Duchess of Malfi Essay

The Duchess of Malfi written by John Webster was first performed around 1613. A dramatic tragedy, the play is about a forbidden marriage between the Duchess and Antonio her steward, and the wrath of her brothers which leads to many of their deaths. Webster focuses on the role of rank to detail the emotions between relationships in an aristocratic family in a time when class was all important. He uses many distinctive features to convey the substance of the play and its characters, and give the actors playing the roles cues for stage performance. This extract is part of the proposal and marriage scene, one of the biggest emotional dramatic scenes of the play. The duchess is marrying in secret against her brothers wishes; their fear is that she will demean the family’s honour by remarrying. It also forms the most positive aspect of the play, using one of the traditional stage conventions of love, defiance and disapproval (Pacheco and Johnson (2012) pg. 93). This serves to provide a ‘lift’ to an otherwise dark play, and compares the lighter side of the Duchess’ sexual desire to her brother Ferdinand’s. The extract is set at the second half of Act 1 scene 1, the first half being to set the backdrop for the audience and give them a good idea of each character and a good indication of things to come. Specifically, the extract is between the Duchess finding out how Antonio feels about marriage and their union itself; here, the Duchess is convincing Antonio that he is worthy of her, that she is woman enough despite her brothers, her rank and her status as a widow. This is achieved by the features of Webster’s distinctive language and the stage directions (both written and performed through reading). The Duchess uses double meaning in her dialogue, ‘So now the grounds broke/ you may discover what a wealthy mine/ I make you lord of.’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.432-33). She is referring to her own wealth and the value of his rank when they marry. This wordplay is also in the line ‘we are forced to woo because none dare woo us:’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.446) she is again referring to her rank and playing on the word ‘woo’ to mean ‘woe’ (and the irony being that she is wooing him). These are very persuasive lines for Antonio, who feels unworthy of the Duchess despite the traditional gender roles being swapped, and the dominance of the Duchess being prevalent. He realises this with the line ‘These words should be mine,’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.476). There is also wordplay in ‘All discord, without this circumference, / Is only to be pitied and not feared.’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.473). The Duchess is referring to the situation they are in (secret wedding and/or the room), the wedding ring she has given him and to the confinement her brothers wish for her. There could also be reference to how Antonio will be should they marry – a higher rank, but it will be a secret for some time. The duchess is trying to assuage the fear of it all by saying without it there is only pity (for her). The metre and rhythm of the speech in this extract is another distinctive feature. It is un-rhyming blank verse and follows the rules of iambic pentameter except where Webster wants a character to pause, for example, ‘You were ill to sell yourself’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.435) is only three feet of the full five feet line, leaving two for pause before the next line. This puts impact on that line but also on the ones following it. This technique is also echoed in the ‘woo’ line (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.446); the metre of the line is slightly too long, which shows the Duchess’ unwillingness to follow orders. Likewise, the line ‘You have left me heartless, mine is in your bosom’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.453) is too long, giving emphasis on the line and a cue for the actress playing the Duchess to use it for stage direction. The Duchess and Antonio’s dialogue overlaps through most of this extract; it makes them sound as if they are thinking together – giving the audience a feel for the emotional charge between the two characters. We have already seen from earlier in scene 1 that the Duchess is clearly defiant of her brothers, so it is little surprise to see that in response to Antonio’s fear of them she shrugs them off with the line ‘Do not think of them.’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.472). this confirms the audiences view of her as being strong and resilient but also somewhat naive, and also gives them a clue of what is to come, especially when she follows with the lines ‘Yet, should they know it, time will easily/ scatter the tempest.’ (Webster, (2010 [1623]) 1.1.476). This dramatic irony confirms what the audience knows but Antonio does not: that her brothers are unaware of their impending marriage. Indeed, with these lines Webster is inviting the audience to fear the brother’s reaction too after hearing their earlier death threat to the Duchess. (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.298-344) The depth of each character and difference of rank is shown in this extract by Webster’s use of figurative language. The Duchess continuously shows her determination and sprit, something which continues throughout the play – even to her death. And poor Antonio, who despite being honest and loyal, is overwhelmed at the turn of events and the metaphoric swapping of gender roles to the point where he is seeking solace in the Duchess’s words and is happy to be deluded ‘Would not have savoured flattery’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.478). He is painfully aware that he is not equal in rank but will be in marriage, and his fears exaggerate her strength ‘These words should be mine,/ And all of the parts you have spoke, if some part of it/ Would not have savoured flattery.’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.476-8) As for performance, the extract only provides one written key stage direction ‘(she kisses him)’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.468). However, there is plenty in the reading of the extract to relate to performance. This also leaves room for interpretation in relation to performance possibilities. The pace of the dialogue changes depending on which character is speaking, for example, lines 445-462 are full of short syllables which quicken the rhythm of the metre to make it energetic and erratic, ‘And fearfully equivocates,’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.448). It could serve to make the Duchess sound tense yet determined, and she could be sort of ranting in her attempts to convince Antonio. These lines also provide many words that can be used as stage direction, for example while she is speaking between lines 445 and 451 she could be pacing the stage and using her hands to emphasise her point ‘The misery of†¦ Thing it is not’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.445-52). Also in ‘Go, go brag,’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.452), she could point off stage as if inviting him to leave, either in an angry or defeated way. After, in ‘You have left me heartless’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.453), her hands could go to her heart, and then onto his with ‘mine is in your bosom’ and leave them there for ‘you do tremble (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.453-54). She could shake him at ‘awake, awake, man,’ (Webster, (2010[1623]) 1.1.459). The pace slows down again after Antonio has promised to protect her reputation; the syllables become longer and more even and written commas slow the dialogue to make it measured. This follows to the end of the extract so we can see that the Duchess is calmer and happy now that Antonio has accepted her proposal. This should reflect in the way that the person playing the Duchess should perform, especially when she is shrugging off the fear of her brothers, as it is almost nonchalant. The stage set up should have enough room for there to be complete focus on the characters and no superfluous scenery – perhaps only what is required to make it obvious what the room is, plus the table and chair for Antonio and the curtains for Cariola to hide behind. If the Duchess is pacing the stage while she rants there should be adequate room for this, and Antonio could follow behind her. Indeed, if he is seeking solace in her words, the actor may wish to appear meek (and therefore filling the gender and rank role) by following her blindly but also allowing her to turn to place her hands on him where necessary. In all, we can see how the distinctive features of Webster’s language have brought the play into being. The use of dramatic irony, metre and rhythm, imagery and figurative language to convey emotion, bring scenes to life and help the audiences perception. Webster also especially does this in his use of figurative language to create stage directions for the cast, which in turn helps them to set and convey the scene. With the play only having little written stage directions, Webster leaves the play open for the actor’s interpretation, and its possibilities onstage.

Famine, Affluence and Morality Essay

The essay will be presented by means of giving a brief explanation on the argument of Singer that giving charity is, to some degree, obligatory. After a detailed yet concise explanation of the same, an exploratory presentation will be given on account of the claim whether or not the number of people who give can affect how much a person is obliged to give. The gist of Singer’s argument that giving charity is obligatory is founded on practical and moral grounds. First, the basic mantra that no one is an island proves to be true in all occasions and at all times. As applied to the existence of world governments, the international arena nowadays is viewed as global society. All countries are viewed as part of one’s political philosophy thereby formulating and implementing foreign policy of nations. Thus, a country may get involved of what is happening in other parts of the world. There is no doubt that some countries of the other side of the globe are not in good condition. Famine, pestilences, extreme poverty and calamities brought about by man or by nature exist that affect a large number of people. As Singer argued, the suffering and death of other people are not inevitable and not unavoidable. Therefore, there is hope that those people that are considered victims of the aforementioned catastrophes can be saved and comforted in order to survive. In matters of moral standards, it is proper to help those who are in need, may it be private and public in manner. In other words, private citizens who are in the position to help those countries that are plagued with myriad calamities can do the same and at the same time, the government can formulate and implement laws that give aids for such victims of natural and man-made calamities. In addition, it is also practical to help those who are in need in times of difficulties since man by nature is logical and reasonable. Man can choose between what is good and evil and most likely, helping others is a natural act. On the point of view of countries, Singer pointed out that it is not beyond the capacity of the richer nations to give enough assistance to lessen any further suffering to very small proportions. Wealthy countries hold the power to help poor nations since they are able to do so. It is up to these countries if they would give financial, technological and material aid. But if it is in the power of richer nations to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, they should, based on moral grounds, do the same. People are obliged to help not because they need to, but because they have the capabilities to do so and their conscience counts a lot knowing that countries who are suffering myriad dilemmas are not unknown in the international community. Moreover, giving charity is obligatory since those who are capable to do so are looked upon by others that cannot possibly share their scant resources. Yet, no matter how we rationalize our willingness to help is of no moment on the fact that some people are dying everyday in some countries of which they could have lived if not for our selfish interests and motives. What Singer is trying to convey is that since it is within the power of a rich nation to help poor countries, there should be no reason not to help. On account of the claim on whether or not c, the arguments of Singer provided more on the negative. This is because what Singer wants to convey is that all people who has the capabilities to contribute for those who are in need must give as much as they can without affecting their own needs for the reason that more people are in need everyday. It is the safest way to help other people for we are not sure that all people who could afford to contribute charity would respond to the call to give. Hence, the number of people who give can not affect how much a person is obligated to give as charitable contribution. It is true that some people who can afford to give may not contribute much for the poor and the needy. However, Singer made it to the point that if people accept any principle of impartiality, universality, equality, or whatever it is, they cannot discriminate against someone merely because he is far away from them or that they are far away from him. With that, giving help is both voluntary and obligatory for the benefit of all people. If there will be less people who will give contribution, then there should be an increasing efforts to invite those who can afford to share their blessings. One has only to ask this question to see the absurdity of the view that numbers lessen obligation. As Singer emphasized, the question should be: should one consider less obligation to pull the drowning child out of the pond if on looking around one could see other people, no further away than where a person is who have also noticed the child but are doing nothing? In this case, Singer is telling us that helping others should be dependent on the presence of other people but what is important is no matter how other people would react to a given situation wherein help is needed, one should help as much as possible. It is always proper to give more than what is needed as long as available and no equally important needs could be affected. The more we can give, the more we can possibly help in a given situation. It does not matter if there are more people who contributed to a charitable institution as long as a particular person gave more help. Aside from that, the amount of help that we should give should not be dependent on the number of people who will give since there are increasing needs in the society. Those who are poor needs more help everyday and due to population increase their number will also increase. Imagine how chaotic a society is, that does not care to look at other people’s welfare. The responsibility of each one of us is to make sure that there are no individuals who are suffering from too much poverty if we really understood the meaning of moral and ethical standards. People cannot tolerate the presence of children who are homeless and parents who are jobless. Therefore, giving much for charitable institutions is a must, hence obligatory. The rules and regulations as well as the laws that the government implements are useless if there are poor people who are crying for relief just to survive from too much poverty. The help that people could give should not be limited to what is needed, but to how much one could contribute. Singer also argued that moral attitudes are shaped by the needs of society, and no doubt society needs people who will observe the rules that make social existence tolerable. However, the moral point of view requires us to look beyond the interests of our own society. While it is true that it is quiet inessential to help people outside one’s own society, it is also unacceptable that a society disregard the call for giving charity. Hence, the prevention of the starvation of millions of people outside our society must be considered at least as pressing as the upholding of property norms within our society. Moreover, the people knew what to do. If they require others in giving charity, they must think that it is up to these people on how they will follow the moral code since asking them to do so could be absurd. Helping others must be done on the people’s own free will under the guidance of moral philosophy and ethical principles. The message of Thomas Aquinas was even mentioned by Singer on account of the fact that as God do not intend men to suffer; sharing to others must be practiced without counting on who should give more or less to the poor and the needy. Thus, the purpose of God is to prevent misery such that those who have more in life must give something to the poor and the needy. The distribution of resources as mandated by law must not prevent the purpose to cater the needs of all people. In connection with that, the burden of proof of showing how their refusal will bring about governmental action is on those who refuse to give. Finally, giving privately is not enough, and that we ought to be campaigning actively for entirely new standards for both public and private contributions to famine relief. This means that constant campaigns to help other people in need do not prevent an individual to give more despite the fact that the number of people who gave contributions increased. To reiterate what Singer had argued, the strong version of which that required people to prevent bad things from happening unless in doing so they would be sacrificing something of comparable moral significance, does seem to require reducing their selves to the level of marginal utility. This claim for that matter is the correct one. Thus, the number of people who give cannot affect how much a person is obligated to give. People are free to give what they could afford for charitable circumstances.

