Nuclear Waste Essay -- Environment Pollution Papers

Nuclear Waste Australia is a major player in the grand scheme of the world’s energy needs. Its large land mass and geologic history has provided it with an extensive list of mineral resources. Australia, therefore, since the initial gold rushes of the 1850’s, has come to depend heavily on the mining industry. In particular, the discovery in the 1950’s of uranium and new coal deposits created a wave of mining that to present has proven to be quite profitable for the country’s economy.[1] Australia is unique in that it is the world’s second largest producer and exporter of uranium,[2] and â€Å"the world’s largest coal exporter.†[3] It comes as no surprise, therefore, that current energy issues regarding waste products hits close to home for Australia. However, Australia’s contributions to and use of fossil fuel and nuclear energy are all very different. The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 has enabled Australia to assume a role that not only contributes to the efforts of emissions reductions, but also allows it to continue its economic benefits of coal mining. Solutions to and decisions about nuclear waste management, on the other hand, are much more difficult to come to. While Australia’s future in the coal industry will depend greatly on the results of the Kyoto Protocol, the future of nuclear waste management may eventually greatly depend on Australia. History of Mining and Nuclear Policy Due to its large production of coal, Australia has come to rely heavily on fossil fuels as its primary source of energy.[4] While it might seem appropriate that nuclear energy be another significant source, since uranium is a significant component of the fuel used to run nuclear reactors, this is not actually the case. Au... ... Zwaan, op cit. [20] Langer, â€Å"Nuclear waste management and the earth sciences† [21] â€Å"Nuclear Electricity, Sixth Edition, August 2000† [22] Ibid. [23] Holland, op cit. [24] Ibid. [25] Nuclear Waste Storage (Prohibition) Act 1999, in Holland, op cit. [26] Parliamentary Debates, Senate 26 August 1999 in Holland, op cit. [27] Prime Minister Howard in Holland, op cit. [28] Holland, op cit. [29] van der Zwaan, op cit. [30] â€Å"Nuclear Electricity, Sixth Edition, August 2000† [31] Holland, op cit. [32] â€Å"Nuclear Electricity, Sixth Edition, August 2000† [33] Langer, op cit. [34] Holland, op cit. [35] â€Å"Nuclear Electricity, Sixth Edition, August 2000† [36] Holland, op cit. [37] Ibid. [38] Senator Minchin in Holland, op cit. [39] van der Zwaan, op cit. [40] Ibid. [41] ENST 309 Lecture Notes. [42] Beardow, op cit.

Marketing Strategy and ECommerce :: GCSE Business Marketing BTEC Coursework

Marketing Strategy and ECommerce Introduction With the rapidly advancing technologies that are occurring in modern business, organisations are required to be ready, and able to adapt within their ever-changing environment. It is true across all diverse industries that in order to stay competitive, organisations must be able to utilise the various tools that technology has to offer. Technological factors have been of growing importance, particularly in recent years. A major factor involved in these technology issues is the use of the Internet as a major issue to modern organisations. The Internet has been rapidly growing since it's inception and is now commonly used in all sectors of societies, in all corners of the globe. The Internet has quickly become one of the most valuable assets in modern technology, and as such, is developing as an integral part of modern commerce. As with past technologies, the Internet will have future technological advances develop from its own growth. The task the organisations of in the new century? Realise future opportunities and threats, and base a strategy accordingly. "Is it clichà © to say that 'the Internet changes everything': the challenge now is to say what, how and how quickly". (When Companies Connect, 1999, p.19) The Internet has lead to the birth and evolution of electronic commerce or E-commerce. E-commerce has now become a key component of many organisations in the daily running of their business. Simply defined, "electronic commerce is a system of online shopping and information retrieval accessed through networks of personal computers". (Reedy, J. Schullo, S. Zimmerman, K. 2000, pg. 29) E-commerce challenges traditional organisational practices, and opens ups a vast array of issues that the organisations must address. By focusing on the varying levels of an organisation, it soon become apparent the effects that E-commerce can have. An understanding of the implication E-commerce has on such organisational divisions can help businesses gain understanding hence plan for it's inevitable continuing evolution. In terms of marketing, the modern organisation must be critically aware of the development of E-commerce, and the implications that it entails. "Marketers develop their own recipe of promotional tactics to fit the product lines or industries in which they compete. Now electronic communications tools are and will continue to be an important ingredient in the promotional mix" (Reedy, J. Schullo, S. Zimmerman, K. 2000, pg. 29) In assessing the implications of E-commerce in terms of marketing, it is important to understand its impact in respect to

Sublimation of Vanillin and O-Vanillin

Experiment In this experiment a high vacuum sublimation was performed to determine the vapor pressure and finally the enthalpy of sublimation of Vanillin and o-Vanillin. AKnudsen cell with sample was weighed 10 times maybe just say weighed by difference, they don’t usually like it when you spell out the steps like that no way it was like 0. 5 grams, check the lab again and at least 0. 