DNA Essays -- Biology Biological Essays

DNA "There is no substance as important as DNA," Watson, 1991. Gene therapy is a controversial issue in today’s science society. Debates in the United States are covering a wide range of topics. I will discuss just a few viewpoints from both sides. First of all, a little background on DNA and genetics. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a complex structure consisting of a double stranded helix made up of complementary base pairs. Adenine (A) pairs up with thymine (T) and guanine (G) matches with cytosine (C). They are held together with the help of hydrogen bonds. The helix is spiral shaped, and the outside of DNA is alternating sugar and phosphate groups. Watson and Crick presented this structure in 1953. "The genetic code is imprinted in the precise sequence of the nitrogenous bases running down the length of DNA molecule." Lee, 1993. A base triplet code is made up of three nucleotides. Each DNA triplet code is translated via a messenger RNA into a protein. DNA has a semiconservative replication process where the double strands unwind and serve as templates. A genome is a collection of DNA molecules that make up am organism. There is great diversity between different species and even between the same species. "The human genome contains up to three billion base pairs, the genetic difference among individual humans is as much as three million base pairs of DNA" (Davis, 1990). A mutation is where a gene is changed to another form. A mutation does not imply a bad thing happened. They can be deleterious, cause disease, reduce fitness or even be lethal. A mutation can also be beneficial if it increases adaptability or advantages in a species. Or a mutation can be silent and cause no apparent change in the organism. T... ...ecoming a safer, more efficient process that may some day cure the world of all genetic disease. Some day, being sick may just mean getting gene therapy. Bibliography Joel Davis, Mapping the Code: The Human Genome Project and the Choices of Modern Science, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1990. Thomas F. Lee, GENE FUTURE: The Promise and Perils of the New Biology, Plenum Press, New York, 1993. U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, New Developments in Biotechnology— Background Paper, Pubic Receptions of Biotechnology, OTA—BBP—BA—45, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., May 1987 quoted by George J. Annas and Sherman Elias, GENE MAPPING: Using law and Ethics as Guides, Oxford University Press, New York, 1992, page 144. Unknown author, Gene Therapy - An Overview, 1990, http://www.gene.com/AE/AB/IWT/Gene_Therapy_Overview.html

Physics of Self Bailing Boats and How I Built One :: physics boat boating ship

The Basic Principle behind a Self Bailing Boat Actually the idea is quite simple really, it consists of a floor above the hull with open drain plugs in the rear of the boat and above the water line. By this simple method as water comes in to the boat it will drain right out of the back. If too much weight is in the boat then water will simply come in through the drain holes. This is no worry to me because I can always just put some plugs in the drain holes when carrying a heavy load. I made the decision to build the aluminum skiff 17ft long and strong enough to hold an outboard motor with a mass of 141kg (approx. mass of 90Hp Mercury). My Boat Dimensions I made the decision to build the aluminum skiff 17ft long and strong enough to hold an outboard motor with a mass of 141kg (approx. mass of 90Hp Mercury). Knowing the amount of material I would need; I then went on to estimate the mass of the boat when finished to be 239kg. I also made the decision to build a fuel tank in the front of the boat holding 141kg of gasoline (≈ 38gal). The design of the boat permits the boat bottom to have an estimated area of submersion of 5.55m2 (L= 3.7m W=1.5m). With these measurements in hand I knew I needed a way to determine the height from the bottom of the boat at which I should build my second deck and drain plugs. I got a value from a veteran boat builder but surely there was an equation to help me out. Archimedes’s Principle for Floating Objects: So hears the theory: Archimedes principle says that the magnitude of the buoyant force always equals the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. This buoyant force always acts upward through the point that was the center of gravity of the displaced fluid. In the case of floating objects the buoyant force is equal to the force of gravity on the object. Knowing that the change in pressure is equal to the Buoyant force per unit area (ΔP = B/A) we see that B = (ΔP)A and ΔP = Ï gH where Ï  is the density of the fluid g is the acceleration due to gravity and H is the height of the fluid displaced.

The Ethical Issues behind Cosmetic Surgery

The article I chose is entitled â€Å"Ethnic Differences Emerge in Plastic Surgery† and was written by Sam Dolnick for the New York Times on February 19, 2011. It explains that cosmetic plastic surgery is no longer an opportunity limited to wealthy suburbanites. In New York City, there has been a surge of immigrants having plastic surgeries that are correlated with their ethnic beauty standards.Furthermore, doctors practicing in various ethnic enclaves throughout the city have seen; Italians having their knees reshaped, Egyptians getting face-lifts, Iranians getting nose jobs, Dominican women getting their buttocks’ lifted, Asians having â€Å"double eye-lid surgery† or receiving a crease in their eyelids to make their eyes appear rounder, and Russians getting breast implants.The article goes on to contrast the cultural beauty standards or tastes between one group of wealthy Long Island suburbanites with Washington Heights’ ancestrally Dominican citizens, where, in Long Island suburbs they want fat removed from their behinds, and in Washington Heights they want their rear ends enlarged and rounded. There are three ethical issues present in this article, the first being the usage of surgery to improve patients’ psychological self-esteem issues versus the usage of surgery for traditional health reasons.The second issue is the fact that doctors are willing to offer layaway plans to help patients afford operations, but even more precarious, unlicensed practitioners are performing illegal surgery throughout most ethnic enclaves. The third is the belief that American pop culture and media have a role in affecting people’s personal awareness and ideals of beauty, and this is making them much more willing to have unnecessary cosmetic plastic surgery performed. John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarian doctrine is the first ethical theory I chose to apply to these ethical problems.Mill argued that morality is based on the consequenc es you take, and that consequences must be a means to increase utility or pleasure (Utilitarianism: Of What Sort of Proof the, para 3,9). To the first ethical issue, Mill would most likely say that people who undergo cosmetic plastic surgery are moral because they are acting accordance with increasing happiness. However, they are acting upon a lower pleasure, which is vanity, and although this may bring some joy, it is something that can become an endless pursuit.Towards the second issue, Mill would most likely say that the legality of the operations, and how the surgery is paid for, is superfluous to morality. If there is a tendency for patients to come out feeling and looking better, than the surgeon has done his or her job and there is nothing immoral going on. However, if there is a tendency for people to leave these places, where layaway is acceptable and the surgeons do not have licenses to practice, in pain and vexation, there is something immoral about this particular situat ion.One could further argue, that performing surgery illegally and allowing layaway for surgery is based in greed. To this I believe Mill would still say that it is the patients responses that matter, for they are the ones who choose to have the surgery illegally, and if they have gained more pleasure through the experience, the actions taken by the illegal surgeons or greedy doctors was moral (Utilitarianism: Of What Sort of Proof, para 6).To the last part, is media and pop culture responsible for unnecessary surgery, and people unhealthy personal beauty obsessions, he would say, generally no. Although he might say that certain parts of media are potent at changing the way people view their bodies and other people’s bodies, and may make people obsessively drawn into the lower pleasures of cosmetic bodily improvement. Immanuel Kant’s Deontological ethics is the second theory I chose to administer to the article. Kant argues that for an action to have genuine moral wort h, it must be done out of duty, or from pure intentions.People or semi-rational beings must not allow subjective experiences and past events, or particular circumstances, determine what actions are morally right, but must act to achieve the categorical imperative, thus making every intention and every action together an end in itself (Groundwork: Moving from popular, para 2-4, 6-7). To the first, again being the usage of surgery for traditional reasons, versus the usage of surgery for patients who have psychological self-esteem issues; they believe that having cosmetic surgery will result in looking better and therefore bring happiness.Kant would strongly see this as immoral, as it is first off not being used to preserve one’s life, and it is seeking out happiness through picking means which Kant believes will only lead to pain (Groundwork: Moving from popular moral, para 15-16). Also cosmetic plastic surgery is not universafiable because it means that our self-love is based off of subjective contingent circumstances, and not based off of self-love because we are semi-rational beings.To the second ethical theory being layaway plans and illegal surgery, Kant would probably see the layaway plans as bad in that if everyone had layaway, there would not be any true ownership, and everyone would be in debt to someone else. Illegal surgery is also not universifiable in that, if it were universifiable, there would be no legality, and the state laws for surgical practices would not exist. As to whether Kant would see people receiving cosmetic plastic surgery as victims of our hyper-idealized beauty popular culture and media, he would probably say yes, there is a problem.Pop culture, the media, and social networks certainly do have an insidiously furtive part in how we behave, and what we believe is beautiful. To go out of your way to make yourself more beautiful because someone or something tells you to do so, especially if it is instilled upon you in a covert w ay, is not acting in accordance with freedom. It is dually leading you to use surgery as a mere means to happiness, and using you as a mere means to waste your money on advertised beauty/ diet products, more surgery, and more repetitive mindless television shows.In terms of which ethical theory best resolves the ethical issues spurred by this article, I would have to say Kant’s theory of good intentions is most critical and affirmative. All of these ethical issues I have raised have questionable intentions behind them. If I were to go with Mill, I certainly would be a lot more lenient with these issues. That is not necessarily a bad thing, since these peoples actions are not necessarily questionable. Their actions are somewhat good, because whether you are the patient, the doctor, or the pop culture media (entertainment) you are aiming at or supposedly affecting happiness (in a Mill sense).But their intentions are somewhat convoluted, and in my opinion, impure. I believe most of the doctors have greed as their intention, especially those who are willing to perform surgery illegally. Sure, the illegal surgeons may be acting in a proper way, that is, they may perform the surgery properly. But behind it all is an intention of surreptitiously avoiding the rules of the state to save money, meanwhile being completely liable to malpractice and putting in jeopardy their lives and the lives of their patients.The patients may know that these doctors are quacks, but if they don’t, then in fact they are being lied to and are being placed under the knives of surgeons who are dishonest and hence treating the patients as a mere means. Furthermore, I believe anyone who is getting cosmetic plastic surgery based off of established beauty standards, unless in some horrific accident or bearing some horrific deformity is impure in their reasoning.They are giving into standards that are not their own, but have been environmentally, and artificially created, beefed up and branded. Thus, in a Kantian sense, people are acting not under a categorical imperative, but under empirical knowledge that has been conjured through culturally relative or subjective circumstances. In sum, Kant would say be happy with what you look like, and don’t attempt to change it based off of your cultural preferences or media created beauty bombardments, because you are not acting freely and with duty.

