среда, 24 июля 2019 г.

Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statistics - Essay Example each patient who has lost weight has also experienced a decline in triglyceride level therefore there can be a relationship between weight and triglyceride level. The straight line regression model should be used with utmost caution when predicting future values. The linear regression model assumes that the data points are scattered around a straight line but unfortunately there are certain cases in which data points may be scattered around a curve and they can be fitted by the straight line model. This can be a ghastly mistake and it can have profound consequences. For the above scenario, if we predict the change in triglyceride level of a patient with a loss of 10 kg in weight than this can be a case of extrapolation. By extrapolation it means that one can not use the regression equation to make predictions for x-values that are outside the range of the x-values in the sample data. Since the x-values in the sample data are limited to (-9.6 kg) therefore it is not viable to make a prediction for (-10

вторник, 23 июля 2019 г.

Problems Faced By Project Managers When Attempting To Weld the Essay - 1

Problems Faced By Project Managers When Attempting To Weld the Temporary Taskforce - Essay Example This essay explores the temporary taskforce as a group â€Å"composed of members from different departments that can create a new way of working from which the members can learn and bring the new methods back to their obligations†. This is considered a parallel learning methodology that is proactive to identify proper workflow charting and assess the entire project using team member expertise to formulate a total, working plan of action for the launch of the project team. The first issue involved in setting up a project team is identified roles and obligations and how to establish a hierarchy of command and control. Stys suggests that it is necessary to include the construction manager to the team during early planning efforts due to their specialized knowledge and experience in construction projects. The construction manager in most instances is accustomed to the supply, cost and labor concerns that arise in construction projects and can bring economic and hierarchical struct uring experience to help develop an appropriate workflow chart to ensure proper communication channels are established and assist the project manager in cost recognition and accounting activities. â€Å"Every construction project is unique with its own problems†. The temporary taskforce, depending on the individuals chosen to represent each workgroup or function, has individual knowledge about their area of interest as it relates to the construction project and can, therefore, brainstorm ideas or offer suggestions based on previous experience, successes, and failures when working on diverse construction projects. The project manager, himself, is not equipped to consider all of the different problems that might be incurred in real-time during a complex construction phase and thus bringing this form of knowledge to the preliminary planning stages ensures a proper development of structure, role identification, and communications channel.

Science Reaction Rate Between an Acid and Metal Investigation Essay Example for Free

Science Reaction Rate Between an Acid and Metal Investigation Essay PROBLEM/RESEARCH QUESTION In this investigation, a controlled experiment will be conducted to determine whether the varying concentration of an acid alters its reaction rate with a metal substance and if so, what is the resultant relationship between the rate of reaction and the concentration of the acid. In particular, we will be reacting Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) with Magnesium metal (Mg) and collect data based on the resultant hydrogen gas produced by the reaction. Word Equation: Magnesium + Sulfuric Acid → Hydrogen gas + Magnesium Sulfate Balanced Equation: Mg (S) + H2SO4 (aq) → MgSo4 (aq) + H2 (g) Research will be formulated by conducting a controlled experiment in which we will react 0. 05g of Magnesium metal ribbons (Mg) with 10mL of four different H2SO4 (Sulfuric Acid) solutions varying in concentration and determine the time it takes for the reaction to produce 20mL of Hydrogen gas with each varying concentration. HYPOTHESIS I hypothesise that as the concentration of the H2SO4 solution increases/strengthens (measured in molarity mass), it will correspond to an increased/quicker rate of reaction with Mg metal. Hence, I also hypothesise that based on the above premise- the 2M solution of H2SO4 would be the quickest to produce 20mL of H2 gas when reacted with magnesium, as it is the strongest of the four concentrations being trialed. My hypothesis is based upon the scientific reasoning that a more concentrated solution has more particles of the altering reactant (in this case H2SO4) present in a specific volume/amount of space than those present in a more dilute solution. Hence, at a higher concentration, particles are more likely to collide and react with one another, forming a larger number of new bonds between