5 g of Vanillin or o-Vanillin was added to the cell and it was reweighed 10 times.This experiment depended heavily on the method of weigh by difference when determining the mass of sample (Vanillin or o-Vanillin) loss in sublimation. A water bath (70 Â °C for vanillin or 40 Â °C for o-Vanillin) is prepared for the sample. The Knudsen cell was inserted into the sample tube and the closed end of the sample tube was placed into the prepared water bath. The tube with the O-ring was connected to the sublimation apparatus. The diffusion pump was connected to the water supply and turned on to 90 V. Th e cold trap of the apparatus was filled with Liquid nitrogen every hour of the experiment.Maybe talk about the type of vacuum pump used since there was so much about it in the lab manual After the sample had reached and sustained the desired temperature for about 5 minutes the sublimation region was roughed.. Just say that you roughed, they don’t usually like this step by step stuff with the valves, but I do like that talk about the pressures that we reached The time between the opening of valve 1 and 3 was the uncertainty in total time. The sublimation apparatus was place under high vacuum to initiate the sublimation process.After making sure the exhaust region pressure did not rapidly increase the temperature of the water bath was recorded every couple of minutes until only 15 minutes were left in the laboratory. This experiment was repeated for a 2nd trial with the only change being the water bath ( 55 Â °C for Vanillin or 30 Â °C for o-Vanillin). Need degree signs Data Analysis The purpose of this experiment was to determine the vapor pressure of Vanillin and o-Vanillin to thus determine the enthalpy of sublimation of Vanillin and o-Vanillin.The mass loss was determined by weighing the difference in the mass of the Knudsen cell + sample before and after sublimation. The area of the Knudsen cell orifice was determined by using the area of a circle equation A= (d/2)2 . The dimensionless correction factor (? ) was determined using the equation ? =1-0. 5(l/d)+0. 2(l/d)2 . Using the measured values of mass loss (m), total time (t), and temperature (T), along with calculated thickness parameter (? ) and area (A) we determined the vapor pressure of our samples using the following equation:Vapor Pressure (P) = ((m)? ( A? t))? SQRT((2 R? T)/(M)) Where R = 8. 314 J/kmol ? The calculated vapor pressure for each trial was used along with the measured average temperature from each trial in the temperature bound integrated Clausius-Clapeyron equation to determi ne the ? HÂ °Sub . Enthalpy of Sublimation ? HÂ °Sub = – Ln(P2/P1)(T2-T1)? R Using the Integrated Clausius-Clapeyron equation and the vapor pressure equation discussed the raw data was used to determine the following analyzed results for vapor pressure and ? HÂ °Sub for Vanillin and o-Vanillin..Probably should add standard deviations, even if they are those weird numbers we were still talking about in lab Thursday. | Vanillin T1| Vanillin T 2| o-Vanillin T 1| o-Vanillin T2| m (kg)| 8. 59E-06Â ±6. 37E-06| 6. 816E-05Â ±2. 458E-07| 2. 916E-05Â ±1. 350E-07| 6. 125E-05Â ±9. 156E-07| T (K)| 329. 02Â ±0. 30| 343. 54Â ±0. 16| 311. 40Â ±0. 08| 302. 73Â ±0. 06| t (sec)| 5732Â ±24| 6870Â ±13| 6291Â ±25| 6291Â ±40| P (Pa)| 1. 0107Â ±0. 2931| 6. 8358Â ±0. 1378| 3. 0406Â ±0. 0622| 6. 2972Â ±0. 1372| ? HÂ °Sub (J/mol)| -230. 728 Â ±239. 311| | 52. 4913 Â ±43. 7797| | ? | 0. 991928| | | | A (m^2)| 5. 024E-07 Â ± 1. 0053E-08| | | |

Explication of “The Storm” by Kate Chopin

English 2 The Storm Response Journal Kate Chopin’s â€Å"the Storm†, is a dark story about a quick love affair between former friends while caught up in a storm, while their significant others were stranded elsewhere. The story explores Calixta's dueling relationship with her husband and her lover, Alcee. Chopin uses the storm as a metaphor to portray Calixta's sexual feelings and struggles in regards to her affair. The ongoing mention of the color white symbolizes Calixta’s internal struggle with her affair with Alcee.The white bed, couch, blouse, and skin and breasts of Calixta all have this seeming innocence about them; but then her passion is described as a white flame, which contradicts the previously established notion that white is pure. Her passion is clearly not innocent, therefore taking the color white and mixing it with the opposing image of fire. The affair between Calixta and Alcee truly begins after lightening destroys the chinaberry tree outside h er house.Chinaberries were, at this time, used as the beads on rosaries, so the destruction of the tree symbolizes the complete transition from her pure Catholic upbringing to her present state of adultery. As the storm clears, so does their conscience and they both happily continue on with their lives, with their own respective families. During the storm, Calixta’s husband, Bobinot, and son were stranded in a local store, where Bobinot bought Calixta a shrimp snack, which is one of her favorites.This hints at the concrete relationship between Calixta and Bobinot, as opposed to the fleeting moment between Calixta and Alcee. This can also show Bobinots commitment to the marriage, as opposed to Calixta’s ephemeral affair with Alcee. Alcee write a letter to his wife telling her she does not need to come home from where she is, and to take her time, while Bobinot is always thinking of his wife, evident by the purchase of her favorite snack. Chopin ends the story with the l ine â€Å"So the storm passed and everyone was happy†, which is a trite way to send such a serious and passionate story.

Destin Brass Products

Destin Brass Products Co. Case 1. Cost: Material $22 Set-up Labor $0. 48 Direct Labor $6. 4 Machine Depreciation (0. 2 hours per unit *$25 per hour of use) $5 Receiving and Material Handing (78% * $220000/4000) $42. Engineering (50%*$100000/4000) $12. 5 Packing and Shipping (73%*$60000/4000) $10. 95 Maintenance (7%*$30000/4000) $0. 525 Total Cost per Flow Controller $100. 755 2 Cost| Traditional| Revised| ABC| Set-up| 16. 45%| 71. 43%| 71. 43%| Machine Depreciation| 16. 45%| 7. 4%| 7. 4%| Receiving & Handling| 16. 45%| 19. 2%| 78%|Engineering| 16. 45%| 7. 4%| 50%| Packing & Shipping| 16. 45%| 7. 4%| 73%| Maintenance| 16. 45%| 7. 4%| 7%| 0. 4*4000*16/9725*16 = 16. 45% 12*10/168 = 71. 43% 0. 2 * 4000/10800 = 7. 4% 3. Under the traditional cost accounting system, the company allocated the total overhead cost assigned to production on the basis of production-run labor cost. The unit labor cost of flow controllers is $6. 4. The unit overhead cost allocated to it is only $28. 10. When u sing the revised cost accounting system, the company allocated the overhead cost based on machine hours.The machine hour of flow controllers is the lowest among the three products. So whether the company uses direct labor dollars or machine hours, the overhead costs allocated to flow controllers are relatively low since they consume less of this cost basis. When use ABC system, the company allocates the overhead cost on the basis of transactions. Among all the products, the company spends 78% of its receiving and materials handling, 73% of packing and shipping and 50% of engineering efforts on flow controllers.Since flow controller production use most of the transactions, the costs assigned to flow controllers are higher under ABC than they are under the traditional cost accounting system. 4. After using the ABC costing system, more overhead costs are allocated to flow controllers and less to valves and pump. Since other factors are stay the same, the net income for valves and pumps will increase and the net income for flow controllers will decrease. Income does not change.

