Sentence Length - Definition, Examples, Recommendations

The Classical Economist View on the Importance of Education

INTRODUCTION The world has recorded an improvement in the living standards over the last millennium, most of which can be attributed to the embracing education around the world. Education is a powerful instrument with a huge potential to increase opportunity for individual, community, and countries. It involves the refinement of human resource to explore its infinite potentials to achieve sustenance. It has huge potential to increase human capital in the labor force and also improve the innovative capacity of an economy. Because of the significant impact of education to economic development over the years, early scholars even acknowledged education as a very relevant form of investment in human capital and continue to propose means to†¦show more content†¦Adam Smith also advocates training in the higher sciences which of cause has helped in rapid industrialization of societies by providing the required manpower with technical skills. There continue to be a rise in the rate at which people absorb and disseminate knowledge. Education bring with it enlightenment and self-discipline which if humans possess could help them make right and almost rational decision for themselves which of cause in the end is beneficial to the entire society and country. JS Mill acknowledges by saying giving enlightenment and self-discipline the laboring class could escape the Malthusian trap. He saw education as a way of redistributing income and increasing equality of income. Briddle Davis (2003) confirms that education could raise the psychological subsistence level, thus providing a major check to population. This has a benefit of creating a strong nation that can enjoy better cultural, economic and political benefits. The bottom line is Adam Smith, J.S. Mill and scholars in the classical school in different opinions recognized the necessity for societies to engage in education The Relationship between Education and Economic Growth As noted above, education hasShow MoreRelatedMacro Economics11524 Words   |  47 PagesUnit-1 Q1. Define micro and macro economics, Distinguish between them, and explain the scope, importance and its limitations Ans. modern economy analysis has been divided into two major branches that is micro and macro economics. Micro economics means the economics system which deals individual economics unit on the other hand macro economics means the economics unit which deals aggregate as a whole that is national income, general employment, and total out –put, general price level etc. These twoRead MoreEntrepreneurial Education : The Education System ( Gibb Price, 2014 ) Essay1333 Words   |  6 Pagesaround the year 2000 till date, entrepreneurial education has taken different approaches in ensuring the effectiveness of the education system (Gibb Price, 2014). These different approaches taken is to ensure the effectiveness and efficiencies of the outcome of entrepreneurial education in achieving its argued importance (Fayolle, 2007). Over time, continuous arguments had arisen among scholars pertaining to the contribution of entrepreneurial education towards influencing students to become entrepreneursRead MoreAggregate Demand And Supply Essay examples1952 Words   |  8 PagesOne group of economists, Keynesians, believe the aggregate demand curve is steep. This is because they think that a rise in the general price level will have only a small impact on the rate of interest and this in turn will have only a small impact on consumption and investment. They a rgue that the demand for money is dominated by the speculative rnotive. This is interest elastic so that an increase in demand for money will cause only a small rise in the rate of interest. In their view the main influenceRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Marxist and Functionalist Interpretations of Education in Society1582 Words   |  7 Pages Sociology Essay Compare and contrast the Marxist and functionalist interpretations of education in society. The role of education is to educate individuals within society and to prepare them for working life in the economy, also to integrate individuals and teach them the norms, values and roles within society. There are many different sociological theories that differ within the role of education within society that attempt to try and explain how society or aspects of society work togetherRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill And Income Inequality1721 Words   |  7 PagesECON1401 Written Assignment 1 – John Stuart Mill and Income Inequality Many great economic thinkers throughout history has offered various differing yet interrelated views and ideas that may prove useful to the analysis of current issues in modern economics. A persistent issue in the modern economy is income inequality whereby the distribution of income among the population is unequal. This means that the gap between the rich and the poor increases over time if the issue is not appropriately addressedRead MoreCurbing Unemployment Through Skills Acquisition: a Study of the National Directorate of Employment (Nde), Kaduna State7193 Words   |  29 Pagesis not definable nor should it be defined†, believes that Henry Hazlutt, it is worth-while analyzing the various views of economists on full employment. The Classical View The classical economists believed in the existence of full employment in the economy. Full employment to them was a normal situation and any deviation from this was regarded as abnormal. To the classical economists â€Å"unemployment resulted from the rigidity in the wage structure and interference in the working of free market systemRead MoreTheories of State: Plato and Kautilya2779 Words   |  12 Pagesextends the definition of justice for a community to the level of an individual. In his book, History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell identifies three groups in the ten books that constitute the Republic – The first five that constitute his views on the Utopia, sixth and the seventh books that talk about the Philosophers and the final three books that deal with the other imperfect forms of Governments. In this project, the focus is mainly on his take on the Ideal State- Plato’s Utopia. Plato’sRead MoreMilton Friedmans Ideas Essay1646 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION Milton Friedman’s ideas where thought to be radical, but he was the most authoritative figure in the economics field in