the two reactants. The â€Å"Collision Theory† (which summaries the previous sentences) infers that the rate of reaction is impacted by how often molecules collide with one another. This can be applied to my hypothesis to suggest that with the occurrence of more collisions in the reaction- due to a higher percentage of particles in the more concentrated H2SO4 solutions- it will result in the formation of more bonds and hence, lead to a quicker rate of reaction between two reactants, leading to a quicker production of 20mL of H2 gas. Macintosh HD:Users:160161:Desktop:Screen Shot 2015-03-22 at 2.41.05 pm.png VARIABLES The independent variable (the variable being changed): The independent variable is going to be the varying concentration- measured in molarity mass (M)- of Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) solution. Four different concentrations will be trialed- 0.5M, 1.0M, 1.5M and 2.0M- each three times and then averaged out so that we achieve a more accurate result. We will alter this variable by changing the concentration of the H2SO4 solution in order to determine a relationship between the strength of an acid and its rate of reaction with a metal substance (in this case: Magnesium metal). The different concentrations have been prepared in the laboratory before the experiment and hence, we do not have to self-prepare the concentrations in class. The dependent variable (the variable being measured): The dependent variable is going to be the varying rate of reaction between a magnesium metal ribbon (Mg) and different concentrations of sulfuric acid (H2SO4). In particular, we will measure and record the time taken by the reaction to produce 20 mL of hydrogen gas in an inverted measuring cylinder. This will indicate the rate at which each concentration reacts and allow us to draw conclusions on how altering the concentration affects the rate of reaction between an acid solution and metal substance. We will measure this variable through the application of a stopwatch and gather recordings/data in seconds. The stopwatch will start when 10mL of H2SO4 is poured into the test tube, reacting with the magnesium ribbon, and will stop timing when the volume of water in the inverted measuring cylinder has decreased by 20mL- indicating that it has been replaced with an equivalent amount of hydrogen gas. The control variables (the variables kept the same): The other variables, which we need to keep constant, are: * The volume of H2SO4 being added to each reaction. This will be kept constant throughout the investigation by accurately measuring 10mL of H2SO4 solution for each trial in a measuring cylinder. This is vital for a fair test as varying it would mean that reaction rate is not only being altered by the effects of varying concentration but also that of volume. * The same climatic conditions present around the experiment. The climatic conditions, in particular temperature will remain the same throughout the experiment to prevent natural processes and disturbance from impacting the experiment. These will be kept the same as no windows will be opened or closed and the air conditioning will not change in temperature or switch on/off after the experiment has started. Temperature, itself, possesses the ability to change the rate of reaction and hence, it is vital to keep it controlled and constant so that the results only reflect the impact of varying concentration. * The same mass of Magnesium (Mg) ribbon to be reacted with the H2SO4 solution (0.05g). The laboratory technician will keep this constant beforehand, as they will provide us with the pre-cut ribbons for our experiment. This mass has been chosen, as it is a sufficient for a distinct reaction to be witnessed in a suitable period of time. * Preventing cross contamination from occurring between trials and different concentrations of H2SO4 solution. To prevent cross contamination, we will clean the two measuring cylinders and test tube with distilled water before each trial, ensuring that no residue from previous trials remain in either of the instruments. * The target volume of H2 gas to be produced by the reaction in each trial- 20mL. This will be kept constant by first determining the ideal amount and then clearing calculating on the measuring cylinder 20mL less than the water level inside it so that it is clear during the trial when to stop the stopwatch. Pre-determining a target volume is vital for us to be able to effectively compare and form a relationship between the concentrations of H2SO4 and time taken to produce the same amount of hydrogen gas. * The same person handling the stopwatch during the experiment. Identifying one group member to handle and use the stopwatch before the experiment and then ensuring that he only handles it during each trial will control this variable. It is vital to reduce the impact human error and keep the experiment as accurate as possible. ALL EQUIPMENT IS TO BE KEPT CONSTANT TROUGHT THE EXPERIMENT TO OBTAIN CONSISTENCY EXPERIMENTAL PLAN Materials/Equipment: * 1x Test Tube * 1x Delivery Tube * 1x Rubber Stopper * 2x 50mL Measuring Cylinders * 1x Plastic Container * 1x Retort Stand and Clamp Set * 1x Laptop * 1x Desk * 1x Stopwatch * 2x Distilled Water Bottles * 12x 0.05g Magnesium Ribbons * 2500mL of water (H2O) * 30mL of each H2SO4 Solution (0.5M, 1M, 1.5M 2M concentrations) Macintosh HD:Users:171321:Desktop:Screen Shot 2015-03-16 at 8.27.40 pm.png Setup Plan: Independent Variable Control Variable Control Variable Control Variable Dependent Variable Concentration of H2SO4 solution (M) Total volume of H2SO4 solution per trial (mL) Mass of Mg ribbons added to reaction each trial (g) Amount of Hydrogen gas produced per trial (mL) Method: 1. Collect all necessary equipment from the equipment table- all equipment should be in one tray. 1. Setup the retort stand and clamp on a stable desk. The clamp should be fixed approximately half way up the stand. 