Ikea Paper

IKEA Business Analysis Industrial Organization – Essay I March 17, 2013 Word count: 3397 Introduction IKEA is a privately held, Swedish multinational company that is one of the world’s largest furnishings retailers. This international home products company designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds, chairs, and desks, appliances, and home accessories. The company is the world’s largest furniture retailer. IKEA was founded in 1943 in the South of Sweden, and its name is an acronym of the initials of the founder’s name, Ingvar Kamprad and of Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd, the farm and village where Kamprad grew up.The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliances and furniture, often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design. In addition, the firm is known for the attention it gives to cost control, operational details and continuous product development, allowing it to lower its prices by an ave rage of two to three percent over the decade to 2010, while continuing its global expansion. As of October 2011, IKEA has 332 stores in 38 countries. Most of these stores are directly owned but some are managed under franchise by owners outside the company.By doing this, IKEA faces a higher chance of success than in a sole proprietorship. In fiscal year 2010, it sold $23. 1 billion worth of goods, a 7. 7 percent increase over 2009. In recent years, IKEA purchases from developing countries have grown from 32% in 1998 to 48% in 2003; 29% of its output comes from Asia, 67% from Europe and 4% from the USA (Arrigo, 2005). For a long time, Poland was the second supplier of raw materials after Sweden, but there was recently a giddy increase in China which, in 2004, accounted for 14% of total output, followed by Poland with 12%, Sweden with 8%, Italy with 7%, and Germany with 6% (IKEA. com).To achieve its goal of boosting efficiency while cutting costs and prices to the end consumer, IKEA i s constantly looking for convenient new locations. This paper will focus on strategic investments decisions with regard to innovation and advertising and strategic product feature decisions. IKEA & Supply IKEA's vision is â€Å"To create a better everyday life for the many people. † To meet its vision IKEA provides many well-designed, functional products for the home. It prices its products low so that as many people as possible can afford to buy them. However, in creating low prices IKEA is not willing to sacrifice its principles. Low price but not at any price† is what IKEA says. This means it wants its business to be sustainable. IKEA supplies goods and services to individuals in a way that has an overall beneficial effect on people and the environment. Customers all over the world have responded positively to IKEA's approach. This is evident in its increasing sales. Supply chain IKEA has an extremely efficient supply chain and its management was the key source in IK EA in cost management which gave it a cutting edge among its competitors as it products where charged 30% lower than the cost of its rivals.With regard to the supply chain, the flow of production and processes go through three industrial sectors before the end product reaches the customer. Firstly, it starts with the primary sector concerning raw materials. Natural resources such as timber are extracted and developed. IKEA buys products from more than 1,300 suppliers in 50 countries (The Times 100). It uses a number of trading service offices across the world. They negotiate prices with suppliers, check the quality of materials and analyze the environmental impacts that occur through the supply chain.IKEA aims that all the products and materials it takes from the primary sector do not harm the environment. They also keep an eye on social and working conditions at suppliers. The second step is manufacturing where primary materials are used to build, manufactured and developed to fini shed goods. A key part of IKEA's success is due to its communications with materials' suppliers and manufacturers. During manufacturing IKEA specifies to its producers that waste should be avoided. Where waste does occur the firm encourages suppliers to try to use it in the manufacture of other products.IKEA has a code of conduct called the IKEA Way of Purchasing Home Furnishing Products, the IWAY (The Times 100). This contains minimum rules and guidelines that help manufacturers to reduce the impact of their activities on the environment. IKEA aims that all there products are manufactured in a responsible way. The tertiary sector provides services needed to meet the needs of the end users such as retailing, distribution, insurance, and customer services. IKEA's retail stores add value to manufactured goods by providing a form of shopping different to the usual high-street experience.They meet the needs of the consumers in a number of different ways. Each IKEA store is large and hol ds more than 9,500 products giving lots of choice. Within each store, there are a number of realistic room settings that enable customers to see what the products would look like in their own homes. In addition, the IKEA store is built on a concept of â€Å"you do half, we do half; together we save money†. This refers to, for example, the customer assembling furniture at home. Customers handpick products themselves using trolleys. Also, IKEA provides catalogues and home delivery to save customers’ time.IKEA stores also have restaurants that provide Swedish dishes alongside local food choices. IKEA & Competition To define the relevant market, IKEA operates in a perfectly competitive market. IKEA is a furniture store and there are many other furniture stores owned by various different entities (so there are many suppliers in this market). Normally the firms in a perfectly competitive market would be price takers. However, IKEA has a lot of market power as it is able to r aise its prices above the perfectly competitive level without losing many consumers. Therefore it can be stated that IKEA is a price setter.There are off course competitors, however it seems that IKEA does not really take competitor’s decisions into account as they are not really relevant to their own decisions. IKEA sets its prices very low because they face low production costs as a result of strong relationships with its suppliers. Competitors are predictable but even if they were unpredictable, IKEA would not be affected by their decisions as the firm is already at the bottom end of the market. IKEA makes use of their concept in a global strategy that designed furniture for a lower price than other competitors offer that can be sold everywhere for the targeted market segment.Sometimes regional differences appear that arise form national habits, lifestyles and culture. What gives IKEA a huge advantage in selling its products at a lower price springs from their â€Å"young † concept is that the customers have to bring home the products and assemble it themselves. No other firm manufactures as much furniture as IKEA. The firm can