Fashion 1890-1900

FEMALE EVENING WEAR COSTUME IN 1890- 1900 GAY/ NAUGTY NINTEIS REASERCH SEMINAR IN THE HISTORY OF COSTUME Table of contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦1 History and Events†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 Art and Architecture†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Fashion in the 1890s†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 Appendix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦22 â€Å"Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the world's original sin. If the cave-man had known how to laugh, History would have been different. † Oscar Wilde Introduction: 1890s-1900 England was under the reign of Queen Victoria and the industrial revolution was at its prime.There was a wea lthy middle class emerging, and new artistic movements began developing. The 1890s was referred to by a number of names for example in America it was known as the ‘Gay nineties’ as opposed to Britain where it was known as the ‘Naughty nineties’ or the ‘Gilded age’. At this time Britain was the strongest, most stable empire in the world and these years were quiet and peaceful as there was hardly any conflict. This scenario encouraged the speed of the industrial revolution, which encouraged economic growth.The Bourgeoisie were accumulating wealth, which enabled them to have more spare time for social and recreational interests. In this paper I will be reviewing the events, culture and clothing from the 90s, which was under Queen Victoria’s reign within the context of world history, art, politics, economics and social change. Social, political and the industrial changes influenced the clothing of the decade, and brought forth a dramatic exp losion in design of women’s clothing which eventually influenced the future fashion. Historical background of 1890-1900 The Victorian age was drawing to a close.Queen Victoria had reigned since 1837, and during that period Britain had become the most important global force based on her supreme naval power. Since the death of her beloved husband Albert, Victoria had become a virtual recluse, dressing totally in black for the rest of her life. When Victoria died she left behind an industrial country with a developed network. (a. 1) Conquering colonies During the Victorian period, Britain’s ambition was to extend its control of areas beyond the seas, mainly in establishing colonies and taking over areas in Africa, Asia and the Far East.The British Empire took control of East Africa, intending to create unity and territorial contiguity between the colonies in Southern Africa. (a. 2) Queen Victoria put an emphasis on ethics and values, which reflected both on society and Go vernment. She had a lack of tolerance for crime, which filtered to other countries outside of the UK due to the influence of the British Empire abroad. Britain in the 1890’s was the most powerful force in the world. Although Britain had been at war for much of the Victorian era, industry and economy had continued to grow, and the 90’s was considerably quieter which only accentuated the growth.It was a decade of reconciliation and peace in Europe. Meanwhile over ‘the pond’, the USA was beginning to step forward in the international arena as a new powerful leader. Despite a severe economic crisis (1893- 1897), and with a new Republican President, McKinley, the US went to war against Spain concerning the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico in 1898. Industrial Advancement The last decade of the 19th century marked one of the most rapid developments of human history. This industrial revolution dramatically changed the way of life.At the beginning of the 19th cen tury people depended on their own physical strength, and the use of animal power, which helped them with transport and farming and communication. However with the development of industrial machinery, mass production became the accepted mode. Mass production also resulted in the improvement of the quality of food people ate. Food was distributed quicker thanks to improvements in transportation, and therefore arrived fresh, which in turn improved the health of the people.Thanks to both advancements in industry and medicine, general health improved, meaning people were fit and well to achieve greater goals inducing a huge advance in economic development, social life, the arts and science. Since the development of industry there were more jobs available, and a newly formed middle class began to emerge, which bridged the existing gap between the rich and the poor. This, in turn, made the members of the higher bourgeoisie feel uneasy about their position in society, and they were constant ly searching for new ways to uphold and improve their status.A major way that they achieved this was by the changes that were made in the world of fashion at these times. (Phillippe, P. 1981. P8) People started to look for a different life other than plowing fields and working in agriculture. They started to move to the cities to work in factories and shops, giving them high hopes for something better than they had previously. Railroads, telephones, bicycles and the beginning of the development of the car encouraged people to enjoy life and mingle and socialize, something that was previously only reserved for the higher class.They found entertainment outside the home by going to picnics, fairs, parks and restaurants. Thanks to electricity, meaning light in the evenings, nightlife also became popular. Although life seemed brighter for most of the 90s it was far from easy. Salaries were low, hours were long and work was hard. Nevertheless, people enjoyed living beyond their basic need s and were willing to find the time and the money to enjoy the richer things in life. As a result fashion, once only affordable to the wealthy, also became an interest to the middle classes and in turn more affordable.Women’s Rights  ¬Ã‚ ¬The Victorian period had seen a rise in the number of gender equality laws being passed and the advancement of the rights of women was in the air. It would not be long before they would win the right to vote, however even without suffrage, the rights of women in the 90’s were advancing. More and more women were entering into the workforce than before. In turn, women were also becoming active in areas once primarily only the territory of men. They started to play sports, ride bikes which can explain how their fashion started to change so dramatically.It is during this time that the trouser, known as â€Å"bloomers†, arose. Prior to this time trousers were not acceptable. Many women had adopted the tailored suit, which was a re flection of the change of the status of woman. (We will go further into this point later in the essay. ) Technology and Science: The Industrial Revolution brought many new inventions. The change in basic fundamentals led to a tremendous amount of development and speed of work, Iron, chemicals and recently available electricity helped production enterprises grow, providing raw materials which were used, by the brand new car and aviation industries.Communication across the nation was increased by the use of the telegraph and telephone, while railways expanded hugely. There was also a science revolution occurring at the same time, which complimented the advancement in industry with regards to â€Å"new science† including, chemicals and electricity. In addition there was a huge advancement in medicine, including the production of X-Rays by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen (a. 3) in 1895 and the development of aspirin by the German chemist Felix Hoffmann. Art and Arcitecture:The end of the 19th century was a period of great prosperity and even complacency. In England in particular, critics and artists were unhappy about the general decline in the craftsmanship caused by the industrial revolution, and hated the very sight of cheap and tardy machine-made imitations of ornaments. Artists dreamed to reform the arts and crafts, and â€Å"they longed for a new art† (E. H. GOMBRICH) based on a new feeling for design and possibilities inherent in each material. Art Nouveau was created. It is through art, and through art only, that we can realize our perfection. † Oscar wilde. Impressionism The Impressionist movement, which appeared in Paris in 1867, and continued till the late 19th century, was created by Edouard Manet, and other various artists. The artistic movement looked for a way to discover and represent nature as we see it. They decided that if they would trust their eyes and not their set ideas of what things ought to look like according to academic rules , they would make the most stimulating discoveries.The well-known painting, Sunrise, painted by Claude Monet was displayed at a Paris art show, and because of the irregular texture, it caused one critic to call the whole exhibition impressionist, which gave the movement its name. The technique that was used was quick, broken brushstrokes, light, vibrant colours and bright, contrasting colours. (E. H. Gombrich p. 392) (a4) fashion was extremely influenced by this movement, bright and vibrant colours and the contrasted colours were used in many different garments. Art nouveauIn the early 90s, a new mass artistic point of view developed in Europe. Based on mood, feeling and abstract form, it was the first European artistic movement since the rococo. Art nouveau was based on abstract and swerving curve shapes. The movement had a very visual language, which reflected in all different areas of design for example furniture, architecture, books, illustration, painting and clothing. The arti sts of this movement took inspiration from nature with its flowing symmetric and organic elements. They studied the roots, branches and other different forms of nature.Primarily using nature and harmonization of the environment, they also were inspired by Japanese design and other past inspirations styles such as gothic, rococo and arts and craft style which also incorporated floral elements. We can see a lot of these elements in the fashion of the time for example, Floral embroidery, curvy lines and shapes. Aubrey Beardsley rose to immediate fame all over Europe with his sophisticated black and white illustrations. In France it was the flowers of Degas and Toulouse Lautrec which applied a similar economy of means to the new art of the poster.Toulouse Lautrec had learned from Japanese prints just how much more striking a picture could become if modeling and other details were sacrificed (E. H. Gombrich p 406) (a. 5). The success of art nouvea ¬u had taken hold of architects and de signers who were tired of the traditional routines they had been taught, Architects now were experimenting with new types of materials and new types of ornaments. Art nouveau style buildings first appeared in Brussels, however construction sites were relatively small and the laws of the city were harsh with building regulations.For example construction of balconies and rooms were monitored, and architects had to work within these regulations. One of the first houses designed from nouveau design was the Maison Tassel in Brussels. Its highly innovative plan and its ground breaking use of materials and decoration show the characteristics of Art Nouveau. (a. 6) Other artists that belonged to this movement were Gustav Klemt, and Alphonse Mucha.  ¬Ã‚ ¬ Symbolism In the late 19th-century there was another movement called symbolism, which expressed mystical or abstract ideas through the symbolic use of images.It mainly developed in Europe and was a reaction to impressionism (1867-1886 one of the major and most significant arts based on experience of colour, sunlight, shadows and with visible brush strokes).  ¬Based on the artistic movement romanticism, this style art was made of shapes and images. Symbolist painters believed that art should reflect an emotion or idea rather than represent the natural world. They felt that the symbolic value or meaning of a work of art stemmed from the recreation of emotional experiences in the viewer through colour, line, and composition.In painting, Symbolism represents a synthesis of form and feeling, of reality and the artist's inner subjectivity. Artists from the symbolism movement are Paul Gauguin, Gustav klimt, Edvard Munch and Gustave Moreau. (a. 7) Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) In the late 19th century Britain finally found the time to embrace literature and poetry. Oscar Wilde became the most popular play writer of his day writing many short stories, plays and poems that had a lot to do with society, fashion, and art a t the time. He was a major influence in society and some people even said he was born before his time. (Holland, v. p9) (a. ) â€Å" I am the only person in the world I should like to know thoroughly. † Oscar Wilde. Costumes of 1890 – 1900’s Introduction The fashions of the 19th century can explain a lot about the era of the time with regards to society and the situation it was in. With the introduction of new inventions such as machinery and most importantly the sewing machine, fashions were able to evolve and progress. This century shows many reforms in fashions for women some more successful than others. These clothing types did not purely change with regards to the shape of the silhouette, but also the fabrics and colours being used were evolving too.The clothing and designs for women took priority at these times over men’s fashions. Although men’s fashions were not involved in great change, Europe saw clothing for men designed to suit their â €˜passion for riding’. (Brooke, I. ) Materials in the 1890’s went through a change, because of the availability of new machinery it was possible to experiment and use different materials for different garments. Suits were made of either tweed or stiff cloth whereas dresses were made from silk and satin type materials. Decoration such as bows, lace, jabot and frilling became a major theme for this period of time. (Waugh, N. 1968. 231) Another benefit of the new machinery was the introduction of Haute Couture which was made by a number of fashion houses such as, Charles Fredrick Worth and Jacques Doucet. (DeMarly, D. 1980. ) (a. 9) Change in costume The 1890’s saw a major change in the silhouette of women. The hourglass shape was introduced in the late 19th century. The most dramatic feature of the change in costume in this period of time was the exaggerated waistline, which was made so tiny that it is seen as the most minute waist in history. It became so smal l that it gave the impression that the woman’s figure was split into two parts that met in the middle.The term given to the figure of this time was the â€Å"Wasp Waist† (a. 10). The shape consisted of a ballooning sleeve(a. 11), slim waist and widened skirt with the main aim to accentuate the womanly figure (Laver, J. 1929. P82). The sharp contrast in shapes was a deliberate ploy to make the waist seem smaller than it actually was. Previous to the 1890’s, gowns were seen as much simpler in design and instead of using the idea of a fuller skirt the emphasis was put on the sleeves. The bigger sleeves came into place in the middle of the decade. This idea of voluminous sleeves led to a further change in clothing, more specifically the outerwear.Coats were of great difficulty when it came to putting them on over the exaggerated sleeves therefore capes and shawls came in place of the typical coat style (a. 12). They were made in a variety of lengths, shapes and coll ars (Boucher, F. ). Towards the end of the century the silhouette reverted back to a more natural shape and the â€Å"Wasp Waist† gradually changed into the â€Å"S Shape†. Sleeves became tight with a slight puff at the shoulder. Eveningwear tended to include â€Å"small bouffant sleeves† (Boucher, F. ), whereas daywear portrayed â€Å"semi gigot sleeves† (Boucher, F).The era of the 1890’s was known in the United States as the era of the ‘Gibson Girl’ (a. 13). The Gibson Girl was a modern portrayal of the ideal women of the time, created by the artist Charles Dana Gibson. This girl was known as the ‘new woman’ of the time. This ideal woman was not purely based on her looks, but for the first time on her personality and abilities too. The Gibson Girl was seen as a symbol of thousands of American women. She was tall and petite, with a heavier bosom and fuller hips and bottom. This figure was achieved by the use of a ‘S wan Bill Corset’.This was the first time the idea of a corset was used to give a woman an ‘S Curve’ figure, which was not generally seen until the 1900’s. However, this perfect figure was not all the ideal woman in America had to have. The Gibson Girl not only portrayed beauty, but also a strong personality where education was just as important as the way she looked. Having said that, although education was becoming increasingly more common for the new woman, the idea of women being as equal to men when it came to decisions being made in society had not yet been accepted (Gordon, L.D. 1987. P211). Fashions of the time Costumes in the nineteenth century, as in most eras inevitably changed and evolved. Garments came in and out of fashion and were constantly being evolved and adapted. Different layers of clothing increased the number of changes to the ideal woman’s silhouette. In addition to this, society was adapting its attire to the increase in extr a and new activities. For every occasion an expected costume was worn. For each event or occasion at the different times of the day and season there were various acceptable outfits.With the explosion of bourgeoisie throughout Europe more and more women of different social classes were wanting to feel accepted into different societies by having a number of alternative costumes for each individual occasion. The creation of dresses such as, ‘tea dresses’ which were worn predominantly for afternoon teas with a group of women, were extremely common, as well as ‘house dresses’ which also became a staple part of a higher class woman’s wardrobe. (Phillippe. P. 1981. P8) Skirts This era saw the rise of the fuller and more extravagant skirts.This rise was due to the crinolines and the bustles from the previous decade, which had gradually been reduced by the time this decade arrived. The skirt was fairly straight at the front whereas generally in evening wear, the back consisted of a more exaggerated train with a larger amount of material being used to make it. This shape created an almost ‘flower shape’ skirt and because of the style and shape of the skirt it was custom for women to hold the train with one hand as they walked which revealed the petticoats frills that was made out of taffeta or lace.In the middle of the decade the sleeves widened this can be reflected to the skirt that also went through this adaptation. Due to this change it aided the portrayal of a smaller waist. Compared to the last decade these skirts were less decorative than the previous ones as well as being easier to wear in order for women to be able to partake in the newer activities of the time. This ease of skirts enabled women to follow the changes of women of the period of time. Towards the end of the decade the skirts became tighter around the thigh and narrow along the legs. (a. 4) Tailored Suits The tailored suit had been introduced to men man y years prior to the 1890’s however by the time the Industrial Revolution had begun more and more women had become increasingly more in need of alternate costumes for the different and newly available jobs to them. In addition, with the introduction of new machinery for the first time ready-made shirts, blouses, skirts and tailored jackets were easily available from a shop shelf, unlike previously where every garment was tailor made. This modernized idea made it available to almost all classes of women (Renrolds, C. 989. p45) The suit was seen as a suitable and appropriate outfit for any daytime activity and any