1. Open up Photo Booth or a similar video/image-capturing program on a laptop so that evidence of the experiment and setup can be visually shown. 1. Place the plastic, ice-cream container on the desk adjacent to the retort stand and fill it 2/3 of the way up with water from the tap. 1. Fill one of the measuring cylinders with 100mL of water and place inverted into plastic container. Ensure to cover top with hand until fully submerged into container so to prevent leakage of water. 1. Take delivery tube (with rubber stopper attached to one end) and place through inverted cylinder (side without rubber stopper). This should not be difficult, as water pressure of plastic container will keep 100mL in measuring cylinder whilst tube is being inserted. 1. Measure out 10mL of the 0.5M, H2SO4 solution in second measuring cylinder and pour into large test tube. 1. (Start of trial) Place one strip of magnesium ribbon (0.05g) into large test tube and immediately cover top of tube with rubber stopper end of delivery tube. Ensure that it is firmly attached and air tight. As soon as reaction begins with H2SO4 solution already in test tube, start timing the rate of reaction using the stopwatch. 1. Measure and record the time it takes for the water level in the inverted measuring cylinder to decrease by 20mL. This will indicate that it has been replaced by 20mL of hydrogen gas. 1. Reset the experiment by rinsing the measuring cylinders and test tube with distilled water; refill the inverted measuring cylinder with 100mL of water and carefully place back into plastic container with delivery tube passing through it. 1. Measure another 10mL of 0.5M, H2SO4 solution in second measuring cylinder and pour into test tube. 1. Repeat steps 8 and 9 again, adding the 0.05g, Mg ribbon to the reaction in the test tube, cap of the test tube with the rubber stopper end of the delivery tube and time until 20mL of H2 gas has been produced in inverted measuring cylinder. 1. Rinse all equipment with distilled water once trial 2 is completed and measure out another 10mL of 0.5M, H2SO4 solution. Reset experiment like in step 10 and pour measured solution into clean test tube. 1. Begin trial 3 and repeat steps 8 and 10 again. If the previous two trials yielded similar results, trial 3 should also be of similar time length. If at the end of three trials, there is an anomaly within them, it may be required to complete a fourth trial to clean up data. 1. Repeat steps 7-14 again with the 1M, 1.5M and 2M H2SO4 solutions. The process is the same with the only variable changing being the concentration of H2SO4. 1. Once finished, record gathered results onto laptop and return all equipment. Ensure to clean all test tubes and measuring cylinders with distilled water before returning. 2. Write up report, ensuring to include a marked-scattered graph and results table with averages established for each concentration of H2SO4 tested. If required, process the data to achieve a desired relationship between the two variables. *NOTE: Capture pictures throughout experiment with the laptop and remember to write down all observations. RESULTS Results Table: Time Taken To Produce 20mL of Hydrogen Gas (sec) From a Reaction Between Magnesium Metal (Mg) and Different Concentrations (M) of Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) Concentration Of H2SO4 (M) Time Taken to Produce 20mL of Hydrogen Gas (sec) Graph: I think the best kind of graph to use to display these results would be to create a marked line graph with a line of best fit (Trendline): Observations Throughout the investigation we collected and gathered observations using our five senses, with the sound of the reaction, the sight of the reaction and the heat of test tube all extending our knowledge and understanding of this phenomenon. The fizzing sound that the reaction was creating was because of the chemical bonding taking place between the metal and acid. The fizzing was also visible to the eye, as when the magnesium was added to the reaction in the test tube, it combined with the H2SO4 and produced bubbles. Furthermore, particles of higher concentration H2SO4 collided and reacted with the magnesium particles to produce magnesium sulfate and hydrogen gas at a quicker rate. The heat developed in the test tube also varied significantly with more concentrated solutions radiating warmer temperatures due to higher levels of friction