Dark Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Dark Tourism - Essay Example On the other hand, the prevalence of the practice seems to indicate that there is wide appeal among people from all walks of life for dark tourism, and that there seems to be no common agreement as to whether the practice appeals to those who are seemingly inclined to dark tourism to satisfy some inner dark craving, or whether dark tourism as a practice is one that is essentially spiritual, or that serve some higher spiritual purpose. At any rate it is apparent from the large body of literature on the subject matter that dark tourism is prevalent, is institutionalized, and does not seem to incite people to commit crimes, or to trample on the rights of other people, and in some cases have some spiritual merit for those who pursue dark tourism, in terms of being able to precisely confront death and the darker side of human nature. This paper posits that depending on the motive and depending on whether the practice transgresses the fundamental rights and liberties of people, then from a philosophical perspective, dark tourism can be philosophically ethical or not. This paper further posits that some forms of dark tourism are ethical and some are not ethical, and it is the duty of the authorities to make sure that places that become popular dark tourist destinations are configured, and the travels and trips so structured, so that they do not cause harm to others both living and dead, and conform to common standards of decency and ethics. (Katz 2006; Mulin 2013; Stone and Sharpley 2008; Roberts 2013).

Reflective portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Reflective portfolio - Essay Example Personally, I opted to volunteer with the National Society of clean Air (NSCA) organization. It is an organization that enhances the protection of environment, and advocates for clean air in the world. Its main objective is to see reduced pollution of land, air, water, noise and other harmful contaminants. In my entire time of volunteering, I was able to create a significant impact on various communities through the creation of awareness on the importance of keeping our environment healthy. Communities in which I served were able to understand the importance of vegetation cover and disposing of wastes in an environmentally friendly manner. The planet is contaminated and without any environmental efforts to return to its natural state then people will perish over time. Our environment is suffering from the impacts of global warming. There is a need to reduce the amount of green house gases emitted into the air through the adoption of cleaner production technologies and increasing on t he vegetation cover. Evaluating the contribution of volunteering in meeting the organization objective Support from volunteers and organization leadership are fundamental in the success of an organization (Warner et al 2011, p.391). Without the two, then successful movements in sentiment transformation in various levels such as political, personal or professional cannot thrive. In order for the continual culture of improvements environmentally, volunteers at the community level are an essential commodity. Volunteers are effective in providing adequate service and remarkably efficient in reducing the organization spending costs. They always offer their services free of charge (Levine & Agostino 2010, p.711). However, because of their increased numbers, organizations have not been able to accommodate them. Non-profit organizations such as National Society of clean Air have been able to utilize skilled volunteers in meeting the needs of the community and meet its goals and objectives. Volunteers in environmental organization have been at the forefront advocating for Natural resource management (Measham &Barnett 2008, p.538). They are tasked by the organization to pass information to the community on the importance of managing their resources effectively. This is through the development of brochures that have information on natural resource management and holding campaigns where communities are able to air their views. The interaction between the community and volunteers enable an organization to identify loopholes that exists and come up with strategies that can enable them fix the problem. Through volunteering, the volunteers have been able to acquire necessary skills that make them sell like hot cake in the job market. Some have become environmental activists. They advocate for policies that will enhance the improvement and point fingers at those organizations that are not operating in an environmental sound manner. The volunteers in the organization involve th emselves in activities such as botanical specimen collection to enhance their understanding of ecology. They also involve themselves in monitoring and evaluation programs. This develops their mind in criticizing where things are not right. Through the volunteers, the organization has been able to achieve its aim of protecting the environment and ensuring that the air individuals’ breath is clean. Through sensitization, the community and other stakeholders have

The Language And Linguistic Competence English Language Essay

The Language And Linguistic Competence English Language Essay Linguistic competence, besides being a part communicative competence, deals with language as such in oral communication which encompasses many spheres namely phonology that deals with pronunciation and perception of speech sounds, prosody that is needed when using intonation to convey syntactic information and the ability to interpret the information conveyed through intonation, lexis or diction which is the ability to choose the proper lexis in communication and make sense of the subtle meaning of a particular word or expression, and grammar that helps sentence formation and interpretation of sentence meaning. Then one needs to clarify the nature of a language. Language  is a set of rules for generating speech  [1]  , or system of conventional spoken or written symbols used by people in a shared culture to communicate with each other  [2]  . This shared culture is created by people. Hence, language cannot exist without its users. If its user quits using a language, then it ceases to exist. The vivid example is Latin language (here, the usage of Latin in medicine or other sciences is omitted). For a language to exist there should be society, because it is the society that uses and modifies language as time goes by. How many languages are there in the world? Entologue research counted 6909 languages in the world  [3]  . And according to Encarta Encyclopedia there are ten mostly used languages in the world: Mandarin Chinese, Hindi or Urdu, Spanish, English, Arabic, Bengali, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, and German  [4]  ,  [5]  . These are used in intercultural communication most of all. Nonetheless, any language can serve as a channel for information flow. Yet, one language can have many speech communities that are big and small. Lobanov  [6]  implemented this term to describe variations of one language that exist, since one language can have many versions like, for example, English (British English, American English) or variances of one language in one country i.e. dialect. Language by its nature can serve not only as means of communication, but also as self identification or identification of others. Likewise, one can use a language to exclude people from communication. For instance, in Russian prisons inmates use prison jargon in communication so that staff of prison would not understand what they are talking about. Communication can occur if participants of oral communication know and use a common language. It is much easier if they are native speakers of the common language and share a lot of common ground knowledge. However, if they speak a completely different language, they wont have good interaction, except primitive exchange of basic information by hand gestures that can be misleading or they would need to hire an interpreter. This section of the dissertation presents the situation when people do speak a common language, however that means of communication is not their native language and they dont have common grounding. In such case, people would have different styles of communication that reside in their culture and differ from others that naturally cause miscommunication between them. There are 6 types of oral miscommunication which are caused by lack of knowledge of various language spheres such as phonology, lexis, grammar, and cultural competence  [7]  . Table.2 Model for the categorization of nonnative-native speakers oral miscommunication and its causes. Mispronunciation when encoding in speaking Misuse and misunderstanding of spoken due to lack of adequate competence in prosody and phonology Misperception when decoding when hearing Misspeaking when encoding in speaking Misuse and misunderstanding of spoken due to lack of adequate grammar and lexis competence /Misinterpretation of spoken because of lack adequate intercultural competence or socio-cultural differences Misunderstanding or non-understanding when decoding Misformulating spoken discourse misuse and misinterpretation of spoken due to lack of adequate pragmatic competence/ Misinterpretation of spoken because of lack adequate intercultural competence or socio-cultural differences Misunderstanding or non-understanding of spoken discourse. Zhenxian Wang, Verbal Miscommunication Between English Native Speakers And Chinese Learners of English, Beijing Institute of Education, 2009, p. 5-11. Mispronunciation which is the first point of the above table deals with encoding in speaking. Here Encoding is meant to be at the productive phonological level, which has three broad types: segmental, combinational, and supersegmental. Segmental mispronunciation occurs in individual consonants or vowels; combination mispronunciation refers to the omission of one consonant in a consonant cluster, poor pronunciation of linking sounds and weak forms; suprasegmental mispronunciation comprises the phenomena of stress (word stress and sentence stress) rhythm, and intonation  [8]  . For instance, one who speaks English that is not good enough could pronounce heat instead of hit, think like sink and many other words incorrectly. Misperception when decoding when hearing. It occurs when one wrongly perceive or fail to recognize the pronunciation of words. For instance, one can see the difference between hut and hot, sink and think, Seek and sick and other words as he or she might apply the competence on phonology of his or her native language which might differ tremendously. Misspeaking when encoding in speaking. Misuse of lexis, which often results from their lack of knowledge of the connotation of the lexis. For instance, one could say In lame mans terms: instead of In laymans terms meaning someone who lacks specialized knowledge on a topic. It wouldnt be correct, or nice, to label someone a lame man. Misunderstanding or non-understanding when decoding. Ignorance of a words connotation can lead to misspeaking, so it can also bring about misunderstanding. For instance, there is an expression break your leg that is used as a wish of good luck for the actors or entertainers before their performance. It is sometimes used even in the casual everyday life. Without knowing it, the foreigner might be offended that someone is suggesting breaking ones leg. Misformulating spoken discourse. For instance, in China, when the host offers anything to drink or eat, the guest, whether he or she wants to take it or not, will usually reply with a ritual No when asked for the first time. Then the host insists that the guest would accept the offer, replying with something like ok. Whereas, in certain other cultures of such continents as North America or Europe, the host does not serve drink or food against the spoken wishes of the guest. For that reason, in the western world, a Chinese person ends up without food or drink because of his or her ritual answer. Non-native speakers tend to employ the conversation strategies from their cultures, when they are not appropriate in cultures of native speakers or people from other cultures. Non-understanding of discourse force is often a result of failure to distinguish discourse markers. For example, the discourse force of the sentence Nice meeting you is to finish the conversation; however, a nonnative speaker may not understand it. As a result, s/he continues talking to the native speaker who finally has to finish the conversation by saying Sorry, we have to go.  [9]  This situation took place between a Chinese high school female teacher of English and a female visitor from America when they met at the Tiananmen Square for the first time  [10]  . 3.1 Vocabulary or Lexis Words are the basic units of any language in the world that are used in sentences supported by grammar. They are loaded with meanings that can be good, neutral or bad. Problems arise when, for instance, some of the words and phrases whose meanings are unknown to the hearer, which hinder the hearer from comprehension of the conversation. Likewise there are the words known to the hearer but are undesired to be use due to their degree of rudeness. Here I will present and discuss certain categories of words and expressions that require special attention as they might cause miscommunication. 3.2 Slang The first aspect of lexis in intercultural communication that needs reviewing is slang. The reason behind it is that slang and its misunderstanding can cause Behavioral and Mindset Anxiety, Discomfort Fear of the Unknown, Prejudice and Stereotyping, Perceived Cultural Superiority or Ethnocentrism, Racial, Sexual, and Educational Discrimination  [11]  . One needs to understand that Slang is an ever changing set of colloquial words and phrases that speakers use to establish or reinforce social identity or cohesiveness within a group or trend or fashion in society at large  [12]  . The usage of slang in verbal intercultural communication might raise a barrier or misunderstanding as slang is attached to a certain social group, culture or subculture, rather not to language as such. Hence, a person who employs slang in his or her speech with foreigners that is used in communication among the representatives of his or her social group might be misunderstood or not understood at all. There are certain criteria for words to be considered as slang  [13]  : Its presence will markedly lower, at least for the moment, the dignity of formal or serious speech or writing. Its use implies the users special familiarity either with the referent or with that of less status or less responsible class of people who have such familiarity and use the term. It is a tabooed term in ordinary disclosure with persons of higher social status or greater responsibility. It is used in place of the well-known conventional synonyms, especially in order (a) to protect the user from the discomfort caused by the conventional item or (b) to protect the user from the discomfort or annoyance of further elaboration. The most important is to realize that communication requires common ground knowledge for both parties of communication  [14]  . Slang cannot be considered a common ground for intercultural conversation as different nations do not share the knowledge of the same slang across the globe. Not to mention that slang should be avoided in certain settings of official meetings at any cost. The best option is to exclude the use of this type of vocabulary for speech in intercultural communication.

The Lady Her Porch And Her Chair :: essays research papers

The Lady,Her Porch, and Her Chair Once there lived an old lady named Clair Higgins. Every summer day she would sit out on her porch in her rocking chair drinking lemonade and reading a book. She looked like a nice person, but rumor had it that she was a mean old lady. Some people say that she killed her husband, others say that her husband ran away from her. It was so hard to believe though. Clair didn't look anything like a mean person. She looked so gentle and kind. She hair fair skin and rosy cheeks. Her hair was a shinny silver-gray,and it was fairly long. Her lips were plush and pink,all this surprising at her age. Most women her age have thinning gray hair and lots of wrinkles. That was another thing that was weird about her, she had few wrinkles. She doesn't look all that tall and she's fairly skinny. I've never seen her smile, she looks so lonely. Or maybe the book she is reading is just sad. Even though she doesn't smile, I still think that she is kind at heart. Just because her husband isn't around doesn't mean she killed him. Maybe he died of old age or is in a nursing home. Wherever he is, people have no right talking about her and saying stuff that they don't even know is true. Her porch is in pretty good condition. It looks like a comforting place to sit out on nice days. Except for the few cobwebs that have gathered in the corners it looks nice. The steps are cement and there are flower beds surrounding the porch, with beautiful flowers in them. They were so pretty that they lit up the whole house,and you would just want walk up to them and smell each one. It makes me wonder though, how do those flowers get there? Clair is always reading her book or looking out into the sky. What am I saying, there probably annual bulbs. Her porch had a roof, protecting her from the sun on hot days and it protected her from the rain on rainy days. One the roof is a light so she can read in the dark. The porch made a silent creaking sound as she rocked back and forth. On the porch was a table where she set her lemonade down each day. It also held her blanket and a candle for when she got a chill.

