ProductionExecutive SummaryIn this project, a decanter centrifuge for PHB, a biodegradable polymer is designed for the pretreatment process of PHB production. It is intended to be used in the separation of PHB from cell residues that are used in the bio-production of the material. The centrifuge is designed with an inflow rate of 0.77m3/hr. of PHB at a speed of 6000 RPM and a maximum g-force of 10000g. Given these design parameters, the diameter of the bowl is determined as 0.5m and the length as 4.0 m. This particular centrifuge works by conveying the solid-filled sediment towards one end of the drum by a shaft rotating at a relative speed to that of the bowl, and the clarified liquid is conveyed towards the opposite end. As a measure to minimize the cost of the equipment, a single centrifuge is used to separate the solids from the liquid in three passes to ensure clarity of the liquid and maximum r ecovery of the solid part. Careful selection of materials has been done to design the components of the machine, taking care of strength, toughness, resistance to corrosion, thermal and pressure resistance among other considerations. In addition, there is an instrumentation and control part of the design that will enable optimum control of process parameters to ensure a smooth production process through the production period if the design is implemented. 1.0 Literature Review and Assessment of Alternatives1.1 General InformationThere are various methods used in the recovery of PHB from bacterial cell matter. These include vacuum filtration, ultrafiltration, microfiltration, candle filtration, press filtration, flotation, and centrifugation. Several of these recovery processes have been investigated in order to come up with the most economic method to isolate and purify PHB. It is used in the separation of cells and particulate materials after the fermentation stage. Centrifugation is the most ideal method that is normally used to separate PHB from the medium (Harker, et al. , 2013). Following this, PHB extraction and purification can be achieved using a number of ways. The most existing methods for the recovery of PHB involve using organic solvents, such as chloroform and acetone, and use of a hypochlorite, such as sodium hypochlorite. Centrifuges use a centrifugal force generated by high speed rotations to separate solid suspensions from liquids. In the processing of PHB, centrifuges are used to recover and clarify the biomaterial from a mixture of PHB and cell matter (Pohorecki, et al. , 2010). Centrifuges can either be sedimentation units or filtration units. In a sedimentation centrifugal unit, separation of substances relies on the difference in their densities. As the slurry is fed into the spinning centrifuge, an annulus is formed next to the bowl wall and the liquid is picked up by a skimmer (Van Wegen, et al. , 1998). The solid material is the rem oved from the centrifuge quite often to enable a continuous separation process. Filtration centrifuges, on the other hand, filter the material by use of a rotating basket with a filter medium and a centrifugal rotational force expels the liquid via the filter (Tarleton Wakeman, 2011). A large scale centrifugation equipment is made of disk-stack and decanter centrifuges. The disk-stack centrifuges run at higher speeds and remove lighter biomass material. When coagulant agents are available, the decanter centrifuge improves in performance. Centrifugation does not need filter aid, which counts as one of its most significant advantages against the rotary vacuum filtration. To recover the PHB biomaterial, the paste obtained is normally washed and returned to the centrifuge for another pass.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Gender Roles And Gender Role - 1370 Words

When a person is born, they are either male or female. Before they are born, their parents are going to set goals and expectations for them. Sometimes parents will name their child after a famous celebrity hoping they will be just as great as them. Each gender will have different ways they should live their life in order to stay within their gender role. Some will meet the expectations and other will not. That does not make them look less of their gender, they will just be expected to meet them. Over the years, some gender roles have submerged and others have risen above. They will be able to show how the gender roles are supposed to be in jobs, education, and marriage and also how they can benefit from stepping out of the gender roles. Growing up, genders learn right from wrong and how they are supposed to act as their specific gender. Boys, are usually taught how to be aggressive but gentle. Playing video games, wrestling and riding four-wheelers is okay for them to do. They were t aught not to be mean to girls, wear pink or to express their sadness. Being a boy was not that hard to manage, for girls it was a little harder. Girls, are usually taught how to be compassionate and elegant. They helped around the kitchen, played with Barbie’s and played dress up. They were taught not to do anything a boy would do. If either were to step out of their gender role they would be looked down upon and would be reminded of how they should be acting. In today’s society that is still aShow MoreRelatedGender Roles And Gender Role844 Words   |  4 PagesGender Roles can be defined as roles society expects people to play on account of their sex life. Like all roles, gender roles are made up of sets of expectations, so they can be thought of as sets of expirations, so they can be thought of as sets of expectation that are attached to sex.(pp: 220 John E. Farley Michael W. Flota). The key word gender role affects me personally because as recent graduate of high school it’s time for me to go into the real world, of working class gender role of theRead MoreGender Roles And Gender Role Essay784 Words   |  4 Pagessession, I will discuss the gender roles in my family. The definition of gender role is the degree to which a person adopts the gender-specific behaviors ascribed by his or her culture (Matsumoto, D. R., Juang 2013, 156). For example, traditional gender roles recommend that males are aggressive, angry, and unemotional. It goes further and explains that the male should leave the home every day to make a living and be the main wage earner. The traditional gender role for the female purpose is toRead MoreGender Roles And Gender Role Essay1385 Words   |  6 PagesOF SUBMISSION Gender roles Introduction Gender is set of characteristics that may be used to differentiate between female and male through the use of one’s gender or through gender identity therefore. Gender role can be considered