the 20th century, (Placeholder2) and was known most for his thoughts on free enterprise, classical liberalism and limited government. (Placeholder3) His views shaped modern capitalism. (Placeholder2) He was against government intervention and favored free markets (Placeholder6). If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years thered beRead MoreProfit Maximisation2105 Words   |  9 Pagescorporation, objectives will evolve to meet changing economic conditions. The standard neo-classical assumption is that a business strives to maximize profits. Profit maximization is the process by which a firm determines the price and output level that returns the greatest profit, where marginal cost is equal to the marginal revenue. The theory of a firm tends to make this assumption because despite the growing importance for market survival and frequent calls for corporate social responsibility, creatingRead MoreInequality And Class Conflict : A Labor Theory Perspective3379 Words   |  14 Pageseconomic evolution a persistent wage gap still remains. For many neoclassical economists, the unnaturalness of income inequality and class conflict has been lost to the undergrowth of history. As far back as feudalism, the separation of (as coined by Karl Marx) bourgeoisie and proletariat has been instigated by the uneven distribution of political and capital power. However, in the eyes of many Labor Theory of Value economists, the sanctity of the free economic system is threatened; Adam Smith, Thompson

Do we have a defensible account of what is to be a person Free Essays

To support the assertion that a person exists as a person in their individual unique position and that, they do not, cannot and can never occupy the space and position of another person must be proven using unchallengeable, unquestionable or unchanging evidence. Before we begin answering this question, we must first of all establish who and what a person is: i.e. We will write a custom essay sample on Do we have a defensible account of what is to be a person? or any similar topic only for you Order Now what are the basic and universal characteristics of a person? Where does the definition of a person begins and ends along the continuum that is occupied by all species – they could be hominoids – monkeys, baboons, apes, chimps, or non-person species etc†¦.† When does a person cease being a person to become a non-person? Is this a reversible process – if so, why? If not, why? According to Wiktionary a person is a human being, then a human being is defined as man, the characteristics of man are identified from the later â€Å"human being† being signifies existence, human means belonging to the species of Homo sapiens some of the characteristic that would be associated to this is ability to express, feel, all humankind characteristics like being weak or fallible. Where then do we find the person in the human being is it the physical body of an individual being? Aristotle says man is a logical â€Å"word using† animal and a featherless two footed animal. These however, are not the only differences. A lot of other animals share these characteristics for instance insects and apes though remotely but it emerges that people are distinctly quite distinctive, befitting account of what it is to be a person could give the core of this distinction hence illustrating why certain characteristics are important and the others but incidental John Haugeland Noà »s, Vol. 16, No. 1, 1982. We are told, that modern philosophers and Christians interpreted Aristotle’s â€Å"logical† as â€Å"rational† thus proposing this rationality as our principle differentia, therefore Descartes maintains that people can talk because they reason and he could have stated the same on other characteristics. Contrary to other animals humans have a highly developed brain with an ability to reason abstractly, use words and examining thoughts, it is due to this mental capacity together with their body structure that allows their upper limbs to make more use of tools than other animals. Human beings are social by nature a characteristic of most primates; nevertheless they are more skillful in using systems of communication for self-expression, interaction, exchange of ideas and planning. Man has put in place social structures made of competing and cooperating groups such structures are, families marked by blood relations and other relations, nations originating from geographical boundaries, social groups and so on. These interactions between humans have put in place a wide variety of traditions, rituals, ethics values laws and social norms which are the foundation of a human society. Man has a clearly noticeable recognition for beauty and tastefulness which is compounded by the human desire for self-expression has given rise to cultural inventions and innovations such as art, literature and music. Humans are distinct for their desire to understand and influence the world around them, man seeks to explain and manage natural occurrences by science, mythology, philosophy and religion, this curiosity in man has led to development of tools and skills, this may be one of the most significant characteristic of human beings. It is by these characteristics: Anatomical structures, mental abilities, social responsibility, cultural norms, conscious and unconscious will and freedom of choice, innovativeness that we define a person. This may be the basic and universal characteristics of a person. How to cite Do we have a defensible account of what is to be a person?, Papers

Labor Management Relations for Trade Unions - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discusss about theLabor Management Relationsfor Trade Unions. Answer: In the contemporary organizations where employees have involved actively, Labor-Management Relations is very complicated tasks and responsibility to be handled by the HR department. Efficient maintenance of the issues emerging in labor relations management by HR is paramount for the development and sustenance of harmonious environment in the company which helps it attain the set goals and objectives. Further, when the issues are well managed the organization stands to gain a competitive advantage due to labour management related conflicts. Labor management relations also referred to as the industrial relation focuses on the management and the worker's relationship in the workplace(Knights Willmott, 2016). The industrial relations landscape in the country is defined by the tripartite associations between the various players