Jack Daniel Market Entry Strategy

Market Entry Strategy for Jack Daniels (Brown-Forman) to Germany Products Being Exported Consumer: Jack Daniels Old #7 Whiskey Industrial: Jack Daniels signature Whiskey Barrels International Business Policy 490 By: Market Entry Strategy for Jack Daniels (Brown-Forman) to Germany Brown-Foreman Company The Brown-Forman company who is the owner of the Jack Daniels brand since 1956 was founded in 1870 by George Gavin Brown, a young pharmaceuticals salesman in Louisville, who had the then-novel idea of selling top-grade whiskey in sealed glass bottles.Since then it has grown into a company that in fiscal 2006 had sales of 2. 4 billion dollars. The Brown family controls more than 70% of the voting shares. â€Å"This isn’t a History Lesson, This is Jack Daniels† â€Å"Was it simply his lucky number? Some say that Jack Daniel had seven girlfriends or the #7 train carried his barrels. Only Mr. Jack knows the real reason. † Jack Daniels was founded in 1863, at age 13 Jack Daniel owned his first whiskey still. The United States licensed its first ever distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee in 1866. This site is where Jack Daniels whiskey is still produced, today.Jack Daniel’s whiskey has become the top-selling whiskey in the United States due to few safety concerns involved in the distilling process. Also, prioritizing quality was Jack’s other focus, he said, â€Å"Every day we make it, we’ll make it the best we can. † Market Overview Germany is politically as well as economically one of the most important countries in Europe and the European Union. Due to its geographical position, its good infrastructure and its legal certainty, Germany is the first choice for many foreign companies when establishing a Representative Office or a subsidiary for their entry into the European market.The German economy is the world’s fourth largest and accounts for more than one-fifth of the European Union’s Gross Domestic Product. The United States largest European Union trading partner is Germany, also, being the sixth largest market for United States exports. Germany’s economy follows free market principles with a considerable degree of governmental market regulations and generous welfare programs. Germany has a welcoming attitude towards foreign direct investment (FDI). The German market is open for investment in practically all industry sectors, and business activities are free from regulations restricting day-to-day business.German law makes no distinction between Germans and foreign nationals regarding investments or the establishment of companies. The legal framework for FDI in Germany favors the principle of freedom for foreign trade and payment. There are no restrictions or barriers to capital transactions, currency transfers, real estate purchases, repatriation of profits, or access to foreign exchanges. Economic Data Year| Average Unemployment rate| Annual Inflation rate| 2008| 7. 8%| 2. 6% | 2009| 8. 1%| 0. 4%| 2010| 7. 7%| 1. 1%| 2011| 7. 1%| 2,3%| 2012| 6. 7%| 2,1%|Consumer: The largest consumer market in the EU is Germany, with a population of over eighty-two million. Enormous amounts of trade are conducted in Germany. Germany’s geographic location in the middle of the 27-member EU makes Germany a favorable gateway for many US companies to build their global expansion strategy. With Germany being the largest consumer market it gives the opportunity for Jack Daniels to gain a high value in market share. Industrial: A recent study conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce highlights the positive regard, in which the German usiness environment is held by US companies. US companies indicated that for the industrial market, 73 percent of participating American companies named Germany as their first choice for market entry; followed by Eastern Europe (57 percent),and Western Europe (33 percent). This is a good statistic for Jack Daniels because it shows that o ther companies are doing the same which opens up competition and for an easier market entry. Market Challenges The following information must be present on the label: Product type (Trademarks, brand names or fanciful names may not substitute the generic/product name, but may be used in addition to the product name) * List of ingredients proceeded by the word â€Å"Ingredients†; must show all ingredients (including additives) in descending order of weight as recorded at the time of their use in the manufacture and designated by their specific name. In the case of those products that may contain ingredients liable to cause allergies or intolerances, a clear indication should be given on the label by the word â€Å"contains† followed by the name of the ingredient.However, this indication will not be necessary provided the specific name is included in the list of ingredients. * Net quantity in metric units (liter, centiliter, milliliter) * Date of minimum durability not re quired for wine and beverages containing more than 10% alcohol by volume * Special conditions for keeping or use (if applicable) * Name or business name and address of the manufacturer, packager or importer established in the European Union * Country of origin or provenance * Alcohol content for beverages containing more than 1. 2% by volume * Lot identification with the marking preceded by the letter â€Å"L†.REQUIRED DOCUMENTS The following is a list of the documents that are required and/or recommended when importing alcohol beverages into Germany and/or any other EU member state: * Commercial invoice * Customs Value Declaration * Freight Insurance * Freight documents * Customs Import Declaration (SAD form a common import declaration form for all EU Member States; must be drawn up in one of the official languages of the EU) * Packing List * Certificate of Origin * Insurance certificate * Simplified Export Certificate IMPORT PROCEDURES An import declaration is required for goods from third countries such as the U.S. When goods are imported into Germany, it is the responsibility of the importer or his authorized agent to declare them to Customs. A Single Administrative Document or SAD is used for this purpose. This is the approved form for the import declaration process. * The Single Administrative Document (SAD) may be submitted to the Federal Customs Administration, either through physical means or through an electronic declaration. * Goods are released from Customs for â€Å"free circulation† once the pertinent documents have been filed and payment of tariff duties has been completed.After paying the value added tax (VAT) and any other applicable excise duty, goods are also released for consumption and ready to be marketed TAXES/TARIFFS * Value Added Tax (VAT) is an indirect tax on goods and services which is borne by the end consumer and applied to the value added at each stage of the supply chain. * In Germany, it is called Umsatzsteuer. Co nsumer: Germany’s relatively high marginal tax rates and complicated tax laws may constitute an obstacle, although deductions, allowances and write-offs help to move effective tax rates to internationally competitive levels.The Germany industrial market is one of many fluctuations throughout the years. The real German GDP expanded by 1. 7 percent in 2008, after a contraction of 0. 1 percent in 2007. Forecasters predict that the economic growth would slow to 1 percent in 2009. Sluggish consumer demand, weak investment spending and the persistent crisis in the construction sector continue to exert a dampening effect on recovery. The German economy continues to suffer from structural problems, including inflexibility and over-regulation in labor markets, taxation and business establishment, as well as high social insurance costs.This might slow the demand for Jack Daniels number 7 whiskeys due to it being a higher end drink. The German culture might not justify spending the 30 d ollars on a bottle of Jack Daniels when you can get Evan Williams for half the price. Industrial: With the exception of participation in the EU Common Agricultural Policy, Germany presents few formal barriers to U. S. trade or investment. Germany has pressed the new EU Commission to reduce regulatory burdens and promote innovation in order to increase the EU member states’ competitiveness.Germany's government regulation is often complex and may offer a degree of protection to established local suppliers. Safety or environmental standards, not inherently discretionary but always applied, can complicate access to the market for U. S. products. American companies (Jack Daniels) interested in exporting to Germany should make sure they know which standards apply to their product and obtain timely testing, certification (CE), and all the different regulatory compliances. Also the use of free trade zones and bonded warehouses might be a way to cut costs by assembling the barrels the re instead of beforehand.German standards are especially relevant to U. S. exporters because, as EU-wide standards are developed, they are often based on existing German ones. Market Opportunities For companies in the US, the largest EU market to enter is Germany. Germany is an important element to Jack Daniels Old Whiskey #7 and the signature Oak Barrels’ exporting strategy into Europe. With the high costs of doing business in Germany come, high levels of productivity, a first-class infrastructure, quality engineering, highly skilled labor force, and a location at the center of EU.This in turn makes Germany a very appealing country to export Jack Daniels brand into. U. S. Exports and Imports to Germany Year| Exports to Germany| Imports from Germany| Balance| 2008| 54,505. 3| 97,496. 6| ? 42,991. 3| 2009| 43,306. 3| 71,498. 2| ? 28,191. 9| 2010| 48,160. 7| 82,429. 1| ? 34,268. 4| 2011| 40,837. 0| 80,616. 8| ? 39,779. 8| 2012| 44,983. 6| 99,299. 3| -54,315. 7| Between Germany and its eastern European neighbors, the labor cost gap has been significantly reduced. In fact, Germany has gained the labor-cost edge in recent years.Since 2002, wages have risen in most European Union countries, with the growth rate averaging 3. 1 percent. While some countries; particularly those in Eastern Europe experienced a rise of more than seven percent. Germany recorded the lowest labor cost growth within the EU at just 1. 6 percent. This has been another decisive argument in favor of Germany as a premium market entry spot in the European Union Main Exports and Imports by Commodity with Germany 2010 Commodity| Imports from Germany| Exports to Germany| Apparel| USD 115. 6 million| USD 142. 3 million|Chemical goods| USD 7. 1 billion| USD 7. 2 billion| Electric Equipment| USD 9. 5 billion| USD 11. 4 billion| Beverages| USD 611. 9 million| USD 426. 2 million| Machinery| USD 15. 4 billion| USD 6. 8 billion| Cars and car parts| USD 25. 4 billion| USD 5 billion| Consumer: For the consumer product Germany’s excellent workforce is decisive to the country’s high productivity rates. It comprises over 40 million people, making it the largest pool of ready labor in the EU. Germany’s world-class education system ensures that the highest standards are always met.More than 80 percent of the German workforce has received formal vocational training or is in possession of an academic degree. For the productivity rates and workforce size, it shows good potential for Jack Daniels to gain market share and higher employees that will work hard and grow the company to the German standards. Industrial: Industrial market entry is all about efficiency and margins. Germany’s logistics infrastructure is among the best; its companies are also global logistics leaders. In fact, the world’s leading logisticsservices provider is a German company Deutsche Post DHL.Deutsche Bahn operates Europe’s largest rail network and Lufthansa Cargo is one o f the world’s leading global air freight companies. Annual revenues of over EUR 220 billion in 2011 make Germany Europe’s logistics leader. No other EU country comes close to Germany’s market size. This enables transportation of goods and services to be much more efficient, and cost worthy due to convenience. Product Description Consumer: Jack Daniel's Black Label, also known as Old Number 7 or more commonly as JD is one of the best-selling whiskies in the world.Made in the Tennessee Sour Mash style, it is very similar to bourbon with the additional step of dripping the fresh make spirit through a vat of sugar maple charcoal to â€Å"mellow† the whiskey before going into barrel. The result is a smooth, versatile whiskey that is true to its country roots. Whether drinking it neat, on the rocks or in a Jack and Coke or perhaps a Lynchburg Lemonade, Jack Daniels Black Label delivers a consistent, quality product that pleases imbibers around the world. It has been diluted from its original 45 percent alcohol content.Every drop is filtered through sugar maple charcoal in large wooden vats also referred to as sugar mellowing. Industrial: (Jack Daniels Barrels) The Brown-Forman Cooperage is the only barrel making facility exclusive to one distiller. Formerly the Blue Grass Cooperage Company, the cooperage was renamed in 2009 to the Brown-Forman Cooperage. The scale of the facility is massive, including an aging and storage facility for the wood that goes into making the barrels that has over thirty million dollars’ worth of lumber stored in it.Jack Daniel’s barrels are all made from American Oak. Wood is sourced from a number of regions, including the Ozarks, Appalachia, and a â€Å"Northern Region† that includes and surrounds Minnesota. The wood from the various regions is milled and then delivered to the cooperage. Fresh cut oak, or â€Å"green wood,† is 85% water, so to be used for barrels it needs to be drie d and aged. Drying wood too quickly can create splits, cracks, and checks (microscopic cracks) which cause a barrel to leak, so the wood needs to be slowly aged outdoors to abide by the jack standards.Also the barrel can only be used once so the demand is always constant for the American oak wood throughout the world. Fun Fact: In addition to gradually drying out the wood, exposing the wood to the elements also helps determine flavor. Green wood is high in tannic acids (as much as 12%), which translates into the bite you get when drinking the whiskey. When you dry wood outside and it gets drenched with rain and then dried by the sun, this helps reduce and â€Å"tame† the levels of tannic acid which makes for a smoother taste experience.One of the things you realize when reading the steps for a Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Barrel being built is how natural a process it is. While there’s a fair amount of machinery that goes into the process, but the process all is focuse d on shaping and preserving the natural qualities of the wood. â€Å"Each barrel is as individual as one of us,† Jack Daniels always said. But this is why they are in such demand for all the different countries (i. e. Germany) for trying to produce and make the Jack Daniels brand.Brown-Forman announced plans today for a new cooperage to craft barrels in Decatur, Alabama, in order to meet growing worldwide demand for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. Brown-Forman officials said the tremendous growth of the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands both domestically and internationally necessitated building the new cooperage . Brown-Forman and Jack Daniel’s officials joined with Alabama Governor Robert Bentley in Montgomery, AL, to make the formal announcement today. The Jack Daniel Cooperage is expected to be operational in May 2014, and it will eventually employ approximately 200 workers.It will be the second cooperage owned by Brown-Forman, which operates another fa cility in Louisville, KY, and will double the company’s barrel-making capacity. â€Å"Barrels are more than a container for our whiskey; they’re an important ingredient,† said Jeff Arnett, Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller. â€Å"All of the color of Jack Daniel’s and more than half of our whiskey’s flavor is derived from the barrel. We believe in the importance of the barrel in making our whiskey so much that we are the only major distiller that makes its own barrels. Product PricingConsumer: Jack Daniels Old No 7 goes for roughly $23. 99 per 750ml. This is your average price but since this Whiskey is being exported into Germany the rough price in Euros is 18. 47 with the conversion rate but then you must factor in the fact that alcohol is sold in different amounts in Europe. For 700ml it is 19. 61 euros roughly. So it is cheaper to get whiskey abroad then it is here. The Germany price is also taken into account that their currency is rated di fferent than ours in the fact that their Yen purchases different amounts then the US dollar.Also the prices of alcohol are different from the US in the fact that every country has their own regulations and tax rates. The age of the drinking age is also another factor which might cause the price to be lower due to younger adults usually having less income. Industrial: Most sales forces don't sell in a manner that yields the most profit. Relationships, of course, are important. But to garner the highest price, your sales force needs to confidently produce why your product offers the highest value compared to rivals. Value always doesn't mean lowest price.Instead, it is the offering that provides the best â€Å"deal† (most benefits for the price) for clients. Do to these different factors or pricing the whiskey barrels will be sold at prices compensated by exchange rates and currencies. * US: $160. 00-$200. 00/Per Barrel * Euro: Eu123. 04-Eu153. 80/Per Barrel These prices will a ccount for a 20% profit margin and take care of any costs that are gained through the export process. It makes sure that the company (Jack Daniels) has the right amount of cash coming in so there barrel manufacturing is up to full productivity potential. Product PromotionConsumer: Although, Jack Daniels Old #7 generally meets the criteria as straight bourbon, the company disavows this classification and simply just markets it as a Tennessee Whiskey. Old Senator Roger Motlow, believed in ‘stomach to stomach advertising. ’ â€Å"If you can get them to taste the whiskey, you won’t need any advertising. † Its target audience is mainly AB, male, 34-55; conservative people, with a strong personality based on the sense of effort and a life of tradition and strong values. The Jack Daniels drinker is an anti-conformist consumer, often like music especially rock music or country music especially in the States.Basing on the facts that 55% of whiskey drinkers use bour bon whiskey with a mix and that the majority of the people who mix a whiskey with a Cola or other substances are likely to use it in a bar or a club, assumptions can be made suggesting Jack Daniels drinkers are likely to be slightly younger than other type of whiskey drinkers. Furthermore marketing strategies conducted by Jack Daniel’s in the last five years suggest a reposition of the brand to appeal a younger audience. Sports sponsorship and music-related associations will attract a 24-35 years old type of audience, with an interest to expand the target to a female audience too.Industrial: The most successful market entrants are those that offer innovative products featuring high quality and modern styling (Jack Daniels Whiskey Barrels). Germans are responsive to the innovation and high technology evident in Jack Daniels whiskey barrels. The German market is decentralized and diverse, with interests and tastes differing dramatically from one German state to another. Success ful market strategies take into account regional differences as part of a strong national market presence which Jack Daniels had done very well.The experienced representation is a major asset to any market strategy, given that the primary competitors for most American products are domestic firms with established presences. Jack Daniels can overcome such stiff competition by offering high-quality products, services at competitive prices, and locally based after-sales support. Jack Daniels whiskey barrels are one thing that is unique and that is needed to produce the special Jack Daniels taste. The German culture is one that approves of the brand which also is a huge advantage. Conclusion Consumer: As shown below Jack Daniels is growing worldwide daily.Germany is no exception that it is an important part to conquering the global market for whiskey the fact that they are considered in their own category as Tennessee Whiskey helps because of how their whiskey is processed through the ba rrels is different to other ‘bourbons. ’ They do have a competitive edge in that regard since their product is considered more regal than other brands since they are in a category of their own. Germany is the perfect export country for the Jack Daniels Company and should use the market to their advantage. Industrial: As Jack Daniel's has grown from a U.S. brand to a global one, so the Jack Daniel's marketing team has grown from a small number of people to a global marketing organization. For Jack Daniels whiskey barrels, Germany is politically as well as economically one of the most important countries in Europe and the European Union for the Jack Daniels business. Due to its geographical position, its good infrastructure and its legal certainty Germany should be the first choice for any foreign company when establishing an office or a subsidiary for their entry into the European market. Bibliography * http://www. ackdaniels. com/history/legend-old-no-7 * http://www. dr inkspirits. com/whiskey/jack-daniels-barrel-making/ * http://translate. google. com/translate? hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www. jack-lives-here. de/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgerman%2Bjack%2Bdaniels%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1R2WQIB_enUS509%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D673&sa=X&ei=8wBJUeLwHYrSygHWyICgCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDwQ7gEwAA * http://www. businessweek. com/stories/2007-10-10/jack-daniels-international-appealbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice * http://articles. businessinsider. om/2012-01-10/strategy/30610634_1_jack-daniel-pop-culture-whiskey-brand * http://management. fortune. cnn. com/2011/12/08/jack-daniels-jim-stengel-grow/ * http://www. grin. com/en/e-book/180587/jack-daniel-s-brand-activity-analysis? partnerid=googlebooks * http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2012/09/26/whiskey-barrels_n_1916768. html * http://www. qualityassurancemag. com/qa0212-jack-daniels-whiskey. aspx * http://www. trademarkia. com/jack-daniels-old-no-7-brand-85128967. html * http://export. gov/germany/marketresea rchongermany/countrycommercialguide/doingbusinessingermany/index. sp * http://www. entergermany. com/marketentry. html * http://www. startupoverseas. co. uk/expanding-a-business-in-germany/entering-the-market. html * http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-18868704 * http://www. gtai. de/GTAI/Content/EN/Invest/_SharedDocs/Downloads/GTAI/Brochures/Germany/economic-overview-germany-market-productivity-innovation. pdf * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Germany * http://www. whiskyfinder. eu/beverage. php? cmd=show&id=85 * http://www. crownwineandspirits. com/brands/Jack-Daniels. html