and will eliminate any local competition by using their global position. It is a fact that they have no competitors on the global market. IKEA’s success was recognized to its vast experience in the furniture retail market, its product differentiation and cost leadership.Across markets where it presently has a presence, products are sold at prices that are 30 to 50 percent lower than competing products. This penetration pricing enables IKEA to gain significant market share. Low prices are a result of large-quantity purchasing, low-cost logistics, and store location in housing areas. In addition, IKEA also benefits from economies of scale and healthy supplier-firm relationships. IKEA enters into long-term contracts, provides leased equipment and technical support in exchange for exclusive, low-cost manufacturing fro m suppliers.For new markets, IKEA should retain its price-image to maintain the brand’s positioning. IKEA strives for cost leadership, and for this reason it negotiates the most cheap conditions with a very large number of suppliers, a large part of whom live in eastern Europe and Asia, where the cost of raw materials, manpower and warehouse rentals is lower than elsewhere. IKEA always tries to acquire raw materials at the best price, choosing the suppliers with the cheapest price but it is equally focused on maintaining good relationships with them to avoid late deliveries or poor workmanship.IKEA’s low cost policy is based on several factors. Firstly, and previously already mentioned, it is based on economies of scale where large volumes reduce the unit cost of production. Secondly, the low cost policy is based on economies of transport where large orders of products permit to IKEA to transfer transport costs to suppliers. Low running costs inside the stores is also a factor. For example, the group uses buildings that are easy to build and inexpensive to manage, and it also has a ‘dressdown policy’, with all employees wearing the same uniforms, which are very simple and ractical. A last factor with regard to low cost policy is the purchases of unassembled products from suppliers with a consequent reduction of costs (taxes are lower for components than for finished products). IKEA & Demand With regard to the number of buyers, this market faces a great number of buyers as IKEA wishes to reach everyone who needs a new piece of furniture or accessory. IKEA provides its products to end consumers as it only supplies their final products. These consumers can be households, other companies, or governments for example.On the demand side, the active participation of its customers, who are seen as genuine partners, is a source of economic saving for IKEA. Most of its products are packed in flat packs and the customer has to take them home and assemble them, paying the cost of transport and assembly, and thus reducing storage costs for IKEA. Wherever consumers go to IKEA stores, products are always the same. Consumers therefore know what they can expect and for what price. This is a very strong characteristic of IKEA because familiarity with a brand makes consumers come back.The 9,500 products that IKEA supplies is available in all IKEA stores and customers can order much of the range online through IKEA’s website. By doing this, IKEA makes products easier accessible, reducing the distance a consumers has to travel when choosing to purchase IKEA products, and bundles its good together with home deliveries of the orders. An IKEA market strategy in terms of service providence to their customers is always a unique one. The stores and services of IKEA are very much different from the other furniture vendors. The stores are very much spacious and divided into cheerful model rooms.This provides wide range of services to its customers to choose the furniture according to the measurements of their house along with the prices and variety of designs that are showed in kiosks. In addition, IKEA also provides childcare centers and include restaurants and cafes serving typical Swedish food. They also have small food shops selling Swedish groceries, everything from the famous meatballs to jam. Stores are located worldwide. It welcomed a total of 565 million visitors to the stores during the year 2008 and a further 450 million visits were made to the IKEA website.Low prices are one of the cornerstones of the IKEA concept and help to make customers want to buy from IKEA. IKEA's products cater for every lifestyle and life stage of its customers, who come from all age groups and types of households. This is vital in times when the retail sector is depressed, as it increases IKEA's potential market. The wide range of products that IKEA offers are of most value for consumers. Consumers prefer to have a lot of c hoice for good quality and low prices. IKEA’s product based market strategy drew many customers to their store and kept it the top position in the global market of the furniture companies.As previously mentioned, IKEA issued variant catalogs of their products in different native languages so as to reach all sections of their customers. IKEA also adopted some of the experimental marketing strategies for the publicity of their products. In earlier years it has taken decision to decorate a chain hotel with their furniture that has become a beneficial market strategy for both the parties. Its main aim is to target the customers of that hotel and market their products. Even the chain hotel gets benefit to decorate their hotels with lavishing furniture at low cost.Furthermore, the most important strategy of IKEA is not providing the exit for the customers who had entered in to their stores without having seen all the furniture in store. In this phenomenon there is scope that the cu stomers may go for the more furniture that is not actually needed (Kotelnikov, 2005). Since it was founded IKEA has always had concern for people and the environment. The IKEA vision â€Å"to create a better everyday life for the many people† puts this concern at the heart of the business. IKEA has responded to the public's rising concern for sustainability in its choice of product range, suppliers, stores and communication.It has also spotted business potential in providing sustainable solutions. IKEA's concern for people and the environment encourages it to make better use of both raw materials and energy. This keeps costs down and helps the company to reach its green targets and have an overall positive impact on the environment. IKEA aims to be a responsible organization and believes that a strong environmental stance is good business practice, as it also has shown as the current trend of more â€Å"green† and environmental friendly preferences of consumers when ch oosing their products.Demand & Supply Function Demand Function There are a couple of variables that are relevant to the quantity (Qd) of IKEA goods and services that consumers are willing and able to purchase, in other words demand. First of all the price of the goods (P) IKEA sets affects the demand. Next to P, prices of related goods and services (PR) are also important as those are goods from which inputs are derived to be used in the production of the primary good. The prices of related goods and services are therefore taken into account when IKEA sets its price (P).The expected future price of products (Pe) might also influence demand because if a consumer believes that the price of the good will be higher in the future, he or she is more likely to purchase the good now. In addition, prices of all other companies’ products (P1†¦Pn-1) have an influence on the demand function of IKEA. If their prices are much lower than IKEA prices, consumers will buy from other firms . However, as already mentioned, this is not the case for IKEA as they offer products for low prices. Also, if the consumer expects that his income will be higher in the future, the consumer may buy the good now.Therefore, expected future income (Ye) also affects demand. Thirdly, the incomes of consumers (Y) are also relevant to demand because this influences the ability to purchase the IKEA goods. Demand is also affected by the number of consumers in the market (N), the more consumers in the market, the higher the demand for the IKEA products. Moreover, advertising expenditure (A) affects demand as well. The more advertising, the more consumers are informed or persuaded to come and buy at IKEA. IKEA shows to be very efficient at this with providing their catalogs.Lastly, consumer tastes and preferences (T) also affect demand. It seems that consumers prefer IKEA products over other products because of its low prices and quality of the products. However, consumers incur transportatio n costs (t) that have an effect on preferring to buy from IKEA (which is often located just outside the city center) or to buy from a shop closer to their homes. Consumers know that IKEA provides very high quality products no matter in which shop they will buy the products and consumers could therefore prefer IKEA products over other. The general demand function for IKEA would therefore be:Qd = f (P, PR, Pe, Y, Ye, N, A, T(t)) or, Qd = a + bP + cPR + dPe + e(P1†¦Pn-1) + fM + gYe + hN + iA + jT(t) Where b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, and j are slope parameters that measure the effect on Qd of changing one of the variables while holding the others constant. We assume that, all in the short run, there is no change in taste and preference, that the income of the consumer is constant, that there is no change in customs, habit and quality of goods, no change in substitute products, related products and the price of the product, and finally, that there are no complementary goods.Supply Funct ion There are a couple of factors that affect supply, the amount of products IKEA is willing and able to sell at a given price all other factors being held constant. Firstly, the price of IKEA’s products (P) influences the supply function. Ikea can be seen as a leader in this market and therefore it might be the case that the firm cuts its price, possibly as an attempt to keep the number of entrants low. Secondly, the price of related goods (PR) influences the supply function.If the PR increases, the cost of production will increase and therefore supply would decrease. Thirdly, technology (T) with regard to production affects supply in a way that whenever there is a technological advancement or technology used making production very efficient, the supply increases as production costs decrease. In addition, the price of inputs (PI) such as labor, energy, raw materials, influence supply. When PI increases, sellers are likely to raise P for each unit of output.For IKEA it is kno wn that they have access to relatively cheap raw materials and an increase in PI would not quickly lead to an increase in P because IKEA aims to keep its prices low. Moreover, the number of suppliers (N) in this market might have a small effect on the supply function of IKEA. There are already many suppliers in this market and an increase in N would not lead to a significant decrease in P of IKEA. As stated previously, in creating low prices IKEA is not willing to sacrifice its principles (â€Å"low price but not at any price†).Expectations (Em) concerning the future market condition can directly affect IKEA’s supply in that whenever IKEA believes that the demand for its product will increase in the foreseeable future, IKEA will immediately increase production in anticipation of this increasing demand and therefore future price increases. Lastly, government policies (G) and regulations can have a significant effect on IKEA’s supply. For example environmental reg ulations could influence decisions IKEA has to take in consideration when switching to a new supplier of raw materials. The general supply function for IKEA would therefore be:Qs = f (P, PR, T, PI, N, Em, G) Assuming that all consumers know all things, about all products, at all times (including knowing the probabilistic outcome of all future events), and therefore always make the best decision regarding purchase. In addition, assuming that Ikea is the leader in a market with a large and endogenous number of firms. Decisions As IKEA is already at the bottom end of the market and operating very efficiently and profitably, the only decisions that they will face would be concerning future investments, advertising, and product features. One of the things that IKEA is now able to do is expanding more to new markets.So far, IKEA has limited its store locations to some of the most heavily populated markets in the countries in which it competes. To continue its growth trends, IKEA may have to begin investigating other (smaller) communities. IKEA has to consider how it will respond if and when a lower priced competitor enters its market. Also, IKEA may want to consider that its product assortment and promotions may not appeal to all cultures. However, for new markets, IKEA should retain its price-image to maintain the brand’s positioning. New cultures mean also that branding has to adapt to popularity in those particular new countries.For IKEA, despite the history of success the company has enjoyed thus far, there are no guarantees for the future. If IKEA does not keep on innovating and making the right expansion decisions, the company will become increasingly vulnerable to new competitors. Word count: 3397 References Arrigo, E. (2005). Corporate Responsibility and Hypercompetition. The IKEA Case. Symphonya, 2, pp. 37-57 Facts and figures, www. IKEA. com. Kotelnikov, V. (2005) Experimental Marketing. Retrieved from: http://www. 1000ventures. com/business_guide/m arketing_experiential. html Building a sustainable supply chain: An IKEA case study. The Times 100.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Sixteen

