Force Plate Design And Use Health And Social Care Essay

Force Plate Design And Use Health And Social Care Essay Force plates are a powerful tool for examining the kinetic characteristics of an athletes movement. The plates offer a large variety of information about the external forces involved, but have very specific characteristics that define the potential quality of collected data. Through proper understanding of these qualities, and sound use of calibration, filtering, and sampling procedures, the user can ensure that the error disguising the signal of interest is minimized. Thus, the collected data is at its highest possible quality, and inference about the athlete in question is strongest. This paper deals with the aforementioned topics related to force plate design and use, including a section describing an example laboratory set-up. Keywords: force plate, filtering, sampling, data collection, kinetic Introduction Force is the entity that results in movement- it can be understood as a push, or pull, or simply, a tendency to distort a material. Measurement of force can allow a coach or sport scientist to quantitatively understand an athletes execution of a skill, or to assess an athletes physical progress. For example, assessment of the external forces applied to the ground by an athlete in a vertical jump provide a very good picture of the explosive abilities of an athlete, as well a very good indicator of the progress of those abilities if measured at multiple time points in a training program. Force plates and other force measurement devices are widely used to assess the external forces generated by athletes. Force plates in particular measure external ground reaction forces in up to three planes -vertical, anterior-posterior, and medial lateral. This data provides a picture of the interaction within an athlete-ground system, something extremely difficult to do without a force plate. It is important to distinguish between kinetic and kinematic analysis. Kinematics is related to movement, what is visually observable, e.g. positions velocities and directions, while kinetics refers to what causes the movement to occur (i.e. torques and forces), and is not directly observable. Force plates allow one to see the kinetic characteristics of a skill, and thus the forces that cause the precise execution of that skill. Force Plate Design and Use Force plates measure external forces based on the principles of Newtons third law- that an object exerting a force on another object has a simultaneous force exerted upon it that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the original force exerted. Thus, the force plate measures ground reaction force (GRF). GRF is the force the ground exerts as a reaction (equal, opposite, and simultaneous) to the forces applied to the ground or other object by the athletes body (see Figure 1). This principle allows the researcher to determine the forces exerted by an athlete while in contact with the force plate. In a vertical jump for example, the athletes body mass and propulsion forces from the jump exert a push on the plate, causing a tendency of the plate to distort. This tendency is measured as GRF. The kinetic information obtained from force plate data then provides an understanding of the kinematic characteristics through a derivation of Newtons second law that the force on a body is directly proportional to the mass of the body and the acceleration of the body, represented by the equation force = mass X acceleration. Given that the forces can be measured by a force plate, and the mass of the athlete is known, a very good understanding of the kinematic characteristics of the skill can be obtained through calculation of the acceleration of the athlete using the aforementioned equation. Five important pieces of information can be obtained from a modern full featured force plate: force in the X, Y, and Z directions, the center of pressure, and moment (torque) around each of the axes. Each of these variables shows a picture of the forces exerted by an object (i.e. a limb) on the force plate. This data allows the investigator to determine a multitude of measures. For example, force plates have been used to study the take-off forces in pole vault technique (3) and the forces involved in the second pull in weightlifters (7); as it stands, the uses for force plates are numerous. Before analysis and use of the collected data, processing of the analog signal must occur. Figure 2 shows the complete flow of the force plate data, from the initial analog signal output (continuous voltage) from the force plate, to the final digital input signal leading into the final analysis. Force is applied to the force plate, which changes the excitation charge sent through the force plate in proportion to the force applied. That new charge is sent to an amplifier. Analog signal processing (some kind of filtering or smoothing of the signal) can occur. After the signal has been amplified, the current goes to a data acquisition device, where it enters an analog-digital converter which converts the continuous analog signal to a discrete digital signal. The newly-converted digital data is recorded as evenly spaced samples, and more processing of the digital signal can occur. It is at this point that the recorded digital signal can be analyzed. Load Cells Forces must be measured through indirect means, through a force transducer. A force transducer functions toconvert physical states into electrical signals (21). The load cells in a force plate transduce the force applied to the plate into a measureable electrical voltage and current. There are a variety of load cell types. Two commonly used load cells in force plates are piezoelectric transducers and strain-gauge load cells. Both types of load cells receive an excitation voltage input, and output an different electrical current which is proportional to the load experienced by the cell (based on Ohms Law: current = voltage / resistance) (1). The operation of each differs in a few distinct ways. Piezoelectric cells operate based on the fact that when a piezoelectric material has a force applied to it, a charge appears on the face of the material; This charge is proportional to the force applied. Recording of the resultant voltage allows calculation of the applied force. The strain gauge load cells operate on the fact that changes in electrical current occur when a metal or semiconductor is deformed (1, 19). A thin sheet of metal or semiconductor material is bonded to a metal object, which provides a solid structural device on which to apply the force. Deformations in the device and the bonded sheet result in changes of the electrical resistance of the bonded sheet, thus modifying the current that moves through the bonded sheet. Monitoring of these changes allow for calculation of the force applied to the device. A common form of the strain gauge is the shear beam load cell (1, 19). One end of the beam is anchored to a stable platform, while the other is extended so that it can receive a load. A foil sheet or semiconductor is bonded to the beam, and an electrical current is run through the sheet. Force applied at the end of the beam (perpendicular to the plane of the sheet) causes deformation of the beam, resulting in electrical resistance changes across the sheet bonded to the beam. This results