John Donne

Ideas and themes change according to the different times and the historical, social, cultural and personal context of the time they are written In, with the texts either reflecting or contrasting the Ideas of that time. Death and mortality and the spiritual and emotional connections are themes that have evolved over time due to the different contexts. These themes are thematically central to John Donna's poetry written In the 17th century and Margaret Dose's 20th century play W;t. During the 1 7th Century, religion, especially Christianity, permeated all aspects of society.Donna's Death be not proud and Hymen to God my God, in my Sickness reflect his Christian belief that the material body was a temporary vessel for the soul's Journey and hence death was not something to be feared. In his Holy Sonnet, Death be not proud, Done patronizes death, and attempts to dispel the fears associated with death, reflecting the influence of his personal and historical contexts on his poetry. Donna' s immediate use of the imperative, ‘Death be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadfully, for, thou art not see', belittles the existence of death by creating a condescending tone.Moreover by personifying death and then directly addressing It, Done demeans death's power saying that Its nothing but an end result to fate and chance. To further correctly death, Done uses a metaphor to equate death to rest and sleep', robbing It of Its power. In contrast, Dose's W;t portrays a society in which the concept of a universal religion no longer exists, instead science was the savior. As a result death is seen as the final and absolute end in a context influenced by the existential fear of mortality and death which was prominent in late 20th century society.Dose's main character Viand's constant attachment to the IV pole symbolizes the modern medical science world. Vivian describes herself as, ‘Just the specimen, Just the dust Jacket, Just the white piece of paper '. The repetition of ‘Just the' and the objectification of Vivian through those descriptions reflect that life and body are viewed scientifically, as an observable phenomenon, capable of study. Academia and science are hence represented as having Increasing Importance, thus creating an environment where mortality is increasingly feared.In Hymen to God my God, in my Sickness the Hessians who attend to the speaker, much like the Code Team who attend to Vivian, are concerned with merely the material body. Done uses an extended conceit to compare the dying speaker to a map, suggesting that â€Å"west and east in all flat maps are one† highlighting that West' where the sun sets, is in reality connected to the â€Å"Resurrection† in the east, where the sun rises. He questions the reality of death using a rhetorical questions; â€Å"what shall my west hurt me? † showing his clear confidence in life after death.In a similar manner, the concluding scenes off;t epic a resemblance to the notion put forward by Done, where theatrically ‘a frenzy takes over' as the Code Team attempt to resuscitate Vivian, perceiving the survival of her physical body as the most important task. This flurried obsession with her material body Is Juxtaposed with Viand's ‘slow and graceful' walk towards ‘a little light' showing her acceptance that death is â€Å"nothing but a breath – a comma – separates the shedding of her material fears, Vivian embodies Donna's interpretation of death in this is my plays last scene when he walks away from his soul, leaving his sins Enid.The 17th Century Renaissance era placed greater importance on the human need for spiritual and emotional connections than the late 20th Century did. This notion is supported in Donna's A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning in which emotional connections are all encompassing and contain a spiritual element. Here the speaker puts forward the idea that their love is beyond t he scientifically rational and can withstand physical separation through the use of scientific imagery such as, trepidation of the spheres†¦ Is innocent'.Furthermore Done uses a metaphysical enceinte by portraying the idealized love between the two as a compass, with the lovers representing the two end points. The speaker's faith in the spiritual connection between the lovers is revealed as he believes that their emotional connection cannot be weakened by the metaphoric separation of the endpoint of the compass, When the other far doth Rome, It leans, and hearkens after it'. Alternatively, W;t portrays a society, whose individuals through scholarship and intellect, can become increasingly isolated and as a result lack emotional and spiritual connections.The medical professionals, Jason and Kelvin, repeatedly voice empty platitudes such as ‘how are you feeling today? In a procedure known as a clinical. The clinical, which is supposed to establish a connection between docto r and patient, has essentially become a meaningless ritual, representing the lack of concern for emotional and spiritual connection in the late 20th century. Thus, through John Donna's poetry, written in the 17th Century and Margaret Dose's 20th Century play W;t, we are able to see how texts written in different time and context can either reflect or contrast the ideas of that time.

Spanish Place Names in the U.S.

Spanish Place Names in the U.S. Much of the United States was once part of Mexico, and Spanish explorers were among the first non-indigenous people to explore much of what is now the U.S. So wed expect that an abundance of places would have names coming from Spanish - and indeed thats the case. There are too many Spanish place names to list here, but here are some of the most well-known: U.S. State Names from Spanish California - The original California was a fictional place in the 16th-century book Las sergas de Esplandin by Garci Rodrà ­guez Ordà ³Ãƒ ±ez de Montalvo. Colorado - This is the past participle of colorar, which means to give something color, such as by dyeing. The participle, however, specifically refers to red, such as red earth. Florida - Probably a shortened form of pascua florida, literally meaning flowered holy day, referring to Easter. Montana - The name is an anglicized version of montaà ±a, the word for mountain. The word probably comes from the days when mining was a leading industry in the region, as the states motto is Oro y plata, meaning Gold and silver. Its too bad the à ± of the spelling wasnt retained; it would have been cool to have a state name with a letter not in the English  alphabet. New Mexico  - The Spanish  Mà ©xico  or  Mà ©jico  came from the name of an Aztec god. Texas - The Spanish borrowed this word, spelled Tejas in Spanish, from indigenous residents of the area. It relates to the idea of friendship. Tejas, although not used that way here, also can refer to roof tiles. Key Takeaways: Spanish Language Place Names Spanish-language place names abound in the United States in part because its history includes Spanish colonization and exploration.Many of the Spanish place names in the U.S. have been anglicized, such as by changing à ± to n and by dropping the accent marks from accented vowels.Many of the Spanish names are derived from the names of Roman Catholic saints and beliefs. Other U.S. Place Names From Spanish Alcatraz (California) - From alcatraces, meaning gannets (birds similar to pelicans). Arroyo Grande (California) - An arroyo is a stream. Boca Raton (Florida) - The literal meaning of boca ratà ³n is mouses mouth, a term applied to a sea inlet. Cape Canaveral (Florida) - From caà ±averal, a place where canes grow. Conejos River (Colorado) - Conejos means rabbits. District of Columbia; Columbia River (Oregon and Washington) - These and many other place names honor Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colà ³n in Spanish), the Italian-Spanish explorer. El Paso (Texas) - A mountain pass is a paso; the city is on a historically major route through the Rocky Mountains. Fresno (California) - Spanish for ash tree. Galveston (Texas) - Named after Bernardo de Glvez, a Spanish general. Grand Canyon (and other canyons) - The English canyon comes from the Spanish caà ±Ãƒ ³n. The Spanish word can also mean cannon, pipe or tube, but only its geological meaning became part of English. Key West (Florida) - This may not look like a Spanish name, but it is in fact an anglicized version of the original Spanish name, Cayo Hueso, meaning Bone Key. A key or cayo is a reef or low island; that word originally came from Taino, an indigenous Caribbean language. Spanish speakers and maps still refer to the city and key as Cayo Hueso. Las Cruces (New Mexico) - Meaning the crosses, named for a burial site. Las Vegas - Means the meadows. Los Angeles - Spanish for the angels. Los Gatos (California) - Meaning the cats, for the cats that once roamed in the region. Madre de Dios Island (Alaska) - The Spanish means mother of God. The island, which is in Trocadero (meaning trader) Bay, was named by Galician explorer Francisco Antonio Mourelle de la Rà ºa. Merced (California) - The Spanish word for mercy. Mesa (Arizona) - Mesa, Spanish for table, came to be applied to a type of flat-topped geological formation. Nevada - A past participle meaning covered with snow, from nevar, meaning to snow. The word is also used for the name of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. A sierra is a saw, and the name came to be applied to a jagged range of mountains. Nogales (Arizona) - It means walnut trees. Rio Grande (Texas) - Rà ­o grande means large river. Sacramento - Spanish for sacrament, a type of ceremony practised in Catholic (and many other Christian) churches. Sangre de Cristo Mountains - The Spanish means blood of Christ; the name is said to come from blood-red glow of the setting sun. San _____ and Santa _____ (California and elsewhere) - Almost all the city names beginning with San or Santa - among them San Francisco, Santa Barbara, San Antonio, San Luis Obispo, San Jose, Santa Fe and Santa Cruz - come from Spanish. Both words are shortened forms of  santo,  the word for saint or holy. Sonoran Desert (California and Arizona) - Sonora is possibly a corruption of seà ±ora, referring to a woman. Strait of Juan de Fuca (Washington state) - Named after the Spanish version of Greek explorer Ioannis Phokass name. Phokas was part of a Spanish expedition. Toledo (Ohio) - Possibly named after the city in Spain.

