Marketing strategies Essay Example for Free

Marketing strategies Essay The word â€Å"strategy† is derived from the Greek word â€Å"stratà §gos†; stratus (meaning army) and â€Å"ago† (meaning leading/moving). Strategy is an action that managers take to attain one or more of the organization’s goals. Strategy can also be defined as â€Å"A general direction set for the company and its various components to achieve a desired state in the future. Strategy results from the detailed strategic planning process†. A strategy is all about integrating organizational activities and utilizing and allocating the scarce resources within the organizational environment so as to meet the present objectives. While planning a strategy it is essential to consider that decisions are not taken in a vaccum and that any act taken by a firm is likely to be met by a reaction from those affected, competitors, customers, employees or suppliers. Strategy can also be defined as knowledge of the goals, the uncertainty of events and the need to take into consideration the likely or actual behavior of others. Strategy is the blueprint of decisions in an organization that shows its objectives and goals, reduces the key policies, and plans for achieving these goals, and defines the business the company is to carry on, the type of economic and human organization it wants to be, and the contribution it plans to make to its shareholders, customers and society at large. Features of strategic management Strategy relates the firm to its environment, particularly the external environ-ment in all actions whether objective setting, or actions and resources required for its achievement. This definition emphasizes on the systems approach of management and treats an organization as part of the society consequently affected by it. Strategy is the right combination of factors both external and internal. In relating an organization to its environment, the management must also consider the internal factors too, particularly its strengths and weaknesses, to take various courses of action. Strategy is relative combination of actions. The combination is to meet a particu-lar condition, to solve certain problems, or to attain a desirable objective. It may take any form; for every situation varies and, therefore, requires a somewhat different approach. Strategy may even involve contradictory action. Since strategic action depends on environmental variables, a manager may take an action today and revise or reverse his steps tomorrow depending on the situations. Strategy is forward looking. It has orientation towards the future. Strategic ac-tion is required in a new situation. Nothing-new requiring solutions can exist in the past, and so strategy is relevant only to the future. Process The strategic management process is more than just a set of rules to follow. It is a philosophical approach to business. Upper management must think strategically first, then apply that thought to a process. The strategic management process is best implemented when everyone within the business understands the strategy. The five stages of the process are goal-setting, analysis, strategy formation, strategy implementation and strategy monitoring. 1. Goal-Setting The purpose of goal-setting is to clarify the vision for your business. This stage consists of identifying three key facets: First, define both short- and long-term objectives. Second, identify the process of how to accomplish your objective. Finally, customize the process for your staff, give each person a task with which he can succeed. Keep in mind during this process your goals to be detailed, realistic and match the values of your vision. Typically, the final step in this stage is to write a mission statement that succinctly communicates your goals to both your shareholders and your staff. 2. Analysis Analysis is a key stage because the information gained in this stage will shape the next two stages. In this stage, gather as much information and data relevant to accomplishing your vision. The focus of the analysis should be on understanding the needs of the business as a sustainable entity, its strategic direction and identifying initiatives that will help your business grow. Examine any external or internal issues that can affect your goals and objectives. Make sure to identify both the strengths and weaknesses of your organization as well as any threats and opportunities that may arise along the path. 3. Strategy Formulation The first step in forming a strategy is to review the information gleaned from completing the analysis. Determine what resources the business currently has that can help reach the defined goals and objectives. Identify any areas of which the business must seek external resources. The issues facing the company should be prioritized by their importance to your success. Once prioritized, begin formulating the strategy. Because business and economic situations are fluid, it is critical in this stage to develop alternative approaches that target each step of the plan. 4. Strategy Implementation Successful strategy implementation is critical to the success of the business venture. This is the action stage of the strategic management process. If the overall strategy does not work with the business current structure, a new structure should be installed at the beginning of this stage. Everyone within the organization must be made clear of their responsibilities and duties, and how that fits in with the overall goal. Additionally, any resources or funding for the venture must be secured at this point. Once the funding is in place and the employees are ready, execute the plan. 5. Evaluation and Control Strategy evaluation and control actions include performance measurements, consistent review of internal and external issues and making corrective actions when necessary. Any successful evaluation of the strategy begins with defining the parameters to be measured. These parameters should mirror the goals set in Stage Types of strategic management 1. Functional strategies Functional strategy- selection of decision rules in each functional area. Thus, functional strategies in any organization, some (e.g., marketing strategy, financial strategy, etc.). It is desirable that they have been fixed in writing. In particular, functional strategies are as follows: Production strategy( make or buy) defines what the company produces itself, and that purchases from suppliers or partners, that is, how far worked out the production chain. Financial Strategy- to select the main source of funding: the development of their own funds (depreciation, profit, the issue of shares, etc.) or through debt financing (bank loans, bonds, commodity suppliers credits, etc.). Organizational strategy- decision on the organization of the staff (choose the type of organizational structure, compensation system, etc.). May be allocated and other functional strategies, for example, the strategy for research and experimental development (R D), investment strategy, etc. In addition, each of the functional strategies can be divided into components. For example, organizational strategy can be divided into three components: strategy of building organizations to select the type of structure (divisional, functional, project, etc.); strategy to work with the staff a way of training (mainly administrative staff), training of staff (in a business or educational institutions), career planning, etc.; Strategy wages (in the broader sense rewards and penalties) in particular, the approach to the compensation of senior managers (salary, bonuses, profit sharing, etc.). Organization for the implementation of the strategy at the functional area responsible senior specialist (Ch. Engineer, Director of Finance), at the enterprise level the general director or director of the department, at the level of groups of companies a collegiate body (management, board of directors). 2. Human resources Role in Strategy Formulation: HRM is in a unique position to supply competitive intelligence that may be useful in strategy formulation. Details regarding advanced incentive plans used by competitors, opinion survey data from employees, elicit information about customer complaints, information about pending legislation etc. can be provided by HRM. Unique HR capabilities serve as a driving force in strategy formulation. 3. Marketing strategies Marketing management is a business discipline which is focused on the practical application of marketing techniques and the management of a firms marketing resources and activities. Globalization has led firms to market beyond the borders of their home countries, making international marketinghighly significant and an integral part of a firms marketing strategy. Marketing managers are often responsible for influencing the level, timing, and composition of customer demand accepted definition of the term. In part, this is because the role of a marketing manager can vary significantly based on a businesss size, corporate culture, and industry context. For example, in a large consumer products company, the marketing manager may act as the overall general manager of his or her assigned product. To create an effective, cost-efficient marketing management strategy, firms must possess a detailed, objective understanding of their own business and the market in which they operate. In analyzing these issues, the discipline of marketing management often overlaps with the related discipline of strategic planning. To achieve the desired objectives, marketers typically identify one or more target customer segments which they intend to pursue. Customer segments are often selected as targets because they score highly on two dimensions: 1) The segment is attractive to serve because it is large, growing, makes frequent purchases, is not price sensitive (i.e. is willing to pay high prices), or other factors; and 2) The company has the resources and capabilities to compete for the segments business, can meet their needs better than the competition, and can do so profitably. [3] In fact, a commonly cited definition of marketing is simply meeting needs profitably. 