Karl Benz Essay

Karl Benz was born on 25th November 1844 in Karlsruhe, the son of an engine driver. The middle of the last century, when Benz was an apprentice, was a time of widespread fascination with the â€Å"new technology†. The first railway line in Germany from Nuremberg to Furth had been opened in 1835, only twenty years before, and in the space of just a few decades the railways, steamships and new production processes had ushered in a new era in technology, industry and everyday life. Karl Benz attended the Karlsruhe grammar school and subsequently the Karlsruhe Polytechnic. Between 1864 and 1870, he worked for a number of different firms as a draughtsman, designer and works manager before founding his first firm in 1871 in Mannheim, with August Ritter. But little money was to be made in the building materials trade and the economic convulsions of the 1870’s caused difficulties for the young company. Karl Benz now turned to the two-stroke engine, in the hope of finding a new livelihood. After two years’ work, his first engine finally sprang to life on New Year’s Eve, 1879. He took out various patents on this machine. Equally important were the contacts with new business associates, with whose assistance Benz founded a gas engine factory in Mannheim. But after only a short time he withdrew from this company since it did not give him a free enough hand for his technical experiments. Benz found two new partners and with them founded â€Å"Benz & Co., Rheinische Gasmotorenfabrik† in 1883 in Mannheim, a general partnership. Business was good and soon the production of industrial engines was being stepped up With this new financial security, Karl Benz could now set about designing a â€Å"motor carriage†, with an engine based on the Otto four stroke cycle. Unlike Daimler, who installed his engine in an ordinary carriage, Benz designed not only his engine, but the whole vehicle as well. On 29th January 1886, he was granted a patent on it and on 3rd July 1886, he introduced the first automobile in the world to an astonished public. In 1903, Karl Benz retired from active participation in his company. The next year however, he joined the supervisory board of Benz & Cie and he was a member of the supervisory board of Daimler-Benz AG from 1926, when the company was formed, until his death in 1929. In 1872, Karl Benz married Bertha Ringer, who was to be of major support to him in his work. The couple produced five children. Benz lived to witness the motoring boom and the definitive penetration of his idea in to everyday life. He died on 4th April 1929. The former Benz family residence in Ladenburg is now open to the public. The Daimler-Benz foundation, founded in 1986, has its registered office here.

Is brain dead really dead Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is brain dead really dead - Research Paper Example Advances in medical knowledge and practice have made it possible for respiratory and cardiovascular functions to be taken over by sophisticated machines and advanced therapies. The significance of recognizing brain death is based on the costs of maintaining patients on life support, intellectual progression and utilitarian purposes. Despite the importance of recognizing brain death, concerns have been raised over challenges to determining brain death. The first challenge is that brain death is not death while the second challenge is that brain death is death but the clinical criteria used to recognize it are unreliable. This essay will discuss the importance of recognizing brain death, in addition to discussing the challenges to brain death. Brain death is a clinical manifestation characterized by irreversible cessation of all the functions of the human brain, including the brain stem (Machado, 2007). Even though the concept of brain death has commonly been applied to organ donation and transplantation, brain death has become a contested issue in general medical practice. Strict guidelines have been developed to certify brain death and only specialist medical practitioners are allowed to make the determination. Recognition of brain death is crucial in medical practice given the medical, bioethical and legal contestations associated with brain death. Much as brain death is considered to be effective in making definite recognition of death, the legal, ethical and human aspects associated with death make brain death a very complex clinical issue. The permanent cessation of the respiratory and cardiovascular functions was traditionally used as the basis upon which death was recognized. Regardless of a patient’s situation, this criterion was widely accepted as the standard for recognizing death (Wijdicks, 2013). Conversely, advancements in medical technology and knowledge have

HIST 1400 assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HIST 1400 - Assignment Example Enlightenment philosophies diluted the pretenses of previous strict principles (Cole, 2013). Enlightenment philosophies did not embrace the idea of liberation of mind and morality. As a result, it became hard for such ways of thinking to differentiate liberation of the mind from the idea of inevitability. I think the French revolution was more revolutionary than the American one. This because the French were against a society of social classes and the idea that aristocracy is innate. This movement practically spread the idea that all people are born as equals and that there is no elite class in a community of human beings (Cole, 2013). On the other hand, American revolutionists simply wanted to establish their own rule away from the influence of the British, the colonizers. American revolutionists were against the idea of paying taxes to the British without any representation in the government. I agree with historian Simon Schama that violence was a â€Å"source of collective energy† for the French revolution. The violence of the French Revolution was avoidable. It is possible to imagine a course of events in which violence was not so prevalent during the French Revolution. If the king adhered to the revolutionists’ demands and made an effort to establish a constitutional government, violence would not have been necessary (Cole,

Canada Risk Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Canada Risk Analysis - Essay Example In the last decade party leaders have sought to remedy this situation. To remain an attractive partner in multilateral economic arrangements, Canada must struggle to stay competitive (Zimmerman, 2008). Legal environment is favorable for international companies, thus Canada is a US oriented companies with strong cultural and economic relations with the USA partners. Among the major federated states, Canada is the most loosely organized. Constitutionally, the provinces have jurisdiction over matters related to education, culture, and natural resources, and so they have a voice in foreign policies affecting these concerns. Because Canada lacks the equivalent of the "interstate commerce" provision of the U.S. Constitution, even trade between the provinces is not entirely free of encumbrances; thus in trade matters, also, Ottawa is somewhat fettered in dealing with other governments. Furthermore, because Canada lacks the equivalent of the principle that treaties override other domestic legislation (embodied in the U.S. Supreme Court decision Missouri vs. Holland, 1920) Ottawa's diplomatic authority is weak (Zimmerman, 2008). Exchange and repatriation of funds risks In Canada there is no currency restrictions placed on the repatriation of funds. Thus, in some cases, the repatriation may have tax consequences. In Canada, exchange rates are stable, so a foreign company will avoid these risks. Competitive risk assessment In Canada, the international and domestic competition is fierce. Canada has gained from the succession of tariff-cutting rounds, but with its fairly high tariffs has had to make large concessions in return. Furthermore it can be the subject of actions taken against it for allegedly breaking a GATT rule. GATT has no sanctions, but an injured state can impose countervailing duties in retaliation for the offense or take some other action for compensation if a specially-appointed panel rules that a GATT provision has been violated (Zimmerman, 2008). Taxation and double taxation risks The main legal regulations for international companies are Tax rate for resident companies and tax rate on long-term capital gains. VAT rates are based on standardized procedures: 'there is a Goods and Services sales tax (GST) which rate varies depending on the states between 6 and 14%" (FITA 2008). In some cases the threat has been enough to induce the Canadian government to change its regulation. Although Canadians share the U.S. preference for the freest possible global trading system, and indeed cooperate with the United States in GATT and elsewhere in pressing for policies favoring openness, Canada's much smaller economy is especially vulnerable to U.S. moves. Canada's trade is overwhelmingly with the United States; its imports from and its exports to the United States amount to well over 70 percent of the respective totals ()FITA 2008. Market Risks (4 Ps) Canada is also the largest foreign market for U.S. trade, even though U.S. exports to Canada account for no more than 25 percent of total U.S. exports. In fact, the two economies are so integrated that if one country tries to retaliate for a perceived trade injury to some segment, another segment is likely to be harmed in return. Product - Canada is the