The Evolution of Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory

The Evolution of Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory Analyzing the Evolution of Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory and Research Organizational knowledge creation involves making available and intensifying knowledge created by individuals and also shaping up and linking it with an organization’s knowledge system.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Evolution of Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The description of knowledge and knowledge conversion triggered research on conducive organization for and the context for knowledge creation. Research particularly found that knowledge, vision, activism, organizational forms and leadership affect organizational knowledge creation. With further evolution of organizational knowledge creation theory, the nature of the firm was made clearer and ‘knowledge strategy’ concept was furthered (Nonaka, Von Krogh Voelpel, 2006). The concept of ba exposed the challenges for the theory of organizational knowledge creation, yielding the concept of ‘knowledge activism’ (Von Krogh, Nonaka Ichijo, 1997). The organizational knowledge creation lays emphasis on ‘knowledge visions’ development in firms (Nonaka et al., 2006). Many organizations followed a combination of the hierarchy form that gave them the high ability needed to solve coordination problems associated with knowledge creation, hence the concept of a ‘hypertext organization’ which refers to a layered structure of activities. The organizational form that best coordinates and enables knowledge creation is a combination of the business system, the project system and the knowledge system layers running in parallel. Scholarly research compellingly defined several theories of leadership by early 1990s (Nonaka et al., 2006). Leadership is about enabling knowledge creation. The purpose of a theory of the firm must be to understand the nature of the firm.Advertis ing Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This calls for a synthetic understanding of the firm, combining subjective perspectives of the firm with objective facts, encapsulating the premise of economic rationality with the principles of social behaviour (Nonaka et al., 2006). Because of its vantage point in economic theory, such an analysis of the knowledge-based theory of the firm symbolizes the intention behind the project of a theory of organizational knowledge creation. Future Advances in Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory Ba is empirically under-explored. There should be more research on factors that potentially affect the effectiveness of ba across all organizations. There should also be more explorations on the effect of plural epistemologies to understand the nature of knowledge, its origin, and the ba. Theoretical and experimental work is needed to further under stand possibilities of and limitations on the distribution of tacit knowledge, or the process of conversion from tacit to explicit knowledge (Gourlay, 2002). There is critical need for more theoretical explanation on how leadership and ba are related in organizational knowledge creation theory. The temporal dimension of organizational knowledge creation theory makes it dynamic. Success and failure of organizations need to be studied along the temporal dimension where disparities can emerge (Probst Sebastian, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Evolution of Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The study of the balance in organizational knowledge creation is not only a topic for cross-sectional research, but should also be studied as processes. Organizations could create, lose and restore their balance on the temporal dimension, and it is vital for future research to c omprehend how these processes work. This view is justified by the fact that comparing flourishing and unsuccessful firms will enable better forecasts on the adaptation of firms in times of internal and external changes. A comprehension of relative success calls for a demonstrative view of entrepreneurial knowledge creation context, ba leadership, and eventually, the origin of organizational knowledge. Therefore, epistemology will always be of importance. References Gourlay, S., 2002. Tacit knowledge, tacit knowing, or behaving. Athens: OKLC Conference. Nonaka, I. Von Krogh, G. Voelpel, S., 2006. Organizational knowledge creation theory: evolutionary paths and future advances. Organization Studies, 27 (8), pp. 2-23. Probst, G. Sebastian, R., 2005. Organizational crisis: the logic of failure. Academy of Management Executive, 19(1), pp. 90–105. Von Krogh, G. Nonaka, I. Ichijo, K., 1997. Develop knowledge activists! European Management Journal, 15(5), pp. 475–483.Advert ising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Autism 2

Autism 2 Essay There are many diseases and disorders that plague todays society, but one of the most serious of those disorders is autism. Autism is not nearly as widely known as the familiar Downs Syndrome, yet, surprisingly, autism is far more widespread. In fact, autism is the third most common developmental disability, affecting 400,000 people worldwide (Autism Society of America). As of yet there is no cure for this debilitating disorder, only a variety of treatments. Autism is a developmental disability, not a mental illness, that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects 15 of every 10,000 individuals. No one is certain why it occurs, but researchers have found that MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans of people with autism show abnormalities in the structure of the brain. Significant abnormalities include differences in the cerebellum and in the size and number of Purkinje cells within the brain. Sometimes there is a pattern that exists within families from generation to generation. This indicates the possibility that autism is genetically related. However, no gene has been found. Every person with autism is different and there is no set type or typical person with autism. This is because autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that symptoms and characteristics of the disorder can present themselves in a variety of ways, from mild to severe. Usually children with autism have deficiencies in both verbal and non-verbal communication. Their language develops slowly or not at all and they have very short attention spans. They often lack social skills and will spend time alone, rather than with others. In more severe cases, children have unusual reactions to physical sensations such as being overly sensitive to touch or under responsive to pain. Most commonly, children with autism lack imagination and imitate others ideas, rather than initiate their own. Lastly, behavior is greatly affected by autism. They may be overactive or very passive and throw frequent tantrums, injuring themselves, for no apparent reason other than to gather attention. They often lack common sense and show aggressive or violent behavior. While some people only show one or two symptoms, others have all or nearly all and find it extremely difficult to function in society. People with autism do live normal life spans and the behaviors associated may change or disappear over time. As of yet, there is no cure for autism. However, with the proper treatment, many of the behaviors can be positively changed. Some of the treatments include behavioral training, teaching of communication and social skills, auditory training, medications, and a change in diet. Behavioral training or modification, as it is also called, deals with changing or extinguishing inappropriate behaviors and increasing positive behaviors. A few methods are used to do this. One way is self-management where the individual monitors their behavior and receives self-reinforcement. Another method used is modeling. This is when the teacher or therapist demonstrates what is being done so the child can model the steps. Behavioral training is effective in stopping self-inflicted pain by shaping and distributing positive reinforcement. The teaching of communication and social skills is an integral part of treating autism. Speech therapy may include gaining language skills or learning sign language. Some devices are used frequently such as picture communication boards. Another device is used with a trained professional supporting the hand or arm of the person helping them to punch keys on a device. This technique, called facilitated communication, is highly controversial because it is sometimes thought that the facilitator is directing the persons arm unknowingly. One of the main characteristics of autism is the lack of understanding of social cues (Autism Society of America). The person with autism may be taught how to communicate in social situations or respond to certain facial expressions and emotions. If the emphasis is on social communication, a speech therapist will work closely with the child to ensure proper communication in social situations. Auditory training is sometimes used for those individuals who are oversensitive to sound. An audiologist plays a different variety of sound frequencies in this therapy. Food allergies and sensitivities have been shown to produce a variety of symptoms associated with .

Employment Discrimination Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employment Discrimination - Assignment Example Due to the fact that the termination was expressly concerned with the fact that his immediate supervisor felt he could not trust a homosexual in such a position, whatever shortcomings or missteps that Tom may have made in the past with regards to the his level of stereotypical manly talk, tough behavior, and/or flirting with female personnel within the organization. This is a likely approach that the organization will seek to put forward as a means of defense; however, it will not work due to the fact that the reason for termination was not stated to be any of these aspects; rather, it was determined to be due to the fact that the employer felt he could no longer trust Tom, he was ultimately terminated from his position. Accordingly, this represents a very clear cut and flagrant violation of EEOC and employment law that the court system should not have any difficulty adjudicating. As such, the final determination that can all but be assured is that the EEOC will rule in Tom’s favor and state that the employer has terminated an employee unlawfully; as such, Tom will have the possibility to either chose to continue his employment with back pay for time last or he can alternatively choose to pursue suit in the case (Marshall et al, 2011). 2. Robin has just graduated with an MS in elementary education. He sends his resume to a number of school boards and one writes back offering an interview for a kindergarten position. When Robin arrives at the interview it is obvious that the interviewers had expected a female. They ask a few general questions and conclude the interview. Two days later he gets a rejection letter. He later finds out that a female applicant with only a Bachelor’s degree was hired. He believes that he has been discriminated against due to sex and he files a complaint with the EEOC. The school district defends by saying that kindergarten teachers are traditionally female and that the parents' preference is for a female to conduct the cl ass. Is the school board justified in their actions and will their defense be effective? One of the difficulties in defining and discussing legality and ethics within the workplace decisions is the differentiation between unethical behavior and ultimate illegality. As such, the case in question illustrates both an unethical and illegal component. Whereas the employer is within its rights to make certain determinations, it is against the law to discriminate upon an individual based upon age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation. Although the school may think that their defense is rock solid due to the fact that they have included another group’s preferences into the decision making process, the fact of the matter is that this defense expressly admits that they had been discriminating upon sex as one of the primal determinants to fulfill the position in question. Moreover, the fact of tradition itself, or the preference of shareholders, has absolutely noth ing to do with the legality of whether or not the ultimate hiring authority had discriminated (McMahon & Hurley, 2008). The school district made a fundamental mistake in first choosing to discriminate based upon gender and a second fundamental mistake in admitting to the fact that they had discriminated; regardless of whatever weak excuse was employed to make up for such an action. As such, the cas

Bottled Water Industry Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bottled Water Industry - Case Study Example In 1990, it was found that Perrier bottles contains Benzene contents which are poisonous and even though Perrier assured it was a minor mistake done during operations, people didn't believe and had to reposition their brand after calling back 160 million dollars worth of sale. Perrier then introduced the lime and lemon flavors, and to introduce new stuff, they have also introduced Grape mint flavor after 2000. The bottled water boom was actually an unpredicted and strange phenomenon because the demand rose when Britain was at a height of recession, but now that it is mature and people are consuming it, there is cut-throat competition to capture the 1 million Euros per day market (second-opinions.co.uk). The UK market for natural bottled water has grown by 54% between 1993 and 1997, with volume sales reaching 804 million lt and worth an estimated 402 million pounds sterling. Still mineral water sales amount to 504 million lt in 1997, representing 62.6% of the market, with sparkling water sales estimated at 300 million lt. Premier Waters, with its Evian and Voltic brands, leads the branded market with a 17.6% share. The mineral waters market is forecast to reach volume sales of 1.42 billion lt by 2002, worth 493.6 million pounds sterling (faqs.org). Spokeswoman for P... This resulted in Perrier having 5.7% of total market share in bottled water market and it was ranked third, with Arrowhead and Sparkletts at number 1 and 2 respectively. Unlike most of the similar products that promote health and safety through the water, Perrier shows the way to be cool and target youth. The restaurant chains make a big time business for Perrier as the brand is widely used and even after so many ups and downs with the brand, it still remains at the top with a relatively good image. Perrier's sales in 1987 were 180 million Euros and they captured 40% of the market that year (books.google.com). Although the UK government and the ministry has tried several times to tell people that tap water is as safe as mineral water and they should not spend Euros on it, but nothing helped and people still use it in a large quantity. The market has now grown to more than 92 mineral water producers and another 30+ flavored mineral water producers. Most of the companies market themselves as a drink that is a family need, with sophistication and love. On the other hand, only Strathmore water and Perrier markets itself as a cool and chilling drink for the youth which should be taken on beaches and events. The most common observation is the sport event sponsoring done by most of the companies. Highland Spring sponsored UK cycling marathon held in January 2010 and British tennis in November 2009 (highland-spring.com), similarly Buxton water called itself 'the official water of England cricket'. This shows that there is a cut throat competition and companies are constantly trying to be at the to p by spending millions on advertising and promotional campaigns. Deside water even announced that they have scientifically proven that