and energy in the reaction. DATA PROCESSING The relationship achieved in the above graph between the two variables is of a quadratic, inverse relationship with no modifications made to the data. To achieve a linear relationship between the independent and dependent variable, me must process and modify the results. This is outlined in the table below: Concentration Of H2SO4 (M) Modification Rule New Value of Independent Variable (graphed) Time Taken to Produce 20mL of Hydrogen Gas (sec)- Average Modification Rule New Value of Dependent Variable (graphed) 0.5M 1/r Graph: I think the best kind of graph to use to display the modified results would be to create a marked line graph with a line of best fit (Trendline): DISCUSSION Our results show a wide range of relationships between the data. For instance, the shape of our initial graph shows an inverse, quadratic relationship between the concentration of H2SO4 and time required to produce 20mL of H2 gas from its reaction with Mg metal. The polynomial trend line displays this relationship in the first, raw data graph with an equation of y = 602 254x + 350, creating a â€Å"minimum† parabola. From here, we were able to deduce a set of modified results- taking into account two specific rules required to develop a linear relationship from an existing inverse relationship (represented in the table above). Macintosh HD:Users:160161:Desktop:Screen Shot 2015-03-23 at 7.03.05 pm.png Hence, the second graph provides us with a linear relationship between the two variables in that it possesses a straight line with the equation: y = x + 350. The value of the modified gradient is one, signifying that for every additional 1/0.5M rise in concentration of H2SO4; an equivalent ratio of decrease is experienced for the time taken to produce 20mL of H2 gas. In relation to the research question, our data collected clearly shows that the rate of reaction between an acid and metal substances is quickened by an increase in concentration of the acid substance. The data looks fairly reliable as there are no anomalies or outlier’s present- with the data plotted on the marked scattered graph all being located along the trend line which intersects each mark near-perfectly, suggesting the data’s accuracy with the rule. However, there was slight variation between the three trials of each concentration, suggesting slight variation between the conditions for each trial. CONCLUSION The results gathered are sufficient and clearly show a distinct relationship detailing that the stronger the concentration of the H2SO4 solution, the quicker/faster its rate of reaction with magnesium metal, proving my hypothesis valid as I had hypothesized that â€Å"as the concentration of the H2SO4 solution increases/strengthens (measured in molarity mass), it will correspond to an increased/quicker rate of reaction with Mg metal†. Evidence from the data collected shows that the strongest concentration of H2SO4 (2M) only required an average of 80secs to produce 20mL of H2 gas, where as the most dilute solution trialed (0.5M) required an average of 240secs- more than any other trialed concentration. There is enough evidence to show that unless the data is modified and processed, a linear relationship is not formed between the two variables, indicating that there is no direct proportionality between the increase in concentration and time taken to produce 20mL of hydrogen gas. This occurs because the reaction between H2SO4 and Mg is an exothermic reaction so a small amount of energy has been released/transferred out of the experiment as the reaction progressed. EVALUATION Our experiment went quite well and we were able to collect all the necessary readings required. We encountered very few problems during the course of the experiment and were able to conduct three trials for each H2SO4 concentration, thus improving the reliability of our data and deeming the experiment fair and valid. We had a sufficient sample size of four different concentrations at equal intervals of 0.5M-adequate for this experiment and allowing for a conclusive relationship to be established. The extensive range of data collected through the conduction of three trials for each concentration of H2SO4 allowed us to obtain an accurate trend line and formulate justifiable conclusions. Furthermore, our results for each concentration of H2SO4 were similar each trial with no major outliers in the data, implying that our control of the constant variables was successful, all data was precise and accurate averages were deemed. Analyzing our results, we were able to achieve the phenomena (affects of concentration on the rate of reaction between a metal and acid substance) we were interested in and hence were able to answer our research question in the affirmative that the concentration of an acid (in this Sulfuric acid) does effect its reaction of rate with magnesium metal, with the relationship being that an increase in concentration (molar mass) equates to an increased/quicker rate of reaction- evidenced by the time taken to produce 20mL of hydrogen gas. Our method was fairly clear, concise and allowed us collect our data in a fairly orderly