Ethics in Cyberspace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics in Cyberspace - Essay Example The main thesis of this essay, given by the researcher: putting harmless virus in the internet for the purposes of seeing how fast the virus will spread is more acceptable than selling a customer’s information to a competing company. The act of customer Data protection requires one to process the information in a confidential manner and breaking the act will result one to facing criminal charges. It is, therefore, important for one to handle customer’s confidential information with high integrity and confidentiality. The need to process individual data lawfully and fairly is set out in the data protection act and is among the principles at the core of data protection. The main reason for these principles is to safeguard the interests of the persons whose confidential data is being handled by other people. These principles apply to nearly everything one does with individual data, in exception of where one is at liberty for an exemption. Even, though, selling a clientâ₠¬â„¢s information without telling the customer and releasing harmless virus on the network are both unethical, it is clear that the latter is more acceptable due to the impact. This can be analyzed from the effect side of each action. Just as, it was discussed in the essay, most of these ethics deal with freedom involved in communicating certain information as one of people’s rights. However, this should not be at the expense of safety of others in the community. In addition, release of computer virus is more acceptable because the situation can be reversed unlike the release of confidential information.

Discuss the Mexican-American War and its importance Essay

Discuss the Mexican-American War and its importance - Essay Example rts that most of the operations lasted one and half years making the Americans to quickly occupying New Mexico and California (Goldensohn 2006 pg 36). The major consequences of the war were specified in the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The war was highly propagated by the President James Polk to facilitate the American territorial expansion though the Whig party was highly against it. The huge amount of resources in form of money and casualties was highly criticized. The importance of the war historically is immense as it lead to the crucial expansion of the American territory and hence progress. Can one imagine America without California, America would not have become successful economically as it largely depends on California for economic success (Goldensohn 2006 pg 36-48). Had Mexico won the battle America would not have been the superpower as we speak hence America would have been less powerful today. In fact, the acquisition of land to the west allowed America to become rich and more powerful and this is majorly attributed to the Gold Rush that took place in California (Castillo 2008 pg

The S'No Risk Program (Management Decision Models) 2 Assignment

The S'No Risk Program (Management Decision Models) 2 - Assignment Example After going through the entire case it can be said that the most important reason behind the sudden hike in rates by the insurance firms was sudden flow of demand for Toro products, especially the shovels during the winter months (Bell, 1994, pp.1-2) and the interest of consumers in buying larger models of shovels so as to take optimum benefit of the deal. The growing interest among the consumers to purchase Toro shovels provided dealers the prospect to clear stock from their warehouses and this helped them to regain their lost confidence. Also S’ no risk program had basic cost of sales of 2.1% of sales which is generally 10% and hence the rates were heaved. The reasonable estimation of rates of insurance will depend on the factors like customer preferences, product demand, competitor’s insurance rates, cost of sales, scope of profit of the company etc. Based on the case, the effect of plausible insurance rates and their relationship with profitability can be derived fr om the following table- Items Single Stage Power Shovel Two-Stage Power Shovel    Min Max Min Max    Price ($) Retail Price 270 440 640 1500 Units Sold 100000 100000 20000 20000 Total Revenues 27000000 44000000 12800000 30000000 Basic Cost of Sales/Premium @ 2.1% 567000 924000 268800 630000 Profit 26433000 43076000 12531200 29370000 Premium @6% 1620000 2640000 768000 1800000 Profit @ 6% 25380000 41360000 12032000 28200000 Premium @8% 2160000 3520000 1024000 2400000 Profit @ 8% 24840000 40480000 11776000 27600000 premium @ 10% 2700000 4400000 1280000 3000000 Profit @ 10% 24300000 39600000 11520000 27000000 From the chart shown above it can be concluded that when the rates are raised profitability will get reduced and vice-versa. Answer 2 The S’ No risk program by Toro is shown below: From the consumer’s point of view, the above pattern showcases an appealing proportion of refund which is utterly reliant on the amount of snowfall in the area. The pattern states that when the snowfall would increase, the consumers would have the alternative to purchase any model of shovel and during lesser snowfall the customers would be allowed money back. However the money back alternative would be applicable till the average snowfall reaches 50%. Further than that the consumers won’t get the reimbursement advantage. Hence it can be concluded that both the approach would be in support of the customer benefit. However a condition might arise when a purchaser makes the purchase of a self-propelled two-stage shovel worth $1500 and during that year the average snowfall in the area reaches 80%, then he will not be entitled to any money back benefit. In such situation the consumer might think that he has made an incorrect choice by expending $1500 for the shovel when he had the alternative to procure the shovel valued at $ 640. The table in the previous discussion demonstrates that the clients prefer to expend the smallest amount and obtain the most gain from a deal. Therefore we can state that the rate which would be most accepted by the consumers is 6%. However 6% would not be favored by the insurance company as it would not bring them enough profits. Thus Toro must select a moderate rate considering both the related stakeholders and it should opt for the 8% rate. Answer 3 Snowfall is the common decision trap here. From Toro’s perspective, the volume of sales would exclusively

Is Abortion Moral Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is Abortion Moral - Essay Example My personal opinion on the matter of abortion was formed under my parents’ influence; they have always taught me that a life of human being is the highest priority; and if an embryo exists, then this is the way it should be, because children come to this world for some reasons. As for the facts, I have always been convinced that an embryo in a woman’s body, even if it is not a human being in the early stages of pregnancy, is a potency of a human. We cannot know when human soul starts inhabiting human body, so making a pro-choice means taking responsibility for a life, which is the hardest responsibility ever. That is why I believe that abortion is immoral, because anyway it deals with a kind of murder of a human being or its potency. Moreover, my current opinion against abortion is based on mere consideration of the fact that I wouldn’t have existed if my mother had had an abortion. Thinking about this is the most decisive argument for me in consideration of this issue. The very first argument on the matter of why abortion is moral concerns the fact that human fetus is a part of a woman’s body, which means that it is up to the woman to decide in which way she wants to dispose her own body and its parts. According to a philosophical consideration of the issue conducted by Francis Wade in his article, as long as an embryo belongs to a female body, it is considered to be its part, as potentiality of human being doesn’t actually mean a complete human being.

Brand Development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Brand Development - Case Study Example Using the concept of the Thai workers along with some modifications in the taste have led to the evolution of one of the most successful energy drinks introduced in the market. Actually, the name was also patterned after a popular Thai drink. Since its release, the product has gained considerable rate of success. From the classic flavour, Red Bull today is produced In different versions catering the needs of various market segments. The product that served as the blueprint of Red Bull was prominently consumed in rural areas. Red Bull, however, attempted to penetrate urban markets and industrialised locations. The target of Red Bull innovators was to inform the working world of the energy drink's existence. Eventually, Red Bull has become a popular choice among individuals who require sustained energy during the course of their work. The main of components of Red Bull includes taurine, glucuronolactone, caffeine, and b-group vitamins. Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid occurring naturally in human bodies. Basically, there are certain situations wherein taurine becomes as effective component. Glucuronolactone, however, exists in a form of a carbohydrate and serves as a vital facilitator of bodily waste elimination. Moreover, caffeine is an established ingredient that improves concentration and alertness. Finally, the b-group vitamins primarily function to develop the metabolism. Red bull has established a bandwagon because of performance. Indeed, there are several benefits that Red bull consumption provides. Basically, Red bull improves the performance of individuals in their work. Drinking Red bull also wakens the senses of drinkers improving their concentration. It has been observed that drinking Red bull improves vigilance and reaction to instantaneous events. Most important, Red bull is a helpful drink that simulates metabolism and facilitates the movements inside the body. These the fundamental reasons why Red bull has gained the most compared with other energy drinks. To prove its worth, Red bull has been used by several well-known athletes and personalities. The blend of quality ingredients and natural benefits combine to create one of the most dynamic beverages in the market. Aside from the top tier individuals, middle and low profile drinkers have recognised the effectiveness of Red bull energy drink. Definitely, drinking Red bull goes beyond replenishment as it is valued for its consistent performance. Industry Analysis The energy drink industry is relatively small compared with the scope covered by beverages. The industry, however, is gradually making a presence with the emergence of intelligent strategies and marketing initiatives. It is evident that the market catered by energy companies is young and shows trace of maturity. Another important attribute observed in the market is that some groups are portrayed as health conscious individuals. The market of Red bull and other energy drink manufacturers are teenagers and consumers in the stage of early adulthood and are considered as young professionals. Essentially, manufacturers of energy drinks consider their market as tight, but recent trends have indicated an expanding potentials and prospects. At present, there are no giant companies controlling majority of the market shares. Therefore, the competition is stiff