Project Recommendation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project Recommendation - Essay Example The company has commenced investment in the project and lack of implementation may lead to substantial monetary losses. One way of dealing with uncertainty is employment of pretested technology. This may be a plus for the Project Stargazer as its research and development has been going on for a while. The return on investment determines the profitability of implementing the Project Stargazer through assessment of monetary implications of the funds and schedules. When the magnitude and timing of investment in the Project Stargazer is gauged and the timing of investment gains is directly proportional to the magnitude and timing of costs, a high return of investment is identified. This indicates that the gains associated with this project compare favorably to the implementation costs. This return of investment clearly shows that the project will not only be profitable, but also use the funds directed at it efficiently. The project will break-even when the total sales and revenues equalize the total expenses associated with the Project Stargazer. At this point, no losses or profits will be associated with the project, though with a high return on investment, the project is likely to break-even with ease. The product that is associated with this project is also innovative and has not been introduced in the market before. Developing and marketing such a product will be beneficial to the company as it will be developed for the first time. Success of the Project Stargazer might also pave the way for the company to market a variety of other products in the future. Project conception: The project Stargazer has already been researched and its development is already in progress. Previous analysis suggests that implementation of the project will benefit the company and chances of successful completion are high. Definition and planning: After the company approves the development of the project, a project plan outlining the

Factors that Influence the Occurrence of Crimes Essay

Factors that Influence the Occurrence of Crimes - Essay Example It is rare for people to drink intoxicating liquor. It is uncommon to see several teachers drink intoxicating liquor inside the classroom. Likewise, it is uncommon to see people drinking intoxicating liquor during church services. It is also rare to find people drinking intoxicating liquor during cooking class. Crimes occur in places where gangs control. Crimes occur in places where there are more guns or deadly weapons. There are more murders and rape crimes committed outside school buildings compared to murder and rape crimes committed inside school buildings. The presence of security guards inspecting the presence of deadly weapons prevents or reduces the occurrences of students or other persons carrying deadly weapons or guns inside the school premises. Sacco and Kennedy reiterated (2008) some crimes occur within guardianship environment. Often crimes occur between family members. Husbands may kill wives for cheating or having an affair. Parents may violate the rights of their ch ildren. Stealing small coins of things from family members is a normal part of growing up in many families. Some fathers rape their daughters inside their home. Sacco and Kennedy reiterated (2008) insist some street crimes are due to gangs. This category also falls under victims and offenders intersecting in time and space. Gangs often fight each other for control of territory. The street gang victims people passing through their territory. Some gangs do not think twice when they plan to inflict damage on the persons passing through their territory. In addition, many gangs also prey on stores and other establishments within their community. Compared to streets having no gangs, the crime incidence is generally lower. Logic dictates that eliminating the gangs will reduce the gang-related crimes. In terms of income, Sacco and Kennedy  reiterated (2008) proposed there are more crimes in communities classified as poor when compared to communities composed of people having above average income or salary.  

State of the Economi in Bosnia Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

State of the Economi in Bosnia - Case Study Example It also ensures that the graduates accomplish their master’s degree in a short time and thus enable them to access the job market in the shortest time possible. This short program has various disadvantages, which includes generation, of little revenue on a student basis compared with the long program model. The shorter model will ensure that the students finish as quickly as possible and give room for new ones to join the school. This would provide an opportunity to the College to earn extra income and complement the one that would be earned by the long program. The short model would offer ten courses in a period of eleven months while the long would offer sixteen courses in a period twenty months. Most of the students would be interested in the ten courses model since they pay a premium over the other schools offering graduate management education. Since most of the students want to concentrate on other issues like seeking for employment, people would adopt the shorter model since it would take those two years which is a relatively short period to accomplish their studies. Discounted Cash Flow Analysis A Discounted Cash Flow method of valuation estimates the credibility of an investment that is worth investing. In a case where the value that one arrives at through this DCF method is higher than the cost of investment, then the opportunity is viable. Discounted Cash Flow= 425,000-87,250/ (1+0.15) + 350,000-87250/ (1+0.15)2 = 735,899.375 US dollars. One achieves this amount after taking the revenue that the organization realizes after an enrolment of 25 students for both programs. The tuition for each cohort is $ 17,000 for the short program and $ 14,000 for the long program. The students prefer the short program since taking part of the program is of little value with regard to enhancement of their career prospects. The students should ensure that they complete their course since it if finishing that counts with MBA. One finds that the models are realist ic and worth investing in since the DCF amount is favourable. Since the amount of revenue that these two projects would generate, is higher than the cost of investing, the project is, therefore, viable and worth venturing. Consideration of other firms who offer Masters in Business Administration, in the country, also provides vital information concerning investing in the project. It will provide the expected price that should be charged in the market and the expected level of expenses that the college should incur in the process of running the programs. Pros of the long program The long program will generate reasonable profits to the school in case a reasonable number of students join the program. This will ensure that the school develops due to availability of resources that it develops through making profits. It is also cheaper where compared with a short program and students can easily raise the fees with a lot of struggles. The administration distributes tuition fee over a longe r duration of time. The students undertaking the long program has a possibility of performing well since they have few courses to concentrate on in a long duration of time. Cons of the long program The long program takes a reasonably longer time when compared to the short program. It requires a large amount of capital for investment since the number of costs involved in running the program is higher. Pros of the short program The short program saves time for students and equips them with the MBA degree which they will use to secure employment opportunities in the job market. This gives them competitive advantage when compared with the long program students who spend a lot of time in school. The students also finish their course in a relatively short

Seismic Hazards In the Region of Japan and Indonesia Essay

Seismic Hazards In the Region of Japan and Indonesia - Essay Example ‘Seismic Hazards’ and ‘Seismic Risks’ are often confused with one another. Seismic hazards may also be defined as any physical phenomena (for example, ground shaking) that are associated with an earthquake and that may produce adverse effects on human activities. It is restricted to the study of likely earthquake ground motions at any point on the earth. Seismic risk constitutes the results of a seismic hazard analysis, including both the consequence and the probability. Seismic risk is used to describe earthquake effects that include ground shaking, surface faulting, landslide, and economic loss and casualties (Algermissen 1). The following statement may help to distinguish between a hazard and a risk: Â   Â  A building located in a region of high seismic hazard is at lower risk if it is built on the basis of sound seismic engineering principles; whereas, a building located in a low seismic hazard zone is said to possess a high risk if not built in accord ance to the seismic engineering principles applicable to that zone.‘Seismic Hazards’ and ‘Seismic Risks’ are often confused with one another. Seismic hazards may also be defined as any physical phenomena (for example, ground shaking) that are associated with an earthquake and that may produce adverse effects on human activities. It is restricted to the study of likely earthquake ground motions at any point on the earth. Seismic risk constitutes the results of a seismic hazard analysis, including both the consequence and the probability. Seismic risk is used to describe earthquake effects that include ground shaking, surface faulting, landslide, and economic loss and casualties (Algermissen 1). The following statement may help to distinguish between a hazard and a risk: A building located in a region of high seismic hazard is at lower risk if it is built on the basis of sound seismic engineering principles; whereas, a building located in a low seismic hazard zone is said to possess a high risk if not built in accordance to the seismic engineering principles applicable to that zone. Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA) PSHA quantifies the probability, rather the rate, of exceeding the level of various ground motions at a site given all possible earthquakes (Field). Cornell was the first seismologist to develop this numerical approach to PSHA in 1968. PSHA involves three steps: 1. Specification of the seismic-hazard source model. 2. Specification of the ground motion model. 3. The probabilistic calculation. Hazard curves developed through PSHA show the likelihood of exceeding the various ground motion values at a specific site; on a typical hazard curve 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years is considered as one point. Actually, there is no alternative for a hazard curve to compare hazards at different locations. These curves are crucial in helping us to understand different types of ground motions. Not only this, the hazard c urve helps to determine the expected losses. Losses can occur from both frequent smaller events or from less frequent large events. An annual rate of exceedance versus peak ground acceleration (PGA) is defined as a hazard curve plot. An example is shown below: Seismic Hazard Analysis of Japan A group of island arcs related to various subduction zones constitute Japan. These islands stretch from the Kurile Islands in the northeast to the Ryukyu chain in the south. Japan uses its own seismic scale, in units of Shindo, to measure the strength of earthquakes. The JMA scale differs from other seismic scales in the way that it describes the degree of shaking at a given point on the Earth's surface. The magnitude of JMA scale is measured between 0 and 7. The JMA reports of earthquake level are based on the peak ground acceleration (PGA). A relationship of Shindo Number along with PGA and the effects on people, Ground and Slopes and Outdoor Situations (JMA) is represented in the Table below : Shindo Number Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) People Grounds & Slopes Outdoor Situations 0 Less than 0.008 m/s? Imperceptible to people. 1 0.00

State of the Economi in Bosnia Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

State of the Economi in Bosnia - Case Study Example It also ensures that the graduates accomplish their master’s degree in a short time and thus enable them to access the job market in the shortest time possible. This short program has various disadvantages, which includes generation, of little revenue on a student basis compared with the long program model. The shorter model will ensure that the students finish as quickly as possible and give room for new ones to join the school. This would provide an opportunity to the College to earn extra income and complement the one that would be earned by the long program. The short model would offer ten courses in a period of eleven months while the long would offer sixteen courses in a period twenty months. Most of the students would be interested in the ten courses model since they pay a premium over the other schools offering graduate management education. Since most of the students want to concentrate on other issues like seeking for employment, people would adopt the shorter model since it would take those two years which is a relatively short period to accomplish their studies. Discounted Cash Flow Analysis A Discounted Cash Flow method of valuation estimates the credibility of an investment that is worth investing. In a case where the value that one arrives at through this DCF method is higher than the cost of investment, then the opportunity is viable. Discounted Cash Flow= 425,000-87,250/ (1+0.15) + 350,000-87250/ (1+0.15)2 = 735,899.375 US dollars. One achieves this amount after taking the revenue that the organization realizes after an enrolment of 25 students for both programs. The tuition for each cohort is $ 17,000 for the short program and $ 14,000 for the long program. The students prefer the short program since taking part of the program is of little value with regard to enhancement of their career prospects. The students should ensure that they complete their course since it if finishing that counts with MBA. One finds that the models are realist ic and worth investing in since the DCF amount is favourable. Since the amount of revenue that these two projects would generate, is higher than the cost of investing, the project is, therefore, viable and worth venturing. Consideration of other firms who offer Masters in Business Administration, in the country, also provides vital information concerning investing in the project. It will provide the expected price that should be charged in the market and the expected level of expenses that the college should incur in the process of running the programs. Pros of the long program The long program will generate reasonable profits to the school in case a reasonable number of students join the program. This will ensure that the school develops due to availability of resources that it develops through making profits. It is also cheaper where compared with a short program and students can easily raise the fees with a lot of struggles. The administration distributes tuition fee over a longe r duration of time. The students undertaking the long program has a possibility of performing well since they have few courses to concentrate on in a long duration of time. Cons of the long program The long program takes a reasonably longer time when compared to the short program. It requires a large amount of capital for investment since the number of costs involved in running the program is higher. Pros of the short program The short program saves time for students and equips them with the MBA degree which they will use to secure employment opportunities in the job market. This gives them competitive advantage when compared with the long program students who spend a lot of time in school. The students also finish their course in a relatively short