time of year. The three pieced tailored suit, which included a skirt, jacket and shirt-blouse was first introduced and worn by women in England (a. 15). The shirt-blouse influenced the bodice of the dresses. The suit was created by a â€Å"very tight jacket – bodice, with small basques forming a postilion at the back, and a double skirt, the upper part of whic h was slightly caught up. † (Boucher, F. 1987. P401). The BlousePrevious to these times shirts were seen as a very masculine piece of clothing, however with the changes of the women’s role in society it had become more acceptable and common for women to wear their own version of the male shirt, known as the ‘blouse’ (a. 16). The blouse was fully feminine with excessive decoration made from lace, high collars, sleeves and if the blouse was a more simple style it would often be worn with a male-styled necktie. It was seen as an extremely important fashion statement of the time, and was mostly made from light coloured fabric in contrast to the darker coloured skirts and jackets.Bloomers The first bloomers were introduced in 1849 by the renowned feminist Mrs. Amelia Jenks Bloomer. She created them as a solution to the problem for the unladylike issues with women riding on penny-farthings (bicycles) however the idea did not catch on. Although a year after Amelia Bloomer’s death in 1894 her ideas began to become increasingly more popular. (Gersheim, A. 1963. p80) Bicycling had become one of the most popular activities for women to take part in. This in turn resulted in yet another important costume for which women needed.The costume included the newly divided skirt or knickerbockers (baggy trousers), which came down to just over the heel. This enabled the women to have more freedom in partaking of their new sport (a. 17) (a. 18). The undergarments Although clothing was becoming more masculine, undergarments were becoming increasing more popular for women. Undergarments were starting to resemble more of today’s underclothing with the introduction of new materials such as lace, taffeta, silk and lavish colourful ribbons. Even though these undergarments were invisible they were seen as a luxury to women, and they were considered particularly erotic.The corset as in previous decades was an important factor of women’s costum e, however it was now worn over the petticoat and was made into a more shortened form with tighter lacing. The corset was boned and aimed to create the desired ‘Wasp Waist’(a. 19). The petticoat also took an evolutionary change in these times, as they were made from coloured silk and pleated or trimmed with lace. In 1891, the standard petticoat was made with ‘drawing strings’ behind and trimmed with one or two frills of scalloped embroidery (a. 20). Drawers were a type of under trouser that was as wide as the petticoat (a. 1). They were made with frills and were and often in different colours. In addition an alternative style was produced in the style of an overall. However it was only worn occasionally depending on the over-garments being worn. (Cunnington, C. W. 1992. p196) Accessories A huge emphasis of this era was accessories, more specifically, the hat which was known for its excessive decoration. Fur, velvet, ribbons and flowers were just a few of th e different decorations that could be seen on hats at this time. It was a sign of the new independent woman of the time.Hats came in all shapes and sizes, and as with clothing there were different styles for different occasions (a. 22). Gloves were also vital accessory at this time too. It was especially seen as proper etiquette to wear long gloves to the elbow in the evenings (a. 23) as well as a fur muff (a. 24), whereas during the day more casual gloves were worn made of materials such as leather. Other accessories seen at these times were fur or feather scarves as well as sun umbrellas made from lace. Handbags were also seen at these times however they were not used for the same purposes as we use them today.They were extremely small and either knitted or embroidered. Shoes were often seen in a number of styles 9(a. 25). Leather ankle boots, with a small round heel, were worn during the day and were accessorized with buttons, laces or elastic Evening shoes were in the form of ba llerina pumps, and were embroidered or with ribbons around the ankle. Eveningwear A big part of costumes in the 19th century was the eveningwear. Eveningwear was extravagant from the dress to the accessories. The dresses consisted of a lower bodice than the daytime wear, They were cut in a square V shape, rounded V or a round shape neck(a. 6). Dresses also could be seen with shoulder straps, and over exaggerated sleeves could be seen during the middle of this decade. However towards the end of the decade sleeves became tighter fitting. Trains were not so common in ball gown dresses however, but for other evening dress styles they were commonly seen(a. 27). evening gowns were genaraly made from velvet, muslin, satin. They were also embroidered. (a28) Accessories that could be seen in the evenings were jewels, diamonds, tiaras, hair ornaments, broaches, necklaces and fans (a. 29. 30). This added o the effect of luxury to any outfit. Hairstyles in the evening were usually pinned up int o a bun shape; waves and curs were also common. (Waugh, N. 1968. P229) Conclusion This era can be seen as a major influence to the history of clothing and accessories. The changes of this decade can be seen to be an influence not only on these times but also today’s fashions too (a. 31,32). Pieces of clothing such as puff sleeves and high waited skirts have slowly crept back into our wardrobes along with muffs and smaller evening bags, which have become one of the 21st century’s staple items for women.The influence of the industrial revolution brought about many changes to styles and materials. It aided the creation of ‘off the shelf’ clothing and was a symbol for diversity between different classes of people. For the first time the middle class society were able to keep up to date with the latest trends not just in the evening but also whilst they worked. â€Å"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months. † Oscar Wilde Appendix 1. Queen Victoria, c. 1890. 2. Map of british Empire in 1890. 3. Mrs.Rontgen's hand, the first X-ray picture of the human body ever taken. photos courtesy of NASA 4. claude monet Impression, soleil levant 1872 5. Alphonse Mucha-F. Champenois Imprimeur-Editeur, lithograph, 1897. 6. Stairway of Tassel House, Brussels 7. Edvard Munch The Scream 1893 8. Napoleon Sarony Oscar Wilde 1882 9. Jaque Doucete, womans suit costume, 1894 10. Standart Desugner 1897 April. 11. Mora-83 Rundle street Adelaide at Port Adelaide 1895 12. Delineator, November 1897 13. circa, Gibson Girl, 1900 14. Delineator, Afternoon Dress, October 1896 15.Charlles Frederick Worth, walking suit, 1895 16 Illistration of the Gibson Girl wearing The Blouse 17. Harper's Bazar, April 1894 18. T. de Thulatrup, New York 1890s 19. 20. Matropoline museum, New York 1890’s 21. Harper’s Bazar, November 1892 22. Standart Designer, April 1898 23 Delineator, 1898 24. Harper’s Bazar November 1893 25. Metropoline Museum New York 1989 26. harper’s Bezar Febuary 1894 27. Harper’s Bazar, 1894 28. Mertopolin Museum, Fabrics from the 1890s 29. Harper’s Bazar January1897 30. John Singer Sargent, Ada Rehan, 1894 31. Dolce & Gabbana w/f , 09 32. Alexander McQueen, s/s 2007Bibliography  · Brook, Iris. English Costume of the Nineteenth Century, London 1929  · Renolds, Caroline. New York Fashion. The Evolution of American Style. Milbank NY 1039  · Hansen, Henry Harold. Costume Cavalcade. London 1954  · Boucher, Francois. 20,000 Years of Fashion. The History of Costume and Personal Adornment. 1987 NY  · Blum, Stella. Paris Fashion of the 1890’s. NY 1989  · Perrot, Phillippe. Fashion of the Bourgeoisie. Preston University Press 1981  · James Laver. English Costume of the Nineteenth Century (1929). A & C Black Ltd.  · Gersheim, Alison. Victorian and Edwardian Fashion. 1963 NY  ·Liltek C.Cunnington Phyllis. The History of Underclothes. New York, Dover Publication Inc. 1992  ·Buck, Anne. Victorian Costume and Costume Accessories. Quite Specific Media Group 1997  · Waugh, Norah. The Cut of Women’s Clothes. 1600-1930 (1968) University of Michigan  · DeMarly, Diana. The History of Haute Couture 1850-1950. London Bastford Ltd. 1980  ·Gordon, D. Lyne. The Gibson Girl Goes to College. University of Rochester, John Hopkins University Press Vol. 39, No2, 1987  · E. H. Gombrich. The Story of Art. The Phaldon Press, London 1980  ·Vyvyan Holland. The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde. London and Glasgow 1984

V-Guard Industries