namely the employees, government, trade unions, and employers. The players have shown a lot of collaboration in their approach industrial relations. The outcomes of this relationship have been accredited to a range of economic success and significant social progress (Fossum, 2014; Tremewan, 2016). In the wake of the financial crisis in the last decade, Singapore made necessary steps toward the growth of employment level between 2009 and 2011. Therefore, the country ranks as one of the best and most competitive due to the nature of cooperation between the key players. Industrial relations deals with all the aspects that touch on the industrial life(Fraile, 2016). According to Kaufman Routledge, labour management issues are related to trade unions, collective bargaining, grievance and discipline handling, employee roles in the management, industrial disputes and the interpretation of labor laws to the workers and other related parties. The collective bargaining forms a central part of industrial relations. Besides it aims at reaching an agreement between the management and employees in a particular company. The primary focus is the wages and remuneration issues, promotions, working hours, benefits and the terms of employment(Kaufman, Beaumont, Helfgott, Routledge.). Key Players Labor-Management Relations There are various players in the labor management system, and these includes the employers, employees, and government and trade unions. The parties are actively involved in the process, and their scope is very broad as it touches on various issues such as collective bargaining, dealing with industrial disputes, standing orders, and unfair labor practices and workers participation in the process of management. The section explores the key roles played by these actors in the process of labour relations management(Ackers, 2014). Roles of Employees in Labour Relations Management An employee in the organization has various responsibilities in labor relations management. The employer pay payment and the trade unions and government protect them. Therefore, the role of employees includes acting ethically in exchange for the remuneration and protections. Their key roles include safety, punctuality, integrity confidentiality, and objectivity. Employees should show predictable attendance, behave ethically by dealing properly with the customers and clients, observe the required practices and provide good quality works and support to colleagues. In some cases, they are supposed to engage the management in collective bargaining(Kaufman, Beaumont, Helfgott, Routledge.). Roles of Trade Unions The role played by trade unionism is vital for the interaction in the company between workers and the management. Both adheres to the system, practices, and principles as set by the trades unions, and this may be different between countries although there are some similarities. These trade unions membership consists of different people whose common agenda and the objectives is to promote and protect the interests of employers and the employees(Brown, 2015). Cases of the industrial dispute are brought by the emerging or unresolved difference between the government and employment or with the management over appropriate employment terms and conditions. These includes the remuneration benefits, working condition and hiring, and retention of employees in the workplace(Hyman Price, 2016). In the organizations where the trades union are well recognized in the workplace, they engage in officials roles where they conduct negotiations with HRM on behalf of employees. They involve in issues of collective bargaining, employee welfare, legislation and any unfair practices that may exist in the organization(Hyman Price, 2016). In these areas, the scope of engagement with the employers includes representation of workers in the industries through negotiations with the team because of their strength because they comprise the group of employees who has a greater voice than individual employees. In advocating for employees welfare, the unions have been successful regarding asserting for better terms and conditions for the workers, and this helps in securing different benefits. These includes higher wages, protection from arbitrary action, reasonable work schedules, work-life balance and job security for all the affiliated employers(Cheng, 2016). Role of Employers in Labour Relations Management Concerning labour management issues, the employers have certain inalienable rights. For instance, they have the recruit and layoff the employees(Brown, 2015). Besides, the management also has the rights to exercise their rights such as transfers, merge or close the company and to make changes to the technology used and other innovations. The exercise of managements rights certainly interferes with the rights of employees and this may lead to complaints and eventually this degenerate to conflict. On the contrary, the employers also has an interest in how the employees work and try to enhance the working conditions and review the terms and condition of employment based on environmental changes which were not factored in the time of hiring. Further, the management tries to engage the workers and enhance their participation in the decision-making process which largely rests in the hands of the senior employees in the firm(Carluccio, Fougre, Gautier, 2015). Role of Governments in Labour Relations Management The Governments of different countries plays a significant role in labour relations management in the enterprise. The officials try to regulate and influence industrial relations through enacted legislations and various policies and agreements. Labor-management relations is traced from the 19th century, and their emergence is linked to the rise of industrialization in North America and Europe. By the time, the employee was harshly treated and had no rights, and therefore the trade unions brought large workforces. Since then, many conditions has led to its evolution in the century. The changes are due to the significant shift in social, economic and the major political changes in different countries and therefore their operation and other activities have changed(Flavin Hartney, 2015). Initially, labor-management relations featured all interactions between employers and employees. For example, in their early years, their roles were confined to human resource, union, and employees relations management and this represented a broad scope as compared to today. However, nowadays, the range and the meaning