in a different electrical current and allows measurement of the applied force. Shear beam load cells have the advantage of a high force capacity and accurate measurement, which can make them a good candidate for use in force plates. A typical tri-planar force plate is constructed with four three-component load cells (14). Each three-component cell measures force in the X, Y and Z direction, and the placement of the load cells allow for calculation of center of pressure, center of force and torque about the axes. The four load cells are arranged in each of the four quadrants of the force plate, evenly spaced from each other and from the edges. Moment about the axes, center of pressure and center of force can be calculated based from measurements from data from individual load cells and their respective locations on the forceplate. Typically, the forces that are transduced from force plates are summed from measurements from individual force transducers on the plate. For example, in a force plate with four load cells, one in each corner, vertical ground reaction force is calculated from the sum of the forces measured on each cell. Likewise, in a force plate that is capable of anterior-posterior measurement or medial-lateral forces, the forces of interest are the summed composed of the total of the load cells of the plate. Sampling Monitoring the changes in force applied to the force plate requires sampling at regular intervals. Sampling frequencies of 500 to 2000 hertz (Hz) have been noted in the more recent sport science literature, however a sampling frequency of 1000 Hz is perhaps most common (14). While substantial research has examined sampling frequency in a wide variety of applications (engineering, for example), substantially less has been done to examine sampling frequency in sport science, although several authors have evaluated the variability of vertical jump performance data with different sampling frequencies. Vanrenterghem, et al. (24) found that sampling frequencies of above 100 Hz were adequate and Hori, et al. (10) found that sampling at about 200 Hz was accurate enough for accurate measurement. Contrary to the previous authors, Street, et al. (23) found that sampling rates of less than 1080 Hz could lead to an underestimation of jump height (calculated via the impulse method) by up to 4.4%. Other authors have recommended a sampling frequency of 500 Hz or 1000 Hz in force plate research to ensure accuracy, especially when impact is involved (2). Sampling frequencies must be high enough to ensure accuracy of measurement and reduction of signal aliasing (where the recorded digital signal fails to accurately show the original signal due to inadequate sampling). The Nyquist Theorum suggests that the absolute minimum sampling frequency is two times the frequency of interest. Bartlett (2) recommends a sampling frequency of at least 500 Hz, however 1000 Hz is a common choice for force plate capture of human motion (14). High sampling frequency is especially important when creating force-time curves in the early time segments of the curve. For example, some performance monitoring testing evaluates forces applied in the first 50ms of application of force in the isometric mid-thigh pull (12). At a sampling frequency of only 200 ms, if one were to construct a force-time curve, only 11 data points could be used for constructing this 50ms long curve. While a polynomial function could be applied to the 11 data points, a greater degree of accuracy for the curve will be obtained with a frequency of 500 Hz or 1000 Hz, because there would be 26 and 51 data points, respectively, from which to construct a curve. Signal Amplification and Conditioning Data collected from the force plate is not useable until amplification and signal processing occurs. Typically, analog signals (the raw voltage values) from the force plate are amplified and sent to an analog to digital (AD) converter (14). The AD converter then converts the analog voltage signal into a scaled digital signal, a signal that is able to be processed by computer software. Custom software developed in programs like LabVIEWTM (National Instruments, Austin, TX, USA) or Matlab (Mathworks Incorporated, Natick, MA, USA) can perform signal processing to clean up some of the noise from the data for use. Other methods exist for smoothing data that can be done in spreadsheet software such as Microsoft ExcelTM (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA). Many force plates come with proprietary software with filtering and smoothing methods included. Through the collection process, amplification and A/D conversion, there are a number of electrical noise sources that may contaminate the data (5). A number of methods exist for filtering the noise in the signal, in order to best isolate and identify the signal of interest. This filtering can be done on either the analog or digital signal, or both. A low-pass filter eliminates frequencies above a certain level defined in the method, while a high-pass filter eliminates frequencies below a designated level. As noise often occurs at higher frequencies, a low pass filter is able to eliminate much of the noise in the signal. Sometimes it is necessary to restrict the data collected to within a range of frequencies, during which time a band-pass filter can be used. Other times it is necessary to eliminate a certain range of frequencies from a signal; a notch filter will be able to accomplish that task. There are a multitude of signal processors and conditioners that are used in digital signal processing. Three common methods of reducing signal noise are Butterworth filters, splines and frequency domain techniques, such as Fourier Analysis (5). Yet another method is a moving average, which is relatively simple to calculate in Excel. Each of these methods operates differently, and provided that the optimal filter is applied to a signal, the end result is the same: the signal is less choppy and smoother, thus data is cleaner and easier to analyze (for more detailed information, the reader is directed toward Bartlett (2), Challis (5)) and Street, et al. (23). The general recommendation for filter choice is the one that most effectively and accurately isolates the signal of interest. Calibration Force plate calibration is necessary to establish a regression equation to calculate ground reaction forces from output voltage, as well as to ensure accuracy of data obtained from testing. Because force plates only provide an output voltage, a calibration equation must be used to calculate what the ground reaction forces actually are. Unfortunately, often little is done by researchers to address the proper calibration of force plates (9). While calibration of some of the testable variables of the force plate can be difficult, calibration is absolutely necessary given the immense error that can be introduced even with small errors in calibration (9). The general idea behind calibration is that a range of known forces is applied to the force plate to see the resultant voltage given by the load cells, allowing the creation of a regression equation (1). For the Z-direction, a common method of calibration is to place a range of dead weights of known mass on top of the force plate, which allows the researcher to calibrate based on the resulting output voltage of the known