4. Financial strategy To get the most out of your financial resources and achieve sustainability youll need to successfully manage all your funding and financing sources in an overarching strategy for your organisation. Many organisations manage income from a number of different funding and finance sources from donations, grants, contracts and income generated from trading. A financial strategy enables your organisation to assess your financial needs and the sources of support required to meet your objectives and fulfil the organisational mission, whilst also planning for continued growth to enable stability. Youre financial strategy will derive from your mission. So the first step is to clearly define why you exist and you plan to achieve your mission before preparing any budgets. Cadbury History Birmingham 1824 John Cadbury was one of ten children of Richard Tapper Cadbury, a prominent Quaker who had moved to Birmingham, England from the West Country in 1794. In 1824, 22-year-old John Cadbury opened his first shop at 93 Bull Street, next to his fathers drapery and silk business in the then fashionable part of Birmingham. Apart from selling tea and coffee, John Cadbury sold hops, mustard and a new sideline cocoa and drinking chocolate, which he prepared using a mortar and pestle. Cocoa and drinking chocolate had been introduced into England in the 1650s but remained a luxury enjoyed by the elite of English society. Customers at John Cadburys shop were amongst the most prosperous Birmingham families, the only ones who could afford the delicacy. Cocoa beans were imported from South and Central America and the West Indies. Experimenting with his mortar and pestle, John Cadbury produced a range of cocoa and chocolate drinks, the latter with added sugar. The products were sold in blocks: customers scraped a little off into a cup or saucepan and added hot milk or water. John Cadbury had a considerable flair for advertising and promotion. John Cadbury is desirous of introducing to particular notice Cocoa Nibs, prepared by himself, an article affording a most nutritious beverage for breakfast, announced his first advertisement in the Birmingham Gazette in March 1824. He soon established himself as one of the leading cocoa and drinking chocolate traders in Birmingham. The popularity and growing sales of John Cadburys cocoa and drinking chocolate of superior quality determined the future direction of the business. In 1831, John Cadbury rented a small factory in Crooked Lane not far from his shop. He became a manufacturer of drinking chocolate and cocoa, laying the foundation for the Cadbury chocolate business. These early cocoa and drinking chocolates were balanced with potato starch and sago flour to counter the high cocoa butter content, while other ingredients were added to give healthy properties. By 1842, John Cadbury was selling sixteen lines of drinking chocolate and cocoa in cake and powder forms. The Quaker Influence The Cadbury family were prominent members of the Society of Friends or Quakers, one of the many nonconformist religious groups formed in the 17th century. Their strong beliefs carried into campaigns aimed at ending poverty and deprivation and many prominent Quaker-run businesses were part of reforms of social and industrial society in Victorian Britain. John Cadburys lifelong involvement with the Temperance Society influenced the direction of his business enterprise. By providing tea, coffee, cocoa and chocolate as an alternative to alcohol he felt he was helping to alleviate some of the alcolohol-related causes of poverty and deprivation amongst working people. He also incorporated some of these principles in his industrial relations philosophy. (See A Progressive Workplace) Cadbury Brothers of Birmingham John Cadbury As the enterprise prospered, in 1847 John Cadbury rented a larger factory in Bridge Street, off Broad Street, in the centre of Birmingham and went into partnership with his brother Benjamin trading as Cadbury Brothers of Birmingham. The retail side of the business in Bull Street was passed to a nephew, Richard Cadbury Barrow in 1849. Barrow Stores, as it became, traded in Central Birmingham until the 1960s. A major turning point for the cocoa and chocolate industry came in the mid-1850s, when taxes on imported cocoa beans were reduced by Prime Minister William Gladstone. The previously prohibitive chocolate products were now within the reach of the wider population. Cadbury Brothers received their first Royal Warrant on February 4, 1854 as manufacturers of cocoa and chocolate to Queen Victoria. The company continues to hold royal warrants of appointment. During the 1850s business began to decline. The partnership between the first Cadbury brothers was dissolved in 1860, a difficult time in the companys history. John Cadburys sons Richard and George, who had joined the company in the 1850s, became the second Cadbury brothers to run the business when their father retired due to failing health in 1861. John Cadbury devoted the rest of his life to civic and social work in Birmingham until his death in 1889. Although they had worked in their fathers business for some years, the prospects for Richard. 25, and George, 21, were daunting. Their first five years were a period of unremitting toil with few customers, long hours and very frugal living. Both seriously considered taking up other vocations Richard as a surveyor in England and George as a tea planter in India. George was focused on manufacturing, and Richard with sales, but in the early days both brothers went out and promoted their goods. Due to their dedication, sheer hard work and improvements in the quality of Cadbury cocoa products, the business survived and prospered. Technological Advancements Historic packaging Dissatisfied with the quality of cocoa products, including their own, the Cadbury brothers took a momentous step in 1866 that not only had a bearing on their business but revolutionised the whole of the British cocoa business. Until that time English cocoa had been heavily adulterated with starch substances like potato flour or sago to mask the excess cocoa butter. The cocoa drink, as described by George Cadbury himself, was a comforting gruel. Following a visit to the Van Houten factory in Holland to see their new cocoa press, the brothers introduced this new process to their Bridge Street factory. The press removed some of the cocoa butter from the beans, producing a less rich and more palatable cocoa essence the forerunner of the cocoa we know today. There was no need to add flour and Cadburys new cocoa essence was advertised as Absolutely puretherefore Best At that time there was much concern in Parliament about the adulteration of food, including cocoa. The new unadulterated Cadburys cocoa essence was heralded as a major breakthrough and resulted in the passing of the Adulteration of Food Acts in 1872 and 1875. Cadbury received a remarkable amount of free publicity during this period and sales increased dramatically. The marketing of this cocoa essence helped turn a small business into a vast worldwide company. The introduction of cocoa essence was not the only innovation that improved the Cadbury Brothers trade. The plentiful supply of cocoa butter remaining after the cocoa was pressed made it possible to produce a wide variety of new kinds of eating chocolate, leading to the development of the smooth creamy chocolate produced today. The quality of the chocolates made by the company following the introduction of the cocoa press was such that in the 1870s, Cadbury broke the monopoly which French producers had previously enjoyed in the British Market. Cadburys Chocolate Box A chocolate for eating had been produced at the Cadbury factory since 1849 but it was not, by todays standards, a very palatable product. With the availability of cocoa butter a new chocolate recipe produced chocolate similar to that which we enjoy today. Refined plain chocolate was made for moulding into blocks or making bars and chocolate creams that with chocolate-covered fruit-flavoured centres. Cadburys fancy chocolates- or assortments as they are now called were sold in decorated boxes, with small pictures that children could cut out to stick into scrapbooks. Richard Cadbury applied his considerable artistic talents to introduce more ambitious and attractive box designs from his own paintings, using his own children as models or depicting flowers and scenes from his travels. They were the first British-made fancy chocolate boxes and were very popular. Some of his original boxes still exist. Elaborate chocolate boxes were much prized as special gifts by the late Victorians as they could later be used as trinket or button boxes. Chocolate box designs ranged from superb velvet covered caskets with bevelled mirrors and silk lined jewel boxes to pretty boxes with pictures on the lid. The popularity of these splendid Cadbury boxes continued until their disappearance during the Second World War. Victorian and Edwardian chocolate boxes are now collectors items. Cadbury Brothers Ltd The business became a private limited company Cadbury Brothers Limited in 1899 following Richard Cadburys sudden death at the age of 63. George Cadbury became chairman of the new board and his fellow directors were Barrow and William A. Cadbury, sons of Richard and two of his own sons, Edward and George Cadbury Junior. By 1899, the Bournville factory had trebled in size with more than 2,600 employees. With the formation of the limited company, Bournville entered a new era as the younger members of the Board introduced new ideas analytical laboratories, advertising and cost offices, a sales department, works committee, medical department, pension funds, education and training for employees. The Bournville factory site became a series of factories within a factory, as everything needed for the business was produced on site, including tin box pressing plants, carton making units, a design studio and printing plant. This policy continued until well after the Second World War when the rationalisation of the business to mainstream activity production and marketing of chocolate confectionery- led to the use of outside specialised suppliers for ancillary items. . Cadbury India began its operations in India in 1948 by importing chocolates. It now has manufacturing facilities in Thane, Induri (Pune) and Malanpur (Gwalior), Bangalore and Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) and sales offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The corporate head office is inMumbai. Since 1965 Cadbury has also pioneered the development of cocoa cultivation in India. For over two decades, Cadbury has worked with theKerala Agricultural University to undertake cocoa research. Cadbury was incorporated in India on 19 July 1948. Currently, Cadbury India operates in five categories – Chocolate confectionery, Beverages, Biscuits, Gum and Candy. Some of the key brands are Cadbury Dairy Milk, Bournvita, 5 Star, Perk, Bournville, Celebrations, Gems, Halls, Éclairs, Bubbaloo, Tang and Oreo. Its products include Cadbury Dairy Milk, Dairy Milk Silk, Bournville, 5-Star, Perk, Gems (a version of MMs), Eclairs,Bournvita, Celebrations, Bilkul Cadbury Dairy Milk Shots, Toblerone, Halls, Tang and Oreo. It is the market leader in the chocolate confectionery business with a market share of over 70%. Products Major chocolate brands produced by Cadbury include the bars Dairy Milk, Crunchie, Caramel, Wispa, Boost, Picnic, Flake, Curly Wurly, Chomp, and Fudge; chocolate Buttons; the boxed chocolate brand Milk Tray; and the twist-wrapped chocolates Heroes. As well as Cadburys chocolate, the company also owns Maynards and Halls, and is associated with several types of confectionery including former Trebor and Bassetts brands or products such as Liquorice Allsorts, Jelly Babies, Flumps, Mints, Black Jack chews, Trident gum, and Softmints. Notable product introductions include: 1866: Cocoa Essence 1875: Easter Eggs 1897: Milk Chocolate and Fingers 1905: Dairy Milk 1908: Bournville 1914: Frys Turkish Delight 1915: Milk Tray 1920: Flake 1923: Creme Egg (launched as Frys) 1926: Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit Nut 1929: Crunchie (launched as Frys) 1938: Roses 1948: Fudge 1958: Picnic 1960: Dairy Milk Buttons 1968: Aztec 1970: Curly Wurly 1974: Snack 1976: Double Decker 1981: Wispa (relaunched 2007) 1985: Boost 1987: Twirl 1992: Time Out 1995: Wispa Gold (relaunched 2009 and 2011) 1996: Fuse 2001: Brunch Bar, Dream and Flake Snow 2009: Dairy Milk Silk 2010: Dairy Milk Bliss 2011: Big Race oreo 2012: Marvellous Creations and Crispello. Advertising controversy In May 2011 the model Naomi Campbell described the new advertisement for the Bliss bar as insulting and hurtful. Reacting to the advertisement, which had the tag line Move over Naomi – there is a new diva in town, Campbell said, I am shocked. Its upsetting to be described as chocolate, not just for me, but for all black women and black people. I do not find any humour in this. A spokesperson for the company insisted that the campaign was a light-hearted take on the social pretensions of Cadbury Dairy Milk Bliss. The campaign was, he later added, no longer in circulation we have no plans to repeat the campaign. Reacting to Campbells outburst, comedian Reginald D. Hunter, on the BBC television comedy quiz Have I Got News For You, suggested that it was complimentary for black people to be compared to chocolate, and that enjoyment of the Bliss bar might even be enhanced by a love of black people. Health and safety 2006 Salmonella scare On 19 January 2006, Cadbury Schweppes detected a rare strain of the Salmonella bacteria, affecting seven of its products, said to have been caused by a leaking pipe. The leak occurred at itsMarlbrook plant, in Herefordshire, which produces chocolate crumb mixture; the mixture is then transported to factories at Bournville and formerly Somerdale to be turned into milk chocolate. It was not until around six months after the leak was detected that Cadbury Schweppes officially notified the Food Standards Agency, shortly after which it recalled more than a million chocolate bars. In December 2006, the company announced that the cost of dealing with the contamination would reach  £30 million. In April 2007, Birmingham City Council announced that it would be prosecuting Cadbury Schweppes in relation to three alleged offences of breaching food safety legislation. At that time, theHealth Protection Agency identified 31 people who had been infected with Salmonella Montevideo. One of the alleged victims had to be kept on a hospital isolation ward for five days after eating a Cadburys caramel bar. An investigation being carried out at that time by Herefordshire Council led to a further six charges being brought. The company pleaded guilty to all nine charges, and was fined one million pounds at Birmingham Crown Court—the sentencing of both cases was brought together.[70] Analysts have said the fine is not material to the group, with mitigating factors limiting the fine being that the company quickly admitted its guilt and said it had been mistaken that the infection did not pose a threat to health. Head office Cadburys head office is the Cadbury House in the Uxbridge Business Park in Uxbridge, London Borough of Hillingdon, England. The building occupies 84,000 square feet (7,800 m2) of space inside Building 3 of the business park. Cadbury, which leases space in the building it occupies, had relocated from central London to its current head office. Cadburys previous head office was in 25 Berkeley Square in Mayfair, City of Westminster. In 1992 the company leased the space for  £55 per 1 square foot (0.093 m2). In 2002 the company agreed to pay  £68.75 per square foot. The Daily Telegraph reported in 2007 that the rent was expected to increase to a three-figure sum. In 2007 Cadbury Schweppes had announced that it was moving to Uxbridge to cut costs. As of that year the head office had 200 employees. After the Kraft Foods acquisition of Cadbury, Kraft announced that the Cadbury head office would remain the Cadbury House. Mission statement of cadbury. Cadbury’s mission statement says simply: ‘Cadbury means quality’; this is our promise. Our reputation is built upon quality; our commitment to continuous improvement will ensure that our promise is delivered’ . Vision The Vision into action (VIA) plan embodies all aspects of our strategy. Our governing objective is to deliver superior shareowner returns by realizing our vision to be the world’s biggest and best confectionery company. At the heart of our plan is our financial scorecard, judiciously reinforced by our priorities, commitments and culture . Management information strategy. A management information system (MIS) provides information that organizations require to manage themselves efficiently and effectively.[1] Management information systems are typically computer systems used for managing five primary components: 1.) Hardware, 2.) Software, 3.) Data (information for decision making), 4.) Procedures (design,development and documentation), and 5.) People (individuals, groups, or organizations). Management information systems are distinct from other information systems, in that they are used to analyze and facilitate strategic and operational activities.[2] Academically, the term is commonly used to refer to the study of how individuals, groups, and organizations evaluate, design, implement, manage, and utilize systems to generate information to improve efficiency and effectiveness of decision making, including systems termed decision support systems, expert systems, and executive information systems.[2] Most business schools (or colleges of business administration within universities) have an MIS department, alongside departments of accounting, finance, management, marketing, and sometimes others, and grant degrees (at undergrad, masters, and PhD levels) in MIS. Characteristics of management information strategies Strategic information management is a salient feature in the world of information technology (IT). In a nutshell, strategic information management helps businesses and organizations categorize, store, process and transfer the information they create and receive. It also offers tools for helping companies apply metrics and analytical tools to their information repositories, allowing them to recognize opportunities for growth and pinpoint ways to improve operational efficiency. Automation IT professionals design strategic information management systems to automate the management of incoming and outgoing information to the greatest possible degree. While each company has its own unique IT needs, strategic information management systems typically include built-in controls that filter, sort, categorize and store information in easy-to-manage categories. Customization Strategic information management systems are typically customized to meet the unique needs of each individual company. Incoming and outgoing data can be sorted and cross-referenced according to a wide range of individually specified controls and parameters, which include the companys business verticals and horizontals, individual clients, demographics, geographic location and business function. Strategic information management systems are extensively categorized, allowing for an optimal level of organization. Access controls can be as strict or as lax as the client wants, allowing for company-wide access to information databases or limiting information accessibility to key personnel. User-specific controls can also be set, in case employees need access to certain information but management wants to limit their access to sensitive data. Benefits The benefits of strategic information management can be felt from the executive level right down to the functional staff level. It can help businesses expand their operations into new areas, set goals, measure performance and improve overall productivity. Risks Some of the risks involved with strategic information management systems include implementation challenges, incompatibility with client databases and human error. As with other IT management techniques, data protection and information security is also an ongoing concern. Conclusion Cadbury is one of the best known brands in the world today. It is a brand which is associated with high levels of quality and customer satisfaction. The ongoing growth of Cafà © Cadbury provides a flagship that further helps to enhance the reputation of the Cadbury Masterbrand. At the same time, it provides customers with the opportunity to indulge themselves in the enjoyment of high quality products in a welcoming environment.