The following is an analysis of the IKEA Essay Example for Free

The following is an analysis of the IKEA Essay The following is an analysis of the IKEA case study found in the Strategic Management Text book. This analyses the strategies used by IKEA to gain competitive advantage in markets outside its original area. The report begins by providing a background into IKEA. It studies International Business Level Strategy and the three international corporate level strategies. The case study goes into informing its target market and pricing strategy, which is already discussed. This case study further says how different people in different parts of the world thinks about IKEA, how elegant their designs are and how affordable for them to purchase IKEA products. Some of IKEA’s main markets are in three of the fastest growing markets such as Russia, US and China. IKEA store bring out products such as furniture to small product like a scented candle. IKEA has over 1300 suppliers in about 53 countries. They further have 12 full time in- house designers with 80 free lancers and other production workers to identify the correct raw materials and produce products ef? ciently and cost effectively. Primarily, IKEA produced standardized products however; this international strategy did not work for one of its vital markets that is, US. Therefore, they had to emphasize on taking corrective actions. The report also analyses the entry methods used by IKEA and its sustainability. IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad a native of Sweden in 1943, when the founder, at the age of 17 was given money by his father in return for doing well in his studies. This money was used to start up his own company, IKEA, which stood for his intials and the ? rst letters of the farm and village in which he grew up. The company initially sold basic items such as pens, picture frames, table runners, wallets, jewellery, nylons stockings and watches, at a low price(History of ikea, 2010). Furniture was ? rst introduced into the IKEA range of products in 1948, and due to a positive response, the product line increased in size. Customers were allowed the ability of viewing and touching the furniture that was previously only viewable through catalogue. IKEA opened a showroom in Sweden to create a competitive advantage, due to a price war with their main competitor, so that customers could determine whether they were getting value for money. Finally IKEA made the decision to design its own furniture due to competitors trying to make suppliers boycott IKEA products. The â€Å"? at-packs and self assembly† concepts arose when an employee disassembled a table in order to prevent damage during transport (History of ikea, 2010). In 1963 the ? rst IKEA store outside of Sweden was established in Norway. From this point on, IKEA began to spread like a wild? re, ? rst to Denmark, then Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Canada, Austria and Netherlands. Many alliances were struck up with different suppliers in order to introduce new products, together with new concepts, which led to costeffectiveness. One example was an innovative, multifunctional seat/recliner, which was made by utilizing a denim, a raw material from another industry, which could be obtained at a low cost. In 1980, together with the new furniture concepts being born at certain intervals, IKEA was looking to expand to further markets, and did so through franchising. To ensure continuation and long term independence of IKEA, the founder created a new ownership structure and organisation. The major portion of IKEA was donated to a foundation, while the right to franchise the IKEA concept worldwide remained with the IKEA group of companies. In the 1990’s, the IKEA market expanded not only geographically, but in terms of target market. The company began to design furniture that catered expressly to children. A website was launched to cater to the many markets that were now open, and the children’s line was enhanced on consultation with experts on with experts to develop play areas, room settings, and baby areas within the stores themselves. Kitchen-ware and kitchen areas were another concept developed in this period. IKEA also began participating in a number of forestry projects to ensure sustainability, by taking responsibility for developing acceptable practices and policies in countries where IKEA works. IKEA Case Study 4 Company Outline IKEA is a world renowned furnishing company reputed for selling Scandinavian-style furniture and other home-based goods. The company has 230 stores, with operations carried out in over 42 countries with well over 70 000 employees. The stores themselves can host 410 million shoppers per year. It is a Swedish based company built on the idea of offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products such low prices, that a majority of people will be able to afford them. The IKEA group is currently solely owned by the INGKA Foundation through a holding company, unlisted on any stock exchange. The vision at IKEA is to â€Å"create a better everyday life for the many people†(Ikea, 2011). The main business of IKEA supports this vision, by the manufacture and selling of a wide range of home furnishing products at an affordable price. Since the ethos of IKEA is to make good quality products at an affordable price, the company has succeeded in development of costeffective and innovative production methods. This has been the company’s focus since its inception, and the company has succeeded in doing so by making the maximum use out of raw materials, and adapting the products to meet people’s needs. 04-02-18 Currently, in addition to the historical additions to the IKEA range, customers can now shop online. Other innovations include 2 the boards with patterns created on them directly, called â€Å"print on board†, in addition to a concept known as â€Å"product !! Expert where returned products are repaired instead of equipment etc where possible. recovery concept†functions such as IT, food services, retailbeing thrown awayoperates under economies of scale and is supportive to the basic operations !! IKEA of Sweden AB is responsible for the range design, purchase from etc The majority of the operations occur within the retail business; while IKEA does developmentexternal suppliers, in addition !! Inter IKEA systems B. V (The Netherlands) owns the IKEA concept and trademark which the company produces its own products through their industrial group known as Swedwood. is bought by the retail operations but is also sold to outside operators on a franchising basis !! The furniture is purchased through purchasing operations (trading service offices) in 33 countries with 1800 suppliers in 55 countries. !! The distribution operations covers 25 regional distribution centres in 14 countries supplying goods to the stores !! The retail operations are geographically organised with a specific organisation for Retail Europe