as the hypothetical construct in humanities and in many social sciences referring to a set of behavioral and social norms which in a particular culture may be largely regarded to be socially appropriate for individuals of a particular sex, gender roles vary from variousRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles1437 Words   |  6 Pages Gender roles play an important role in society whether it is for good or for bad. These roles have been placed in society since the beginning of time. The term gender is socially created and it therefore categorizes men from women. How is gender defined, and what makes it different from the term sex? â€Å"†¦sex refers to the biological characteristics that distinguish women and men: sex chromosomes, reproductive organs, sex-specific hormones, and physical characteristics†¦Gender†¦ refers to the socialRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles844 Words   |  4 PagesSociety has institutionalized gender role s since the beginning of time, a common one is that women are the nurturers and housekeepers, while men are the breadwinners of household. In spite of centuries, and fighting for women s rights, such as the right to vote in the late 1920s. Women still have roles to fulfill, even in a modern society that is dominated by a virtual world. Gender identification has multiplied from that of men and women, to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ)Read MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles1110 Words   |  5 Pagesbelieve gender is only based on being male or female. People believe gender is based on the physical and biological differences between women and men. Over the last few years, the term gender has changed. When some people believe gender is being male or female. Most people associate gender with gender roles and how people are supposed to function or perform based on society’s expectations. In other words, people believe males and females have to behave accordi ng to their gender or gender roles to beRead MoreGender Roles : Gender And Gender1587 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween gender and sex. Sex is anatomical and biological. Gender role can be defined as a person’s inner sense of how a male or female should feel and behave. Culture and society are two important factors in relation to this particular topic. This implies that various societies and cultures may produce children and later fully grown men and women who may have diverse perspectives of a man or a woman’s place or role in the world around them; this is often determined by their culture’s gender stereotypesRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Roles863 Words   |  4 PagesGender can sometimes be seen as biological characteristics humans have, when in fact it is the social characteristic ones society deems either masculine or feminine. Sex, on the other hand, is the biological differences in humans, for example, hormones and sex organs. People usually play gender roles in society, otherwise known as gender ideology. Gender ideology is when men and women have certain attitudes regarding their ‘fixed’ roles, responsibilities and rights. Throughout history men and womenRead MoreGender And Gender Roles1099 Words   |  5 PagesThe topic of gender roles is a subject that has been discussed and argued upon for several years, regarding the depiction and expectations of what it means to be a man and, conversely, what it means to be a woman. Along with the topic comes what and how society defines masculinity and femininity. Society has given men the title of being masculine due to the reflection of   dominance, strength, aggressiveness, independence , and the use of interpersonal skills. Whereas society has given females theRead MoreGender And Gender Roles1080 Words   |  5 PagesGender roles are born through social construct rather than given biologically. Language in male and female roles have been substantially focused on  "how the system is put to use in practice† (Bucholtz 1999: Page 80). If a person studied the differences of feminism and masculinity, the differences will outstand each other, because women are expected to act and speak in a specific way, as well as men. An insight of the differentiation of men and women would be â€Å"women may use â€Å"men’s† forms to index

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Adhd Synthetic Medication Vs. Holistic Approach

ADHD: Synthetic Medication Vs. Holistic Approach Ashley McKnight American College of Healthcare Sciences ADHD: Synthetic Medication Vs. Holistic Approach Little Johnny was exhibiting all the signs of ADHD. His parents had school conferences with his teachers and it was agreed that his parents would get him tested. Paperwork was filled out and little Johnny was tested for ADHD. When the test came back, it was confirmed that little Johnny had ADHD. So, what now? The parents have a lot of decisions to make on how to deal with this diagnosis of their son. After speaking with little Johnny’s pediatrician, it was recommended to place little Johnny on ADHD medication. However, Johnny’s parents where not very†¦show more content†¦(www.drugabuse.gov). The FDA has issued warnings about using stimulant medication with the risk of heart, psychiatric problems, loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep problems, irritability, and drug abuse. It is estimated that a total of 60% of children with ADHD are treated with prescription stimulants, which means, approximately three million children in our country take stimulant medication for problems with focusing. (Lakhan and Kirchgessner, 2012). Strattera, Kapvay, or Intuniv are among some of the non-stimulant medications prescribed for ADHD. Non-stimulant medications do not cause many of the side effects that stimulant mediations do. They also tend to last longer. Most of the studies that are conducted on ADHD medication is done in adults. There is not much to go on for children who take stimulant or non-stimulant medication. These medications can take a toll on a developing brain and there needs to be more studies conducted for parents to make an informed decision about medicating their child. Luckily, there are other options than medication for children with ADHD. Parents researching medication for their child with ADHD should have a high consideration for using comp lementary and alternative medicine. There are more and more parents who are asking their pediatricians about alternative ways to help their children other than the traditional stimulant medications. According to Dr. Chan at the Children’s Hospital in Boston,Show MoreRelatedIntroduction and Need of Psycopharmacology3401 Words   |  