Night Essay Example for Free

Night Essay Elie Wiesel’s Night is a novel about himself and his family and their time in Auschwitz. This book describes the most gruesome event in human history, the Holocaust. It also describes the psychological effect that the Holocaust had on the young people and adults who survived the horrible event. In the interview with Bob Costas Elie describes some of the aspects of Judaism. The main setting of this book is in Auschwitz, a concentration camp in the Holocaust and is from Elie’s point of view. This book has a sad tone to it and this book has many different conflicts. First off, Elie Wiesel’s novel Night is Elie describing his time in the biggest concentration camp in the Holocaust, Auschwitz. The purpose of writing this novel in my opinion was to inform people of what actually happened in these concentration camps on a first-hand account. Secondly, many historical and psychological events were present in the book. An example of this is the descriptions of Auschwitz by Elie Wiesel. Elie also describes the crematories and gas chambers that were used to exterminate the Jewish people in Europe. Some psychological aspects of the Holocaust are that many kids knew that their parents were dead and had to go on with their lives. Also, During Elie’s interview with Bob Costas, he describes how his community was mainly Jewish and how the shops in the town were closed on Saturday and on Saturday and on the Sabbath people changed and became sacred. Lastly, the novel Night has two main settings. It takes place in a small town in Transylvania called Sighet. Also it takes place in Auschwitz, the largest concentration camp in the Holocaust. This book is told from the point of view of Elie. The tone of this book is a distraught tone. There were many conflicts in Night there was Man vs. Man with Jews against the Nazi regime. There was Man vs. self when the Jews had to tell themselves that they would make it through the Holocaust and survive. Lastly there was Man vs. nature when the Jews were running around in the night for 40+ miles. In conclusion, I really enjoyed reading Night because it gave me a better understanding of the Holocaust and what it felt like to be in a concentration camp. Night is an interpretation of the Holocaust from the perspective of a young boy named Elie Wiesel. The Holocaust is a tragedy not only of Jews but of all mankind because it deals with the question of human freedom and equality. It touches people ‘s souls because it is not just a narration about the Holocaust and its victims it is the author ‘s real memories with all the emotions and feelings . It is hard to refer this book to the memoir genre because the truth in it is combined with the invention it is a literary work not a documentary one. Nevertheless, we can see that under the main character, Eliezer, is hidden the author himself. After the occupation of Hungary by the Nazis , Eliezer and his father are separated from the mother and sisters and their terrible journey to the concentration camp of Auschwitz starts . They are exhausted , hungry and practically cannot move but it is only the beginning . One of the most terrible Eliezer ‘s memories is the picture of the hanging of fellow prisoners in the middle of the camp . Another terrible episode is a dreadful , slow death of a young boy , who was accused in collaborating with the Nazis ‘ enemies . Elie asks â€Å"Where is God ? Where is He? † This shows how the Holocaust affected Elie’s faith in God. http://essaytree. com/english-literature/criticism-over-night-by-elie-wiesel/ Elie Wiesel was born in the small town of Sighet in Transylvania, where people of different languages and religions have lived side by side for centuries, sometimes peacefully, sometimes in bitter conflict. The region was long claimed by both Hungary and Romania. In the 20th century, it changed hands repeatedly, a hostage to the fortunes of war. Elie Wiesel grew up in the close-knit Jewish community of Sighet. While the family spoke Yiddish at home, they read newspapers and conducted their grocery business in German, Hungarian or Romanian as the occasion demanded. Ukrainian, Russian and other languages were also widely spoken in the town. Elie began religious studies in classical Hebrew almost as soon as he could speak. The young boys life centered entirely on his religious studies. He loved the mystical tradition and folk tales of the Hassidic sect of Judaism, to which his mothers family belonged. His father, though religious, encouraged the boy to study the modern Hebrew language and concentrate on his secular studies. The first years of World War II left Sighet relatively untouched. Although the village changed hands from Romania to Hungary, the Wiesel family believed they were safe from the persecutions suffered by Jews in Germany and Poland. The secure world of Wiesels childhood ended abruptly with the arrival of the Nazis in Sighet in 1944. The Jewish inhabitants of the village were deported en masse to concentration camps in Poland. The 15-year-old boy was separated from his mother and sister immediately on arrival in Auschwitz. He never saw them again. He managed to remain with his father for the next year as they were worked almost to death, starved, beaten, and shuttled from camp to camp on foot, or in open cattle cars, in driving snow, without food, proper shoes, or clothing. In the last months of the war, Wiesels father succumbed to dysentery, starvation, exhaustion and exposure.