Business Essays Online Shopping Mall

Business Essays Online Shopping Mall Online Shopping Mall This report presents the feasibility study for developing the online shopping mall for UK retail outlets and customers. The idea was generated by looking at the staggering growth of the internet user and online shopping specially in UK with a record 12.8 billion pound online sale last year. This report analysis the need for online shopping mall as it provides a big opportunity to those who have less technical skills in developing the retail online sites for themselves and these hosting sites will help them do the online business with les administration for a fee only. The report is divided into nine sections starting from the explanation of what are online shopping mall and its importance in today’s competitive business world along with the emphasis on how technology helps business to grow. Types of technology available for developing online shopping mall are also discussed. For backend development MySQL 5.0 database is used. On front end JSP will be used to develop the script as it’s easy to learn as well as more versatile. The basic cost involved is for renting the space on ISP servers, the purchase of domain name, the registration with the search engines (directories) and the most important advertisement to generate traffic for the online shopping mall. In the end a detailed project plan on the basis of time and activities is explained in context of the feasibility of online shopping mall from data study till construction of the site and maintenance. Aims and Objectives Aims The aim of this study is to present a formal report and a power point presentation on the feasibility of developing the online shopping mall for UK customers and retailers. Objectives The objective of this feasibility report is to: Provide about the background, importance and growth of the online shopping mall in UK. Preparing a feasibility report by providing the information regarding site development, technology available and cost involved Prepare the project plan and Prepare a four minute power point presentation to explain the feasibility of online shopping mall. 1. Introduction 1.1 Concept of Online Shopping Mall The idea of online shopping mall originates from e-commerce. E commerce is in practice in most of the developed countries of the world such as USA, UK, and Europe etc where shopping concept is changing from physical purchase to virtual buying. This type of business is very popular among the retail outlets that are looking for a boost in their sale by offering customers new channels or mediums to make a purchase. This way not only the customer has more options but companies also enjoy an increase in their sale due to increased online outlet. Even after the immense success of e commerce there was a big group of business who either knew how to do e-commerce or they were unable to manage the administration of such technical field which required a lot of web knowledge. This generates a need of a place where these retail outlets can start their online business but without any hassle. Online shopping mall is basically the by product of e-commerce. The idea is to provide the easiest platform to these retail outlets that can do online business without any trouble or risk. It’s a site where any retail outlet can get registered and have a space and the rest of the administration will be done by the host of that online mall. Not only that but also the host will be the one who will take c are of all payment procedures. Online shopping mall provides a lot of benefits to the retail outlets on the site such as administrative, management of the site as well as invoicing of the business. Customer is benefited too. He has not only the variety but also ease to find what ever he is looking for at one place. The choices available to customer is many as products available on online shopping mall can range from within the product category (all Nike products) or an entirely different product type ( homecare, clothing, electronics etc.) from as many retailers possible . 1.2 Scope of Online Shopping Mall In UK Europe has a staggering 42 million user of internet and talking of Britain, 11 000 users are adding to the list annually. This gives an immense boost in the revenues generated by online activities on monthly basis. Among all the internet activity online shopping is not only generating the maximum revenues but also is growing at the fastest speed. It can be proved by the fact that almost 30% of all the sites are used for trading rather than attracting the advertisers for the means of business. By looking at this statistics and knowing that this will grow to another 30% within next few Years’ businesses are attracted towards internet to boost their sale with a relevant low cost, one of the best feature of online shopping. Moreover online shopping mall further reduces the cost and hassle for those retailers who have less technical skills to take the optimum advantage of the online business. According to the report of Ian Grant, as compare to Italy, Germany, France etc UK is the top most country in online shopping having a sale of approximately 12.8 billion pounds along with a record growth of 75% in online sale since 2005 till date 2. Building The Online Shopping Mall In general there are 4 basic steps which you have to follow to have an online shopping mall Get a company who will host your site Get yourself domain name for your online shopping mall. For a search engine you need to get directories. So Register with them Attract internet user through advertisement ( traffic generation) To maintain the sites you have to arrange the important tools required for order processing, invoicing and transaction 2.1 Background Research For Building An Online Shopping Site Before starting to build an online shopping mall we need to have clear idea of few things that will be needed once the site is complete. Domain name Website Hosting Secure Server Certificate Merchant Account Payment Transaction gateway. 2.1.1 Domain Name The domain name is that name by which will be recognized on the internet, to show our online appearance we need a domain name for our website, this name can be a of up to 67 characters in length and should be easy and meaningful to remember so that customer can remember it easily. The domain name is registered with a suffix, this suffix is a ‘.’ Extension and represents the nature of the website. Few common extensions are .com– used for commercial business website .net.– used for commercial network .org – used for organization. There are other extensions available as well these include, .biz, .edu, .tv etc. Choosing a domain name is a difficult task as here are around 128 Million domain names registered and that is the reason that’s why choosing a name that will represent out MALL will be a difficult task as most of the name are already taken. Therefore lots of brainstorming is required to select a name with following quality. It should be short Easy to memorize Should not be confusable. Not easy to misspell Should represent the MALL Considering these factor we can choose a domain name that will represent our website. 2.1.2 Website Hosting A web hosting company provides space and bandwidth on rent, once our site is developed we can put the content of the website on the allocated space on the hosting server, this transfer can be made from development site to hosting server using File Transfer Protocol (FTP) software’s. Once website is uploaded and domain is directed to rented space. The site is up and running and whenever user enters the domain it is directed to this space. A web server is a powerful computer machine which is designed in such a way that it can bare the load of internet traffic accessing the website present on it. This server can be on any plat form either Linux or Windows but should be able to handle the load. The web hosting companies usually setup these servers in data centres; these data centres are responsible for making the backup and providing security of data. The key responsibility of data centre is to make sure that website is always present on the internet. A typical process of how the web server makes a bridge between the website visitor and the administrator of the website is shown in the diagram below (courtesy of eaysiteguid.com) The visitor enter the domain name of the mall in the web browser, the domain name is resolved on the domain name server (DNS) and the user browser connects to the web server which in return send the contents of the website to the visitors browser. Similarly the developer can connect to the web server to upload new contents and for management of website. 2.1.3 SSL Protection Secure Socket layer (SSL) is the technology that provides an encrypted link between your host site and the web server. An SSL is required as we want to provide safe environment to the customer as our website will be involved in credit card transaction, and there might be a chance of theft of information and customer personal information can be jeopardized. For our Shopping Mall we require SSL certificate to make our customer feel comfortable while they are giving there information to us, they need to be sure that there information will be kept private and only will be used for the transaction they are making, we are obligated to protect our customers. In the real mall there are guards to protect customers and shops from theft same as we need SSL as our mall guard. Another reason of implementing SSL is that there can be legal consequences as if some one’s information is compromised, then as we are not involved in theft but we can be the source that gives the way to let other people information accusable and that customer can get us in to trouble. So SSL can be our first line of defence. Therefore a SSL certificate is required for our eCommerce site as we may loose customers if we can’t protect there information. How SSL Protects In SSL the transfer of data from the user webpage to the web server is in encrypted form, the code is scramble in such a way that no one can use it outside, the encryption can be 128 bits or 256 bits depending on the complexity of encryption, mostly for online shopping site 128 bit encryption is used, the 256bit is usually used by banks. This certificate is issued by the SSL issuing vendor that provide certificate with a encryption key, this encryption key is put on the server that do the SSL encryption, the website host will install this certificate on the web server, once installed when a customer access the site, a padlock is shown on the bottom of the browser that tell that this site is secure, opening the padlock shows the certificate, which tell who’s this certificate belongs to. The cost of SSL is declined rapidly from 400 pounds to now it is between 20 to 60 Pounds per year, SSL can be purchase by different vendors like VERISIGN. There is a facility to get a shared SSL which is provided by the host. This SSL certificate is further cheaper but the drawback is that when a user or customer check the certificate the name of the host appears on the certificate instead of the merchant that can cause confusion on user mind as the information will not match with the site owner. So it’s best to have our own SSL certificate, after getting the certificate we can install the certificate on the root directory of our web server. 2.1.4 Merchant Account A merchant account is an account which is provided by banks or finical institution. This type of bank account allows any e-commerce business to accept credit cards online, it is used by customers to deposit the money electronically that is through credit cards, the process where the money is transferred through credit card is called Card Not Present (CNP) merchant account and is needed when the customer don’t send the money in physical form during the transaction. Merchant account can be opened by any bank which gives this facility to the merchant to accept transaction electronically. To open a merchant account negotiation is done with the bank or institution over the different charges, these charges involved Up Front Application Fees: This is the fees that the provider charges for handling the transitions, as the number of merchant account provides are increasing and competition is building up, most of the providers waive this fee off. Statement fee: This is the fix amount fee that the merchant have to pay for his account, this is normally around 10 to 15 pounds per month, and this fee is also called on going fixed fee. Discount rate: This is the sales commission charge by the merchant account provider on each transaction; it is normally between 2 to 4 percent of the sales. Fixed Transaction Fee: This is the fixed transaction fee for each sale, unlike the discount rate this fee is a fixed amount and not the percentage, this fee is usually 0.05 to 0.01 pounds per sale. Termination Fee: This fee is charged if the account is closed before the contract period is ended. Chargeback Fees: This fee is charges if a customer wants a refund and want to withdraw there money then the merchant account provider will charge a fee usually between 5 to 10 pounds on each withdrawal. A merchant account acts as a go between your gateway (Credit card processor) and your business account, the money comes to this account and passes to your business account and if there are chargeback or user cancel the transaction money is takes from you business count and from merchant account gets out. 2.1.5 Payment Method The payment method on an online shopping site the process is almost same as the physical shopping site, like in shops peoples comes select items or products and pay cash on the counter, in online shopping site customer visit the website select item and put in the basket ( THE CART) and finally checkout using credit card. Once customer is checkout his credit card is needed to be verified, this is checking whether credit card is valid and that there is money in the account and also that there is no fraud case. The checking of the credit card can be done by using a payment processing method; there are two types of payment processing methods Payment Processor Payment Gateways Payment Gateway This method involves checking credit card information in real time as the transaction is taking place, The gateway service is provided by different companies like LinkPoint, Authorize Net etc. The gateway processor verifies the credit card information in real time and completes the whole process (acceptation or rejection) of payment within second and traction results are displayed to customers. The process works like this. After customer has decided the item he wants to purchase he clicks the BUY button on the webpage. Once the customer is