mass. Calibration of the horizontal forces, torque and center of pressure can be a more difficult endeavor. However, researchers have proposed methods of calibration that are possible in the laboratory environment, such as a pulley system for X- and Y-direction calibration as proposed by Hall, et al. (9). In the pulley system, a regression equation is built from the output voltages with progressively higher (horizontally) applied loads. A pendulum system for dynamic calibration designed by Fairburn, et al. (6) is also a possibility for more advanced calibration. In-laboratory testing would allow a laboratory to avoid the potentially expensive calibration that is done by the force plate companies and private metricians. Technical Information of Note Force plate technical reports typically contain a data table with information about some or all of the following: linearity, hysteresis, crosstalk, and/or natural frequency. Each of these items provides valuable information about the characteristics of the force plate, as each affects the data obtained from it. Refer to Table 1 for recommended ranges. Linearity Linearity is the maximum deviation of collected force plate data from a straight line (2). Perfect linearity is ideal, but is not necessarily a requirement for accurate data collection and analysis, as it can be calibrated for by applying a higher order polynomial to the data points(2). Linearity can be expressed as: ( Where y=maximum deviation from linearity, and Y=full scale deflection (8). Full scale deflection refers to the voltage output with the highest load within the limit of the force plate. Dividing deviation from linearity by the highest voltage achieved gives a relative measure of linearity, and allows comparison to a standard. Hysteresis Hysteresis is the difference in output values seen during the loading and unloading of a material (2). This is a quality that should also be minimized, as many force plate measurements involve both a loading and unloading component (see Figure 3). For example, large hysteresis in a load cell might over-estimate the forces in the eccentric portion of a squat, while correctly estimating the forces during the concentric portion. Hysteresis is sometimes seen as a result of a mechanical lag in deformity return to normal shape occurring during loading of the force transducers. Hysteresis can be calculated with the equation: ) Where XL = output voltage for a given load during loading, XU = output voltage for the same given load during unloading, and Z =full scale deflection (2). Cross-Talk Many force plates measure forces in multiple planes; the components required to measure the different directions generally have at least a minor amount of cross-talk. Cross-talk refers to the interference of force in one component direction with the measurement of force by a component in another direction (2). It is important that this quality is minimized, so that forces from one plane are not measured on another, thus falsely attributing forces to an incorrect source. Bartlett (2) stated that less than 3% of full-scale deflection is preferable. Natural Frequency Maximum Frequency Ratio When struck, every object has a frequency at which it will tend to vibrate, (5). Force plates, as they are constructed of multiple materials, sometimes have multiple natural frequencies. Force plate manufacturers often report the natural frequency of the force plate when set up according to manufacturer specifications. This natural frequency should be significantly higher than that of the measurement, as it greatly increases the ease of isolating the measurement signal from the plate vibration. Force plates generally have high natural frequencies to aid in the ease of isolation through filtering. For example, the Kistler Type 9281E Triplanar force plate has a natural frequency of 1000 Hz (Kistler Group, Winterthur, Switzerland). The high natural frequency of this force plate is high enough to measure the impact activities of sports, which can surpass 100 Hz (2). The ratio of frequency of the measured skill to natural frequency (Maximum Frequency Ratio) should be less or equal to 0.2, so that the information of interest in the signal can be effectively isolated from the natural frequency of the plate. Minimizing Error The possibility of inaccurate measurements must be minimized if accurate conclusions are to be drawn. Certain steps can be taken to reduce the possibility of error, although even the most optimal setup will have at least a small amount of error. First and foremost, if a user does not know how to properly use the force plate and the software associated with it, the largest source of error may be the user himself. In this article, it is emphasized that with a proper education and the right information, the reader of this paper should be able to understand the basics of using a force platform, thus severely reducing potential for user error. Adherence to the recommendations by Bartlett (2) will also serve to ensure accuracy of the data collected by the plate. Any deviance of the force plate characteristics outside of the recommendations increases the risk of inaccuracy. For example, Lees and Lake (14) and Hall, et al. (9) showed how cross-talk of even 1% could introduce a large amount of error in certain gait measurements. Calibration should occur over a range of loads, from unloaded to above the highest expected load, within the manufacturer-specified loads of the force plate (if the expected loads are outside of the range, then a new plate with greater load range is necessary). For example, in an isometric pull, where measurements of vertical ground reaction force can exceed 7000 N or more (4), the force plate should be calibrated in the Z-axis with loads ranging from 0kg to more than 700kg. For horizontal calibration, a pulley system, like the one designed by Hall, et al. (9) would suffice. Dynamic calibration can be a bit more tricky, requiring expensive equipment or complex methodology. This can be done by major force plate companies or by private metricians. It is also extremely important to install and adjust force plates based on manufacturer recommendations. Manufacturer-reported technical data about the force plate (e.g. hysteresis, linearity) are measured and determined under set conditions. Recommendations for where the force plate is installed, the type of flooring installed on and which floor level it is installed on must all be followed. A level surface for installation is required. Should the conditions during use deviate from those specified by the manufacturer, there is the possibility that those reported qualities (linearity, hysteresis) are no longer accurate. Even with an ideal setup, there remain other sources for error. Other such sources of error are thermal noise, chemical noise, and electrical interference. Thermal noise is associated with the temperature of the device in use. Part of the reason for allowing a device to warm up is so that thermal noise is allowed to stabilize, as rising component temperatures result in changing electrical noise. Chemical noise is random noise that exists everywhere, and comes from variations in temperature, humidity, pressure and other sources. Electrical noise results from devices around the testing area that use electricity, such as lighting and equipment. Electrical noise