Strategic decisions of human resource management

Strategic decisions of human resource management Introduction The intention of this report is to analyse and evaluate communication systems which impact upon strategic decisions with reference to modern-day views of human resource management within a medium sized contracting firm. Taking a look at relevant theorists views and whether they would fit in to the medium sized contracting firm model The following areas are to be analysed and considered Types of communication systems: How these impact on strategic decisions Strategic resource management overview Theorists relevant to Human resource management (HRM) How these impact on a medium contracting firm Reference is to be made specifically to theorists models (e.g., Guests 1997 model and Legge 1995) how they compare and weather they fit into the modern HR model Communication methods See Appendix 1. Within the modern working environment the problem for management and employees alike is how to select the most effective method of communicating with other individuals and groups many factors can help to determine this selection: Formal or informal content of message; Speed and delivery and response; Individual or small group or large group as receiver; Cost of communications; Availability of information and communication technology Communication systems There are many communication systems which are relied on within the modern working environment but are we sure that we mean the telephone, meetings, computer or even written these themselves have become mobile with the introduction of the mobile phone and lap top linked to a wifi network constantly giving access to internet and emails. These are the tools for communication. Communication can be broadly classified as verbal communication and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication includes written and oral communication Non-verbal communication includes body language, facial expressions and visuals diagrams Verbal Communication Verbal communication can be further divided into written and oral communication. The oral communication refers to the spoken words. Oral communication can either be face-to-face communication or a conversation over the phone. The other type of verbal communication is written communication. Written communication can be by email or written. The effectiveness of written communication depends on the style of writing, vocabulary used, grammar, clarity and precision of language Nonverbal Communication Non-verbal communication includes overall body language of the person who is speaking, which includes body posture, hand gestures, and overall body movements. The facial expressions also play a major part since facial expressions say a lot. Non verbal communication can also be in the form of pictorial representations, signboards, or even photographs, sketches and paintings Communication is a process that involves exchange of information, thoughts, ideas and emotions. Its important that the delivery of communication is received and under stood by all subordinates; this will then allow communications to play an active role within strategic decisions. Would this be relevant within a medium sized contracting firm? Most would find it difficult to operate without effective communication. Communication can take various forms as described above but all forms involve the transfer of information from one party to the other. In order for the transfer of information to qualify as communication, the recipient must understand the information conveyed to them. If the recipient does not understand the meaning of the information conveyed to them, communication has not taken place. Communication is the life source of all organisations because organisations involve people. People cannot interact with each other without communication. Internal/Organisational Communication Communication that takes place within an organisation, in addition to the usual face to face, telephone, fax or mail; modern organisations will more often than not use technology to communicate internally. Technology may be used for e-mails or a linked internal communication system such as the intranet which is an internet system designed solely for use by those working within the organisation. External communications conversely external communication is communication between the organisation and those outside the organisation. Modern organisations may design technological systems so that they can communicate with customers and undertake e-Commerce. Alternatively they communicate with other businesses through the internet or similar systems and undertake e-Business. Upward and Downward communication Downward communication is communication created by directors and managers and passed down the hierarchy of workers in the organisation. In traditional organisations this is the preferred method of communication i.e. Managers decide what the systems, rules and procedures will be and then they pass these down to employees they manage and supervise. Downward Communication can increase efficiency by synchronising organisational procedures and can ensure that everybody is working towards the same overall aims and objectives. Types of downward communication include job descriptions, appraisals/evaluations, organisational policy, and organisational systems Effective communication is the foundation for effectiveness (McNamara) experts on organisations; management and leadership avow there cant be too much communication. Leaders and managers have realised that there is a need to effectively convey and receive information, To reiterate (McNamara Carter) subordinates need to be given proper communication from managers, as this is believed to lead to an increase in absenteeism amongst workers thus effecting productivity, there should be two-way communication in an organisation. Its enviable that the Manager should have personal contact with his subordinates. He should clearly communicate goals and policies of the organization to his subordinates and should get feedback on these goals and policies. Feedback plays a very important role in the communication process. It enables us to evaluate the effectiveness of our message. Giving the subordinates chance to provide feedback is important for maintaining an open communication within the organisation. The manager must create an environment that encourages feedback Performance appraisal Performance appraisals the process of obtaining, analysing and recording information about the relative worth of an employee. The focus of the performance appraisal is measuring and improvingthe actual performance of the employee and also the future potential of the employee. Its aim is to measure what an employee does andencourage employee communications about job-related and professional matters. (Harris, F 2006)Forms of communication include coaching, counselling, training and feedback on job performance. Strategic Human resource management What is strategic human resource management? Strategic human resource management (SHRM) could be defined as a process which is constantly evolving within many organisations, and should be constantly reviewed to suite employees and employers needs. Its definition and relationships with other aspects of business planning and strategy is not conclusive and opinion varies between many different theorists Theorists views Strategic HRM is the key to improved business performance within which there is comprehensive coverage of the various definitions and approaches to HRM, strategy and strategic HRM Armstrong, M and Baron, A. (2002) Is this statement a true reflection on what is believed to be the contemporary views of human resource management? Strategic HRM is regarded as a general approach to the strategic management of human resources in harmony with the intentions of the organisation on the future direction it wants to take. Strategic HRM is concerned with longer-term people issues and macro-concerns about structure, quality, culture, values, commitment and matching resources to future need. Boxall and Purcell argue that strategic HRM is concerned with explaining how HRM influences organisational performance. They also point out that strategy is not the same as strategic plans. Strategic planning is the formal process that takes place, usually in larger organisations, defining how things will be done, Purcell, J. (2003) To simplify these statements Strategic HRM is based on HRM principles incorporating the concept of strategy. So if HRM is a rational approach to the management of people, strategic HRM now implies that that is done in a planned way. Individuals, who are highly skilled, highly motivated and have the opportunity to participate within the organization by being given tasks to undertake. However, this will only feed through into higher levels of organisational performance if these individuals have positive management relationships with their superiors in a supportive environment with strong values. All these factors will support the willingness of individuals to perform above the minimum. It also could be said that the case is made for building the worker into the analysis of HRM, on the one hand, by incorporating worker attitudes and behaviour in the study of the HRM-performance relationship, and on the other, by paying serious attention to the association between HRM and worker-related outcomes. Evidence is presented to suggest that worker attitudes and behaviour mediate the HRM-performance relationship and that certain HR practices are associated with higher work and life satisfaction. (Guest, D 1997) Models on Strategic human resource management Human resource policies and practices have been linked with strategic objectives of many organisations. A number of British academics have made major contributions to the concept of HRM and their work is summarized below. Guest, D (1991) has taken the Harvard model and developed it further by defining four policy goals which he believes can be used as testable propositions: 1. Strategic integration: the ability of the organisation to integrate HRM issues into its strategic plans, ensure that the various aspects of HRM cohere and provide for line managers to incorporate an HRM perspective into their decision-making. 