way, doing so for most tests. It allowed us to complete the experiment with accuracy excluding the effects of the one, major problem (mentioned above) that were inevitable based on the way the experiment was conducted. Although our method and experimental plan were quite accurate, easy to understand and allowed us to achieve our target of determining a distinct and logical relationship, there are still many improvements that could be made to it to improve the validity of our results and further experiments could be carried out to extend this investigation. These include: * Completely eliminating human impact in the experiment by a valve of some sort to add the magnesium ribbons to the reaction in the test tube with the rubber stopper already firmly attached to the test tube. This will mean that the slight deviation in data is not experienced. * Using a larger sample size- (i.e. 8-10 different concentrations of H2SO4) so that the relationship gathered can be further strengthened and backed up by more evidence. * Investigate whether changing the concentration of H2SO4 has an impact on the time it takes for the reaction to reach equilibrium (the end of the reaction) and form a relationship from there. * Use different types of acids and metals with different properties to investigate if the rate of reaction is similar to that between Sulfuric acid and magnesium or it is quicker/slower. * Trialing different factors that affect the rate of reaction such as temperature or agitation and evaluating their influence compared to that of altering the concentration.

понедельник, 22 июля 2019 г.

Amazon Ebusiness Essay Example for Free

Amazon Ebusiness Essay Amazon was founded in 1994, spurred by what Bezos called regret minimization framework, his effort to fend off regret for not staking a claim in the Internet gold rush. Company lore says Bezos wrote the business plan while he and his wife drove from New York to Seattle , although that account appears to be apocryphal. The company began as an online bookstore; while the largest brick-and-mortar bookstores and mail-order catalogs for books might offer 200,000 titles, an online bookstore could offer more. Bezos named the company Amazon after the worlds largest river. Since 2000, Amazons logotype is an arrow leading from A to Z, representing customer satisfaction (as it forms a smile); a goal was to have every product in the alphabet. In 1994, the company incorporated in the state of Washington, beginning service in July 1995, and was reincorporated in 1996 inDelaware. The first book Amazon.com sold was Douglas Hofstadters Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought. Amazon.com issued its initial public offering of stock on May 15, 1997, trading under theNASDAQ stock exchange symbol AMZN, at an IPO price of US$18.00 per share ($1.50 after three stock splits in the late 1990s). Amazons initial business plan was unusual: the company did not expect a profit for four to five years. Its slow growth provoked stockholder complaints that the company was not reaching profitability fast enough. When the dot-com bubble burst, and many e-companies went out of business, Amazon persevered, and finally turned its first profit in the fourth quarter of 2001: $5 million or 1 ¢ per share, on revenues of more than $1 billion, but the modest profit was important in demonstrating the business model could be profitable. In 1999, Time magazine named Bezos Person of the Year,  recognizing the companys success in popularizing online shopping. Amazon.com products and services: Amazon product lines include books, music CDs, videotapes and DVDs, software, consumer electronics, kitchen items, tools, lawn and garden items, toys games, baby products, apparel, sporting goods, gourmet food, jewelry, watches, health and personal-care items, beauty products, musical instruments, clothing, industrial scientific supplies, and groceries. The company launched Amazon.com Auctions, a Web auctions service, in March 1999. However, it failed to chip away at industry pioneer eBays large market share. Amazon.com Auctions was followed by the launch of a fixed-price marketplace business, zShops, in September 1999, and the now defunct Sothebys/Amazon partnership called sothebys.amazon.com in November. Auctions and zShops evolved into Amazon Marketplace, a service launched in 2001 that let customers sell used books, CDs, DVDs, and other products alongside new items. Today, Amazon Marketplaces main rival is eBays Half.com service. In August 2005, Amazon began selling products un der its own private label, Pinzon; the trademark applications indicated that the label would be used for textiles, kitchen utensils, and other household goods.In March 2007, the company applied to expand the trademark to cover a more diverse list of goods, and to register a new design consisting of the word PINZON in stylized letters with a notched letter O whose space appears at the one oclock position.. Coverage by the trademark grew to include items such as paints, carpets, wallpaper, hair accessories, clothing, footwear, headgear, cleaning products, and jewelry.On September 2008, Amazon filed to have the name registered. USPTO has finished its review of the application, but Amazon has yet to receive an official registration for the name. Amazon MP3, its own online music store, launched in the US in September 25, 2007, selling downloads exclusively in MP3 format without digital rights management.