Jack did not sleep well that night, which left him irritable and out of sorts, so he dispensed with breakfast, where he was sure to run into persons with whom he might be expected to converse, and instead went directly outside for his now customary morning ride. It was one of the finest things about horses – they never expected conversation. He had no idea what he was meant to say to Grace once he saw her again. Lovely kissing you. Wish we'd done more. It was the truth, even if he'd been the one to cut them off. He'd been aching for her all night. He might have to marry this one. Jack stopped cold. Where had that come from? From your conscience, a niggling little voice – probably his conscience – told him. Damn. He really needed to get a better night's sleep. His conscience was never this loud. But could he? Marry her? It was certainly the only way he'd ever be able to bed her. Grace was not the sort of woman one dallied with. It wasn't a question of her birth, although that certainly was a factor. It was just†¦ her. The way she was. Her uncommon dignity, her quiet and sly humor. Marriage. What a curious notion. It wasn't that he'd been avoiding it. It was just that he'd never considered it. He was rarely in one place for long enough to form a lasting attachment. And his income was, by nature of his profession, sporadic. He wouldn't have dreamed of asking a woman to make a life with a highwayman. Except he wasn't a highwayman. Not any longer. The dowager had seen to that. â€Å"Lovely Lucy,† Jack murmured, patting his gelding on the neck before dismounting at the stables. He supposed he ought to give the poor thing a man's name. They'd been together for so long, though. It'd be hard to make the change. â€Å"My longest lasting attachment,† Jack murmured to himself as he walked back to the house. â€Å"Now that's pathetic.† Lucy was a prince, as far as horses went, but still, he was a horse. What did he have to offer Grace? He looked up at Belgrave, looming over him like a stone monster, and almost laughed. A dukedom, possibly. Good Lord, but he didn't want the thing. It was too much. And what if he wasn't the duke? He knew that he was, of course. His parents had been married; he was quite certain of that. But what if there was no proof? What if there had been a church fire? Or a flood? Or mice? Didn't mice nibble at paper? What if a mouse – no, what if an entire legion of mice had chewed through the vicarage register? It could happen. But what did he have to offer her if he was not the duke? Nothing. Nothing at all. A horse named Lucy, and a grandmother who, he was growing increasingly convinced, was the spawn of Satan. He had no skills to speak of – it was difficult to imagine parlaying his talents at highway thievery into any sort of honest employment. And he would not go back into the army. Even if it was respectable, it would take him away from his wife, and wasn't that the entire point? He supposed that Wyndham would pension him off with some cozy little rural property, as far away from Belgrave as possible. He would take it, of course; he'd never been one for misplaced pride. But what did he know about cozy little rural properties? He'd grown up in one but never bothered to pay attention to how it was run. He knew how to muck out a stall and flirt with the maids, but he was quite certain there was more to it than that, if one wanted to make a decent go of it. And then there was Belgrave, still looming over him, still blotting out the sun. Good Lord, if he did not think he could properly manage a small rural property, what the devil would he do with this? Not to mention the dozen or so other holdings in the Wyndham portfolio. The dowager had listed them one night at supper. He couldn't begin to imagine the paperwork he'd be required to review. Mounds of contracts, and ledgers, and proposals, and letters – his brain hurt just thinking of it. And yet, if he did not take the dukedom, if he somehow found a way to stop it all before it engulfed him – what would he have to offer Grace? His stomach was protesting his skipped breakfast, so he made haste up the steps to the castle's entrance and went inside. The hall was quite busy, with servants moving through, carrying out their myriad tasks, and his entrance went mostly unnoticed, which he did not mind. He pulled off his gloves and was rubbing his hands together to warm them back up when he glimpsed Grace at the other end of the hall. He did not think she'd seen him, and he started to go to her, but as he passed one of the drawing rooms, he heard an odd collection of voices and could not contain his curiosity. Pausing, he peeked in. â€Å"Lady Amelia,† he said with surprise. She was standing rather stiffly, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. He could not blame her. He was sure he'd feel tense and pinched if he were engaged to marry Wyndham. He entered the room to greet her. â€Å"I did not realize you had graced us with your lovely presence.† It was then that he noticed Wyndham. He couldn't not, really. The duke was emitting a rather macabre sound. Almost like laughter. Standing next to him was an older gentleman of middling height and paunch. He looked every inch the aristocrat, but his complexion was tanned and wind-worn, hinting at time spent out of doors. Lady Amelia coughed and swallowed, looking rather queasy. â€Å"Er, Father,† she said to the older man, â€Å"may I present Mr. Audley? He is a houseguest at Belgrave. I made his acquaintance the other day when I was here visiting Grace.† â€Å"Where is Grace?† Wyndham said. Something about his tone struck Jack as off, but nonetheless he said, â€Å"Just down the hall, actually. I was walking – â€Å" â€Å"I'm sure you were,† Wyndham snapped, not even looking at him. Then, to Lord Crowland: â€Å"Right. You wished to know my intentions.† Intentions? Jack stepped farther into the room. This could be nothing but interesting. â€Å"This might not be the best time,† Lady Amelia said. â€Å"No,† said Wyndham, his manner uncharacteristically grand. â€Å"This might be our only time.† While Jack was deciding what to make of that, Grace arrived. â€Å"You wished to see me, your grace?† For a moment Wyndham was nonplussed. â€Å"Was I that loud?† Graced motioned back toward the hall. â€Å"The footman heard you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ah yes, footmen abounded at Belgrave. It did make one wonder why the dowager thought she might actually be able to keep the journey to Ireland a secret. But if Wyndham minded, he did not show it. â€Å"Do come in, Miss Eversleigh,† he said, sweeping his arm in welcome. â€Å"You might as well have a seat at this farce.† Jack began to feel uneasy. He did not know his newfound cousin well, nor did he wish to, but this was not his customary behavior. Wyndham was too dramatic, too grand. He was a man pushed to the edge and teetering badly. Jack recognized the signs. He had been there himself. Should he intercede? He could make some sort of inane comment to pierce the tension. It might help, and it would certainly affirm what Wyndham already thought of him – rootless joker, not to be taken seriously. Jack decided to hold his tongue. He watched as Grace entered the room, taking a spot near the window. He was able to catch her eye, but only briefly. She looked just as puzzled as he, and a good deal more concerned. â€Å"I demand to know what is going on,† Lord Crowland said. â€Å"Of course,† Wyndham said. â€Å"How rude of me. Where are my manners?