What started in 1977 with two employees and a burning passion is now a force to reckon with in the Indian electric and electronic goods panorama. Our untiring commitment for performance, cutting edge technology, innovative design and dependable service standards have lead to unrivalled product quality and a trusted brand image. At V-Guard the principles that motivated our success remain unchanged: The passion of our early years and our quest for excellence.Through stringent quality measures, reliable products, talented people and a responsible approach to business and global citizenship we continue to steadily capture the hearts of the people. In 1977, Kochouseph Chittilappilly began a small manufacturing unit for voltage stabilizers with a vision and a capital of Rs 1,00,000 borrowed from his father. He soon established V-Guard Industries as a household name. V-Guard became the synonym for voltage stabilizers across South India.The company soon extended their range of products to in clude Pumps & Motors, Electric Water Heaters, Solar Water Heaters, Cables, UPS’s, and Ceiling Fans. V-Guard continues to remain at the helm through rigorous research and development. R&D labs at Cochin and Coimbatore explore and reinvent existing products and design. R&D for electronic products and electric geysers are carried out in Cochin while electro-mechanical products, electrical wires and solar water heaters are the strong V-Guard continues to remain at the helm through rigorous research and development.R&D labs at Cochin and Coimbatore explore and reinvent existing products and design. R&D for electronic products and electric geysers are carried out in Cochin while electro-mechanical products, electrical wires and solar water heaters are the strong point of the Coimbatore R&D lab. State of the art production centres ensure consistency and quality throughout the product range. Workforce being the core asset of any organisation, V-Guard has an employee strength of more than 1750 and over 5500 indirect employees through its SHG initiatives.With over 200 distributors and service centres and more than 10,000 retailers serving the needs of over 50 million customers, V-Guard stands as a market leader. News | Investor Relations | CSR | Careers | Contact Us | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Disclaimer | Site Map  © 2011 Voltage Stabilizers, Electrical Wires, Water Heaters, Water Pumps, Voltage Stabilizers| V-Guard Industries Ltd. All Rights Reserved Web Design powered by DREEME point of the Coimbatore R&D lab. State of the art production centres ensure consistency and quality throughout the product range.Workforce being the core asset of any organisation, V-Guard has an employee strength of more than 1750 and over 5500 indirect employees through its SHG initiatives. With over 200 distributors and service centres and more than 10,000 retailers serving the needs of over 50 million customers, V-Guard stands as a market leader. News | Investor Relations | CSR | Careers | Contact Us | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Disclaimer | Site Map  © 2011 Voltage Stabilizers, Electrical Wires, Water Heaters, Water Pumps, Voltage Stabilizers| V-Guard Industries Ltd.All Rights Reserved Web Design powered by DREEME About us CSR * Directors * V-Guard Story * Quality Control We believe in the amalgamation of corporate management, sustainable development and global responsibility in working toward a better society and thereby a better world. We are committed to greening our environment, supporting the less fortunate and nurturing the downtrodden. Extending a hand in support of education Kerala industrialist donates kidney to save a life ROTARY-BINANI ZINC CSR AWARDV Guard Industries was awarded the ROTARY-BINANI ZINC CSR AWARD (Private Sector) by the Rotary Club of Cochin Metropolis, in association with NIPM Kerala Chapter and ICAI, Ernakulam Branch for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative by a company in the State of Kerala. Our Joint M anaging Director Dr. George Sleeba receiving the award. The Thomas Chittilapilly Trust The Thomas Chittilapilly Trust was founded by Kochouseph Chittilapilly, in memory of his late father, C. O. Thomas. It is an extension of the philanthropic and responsible values espoused at V-Guard.It is dedicated to extending its reach to areas of health, education and care. The trust provides health insurance cover for 1314 families from financially backward classes, 922 families at Tholur Panchayat, Kerala and 105 families in Ramanagaram Taluk in Bangalore, Karnataka. It also conducts free health camps at villages and backward areas where the reach of proper health care is absent. It sponsors the education of 1587 school children from economically backward sections in Thrissur and Ernakulam Districts in Kerala and Ramanagaram Taluk, Bangalore.The trust has also made substantial contributions to NGO’s working for various social welfare causes like Udhavumkarangal and the SOS village. It has also donated generously to many national level causes and relief funds like the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, Kargil war victims, relief for the earthquake victims of Latur and Gujarat, victims of the Orissa cyclone and the Tsunami Relief Fund of the Prime Minister as well as the Chief Minister. Shantimandiram An old age home for women, providing shelter and care for those who are unable to care of themselves in Parappur Village, Trissur, Kerala.It is managed by the Sisters of CMC Nirmala Province in whose able hands the inmates receive love and care irrespective of caste and community. The facility accommodates 60 inmates at a time and is recognised by the Board of Control for Orphanages and other Charitable Homes, Kerala. True to its name, all facilities are provided free of cost and it is a haven of peace and tranquility where the inmates spend the evening of their lives in dignity and comfort. Shanthimandiram celebrated its first anniversary on 29th May 2010 along with the I nmates. The function started with the blessings of Fr. Franko Kavalakkatt, Vicar, Parappur Forona Church.Various cultural programmes have been performed by the inmates of Shanthimandiram. The function got enriched with the Folk dance by Managing Trustee and family. The sisters of Shanthimandiram also involved with the cultural programmes. Social Welfare Fund- an employee CSR activity Social welfare consciousness being embedded in V-Guard work culture has motivated the employees to join hands in reaching out in charity. The Social Welfare Fund was created out of the goodwill of the employees who collate funds and donate towards cost of medicines for the poor in the cancer ward at the Ernakulam General Hospital.Stabilizer SHG activity Since its inception V-Guard has been providing a mutually beneficial income generating option to women. Women who have grouped themselves to form SHG’s (Self Help Groups) are distributed assembly kits for voltage stabilizers. An efficient distribu tion and collection system networks the women with the company and has been a resounding success for decades. It provides a stable income for their households and in turn emancipation from poverty. News | Investor Relations | CSR | Careers | Contact Us | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Disclaimer | Site Map 2011 Voltage Stabilizers, Electrical Wires, Water Heaters, Water Pumps, Voltage Stabilizers| V-Guard Industries Ltd. All Rights Reserved Web Design powered by DREEME About us The V-Guard Management * V-Guard Story * Quality Control * CSR He is a post graduate in Science, majoring in Physics from Calicut University. He started his career as a supervisor in an electronics company, where he worked for three years. In the year 1977, he started a SSI Unit engaged in the manufacturing and selling of Electronic Voltage stabilizers. He is one of the founder Promoters and has motivated the Company to succeed in its business.He has been the Managing Director of the Company since its incept ion and has taken Company to its current levels of stature and recognition with his experience and vision. In April, 2012 he passed the baton on to his son Mr. Mithun Chittilapilly as the Managing Director, assuming the post of Executive Vice Chairman of the company and on November 1, 2012, when Shri. P. G. R. Prasad stepped down, he took over as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. He is the recipient of numerous awards, which were bestowed on him for his exemplary performance in business.Among them are Business Man of the Millennium 2000 from Rashtra Deepika, Tourism Man of the year from â€Å"Destination Kerala and Samman Pathra Award for top income tax payer from Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Finance. As the Managing Director, Mr. Kochouseph has been the main driving force behind the company's sustained growth. more >> Shri. Cherian N. Punnoose, a Fellow member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, joined V-Guard as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. Fo rmerly Director of Finance at Kochi Refineries Ltd. (KRL), he was also on the Board of Pertonet CCK Ltd.He has 40 years of experience in the field of Finance, Audit and Administration. Served KRL for 25 years in various capacities prior to becoming a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to joining KRL he also served Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and International Airports Authority of India. He has undergone short term training in Advanced Financial Management Techniques in Strathclyde Business School of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK He is a postgraduate in commerce, Certified Financial Planner and a Research Scholar with School of Management Studies of Cochin University of Science and Technology.He joined the company as an Independent Director on 16th August 2007. He is a member of Executive Committee of National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. , National Securities Depository Ltd. , BNP Paribas Personal Investors, Paris and Cochin Chamber of Commerce and also a Man aging Committee member of ASSOCHAM and KMA. He is also a member of Confederation of Indian Industry, Kerala State Council and Capital Market Committee of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Charter member of Tie, Kerala.He has also been awarded the Business Man of Kerala by Business Deepika, Excellence Award from Kerala Management Association and Dhanam Business Man of the Year, 2006. Presently, he is the Managing Director of Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd Mr. Nair was appointed as the Non Executive Independent Director of the Company on 27th May 2009. Mr. A K Nair holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with Masters in Business Administration and has over 45 years of Industry experience specially in the filed of Engineering, Finance and General Administration.Mr. A K Nair has served Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation and Nitta Gelatin India limited as Managing Director and is presently on the Director Board of many othe r companies. He is a post graduate in Finance from University of Melbourne, Australia. Mr. Mithun K Chittilappilly after completing his