has evolved and assumed a narrow focus and the area of restriction is the employee-employer relations(Brown, 2015). Singapore Competitiveness in LRM Singapore competitiveness in LRM can be measured regarding wages, protection, and workplace benefits. The issues will be looked in reflection to the harmonious relationship between employees, trade unions, government and employers and how it has helped improve productivity. Tripartism is defined as the collaboration among employers, unions, employees and government in Singapore. In the paper, it is considered as a key competitive advantage for the Singapore on matters related to labor relations management. Tripartism in Singapore has been the principal source of economic and productivity in the workplace competitiveness(Fossum, 2014). Besides, it has been at the center of promoting and enhancing the level of harmony between the labor-management relations, and this has made a significant to the overall progress of the country. In the country, the key tripartite issues includes job re-creation, retirement age, training and development and upgrading of the workforce. Others are fair and flexible wages for employees. The tripartite partners include the Ministry of human resources, trade unions bodies, and the employers federation(Sheldon, Gan, Morgan, 2015). The association between these bodies play a huge role in the reducing the number of strikes and increasing the level of productivity. The Ministry of Manpower, for example, formulate and implement the national labour policies with the aim of making Singapore a globally competitive through the creation of harmonious workplace and brighter economic future for the citizens (Fashoyin, 2010; Tremewan, 2016). The National Trades Union Congress roles are to help the country stay competitive. As such, the tripartite between the bodies is important because it has increased the country competitiveness by making the individuals and groups remain employable, reduce the number of strikes and industrial actions and to build a caring labour movement. Further all the employees irrespective of the age and other affiliations remain in the workforce, and this increases the competitiveness of Singapore(Brown, 2015). Also essential to the understanding of the competitive analysis of Singapore is the Singapore National Employers Federation. The body was formed in 1980, and its role is to increase the industrial harmony and to enhance the excellence of the employees and the practices in the workplace. These actions have made the country competitive because of high productivity of employees and the quality of their output. Regarding national wages, the Government of Singapore has accepted the proposals made by the National Wages Council for the year 2016/2017(Yah, 2011). The issues highlighted includes remuneration restructuring and an increase in productivity due to expected local employment growth. To make the organization competitive, the government is in support of productivity to ensure sustainable wage growth and further boost Singapores competitiveness. This also includes the increase of payments for all the low-wage workers, funding for skills and improving their Workfare through training(Yah, 2011). In the end, the trade unions in the country have managed to push for the increase of productivity, skills, and wages with 4%. The tripartite relationship has led the resolution of the industrial dispute in the workforce, a guarantee of sick, death, family care and sick leaves. The issues make the country reasonably competitive in the international arena (Tremewan, 2016; Yah, 2011). Conclusion In conclusion, labour relations management in Singapore is characterized by a tripartite relationship between government, trade unions, and management which help come up with a harmonious relationship in the workplace. Each of the parties plays a beneficial and significant role such as collective bargaining, wages, leaves, solving disputes and formulation of diverse legislations and policies. The level of association has been instrumental in the increase of wage, the growth of productivity and development of skills that to boost organization sustenance. For instance, in the country, the wages rose by 4 %, and the trade unions have managed to resolve many industrial disputes and to realize the increase in overall productivity in the workplace. These aspects in make Singapore competitive and experience reduced industrial actions as compared to the recent decades. References Ackers, P. (2014). Rethinking the employment relationship: a neo-pluralist critique of British industrial relations orthodoxy. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(18), 2608-2625. Brown, W. (2015). Trade unions at the workplace. Industrial Relations Journal, 46(1), 7-11. Carluccio, J., Fougre, D., Gautier, E. (2015). Trade, Wages and Collective Bargaining: Evidence from France. The Economic Journal, 125(584), 803-837. Cheng, L. (2016). Organized Labor and Debt Contracting: Firm-Level Evidence from Collective Bargaining. The Accounting Review. Fashoyin, T. ( 2010). Tripartite cooperation, labour market reform and economic upturn in Singapore. Geneva: International Labour Organization. Flavin, P., Hartney, M. (2015). When government subsidizes its own: Collective bargaining laws as agents of political mobilization. American Journal of Political Science, 59(4), 896-911. Fossum, J. (2014). Labor relations. New York City: Mcgraw Hill Higher Education. Fraile, L. ( 2016). Blunting neoliberalism: tripartism and economic reforms in the developing world. New York City, NY: Springer. Hyman, R., Price, R. (2016). The New Working Class?: White-Collar Workers and their Organizations-A Reader. New York City, NY: Springer. Kaufman, B., Beaumont, R., Helfgott, R. (Routledge.). Industrial Relations to Human Resources and Beyond: The Evolving Process of Employee Relations Management: The Evolving Process of Employee Relations Management. London : Routledge. Knights, D., Willmott, H. (2016). Labour process theory (eds ed.). New York City, NY: Springer. Sheldon, P., Gan, B., Morgan, D. (2015). Making Singapore's tripartism work (faster): the formation of the Singapore National Employers' Federation in 1980. Business History, 57(3), 438-460. Tremewan, C. (2016). The political economy of social control in Singapore. New York City, NY: Springer. Yah, L. (2011). The National Wages Council (NWC) and macroeconomic management in Singapore. Crisis Management and Public Policy: Singapore's Approach to Economic Resilience.