14 PagesINTRODUCTION AND NEED OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY INTRODUCTION: †¢ Psychopharmacology is the study of medications that alters the mind, emotive and psychological states and to study, prescription and appropriate use of drugs for psychiatric and neuropsychiatric conditions †¢ Psychopharmacology also studies substances with psychoactive properties and its primary focus is on the chemical interactions of these agents with various parts of CNS. †¢ These agents interact with receptors found in the central nervousRead MorePsy Evaluation Essay11057 Words   |  45 Pagesformerly homeless people in San Francisco A.are abstinence based. B.reduce costs to the cities by $1,000 per month. C.actually increase the hospitalization rates of residents D.have been shown to be cost-ineffective. ANS:B PG46 23. Using a holistic basis for measurement, which of the following is considered a standard measurement for successful treatment outcomes? A. total abstinence as the only standard B. length of time of abstinence from all psychoactive substances C. improvement that might

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

How to Choose Book Evaluation Essay Samples

How to Choose Book Evaluation Essay Samples What's Actually Happening with Book Evaluation Essay Samples The very first thing you ought to do is to consider what you are likely to do in your essay. One more thing you've got to contemplate is whether the origin of the essay is reliable. Together with the facts, you will need supporting information from a wide range of sources. You are likely to gather details about a particular subject, subject, product etc.. Remember that the chief characteristic of an evaluation essay is the concentration of your evaluation all around your standpoint. The introduction usually starts out with some type of background details. By doing this you are going to be in a position to find the suitable structure of the evaluation paper, follow the evolution of ideas in it, and borrow a number of the helpful tricks applied by the author. A crucial book assessment surpasses sheer overview to ask into the entire amount of the job. When one writes a personal sort of essay, the initial impression is it is entirely devoted to self expression and devoid of any kind of technicality. Additionally there's a mention to page 159 where you are able to happen all the phonic symbols. No matter if it is a performance evaluation essay sample or a different type, you will discover essential info to contemplate in your writing. Following that, you can proceed to compose a quick background information regarding the movie or book. To steer clear of common essay mistakes, a few of the things which you should always remind yourself when writing an evaluation essay are given below. An evaluation essay includes an objective assessment that's written by means of a person who should be fully-knowledgeable of what he or she's writing about. It is a type of literary criticism. Although writing an evaluation essay is a difficult job, you shouldn't give up due to the obstacles on your way. You should review all parts of the story. To start with, let us start with listing the many kinds of essays. There are various kinds of essays that may be part of a student writing task. Apparently, writing an essay on this issue of marijuana is too general. Fortunately, it's possible to always refer to a high quality book evaluation essay sample and utilize it like a model for your own bit of writing. As a result, if you discover a book evaluation paper there, you might rest assured that it's good and can be relied upon. Explain what your favourite role in the book was. The very first step to writing a thriving book review is definitely to earn a review draft. You may also rate the book. A book has about a few significant themes. It is an appropriate size and includes plenty of illustrations to aid the student in learning. Reveal whether or one ought to read a specific book to follow or not. The Hidden Secret of Book Evaluation Essay Samples Record Book Evaluation Form Record books act similarly to an incident file, however, it is going to report and indicate every detail of the events an organization member managed to pursue and achieve. Evidence is all the info used to support the judgement. When the paper is done, it's crucial to revise, proofread, pick a captivating title, and make suitable citations. Reading a genuine paper is much better than skimming through a lot of theoretical tips. You may also just browse through samples and begin your evaluation essay from scratch. In extreme instances, you can rewrite finished essays. Don't procrastinate unless it is possible to write a superior essay. What can set apart an evaluation essay from several kinds of academic essays is that it may also be utilized in various undertakings within the corporate and skilled environment. Generally, every paragraph starts with a topic sentence that functions as a little introduction. Correcting a whole essay takes as many clicks because there are grammatical errors. Be sure your critical essay has no grammatical errors. To end the whole essay, it's crucial to make an overall concluding statement.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

What Do Women Want in a Moral Theory free essay sample

â€Å"What Do Women Want in a Moral Theory? † Throughout history, there have been traditional assumptions about male and female gender roles and stereotypes. Men are rational and women are emotional. â€Å"Men should be decisive and courageous, women should be submissive and meek; men should pursue amorous conquests, women should be faithful and chaste; men should be warriors, and women nurturers; men should lead, women should quietly follow†(Baier). For New Zealand born Annette Baier, in What Do Women Want in a Moral Theory? she argues that women and men are fundamentally different in outlook. Baier is a scholar of Hume and a moral philosopher for whom trust is the key to fundamental moral notions. According to Baier, morality should not be governed by rules and codes, but by trust. From a feminist perspective, she writes about the idea of trust and distrust particularly between the genders. She claims that women operate in a different system of ethics than men. We will write a custom essay sample on What Do Women Want in a Moral Theory? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Women see things in terms of trust and cooperation and in a bilateral approach, ‘ethics of love. In contrast, men generally evaluate things in terms of outcomes and actions taken; a unilateral approach, an obligation. Baier claims that obligation is the primary preoccupation of male moral philosophers. The history of moral philosophy, having been written by men, does not account for this gender difference. However, a problem with the concept of obligation is, they fail to explain obligations to morally educate new members of the moral community. Baier gives us an example about war orphans who grow up without any love, later have no sense of obligation (for truth-telling or promise keeping). Who has failed in their obligation here? This brings us to the â€Å"bad parent case,† which basically states that a parent believes that he/she would not make a good parent due to lack of success while instilling moral values in their children. An obligation-based moral theory will have to explain the response to the bad parent case in terms of obligation. The bad parent could have two options of obligations: 1. ) Sterilization for the man and 2. ) Abortion for the woman; which both seem completely irrational. The point being, â€Å"they escape this conclusion only by avoiding the issue of what is to ensure that new members of the moral community do get the loving care they need to become morally competent persons†(Baier). So what alternative can we use to bridge the gap between obligation-based and caring-based theories? Baier points out, â€Å"that the men’s theories of obligation need supplementation, to have much chance of integrity and coherence, and that the women’s hypothetical theories will want to cover obligation as well as love, then what concept brings them together? † Baier’s reply is the concept of appropriate trust. Trusting requires that we can, 1) be vulnerable to others (vulnerable to betrayal in particular); 2) think well of others, at least in certain domains; and 3) be optimistic that they are, or at least will be, competent in certain respects. This bridges the gap because trust is required for all loving relationships and for loyalty. Trust also can explain obligations in that, â€Å"to recognize a set of obligations is to trust some group of persons to instill them, to demand that they be met, possible to levy sanctions if they are not, and this is to trust persons with very significant coercive power over others† (Baier). Trusting one another can be a gamble, so â€Å"Why would one take such a risk? † (Baier). â€Å"Our confidence may be, and quite often is, misplaced. That is what we risk when we trust. If the best reason to take such a risk is the expected gain in security which comes from a climate of trust, then in trusting we are always giving up security to get greater security, exposing our throats so that others become accustomed to not biting† (Baier). Throughout her writings, Baier does not argue that one gender is superior to the other, but that the feminist viewpoint should be included in ethical discussions.

Friday, April 3, 2020

Micromax Market Mix Essay Example

Micromax Market Mix Essay The mobile phone market in India is worth 130 million handsets annually. While the big boys like Nokia, Samsung, LG, Motorola and Sony Ericsson make up for 70% share, the market has of late seen a slew of domestic firms such as Micromax, Karbonn and Intex making large inroads and new established brands like Videocon and Onida entering the field. Among the domestic firms, one of the most promising brand is Micromax. Micromax is known to be one of the leading Indian Telecom companies that have 23 domestic offices located all over the county along with International offices. With a futuristic vision and an exhaustive RD at its helm, Micromax has successfully generated innovative technologies that have revolutionized the telecom consumer space. Though the company made its humble beginning by introducing Micromax Mobiles in the year 1991 but at present it is giving a tough competition to all its competitors in the field. The company is known to be a leading provider in the country for wireless technology solutions. Latest technological advancements are used by the company to bring landmark solutions for the users in the mobile world and to create a niche for itself. There are many â€Å"first† to the credit list of Micromax. The company’s vision is to develop path-breaking technologies and efficient processes that incubate newer markets, enliven customer aspirations and to make Micromax a trusted market leader amongst people. A Brief History of the Company We will write a custom essay sample on Micromax Market Mix specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Micromax Market Mix specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Micromax Market Mix specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Few years ago, when Vikas Jain’s firm was delivering computer printers and monitors across India, he saw first-hand how pervasive Nokia had become and also observed that When Nokia or Samsung roll out a new model they do so from its global portfolio rather than launching something specifically for India and Despite Nokia’s dominance, the Indian mobile-phone market was far from being saturated. Jain saw his chance, who set up the company in 1990s along with three friends from engineering collegeRahul Sharma, Rajesh Agarwal and Sumeet Kumar, all of whom are in their mid-30s to early 40s. Micromax, started operations in 1991 as an embedded software design firm, but was incorporated as a company in 1998, when it branched out as a distributor of computer peripherals such as printers, monitors, scanners from manufacturers such as LG, Sony Inc. , Dell Corp. Though Micromax made its debut in 1991 but it presence has been felt majorly in few previous years. Serious developments and rise was seen in the year of 2008 when the company entered Indian Cell phone handsets market. Company entered market in March 2008 in which it had a market share of meager 0. 