graduation in Commerce joined V-Guard to be trained in the various departments of the company, ranging from Finance to Marketing.In January 2005, he took a break from work for a year and a half to pursue his post graduation in Finance from University of Melbourne, Australia. After graduating in May 2006, he joined the Company as Executive Director and in 2012 was appointed as the Managing Director of the Company. Dr. Sleeba has been inducted as an Additional Director of the Company with effect from 27th May, 2010. He has also been appointed as the Joint Managing Director of the Company with effect from 1st June, 2010. Dr.George Sleeba is a Graduate in Mechanical Engineering with First Class Honours from Kerala University and M Tech in Industrial Engineering from IIT, Madras, Dr. Sleeba has a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from All India Managem ent Association (AIMA) and Doctorate in Social Sciences from the Cochin University of Science & technology (CUSAT). He has undergone a three month Senior Management programme as a Colombo Plan Scholar in UK organised by the British Council and holds a certificate in Training & Development from the Institute of Training & Development, UK.Dr. George Sleeba was the Former Chairman and Managing Director of FACT Ltd, a multidivisional corporation with more than Rs. 2300 Crores turnover and 4000 employees – the biggest Central PSU in the State of Kerala. He has proven managerial competence and academic excellence. He has more than 38 years of outstanding contribution to the industry in various functional areas of management, of which 30 years had been in FACT in senior management positions such as General Manager, Executive Director, Technical Director and as Chairman & Managing Director.He had been the Managing Director of two State Govt Undertakings – Travancore Cements Lt d and Travancore Sugars & Chemicals Ltd. He has also served as a Consultant to the Govt of Kerala for revival of sick units in the Public Sector. He is a member of the Industrial Relations Board of the Govt of Kerala. He is recognized as a turnaround specialist, credited with transforming the ailing FACT into a growth oriented, diversified, profit making company.In recognition of his contribution to the industry, he has been awarded the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for professional excellence in public sector, Padmasree Paul Pothen Award for professional excellence, Merit Award from FACT for outstanding performance, Jaycees Award for Processional Achievement, Rotary International Award for outstanding professional from industry, Life Time Achievement Award from NIPM from Palakkad Group, Outstanding Achievement Award for revival of FACT from Kerala Darshana Vedi an NGO.Management Discussions 1. ECONOMIC SCENARIO AND INDUSTRY OVERVIEWAfter the global economic recession, many of the world economies are growing in a slowpace even today; however, the Indian economy had showed faster recovery from the secondhalf of 2009-10 and has achieved robust and steady economic growth during the fiscal2010-11. With impressive growth in major sectors like agriculture, manufacturing,services, automobiles and realty, the country’s GDP rate has grown by 8. 5% during thefiscal 2010-11.Indian consumer industry also witnessed good growth during the year under review. Increasing urbanisation coupled with high disposable income of individuals and a surge inadvertising has been instrumental in bringing about a sea change in the consumer behaviorpattern and has resulted in increased consumer spend towards branded products both inrural and urban markets of India. 2. OVERALL PERFORMANCEV-Guard continues to enjoy a leading position in the electrical and electronic consumermarket in the country.With a large variety of products, strong brand equity and widelyspread distribution ch annel, the Company enjoys a unique position to cater to the consumerneeds of various segments. The Company achieved net sales of Rs. 726. 34 crores during theyear under review, charting a growth of 59. 96%, over the net sales of Rs. 454. 09 croresfor the previous year. Following the robust growth achieved in sales, the Company recordeda Net Profit of Rs. 39. 70 crores, without considering exceptional profit of Rs. 3. 63crores during the year under review, which is 55. 84 % more compared to the previous year.The contribution from Non-South Indian markets in the turnover is more than Rs. 160. 00crores in the fiscal 2010-11. The products that accounted more to achieve the sales werewires, stabilizers and pumps. BUSINESS REVIEW3. 1 VOLTAGE STABILIZERSThe Company’s flagship product Voltage Stabilizers has achieved a turnover of Rs. 166. 82 crores during the year under review, which is 23% of the total net sales. Pursuantto the surge in the consumer durable industry there was a sig nificant increase in the saleof white goods like refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines etc. which hasresulted in an increase in the sale of stabilizers for air conditioners, refrigerator etc.During the year under review, the product has grown by 44. 73% in value, when compared withthe sale of previous year. New models of stabilizers meant for air conditioners were introduced considering thelocal requirements of non-south Indian markets with reduced cost. New models were alsointroduced for tread mill, washing machine and micro wave oven. The Company’s persistent efforts o maintain the quality of the product, bringingout improvements on an on-going basis by introducing new models that meets the localmarket demands, focused R & D efforts and strong channel network across the country,have all contributed to maintain its dominant position in the sector. The main threat faced in the product line is the seasonal nature of many of the whitegoods and the aggressive campaig n by the manufacturers of the white goods stating that theappliance contains in-built stabilizers. Besides these, the increasing inflation rate,competition from the unbranded segment, improved power distribution etc.May hamper thefuture growth of the product. During the year under review, the Company came out with an ad campaign to overcome theimpact of the claim of the manufacturers of the white goods that their appliance containsin-built stabilizers which has helped to create awareness on the retailers and customershow the stabilizers protects the appliance during the power cut and also from the voltagefluctuation when the power comes back. Through this awareness creation ad, it was able tocreate a positive impact on the mindset of the consumers on the need for a stabilizer.Your Company is expecting the consumer industry to grow in a good pace in the currentfiscal and this will create an increased demand for appliances like LCD TV, refrigerators,air conditioners and consequently a n impressive growth in the stabilizers suitable forthese appliances. Focus is being given to expand the marketing network to rural marketsand other untapped markets as well as to increase the sale in the new segments ofstabilizers for LCD TVs, tread mill, washing machine etc. 3. 2 WIRING CABLESYour Company is one of the leading manufacturers of wires in the branded segment in thecountry.Total sales achieved in the wire segment for the year under review was Rs. 206. 05crores and it accounted for 28. 40% of the total net sales of the Company. Growth during the year under review was driven by the increased demand from sectorslike building and construction, automobile, aviation, energy, engineering andtelecommunications. Construction industry has revived considerably, after the economicslowdown and as a result, there is an overall improvement in the demand for wires. Thegrowth in the sales in terms of quantity and value was 35% and 68% respectively, whencompared with the sales of previo us fiscal.Capacity utilisation of the factories werealso considerably improved during the year under review. Increase in the volume andefficient purchase of raw-materials resulted in better sales growth and profitability. The major strength of this product segment is good network for distribution, increasedbrand image in south and non-south Indian markets and better quality of products. However,brand awareness is to be further increased in the non-south Indian market and efforts areto be made to procure more orders from Govt. departments, various public and privatesector organizations etc.Moreover, high volatility in the price of the majorraw-materials is one of the major reasons for low margin. Risk associated with theincrease in copper price can be mitigated by efficiently planning the procurement ofcopper and also keeping the inventory of wires at low levels. As major growth sectors in the country is expected to come out with impressive growthduring the fiscal 2011-12, the way ah ead for the product seems to be good and focus willbe given to tap the potential in the rural parts of the country and also increase themarket share of the non-south Indian market.As the construction industry is expected togrow further, efforts shall be made to procure more project / institutional orders. 3. 3 PUMPS AND MOTORSDuring the year under review, the Company was able to achieve moderate growth in thepump segment consisting of single and three phase pumps. Impressive sales was achieved inthe first half of the fiscal, however due to the extended monsoon, growth was sluggishduring the second half. Total sale achieved was Rs. 121. 00 crores, showing a growth of 42%over the sales achieved during the financial year 2009-10.The product line was able tocontribute 16. 