is at 60 Hz and progressively weaker at its harmonics- 120 Hz, 180 Hz, etc. For example, if a force platform is placed in a room that has fluorescent lights, air conditioning/heat, and the building is located near power lines, electrical noise may be a substantial source of interference. In all devices, the measured value is the result of the true score plus error. While one can attempt to eliminate as much error as possible, there will always be a degree of error in the collected data. It is up to the tester to eliminate and reduce as many sources of error as possible, and a theoretical judgment as to how much error in the collection is acceptable. Our Laboratory Equipment and Processing While our laboratory uses tri-directional force plates, the majority of force plates we use are unidirectional, and measure only in the vertical direction (See Figure 4 for a photo). Although it is a drawback to only allow collection in the vertical direction, the plates offer a substantial reduction in cost over other plates offered by KistlerTM or AMTITM, for example. Furthermore, a number of studies have demonstrated that vertical forces and vertically- oriented skills have strong relationships to explosiveness and speed in sporting movements, thus measurement of vertical forces is of substantial importance (12, 20, 22, 25). In addition, we use force plates (0.914 x 0.46 m; 3 x 1.5; Rice Lake Weighing Systems, Rice Lake, WI) situated side-by-side to allow for collection of unilateral force data. For bilateral data collection, the forces from each force plate are summed. Each plate sits on a level concrete pad that is on the ground floor of the laboratory, to reduce contamination o f data from extraneous sources. Each force plate in the Sport Science laboratory is attached to Transducer Techniques TM0-2 amplifier and conditioner module (Transducer Techniques, Temecula, CA, USA). The amplifier provides both the excitation signal (the initial current going to the strain gage load cell) and amplification of the analog signal. In addition, the module provides an analog low-pass filter at 16 Hz. In between the amplifier/conditioner and the A/D converter is a shielded connector block. The BNC-2110 (National Instruments, Austin, TX, USA) accepts the analog signal and conveys the signal to the A/D converter. The block then connects to a DAQCard-6063E (National Instruments, Austin TX, USA). The DAQCard-6063E converts the analog signal to a digital signal. The digitized signal is then analyzed with custom software developed in LabVIEWTM (National Instruments, Austin TX, USA). The custom software weve developed in LabVIEWTM samples the analog signal at 1000hz. The custom software has been set up to save the digital signal file and filter the digitized signal using a 4th order low-pass Butterworth filter at 100 Hz. From there, the signal can be analyzed for whatever variables are of interest. Refer to Kraska, et al. (12) for examples of measures of interest for static and countermovement jumps, and Leary, et al. (13) for examples of measures of interest in the isometric mid-thigh pull. The Data Collection Process Calibration of our force plates is performed immediately before the data collection process, which ensures that the calibration equation used in data analysis is established under similar environmental conditions as the data collection as well as avoids a potential shift of voltage output over time. Prior to calibration, force plates, amplifiers, A/D converters and computers are all turned on so that all of the collection equipment can warm up (thus stabilizing thermal and instrumentation noise). After this warm up period, the force plates are calibrated using loads from 0 kg to 350kg or 500kg, depending on the specific use of the plate (either jumps or isometric pulls). The plates are progressively loaded in 25kg increments, with the output voltage recorded each time. A linear regression equation is then applied to the calibration load data set in Microsoft Excel. This regression equation is saved, and used in the custom LabVIEWTM program during analysis. Conclusion A full understanding of a testing device and its characteristics are an integral part of accuracy, validity and reliability of testing. The force plate is a rather complex device. The complexities of the device and its peripherals allow the user to collect a large variety of high-quality data for analysis that are difficult to obtain via other means. While it is somewhat difficult to master use of the device, the plethora of information that can be obtained from a force plate makes the endeavor more than worthwhile.

The Great Depression (1929-1939) Essay -- American History

â€Å"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, nameless unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses needed efforts to convert retreat into advance† (Parker, p. 236). This quote was made famous by the President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt for his campaign at the most difficult time period in the world. This unprecedented event for the world began in the United States on October 29th 1929, also known as â€Å"Black Tuesday†, when their economy fell into peril of complete economic collapse. What started out in the United States was soon felt all over the world as a depression began to affect the Western world. Jobs became scarce to the population, and nominal wages were at poverty levels unsupportive of a middle class lifestyle of luxury goods. The gap between the rich and poor were expanding while businesses defaulted and credit contracted as a consequence. The effects of the Great Depression were ubiquitous in terms of economic impact to the glo bal economies. What started in the U.S was soon felt all over the world: deflation and the impact of the Gold Standard, contraction of credit, high unemployment, protectionism and international trade. Overall, these effects of the Great Depression were evidence of the economic impact in the United States that globalized to the rest of the world. To being with, deflation is an effect of a monetary policy in which the prices of goods and services fall to make it less advantageous for business to continue operation. For example, according to author Charles Kindleberger of The World in Depression, 1929-1939, the annual percentage change in wholesale prices between 1929 and 1930 are as followed: â€Å"U.S -12.2%, France -6.7%, Japan -22.3%, Canada -16%, U.K -14.9%, Germany -10.8%, and... ...eologies around the beggar-thy-neighbour theory contracting all international trade. By and large, â€Å"in an increasingly interdependent world, no man in an island† (Esler, p. 613) Works Cited Esler, A. (2004). The Human Venture: From Prehistory to the Present. New Jersey: Pearson Education. Galenson, W., & Zellner, A. (1957). International Comparison of Unemployment. NBER. Ganzel, B. (2003). Bank Failures. Retrieved February 29, 2012, from Farming in the 1930s: http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/money_08.html Kindlerberger, C. P. (1986). The World in Depression, 1929-1939. Los Angeles: University of California Press. Parker, S. (2008). The Great Crash: How the Stock Market Crash of 1929 Plunged the WOrld into Depression. Great Britain: Piatkus. Rothermund, D. (1996). The Global Impact of the Great Depression 1929-1939. New York: Routledge.