2. High commitment: A behavioural commitment to pursue agreed goals and attitudinal commitment reflected in a strong identification with the enterprise. Guest (1989) believes that the driving force behind HRM is the pursuit of competitive advantage in the market-place through provision of high-quality goods and services, through competitive pricing linked to high productivity and through the capacity swiftly to innovate and manage change in response to changes in the market-place or to breakthroughs in research and development. Legge, K (1989) considers that the common themes of typical definitions of HRM are that: Human resource policies should be integrated with strategic business planning and used to reinforce an appropriate (or change an inappropriate) organizational culture, that human resources are valuable and a source of competitive advantage, that they may be tapped most effectively by mutually consistent policies that promote commitment and which, as a consequence, foster a willingness in employees to act flexibly in the interests of the ‘adaptive organisations pursuit of excellence Summary Overall a medium sized contracting firm needs strategic systems in place especially taking into account the current economic climate, situations may arise where downsizing of the company and redundancies that may be prevalent due to the expected down turn in work load. At times of high unemployment, workers are thought to be concerned about losing their jobs and hence more conscientious and tolerant of strict management they become, its important to maintain communication in this situation. As states its important in difficult times for employees to become more flexible and foster willingness (Legge, K 1995) Other areas where lack of communication creates animosity between clients and contracting firm its proven that advising client of their needs and subsequently bring the projects successfully to implementation will help secure a good working relationship. Added values such as back up service of experienced staff and well qualified staff in all the requested areas of the construction programme this fits in with Guests model of giving high-quality goods and services, through competitive pricing linked to high productivity. (Guest, D 1997) If a business has highly motivated team then success will follow, this has to be lead from the top down and strategic integration from HR is paramount in the delivery of success as described in guests theory K, Legge at first contradicts Guests theory with whats known as a hard model theory by stating that employees are a resource just as any other business resource. Thus, human resource should match business needs and help achieve objectives. Management may monitor their performances for recognition and rewards. Furthermore, organizations will always try to acquire them as cheaply as possible, and exploit them to maximise profits. This model may sound less humanistic but the objective of achieving humanism should not compromise the objectives of organisations (Legge 1995). Theorists then began to look at other types of models and agreed that a softer approach was more fitting in certain current climates Harvard Business School developed soft or developmental humanism model, also tak es into consideration integration critical for the development of business strategies. At the same time, it also emphasises on treating people as valued assets. They should be treated as human capital, which is fundamentally different from other business resources. The soft model encourages developing employees so that they become proactive in organizational development and progress (Legge 1995). Many authors question the underlying practical applications of HRM models. Similar concerns are raised about SHRM. Its managerial focus, strategic perspectives and ‘realities‘ of HR practice have been questioned by several writers (Legge 1995; Guest 1997). SHRM is certainly concerned primarily with contributing to the ‘bottom line success of an organisation, which may sometimes involve a unitarist approach to the management of employees. SHRM may also infer a ‘hard HRM focus, which does not sit comfortably with some authors. However, as Legge (1995) points out, †˜If HRM, in either its ‘hard or ‘soft guises, involves the reassertion of managerial prerogative over the labour process, the strategies of flexibility reflect and constitute a path to this, employees as both resourceful humans and human resources Conclusion The above essay has analysed and evaluated various literature of human resource management, strategy and the links between these elements. While there is considerable discussion in relation to organisations using HRM strategically with a view to enhancing their organisation performance the actual implementation seems variable. The review of the literature also suggests there is a multi layer framework in which human resource management is located. (Guest, D. 2002) The relationship between organisations and workers is increasingly secured through different forms of involvement, ranging from an alienative to a moral involvement and from compliance to commitment as the basis for the ongoing attachment. Relationship and the interaction between the worker and employer have focused attention on outcomes. These outcomes can be perceived in terms of whether they are processes, procedures or practices, but at another they can be seen to be a mechanism for securing the objectives (Manning K 2005) Bibliography Books Bratton, J Gold, J (2003), Human resource management theory Practice 3rd edition, New York. Chaffee, E (1985) ‘Three models of strategy Academy of Management Review, London. Foot, M Hook, C. (2005), Introducing Human resource management 4th edition, London Harris, F McCaffer. (2006), Modern Construction Management sixth Edition, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford Price, A (2003), Human resource management in a business context 3rd edition, London Purcell, J. (2003), Strategy and human resource management, London. Mintzberg, H. (1994), The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Prentice-Hall. Mintzberg, H., Ahlstrand, B. and Lampel, J. (1998), Strategy Safari: A guided tour through the wilds of strategic management, The Free Press. Whittington, R. (2000), What is Strategy And Does It Matter? 2nd edition Thomson Learning. Manning, Dr. K (2005), Strategic Human Resource Management and Performance. Internet McNamara, C 1997 (http://managementmrktng/org) accessed 10th Dec 09 http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=347150 accessed 5th Jan 10 http://www.business.vu.edu.au/Mgt/working_papers/2005/wp6_2005_worland_manning. Accessed 5th Jan 2010 Journal articles Guest, D. E. 1997, ‘Human Resource Management and Performance: A Review and Research Agenda, International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 263-276. Guest, D. 2002, ‘Human Resource Management, Corporate Performance and Employee-Well-Being: Building the Worker into HRM, the Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 44, no. 3. pp. 335-358. Guest, D. E., Conway, N. Dewe, P. 2004, ‘Using Sequential Tree Analysis to Search for ‘Bundles of HR Practices, Human Resource Management Journal, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 79-96. Guest, D. E. Michie, J. Conway, N. Sheehan, M. 2003, ‘Human Resource Management and Corporate Performance in the UK, British Journal of Industrial Relations, vol.41, no. 2, pp. 291-314. Reilly, P. (2008) Strategic HR? Ask yourself the questions.HR Director. No 44, February. Richards, J. (2007) Aligning HR with the business: two steps forward, one step back. IRS Employment Review. No 866 March.

Dc Power Source Utilization Engineering Essay

Dc Power Source Utilization Engineering Essay Many industrial applications have begun to require higher power apparatus in recent years. Some medium voltage motor drives and utility applications require medium voltage and megawatt power level. For a medium voltage grid, it is troublesome to connect only one power semiconductor switch directly. As a result, a multilevel power inverter structure has been introduced as an alternative in high power and medium voltage situations. A multilevel inverter is a power electronic device built to synthesize a desired AC voltage from several levels of DC voltages. The concept of multilevel converters has been introduced since 1975. The term multilevel began with the three-level converter. Subsequently, several multilevel converter topologies have been developed. Plentiful multilevel converter topologies have been proposed during the last two decades. Contemporary research has engaged novel converter topologies and unique modulation schemes. Moreover, there are three different major multilevel converter structures which are cascaded H-bridges converter with separate dc sources, diode clamped (neutral-clamped), and flying capacitors (capacitor clamped) [1] Although the diode clamped multilevel inverter is commonly discussed in the literature, there has been considerable interest in the series connected or cascaded H-bridge inverter topologies [2]. However, the elementary concept of a multilevel converter to achieve higher power is to use a series of power semiconductor switches with several lower voltage dc sources to perform the power conversio n by synthesizing a staircase voltage waveform. Capacitors, batteries, and renewable energy voltage sources can be used as the multiple dc voltage sources [1]. Multilevel power conversion has become increasingly popular in recent years due to advantages of high power quality waveforms, low electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) concerns, low switching losses, and high-voltage capability. The primary disadvantage of multilevel power conversion technology is the large number of semiconductor devices required. This does not yield a significant cost increase since lower-voltage devices may be used. However, an increase in gate drive circuitry and more elaborate mechanical layout are required [3]. Project Overview This project will involve in the design and construction of a single phase 3-level H-bridge inverter using the IGBTs. An H-bridge is an electronic circuit which enables a voltage to be applied across a load in either direction. These circuits allow DC motors to run forwards and backwards. H-bridges are available as integrated circuits, or can be built from discrete components. In this single phase H-bridge inverter circuit, the IGBTs are used as power devices that will be operated as a switch by applying control signal to gate terminal of IGBTs. The insulated gate bipolar transistor or IGBT is a three-terminal power semiconductor device, noted for high efficiency and fast switching. The software that will be used is MATLAB Simulink. Simulink is a commercial tool for modeling, simulating and analyzing multidomain dynamic systems. Its primary interface is a graphical block diagramming tool and a customizable set of block libraries. The Aims and Objectives The aim of this project is to simulate a single phase 3-level H-bridge inverter (DC to AC converter) using the MATLAB Simulink and constructed it. The objectives of this project are as follows: To investigate the application of H-bridge inverter. To assemble using the software, circuits implementation, and troubleshoot for the hardware. To analyze the operation of the single-phase 3-level inverter for software and hardware. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Inverter Power electronics converters may be classified into four categories based on the source and types of the desired output characteristics as shown in Figure 1.1 below: OUTPUT AC DC AC INPUTRECTIFIER REGULATORS DC CHOPPERS INVERTERS Figure 2.1: Converter Classification DC-to-AC converter is known as inverter. The function of an inverter is to change a DC input voltage to a symmetrical AC output voltage of desired magnitude and frequency. The variable output voltage could be fixed or variable at a fixed or variable frequency. Inverter can be built in many output phases which is normally use in practice like single phase inverter and three phase inverter. The implementation of the inverter circuit must to be involved in application of the power devices like SCR, MOSFET, IGBT, GTO, and Forced-Commutated Thyristor which is controlled to turning ON and turning-OFF in its operation as a converter. This inverter generally use PWM control signal for producing an AC output voltage [3]. Single Phase H-Bridge Inverter Operation The H-Bridge Inverter or sometimes called Full Bridge consists of four switches (see Figure 2.2). A boost converter is required as this system has no means of stepping up the input. Switches S1-S4, and S2-S3 make up two switch pairs. When S1and S4 are on, the output voltage is a positive pulse, and when S2 and S3 are on, the output is a negative pulse. The phase sequence, frequency, output magnitude and harmonics can be controlled through appropriate switching devices, in conjunction with other equipment. Figure 2.2: Single phase H-bridge inverter Single Phase Multilevel H-Bridges Inverter There are two types of multilevel H-bridge inverter that can be selected in this project which are separated dc source and single DC source. These two types have its pros and cons. The advantages of separated DC source are: The number of possible output voltage levels is more than twice the number of dc sources (m = 2s + 1). The series of H-bridges makes for modularized layout and packaging. This will enable the manufacturing process to be done more quickly and cheaply. while the disadvantage is: Separate dc sources are required for each of the H-bridges. This will limit its application to products that already have multiple SDCSs readily available. Each H-bridge cell requires an isolated dc source. The isolated sources are typically provided from a transformer/rectifier arrangement, but may be supplied from batteries, capacitors or photovoltaic arrays to add up the output voltages. This topology was patented by Robicon Group in 1996 and is one of the companies standard drive products.[2] On the other hand, for the single DC source multilevel H-bridge inverter, the advantage of this type of connection is only one DC supply is used. This will not limit its application to products. And the disadvantage of single DC source is transformer is needed to add up the output voltages Separated DC Source Multilevel H-Bridges Inverter A single-phase structure of an m-level cascaded inverter is illustrated in Figure 2.3. Each separate dc source (SDCS) is connected to a single-phase full-bridge, or H-bridge, inverter. Each inverter level can generate three different voltage outputs, +Vdc, 0, and -Vdc by connecting the dc source to the ac output by different combinations of the four switches, S1, S2, S3, and S4. To obtain +Vdc, switches S1 and S4 are turned on, whereas -Vdc can be obtained by turning on switches S2 and S3. By turning on S1 and S2 or S3 and S4, the output voltage is 0. The ac outputs of each of the different full-bridge inverter levels are connected in series such that the synthesized voltage waveform is the sum of the inverter outputs. The number of output phase voltage levels m in a cascade inverter is defined by m = 2s+1, where s is the number of separate dc sources [1]. Figure 2.3: Single-phase structure of a multilevel cascaded H-bridges inverter An example phase voltage waveform for a nine-level cascaded inverter and all H-bridge cell output waveforms are shown in Figure 2.4. In this thesis, all dc voltages are assumed to be equal. According to sinusoidal-liked waveform, each H-bridge output waveform must be quarter-symmetric as illustrated by V1 waveform in Figure 2.2. Obviously, no even harmonic components are available in such a waveform. To minimize THD, all switching angles must be numerically calculated. Figure 2.4: Waveform showing a nine-level output phase voltage and each H-bridge output voltage. One of the advantages of this structure is the number of possible output voltage levels is more than twice the number of dc sources (m = 2s + 1). The other advantage is the series of H-bridges makes for modularized layout and packaging. This will enable the manufacturing process to be done more quickly and cheaply. On the other hand, the main disadvantage of this topology is that separate dc sources are required for each of the H-bridges. This will limit its application to products that already have multiple SDCSs readily available. The sources are typically provided from a transformer/rectifier arrangement, but may be supplied from batteries, capacitors or photovoltaic arrays. Single DC source Multilevel H-Bridges Inverter Referred to Zhong Du1, Leon M. Tolbert, John N. Chiasson, and Burak ÃÆ'-zpineci thesis entitled A Cascade Multilevel Inverter Using a Single DC Source, a method is presented showing that a cascade multilevel inverter can be implemented using only a single DC power source and capacitors. Without requiring transformers, the scheme proposed allows the use of a single DC power source for examples a battery or a fuel cell stack while the remaining nà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 DC sources being capacitors. Figure 2.5 shows the Single DC source Multilevel H-Bridges Inverter. The DC source for the first H-bridge (H1) is a DC power source with an output voltage of Vdc, while the DC source for the second H-bridge (H2) is a capacitor voltage to be held at Vdc/2. The output voltage of the first H-bridge is denoted by v1 and the output of the second H-bridge is denoted by v2 so that the output of this two DC source cascade multilevel inverter is v(t) = v1(t)+v2(t). By opening and closing the switches of H1 appropriately, the output voltage v1 can be made equal to à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Vdc, 0, or Vdc while the output voltage of H2 can be made equal to à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Vdc/2, 0, or Vdc/2 by opening and closing its switches appropriately. Figure 2.5: Single DC source Multilevel H-Bridges Inverter IGBTs Versus MOSFETs The power MOSFET is a device that is voltage- and not current-controlled. MOSFETs have a positive temperature coefficient, stopping thermal runaway. The on-state-resistance has no theoretical limit, hence on-state losses can be far lower. The MOSFET also has a body-drain diode, which is particularly useful in dealing with limited free wheeling currents. All these advantages and the comparative elimination of the current tail soon meant that the MOSFET became the device of choice for power switch designs. Then in the 1980s the IGBT came along. The IGBT combines the cross between the power MOSFET and a bipolar power transistor (see Figure 2.2). The IGBT has the output switching and conduction characteristics of a bipolar transistor but is voltage-controlled like a MOSFET. In general, this means it has the advantages of high-current handling capability of a bipolar with the ease of control of a MOSFET. However, the IGBT still has the disadvantages of a comparatively large current tail and no body drain diode. Early versions of the IGBT are also prone to latch up, but nowadays, this is pretty well eliminated. Another potential problem with some IGBT types is the negative temperature co-efficient, which could lead to thermal runaway and makes the paralleling of devices hard to effectively achieve. This problem is now being addressed in the latest generations of IGBTs that are based on non-punch through (NPT) technology. This technology has the same basic IGBT structure (see Figure 2.6) bu t is based on bulk-diffused silicon, rather than the epitaxial material that both IGBTs and MOSFETs have historically used [4]. Figure 2.6: NPT IGBT cross section The comparisons between MOSFETs and IGBTs are as below: Table 2.1: Comparisons between IGBTs and MOSFETs IGBTs MOSFETs Characteristics Low duty cycle Low frequency ( Narrow or small line or load variations High-voltage applications (>1000V) >5kW output power Operation at high junction temperature is allowed (>100 °C) Long duty cycles High frequency applications (>200kHz) Wide line or load variations Low-voltage applications ( Applications Motor control: Frequency Uninterruptible power supply (UPS): Constant load, typically low frequency Welding: High average current, low frequency ( Low-power lighting: Low frequency ( Switch mode power supplies (SMPS): Hard switching above 200kHz Switch mode power supplies (SMPS): ZVS below 1000 watts Battery charging [4] Applications of Inverters There are many application of inverter available today. Some of the applications are as follows: DC power source utilization An inverter converts the DC electricity from sources such as batteries, solar panels, or fuel cells to AC electricity. The electricity can be at any required voltage; in particular it can operate AC equipment designed for mains operation, or rectified to produce DC at any desired voltage. Grid tie inverters can feed energy back into the distribution network because they produce alternating current with the same wave shape and frequency as supplied by the distribution system. They can also switch off automatically in the event of a blackout. Micro-inverters convert direct current from individual solar panels into alternating current for the electric grid. Electric vehicle drives Adjustable speed motor control inverters are currently used to power the traction motor in some electric locomotives and diesel-electric locomotives as well as some battery electric vehicles and hybrid electric highway vehicles such as the Toyota Prius. Various improvements in inverter technology are being developed specifically for electric vehicle applications. In vehicles with regenerative braking, the inverter also takes power from the motor (now acting as a generator) and stores it in the batteries. Uninterruptible power supplies An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) uses batteries and an inverter to supply AC power when main power is not available. When main power is restored, a rectifier is used to supply DC power to recharge the batteries. Variable-frequency