65% of the total net sales of the Company. New models were introduced as per the geographical requirements and efforts were madeto increase the brand visibility especially in the non-south Indian markets and also inthe rural and semi urban areas. With the support of more below the line activities,increased penetration was achieved in respect of three phase pumps in tier II & tierIII cities. More number of Dealers were appointed in unrepresented areas of non-SouthIndian markets with a view to expand our marketing network.The Company was also able tointroduce 5 star rated models suited for different segments of customers. Sale of the product may get affected due to climatic conditions and also there is stiffcompetition from the players both in the organized and unorganised sectors. Non-availability of skilled man power from the industry may also hamper the growth of theproduct. Your Company is planning to give more concentration in new market segments withproducts like agricultural pumps, motors & industrial pumps and also three phase pumpsin a big way. 3. ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS ( GEYSERS)Electrical products segment has shown a good growth in the country during the yearunder review contributing to an impressive growth in the product line. Seasonal factorslike good monsoon rains, early winters in the northern parts of the country have alsofavoured the growth of the product. During the year under review, the total sale achievedwas Rs. 60. 00 crores which is 62% over the previous year’s sale of Rs. 37. 00 crores. Sale of Gas water heaters introduced in the previous year was extremely good.Dealer network for the product was considerably increased both in the urban as well asrural markets. During the year under review, more number of economy models was introducedbesides 5 star rated models that ensures reduction in the usage of energy. Your Companywas able to introduce vitreous enamel tank to increase the life of the tanks and thischange has been well accepted in the market. The product has got good market potential in non-south India due to the climaticcondition and the same can be capitalized by increasing the brand awareness and also theconfidence level of the Dealers.In case, the sale price of solar water heaters gets reduced considerably in future dueto alternate technology in manufacture or by grant of high subsidy by the Government,there is a likelihood of certain segment of customers shifting to solar water heatersthereby affecting the sale of electric water heaters to some extent. Moreover, powershortage prevalent in many parts of the country and increasing cost of power may alsoaffect the future growth potential of electric water heaters.Your Company is planning tointroduce new models and more star rated models to reduce energy consumption and forreduction in operational costs as a strategy to maintain the growth momentum. 3. 5 SOLAR WATER HEATERS:With a view to conserve electrical energy by curtailing power consumption in house holdappliances and industrial equipment, the Government is encouraging the use of alternate orrenewable energy in place of electrical energy in a massive way. Further, to encourage theuse of solar thermal devices for heating water, the Government has introduced subsidy tothe end consumer.Many nationalized banks are also providing loans at cheaper interestrates for purchase of solar water heaters. Many of the state governments in the countryhave mandated the use of solar water heaters in commercial segments facilitating increasedsale of higher capacity industrial and commercial models. These steps are expected toaccelerate the growth of the solar water heater industry in the coming years. To take advantage of the emerging scenario, your Company has introduced solar waterheaters with improved and innovative designs for varying applications with a view toexpand its market share in domestic and commercial segments.During the year under review,the marketing network for sales of solar water heaters was reorganized with introductionof direct sales to customers in major cities, to facilitate getting more project orders. Your Company is also enjoying superior technology in the manufacture of solar water heaters that give longer life of inner steel tanks, thus providing an edge over thecompetitors in the segment. All these efforts have resulted in increasing the turnover of solar water heaters toRs. 22. 00 crores during the year under review registering a growth of 34% over theprevious year’s turnover of Rs. 6. 40 crores. Considering the future growth potential, your Company is on the threshold of setting upa major manufacturing facility for solar water heater with improved technology atPerundurai, near Erode, Tamil Nadu, in the land taken on lease from SIPCOT and the newmanufacturing unit is expected to be commissioned by the third quarter of the fiscal2011-12. This improved technology is intended to mitigate the present problem of corrosionof inner tank of solar water heaters in hard water areas. An investment of Rs. 8. 00 croresis envisaged for the project.Your Company has also initiated the process for obtainingCRISIL rating for Solar Water Heater – Division, that will help the consumers toavail the subsidy announced by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)while making purchases of solar water heaters. However, possibility of further increase inlending rates may have a negative impact on the purchase of solar water heaters utilizingthe loans from commercial banks. 3. 6 FANSGrowth in the electrical products segment in the country has supported the fan industryalso to achieve an impressive growth in the year under review.In 2010-11, your Companyachieved a net sale of Rs. 53. 00 crores, which shows 107% growth over the net sale of Rs. 25. 60 crores, recorded in the previous year. Good range of products in the ceiling fansand new models of table, pedestal and wall mounting fans through imports and decorativemodels in ceiling fans have enabled the Company to achieve higher sales and improve theprofitability in the product line. The Company was also able to improve the sale in thenon-south Indian market by appointing more number of channe l partners and alsoconcentrating in the rural markets of various parts of the country.As the booming construction industry is expected to give a fillip to the electricalsegment industry, Your Company is confident of increasing its market share in the comingyears in the product line. It is also planned to appoint more number of dealers in theunrepresented areas to expand our marketing network. Your Company is also carrying outcontinuous R & D activities in its pilot production unit located at Kala Amb, toreduce the cost of production, improve the quality and reliability and to introduce lessenergy consuming models.More thrust is also given to capture more projects orders both from the Public andPrivate sector organizations. It is also proposed to introduce industrial exhaust fans tomeet the requirement of industry in the coming years. Sale of the product is highly dependent on the seasonality and also the growth in therealty sector. If the climatic conditions are not favourable, the sale may get affected. Moreover, competition from the unorganized sector is also a threat. To overcome thecompetition from the unorganized sector, your Company is involved in increasing its brandawareness by doing Below The Line activities.With continuous R&D and withintroduction of more models of energy efficient fans, your Company is confident ofincreasing its market share and profitability in the coming year. 3. 7 POWER & CONTROL CABLESYour Company embarked into manufacture and marketing of LT Cables in 2009 by setting upa manufacturing facility at Coimbatore. LT Power and Control cables are mainly used inpower generation and distribution plants and also in electrical systems within thepremises. As the power sector and construction industry are growing at a faster rate, goodgrowth potential is expected for the product. The Company achieved a net sales of Rs. 2. 00 crores, during the year under review and registered a growth of 165% over theprevious year. Order book consists of cl ients from major organizations from public andprivate sectors. Good brand image, consistency in quality of products and network withstrong dealers are the main growth drivers in the product line.The Company plans to grow further in the coming fiscal and increase its capacityutilization by getting more orders from Govt. and private institutions. 3. 8 UNINTERRUPTED POWER SUPPLY (UPS) SYSTEMSDuring the year under review, India’s personal computer (PC) market registered agrowth f 30% which is the highest since the year 2007. Nearly 25,00,000 PCs were shippedto Indian consumers, raising the overall sales by 26 per cent in the period. The demandfor UPS in India is expected to be robust, especially from rural and semi-urban areas,where the rapid development in the IT infrastructure and elongated power cuts and loadshedding is more, compared to what urban areas experience. During the year under review,the product line UPS has made an incremental growth in sales both in terms of value andvolume.Your Company was able to achieve net sales of Rs. 7. 00 crores, therebyregistering a growth of 56% over the previous year’s sale of Rs. 17. 36 crores. The factors that drive sustainable growth in this segment are the quality andreliability of products, competitive prices, availability of the product through a widedistribution network and prompt after sales service support. Your Company is adoptingstrategies for penetrating the B and C class cities to ensure growth in this product line. Growth is also expected from hospitality industry as well as educational institutions,where the usage of UPS is more.However, UPS is as an ancillary product of desktop computers and the demand of UPSdepends directly on the demand of desktop computers. The sales growth of Laptops isindirectly affecting the sales of UPS in the Tier I and Tier II Cities. Your Company istaking steps to increase the range of models in the category of Line Interactive UPS andonline UPS for wide range of ap plications as a strategy for increasing sales. 3. 9 DIGITAL HOME UPSDigital Home UPS industry is poised to grow aggressively in the coming years.The acutepower shortage and load shedding stipulated by various State Governments and frequent longhour power failures have contributed to the growth of the product line in a big way. During the year under review, net sale achieved was Rs. 22. 