finish with shopping, he clicks on the checkout button which takes the customer to a secure form where his personal information is entered including the credit card information. The credit card information is send to the payment gateway. The gateway processor sends the transaction data to merchant’s bank, which then passes the information to Credit card interchange. The credit card interchange then sends the data to credit card issuer for verification. The issuer then verifies the data and sends the result to credit card exchange whether the information is valid or not. The credit card exchange then sends the acceptance or denial information to merchant’s bank processor. The transaction results send by the merchants bank processor are passed to payment gateway. The payment gate way then send the denial or acceptance information to the merchant who then display the confirmation or rejection of purchase on the webpage. If transaction is successful the merchant account is debited and customers is credited (this process is done in real time). The whole process is depicted in the figure below Advantages This method provides professional solution as all the transaction is done in real time. Transaction result can be displayed on the webpage that is acceptance or denial The process is invisible to the customer. The funds are directly deposited in the merchant’s bank account. And merchant don’t have to worry about fund deposition as the whole process is automatic. This is because the fraud is detected before the product is shipped. Some service provider provide fraud protection as well, this protects the merchant and the actual card holder to become the victim of fraud. Transaction fee and service charges are less then of payment processor. Disadvantages This mode of payment processing required a merchant account Cost of setup is high then payment processor. Payment Processor This method is also called delayed response as the transaction is not completed in real time. When the user is ready to checkout he is redirected to payment processor service provider, such as PayPal, Verisign PayFlow link etc and these providers then handles the transaction for the merchants. The customer is informed about the completion of transaction once he is finish checkout but in actual the process is of verification is started at this time. The credit card is processed and transaction approval or decline results are informed to the merchant who is then responsible to inform the customer about the transaction approval or rejection thought email. The process works like this: After customer has decided the item he wants to purchase he clicks the BUY button on the webpage. Once the customer is finish with shopping, he click on the checkout button which takes the customer to a secure form on a third party website where his personal information is taken, once user finish checkout he is shown transaction is complete The user part is now done, the user thinks that transaction is complete but in actual the information is send to payment processor that then communicates with the banks to authorize the credit card. This process can take minutes or up to a days If transaction is denied the merchant are notified through an email, if transaction is successful the cash is deposited to merchants account. Other wise merchant has to inform the customer that the transaction is denied. Advantages No merchant account is required as third party processor will handle the transaction and will deposit the money to your account Cost less to setup then process gateways. Transaction fee and process charges are less then process gateways. Disadvantages Delay in transaction process to complete Credit card is checked for authorization after the user is informed that transaction is complete. Customers are redirected to third party website such as PAYPAL etc for checkout process and to finish transaction, this losses the uniqueness of branding as customers sees that he is being redirected and this causes the flow to break. Customers are informed later whether the transaction is accepted or denied, and if denied then customer can get irritated. 3. Initial Requirement 3.1 The Users The concept of this project is to design a website mall which can serve two types of customers one will be the shop owners who would like to open a shop in our virtual mall and second will the customers who will purchase item from those shops. An Administrator will be the one who will administer the mall, the shop owners and the customers. Therefore our design should coupe up there type of users, this include the ADMINISTRATOR who will be looking before the whole site, The SHOP owner who will be managing a shop in the Mall, and the CUSTOMER who will be purchasing the products. 3.1.1 Administrator Administrator will be user who will have full access to the MALL, he can be said as a super user, all the request to open a shop will be send to the administrator and then admin will decide weather to accept the request or reject it Admin will also responsible for managing the categories or subcategories of shops, he can add remove or update them as required without affecting the shop owners. Admin will also look after feedback sent and can reply to them or remove them. The Use case diagram below show what actions admin can perform in the system. 3.1.2 Shop Owner If a user want to open the shop in the mall, he will fill in the form and send it to administrator, If his request is approved by the administrator and is granted space in the mall he will become the shop owner, The responsibilities of shop owner is to manage the shop, he can add remove categories, design a catalogue and can remove, add or update item in the catalogue. He can also generate several reports regarding the sales and inventory that will keep him up to date f the business. A shop owner can remove the shop anytime he wants. The Use case diagram below shows what action shop owner can perform on the system. 3.1.3 Mall Customer Mall customers will be the users who will purchase products from the mall; they can browse the mall search shops, products within different shops and can compare prices. After they have decided what they want to buy, they can add the items to the shopping cart and can checkout at any stage during there stay on the virtual mall, when checking out customer can login and all this information will be updated in the checkout form. A customer can login any time to view his order status or he can change his personal details like shipping address and other information. The Use case diagram below shows what action mall customer can perform on the system. 3.2 Mall Interface An initial study was done on what interface will be created for the Mall, these interface includes. 3.2.1 Admin Interface ADMINISTRATOR ADMIN:This interface will only be available to administrator and let user administer the site from accepting shop request to generating reports and modifying site contents. 3.2.2 Shop Owner Interface CATALOGUE CREATOR: A catalogue creator interface will be available to shop owners where shop owners can add, remove or update items by category. These items will be added to the catalogue accessible by the customers. SHOP OWNER ADMIN: This page will be available only to shop owner from there he can perform the administration of this shop, this include link to catalogue creator, report generator and information updater. 3.2.3 Customer Interface CATALOGUE: For every shop a catalogue will be created from where customer can find item information and price. PRODUCT SEARCH: A search page will be build where customer can search for products this page will fetch the results from the data base and display them on the search page. SHOP SEARCH: This feature will allow customers to search for shops by categories SHOPPING BASKET: A shopping basket will be created which will be linked with the BUY button and when a customer hits the buy button the selected item will be added to the basked, the customer can view this basket to update or remove items. CHECKOUT FORM: A form will be created that will take customer information and send it to processor gateway for verification and save the transaction data in the database. 3.2.4 Miscellaneous LOGIN INTERFACE: A login interface will be provided where administrator, shop owner and customers (optional) can login; the user will be directed to the page his user type belongs to. REGISTRATION PAGE: This page will let user to register with the site either as a customer or shop owner. 4. Technology Available for Development Now day’s different technologies are available for developing software and website. Few of them are open source and do no add cost in development. For building our website we require to choose technology for Backend and Front end development. 4.1 Backend Backend is where the Website data will be stored, this data can be of the customer, shop owner or can be site contents. For an ecommerce application databases are the foundation, all the information comes from the database and all the information will go to the data base. There are several databases technologies available like MSACCESS, MSSQL and MYSQL. MSACCESS is Microsoft database that can run on windows based servers. It is used for small scale ecommerce website, it is easy to develop database using MSACCES for developing low traffic site. It is a file based database and the problem with file based database is that if a data base crash all the data is lost. MS SQL SERVER is also Microsoft based database server which has wide support, it has powerful enhanced feature like stored procedure. It is very fast and stable. A free Express developer edition is available to create local database for development and testing. MYSQL SERVER is an open source database, it also has extremely huge support community, the version 5 has enhanced feature that can be used to create enterprise level databases. It is super fast and stable as compare to other databases. MYSQL is also multi platform so that it can be deployed on any web server running on either windows or Linux. It is important that data base should be build correctly as application will run on top of it and after launch of website if a serious flaw is found then it’s hard to fix the problem as data base structure has to be changes that can shake the foundation of the application. So it’s necessary that through time should be spend in designing of database. Few factors were conceders while choosing the database. These factors involve: Stability: The database should be stable and should not crash as this can make the site down which can cause potential loos to business. Scalability: data base should be scalable to handle large amount of data and can be extended if necessary once build. Speed: Speed is once of the important factor, the database should be able to retrieve information on fast rate so that customers or users don’t have to wait for the data to be fetched; the data based should be able to optimize queries. Referential integrity: This concept involves that data base should be developed in such way that inconsistent data should not be saved in tables. 4.2 Frontend Front end is what the user will see on the webpage, this user can be a customer or the Mall administrator or shop owner. The front ends code brings the information back from the backend and display to the user or take the information from the user and send it to back end for processing or storage. We require a scripting language that can be used to develop font end. There are different scripting languages available for writing server side scripts like ASP, JSP and PHP etc. ASP: Active Server pages ASP is Microsoft developed scripting language used to create dynamic WebPages, it is used by many web hosting companies and lots of material and books are available, the disadvantage of using ASP is that the code can be writing by using only VBScripts as Microsoft bounds that, and writing code in VBScripts has its own limitation. JSP: Java Server pages is another technology of creating dynamic WebPages, it is based on JAVA programming language to design server side code. The JSP code is incorporated in HTML files by using special tags to write dynamic contents. The JSP source code is executed from the server on JSP Servelet Engine; this Engine then generates the HTML and sends the output to client browser. The advantage of using JSP over ASP is that ASP is based on Microsoft .NET architecture and can only run on Microsoft platforms where as JSP is Cross platform and can be run on any platform like Linux and windows. Another advantage of Using JSP is that beside its Object oriented, it can be used with different technologies like, Extended java beans (EJB), SERVALETS and AJAX to make site more interactive. PHP: PHP is one of the widely used server side scripting language, by using PHP dynamic websites can be created which provide interaction of user with the website. PHP is cross platform language that is PHP scripted running from Linux web server can be executed on windows machine and vice versa. The language is open source and is available without any cost, beside open source it has huge development community with can be contacted for help if required. The language is fast, stable and secure. 5. Selected Technology 5.1 Backend Backed will be developed using MySQL 5.0. The reason for using MySQL is that it is open source and will not add cost in development, beside that it have extremely wide support and a huge developer community from where great help can be obtain. Other reason is that it is expected that the site will have heavy traffic and fast stable and secure database server is required and MSSQL is the only open source database that can be relied upon. The 5.0 version of MySQL also includes the stored procedure call, a stored procedure call can save the query data that is frequently used so that that data does not need to be fetch from table again and again, and it’s a sort of caching. Beside that MySQl has built in security feature and as MySQl database is not a file that’s why it can’t be copied from the server, MySQL is also multi platform and can be deployed on any server. 5.2 Front End JSP will be used to develop the front end scripts as we have previous background of JAVA and JSP is based on java and is easier to learn and to develop and it is more versatile and different technologies will be used like SERVALETS and AJAX to make the shopping experience more interactive and as AJAX function can be executed on user browser therefore carefully writing the function can decrease the bandwidth usage hence making the website much fast. 6. Cost Involved Building and making the ecommerce site functional require cost, this involves the cost of software’s that will be need to d