59% average. Though the company made its humble beginning by introducing Micromax Mobiles in the year 1991 but at present it is giving a tough competition to all its competitors in the field. Company overview Micromax is a telecommunications company based in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is a manufacturer of wireless telephone handsets. Micromax has 23 domestic offices across the country and international offices in Hong Kong, USA, Dubai and now in Nepal. Micromax is the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company in terms of units shipped during the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and the third largest mobile handset seller in India as at March 31, 2010 after Nokia and Samsung. Micromax, as they claim on the company’s website, is on a mission to successfully overcome the technological barriers and constantly engender â€Å"life enhancing solutions†. The company’s vision is to develop path-breaking technologies and efficient processes that incubate newer markets, enliven customer aspirations and to make Micromax a trusted market leader amongst people. With a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy sketched out, the company has an optimistic outlook for the telecom consumer space. Currently present in more than 40,000 stores across the country, the company plans to have an aggressive market incursion to reach out to its customers through 70,000 operational stores in the coming year With young enthusiasts as its anchor, Micromax Informatics Limited has created a niche for itself in the telecommunication industry. Micromax ventured into the telecommunication industry with an end-to-end solution of Fixed Wireless Devices and Wireless Data Cards. In the year 2008, after delivering upon the technology of fixed wireless-powering desired products, the company forayed into one of the most predominant genres of telecommunication Mobile handsets. Since then Micromax has received commendable response for its unique and interesting handsets. Today Micromax has become a brand which people relate and look up to for realizing their individual device preferences and other out-of- the-box solutions. The Marketing Mix for the company Marketing is one of the most important part in any company’s growth. The growth of Micromax is due to the strong marketing strategy of the company. Micromax Inc. has seen some serious rise in market share in few years. Micromax is the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company in terms of units shipped during the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and the third largest mobile handset seller in India as at March 31, 2010. On March 31, 2010 the company registered the market share of 6. 24% for that quarter, which grew from 0. 59% in September, 2008. Micromax became the fastest growing mobile brand in India for the fiscal year 2009-10. Handset sales have grown by 123. 48% from 1. 5 million units in the quarter ended June 30, 2009 to 2. 57 million units in the quarter ended March 31, 2010. Micromax also sells data cards to service providers in India which includes Indias leading operators like AirTel and BSNL. Recently Micromax has launched their first Android mobile Micromax Andro A60 in India for a cheaper price tag than the competing models. The major m arketing management decisions can be classified in one of the following four categories: †¢ Product, †¢ Price, †¢ Place (distribution), †¢ Promotion. These variables are known as the marketing mix or the 4 Ps of marketing. They are the variables that marketing managers can control in order to best satisfy customers in the target market and the firm attempted to generate a positive response in the target market by blending these four marketing mix variables in an optimal manner Product The product is the physical product or service offered to the consumer. In the case of physical products, it also refers to any services or conveniences that are part of the offering. Product decisions include aspects such as function, appearance, packaging, service, warranty, etc. Unlike many challenger brands, Micromax was careful in its product strategy. Although all Micromax products were towards the lower end of the pricing spectrum, the brand was focusing on adding more features at a reasonable price. Micromax has currently around 75 mobile sets in the market. The focus was more on value than price, that value orientation with a clear differentiation was a significant factor that aided the significant growth of this brand in Indian market. The company in their website claims to have invested heavily in the product development. The brand boasts of launching many firsts in the market like †¢ Handsets with 30 days battery backup †¢ Handsets with Dual SIM / Dual Standby Handsets Switching Networks (GSM CDMA) using gravity sensors †¢ Aspiration Qwerty Keypad Handsets †¢ Operator Branded 3G Handsets †¢ OMH CDMA Handsets, etc. Micromax recently ventured into the telecommunication industry with an end-to-end solution of Fixed Wireless Devices and Wireless Data Cards. In the year 2008, after delivering upon the te chnology of fixed wireless-powering desired products, the company forayed into one of the most predominant genres of telecommunication – Mobile handsets. Since then Micromax has received commendable response for its unique and interesting handsets. Innovation, Cost-Effective, Credible and an Insightful RD are given high emphasis at Micromax in the telecom vertical. Price The product and price go hand in hand for any company, that mean if there is a product there must be price and vice versa. Pricing decisions should take into account profit margins and the probable pricing response of competitors. Pricing includes not only the list price, but also discounts, financing, and other options such as leasing. All Micromax products were towards the lower end of the pricing spectrum . These mobile phones generally good features in an affordable price that mean value for price. Some of the mobile sets are noted below. The new Micromax X414 is a large 2. 8-inch Touch Screen mobile phone 2. 0 MP Camera FM Radio/Recorder/Scheduler Multi Format Audio and video Player Expandable Memory (upto 4GB) Bluetooth with A2DP Theft Tracker GPRS/WAP/MMS Price: The new Micromax X414 touch screen mobile phone price in India us Rs. 5, 500 Micromax X117 key features: †¢ Dual SIM GSM (GSM+GSM) †¢ FM Radio †¢ Up to 15 hours talk-time †¢ Up to 30 days standby time †¢ expandable memory up to 8GB †¢ Color TFT display screen The new Micromax X117 mobile phone is available in India at price of Rs. ,490 Price of Micromax Q1 mobile is Rs. 2550/- Price of Micromax C112 mobile is Rs. 1,600/- Micromax H360 The price in India of the new Micromax H360 3G mobile phone is Rs. 5, 500 . It will only be available with the MTNL connection. Micromax x800. †¢ 2. 