† Jack looked over at Grace. She had her hand over her mouth. â€Å"We've had quite an exciting week at Belgrave,† Wyndham continued. â€Å"Quite beyond my wildest imaginings.† â€Å"Your meaning?† Lord Crowland said curtly. â€Å"Ah, yes. You probably should know – this man, right here† – Thomas flicked a wrist toward Jack – â€Å"is my cousin. He might even be the duke.† He looked at Lord Crowland and shrugged. â€Å"We're not sure.† Silence. And then: â€Å"Oh dear God.† Jack looked sharply over to Lady Amelia. She'd gone white. He could not imagine what she must be thinking. â€Å"The trip to Ireland†¦Ã¢â‚¬  her father was saying. â€Å"Is to determine his legitimacy,† Wyndham confirmed. And then, with a morbidly jolly expression, he continued, â€Å"It's going to be quite a party. Even my grandmother is going.† Jack fought to keep the shock off his face, then looked over at Grace. She, too, was staring at the duke in horror. Lord Crowland's countenance, on the other hand, was nothing but grim. â€Å"We will join you,† he said. Lady Amelia lurched forward. â€Å"Father?† Her father didn't even turn around. â€Å"Stay out of this, Amelia.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"I assure you,† Wyndham cut in, â€Å"we will make our determinations with all possible haste and report back to you immediately.† â€Å"My daughter's future hangs in the balance,† Crowland returned hotly. â€Å"I will be there to examine the papers.† Wyndham's expression grew lethal, and his voice dangerously low. â€Å"Do you think we try to deceive you?† â€Å"I only look out for my daughter's rights.† â€Å"Father, please.† Amelia had come up to Crowland and placed her hand on his sleeve. â€Å"Please, just a moment.† â€Å"I said stay out of this!† her father yelled, and he shook her from his arm with enough force to cause her to stumble. Jack stepped forward to aid her, but Wyndham was there before he could blink. â€Å"Apologize to your daughter,† Wyndham said. Crowland sputtered in confusion. â€Å"What the devil are you talking about?† â€Å"Apologize to her!† Wyndham roared. â€Å"Your grace,† Amelia said, trying to insinuate herself between the two men. â€Å"Please, do not judge my father too harshly. These are exceptional circumstances.† â€Å"No one knows that more clearly than I.† But Wyndham wasn't looking at her as he said it, nor did he remove his eyes from her father's face when he added, â€Å"Apologize to Amelia or I will have you removed from the estate.† And for the first time, Jack admired him. He had already realized that he respected him, but that was not the same thing. Wyndham was a bore, in his humble opinion, but everything he did, every last decision and action – they were for others. It was all for Wyndham – the heritage, not the person. It was impossible not to respect such a man. But this was different. The duke wasn't standing up for his people, he was standing up for one person. It was a far more difficult thing to do. And yet, looking at Wyndham now, he would say that it had come as naturally as breathing. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Lord Crowland finally said, looking as if he was not quite certain what had just happened. â€Å"Amelia, you know I – â€Å" â€Å"I know,† she said, cutting him off. And then finally Jack found himself at center stage. â€Å"Who is this man?† Lord Crowland asked, thrusting an arm in his direction. Jack turned to Wyndham and quirked a brow, allowing him to answer. â€Å"He is the son of my father's elder brother,† Wyndham told Lord Crowland. â€Å"Charles?† Amelia asked. â€Å"John.† Lord Crowland nodded, still directing his questions to Wyndham. â€Å"Are you certain of this?† Thomas only shrugged. â€Å"You may look at the portrait yourself.† â€Å"But his name – â€Å" â€Å"Was Cavendish at birth,† Jack cut in. If he was going to be the subject of the discussion, he would bloody well be given a place in it. â€Å"I went by Cavendish-Audley at school. You may check the records, should you wish.† â€Å"Here?† Crowland asked. â€Å"In Enniskillen. I only came to England after serving in the army.† â€Å"I am satisfied that he is a blood relation,† Wyndham said quietly. â€Å"All that remains is to determine whether he is also one by law.† Jack looked to him in surprise. It was the first time he had publicly acknowledged him aloud as a relative. The earl did not comment. Not directly, at least. He just muttered, â€Å"This is a disaster,† and walked over to the window. And said nothing. Nor did anyone else. And then, in a voice low and furious, came the earl's comment. â€Å"I signed the contract in good faith,† he said, still staring out over the lawn. â€Å"Twenty years ago, I signed the contract.† Still no one spoke. Abruptly, he turned around. â€Å"Do you understand?† he demanded, glaring at Wyndham. â€Å"Your father came to me with his plans, and I agreed to them, believing you to be the rightful heir to the dukedom. She was to be a duchess. A duchess! Do you think I would have signed away my daughter had I known you were nothing but†¦but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But one such as me, Jack wanted to say. But for once it did not seem the time or the place for a light, sly quip. And then Wyndham – Thomas, Jack suddenly decided he wished to call him – stared the earl down and said, â€Å"You may call me Mr. Cavendish, if you so desire. If you think it might help you to accustom yourself to the idea.† It was exactly what Jack would have wanted to say. If he'd been in Thomas's shoes. If he'd thought of it. But the earl was not cowed by the sarcastic rebuke. He glared at Thomas, practically shaking as he hissed, â€Å"I will not allow my daughter to be cheated. If you do not prove to be the right and lawful Duke of Wyndham, you may consider the betrothal null and void.† â€Å"As you wish,† Thomas said curtly. He made no argument, no indication that he might wish to fight for his betrothed. Jack looked over at Lady Amelia, then looked away. There were some things, some emotions, a gentleman could not watch. But when he turned back, he found himself face-to-face with the earl. Her father. And the man's finger was pointed at his chest. â€Å"If that is the case,† he said, â€Å"if you are the Duke of Wyndham, then you will marry her.† It took a great deal to render Jack Audley speechless. This, however, had done it. When he regained his voice, after a rather unattractive choking sound he assumed had come from his throat, he managed the following: â€Å"Oh. No.† â€Å"Oh, you will,† Crowland warned him. â€Å"You will marry her if I have to march you to the altar with my blunderbuss at your back.† â€Å"Father,† Lady Amelia cried out, â€Å"you cannot do this.† Crowland ignored his daughter completely. â€Å"My daughter is betrothed to the Duke of Wyndham, and the Duke of Wyndham she will marry.† â€Å"I am not the Duke of Wyndham,† Jack said, recovering some of his composure. â€Å"Not yet. Perhaps not ever. But I will be present when the truth comes out. And I will make sure she marries the right man.