Solar Furnace (Font Romeu

Introduction Solar energy remains one of the most under-exploited most yet abundant sources of energy at the disposal of humanity. This aspect often creates the notion that solar energy is a relatively new phenomenon; however, solar energy is among the energy sources that have served humankind for the longest time. As early as the 7th century B.C., people had started to concentrate the sun’s rays into beams that could light fires (Garg 10).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Solar Furnace (Font Romeu – Odeillo, France) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Over the centuries, a plethora of developments in the harnessing and use of solar energy has been witnessed all over the world. However, it was not until the 20th century that the world’s first solar powered furnace was successfully constructed. Under the guidance of Professor Fà ©lix Trombe, the world’s first solar furnace was constructed in the year 1949 in Mont Louis, Southern France (P-O Life Par.1). This project was a revelation especially for its originator because through it, it became apparent that solar energy could be used to power large-scale furnaces that could be used for commercial purposes. About 20 years later, â€Å"Professor Fà ©lix Trombe led the construction of the world’s largest solar furnace in Odeillo, Southern France† (P-O Life Par.1). The furnace stands as a demonstration of the potential of solar energy to the world and it remains amongst the world’s greatest projects especially in the line of solar energy exploitation. This essay focuses on the solar furnace at Font Romeu – Odeillo, France. Solar Furnace (Font Romeu – Odeillo, France) History The world’s largest solar furnace was the brainchild of Professor Fà ©lix Trombe, a French engineer. In the period before its construction, several successful attempts had been made to use solar energy for el ectricity generation and home heating. However, the principle behind using solar energy for electricity generation is slightly different from the idea behind the operation of a solar furnace. Attempts to use the principle behind the operation of a solar furnace date back to the 7th Century B.C. when simple magnifying glasses were used to converge sunrays into hot beams that could be used to light fires (Garg 10). It is also believed that in the 2nd century B.C. Greek Scientist, Archimedes used this same principle to ward off Roman war ships, which were on a mission to besiege Syracuse (Garg 10). Archimedes achieved this feat by setting the ships on fire to stop them from reaching the town. This aspect makes the idea of using reflectors or mirrors to concentrate solar energy into hot beams for different purposes the oldest known use of solar energy.Advertising Looking for essay on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pr ofessor Trombe placed the idea under serious scrutiny in 1946 when carrying out an experiment to determine the possibility of attaining high temperatures rapidly and the effect of the high temperatures on different materials in a pure environment using an air defense mirror to converge the light from the sun into a hot beam. In the quest to actualize this experiment under controllable circumstances where different possibilities could be tried out, Professor Trombe built the world’s first solar furnace at Mont Louis, Southern France in 1949 (P-O Life Par.1). This project was enormous as it incorporated 1420 mirrors to form the light converging surface (P-O Life Par.1). The furnace has since undergone massive renovation to make it fit for commercial purposes it serves today. The success of the Mont Louis furnace inspired professor Trombe to build the world’s largest solar furnace a few miles away from his initial project. The solar furnace in Odeillo was an improvement o f the pioneering project that had been 20 years earlier. Since its construction, the furnace remains the largest and most important solar furnace in the world (P-O Life Par.2). This reputation stems from the fact that even though there are numerous other such furnaces across the world, none of them is capable of producing the temperatures that the furnace at Odeillo can produce. Thus, it remains Professor Trombe’s biggest achievement as it continues to contribute immensely to the wellbeing through enabling vital experiments that cannot be conducted elsewhere. Overview of the project This project is located at Font Romeu- Odeillo, in the Pyrenees of Southern France. The location was chosen because it boasts of clear skies for up to 300 days in one year (P-O Life Par.5). The air quality of the region was also considered the most suitable for this kind of project within France. It comprises a large concave mirror (formed by putting together 10,000 smaller mirrors) that is mounte d on an eight-story building. The concave mirror is about 2000 square feet (P-O Life Par.4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Solar Furnace (Font Romeu – Odeillo, France) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The light that it converges to a focal point, which is the size of a cooking pot, is supplied by 63 heliostats that are mounted on the hillside facing the concave mirror. The heliostats (flat self-adjusting mirrors that reflect light to a pre-determined target) are arranged in eight terraces to allow them to cover the entire surface of the concave mirror. The furnace is capable of giving temperatures of up to 3500 degrees Celsius or 6330 degrees Fahrenheit (P-O Life Par.4). As a result, it is the most appropriate place for research that involves very high temperatures. There are other similar furnaces, but the solar furnace at Odeillo remains the most illustrious among them by virtue of its size and outpu t. However, it is important to note that like this furnace, all other solar furnaces in other parts of the world are majorly used for research experiments. Construction of the Project Solar energy is harnessed all over the world using a variety of technologies for different purposes. These include solar water heating, photovoltaic cells, solar space heating, and concentrated solar power among many others (Garg 213). The idea behind the operation of a solar furnace falls in the category of concentrated solar power systems. In this category, several different technologies can be employed to harness the sun’s energy. These include parabolic troughs, power towers, dish/engine systems, and concentrated solar power (CSP) (Garg 290). Although these systems vary in design and construction, the idea behind their operation is the same. All of them use reflecting surfaces to concentrate the sun’s energy to a desired location. These concentrated solar power systems