Library Management System Based On Finger Prints And RFID

Library Management System Based On Finger Prints And RFID Chapter 1: Introduction Library management system includes areas such as issuing and returning of books, classification of materials, and students console using various techniques. The two main features of this system include theft detection of unissued books and automatic system for issuing and returning of books for its members. The theft detection model that we have designed though as yet merely for demonstrational purposes can be extremely beneficial if implemented properly as a professional library system. The efficient use of technology can greatly enhance the library environment and thus prove a technological milestone in the sector. The key component which plays an important role in this syetem is the Radio-frequency identification(RFID) technology. This technology establishes communication by using radio waves in order to exchange the data between a reader and an electronic tag which is attached to an object(a book), for the purpose of identification. The goal of this thesis is to find out whether RFID technology offers any significant benefit for library management and that how does these benefits reflect to the customer satisfaction. RFID technology had its first commercial applications introduced in the late 1980s. Since then technologies have advanced in different fields causing the cost of RFID tags and readers to go decrease, thus making it easily available to a broader market. For example, as RFID tags have become cheaper, libraries have started adopting this technology, thus ensuring a secure library system. The hardware part in this library management system is comprised of interrogators (also known as RFID readers), RFID tags (also known as labels), the fingerprint module and an alarm. The interrogators or the RFID readers operating on 125KHz are used to read the tag number of the books when brought near to it in order to process its identification number and check for its status. The tags are the devices, small in size, less in thickness, attached to the books having a unique identification number each in order to distinguish between the books. These when placed near the reader sends its identification number to it for further processing. The fingerprint module is used for the student console. The student can login his account for status updates using fingerprint recognition system. The alarm is used in case if an unissued book is sensed by the RFID reader in the exit zone. The software part is composed of the database systems and an interfacing tool for database components. The students details are listed in database systems. These are automatically accessed when the student uses the student console feature. The forms of students are created in the visual studio and this tool is also used to compare the database components with the incoming string in order to update the status of the student. An RFID reader transfers energy to the RFID tag by emitting electromagnetic waves through the air. The tag uses this RF energy to charge up and then emit or send its code to the RFID reader. The reader receives tags response and sends to a host computer or any other external device for further processing. In practical applications of using RFID technology, a tag is attached to a book used to identify the target, when it passes through the area which the reader can read, the RFID tag and its reader builds up the radio signal connections, the tag sends its information to the reader, such as unique code and other data stored on, the reader receives those information and decodes them, and then sends to a host computer so as to complete the whole information processing. The whole management system can be divided into two units namely the main unit and the anti theft unit. There is a wireless connection between these two units. The student can login his account by using the fingerprint rec ognition system. Then he can place the particular book in the area near the RFID reader in order to issue in or return from his account. When passing through the anti theft unit in the exit zone, an RFID reader placed in this zone will read the code of this book and send wirelessly to the main unit, to the PC. There the status of the book will be checked and again sent back to the anti theft unit. If it sends TRUE, the anti theft will let the book go safe and sound. If it sends FALSE, alarm will ring and thus theft will be detected. Chapter 2: literature review 2.1 History of RFID A scientist, Là ©on Theremin invented an espionage tool for Soviet Union which transmitted radio waves with audio information in 1948. The device was a passive covert listening object, not an identification tag, and it attributed as a predecessor to RFID technology. The RFID technology has been in use from 1921 according to one source (although same source states that the RFID systems have been around since the late 1950s). Mario Cardulistos in 1971 was the first inventor of modern RFID; it was a passive radio tag with memory. Initially, it was a passive device, powered by the interrogating signal, and it was demonstrated in 1974 to the New York Port Authority and other potential users. It was consisted of a transponder with 16 bit memory for use as a toll device. The basic Cardullo patent covers the use of RF, sound and light as transmission medium. The original business plan presented to investors in 1969 showed uses in transportation (automotive vehicle identification, automatic toll system, electronic license plate, electronic manifest, vehicle routing, vehicle performance monitoring), banking (electronic check book, electronic credit card), security (personnel identification, automatic gates) 2.2 Background RFID systems has established in a wide range of markets including tagging, stock identification and automated vehicle identification (AVI) systems because of its ability to track moving objects. 2.2.1 RFID TAGS The RFID tags are also known as â€Å"transponders†. RFID tags can come in many forms, shapes and different sizes. Some are used which are less than 0.05mm, which were used to study the behaviour of ants. Data is stored in the tag IC which is transmitted through the antenna to an RFID reader. There are two commonly used RFID Transponders: Active (that has an internal power source) and Passive (that do not have an internal power source, but are externally powered from the RFID reader). 2.2.2 RFID READER A reader (also sometimes called an RFID interrogator) is basically a radio frequency (RF) transciever, which is being controlled by a microprocessor or digital signal processor. The reader antenna captures data from tags then passes the data to a computer or external source for processing. The reader decodes the data encoded in the tag integrated circuit (which is a silicon chip) and then the data is sent to the host computer for further processing. 2.2.3 WORKING OF RFID Information is sent to and received from the RFID tags by a reader using radio waves. In systems which are passive, are the most common, an RFID reader transmits an energy field thatâ€Å"energizes† the tag and induces the power into the tag to respond to the reader. The data collected from tags is then passed through communication interfaces (cable or wireless) to host computer systems in the same manner as data scanned from bar code stickers is captured and passed to a PC for processing, storage, and action. 2.2.4 FREQUENCIES OF RFID RFID deployments tend to use unlicensed frequencies for their obvious cost benefits. There are four commonly used frequencies: The commonly used frequencies are: v Low frequency (125/134.2 KHz) v High frequency (13.56 MHz) v Ultra high frequency ( 869 and 915 MHz) v Microwave (2450 MHz) It is important to remember that maximum range is not required in all the applications. Tags in the LF/HF band have a range of 2.25 to 46 cm approximately, while passive UHF tags can reach up to 6.3 meters, and microwave tags can reach 0.5 to 1.9 meters. The range of the tag greatly depends on the surface on which the tag is mounted. 2.3 FUTURE OF RFID RFID is known by many in the industry to be the leading technology for automatic identification and collection of data. The biggest, as of yet unproven, benefit would ultimately be in the supply chain of goods of the customers where an RFID tag attached to a consumers product could be tracked from manufacturing to the retail store right to the consumers house. 2.4 APPLICATIONS 2.4.1 Electronic Vehicle Registration In many countries of the world, security of vehicles is a major concern, Government uses the RFID system for Vehicle Registration. With implementing RFID systems, we can detect stolen cars and it is helpful in their retrieval also. 2.4.2 Payment by mobile phones Two credit card companies are working with Dallals since 2009, Texas-based Device Fidelity to develop specialized micro cards. When these cards are inserted into the mobile phones, the mobile phone directly connects with the bank account and we can use it as credit card. 2.4.3 Transportation payments For traffic management, government use RFID applications. Automotive companies also use various RFID tracking solutions for product management. 2.4.4 Product tracking RFID is also used in product tracking application, begins with plant-based production processes, and then extends into post sales configuration management for large buyers. 2.4.5Animal identification One of the oldest uses of RFID technology is animal tagging. Originally meant for large ranches and rough terrain, since mad-cow disease, RFID has become crucial in animal identification management. 2.4.6 Museums RFID technologies are implemented for the user also in museums. An example was the custom-designed temporary research application, eXspot, at the Exploratorium, a science museum in San Francisco, California. 2.4.7 Race timings RFID can also be used in racing. Till 1990 it is used in animal racing. First time it is implemented in pigeons racing. It is used for registering race start and end timings for animals or individuals in large running races or multi-sport races where it is impossible to get accurate stopwatch readings for every entrant. 2.5 Problems and concerns 2.5.1 Data flooding Each tag generating a message each time when passing a reader may be a desired outcome. However, event filtering is required to reduce this data inflow to a meaningful depiction of moving goods passing a threshold. Various concepts have been designed, mainly offered as middleware performing the filtering from noisy and redundant raw data to significant processed data. 2.5.2 Global standardization Frequencies are using for RFID in the USA currently incompatible with those of Europe or Japan. Furthermore, no standard has yet become as universal as the barcode. To address international trade concerns, it is necessary to utilize a tag that is operational within all of the international frequency domains. 2.5.3 Security concerns A primary RFID security concern is the illicit tracking of RFID tags. Tags, which are world-readable, pose a risk to both personal location privacy and corporate/military security. Such concerns have been raised with respect to the United States Department of Defenses recent adoption of RFID tags for supply chain management. More generally, privacy organizations have expressed concerns in the context of ongoing efforts to embed electronic product code (EPC) RFID tags in consumer products. 2.5.4 Temperature exposure Currently, RFID tags are glued with an integrated circuit (IC) to an inlay. Vibration and high temperatures can break the connection. If the IC connection break with the inlay, the RFID tag will not transmit 2.6 FINGERPRINT AUTHENTICATION Fingerprint authentication refers to automated method of verifying a match between two fingerprints. Fingerprint is one of the many forms of the biometrics used to identify an individual as well as verify their identity. Each individual has a unique pattern in his fingerprints. There are some unique points in known as minutia points in the fingerprints of the individuals. The number of these points, their location, distance from each other, vary from person to person. Every individual has these characteristics different. 2.6.1 Why fingerprint? In the IT world the end-users use fingerprint authentication due to some reasons, i.e. security, and there is the reason that is why they establish, but it is very expensive to maintain. Other authentication mechanisms like smart cards, tokens, etc. require you to carry something. This is far better than a password, also easies to lose. Losing your credit card or driving license is worse. Information is valuable and harder to track than money. Fingerprints also acts as a simple, trusted and convenient user interface to a well thought security plan. A user authenticated via fingerprints can take advantage of a solid security system minimal education. Chapter 3: Requirements Specification 3.1 Non-functional Requirements 3.2 External requirements 3.3 Functional Requirements 3.3.1 Category 1 Following requirements should be met under given priorities: 3.3.2 Category 2 3.3.3 Category 3 Chapter 4: Project Design 4.1 Architecture Overview The design of the intended product is explained graphically with the help of a block diagram shown in figure below. The diagram explains the overall interactions of the modules and their placements. 4.2 Required Components Microcontroller PIC18F452 RF transceiver nRF905 Fingerprint module SM630 RFID reader module ID20 RS232 Driver IC MAX232 4.3 MICROCONTROLLER PIC18F452 4.3.1 Description PIC18F452 is the member of PIC18F family. It is a low power, high performance flash 8-bit microcontroller with 32 Kbytes of Flash programmable and erasable read only memory (EEPROM). This device is compatible with the industry standard PIC18Fxxx instruction set and pin outs. The on-chip Flash allows the program memory to be quickly reprogrammed using a non-volatile memory programmer and in circuit serial programmer (ICSP). The 18F452 is a powerful microcomputer which provides a highly flexible and cost effective solution to many embedded control applications. The 8951 provides the following features. 4.3.2 Pin layout 4.3.3 Features and specifications Program memory type flash v Program memory 32 KB v CPU speed 10 MIPS v Data EEPROM 256 bytes v RAM 1536 bytes v Digital communication peripherals 1-A/E/USART, 1-MSSP(SPI/I2C) v Ports A, B, C, D E v I/O pins 32 This microcontroller is more suitable for our project as it has more memory and instruction speed, as required by our system, than 16Fxxx family or ATMEL. The protocols used for digital communication are sort of built-in in this microcontroller. Moreover it is more reliable and efficient than others. 4.4 RF transceiver nRF905 4.4.1 Description The nRF905 is a radio transceiver for the 433/ 868/ 915 MHz ISM band on a single chip. This transceiver consists of fully integrated frequency synthesizer, receiver chain with demodulator, a modulator, a crystal oscillator and a power amplifier. Current consumption is very low, it transmits only 9mA at an output power of -10dBm, and in receive mode 12.5mA. Built-in power down modes makes power saving easily realizable. Its pin configuration is as follows: 4.4.2 Features Data rate 50 kbps v Operating frequency 433 MHz ISM band v Modulation technique GFSK v SPI interface v Power supply range 1.9 to 3.6 V v Channels 11 with v Channel switching time 4.5 Fingerprint Module SM630 SM630 integrated fingerprint identification module is the release of Miaxis Biometrics Company. It consists of optical fingerprint sensor, a high performance DSP processor and a Flash. It boasts of functions such as fingerprint enrolment, fingerprint verification, fingerprint deletion, fingerprint download, fingerprint upload, etc. It has four pins connections: 4.5.1 Features High Adaptation to Fingerprints v Easy to Use and Expand v Low Power Consumption v Integrated Design v Operating Voltage: 4.3V6V v Fingerprint Template: 768 templates v User Flash Memory: 64KByte v Interface Protocol: Standard serial interface TTL level v Communication Baud Rate: 57600bps Figure 4 It was used as it is easy to interface with the microcontroller and reduces image processing coding. It gives out serial TTL output which is easy to process. It can be easily controlled by the commands to get the desired output. Adding, deleting, searching and matching commands are easy to implement in this module. 4.6 RFID reader module ID20 This RFID reader module is very simple to use. It has a built in antenna, the only holdup is the 2mm pin spacing (breakout board available below). Power the module, hold up a card, and get a serial string output containing the unique ID of the card. It uses weigand26 protocol. 4.6.1 Pin description Its pin description is as follows: 4.6.2 Features 5V supply v 125kHz read frequency v EM4001 64-bit RFID tag compatible v 9600bps TTL and RS232 output v Magnetic stripe emulation output v Read range of 16+ cm 4.7 RS232 Driver IC MAX232 4.7.1 Description MAX232 is an integrated circuit. It converts signals from an RS-232 serial port to signals suitable for use in TTL compatible digital logic circuits. It is a dual driver or receiver and it converts the RX, TX, CTS and RTS signals typically. This provide at output  ±7.5 from 5v supply via on-chip charge pumps and external capacitors. This makes it useful for implementing RS-232 in devices that otherwise do not need any voltages outside the 0V to +5V range, as power supply design does not need to be made more complicated just for driving the RS-232 in this case. The receivers reduce RS-232 inputs (which may be as high as  ±25V), to standard 5V TTL levels. These receivers have a typical threshold of 1.3V, and a typical hysteresis of 0.5V. Chapter 5: Implementation 5.1 Designing the RFID reader module We started our project with designing the RFID reader/writer module. The standard we followed was ISO15693 used in library for theft detection of unissued books. The standard frequency used in it was 13.56 MHz. The PCB layout was designed. The IC used in this reader was TRF7960. Its dimension was 4.854.85 mm. The PCB design of the reader was not accurate and of high quality as required. Later on, we came to know that SMD components were required when working with high frequency. Then SMD components were used to design the reader. Its PCB is shown in the figure below: 5.1.1 Problems in the design of the reader The main obstacle we faced in the designing of this RFID reader was that its PCB design required tinning process as the IC consisted of 32 SMD pins, each separated 0.5 mm apart. The size of the TRF7960 IC was very small thus requiring a very accurate PCB. This would require 2-3 months and the time we had was short for this. Thus we switched to ID20 RFID module. This was quiet simple to use and easily available in the market. 5.1.2 Antenna design of TRX7960 The loop antenna used in the previous reader was designed and printed on PCB. Its parameters were found using the formulas and equations of loop antenna. Its parameters were as follows: v Frequency = 13.56 MHz v Impedance = 50 Ohms v Antenna size = 0.027wavelength v Wavelength = 22.123894 m v Quality Factor = 6.75 v Track spacing=0.0508 cm v Track width= 0.127cm v L = 1.2608  µH This loop antenna is required to match with the 50 Ohm and has to be tuned to radiate with a high Q value. Therefore a matching and resonator circuit is used which is composed of a series capacitor, parallel capacitor and a parallel resistor. The capacitances are used to match the inductive load as well as to build a resonator. The resistor is used to decrease the Q-value of the resonant circuit for a better design of antenna. 5.2 Implementation with the RFID module ID20 Due to the obstacles faced in implementing the design of the reader, the RFID reader module was used which gives out serial output. It has a built-in antenna as well as reasonable range. It is placed in the main unit and directly interfaced with the microcontroller. The fingerprint module SM630 and the RF transceiver nRF905 are also connected with the microcontroller. The former has the serial TTL serial input/output while the later has SPI interface. The RS232 is used to connect the main unit with the PC. The database application is installed in the PC which has a record of the student details. For the detection of unissued books, an anti-theft unit is designed in which the RF transceiver is connected with the microcontroller. The RFID reader module is also connected in this unit. 5.3 Working of the system 5.3.1 Main unit There are 5 external buttons attached with the main circuit board. Four of them execute fingerprint module commands and two for the RFID reader. The fingerprint command buttons include Add button for adding new fingerprint, Delete button for deleting the fingerprint, Delete all button for deleting all fingerprint database and a Match button for matching the fingerprint. The function of the one button of the RFID reader is to issue and return the book from the students account. The main unit is operating on 3.3V and 5V. The RF transceiver and the microcontroller are operating on 3.3V. The MAX232, fingerprint module and RFID reader are operating on 5V. The LF33CV regulator IC is used to maintain 3.3V. For 5V, LM7805 is used in the power supply circuit board. Pin number 1 is pulled up by using 1Kohm resistor and also pulled down using 0.1uF capacitor. Pin number 11 and 32 are connected to VCC and pin number 12 and 31 to the ground. The crystal oscillator IC of frequency 20MHz is connect ed with the pin number 13 of the microcontroller. It generates clock pulses for executing the microcontroller instructions. Thus 5MHz is the operating frequency of the microcontroller. The external buttons for executing fingerprint and RFID functions are connected to port D, with pins from 19, 20, 21, 22 and 27. These buttons are pulled down by using 10kohm SIP. SIP is an integrated circuit consisting of resistors on a single chip having one point common. This common point decides the functionality of the SIP. If this point is connected with the VCC, it acts as pull up and vice versa. 