† Jack took his measure. Lord Crowland was not a feeble man, and although he did not exude quite the same haughty power as Wyndham, he clearly knew his worth and his place in society. He would not allow his daughter to be wronged. Jack respected that. If he had a daughter, he supposed he'd do the same. But not, he hoped, at the expense of an innocent man. He looked at Grace. Just for a moment. Fleeting, but he caught the expression in her eyes, the subdued horror at the unfolding scene. He would not give her up. Not for any bloody title, and certainly not to honor someone else's betrothal contract. â€Å"This is madness,† Jack said, looking around the room, unable to believe that he was the only one speaking in his defense. â€Å"I do not even know her.† â€Å"That is hardly a concern,† Crowland said gruffly. â€Å"You are mad,† Jack exclaimed. â€Å"I am not going to marry her.† He looked quickly at Amelia, then wished he hadn't. â€Å"My pardons, my lady,† he practically mumbled. â€Å"It is not personal.† Her head jerked a bit, fast and pained. It wasn't a yes, or a no, but more of a stricken acknowledgment, the sort of motion one made when it was all one was capable of. It ripped Jack straight through his gut. No, he told himself. This is not your responsibility. You do not have to make it right. And all around him, no one said a word in his defense. Grace, he understood, since it was not her position to do so, but by God, what about Wyndham? Didn't he care that Crowland was trying to give his fiancee away? But the duke just stood there, still as a stone, his eyes burning with something Jack could not identify. â€Å"I did not agree to this,† Jack said. â€Å"I signed no contract.† Surely that had to mean something. â€Å"Neither did he,† Crowland responded, with a shrug in Wyndham's direction. â€Å"His father did it.† â€Å"In his name,† Jack fairly yelled. â€Å"That is where you are wrong, Mr. Audley. It did not specify his name at all. My daughter, Amelia Honoria Rose, was to marry the seventh Duke of Wyndham.† â€Å"Really?† This, finally, from Thomas. â€Å"Have you not looked at the papers?† Jack demanded. â€Å"No,† Thomas said simply. â€Å"I never saw the need.† â€Å"Good God,† Jack swore, â€Å"I have fallen in with a band of bloody idiots.† No one contradicted him, he noticed. He looked desperately to Grace, who had to be the one sane member of humanity left in the building. But she would not meet his eyes. That was enough. He had to put an end to this. He stood straight and looked hard into Lord Crowland's face. â€Å"Sir,† he said, â€Å"I will not marry your daughter.† â€Å"Oh, you will.† But this was not said by Crowland. It was Thomas, stalking across the room, his eyes burning with barely contained rage. He did not stop until they were nearly nose-to-nose. â€Å"What did you say?† Jack asked, certain he'd heard incorrectly. From all he had seen, which, admittedly, wasn't much, Thomas rather liked his little fiancee. â€Å"This woman,† Thomas said, motioning back to Amelia, â€Å"has spent her entire life preparing to be the Duchess of Wyndham. I will not permit you to leave her life in shambles.† Around them the room went utterly still. Except for Amelia, who looked ready to crumble. â€Å"Do you understand me?† And Jack†¦Well, he was Jack, and so he simply lifted his brows, and he didn't quite smirk, but he was quite certain that his smile clearly lacked sincerity. He looked Thomas in the eye. â€Å"No.† Thomas said nothing. â€Å"No, I don't understand.† Jack shrugged. â€Å"Sorry.† Thomas looked at him. And then: â€Å"I believe I will kill you.† Lady Amelia let out a shriek and leapt forward, grabbing onto Thomas seconds before he could attack Jack. â€Å"You may steal my life away,† Thomas growled, just barely allowing her to subdue him. â€Å"You may steal my very name, but by God you will not steal hers.† â€Å"She has a name,† Jack said. â€Å"It's Willoughby. And for the love of God, she's the daughter of an earl. She'll find someone else.† â€Å"If you are the Duke of Wyndham,† Thomas said furiously, â€Å"you will honor your commitments.† â€Å"If I'm the Duke of Wyndham, then you can't tell me what to do.† â€Å"Amelia,† Thomas said with deadly calm, â€Å"release my arm.† If anything, she pulled him back. â€Å"I don't think that's a good idea.† Lord Crowland chose that moment to step between them. â€Å"Er, gentlemen, this is all hypothetical at this point. Perhaps we should wait until – â€Å" And then Jack saw his escape. â€Å"I wouldn't be the seventh duke, anyway,† he said. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Crowland said, as if Jack were some irritant and not the man he was attempting to bludgeon into marrying his daughter. â€Å"I wouldn't.† Jack thought furiously, trying to put together all the details of the family history he'd learned in the past few days. He looked at Thomas. â€Å"Would I? Because your father was the sixth duke. Except he wasn't. Would he have been? If I was?† â€Å"What the devil are you talking about?† Crowland demanded. But Jack saw that Thomas understood his point precisely. And indeed, he said, â€Å"Your father died before his own father. If your parents were married, then you would have inherited upon the fifth duke's death, eliminating my father – and myself – from the succession entirely.† â€Å"Which makes me number six,† Jack said quietly. â€Å"Indeed.† â€Å"Then I am not bound to honor the contract,† Jack declared. â€Å"No court in the land would hold me to it. I doubt they'd do so even if I were the seventh duke.† â€Å"It is not to a legal court you must appeal,† Thomas said, â€Å"but to the court of your own moral responsibility.† â€Å"I did not ask for this,† Jack said. â€Å"Neither,† Thomas said softly, â€Å"did I.† Jack said nothing. His voice felt like it was trapped in his chest, pounding and rumbling and squeezing out the air. The room was growing hot, and his cravat felt tight, and in that moment, as his life was flipping and spiraling out of his control, he knew only one thing for certain. He had to get out. He looked over for Grace, but she'd moved. She was standing now by Amelia, holding her hand. He would not give her up. He could not. For the first time in his life he'd found someone who filled all the empty spaces in his heart. He did not know who he would be, once they went to Ireland and found whatever it was they all thought they were looking for. But whoever he was – duke, highwayman, soldier, rogue – he wanted her by his side. He loved her. He loved her. There were a million reasons he did not deserve her, but he loved her. And he was a selfish bastard, but he was going to marry her. He'd find a way. No matter who he was or what he owned. Maybe he was engaged to Amelia. He probably wasn't smart enough to understand the legalities of it all – certainly not without the contract in hand and someone to translate the legalspeak for him. He would marry Grace. He would. But first he had to go to Ireland. He couldn't marry Grace until he knew what he was, but more than that – he could not marry her until he'd atoned for his sins. And that could only be done in Ireland.