can amplify the sun’s energy up to 5000 times its original intensity to achieve the purpose for which the particular project is designed (Hinkley et al. 1). Solar furnaces fall in the CSP category where they employ a large parabolic reflector and a set of reflectors. In other words, the system uses sets of reflecting surfaces. The first set of reflecting surfaces collects the sun’s energy and reflects it to the parabolic reflector, which then concentrates it to a focal point that is often a small area (Hinkley et al.1).Advertising Looking for essay on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This area is only roughly the size of a cooking pot for the world’s largest solar furnace in Odeillo, France (P-O Life Par.3). This kind of system requires strong supply of sunlight throughout the day, thus the first set of mirrors are designed to track the sun automatically at its varying positions during the day to maintain a strong supply of the sun’s energy to the parabolic reflector. These solar tracking mirrors are referred to as heliostats. A heliostat is a device that incorporates a plane mirror(s) that keep changing position relative to sun’s position to ensure that it maintains a strong reflection of the sun’s energy to a predetermined surface (Garg 301). This goal is achieved by ensuring that the reflecting surface of the heliostat is maintained perpendicular to an imaginary line that bisects the angle between the sun and the target of the reflection (Garg 301). The targeted surface is normally a stationary object or surface that does not follo w the movement of the heliostat. In this manner, the heliostat follows the sun, but it keeps reflecting the light to a fixed position on the target regardless of the position of the sun. Older heliostats were controlled manually by hand or by use of solar trackers or clockwork, which enabled them to self adjust in accordance with the position of the sun (Garg 301). However, the old versions cannot be compared to modern heliostats, which are computer controlled and are thus able to perform their function with utmost precision. Since the solar furnace at Odeillo is a CSP system, it needed two sets of reflectors. A heliostat system to collect a greater amount of sun’s heat and reflect it to the concentrator and a concentrator, which serves the purpose of converging the sun’s heat to the focal point where it is used for high temperature endeavors. All the other constructions such as laboratories are supportive, but the facility can operate without them. This furnace employ s one of the two designs that are possible for solar furnaces, viz. the on-axis design and the off-axis design. Odeillo solar furnace is an on-axis design, which implies that the focal point of the parabolic mirror or concentrator stands between the heliostats and the concentrator (Hinkley et al.1). This arrangement has the disadvantage of the focal point unit blocking some of the light and heat from the heliostat. It appears as shown below. Figure 1: On-axis design solar furnace design Source: (Hinkley et al. 2) The Odeillo solar furnace employs this arrangement, but since it is a large-scale project, it comprises â€Å"63 heliostats, which are 24.6 by 19.7 feet, each† (CNRS 2). Each heliostat in turn comprises 180 mirrors each measuring 19.7 by 19.7 inches. They are arranged in eight tiers along the rising hillside that faces the parabolic reflector (CNRS 2). Each of the heliostats has a specific point on the concentrator, which has to illuminate constantly with a strong s upply of solar reflection when the furnace is in operation. This arrangement was thought to be necessary because the parabolic reflector is too large to track the sun in order to maintain the required intensity of solar energy (CNRS 2). The arrangement of the heliostats and the parabolic reflector at Odiello furnace is as shown below. Figure 2: Schematic diagram of Odeillo solar furnace Source: (CNRS 3) The parabolic reflector on the other hand is a large concave arrangement that was constructed from about 10,000 smaller mirrors measuring 17.7 inches by 17.7 inches each (CNRS 2). These give a concentrator that is 130 feet high, 175 feet wide and close to 23,000 square feet in terms of area. It is important to point out at this point that the size of the concentrator and the numbers of heliostats employed are entirely dictated by the power requirements for the project. During the construction of the Odeillo furnace, the mirrors were â€Å"silvered and aluminized by vacuum evaporati on in order to give a reflective surface that could reflect up to 90% of the sun’s energy onto a desired target† (CNRS 4). Other materials such as silver could serve the reflection function, but it was not possible to obtain an optical surface by polishing. The choice of glass over all the other materials has proved itself a worthwhile choice because the facility remains the largest and most important because it 1000 kW capacity is unrivalled elsewhere in the world (CNRS 6). The building that supports the parabolic reflector is an eight-storey building, which also hosts the CNRS research facilities that are based at the site (CNRS 5). Its construction was much like the construction of any contemporary eight-storey building, but the idea of one side being left out for the concentrator had to be factored in during the process. The construction went on amid ongoing research until it was completed because at the time, there was no similar facility except for the smaller fur nace that had been constructed by Professor Trombe earlier on. He was building on the same idea, but on a larger scale using a slightly different approach. The project factored in conventional construction ideas, which are necessary for erecting an eight-storey building. The sampling of the soils of the region to determine the kind of reinforcement that the building needed called for the selection of the right materials, which could bear the stresses and strains that the load of the parabolic reflector would place on them. Material selection needed to be done very carefully because this was the first structure of its kind and it could not be compared to any other structure elsewhere. The framework that holds the parabolic reflector in place entails a network of metals that is capable of providing a strong base for the concentrator, but at the same time, it should be relatively light, which means that the project involved the input of many other specialists apart from Professor Tromb e. The project, having been built in the 1960s and brought into operation in the year 1970, is not much of an ancient project. This assertion is founded on the view that the same idea that lies behind the operation of the Odeillo furnace