Replacing Fossil Fuels | Dissertation

Replacing Fossil Fuels | Dissertation Abstract This research provides guidance as to the most successful style of renewable energy in replacing the current dominant fossil fuels in the future. This success is based on a number of key variables, not least the implications of cost, management and longevity that are intertwined with developing, installing and running a renewable energy source. The case-study focused on the four main types of renewable energy, solar power, wind power, biomass energy and geothermal energy and came to some interesting conclusions. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative research was used, with the majority of the findings coming from the qualitative research. However, the quantitative research was in the form of two case studies highlighting the effectiveness of two types of renewable energy in certain household situations and how the energy can replace that of traditional fossil fuels. The findings show that while no one particular renewable energy type gained a majority backing from the research, knowledge about these types of energy is still perhaps too limited for any person to make a correct and informed choice as to the development of renewable energy. The qualitative research indicated that there are many strengths and weaknesses to each type of energy, while the quantitative research stressed that in certain situations renewable can be very effective. Another key finding of the literature was that general knowledge and understanding of renewable energy is not at an acceptable level in terms of the general public and leads to the recommendation of increased awareness. Aims and Objectives This section is designed to provide a detailed overview of the research aims and objectives of the present dissertation and the research questions that the study will try to answer in as comprehensive a manner as possible within time and resource constraints. Research Aim The aim of this study is to establish the possible options for renewable energy available in the United Kingdom for future use. This will be conducted through a comparative analysis of the four main types of renewable energy currently available, solar energy, wind, biomass and geothermal energy. The main aim of the research is to: o Identify successful alternatives to the non-renewable energies in the United Kingdom In order to achieve this, a number of objectives will need to be met. The aim of the research is to be able to conclude with clarity, the most attractive option or options available to the United Kingdom and its government in terms of renewable energy, for the current day and moreover, into the future. The uncertain prospect of the traditional non-renewable energies, coal, oil and natural gas, have meant that renewable energies have had to be developed with the aim that in the future, these newer, more environmentally friendly options will gradually take over the burden of energy supply in the United Kingdom. Research Objectives Based on the research aim outlined in the previous subsection, the research objectives that the present study will seek to achieve are as listed below: o To undertake an investigation into the four main sources of renewable energy; these include Solar Energy, Wind, Biomass and Geothermal energy. o To gain an understanding of the history and development of these energies is needed to fully understand the extent to which the United Kingdom can rely on them in the future. o An analysis of the benefits and disadvantages of each particular type of renewable energy o To explore how well the government is backing renewable energy with incentives o To examine the financial implications – to gain an insight to how much renewable energy will cost in installation, what grants are available? o To examine design implications – installation of renewable sources, aesthetic, dimensional requirements. Research Questions There are particular research questions that will need to be addressed when attempting to analyse possible future energy alternatives. These include: * How significant is the extent of cost when attempting to replace non-renewable energies with the more environmentally friendly types? * How far does the government wish to develop all four types of energy? Do they have a particular idea as the market share that each one should ideally hold on providing energy to the United Kingdom? * What can history tell the research about the likelihood that these renewable energy methods will succeed over a longer period? * Can (and will) these renewable energies ever fully replace the non-renewable energies that the United Kingdom (and globally) has relied heavily and dependently upon since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution? The research will attempt to address these questions and objectives whilst trying to meet the aim of the entire project; identifying successful long term strategies to replace dwindling non-renewable energy sources with abundant renewable sources while still enabling the United Kingdom to grow and hold its position of relative power and influence on a global scale. 1: Introduction Ever since the realisation that non-renewable energy sources (coal, oil and natural gas) are exactly as the description suggests, and that the level of these are reducing rapidly due to the global appetite for energy consumption in the continuing race for power, influence and development, it has been apparent that renewable energy sources would have to be developed to enable this global growth to continue. The United Kingdom, whilst overtaken in recent years by countries such as the United States and China in terms of energy consumption, has had a history intertwined with this notion. The Industrial Revolution, beginning in the United Kingdom in the 18th Century, acted as a catalyst for the rapid consumption of a large proportion of the world’s traditional, non-renewable energy sources. This has led to the necessity of developing renewable energy forms to supplement these more traditional energy types, with the aim to take over the burden of energy supply in the future. Brown (cited in Miller Spoolman, 2008:211) states that in terms of history, the 19th Century belonged to coal and the 20th Century to oil. However, the 21st Century will belong to the sun, the wind and energy from within the earth. This belief is widely held for a number of reasons and highlights the importance that the development of renewable energy sources has on the current agenda of policy makers and governments on a global scale. However, this will prove to be a difficult challenge. As Sawin (2004) stresses, over the previous decade, the World Bank funding for fossil fuel projects (totalling $26.5 billion) far exceeded that for renewable energy (Sawin, 2004:13). It is this type of obstacle that can make the development and mainstreaming of renewable energy difficult to implement and is why it is so crucial to research this issue, highlight the financial costs of renewable energy as a long term successor to the fossil fuels and increase public knowledge of renewable energies an d their benefits. The renewable energy options are possibly limited to four main types. Whilst many various options have been and are being developed by researchers and scientists, only four are currently at a stage where they could develop enough energy to be able to supplement and then eventually succeed non-renewable energy. These are highlighted as solar energy, wind power, biomass and geothermal energy (Tiwari Ghosal, 2005:17). These four types of energy will therefore form the focus of the research with each particular strand of energy being investigated to establish whether it is feasible that any one (or perhaps a combination) of these energies can ever be relied upon to replace fossil fuels. This is the long term aim of renewable energy, whilst at the current time, they are still on the periphery in terms of usage when compared to non-renewable energy forms. The research will identify strengths and weaknesses of each of the four types of energy, particularly focusing on people’s opinions and other variables such as cost, performance and design issues that may gain or lose support depending on the results. The research will be conducted through two different approaches. Firstly, there will be a qualitative analysis of the literature available on each of the four main sources of renewable energy. This coupled with official government information detailing about each type of energy will form the majority of the research. In this manner, the proposed research will be qualitative based. However, the success of the mixed method approach to research, as championed by Maxwell (2005:183), highlights that the research should include quantitative data research as well. This will be conducted through two case studies, analysing the effects of two of the renewable energy sources on a small scale. These will be focused around particular individ uals’ attempts to use a form of renewable energy to replace more traditional fossil fuel energy in their home. The quantitative data achieved by these two samples will provide evidence as the success of the renewable energy type in replacing more established non-renewable energy in an everyday life situation. This will enable the research to identify key areas that surround the debate over renewable energy sources and the suitability of each of the four main types in their possible future role as the majority providers of energy to the United Kingdom. 1.1: Solar Energy Solar energy is perhaps the most prominent of all the renewable energy sources currently available. Solar energy has existed in many forms for thousands of years (Craddock, 2008:28). He stresses that early users of solar energy include the Romans who used the suns’ rays to heat their rooms and designed south facing windows to make use of the heat provided by the sun. In the modern era, technology has developed rapidly and solar energy is now seen as much technical and efficient than ever before. The literature review will analyse solar energy and emphasise the strengths and weaknesses of the energy as a possible candidate for large scale usage on a national level. As Figure 1 highlights, when the sun’s rays shine upon a solar panel, the effect converts the light energy to electrical energy. In this instance, the power from the solar panel is directly proportional to the amount of light shining on it, so if the light from the sun is three times as bright on a particular day than the previous day, then you will receive three times the power. (Stubbs, 2008:4) The development of solar energy has occurred due to the understanding that our current way of life cannot continue if we remain economically dependent on fossil fuels. A champion of solar energy, Scheer (2004) supports the theory that it is imperative that we make comprehensive use of solar energy, not just to augment fossil fuels but to replace them before they either run out or critically damage the world through pollution and dangerous emission levels (Scheer, 2004:4). There are two main formats that solar energy takes. These are passive and active formats (Craddock, 2008). A passi ve solar energy system uses the sunrays directly to heat water or gas. The active system converts the sun’s energy into electrical energy by using a photovoltaic semiconductor material called solar cell (El-Sharkawi, 2005:89). The researcher also provides evidence that solar power can be relatively low in terms of its efficiency stating that the electrical power output of the solar panel, arrived at by multiplying the solar power input by the efficiency of the panel (Figure 2), can often produce a low amount of energy. The energy produced in the equation above is only high enough to power two light bulbs. This can be countered by increasing the size of the panel and the efficiency of the panel. These two changes will increase the output (El-Sharkawi, 2005:89). Developments made recently should, according to Jones (2003:48), allow solar cells to operate more efficiently. The recent innovation of solar concentrators is used in solar thermal technology to generate heat to power turbines. With solar concentration technology, mirrors or lenses focus light onto specifically designed cells. The older versions of solar cells have solid absorbing layers that require clear skies and direct sunlight to produce energy. However, new solar concentrators follow the sun’s path through the sky during the day allowing a better chance at finding direct sunlight. This highlights that solar power is increasing in efficiency and from a relatively un-technical beginning, solar power is now a real possibility at pr oviding alternative power to fossil fuels in the future. 1.2 Wind Wind power is perhaps the most striking of all of the recent developments in renewable energy. The wind turbines that adorn high peaks across the country are constant reminders of the attempts by the government and industry to develop renewable energy. Wind power is generated through the utilisation of large scale convective currents that carry heat from lower latitudes to more northern destinations. These create rivers of air that are used by newly developed wind turbines to generate power. (Figure 3) Winds are strongest at high peaks and specifically more frequent and at their strongest along the shores of lakes, seas and oceans, restricting the placement of wind turbines to coastal regions in many parts of the world (Gipe, 2004:24) As Figure 4 highlights, the power of wind can be increased to almost two hundred percent of its normal speed as it reaches the crest of a peak, thus ensuring the positioning of the wind turbines. These have led to many criticisms of the aesthetics of the turbines, given that they are large and seen as imposing by some onlookers. The wind turbines can produce a large volume of energy but are dependent on nature and days of unusually low wind speed can reduce the effectiveness of the turbines remarkably. When the wind speed is above the level needed to produce the maximum efficiency, no power losses are achieved in the system. It is only when the wind speed drops below the necessary level that the efficiency of the wind turbine drops (Hau, 2006:489). There are a number of strengths and weaknesses of wind power and these will be assessed in the literature review. However, the UK has increased its share of the wind turbine market recently (at an average rate of 35% per annum) in its attempts to increase the percentage of which all electricity generated will come from renewable sources by 2020 (This has been set at 20% : Government White Paper, 2003). There are various types of wind turbines, in different shapes and sizes, developed to harness the wind power at a particular geographical location. The main two versions of the modern wind turbine are based around the axis. The two different types are the horizontal axis and the vertical axis. The horizontal axis (Figure 5 above) is the most commonly seen in the United Kingdom and is popular due to the high efficiency rating. The higher the tall tower base, the higher the wind speed and the more output that can be created. This is why the horizontal axis is the most popular. However, this is also one of the disadvantages with complaints arising about the sight of these wind turbines on the horizon from many locals when they are installed. Vertical axis wind turbines (Figure 6) are less common in the United Kingdom. These vertical axis turbines are less common due to the fact that they are generally less efficient, because of the nature of its rotation and the stress on the blades. This leads to frequent replacements and therefore a higher cost. They are, however, less tall than horixontal axis wind turbines and therefore less of a distraction on the horizon for those that are angered by the horizontal axis types. 