[This was the first online offering of DRM-free music from all four major record companies. In August 2007, Amazon announced AmazonFresh, a grocery service offering perishable and nonperishable foods. Customers can have orders delivered to their homes at dawn or during a specified daytime window. Delivery was initially restricted to residents of Mercer Island, Washington, and was later expanded to several  ZIP codes in Seattle proper. AmazonFresh also operated pick-up locations in the suburbs of Bellevue and Kirkland from summer 2007 through early 2008. In 2008 Amazon expanded into film production, producing the film The Stolen Child with 20th Century Fox. Amazon.com has incorporated a number of products and services through development and acquisitions. The Honor System was launched in 2001 to allow customers to make donations or buy digital content, with Amazon collecting a percentage of the payment plus a fee. The service was discontinued in 2008. and replaced by Amazon Payments. Amazon launched Amazon Web Services(AWS) in 2002, which provides programmatic access to latent features on its website. Amazon also created channels to benefit certain causes. In 2004, Amazons Presidential Candidates allowed customers to donate $5–200 to the campaigns of 2004 U.S. preside ntial hopefuls. Amazon has periodically reactivated a Red Cross donation channel after crises such as the 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean. By January 2005, nearly 200,000 people had donated over $15.7 million in the US. Amazon Prime offers two day shipping with no minimum purchase amount for a flat annual fee, as well as discounted priority shipping rates. Amazon launched the program in the continental United States in 2005, in Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany in 2007, and in France (as Amazon Premium) in 2008. Launched in 2005, Amazon Shorts offers exclusive short stories and non-fiction pieces from best-selling authors for immediate download. By June 2007, the program had over 1,700 pieces and was adding about 50 new pieces per week. In November 2005, Amazon.com began testing Amazon Mechanical Turk, an application programming interface (API) allowing programs to dispatch tasks to human processors. In March 2006, Amazon launched an online storage service called Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3). An unlimited number of data objects, from 1 byte to 5 gigabytes in size, can be stored in S3 and distributed via HTTP or BitTorrent. The service charges monthly fees for data stored and transferred. In 2006, Amazon introducedAmazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS), a distributed queue messaging service, and product wikis (later folded into Amapedia) and discussion forums for certain products using guidelines that follow standard message board conventions. Also in 2006, Amazon introduced Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), a virtual site farm, allowing users to use the Amazon infrastructure to run applications ranging  from running simulations to web hosting. In 2008, Amazon improved the service adding Elastic Block Store (EBS), offering persistent storage for Amazon EC2 instances and Elastic IP addresses, static IP addresses designed for dynamic cloud computing. In 2007 Amazon launched Amapedia, a wiki for user-generated content to replace ProductWiki, the video on demand s ervice Amazon Unbox, and Amazon MP3, which sells downloadable MP3s. Amazons terms of use agreements restrict use of the MP3s, but Amazon does not use DRM to enforce those terms. Amazon MP3 sells music from the Big 4 record labels EMI, Universal, Warner Bros. Records, and Sony BMG, as well as independents. Previous to the launch of this service, Amazon made an investment in Amie Street, a music store with a variable pricing model based on demand. Also in 2007 Amazon launched Amazon Vine, which allows reviewers free access to pre-release products from vendors in return for posting a review, as well as payment service specifically targeted at developers, Amazon FPS. In November 2007, Amazon launched Amazon Kindle, an e-book reader which downloads content over Whispernet, via the Sprint Nextel EV-DO wireless network. The screen uses E Ink technology to reduce battery consumption. In 2008 Amazon stated that its Kindle-based library included 200,000 titles. In December 2007, Amazon introduced SimpleDB, a database system, allowing users of its other infrastructure to utilize a high reliability high performance database system. In August 2007, Amazon launched an invitation-only beta-test for online grocery delivery. It has since rolled out in several Seattle, Washington suburbs. In January 2008 Amazon began rolling out their MP3 service to subsidiary websites worldwide. In December, 2008, Amazon MP3 was made available in the UK. In September, IMDB and Amazon.com launched a Music metadata