5.3.2 Antitheft Unit This unit consists of a microcontroller (PIC18F452), RFID reader (ID-20), RF Transceiver (nRF 905) and some other same components. If any book will pass through this unit RFID will read its ID and send to microcontroller. The microcontroller will send this id to main unit Library Management System Based On Finger Prints And RFID Library Management System Based On Finger Prints And RFID Chapter 1: Introduction Library management system includes areas such as issuing and returning of books, classification of materials, and students console using various techniques. The two main features of this system include theft detection of unissued books and automatic system for issuing and returning of books for its members. The theft detection model that we have designed though as yet merely for demonstrational purposes can be extremely beneficial if implemented properly as a professional library system. The efficient use of technology can greatly enhance the library environment and thus prove a technological milestone in the sector. The key component which plays an important role in this syetem is the Radio-frequency identification(RFID) technology. This technology establishes communication by using radio waves in order to exchange the data between a reader and an electronic tag which is attached to an object(a book), for the purpose of identification. The goal of this thesis is to find out whether RFID technology offers any significant benefit for library management and that how does these benefits reflect to the customer satisfaction. RFID technology had its first commercial applications introduced in the late 1980s. Since then technologies have advanced in different fields causing the cost of RFID tags and readers to go decrease, thus making it easily available to a broader market. For example, as RFID tags have become cheaper, libraries have started adopting this technology, thus ensuring a secure library system. The hardware part in this library management system is comprised of interrogators (also known as RFID readers), RFID tags (also known as labels), the fingerprint module and an alarm. The interrogators or the RFID readers operating on 125KHz are used to read the tag number of the books when brought near to it in order to process its identification number and check for its status. The tags are the devices, small in size, less in thickness, attached to the books having a unique identification number each in order to distinguish between the books. These when placed near the reader sends its identification number to it for further processing. The fingerprint module is used for the student console. The student can login his account for status updates using fingerprint recognition system. The alarm is used in case if an unissued book is sensed by the RFID reader in the exit zone. The software part is composed of the database systems and an interfacing tool for database components. The students details are listed in database systems. These are automatically accessed when the student uses the student console feature. The forms of students are created in the visual studio and this tool is also used to compare the database components with the incoming string in order to update the status of the student. An RFID reader transfers energy to the RFID tag by emitting electromagnetic waves through the air. The tag uses this RF energy to charge up and then emit or send its code to the RFID reader. The reader receives tags response and sends to a host computer or any other external device for further processing. In practical applications of using RFID technology, a tag is attached to a book used to identify the target, when it passes through the area which the reader can read, the RFID tag and its reader builds up the radio signal connections, the tag sends its information to the reader, such as unique code and other data stored on, the reader receives those information and decodes them, and then sends to a host computer so as to complete the whole information processing. The whole management system can be divided into two units namely the main unit and the anti theft unit. There is a wireless connection between these two units. The student can login his account by using the fingerprint rec ognition system. Then he can place the particular book in the area near the RFID reader in order to issue in or return from his account. When passing through the anti theft unit in the exit zone, an RFID reader placed in this zone will read the code of this book and send wirelessly to the main unit, to the PC. There the status of the book will be checked and again sent back to the anti theft unit. If it sends TRUE, the anti theft will let the book go safe and sound. If it sends FALSE, alarm will ring and thus theft will be detected. Chapter 2: literature review 2.1 History of RFID A scientist, Là ©on Theremin invented an espionage tool for Soviet Union which transmitted radio waves with audio information in 1948. The device was a passive covert listening object, not an identification tag, and it attributed as a predecessor to RFID technology. The RFID technology has been in use from 1921 according to one source (although same source states that the RFID systems have been around since the late 1950s). Mario Cardulistos in 1971 was the first inventor of modern RFID; it was a passive radio tag with memory. Initially, it was a passive device, powered by the interrogating signal, and it was demonstrated in 1974 to the New York Port Authority and other potential users. It was consisted of a transponder with 16 bit memory for use as a toll device. The basic Cardullo patent covers the use of RF, sound and light as transmission medium. The original business plan presented to investors in 1969 showed uses in transportation (automotive vehicle identification, automatic toll system, electronic license plate, electronic manifest, vehicle routing, vehicle performance monitoring), banking (electronic check book, electronic credit card), security (personnel identification, automatic gates) 2.2 Background RFID systems has established in a wide range of markets including tagging, stock identification and automated vehicle identification (AVI) systems because of its ability to track moving objects. 2.2.1 RFID TAGS The RFID tags are also known as â€Å"transponders†. RFID tags can come in many forms, shapes and different sizes. Some are used which are less than 0.05mm, which were used to study the behaviour of ants. Data is stored in the tag IC which is transmitted through the antenna to an RFID reader. There are two commonly used RFID Transponders: Active (that has an internal power source) and Passive (that do not have an internal power source, but are externally powered from the RFID reader). 2.2.2 RFID READER A reader (also sometimes called an RFID interrogator) is basically a radio frequency (RF) transciever, which is being controlled by a microprocessor or digital signal processor. The reader antenna captures data from tags then passes the data to a computer or external source for processing. The reader decodes the data encoded in the tag integrated circuit (which is a silicon chip) and then the data is sent to the host computer for further processing. 2.2.3 WORKING OF RFID Information is sent to and received from the RFID tags by a reader using radio waves. In systems which are passive, are the most common, an RFID reader transmits an energy field thatâ€Å"energizes† the tag and induces the power into the tag to respond to the reader. The data collected from tags is then passed through communication interfaces (cable or wireless) to host computer systems in the same manner as data scanned from bar code stickers is captured and passed to a PC for processing, storage, and action. 2.2.4 FREQUENCIES OF RFID RFID deployments tend to use unlicensed frequencies for their obvious cost benefits. There are four commonly used frequencies: The commonly used frequencies are: v Low frequency (125/134.2 KHz) v High frequency (13.56 MHz) v Ultra high frequency ( 869 and 915 MHz) v Microwave (2450 MHz) It is important to remember that maximum range is not required in all the applications. Tags in the LF/HF band have a range of 2.25 to 46 cm approximately, while passive UHF tags can reach up to 6.3 meters, and microwave tags can reach 0.5 to 1.9 meters. The range of the tag greatly depends on the surface on which the tag is mounted. 2.3 FUTURE OF RFID RFID is known by many in the industry to be the leading technology for automatic identification and collection of data. The biggest, as of yet unproven, benefit would ultimately be in the supply chain of goods of the customers where an RFID tag attached to a consumers product could be tracked from manufacturing to the retail store right to the consumers house. 2.4 APPLICATIONS 2.4.1 Electronic Vehicle Registration In many countries of the world, security of vehicles is a major concern, Government uses the RFID system for Vehicle Registration. With implementing RFID systems, we can detect stolen cars and it is helpful in their retrieval also. 2.4.2 Payment by mobile phones Two credit card companies are working with Dallals since 2009, Texas-based Device Fidelity to develop specialized micro cards. When these cards are inserted into the mobile phones, the mobile phone directly connects with the bank account and we can use it as credit card. 2.4.3 Transportation payments For traffic management, government use RFID applications. Automotive companies also use various RFID tracking solutions for product management. 2.4.4 Product tracking RFID is also used in product tracking application, begins with plant-based production processes, and then extends into post sales configuration management for large buyers. 2.4.5Animal identification One of the oldest uses of RFID technology is animal tagging. Originally meant for large ranches and rough terrain, since mad-cow disease, RFID has become crucial in animal identification management. 2.4.6 Museums RFID technologies are implemented for the user also in museums. An example was the custom-designed temporary research application, eXspot, at the Exploratorium, a science museum in San Francisco, California. 2.4.7 Race timings RFID can also be used in racing. Till 1990 it is used in animal racing. First time it is implemented in pigeons racing. It is used for registering race start and end timings for animals or individuals in large running races or multi-sport races where it is impossible to get accurate stopwatch readings for every entrant. 2.5 Problems and concerns 2.5.1 Data flooding Each tag generating a message each time when passing a reader may be a desired outcome. However, event filtering is required to reduce this data inflow to a meaningful depiction of moving goods passing a threshold. Various concepts have been designed, mainly offered as middleware performing the filtering from noisy and redundant raw data to significant processed data. 2.5.2 Global standardization Frequencies are using for RFID in the USA currently incompatible with those of Europe or Japan. Furthermore, no standard has yet become as universal as the barcode. To address international trade concerns, it is necessary to utilize a tag that is operational within all of the international frequency domains. 2.5.3 Security concerns A primary RFID security concern is the illicit tracking of RFID tags. Tags, which are world-readable, pose a risk to both personal location privacy and corporate/military security. Such concerns have been raised with respect to the United States Department of Defenses recent adoption of RFID tags for supply chain management. More generally, privacy organizations have expressed concerns in the context of ongoing efforts to embed electronic product code (EPC) RFID tags in consumer products. 2.5.4 Temperature exposure Currently, RFID tags are glued with an integrated circuit (IC) to an inlay. Vibration and high temperatures can break the connection. If the IC connection break with the inlay, the RFID tag will not transmit 2.6 FINGERPRINT AUTHENTICATION Fingerprint authentication refers to automated method of verifying a match between two fingerprints. Fingerprint is one of the many forms of the biometrics used to identify an individual as well as verify their identity. Each individual has a unique pattern in his fingerprints. There are some unique points in known as minutia points in the fingerprints of the individuals. The number of these points, their location, distance from each other, vary from person to person. Every individual has these characteristics different. 2.6.1 Why fingerprint? In the IT world the end-users use fingerprint authentication due to some reasons, i.e. security, and there is the reason that is why they establish, but it is very expensive to maintain. Other authentication mechanisms like smart cards, tokens, etc. require you to carry something. This is far better than a password, also easies to lose. Losing your credit card or driving license is worse. Information is valuable and harder to track than money. Fingerprints also acts as a simple, trusted and convenient user interface to a well thought security plan. A user authenticated via fingerprints can take advantage of a solid security system minimal education. Chapter 3: Requirements Specification 3.1 Non-functional Requirements 3.2 External requirements 3.3 Functional Requirements 3.3.1 Category 1 Following requirements should be met under given priorities: 3.3.2 Category 2 3.3.3 Category 3 Chapter 4: Project Design 4.1 Architecture Overview The design of the intended product is explained graphically with the help of a block diagram shown in figure below. The diagram explains the overall interactions of the modules and their placements. 4.2 Required Components Microcontroller PIC18F452 RF transceiver nRF905 Fingerprint module SM630 RFID reader module ID20 RS232 Driver IC MAX232 4.3 MICROCONTROLLER PIC18F452 4.3.1 Description PIC18F452 is the member of PIC18F family. It is a low power, high performance flash 8-bit microcontroller with 32 Kbytes of Flash programmable and erasable read only memory (EEPROM). This device is compatible with the industry standard PIC18Fxxx instruction set and pin outs. The on-chip Flash allows the program memory to be quickly reprogrammed using a non-volatile memory programmer and in circuit serial programmer (ICSP). The 18F452 is a powerful microcomputer which provides a highly flexible and cost effective solution to many embedded control applications. The 8951 provides the following features. 4.3.2 Pin layout 4.3.3 Features and specifications Program memory type flash v Program memory 32 KB v CPU speed 10 MIPS v Data EEPROM 256 bytes v RAM 1536 bytes v Digital communication peripherals 1-A/E/USART, 1-MSSP(SPI/I2C) v Ports A, B, C, D E v I/O pins 32 This microcontroller is more suitable for our project as it has more memory and instruction speed, as required by our system, than 16Fxxx family or ATMEL. The protocols used for digital communication are sort of built-in in this microcontroller. Moreover it is more reliable and efficient than others. 4.4 RF transceiver nRF905 4.4.1 Description The nRF905 is a radio transceiver for the 433/ 868/ 915 MHz ISM band on a single chip. This transceiver consists of fully integrated frequency synthesizer, receiver chain with demodulator, a modulator, a crystal oscillator and a power amplifier. Current consumption is very low, it transmits only 9mA at an output power of -10dBm, and in receive mode 12.5mA. Built-in power down modes makes power saving easily realizable. Its pin configuration is as follows: 4.4.2 Features Data rate 50 kbps v Operating frequency 433 MHz ISM band v Modulation technique GFSK v SPI interface v Power supply range 1.9 to 3.6 V v Channels 11 with v Channel switching time 4.5 Fingerprint Module SM630 SM630 integrated fingerprint identification module is the release of Miaxis Biometrics Company. It consists of optical fingerprint sensor, a high performance DSP processor and a Flash. It boasts of functions such as fingerprint enrolment, fingerprint verification, fingerprint deletion, fingerprint download, fingerprint upload, etc. It has four pins connections: 4.5.1 Features High Adaptation to Fingerprints v Easy to Use and Expand v Low Power Consumption v Integrated Design v Operating Voltage: 4.3V6V v Fingerprint Template: 768 templates v User Flash Memory: 64KByte v Interface Protocol: Standard serial interface TTL level v Communication Baud Rate: 57600bps Figure 4 It was used as it is easy to interface with the microcontroller and reduces image processing coding. It gives out serial TTL output which is easy to process. It can be easily controlled by the commands to get the desired output. Adding, deleting, searching and matching commands are easy to implement in this module. 4.6 RFID reader module ID20 This RFID reader module is very simple to use. It has a built in antenna, the only holdup is the 2mm pin spacing (breakout board available below). Power the module, hold up a card, and get a serial string output containing the unique ID of the card. It uses weigand26 protocol. 4.6.1 Pin description Its pin description is as follows: 4.6.2 Features 5V supply v 125kHz read frequency v EM4001 64-bit RFID tag compatible v 9600bps TTL and RS232 output v Magnetic stripe emulation output v Read range of 16+ cm 4.7 RS232 Driver IC MAX232 4.7.1 Description MAX232 is an integrated circuit. It converts signals from an RS-232 serial port to signals suitable for use in TTL compatible digital logic circuits. It is a dual driver or receiver and it converts the RX, TX, CTS and RTS signals typically. This provide at output  ±7.5 from 5v supply via on-chip charge pumps and external capacitors. This makes it useful for implementing RS-232 in devices that otherwise do not need any voltages outside the 0V to +5V range, as power supply design does not need to be made more complicated just for driving the RS-232 in this case. The receivers reduce RS-232 inputs (which may be as high as  ±25V), to standard 5V TTL levels. These receivers have a typical threshold of 1.3V, and a typical hysteresis of 0.5V. Chapter 5: Implementation 5.1 Designing the RFID reader module We started our project with designing the RFID reader/writer module. The standard we followed was ISO15693 used in library for theft detection of unissued books. The standard frequency used in it was 13.56 MHz. The PCB layout was designed. The IC used in this reader was TRF7960. Its dimension was 4.854.85 mm. The PCB design of the reader was not accurate and of high quality as required. Later on, we came to know that SMD components were required when working with high frequency. Then SMD components were used to design the reader. Its PCB is shown in the figure below: 5.1.1 Problems in the design of the reader The main obstacle we faced in the designing of this RFID reader was that its PCB design required tinning process as the IC consisted of 32 SMD pins, each separated 0.5 mm apart. The size of the TRF7960 IC was very small thus requiring a very accurate PCB. This would require 2-3 months and the time we had was short for this. Thus we switched to ID20 RFID module. This was quiet simple to use and easily available in the market. 5.1.2 Antenna design of TRX7960 The loop antenna used in the previous reader was designed and printed on PCB. Its parameters were found using the formulas and equations of loop antenna. Its parameters were as follows: v Frequency = 13.56 MHz v Impedance = 50 Ohms v Antenna size = 0.027wavelength v Wavelength = 22.123894 m v Quality Factor = 6.75 v Track spacing=0.0508 cm v Track width= 0.127cm v L = 1.2608  µH This loop antenna is required to match with the 50 Ohm and has to be tuned to radiate with a high Q value. Therefore a matching and resonator circuit is used which is composed of a series capacitor, parallel capacitor and a parallel resistor. The capacitances are used to match the inductive load as well as to build a resonator. The resistor is used to decrease the Q-value of the resonant circuit for a better design of antenna. 5.2 Implementation with the RFID module ID20 Due to the obstacles faced in implementing the design of the reader, the RFID reader module was used which gives out serial output. It has a built-in antenna as well as reasonable range. It is placed in the main unit and directly interfaced with the microcontroller. The fingerprint module SM630 and the RF transceiver nRF905 are also connected with the microcontroller. The former has the serial TTL serial input/output while the later has SPI interface. The RS232 is used to connect the main unit with the PC. The database application is installed in the PC which has a record of the student details. For the detection of unissued books, an anti-theft unit is designed in which the RF transceiver is connected with the microcontroller. The RFID reader module is also connected in this unit. 5.3 Working of the system 5.3.1 Main unit There are 5 external buttons attached with the main circuit board. Four of them execute fingerprint module commands and two for the RFID reader. The fingerprint command buttons include Add button for adding new fingerprint, Delete button for deleting the fingerprint, Delete all button for deleting all fingerprint database and a Match button for matching the fingerprint. The function of the one button of the RFID reader is to issue and return the book from the students account. The main unit is operating on 3.3V and 5V. The RF transceiver and the microcontroller are operating on 3.3V. The MAX232, fingerprint module and RFID reader are operating on 5V. The LF33CV regulator IC is used to maintain 3.3V. For 5V, LM7805 is used in the power supply circuit board. Pin number 1 is pulled up by using 1Kohm resistor and also pulled down using 0.1uF capacitor. Pin number 11 and 32 are connected to VCC and pin number 12 and 31 to the ground. The crystal oscillator IC of frequency 20MHz is connect ed with the pin number 13 of the microcontroller. It generates clock pulses for executing the microcontroller instructions. Thus 5MHz is the operating frequency of the microcontroller. The external buttons for executing fingerprint and RFID functions are connected to port D, with pins from 19, 20, 21, 22 and 27. These buttons are pulled down by using 10kohm SIP. SIP is an integrated circuit consisting of resistors on a single chip having one point common. This common point decides the functionality of the SIP. If this point is connected with the VCC, it acts as pull up and vice versa. 5.3.2 Antitheft Unit This unit consists of a microcontroller (PIC18F452), RFID reader (ID-20), RF Transceiver (nRF 905) and some other same components. If any book will pass through this unit RFID will read its ID and send to microcontroller. The microcontroller will send this id to main unit