Kudler Fine Foods & Cardiff Seaside Market Analysis Essay

In this paper I will talk about Kudler Fine Foods and Cardiff Seaside Market and since both the businesses are direct competitors of one another, I would compare and contrast the two businesses in order to analyze the areas where one falls short from the other.   Kudler Fine Foods is a gourmet grocery store that targets the upscale customers for whom time constraint is a big issue as the store enables the customers to buy their desired products at one go. It is based on Southern California and it operates in three locations in San Diego in La Jolla, Del Mar and Encinitas. Kudler Fine Foods was founded by Kathy Kudler in 1998 who felt that traveling all the way out of the town only for the purpose of purchasing grocery items and ingredients used in cooking is tiring and to crater to this problem, she came up with the initiative of one stop shopping. The five main departments that Kudler Fine Foods is divided into are mentioned below. Fresh bakery and pastries Fresh produce Fresh meat and seafood Condiments and packaged foods Cheeses and specialty dairy products One thing that has to be noted about Kudler Fine Foods is that they do not just sell the ingredients that are used by people while cooking meals but they sell home cooked meals as well and this eases the cooking efforts. (University of Phoenix, 2007). Cardiff Seaside Market is one of the biggest competitors of Kudler Fine Foods and it was formed in 1985. It does not just offer top-notch quality products to the customers but it also provides them with excellent services. It is a family owned and operated business and the management promises to create excellence in every department. Cardiff Seaside Market has a chain of stores that offers a variety of items that includes food items and they also sell other things such as floral items and gifts. The items and services that Cardiff Seaside Market offers to its customers are mentioned below. (Cardiff Seaside Market, n.d.). 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Catering 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cheese 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cuisine and bakery 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Floral and gifts 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meat and sea food 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Produce 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wine 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gluten free products When we compare the home pages of the websites of both the businesses, it is much evident that the offerings of Cardiff Seaside Market outnumber that of Kudler Fine Foods. Both the businesses offer the customers to buy cheese and dairy products, cuisine and bakery items, meat and sea food, wine and produce. However, Cardiff Seaside Market also offers catering services and gluten free products and free healthy recipes. Cardiff Seaside Market is a family oriented business while Kudler Fine Foods was founded by a lady named Kathy Kudler who realized that travelling to the town to buy kitchen items was tiring. Further talking about the home page, I would say that since Kudler Fine Foods is owned by a lady, not much innovations and new strategies are being used to improve the business operations but Cardiff Seaside Market offers special food items on daily basis and they have also given their weekly special. Besides this, the reward card of Cardiff Seaside Market offers the customers the opportunity to earn rewards up to 3%. Complimentary Healthy Grocery Store Tours are also offered by Cardiff Seaside Market where the customers get to know about all kinds of information related to nutrition. Since the expert has studied dietary theories and clinical aspects of health and nutrition, the customers can get to know about their queries and about the way they can live healthier lives. Moreover, since the programs offered by them are uniquely tailored according to the preferences of the customers, all the health concerns of the individuals are well taken care of. (The Whole Journey, n.d.). Further talking about the sub sections of the websites of both the businesses, they are divided into different parts according to their offerings in which the details of the offerings are mentioned. (Hisrich, Peters &Shepherd, 2006). The website of Kudler Fine Foods is not available for access to every individual and when you search for it on Google; we are not able to get any such link. However, people can have access to the website through University of Phoenix but they need a username and password for that. Therefore, access to the website of Kudler Fine Foods is not easy as it is not public but the website access of Cardiff Seaside Market is very easy and convenient as it can be easily found while browsing on the Internet. As I already mentioned about the website access, I would say that the search ability of Cardiff Seaside Market is very easy but in the case of Kudler Fine Foods, everyone cannot have access to the website. Further talking about the layout of the websites, Kudler Fine Foods has a very simple website and everything mentioned on the website can be easily found and is easy to read and understand. Same is the case with Cardiff Seaside Market is but they have added some more things other than the basics i.e. their offerings. These new additions that Cardiff Seaside Market has made include the weekly specials, soups of the day and recipes. The graphics of both the websites are fine but the pictures used by Cardiff Seaside Market are not too catchy and so they must be replaced with more lively pictures while Kudler Fine Foods must add some more pictures to keep the interest of the customers. The navigation of the websites is fine and one is easily able to browse the entire website. Although the product display at Cardiff Seaside Market is fine but they should add some more pictures to make them stand out but in the case of Kudler Fine Foods, the website has very less pictures because of which it is a bit boring. The site administration of Kudler Fine Foods is done by Apollo Group and it is being done apart from the other changes that have to be made. On the website of Kudler Fine Foods, there is no option for the customers to pay online but Cardiff Seaside market offers a payment solution to the customers and the customers can order online and they can either pick up their delivery or they can get their orders delivered to their desired address. Once the customers select their desired option, they can choose their pick up date and they also have the facility of ordering seven days before they actually need to collect the order or to get the order delivered. Lastly, the customers can also choose the time at which they find it feasible for them to pick the order or to get it delivered. Reference Cardiff Seaside Market. (n.d.). How May We Serve You? May 12th, 2010.   Retrieved from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://seasidemarket.com/ Hisrich, R., Peters, M. &Shepherd, D. (2006). Entrepreneurship. 7th Edn. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. The Whole Journey. (n.d.). Holistic nutrition and wellness. May 12th, 2010.   Retrieved from:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.thewholejourney.com/ University of Phoenix. (2007). Kudler Fine Foods.   May 12th, 2010.   Retrieved from:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Kudler/Internet/Index.htm

Alpen Bank: Launching the Credit Card in Romania