8-inch Touch-Screen †¢ 8MP Camera(Auto Focus) †¢ Xenon Flash †¢ Smile Detect †¢ 262 K Colors †¢ GPRS/WAP/MMS †¢ MP3 Player †¢ Theft Tracker †¢ Bluetooth with A2DP †¢ Expandable Memory †¢ Pict-Bridge †¢ PHB Import/Export †¢ TV Out †¢ Price and availability: The new Micromax X800 mobile phone is available in India at price of around Rs. 3,000. From the above data it is clear that Micromax is clearly providing value for money. All its products are having high feature in a comparatively low and affordable price. How did Micromax, which started off barely three years ago, grow to be the third-largest handset maker? Analysts say Indian firms have benefited from the price sensitivity of the market. Most Micromax models cost less than Rs 5,000. â€Å"Lower price points with similar features as that of a Nokia or a Samsung are driving Micromax’s growth,† says Anubhuti Belgaonkar, telecom managing analyst at Ovum India. Place (distribution) Place (or placement) decisions are those associated with channels of distribution that serve as the means for getting the product to the target customers. The distribution system performs transactional, logistical, and facilitating functions. Distribution decisions include market coverage, channel member selection, logistics, and levels of service. It was in 2008 that Micromax ventured into the mobile handset market. The brand wanted to create a base before taking on the large players. Hence as a go-to- market strategy, Micromax concentrated on the rural market first. It was a different move altogether since most of the marketers tend to concentrate on the urban markets then move to the rural markets. One of the major aspects that contribute towards the substantial monthly growth of Micromax is its 80% sales in the rural areas. Micromax launched its first phone in the rural market with a very unique USP- 30 days battery standby time. The brand was launched from a consumer insight that most of the rural households do not get enough electricity to recharge phones on a daily basis. Hence a phone with a 30 day battery standby would be a worthwhile differentiation. The first product was a big success. The first product Micromax X1i priced at Rs 2150 was lapped up by rural market. The success of X1i encouraged the company to go aggressively into the market. But tapping the rural market is not an easy task. There is severe logistics pressure in servicing these markets. One of the first things that Micromax did was to establish the distribution network. According to a report in Forbes India (March 5, 2010), Micromax created a distribution network comprising of 34 super distributors, 450 distributors and around 55,000 retailers. The brand could also take advantage of the inroads made by other brands into advantage. One of the highlight of their distribution strategy was that Micromax managed to make these dealers pay in advance by offering them more margins. Marketers will vouch that the most difficult part in managing distribution is the payment collection part. According to the news report, Micromax managed this hurdle through this strategy of more margins for advance payment. It is not a new strategy to offer such kind of discounts for advance payments (cash discounts), but to make a retailer accept such an offer is indeed a remarkable feat. One of The distribution strategies for long-term dominance adopted by the company is expansion into international markets. In fact, Micromax has already set up shops in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and is looking forward to launch operations in the Middle-East in August 2010. As company officials say, Africa and Latin America will then follow. Many are aware that Micromax entered the handset market only two years back, but many dont know that it had already ventured into the distribution business six years before it even thought of betting big on handsets. They already had a B2B business in place, which gave them an automatic exposure to market truths and psychology of the consumers. This helped them understand what the market would desire in their handset. Developing an edge on the distribution front is also what the top honchos at Micromax worked on to succeed in India. The prime reason for this was to reach out to the non-connected rural and smaller locations, which were still untouched by rivals. The company also paid great attention to keep their channel partners pleased, up and running. With the system in place, it was not long when the company entered in the urban market through phones like the Q2, which marked Micromaxs entry into the QWERTY category. With an attractive price tag of just Rs. 4,000, it became a runaway hit (as at that time Nokia’s QWERTY range started at a price point of Rs. 12,000). By changing the rules of the game, Micromax has indeed developed a short term sustainable competitive advantage. In January, TA Associates, a mid-market private equity firm, invested $45 million (Rs 208 crore) to buy a minority stake in the firm. â€Å"As a fast-growing, profitable company in a growth industry, Micromax fits TA’s investment profile,† says Naveen Wadhera, director at TA Associates. Jain and Sharma plan to use this fund as a war chest to beat off competition as Micromax grows. The company is already present in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and it plans to have footprints in Nigeria by the end of April, and in Brazil by the second week of May. Currently present in more than 40,000 stores across the country, the company plans to have an aggressive market incursion to reach out to its customers through 70,000 operational stores in the coming year and the company also plans to open around 100 exclusive stores in coming years. Promotion Promotion decisions are those related to communicating and selling to potential consumers. Since these costs can be large in proportion to the product price, a break- even analysis should be performed when making promotion decisions. It is useful to know the value of a customer in order to determine whether additional customers are worth the cost of acquiring them. Promotion decisions involve advertising, public relations, media types, etc Advertising is the one of the biggest tool to development of integrated marketing communication. So the Micromax uses IMC tools to promote the product and build the strong image of the brand in the consumers mind. Integrated Marketing Communication ( IMC) is the practice of unifying all marketing communication tools so the send a consist, persuasive massage promoting company goals. The following tools of IMC are being used by Micromax: Events and experiences For marketing of its products the company is riding on two enduring Indian obsessions–sports and films–to build its brand. Following up on its association with the popular Twenty20 cricket Indian Premier League (IPL), Micromax, a brand that is less than three years old, has become the title sponsor of almost all tournaments and series of which India is a p art, including the recently concluded Asia Cup. The objective behind the cricket â€Å"roadblock†, as such behavior is termed in advertising, is to drive brand awareness and recall. The company believes that while cricket may boost a brand instantly, viewers may still not remember the brand after the match or the tournament. Even if consumers remember a series, they may not remember the advertisers. That’s when they thought of a roadblock