remains the main idea behind the operation of several other smaller solar furnaces that have been constructed after it. Odeillo solar furnace was among the pioneering projects in the field of solar furnaces, but the technology it employed has been used elsewhere for different solar projects. Heliostats are today widely used for other applications such as major solar electricity plants and solar water heating arrangements among others (Hinkley et al. 2). The solar furnace at Odeillo was constructed at a cost of $200,000 to completion. How it would be constructed today The solar furnace at Odeillo is slightly over 40 years old. The technological landscape has greatly changed within this period. This aspect means that although the furnace is not very o ld, its construction would be approached differently if it were constructed today. The operation principle would remain the same, but the materials and construction methods would be different. The first aspect of the project that would be altered is its design. There are two main designs for solar furnaces namely the off-axis design and the on-axis design. Odeillo was an on-axis design as already noted, but there is a need to improve the arrangement of the heliostats and the parabolic reflector. Since the conventional off-axis design has the disadvantage of the furnace blocking off some reflections from the heliostats to the concentrator because it stands in between the two, it would be a better idea if the design were such that the furnace is away from the path of the heliostat – reflected beams. The figure below shows a hybrid design that may be better that the Odeillo furnace design. Figure 3: On-axis optical design solar furnace design (alternative) Source: (Hinkley et a l. 7) This kind of design has the advantage of all the reflected beams of light from the sun reaching the parabolic reflector without any hindrance in between. It can even be better if this arrangement is duplicated on opposite sides of one building such as the one that holds the solar furnace of Odeillo. This consideration becomes important as the world needs other solar furnaces, which are in the same caliber as or better than the one at Odeillo because over 40 years after its construction it remains the only one of its caliber. This aspect forces scientists and researchers from all over the world to flock to the site for experiments, which require temperatures that only this facility can provide. The double arrangement can accommodate more experiments at the same time and thus enable experimentation and research to be done with ease. However, it can cost more than the Odeillo solar furnace. If an assumption is made that the cost of constructing a furnace similar to the one at Ode illo would be the same as it was 40 years ago due to the development of cheaper materials and technologies, constructing it in this proposed dual arrangement cannot cost double the amount that was used to bring Odeillo solar furnace to completion. It will be in between, probably three quarters of the double cost or so because even with the dual arrangement, only a single building is necessary to hold both parabolic reflectors in place. The heliostats would be slightly different today compared to the ones that were used at Odeillo. The technology behind the operation of a heliostat has slightly improved since the time Odeillo solar furnace was constructed. Today, a heliostat that would be used in a solar furnace is lighter and stronger than it was 40 years ago (Hinkley et al. 6). However, the most important difference that is possible for a heliostat today is that with the advent of computers, all high precision equipment are computer controlled, which is also possible for solar furn ace heliostats. In the past, these gadgets were controlled manually using clockwork or using solar trackers to maintain a steady beam on the parabolic reflector regardless of the position of the sun. Today, heliostats are computer controlled. The computer is supplied with the longitudinal and latitudinal details of the heliostat as well as the date and time of the day. Equipped with these details, the computer calculates the position of the sun and triggers a connected mechanism that adjusts the mirror to the right position with such a precision that could not be achieved in the past (Hinkley et al. 6). The parabolic surface would be constructed using modern mirrors, which are stronger and lighter just like in the case of heliostats. In a bid to achieve the parabolic shape more easily, the arrangement would be composed of hexagonal mirrors rather than rectangular or square mirrors. Due to the dual arrangement, a parabolic reflector the size of the one at Odeillo is a good size. It c an be slightly bigger to deliver more than 1000 kW to enable it serve purposes that could be beyond the scope of the current Odeillo furnace. This arrangement of hexagonal mirrors to form the concentrator has been used in the construction of relatively recent solar furnaces. Apart from serving its intended purpose, it would add to the aesthetic value of the structure, which is important because the Odeillo furnace and the Mont Louis furnace are known to attract tourists. In the current Odeillo furnace, the eight-storey building that supports the parabolic reflector hosts other activities within the available space and the case would be similar in the new construction. This claim is made based on the view that in the design for the new construction, the parabolic reflector needs to be elevated higher and tilted slightly downwards to ensure that it focuses the beams that it receives to a target somewhere below it as shown in figure 3 above. This assertion means that probably the parab olic mirror would not affect the first two floors. The space availed by the two floors can host all the different activities that might be necessary at the site. Alternatively, in addition to the two floors, a basement room can also host some vital activities if the two floors are not sufficient to host all the activities that are ongoing at Odeillo solar furnace. This way, the world can have a solar furnace that would be in a position to serve a bigger number of experiments at ago. Alternatively, since the solar furnace in question is a dual arrangement structure, one side could be dedicated to experimental and research activities as the other side serves commercial activities. Such an arrangement can be advantageous as the challenges encountered by the commercial furnace users will be easily solvable by the researchers more easily and faster as both activities go on in the same facility and any unusual occurrences can be handled right away. Conclusion The principle behind the oper ation of the solar