drives A variable-frequency drive controls the operating speed of an AC motor by controlling the frequency and voltage of the power supplied to the motor. An inverter provides the controlled power. In most cases, the variable-frequency drive includes a rectifier so that DC power for the inverter can be provided from main AC power. Since an inverter is the key component, variable-frequency drives are sometimes called inverter drives or just inverters. Induction heating Inverters convert low frequency main AC power to a higher frequency for use in induction heating. To do this, AC power is first rectified to provide DC power. The inverter then changes the DC power to high frequency AC power. CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY Introduction This chapter exposes the proposed method of this project to built single phase multilevel H-bridge inverter. This project can be divided into two main parts of study which are software and hardware implementation. For the software part, the software used is PIC24 Compiler that used to do the programming for the microcontroller part and MATLAB to do the simulation of the inverter circuit before implemented it in hardware. In addition, Proteus 7 Professional is also used to simulate the driver circuit before do the hardware. The summary of the project is shown in Figure 3.1. Software Part Prepared (Microcontroller) Hardware Part Prepared Troubleshooting Interfacing Result Figure 3.1: The project summary Design of the H-Bridge Inverter System The H-Bridge inverter system can be divided into three main stages that were constructed. It is consists of: Microcontroller Power electronics driver Power electronics inverter Each part was treated as a separate functional block system. Figure 3.2 below shows the block diagram of how each stage of the inverter system are organized. Power electronic driver circuit and microcontroller stage is the low voltage side and power electronics inverter circuit is the high voltage side. DC Voltage Input AC Output Power Electronics Inverter Circuit Microcontroller Power Electronic Driver Circuit Figure 3.2: The block diagram of the inverter system Microcontroller Microcontroller is a computer-on-a-chip optimised to control electronic devices. The microcontroller chip used for this project is PIC16F877A. In this project, microcontroller is used to develop the triggering signal for the IGBTs and interfacing to the single phase inverter circuit as a control signal for the gate driver. To implement the microcontroller part, the program for triggering the IGBTs was written in assembly language using the PIC C Compiler. It is written in the text editor or notepad called as source code. It also can be written directly in the PIC C Compiler. Then the file saved is *file.c file. After the program is successfully compiled, the *file.hex file was generated. The hex file was tested by doing the simulation in the Proteus 7 Professional to see the output generated from the program. After got the correct output, the *file.hex file then was uploaded in the PIC16F877A using the PIC programmer. The process of implementing the microcontroller is shown in Figure 3.3. This microcontroller part is the first part that was implemented in hardware. Figure 3.3: The process of implementing the microcontroller Power Electronics Driver A driver is an electronic component used to control another circuit or other component, such as a high-power transistor. Unlike the bipolar transistor, which is current driven, IGBTs, with their insulated gates, are voltage driven. It is allows user to speed up or slow down the switching speeds according to the requirements of the application. The control circuitry supplied low current driving signals that are referenced to controller-ground. A logic one signal was applied to its gate with respect to its source to turn on an IGBT switch, and this signal needs to restrain sufficient power. These requirements can not be met by the control circuit. Figure 3.5 shows a diagram of how signals need to be applied to IGBT switches for effective operation. Figure 3.4: Control signals need to be applied to the gate with respect to the source The driver chose is IR2110 which is a dual driver. The IR2110 High Voltage Bridge Driver is a power integrated circuit that is designed to drive two insulated gate devices. The typical connection of the driver is shown in Figure 3.5. The two channels of the IR2110 are completely independent of one another. The HO output is controlled by the HIN input, and the LO output is controlled by the LIN input. The two inputs of the IR2110 are logically coupled to the shutdown (SD) pin through an AND gate. If HIN and LIN both go high, then the IR2110 will be shut down until one or both inputs go low. This measure helps prevent the catastrophic situation where both Q1 and Q2 turn on at the same time and short circuit the input source. [5] Figure 3.5: Typical connection of IR2110 High Voltage Bridge Driver Isolation using the optocoupler An optocoupler or sometimes refer to as optoisolator allows two circuits to exchange signals yet remain electrically isolated. This is usually accomplished by using light to relay the signal. The standard optocoupler circuits design uses a LED shining on a phototransistor. The signal is applied to the LED, which then shines on the transistor in the ic.   The optocoupler circuit is shown in Figure 3.6 below. In this project, the optocoupler is used as the source and destination are at very different voltage levels, where the source is the microprocessor which is operating from 5V DC but it being used to control the IGBTs which is switching at higher voltage. In such situations the link between the two must be an isolated one, to protect the microprocessor from overvoltage damage. The optocouplers can be used with following advantages for driving high side IGBT in any topology: They can be used to give a very high isolation voltage Signals from DC to several MHz can be handled by opto-couplers. They can be easily interfaced to Microcomputers or other controller ICs or any PWM IC. Figure 3.6: Optocoupler circuit The circuit of low side voltage which consists of PIC, driver and optocoupler was first constructed in the Proteus 7 Professional to see the output generated to be compared with the hardware results. The circuit is as in Figure 3.7 below. Figure 3.7: Low side voltage simulation Power Electronic Inverter The power electronics inverter part is the main part of the system. This is because this circuit will perform the conversion from DC to AC. The circuit consists of four IGBT that act as a switch, DC source and also the load. Figure 3.8 shows a diagram of the H-Bridge power electronics inverter stage. Figure 3.8: H-Bridge power electronics inverter stage. But for this project, the inverter circuit used is the 3-level H-bridge inverter circuit. The circuit was first constructed in the MATLAB as in Figure 3.9 and the simulation of the circuit was done to see the result of simulation. Figure 3.9: 3-level H-bridge inverter circuit constructed in MATLAB The block parameter for the IGBTs was set as in Figure 3.10. The switching frequency used for this circuit is 50Hz. So, the period of waveform can be calculated as below: Switching frequency, f = N / Pf Fundamental period, Pf = 1 / f fundamental = 1/ 50 = 0.02s Figue 3.10: The block parameter setting for the IGBTs In addition, the phase delay or switching times of the IGBTs were also set. Table 3.1 below shows the switching time of the IGBTs. After the simulation was success, the circuit of single 3-level H-bridge inverter was constructed. Table 3.1: The switching time of the IGBTs IGBTs Switching Time IGBT 1 and IGBT 3 10 ms (à Ã¢â€š ¬) IGBT 2 and IGBT 4 0 ms (0 à Ã¢â€š ¬) IGBT 5 and IGBT 7 7 ms (à Ã¢â€š ¬/7) IGBT 6 and IGBT 8 3 ms (à Ã¢â€š ¬/3) For the switch, IRGB10B60KDPBF IGBT was selected for this design. It is very important to choose the correct switches for the inverter circuit because the performance of the design is directly depends on this. This IGBT was chosen because it has ultra fast recovery diode along, it offered benchmark efficiency for motor control and excellent current sharing in parallel operation. In addition the IGBT was selected as they are able withstand the power rating of the inverter. Table 3.2 shows some of the features of the selected IGBT. Table 3.2: The features of IRGB10B60KDPBF IGBT Characteristics Value Drain to Source Voltage (Vds) 600V Drain Current (Id) 12A Rise Time 20ns Fall Time 23ns Short Circuit Capability 10ÃŽÂ ¼s Figure 3.4: 3-level H-bridge inverter circuit

Longs Peak :: essays research papers

LONGS PEAK Deep in the heart of the Rockies lies the small mountain village of Estes Park, Colorado. Estes Park borders Rocky Mountain National Park and it was my summer retreat. Never in my life had I seen someplace taken directly out of a fairy tale. The mountains swallowed the town. One particular mountain immediately caught my eye. I knew that it had to be the tallest, for it was the only mountain that was still covered in May snow. I later learned that the enormous mountain was Longs Peak. Longs Peak happened to be a “fourteener", a Colorado mountain over fourteen thousand feet. The mountain could be seen from every corner of the park as well as from distant cities such as Denver or Boulder, which were well over fifty miles away. The mountain held an intense mystification for me. It reminded me of a Cardinals game, which I saw prior to my visit to Estes Park. Mark McGuire was coming up to bat, and shocks rippled down my spine when I saw him. An atomic power radiated from him. Even though there were several other players on the field I simply could not keep my eyes off him. Longs Peak also stood head and shoulders over the other players. I had to climb Longs Peak before I left Estes Park. I felt a call that told me if I failed to climb the mountain I would be missing out on a life changing opportunity. Perhaps I wanted to climb it because everyday when I went outside, it was the first thing I saw. Maybe I wanted simply to prove to myself that I could do anything that I set my mind and body to. I am not sure what it was; all I know is that it was constantly in the back of my head pushing me. Longs Peak is an extremely difficult and technical climb. It offers challenges to every level of climbers, especially to a slacker like myself. The trail is only a little over eight miles long. It has a very steep elevation gain of over four thousand feet. The climb takes over two days of intensely strenuous hiking. Water is the most important thing in climbing; the body must remain fully hydrated at all times in order to maximize best performance. It is extremely unsafe to climb alone; therefore, my friend Bobby accompanied me on the expedition.