and decided to sponsor all cricketing properties post IPL. It was one of the principal sponsors of the South Africa VS India ODI series in 2010. According to a survey the company has shown a makeable growth in its business after sponsoring the recent India and southafrica match (refer the fig) Bollywood is also a major platform for the brand, which is targeting consumers between 18 and 27 years. Bollywood’s most bankable star Akshay Kumar was signed on as the brand ambassador six months ago. More recently, his wife Twinkle Khanna was engaged to promote Micromax’s bling phone that comes with Swarovski crystals and a vanity mirror. To push its association with films, the firm also sponsored the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) Awards held in Sri Lanka, where Micromax recently launched its phones. The brand is now ready to enter Bangladesh and West Asia. Advertising Broadcast media Micromax use television to broadcast their advertisements. Apart from using cricket, films, celebrity Micromax also advertise through news papers. They also utilize hoarding and bill boards to advertise their products. Prime site recently kicked off a month-long campaign for Micromax mobile phones in Delhi, executed mostly through hoardings. Going further, this promotion will be extended to the other regions of northern India as well. The city of launch was Delhi to start with, and post which they did the launch in Patna and Jaipur. Indore is next in line. There are more cities where the campaign will be launched in the near future for which we would be briefed accordingly. All the Medias used by Micromax are very carefully selected as to reach its target audience and through each medium the innovative aspect of the product is portrayed. Besides the focus on product development, Micromax has invested heavily in brand building. The following table shows the companies spending in media for FY. 09-10 Handset Companies: Media Spends (Apr 09- Mar’10) | |Handset marquees | |Spends Rs Cr | | | | | |TV | |Radio | |Print | |Total | | | |  Ã‚  Nokia Corporation | |266 |10 | |126 | |401 | | | |  Ã‚  Samsung India Electronics Ltd | |162 | |0 | |50 | |212 | | | |  Ã‚  LG Electronics India Ltd | |74 | |4 | |28 | |106 | | | |  Ã‚  Spice Mobiles Ltd | |63 | |1 | |37 | |101 | | | |  Ã‚  Micromax Informatics Ltd | |35 | |1 | |12 | |48 | | |   Ã‚  Karbonn Mobiles | |16 | |0 | |25 | |40 | | | |  Ã‚  Videocon Industries Ltd | |21 | |0 | |14 | |34 | | | |  Ã‚  Sony Ericsson (India) | |13 | |2 | |15 | |30 | | | |  Ã‚  Lava International Ltd | |20 | |1 | |7 | |28 | | | |  Ã‚  Maxx Mobile Communications | |13 | |0 | |14 | |27 | | | |Total handsets category | |766 | |22 | |402 | |1190 | | | | | Source http://www. draftfcbulkacomstrat. com/about_comstrat2010. html Most of the brand promotion for Micromax is centered on products. The ads are for individual products highlighting the product features and USPs. With a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy sketched out, the company has an optimistic outlook for the telecom consumer space. Micromax is currently the third-largest GSM vendor in the Indian market, with a share of 8. 1%, perhaps just a few notches behind Samsung who at the second position has 10. 4% control, as per market reports. [Nokia with 52. 7% share is the number 1 vendor]. Micromax has been selling anywhere around a million handsets every month, for the past year, and as company officials state, it has earned about Rs. 15 billion in revenues during the past year. So here’s something to digest – going by the numbers, the Indian handset market is estimated to have sold about 130 million handsets units in the last calendar year alone, which implies, that if we were to consider just the sales during the past 12 months, Micromax has a market share of 9. 3%, much closer (as compared to the previously stated 8. 1%) to the 10. 4% share of Samsung! And there is a lot more to be had from a handset market that currently, only has a tele-density of 49. 5% and has supposedly clocked a turnover of over Rs. 200 billion over last year. Little wonder, that many global bigwigs like Nokia, Samsung, LG Sony Ericsson have time and again referred to India as one of their key markets. But with great opportunities, come greater challenges, and the same is true for the Once, Micromax was a challenger; today it is also being challenged by many entrants like Karbonn, Lava, Maxx, Intex, Lemon, Gee Pee, Videocon, Usha Lexus, Orpat, Airfone and many more. Consumers’ feedback analysis As per the study conducted in the market taking a random sample of around 40 people the following points are found regarding the acceptance of Micromax mobile in the market. †¢ More than 70% people are interested to buy Micromax due to its cheap price. †¢ While 65-70 % are happy with the value for price of the mobile, 25-30 % still need some more additional feature like torch, additional ear phone etc. †¢ Around 25% are still unaware of the brand. And 20-30% still believes the brand is not good as compare to Nokia or Samsung may be due to no advertisement by the company regarding brand. †¢ More than 40% people are not happy with the information provided with the mobile at the time of purchase. †¢ Many people complain about the reach ability (coverage) of the mobile, as per them they have to move around 30 to 40 Km in order to get a mobile of Micromax. †¢ But the most and very important accept of the survey that almost all the customers are not happy with the post sales service provided by the company. †¢ And many of the people are quite confused with the meaning of the tag line of the company i. e. Nothing like anything. Distributors’ feedback analysis From another survey that had been conducted over 10 dealers/retailers regarding the acceptance of the mobile in the market as pre the selling point of view, the following points were being founded. †¢ All most all dealers/retailers are happy to sell Micromax mobile due to its increasing demand †¢ Many dealers/retailers are happy with the margin rate in the product. †¢ While many of the dealers/retailers are ok with the offers and promotion of the product almost all complain about the unavailability of the product to meet the demand in time. †¢ Some of the dealers/retailers want to have some extra commotion or margin to be applied by the company who used to sell some more no of unit as compare to other. Though they agree that it is steel behind from companies like nokia and Samsung in terms of brand name and post sales service still they appreciate the way the company is growing and trying to solve the issues SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis of the company is as fol low: Strengths The following are the strengths of the company ? Latest technological advancements ? Innovative technologies. ? Mobiles having 30 day battery life ? Affordable QWERTY phones ? Affordable Double Sims phones ? Has 23 domestic offices ? More than 40,000 stores of Micromax all over the country ? a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy ? High penetration into rural market ? Mobiles specially designed according to Indian market Weaknesses’ No corporate brand building campaign. ? Confusing tagline. ? Low brand image as compare to nokia. ? Poor after sales service with just 450 service centers in the country. ? Fewer products targeting high end customers. Opportunities There is a huge opportunity there in the market for the company as the Indian mobile market is quit price sensitive and growing in a grate pace. The company with its new and innovative ideas and with value for price strategy can really do well in this market having heavy potential Threats Though there is a huge potential in the Indian market for mobile phone the competition is also getting tougher day by day new player entering the market. Earlier there were fewer companies like Nokia, Samsung, and LG etc but now there are around 72 companies which provide mobiles in the countries among them some are also have good brand image like Onida, Spice, i-ball etc Beside this low priced chinies sets are also a main threat for the company and big boys’ like Nokia and Samsung are also coming with low end phones with good features and there brand name can help them to get benefit from this also. Finding and suggestions From the above study the finding can be pointed as mentioned below: ? The company is the 3rd largest in the company after nokia and Samsung ? The company is first to invent some new features. ? The company has a high presence in the rural market. The company strategy is to give value for money with its cheap mobiles with compare to its competitors. ? The company’s distribution marketing is impressive. ? The company has already made its presence in abroad. ? The company has currently 23 domestic offic es, 40000 retailers and around 450 service stations across India. ? The company is going to increase its business with some tie up with international telecom companies as well wants to increase its market share to become second largest company in the country. Suggestions ? The company needs to increase its no of service centers in the country. ? Need to provide good after sales service to customers ? Need to be more informative regarding the product features. Need to maintain the current growth rate. ? Need to promote the brand to create brand awareness among the people ? Need to more innovative with new players coming to the market. Conclusion Till very recently, Micromax was seen as a second grade brand with hardly any brand value. But with the recent reports listing the figures in the company’s favor as well as the huge branding done by the company itself along with the interesting product portfolio has taken the brand to a respect position. And the position is still is ve ry promising for the future. For a company which still has not been listed on any exchange, a turnover of about 1500 Cr. can be termed as huge. Certainly the company has the potential to be a threat to the foreign giant as it has been successful in studying the Indian mindset better. But still there is log way to go for the company due heavy change in demand and due to the innovation of new technologies day by day. References Books and journals ? Marketing research project â€Å"Content analysis Brand recall of Ad’s in IPL-3 by Group-J (09-11)†. ? Marketing fundamentals by Kottler. ? Nielsen Info. From the official website of The Nielsen Company. ? Economic Times ? Business Economics ? Business world (9th Dec 2010) Web sites like ? www. micromaxinfo. com ? www. google. com ? www. yahooanswers. com ? www. draftfcbulkacomstrat. com ? http://en. wikipedia. org ? www. 2dix. com

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Soft Skills in the Workplace Boost Your Freelance Career

Soft Skills in the Workplace Boost Your Freelance Career Hard skills- like software certifications, degrees, work experience- are quantifiable; you either have them, or you don’t. But soft skills, like these rounded up by Brie Weiler Reynolds at Flexjobs.com, are qualities  you can work to develop on your own. By the time you’re ready to send your resume and cover letter out, you can boast your proficiency with each and every one of these skills. Self-EfficacyAre you proactive? Can you perform under pressure? A lot of this is a head game- do you feel a sense of  control over your work and life? Are you confident in your abilities? A roster of freelance clients (even if you know some of them socially) can help demonstrate your ability to time-manage and hustle under your own steam.Outcome ExpectancyThis is what Valerie Ward of EmploymentReadiness.info calls â€Å"the belief that one’s efforts will result in positive outcomes.† Basically, it’s glass-half-full thinking, accompanied by a dose of pragmatis m. Set yourself up for success by not biting off more than you can chew and executing the tasks you take on in a timely, professional manner. Start small if you need to!Maintenance of a Solid NetworkOne of the hardest things about freelancing is the lack of a cube-mate to kvetch to or brainstorm with. Make sure your support network extends beyond the office (or former office!)- find people who will listen to your issues, help you solve problems, pitch in for childcare, extend your professional network, and are generous with their time. Make sure the support goes both ways if you really want a network that performs for you.Constant Self-EvaluationThese are the daily skills that usually come with sharing 4 walls and oxygen with a team of other employees: communication, being proactive, triaging a to-do list, work-life boundaries, learning from mistakes and accurate self-review. Be responsive, be generous, and do it every day, even when you don’t feel like you’re at your best.Assessment of Past ExperiencesFlexJobs calls this â€Å"work history,† but even more important than your actual background is the way you perceive and represent your experience. How can you put the best possible spin on even the least rewarding jobs? Assess the skills you acquired and responsibilities you held, and be able to talk about them cheerfully and confidently.These soft skills will enable you to present a poised, professional attitude to prospective employers- and you can start honing them without even leaving your desk.  5 Soft Skills for Long-Term Career Success  Read More at Flex Jobs