furnaces is an idea that has existed for long and it has been used for numerous purposes. However, Professor Trombe’s move to actualize its large-scale application in a solar furnace was a huge development as no one else has come up with a better way of harnessing the sun’s energy for use in a solar furnace. Many that have been made utilize the same idea albeit with varying designs. In this sense, Professor Trombe remains the greatest contributor to the development of solar furnaces and this scenario is likely to remain so for many years to come. Works Cited CNRS n.d., High temperature solar energy. PDF File. 20 Nov. 2013. https://history.gtri.gatech.edu/history/files/media/other-publications/High_Temp_Solar_Energy_Pamphlet.pdf Garg, Prakash. Solar Energy: Fundamentals and Applications, New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Education, 2000. Print. Hinkley, Jim, Robbie McNaughton, and Andreas Neumann. Development of a High Flux Solar Furnace Facility at CSIRO f or Australian Research and Industry, Frenchs Forest: AuSES, 2010. Print. P-O Life: The biggest solar furnace in the world Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via 2010. Web. https://anglophone-direct.com/mont-louisfont-romeu-odeillo-via/ This essay on Solar Furnace (Font Romeu – Odeillo, France) was written and submitted by user Zackery Acosta to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Stephen Crane

Stephen Crane was the youngest of fourteen children. His father was a strict Methodist minister, who died in 1880, leaving his devout, strong mother to raise the rest of the family. Crane lasted through preparatory school, but spent less than two years in college, excelling at Syracuse in baseball and partying far more than academics. After leaving school, he went to live in New York, doing freelance writing and working on his first book Maggie, A Girl of the Streets. His times in New York City were split between his apartment in the Bowery slum in Manhattan and well-off family in the nearby town of Port Jervis. Crane published Maggie, a study of an innocent slum girl and her downfall in a world of prostitution and abuse, in 1893 at his own expense. It was especially scandalous for the times, and sold few copies. It did attract the attention of other critics and writers, most notably William Dean Howells, who helped Crane receive backing for his next project, The Red Badge of Courage . Published in 1895, The Red Badge was quite different from Maggie in style and approach, and brought Crane international fame and quite a bit of money. Rather than plod through moral tropes, the book is subtle and imagistic, while still being firmly entrenched in the realism of the late 1890's in America. Crane's rich portrayal of Henry Fleming's growth through the trials and terrors of a Civil War battle betray the fact that he himself had not yet seen any fighting or battles when he wrote the book. Many veterans of the Civil War (only thirty years had gone by since its end) praised the book for capturing the feelings and pictures of actual combat.... Free Essays on Stephen Crane Free Essays on Stephen Crane Stephen Crane was the youngest of fourteen children. His father was a strict Methodist minister, who died in 1880, leaving his devout, strong mother to raise the rest of the family. Crane lasted through preparatory school, but spent less than two years in college, excelling at Syracuse in baseball and partying far more than academics. After leaving school, he went to live in New York, doing freelance writing and working on his first book Maggie, A Girl of the Streets. His times in New York City were split between his apartment in the Bowery slum in Manhattan and well-off family in the nearby town of Port Jervis. Crane published Maggie, a study of an innocent slum girl and her downfall in a world of prostitution and abuse, in 1893 at his own expense. It was especially scandalous for the times, and sold few copies. It did attract the attention of other critics and writers, most notably William Dean Howells, who helped Crane receive backing for his next project, The Red Badge of Courage . Published in 1895, The Red Badge was quite different from Maggie in style and approach, and brought Crane international fame and quite a bit of money. Rather than plod through moral tropes, the book is subtle and imagistic, while still being firmly entrenched in the realism of the late 1890's in America. Crane's rich portrayal of Henry Fleming's growth through the trials and terrors of a Civil War battle betray the fact that he himself had not yet seen any fighting or battles when he wrote the book. Many veterans of the Civil War (only thirty years had gone by since its end) praised the book for capturing the feelings and pictures of actual combat....

McDonald's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

McDonald's - Essay Example Being in operation in over 90 countries in the world makes financial and economic trends an important factor in the company’s operations. The choice whether to import resources or purchase them locally is a vital element. Another principal element is the level of taxes that the company is liable to pay; how much do tariffs cost on specific brought in raw materials? What is the level of taxation for multinational corporations? What is the level of unemployment? (McDonalds, 2015). Growing and constantly changing ways of life can have a consequence on the performance of sales. Persons increasingly are looking for more fare that is sophisticated when they venture out to eat. Hamburgers and French fries are not as exceptional as before. Furthermore, while individuals in western states such as the US may enjoy hamburgers and chips (French fries) as they are commonly called, individuals in Asian states, for instance, favor rice. In the past, McDonald’s has recommended a rice burger in China and the company is currently supporting rice to be eaten for supper in that area. Although technology may be seen to play a limited function in the fast food sector, the perception is misguided right at the core. Actually, high technology supports organizations develop their management and output, at the same time cutting on wasted time and assets. It can aid with arrangement, collation, estimating sales and customer traffic, and efficient modes of payment. Technology can additionally be employed for easy, cheap marketing on the World Wide Web. In the current times, individuals care about restoring and safeguarding the environment. They care about issues such as environmental pollution and the consequences that waste packing methods are having on the environs. In the recent past, McDonald’s was put to task by conservationist over the polystyrene wrapping that