Alpen Bank: Launching the Credit Card in Romania Written Analysis of Case Presented to: Miss Tania Hassan Presented by: * Case Overview: Alpen bank has to make a crucial decision whether or not they should launch the credit card business in Romania. The bank had to come up with a market strategy that can generate at least â‚ ¬5 million in profit within 2 years. Prior to introduction of the credit card in the market the Bank has to analyze whether an opportunity exists for the launch of the credit card. It has to further decide how to position the card in the market, what should be the target audience for the service.The bank has currently established a premium image by targeting the affluent class. Core Problem: Whether to launch credit card if it adds â‚ ¬ 5million profit to consumer bank segment within 2 years. The Alpen Bank seems hesitant to launch the credit card due to the existence of following problems: * Low per-capita income levels. * The population seemed inexperienc e with the usage of credit card. Consumer spending was cash based and merchant acceptance of card payments was low. Analysis: Opportunity: Considering the economic and market conditions as explained in the case, Alpen Bank should launch a credit card.It seems that Alpen Bank has an opportunity as economic environment in Romania had changed from 2006 after it joined European Union. The economy there was developing; a growing trends of luxury purchasing emerged, there was also an increasing likeliness of using card instead of cash and lastly other competitors had already taken similar strategies in the market. The credit and debit card market of Romania is also seen to grow at a good pace of 35% in 2006 and about 9. 5million cards were being used in the market. Apart from certain positives there are certain problems in credit card market too.People use cards generally for withdrawing cash rather than for buying products or services so there is less revenue driven from transactions. Ev en merchants are still ignorant in accepting credit cards and prefer payments through cash Thus it shows that Alpen has an opportunity to cash on the credit card but it would require efforts especially in marketing the card. Positioning: Alpen Bank has established a premium image and reputation of serving the affluent clientele. The bank should focus on its current strength rather than penetrating into a new customer base.The affluent class represents the top 10% of population which has about 24% of wealth. They are priced less sensitive and thus positioning the card on high end would be beneficial for the bank. They are career oriented; active professionals who would like to use their cards frequently for making purchases Moreover, for countries like Romania, it is seen that credit cards are somewhat  stickier as compared to the developed countries. This shows that if Alpen positions its card as a high end product, it will gain a share of market which would stick to its card. The middle class is also a potential market for the credit card.The middle class also has a huge potential especially in terms of the size of  market however they are more price-focused and would only welcome this new credit card if  the interest rates are low. They also have a  monthly income which supports them to have a credit card. Based on the attitudes of customers in other emerging economies it can be said that customers in middle-income class have a lower actual utilization rate when compared  with affluent class. If Alpen Bank currently emphasize on Affluent class it would be safer for it rather than it focuses on middle class. As today’s middle class may become affluent class of tomorrow.The decision whether to target affluent class or middle class depends on the revenue they generate solely or combined. The final objective of the analysis is to identify the profit generated if Alpen Bank serves Affluent class solely or it serves both. For this purpose we have analyzed the financial data provided to us in the case. Target Segment| Annual Income| %age of Potential Card Holders| Potential Card Holders| Annual Revenue| Total Revenue| Middle Class| 3,000-4500| 18. 2%| 3385200| 60. 63| 205244676| Affluent| 4500-6000| 15%| 2790000| 123. 38| 344230200| Most Affluent| 6000+| 12. 9%| 2399400| 209. 5| 503274150| Total| | | 8574600| | 1052749026| Total Population Qualify for credit Card = 18. 6million Revenue Per Card Holder (all three classes) = 122. 78 Revenue Per Card Holder ( Affluent+ Most Affluent)=163. 31 In the above scenario we have first calculated the value of each segment. Given in the case is that the population of Cardholders is 18. 6 million. Through exhibit 5 we determine the percentage of potential cardholder for each segment give in the above table column 3. Through that we determine the Potential card holder. After that we multiply the population of each segment with that of annual revenue.After summing up the total revenue we div ide once it with the population of combine three segments to derive Revenue Per card holder, and once with the population of Affluent + Most affluent to derive at the value of Revenue per card holder of affluent and most affluent. Customer Acquisition for All Customers | Unit Cost| Prospect Reached| ResponseRate| Qualification Rate| Conversion Rate| No. of Customer| Total Cost| Cost per Customer| Direct Mail| 0. 50| 2500000| 3%| 60%| 85%| 38250| 1250000| 32. 68| Take One| 0. 10| 2000000| 2. 5%| 30%| 85%| 12750| 200000| 15. 69| FSIs| 0. 05| 3500000| 1. %| 30%| 85%| 13388| 175000| 13. 07| Direct Sales| 3000/rep| 60000| 25%| 60%| 85%| 7650| 3000| 3. 92| Branch Cross-Sell| 1| 50000| 50%| 90%| 85%| 19125| 50000| 2. 61| | | | | | | 91163| 1710000| 18. 75| No. of Customer= 2500000 * 0. 03 *0. 60* 0. 85 In case of Affluent Class the Number of Customer will be reduced by 50% for Direct Mail, Take One and FSIs so the cost per customer for Affluent class will be 18. 31 Profit Calculation All C ustomers| 50,000| | 100,000| Revenue( 122. 78)| 6,139,000| Revenue( 122. 78)| 12,278,000| Acquisition Cost(18. 75)| (937,500)| Acquisition Cost(18. 5)| (1,875,000)| Direct Cost (20)| (1,000,000)| Direct Cost (17. 5)| (875,000)| Revenue| 4,201,500| Revenue| 9528000| Less| | Less| | Fixed Cost| 5,000,000| Fixed Cost| 5,750,000| Advertising Expense| 2,000,000| Advertising Expense| 2,000,000| Total Profit/( Loss)| (2,798,500)| Total Profit/( Loss)| 1,778,000| Through the above calculation of profit we can identify that Breakeven is occurring in between 50,000 and 100,000 customers. So now we calculate the breakeven. X in the following formulae is assumed to be additional customers. 122. 78 ( X+ 50,000) – ( 5,750,000+2,000,000) – ( 50,000*17. 5 + 36. 5*X) =0 X= 28,758 Break Even = 50,000+ 28,758= 78,758 At 150,000 customers we are generating revenue of greater than 5million so to identify the no. customer at which we get 5million profit we develop the following formulae 122 . 78( X+100,000)- ( 650,000+2,000,000) – ( 100,000*15 + 33. 75*Y) = 5,000,000 No. Of Customer =130,574 We apply the same process to the affluent class. Break Even: 163. 31( X+ 50,000) – ( 5,750,000 + 2,000,000) – ( 50000* 17. 5 + 35. 81* X) = 0 X= 3,604 Break Even = 53,604 Revenue Analysis: 163. 31 ( X+50,000) – ( 6,500,000 + 2,000,000) – ( 15*100,000 + 35. 81* X)= 5,000,000 X=42,820No. of Customer = 92,820 Recommendations: After doing the further breakeven and revenue analysis we recommend ALPEN bank to launch credit Card. The Bank is able to generate the profit as required. The bank should Position Credit Card as a high-end premium product in the initial stages. Firstly it is easy for bank to cater the need of the existing customers. By positioning the product in the affluent class the Bank is able to reach breakeven point in less number of customers. After getting a strong foothold in the market the Bank should focus of targeting the middle clas s as they are affluent class of tomorrow.