1.3 Biomass Biomass energy is defined as any solid, liquid or gaseous fuel source derived from recently dead biological material. This is opposed to fossil fuels that come from long dead biological material. Biomass constitutes the largest non-hydroelectric renewable source of primary energy in the United States and its presence is growing rapidly in the United Kingdom (Turner Doty, 2009:443). This is highlighted by Chiras (2006:21) who stresses that many countries are now turning to biomass as an alternative fuel source due to its relative ease in creating energy and the low cost involved. Biomass includes a wide assortment of solid fuels, such as wood, and liquid fuels such as ethanol derived from corn and biodiesel, a liquid fuel made from vegetable oils. The wide variety of forms that biomass can take can be found in figure 7. Biomass is remarkably popular as an energy source, as stated previously due to the low cost and relative ease at obtaining the materials needed for conversion. The three main conversion types are anaerobic digestion, fermentation to alcohol and the thermal process which produces a range of fuels and by-products including methane, methanol and ethanol that can produce heat, power and light, as well as fertilizers and fibres that can be used to produce food, textiles and plastics. (Figure 8) This range of products and power that it can produce make it very flexible and attractive to those who support the development of renewable energy. However, one key advocate of biomass energy states that currently most use of biomass energy is not clean or sustainable. The pollution caused by burning wood, manure and agricultural waste is causing severe health problems. It is also true that some energy crops have a bigger energy and environmental cost than they return. Thomas (2007:44) indicates that if biomass is to be a vital part of the future energy mix then there needs to be methods developed to process and use it in sustainable way over a long period of time. Biomass energy has accounted for over thirty percent of the United Kingdom electricity generation from various renewable energy types over the past five years. This amount is only second to that of hydro power (Institute of Physics Report, 2010). Although the total amount generated by renewable energy is still relatively small compared to that of traditional fossil fuels, it highlights that if biomass can be developed on a larger more industrial scale, and if more environmentally friendly processes can be created, then the usage of biomass technology may increase dramatically in the near future. Support within the United Kingdom exists for the development of the biomass energy industry. A recent report (European Wind Energy Association, 2009:524) highlights that the United Kingdom government has developed grant schemes (funds reserved from the New Opportunities Fund) for investments in energy crops and biomass power generation of at least  £33 million over three years. This will ho pefully enable the biomass industry to develop cleaner, more sustainable methods of creating biomass energy that can be used on a much larger scale. 1.4 Geothermal Geothermal energy is identified as power extracted from heat stored in the earth. It has a long history of use, from simple ways such as bathing to the modern use; that of generating electricity. In recent years, geothermal power has developed but still only supplies around 0.5% of the global electricity. Geothermal power is identified as cost effective, reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. However there are setbacks in the development of the energy. The main negative aspect of geothermal energy is that it is has been historically limited to regions that are close to or on tectonic plate boundaries (Craddock, 1998) Geothermal power works through a relatively simple process, exploiting the heat of the earth and transforming it into electricity. Figure 9 highlights how this process occurs. Capehart (2007) underlines the abundance of geothermal power and states that the resource base for the power can be drawn from shallow ground to hot water and rock several miles below the Earth’s surface to even further down, to molten rock known as magma (Capehart, 2007:377). There are three types of geothermal power plants operating in the world today. These are dry steam plants, flash steam plants and binary cycle plants. Dry steam plants directly use geothermal steam to turn turbines. Flash steam plants pull deep, high pressure hot water into lower pressure tanks and use the resulting flashed steam to drive the turbines. Binary cycle plants pass moderately hot geothermal water by a secondary fluid to flash to vapour and then this vapour then drives the turbines (Capehart, 2007:337). Geothermal energy is seen as very reliable in that it has an average system availability of 90-95%. This is far higher than other sources of renewable energy. There is however a negative aspect in the aesthetics of the geothermal power plants, with many scholars highlighting the unattractive nature of the plants (figure 10) as well as negative public opinion on this matter (Saunders, 2007). The benefits of geothermal power have been harnessed by countries such as Iceland and the United States for a number of years but only now is the United Kingdom beginning to realise the potential of this renewable energy process. An article by Morris (2009) notes that with the recent development of planning for the United Kingdom’s first geothermal energy plant, the most suited region may be that of Cornwall due to the granite located there lending itself to the process. Morris (2009) emphasises that those behind the Eden scheme believe that Cornwall could provide as much as 10% of the United Kingdom’s electricity for the next one hundred years from geothermal plants. He also identifies other granite basements in the north of England and the north-east of Scotland. Geothermal power is therefore a currently underdeveloped source of renewable energy in the United Kingdom but has the potential to become a reliable and environmentally friendly source of power over the next few decades. The development of technology should also help to strengthen the support behind geothermal energy, given that at any location on earth, deep down in the core there is the potential energy for geothermal power. If developments can be made the energy to be harnessed away from tectonic plate boundaries, then the power of geothermal energy could perhaps become unrivalled when compared to other renewable energy sources. The literature review will continue this debate as to the strengths and weaknesses of each particular renewable energy resource. 2: Literature Review This literature review will provide part of the secondary research into the research question posed at the beginning of the work. The aim; to identify successful alternative renewable energy sources to replace that of non-renewable energy sources (fossil fuels) that currently are in demand today. Morgan (2007:9) stresses that while fossil fuels bring enormous benefits to the world, in term of the production of mass energy that has allowed global industry and technology, as well as levels of living to rise rapidly in the last one hundred and fifty years, there a number of negative aspects to non-renewable energy sources. The limited nature of the resources is one, but also the affects that the use of coal, oil and natural gas has on the environment is also a key factor in the need to develop renewable energy sources that are environmentally friendly. Therefore this literature review will attempt to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the four main renewable energy types; solar, wind, biomass and geothermal and highlight a possible successful candidate or candidates that could take over in producing the large majority of global energy. In this manner, the four main types will need to be analysed in a number of key areas; cost, effectiveness, affect to the environment and aesthetics. Cost A good overview is provided by Freris Infield (2008). They highlight that after the United Kingdom government set the target of achieving 20% renewable energy in electricity supply by the year 2020, it became possible to analyse a cost for the proposed energy developments. An analysis completed in 2003 suggested that the extra cost for the development of renewable energy processes would represent an additional 0.3p/kWh on consumer electricity bills. This was focused primarily on wind power, as wind power is expected to contribute the majority of the renewable energy target (Freris Infield, 2008:215). Other scholars also support the view that wind power is the most expensive of the renewable energy processes. Ackermann (2005:300) acknowledges that the use of wind energy in remote areas is an exceedingly expensive option when trying to harness power from the earth, rather than using non-renewable energy sources. Quaak, Knoef and Stassen (1999) indicate their preferred method, through cost analysis, is that of Biomass. They state that the initial start up costs are less expensive than wind, solar and geothermal energy plants and also the longevity of the plants as compared to that of wind turbines (that need parts replacing on a regular basis) is a key factor in the cost analysis and that biomass is by far the cheapest of the renewable energy sources currently available (Quaark, Knoef Stassen, 1999:1). However, although Walker (2007) identifies that biomass is currently the cheapest form of energy, the scholar also states that solar power could become, over time, the cheapest form of energy. While solar panels are expensive, this is only because of the low number of them. Walker (2007:7) notes that solar cells would become dramatically less expensive if more people bought them, allowing the solar cell companies to reduce prices due to a healthy competition. The simple nature of solar power, combined with a drop in prices could aid the overall cost of the energy source, allowing it to become cheap and competitive with other renewable energy sources. Sass Duffield support the view of the cheap costs of geothermal energy as opposed to wind, biomass and solar energies. They state that geothermal energy, despite high initial installation and start-up costs, can dramatically lower monthly energy bills and therefore in the long term, or within a few years, the cumulative energy savings e qual the extra up-front costs and can become less expensive than other forms of energy. An interesting viewpoint is provided by Orr (2009:23) who indicates that at the current time, none of the existing renewable energies are cost effective and it is why governments across the globe are having to provide grants to develop them. The competitive nature of global society means that only cost effective and profit generating products succeed. Therefore, designers of renewable energy processes need to find ways to lower the costs of purchase for these energies in an attempt to rival cheaper and more established fossil fuel production. It is only in this way that renewable energies can hope to develop rapidly; to the benefit of the Earth. Effectiveness and reliability The effectiveness and reliability of an energy source is the most fundamental issue that surrounds its development. An energy that has low levels of effectiveness and low reliability rates will usually never be mass developed, due to the restrictive nature and high costs to gain a substantial yield. Wind power is suggested to have a relatively high effectiveness rating by Spilsbury Spilsbury (2007). However, other scholars stress that wind power is the least effective of all of the different renewable energies due to the loss of potential power through its design (Petersen, 1999). Other energies such as geothermal, with a 95% availability (Bracaloni et al, 1995) have a far higher efficiency rating. Quaark, Knoef Stassen (1999:52) also highlight the relative low efficiency rating of biomass energy, stating that conditions at times only allow a 25-35% efficiency rating. Lomborg (2001:134) stresses that the efficiency of solar cells is also around the 20% mark, indicating that geother mal energy is far more efficient that other forms of renewable energy. Environmental effects One of the key weaknesses of the fossil fuels and their use in energy production today is the negative effects that they have on the environment. The creation of carbon dioxide from the processes needed to create energy from coal, oil and natural gas has acted as a catalyst in lowering climate conditions across the globe. Therefore, one of the main aims for new renewable energy sources is to promote an environmentally friendly strategy. Lomborg (2001) identifies that one of the renewable energy sources being discussed lacks this strategy. Lomborg stresses that biomass energy production gives rise to a slew of pollution problems such as suspended particles, sulphur, nickel, cadmium and lead. This is supported by the Council of Europe (no date) who indicate that the weakness of biomass energy is that it produces relatively large amounts of fine particles and often also other air pollution like polyaromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Compared to this, the Council stress that wind energy only causes some carbon dioxide and fine particle emissions in the construction phase, whereas solar energy appears to be the most environmentally friendly of the renewable energies. Chiras (2009) identifies this and supports the notion that solar power is perhaps the most environmentally friendly of all of the renewable energies. The construction phase causes less emissions than any other renewable source and the fact that industrial plants (such as that used for biomass and geothermal energy) are not required for solar power means that like wind power, once constructed there is no harm to the environment, with the solar panels soaking up the heat of the sun and transferring this into energy. Aesthetics The aesthetics of renewable energy is a key factor in gaining support for possible renewable energy sources. Gipe (2004) stresses that wind power often comes under a lot of scrutiny due to the developments of horizontal axis wind turbines that dominant certain landscapes. Gipe indicates that communities are generally against these being developed because of the ugly aesthetical factor. However, he also notes that due to the nature of wind turbines and wind energy, these locations are generally remote and therefore do not affect the majority of people. There is also the development of wind turbines at sea, which could possibly aid the reduction of resentment towards wind turbines. Moreover, Scheer (2007:200) underlines that the rejection of wind power on grounds of aesthetic landscape pollution is treacherous and short-sighted and cites key examples of previous architecture such as skyscrapers as precedents. He also argues that the benefits of wind power far outweigh any argument on a esthetics and therefore feels it is a pointless debate. Chandrasekharam and Bundschuh (2002) feel that there is a similar argument for geothermal and biomass energy plants. The aesthetic factor may often be overriding but the success of creating environmentally friendly (geothermal in particular), renewable energy should outweigh any decision as to the aesthetical impact of these new sources of energy. Summary A number of key concepts were analysed in this literature review. The review suggests that opinions over renewable energy sources and their potential success rates are divided. While there appears to be agreement in the literature over the importance of developing renewable energy sources due to the fact that fossil fuel supplies are decreasing dramatically and that they have an adverse effect on the environment, there is real debate as to the preferred methods of renewable energy. Perhaps the most important contributing factor may come down to cost, and the literature review suggested that the current cost for all renewable energy forms are too high and