00 crores, registering a growthof 150% over the previous year’s sale of Rs. 8. 77 crores. In the year under review,the product reach was increased by making it available throughout the country byappointing number of Direct Marketing Associates and strengthening the marketing network.Your Company has also introduced battery for the Digital UPS during the fiscal 2010-11. Considering the huge market potential, the Company is confident of increasing the salesmany fold in the coming years. 4. OPPORTUNITIES & THREATSYour Company is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of various products whichf orms part of the segments like electronic and electrical, consumer durable, agriculture,construction and power. Sales growth of the each product vertical is having a direct nexuswith development of the core sectors of the economy.As the Indian economy is on a fastgrowing pace, all the key sectors are also showing excellent growth. The Indian consumerdurable industry witnessed a tremendous growth during the year under review. Changinglifestyle, higher disposable income coupled with greater affordability, boom in the realestate and housing industry and a surge in advertising has been instrumental in bringingabout a sea change in the consumer behavior pattern. Rural markets and small towns haveshown promising demand for durables and prosperity in rural India has been one of themajor driving forces for rural growth.Though the economy is growing in a fast manner, the high inflation prevalent in thecountry may affect the growth of the sectors like construction, consumer durables,agricultu re etc. It may also affect the purchasing power of the people and slow down themovement of white goods. Besides, consumers are more aware of energy efficient appliancesas they are proactively asking for star-rated refrigerators, air conditioners, waterheaters, pumps etc. If the Company fails to introduce energy saving models, it will befacing difficult situation to market the products.Moreover, in the highly inflationaryregime, price of the raw-materials may increase considerably leading to increased cost ofproduction. Attempts to pass on the price escalation to the consumer, may lead to, peopleopting for unbranded products, considering the price variation. 5. FUTURE OUTLOOKThe Indian economy is expected to maintain the growth momentum in the coming years. With the existing product range and by introducing new models which suits with the localrequirements of various markets and by providing good after sales service, your Directorsare confident of achieving desired growth levels and improve the profitability further.Possibility of adding one or two products coming in the home appliance segment is alsounder consideration. Thrust will be given to strengthen the existing manufacturingfacilities by making additional investment wherever required. Efforts will be taken toimprove the brand awareness in the new markets and more penetration will be made in thesemi-urban and rural areas. 6. RISKS AND RISK MITIGATIONThe Company has an Enterprise Wide Risk Management System in place and has laid downprocedures for risk assessment and its mitigation.A two level committee monitors therisks and its mitigation measures on a regular basis. The lower level consists of 4Product Risk groups each headed by a VP and comprising of concerned product heads andrepresentatives from other functions like Finance, Systems, Customer Service, HumanResource, Legal etc. The apex body, known as Risk Management Team is headed by theExecutive Director and comprise of Sr. Vice Presidents, Vice Pres idents, Chief RiskOfficer, Assistant Risk Officer and heads of various Product Risk Groups as members.The Product Risk Groups holds periodical meetings and review the risks and mitigationmeasures in the respective product groups and submit their reports along with the minutesof the meetings to the Risk Management Team, which review and consolidate the Risk reportand submit quarterly reports before the Audit Committee for its review and recommendationto the Board. The Company is also maintaining Risk Registers for each product and the sameare updated on regular basis.

Foreign investment in Qatar Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foreign investment in Qatar - Research Paper Example y powers vested with the Ministry of Finance, Economy, and Commerce of the state to ensure that the investors and their activities do not cause any harm to the overall national development plan envisioned by the council of ministers of Qatar. As per this law, all sectors of national economy all open for foreign investors provided they have one or more Qatari partners who own 51% or more of the shares of the capital invested, thereby ensuring that the decision making authority lies with the latter (â€Å"Qatar’s Investment Law,† 2000). It also requires the company to be appropriately incorporated as per the provisions of the law of the state. Nevertheless the Government has identified certain sectors in which the foreign investors are free to pump in capital exceeding 49%, and up to 100% by themselves (â€Å"Foreign Investor,† n. d). These sectors include: However this requires a decree of the minister who shall issue the same provided the projects go hand in hand with the development of the state. Preference is also given to projects that may result in â€Å"optimum utilization of local raw materials, industries set up for export of products, or for introducing new products, employing new technologies in the state† (â€Å"Doing Business in Qatar,† 2012) Qatar has been open to foreign investment in-line with the global economic trend, though not without its reasonable share of restrictions implied upon the investors so that the economic activities are in line with the overall development plan of the State. The restrictions are in the form of secluding a few sectors from foreign investments which include banking sector, insurance, and real estate (â€Å"Investment Incentives†, n. d.). A close look reveals that these are the sectors that will have a direct impact upon the market and keeping them free of foreign investments will ensure that the indices are not pliable from outside the State, thus protecting the autonomy and financial integrity of Qatar. Apart from

Allowing Mobile Devices In The Office Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Allowing Mobile Devices In The Office - Essay Example Purpose The purpose of the report is to establish whether veteran affairs will allow or reject introduction of mobile device by offices. Summary has to be made on the different devices that can be allowed and their use in the organization. Scope The scope of introduction of mobile phones should extend to only those devices that are used in organizations. The devices mostly looked at are the mobile phones, laptops and tablets. The devices use should affect the working conditions of the workers. The devices covered are discussed below. Mobile phone Almost every worker in the office environment owns a mobile phone. Critiques argue allowing workers use their mobile phone in the office premises will lower productivity. These devices give voice and data communication ability. Their portability reason can allow easier location of workers. Businesses which allow workers to use their mobile phones have policy on which place to use devices. This reduces the possibility of workers making noise to others when talking on their mobile phones. The veteran affairs should set up locations where people can use their mobile phones in the offices. This will cut stress on worker and increasing on productivity (Anindya, 2007). Laptop and Notebooks These devices are almost replacing the desktop computers in the offices. Workers like them because of their high processing speed and flexibility. Modern laptops are blue tooth and Wi-Fi enabled. This enables them to connect to the institutions network. Use of personal laptops in the workplace should be controlled but not eliminated. The veteran affairs can set up policies on access limitation using these devices. People who would like to use these devices have to join the domain of the institution. This will enable them save every work carried... This paper approves that there is a greater assumption that after introduction of mobile devices in different offices workers will follow principles that will be laid down by the veteran authority. The introduction of mobile devices in the organization will require change of infrastructure to accommodate them. It is assumed organizations will have financial capability to buy this technology. In reality most organizations work with a constrained budget which would not allow them make any provision for such changes. Managers are the most influential people in organization. Manager’s refusal to take up the new technology will lead to juniors rejecting introduction of the new technology. The assumption is that they will accept the technology without any resistance. Workers comfort ability plays a major role in their production. Providing workers with the most recent technology in their working place increases their optimism. The optimistic atmosphere making them feels the need of being associated with the institution. Workers who are using portable devices feel as if no one is watching. This report makes a conclusion that there are many benefits associated with portable device. These benefits make it necessary to introduce them in the working environment. The veteran affairs should allow their use but with some limitation to eradicate misuse. Focus on improving working conditions of workers and service delivery to the public. The other measure is educating workers on the benefit of using those devices in the right way. Education will cut resistance from worker because of change in the working environment.