Strategy Analysis Shell Essays

Strategy Analysis Shell Essays Strategy Analysis Shell Paper Strategy Analysis Shell Paper The Downstream business manufactures petroleum products for retail throughout Australia. [2] The purpose of this report is to analyses the business strategy of Royal Dutch Shell. The report will address three main questions: What Is Shells business strategy? How Is Shells business strategy developed and articulated? Is Shells strategy appropriate for success? The answers to the first two questions will be brief and descriptive in nature. To answer the fall question, the report will analyses the Shells strategy using a framework of the four common elements of successful strategy, as detailed by Robert M. Grant; simple, consistent, long-term goals; a profound understanding of he competitive environment; an objective appraisal of resources; and effective implementation. [3] Shells strategy Is outlined In Its 2009 Annual Report. In analyzing the third element of a successful strategy?the objective appraisal of resources?this report contends that this is an area of strength in Shells strategy. In evaluating its resources, the Company has recognized that there are regions or market sectors that are operationally ineffective. The strategy detailed in the Annual Report recommends exiting those regions or sectors. Their appraisal acknowledges the companys strengths; notably in the development and application of technology, financial and project-management skills, and the management of integrated value chains. 11] It is clear that Shell has conducted an objective appraisal of its resources and more importantly, it has used the findings in the development of its strategy. Shell has applied the strengths and weaknesses of its resource-base in the layers of strategy development detailed earlier in this report. The best-laid strategies are of little use without the fourth element of a successful strategy; effective im plementation. Considering the intended (external) audience, it is not surprising that there is little guidance regarding the implementation of strategy in the 2009 Annual Report. Whilst the GAP provides guidance on the manner in which the Company should conduct its business, the guidance is more about values and principles than it is about executing strategy. The core guidance for the effective implementation of Shells strategy is contained within internal communications; tarring with the Coos strategy message to the Company executive. Peter Poser sees improved performance in the implementation of company strategy as one of the keys for addressing Shells competitive performance. He reiterates the Companys position and stresses the need to work together to meet our targets. The CEO moves beyond merely stating what a successful strategy is and he communicates how to make the strategy successful. He states the importance of speed in the implementation of strategy, to ensure that Shell is operating inside the decision-making cycle of its monitors. Furthermore, the CEO calls for sharper delivery, with a focus on the precise implementation of strategy. He proposes a culture of continuous Improvement, particularly In ten areas AT estate, operational excellence, cost Ana profitability. 12] There is a notable consistency in his message and a clear link to Shells stated long-term goals. It is an important observation that Shells objective, goals and strategy are recurring messages in communication at all levels in the Company. Furthermore, Peter Posers ideas and emphasis on the swift and precise implementation of strategy are also prevalent at all levels. In analyzing the appropriateness of Shells strategy, this report firstly stated what the strategy is and how it is communicated. The report concludes that Shells strategy contains a clear objective, or mission statement, and the GAP provides excellent values and principles to guide the business. Shells stated goals are simple, consistent and enduring, satisfying the first of Grants elements of a successful strategy. Shells strategy has fulfilled the second and third elements of a successful tragedy through the understanding of its competitive environment and the objective appraisal of its resources.