Accomplish Victory Essay examples -- Economy, Economic Downturn, Reces

What is a recession? A recession is declared once the GDP is negative for two consecutive quarters or more, a few quarters before is actually the start of an economic downturn. GDP is defined as gross domestic product and that basically means the total value of goods the United States has produced, for the year. The first few signs of a recession are negative growth followed by a miniature positive growth. Because American citizens don’t have the money to spend they don’t spend and the consumer spending aspect of the economy takes a drastic downfall. Unemployment rates also have play in determining a recession (22). Proper money management and finances could bring an economy out of a recession. There are major flaws in the way we live that people are doing nothing to fix. Most people are in debt, in late 2005 â€Å"wage growth was shortchanged because 46 percent of the growth of total income in the corporate sector was distributed as corporate profits, far more than 20 percent in previous periods.†(24) Household income had fallen five years in a row and was 4 percent lower. The average wages of Americans are low. The growth of the American population is expanding very rapidly; the job count compared to population growth is almost unrealistic. Only one point nine percent more jobs have come up since the beginning of the last recession. The unemployment rate is four point six percent That means that a lot of people do not have jobs; the percent of people that have a job was one point three percent, So that means that more people are not working than people with a job. (24) Poverty was sky rocketing in two thousand; the rate was eleven point three percent and rose in four years to twelve point seven percent; that is approximat... ...spend then how is making goods and services more expensive going to help? Obama is a very good man with what I believe to be good intentions. But his money managing skills could use a lot of work. I do not see what does not make sense to him if the United States is in debt then does he continually spend money on things that we do not need such as, visiting other countries, flying first class on Air Force One. Instead of trying to make peace treaties with other countries we need to increase education in schools and supply them with the money and resources that they need to educate children and make them able to run a country. Children are our future and if we don’t do a good job at making the future the best it can be then will end up in the same spot we are in today. This should turn this country’s finances around and soon enough we will be living in prosperity.

The Use Of Animal Imagery In Othello Essay -- William Shakespeare

In William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Othello† the use of animal imagery was evident throughout the telling of the story. Shakespeare explained several characters actions by comparing them to similarities in animals. The characters in â€Å"Othello† were often depicted as having animal-like characteristics. Some characters were even compared to animals by other characters in the play. By defining characters in terms of these characteristics one can get a clear description of what the character is doing or saying as compared to certain animals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this paper I hope to give examples of animal imagery used in â€Å"Othello† that assist in explaining the play. The specific examples I present will describe a character either as seen by himself or by a fellow character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first use of animal imagery I noted occurred came in Act One when Iago, Othello’s standard bearer, has awaken Brabantio, who was a Venetian senator and the father of Desdemona, to tell him that Othello has taken his daughter Desdemona, and as they speak is making love to her. Iago was attempting to instigate a fight between Othello and Brabantio, using Desdemona as the bait. Iago stated, â€Å"Your heart is burst. You have lost half your soul. Even now, now, very now, and old black ram is tupping your white ewe† (p. 13). In that statement Iago was comparing Othello to an old black ram by comparing Othello’s skin color to that of the black ram’s, and the white ewe, a young female sheep, to Desdemona. Shakespeare was trying to illustrate in his writing the act of and old black man making love to a young white woman. The use of a black ram and a white ewe to compare Othello and Desdemona helped in the visualization of their affair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespeare displayed animal imagery again in Act Two when Cassio was explaining to Iago that if he had as many mouths as Hydra, a many headed monster slain by Hercules, he could silence the many questions asked of him. In this Shakespeare presented Cassio as being burdened by many questions that he could not answer all at once, but if he had as many mouths as Hydra it would be more accessible for him to do so. Cassio said, â€Å"I will ask him for my place again; he shall tell me I am a drunkard! Has I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all† (p.101). Cassio was explaining to Iago that if he went to Othello now... ...eceptive tears. Desdemona, in the eyes of Othello, was not sorry, but was rather hiding something from him. Shakespeare’s use of animal imagery here was similar to his earlier uses. Shakespeare was trying to display a woman, who in the mind of her husband, was crying tears of deception. Othello had let his mind be so altered by Iago’s lies, that he had even began to believe everything he said. This action of Othello was fueled by his earlier animal-like change caused by Iago.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, Shakespeare’s use of animal imagery in â€Å"Othello† was crucial to the description of the story. In â€Å"Othello† certain scenes would have been harder to understand or relate to if it was not for the animal imagery related to it. Shakespeare’s comparison of characters to certain animals is unlike any other’s. Shakespeare’s portray of a character’s emotions and thoughts through animal imagery helped in the understanding of that particular scene. Lastly, without the vivid comparisons of animals and characters, this play would undoubtedly have been more complicated to both interpret and understand. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Othello. Toronto: Pocket Books, 2008.

Business Research Methods Essay

Organizational Dilemma Starbucks grew as it attracted many people, leading to tripling its stores worldwide. It became part of every neighborhood, appearing on every street, in airports, supermarkets, and roadside rest stops all over America. This is when complaints began to surface that Starbucks is transforming into a fast-food restaurant and not a coffee house. The coffee industry was no longer dominated by Starbucks, for competitors began to put pressure on the business. In addition, the biggest dilemma to hit Starbucks was the 2008 economic crisis. This took a toll on the consumer who saw Starbucks as a luxury and searched for more affordable alternatives. As a result, Starbucks’ management was faced with the need to generate the right management question that would be the thread to making the best decision through its research design. An organizational dilemma can spark a research question. Once an organization determines a situation exists, research methods start to devise and eventually sample designs are implemented. When people think of Starbucks, do they think of great customer service, quality products, clean store, or great coffee? The organizational dilemma is: how should Starbucks go about keeping loyal customers while overcoming the old perceptions and changing with the times. According to Howard Schultz, â€Å"We are not in the coffee business serving people; we are in the people business serving coffee† (Starbucks Board of Directors, 2008). Research Design Marius Pretorius (2008) research infers Starbuck’s organizational dilemma, whether strategic or operational is not diminished when using Michael Porter’s (1985) generic strategies for competitive advantage. Declining sales require a turnaround solution that address strategic causes and cost relationship pressures that govern demand determinants. Which are â€Å"highly susceptible to external influences that are not clearly visible to the decision-makers† (Pretorius, 2008, pg. 21). Designing a two-stage exploratory study to identify the basis of distress and the key determinants is essential to a turnaround strategic plan. An exploratory study provides sufficient flexibility to address research costs, timelines, and development of clear constructs to address priorities and operational definitions (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). The first stage of the study will look to ascertain the causation of the organizational dilemma and postulate the asymmetrical relationships in declining sales by examining both internal and external independent and dependent variables. This research will categorize findings into four relationship types as stimulus-response, property-disposition, disposition-behavior, or property-behavior. This will refine the second stage of research and explore influencing factors in depth. Characteristics and Operational Definitions The research design will produce casual inferences upon which a complementary strategy will result. â€Å"Although they may be neither permanent nor universal, these inferences allow us to build knowledge of presumed causes over time† (Cooper & Schindler, 2011, pg. 154). Therefore, it is important to identify moderating or interactive variable dependencies. To ensure data validity operational definitions will challenge data to meet specific standards. These definitions may not exhibit the organization’s use but will establish a means to classify clearly an event. The main concern is to establish actionable information in which contributory or contingent effects on the original independent to dependent variable (IV–DV) relationship will provide empirical conclusions. References Cooper, D.R. & Schindler, P.S. (2011). Business research methods (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Porter, M.E., (1985). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance. New York, NY: The Free Press Pretorius, M., (2008). When Porter’s generic strategies are not enough: Complementary strategies for turnaround situations. Journal of Business Strategy 29(6): 19–28. Starbucks Board of Directors. (2008). Retrieved 2 2013, February, from Starbucks.com: www.starbucks.com/aboutus/environment.asp Starbucks, (2011) Our Company: Mission Statement. Retrieved from http://www.starbucks.com