How to Prepare for Exams While Distance Studying

How to Prepare for Exams While Distance Studying Once upon a time the only way to get a good quality education was to spend thousands of dollars and go and sit in a classroom for several years. Even though the cost and the time commitment were often prohibitive, people found ways to do it because it was their only option. Today, however, things have changed. Distance learning, once only for students of small vocational school is now there for everyone to take advantage of. A student can participate in a class that is offered on the other side of the globe, they can get degrees on just about any subject, and never have to leave their home. It is an exciting time to get an education. Challenges You Face While Distance Studying Distance studying usually requires a unique mindset and special skills and disciplines that are often lacking in the traditional setting. Though distance learning gives you the opportunity to study while working, there are still some issues you need to deal with. The job of time management and studying fall entirely on your shoulders.To be a successful distance learner you need to not only learn and develop these qualities to a higher degree but master them. Finding the balance between education, work and family is crucial. Most people who are in an online study program do so because they also have jobs, family, and other demands on their time. This means that it is not just about getting through each lesson but managing your life in a way that gives enough attention to your both your studies and your normal daily routine. You’ll be evaluated more strictly than students who attend educational affiliations. When students attend educational institutions, professors know them personally and tend to be more sympathetic to them. When you are studying distantly, it’s hard to build such a connection with teachers. Tips on How to Prepare for Exams for Distant Learners When exam time comes, tension tends to increase and the cycle escalates. Below are a few tips and suggestions that can help you to prepare for that all important exam without derailing your life. Tip #1: Have a Schedule It helps to organize your life and study together. This can be difficult if you have a family but you will have to learn how to prioritize and as you prepare for your exams accept the fact that some things will have to be put on the back burner until exams are over. Separate your schedule into the things that must be done and those you want to do. Remind yourself that this will only be a temporary adjustment and you’ll be free to do all those things again once exams are completed. It is important that you don’t keep your schedule to yourself. Let your family and friends know about it. That way, they are less likely to intrude upon your time and will be more supportive. Tip #2: Don’t Procrastinate Don’t put it off. In the absence of a tangible classroom environment, the responsibility for managing your time falls entirely on your shoulders. It can become very easy to put it off when Big Brother is not watching. If you’re having trouble getting yourself to focus on your studies then try setting up study intervals. Rather than cramming all night before the exam try studying for 30 minutes or an hour and then giving yourself a break in between. It can help you to get in the habit of studying. Before long, you’ll find that your 30 minute study sessions will naturally get longer as you get used to the routine. Tip #3: Trust Your Instincts Traditional school by nature, is about programming minds to conform. Everyone starts their study at the same time, break at the same time, and end at the same time. However, when you are distance learning, you learn to be more flexible. So, when scheduling your study time think about yourself and your instincts. What time of day are you the most productive. If you are a morning person, get up an hour early to do your research. If you’re more active during the evening hours, you might want to stay up longer than normal. Tip #4: Get Your Resources Together Before you start your study, make sure all your resources are in order. This will help to prevent you from getting distracted during study time. Your goal is to try to remain focused for as long as you can. If you have all your resources, reference materials, and anything else you need right at your fingertips it will be much easier to stay on point. If you are struggling with a particular point in the study, it is also helpful to have phone numbers, email addresses, or other contact information available for contacting your professors, advisors, or experts close when you need to ask a question. Tip #5: Join an Online Library Getting the time to break away to a library for research can also be difficult. If you have an online library service you can join it can be extremely beneficial. It will give you access to excellent resource material right at your fingertips. Tip #6: Take Practice Tests Some students like to highlight information they read in their texts, others prefer re-reading or summarizing after they read. While these things have proven to be very beneficial for some students there are other ways to get the most out of their study time. In many cases, you can find practice tests online that will help you to prepare. Practice tests give you immediate feedback on areas you might be weak in so you can hone up your studies by focusing on those areas where you need the most help. Tip #7: Organize Your Nutrition To prevent even more stress, you should think of food preemptively. Many students tend to drink dozens cups of coffee or energetics, eat fast food or just refuse from eating. This will not serve you right. Instead of coffee, you can and perhaps should drink green tea and instead of fast food, cook healthy and quick-made dishes. There are many recipes on the web that you can use to prepare healthy food. You can read more about the best food to eat before test here. No matter what tricks you use to study, it is best to go about it in an organized and systematic way. Approaching study sporadically encourages a lack of focus and confusion, which could eventually take its toll on a student. When you factor in the heightened level of stress students experience when exam time approaches it just makes sense to have a good and solid system that will help to ease the anxiety. Finally, study time is different for each student so when you develop a study program that suits your personality and disposition, you’ll find you remember a lot more of what you study.

A Review of Software Tools for Quantitative Data Analysis

A Review of Software Tools for Quantitative Data Analysis If youre a   sociology student or budding social scientist and have started to work with quantitative (statistical) data, analytic software will be very useful to you. These programs force researchers to organize and clean her data and offer pre-programmed commands that allow everything from very basic to quite advanced forms of statistical analysis. They even offer useful visualizations that will be useful as you seek to interpret your data, and that you may wish to use when presenting it to others. There are many programs on the market, but unfortunately, they are quite expensive to purchase. The good news for students and faculty is that most universities have licenses for at least one program which students and professors can use. In addition, most programs offer a free, pared-down version of the full software package which will often suffice. Heres a review of the three main programs that quantitative social scientists use. Statistical Package forSocial Science (SPSS) SPSS is the most popular quantitative analysis software program used by social scientists. Made and sold by IBM, it is comprehensive, flexible, and can be used with almost any type of data file. However, its especially useful for analyzing large-scale survey data. It can be used to generate tabulated reports, charts, and plots of distributions and trends, as well as generate descriptive statistics such as means, medians, modes and frequencies in addition to more complex statistical analyses like regression models. SPSS provides a user interface that makes it easy and intuitive for all levels of users. With menus and dialogue boxes, you can perform analyses without having to write command syntax, like in other programs. It is also simple and easy to enter and edit data directly into the program. There are a few drawbacks, however, which might not make it the best program for some researchers. For example, there is a limit on the number of cases you can analyze. It is also difficult to account for weights, strata and group effects with SPSS. STATA STATA is an interactive data analysis program that runs on a variety of platforms. It can be used for both simple and complex statistical analyses. STATA uses a point-and-click interface as well as command syntax, which makes it easy to use. STATA also make it simple to generate graphs and plots of data and results. Analysis in STATA is centered around four windows: the command window, review window, result window and variable window. Analysis commands are entered into the command window and the review window records those commands. The variables window lists the variables that are available in the current data set along with the variable labels, and the results appear in the results window. SAS SAS, short for Statistical Analysis System, is also used by many businesses; in addition to statistical analysis, it also allows programmers to perform report writing, graphics, business planning, forecasting, quality improvement, project management and more. SAS is a great program for the intermediate and advanced user because it is very powerful; it can be used with extremely large datasets and can perform complex and advanced analyses. SAS is good for analyses that require you to take into account weights, strata or groups. Unlike SPSS and STATA, SAS is run largely by programming syntax rather than point-and-click menus, so some knowledge of the programming language is required.