browsing site with wiki-like user contribution. In November, Amazon partnered with Fisher-Price, Mattel, Microsoft and Transcend to offer products with minimal packaging to reduce environmental impact and frustration with opening clamshell type packaging. Amazon Web Services launched a public beta of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud running Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft SQL Server. Amazon Connectenables authors to post remarks on their book pages to customers. WebStore allows businesses to create custom e-commerce websites using Amazon technology. Sellers pay a commission of 7 percent, including credit-card processing fees and fraud protection, and a subscription fee of  $59.95/month for an unlimited number of webstores and listings. Why Amazon.com is successful as a business on internet and has excellent capabilities supported by information system and e-commerce? Amazons initial business plan was unusual: the company did not expect a profit for four to five years. Its slow growth provoked stockholder complaints that the company was not reaching profitability fast enough. When the dot-com bubble burst and many e-companies went out of business, Amazon persevered, and finally turned its first profit in the fourth quarter of 2001: $5 million or 1 ¢ per share, on revenues of more than $1 billion, but the modest profit was important in demonstrating the business model could be profitable. In 1999, Time magazine named Bezos Person of the Year, recognizing the companys success in popularizing online shopping. Amazon changed the way it does business through the years. First it was an online book seller. Next it expanded into selling music and videos. Then it offered toys, consumer electronics and software to its customers. These were linked with a host of new products until this very day. Amazon has a constantly evolving product line. Its competitors have a hard time catching up with the innovator. During its initial years of operation, Amazon was not making any real profit. It practiced instead the habit of reinvesting its income into new markets. This it did to make possible for its customers to make wider choices for the companys offerings. Inventory management is an important function for any business and its efficient implementation can play a major role in reducing costs within a company. Policies, procedures, and techniques employed in maintaining the optimum number or amount of each inventory item. The objective of inventory management is to provide uninterrupted production, sales, and/or customer-service levels at the minimum cost, Levi D. S. et al (2003). Levi explains that a high-quality inventory management system provides a smooth and efficient supply chain by reducing costs and time. Initially when a company is established, key individuals may perform su ch tasks as purchasing, manufacturing or inventory control with little problem in terms of overlapping functions. But as a company expands it may be necessary to concentrate on core functions in the aim to have specialized personnel in every department. Each function has an important part to play in the supply chain. The correct management of  inventory enables a company to reduce liabilities and cost of overstocking, to streamline operations and to have better utilized staff. Amazon.com, the worlds largest online retailer and one of the nations biggest book sellers, is one of the iconic companies of the Internet era, Eells S. (2010), and by realizing the importance of inventory management can only improve its supply chain. From the text we can see that when CEO Jeffrey P. Bezos went about setting up Amazon.com, he had a clear aim to offer customers a wide selection of books but at the same time did not want to spend time and money on opening stores and warehouses and in dealing with the inventory. Bezos was hesitant in deciding to maintain Amazons own warehouse but realized that this was the only way for the company to keep customers satisfied. Internet shopping was rapidly expanding and with Amazon now stretching its ranges from not only books but to CDs, toys and hardware, they too were a growing industry. Amazon began setting up warehouses throughout the US, strategically placing them in states with little or no sales tax in order to reduce costs. These warehouses were very well maintained and completely computerized, with each item having a separate code which made inventory management a lot easier. Within the large warehouses, Amazon held all products which were available on the website. This was not always a good idea as it cost Amazon money in order to stock these goods. In the holiday season of 1999, Bezos was determined not to disappoint any customers; therefore he ordered larger amounts of every product. With this large amount of inventory, Bezos found it very diffic ult to manage, so aimed to rearrange the warehouses to accommodate the demand in different regions. They then decided to outsource some of its routines activities so that they could concentrate more on their core competencies. Deciding whether to outsource or not was a difficult decision for Amazon but seen in the Strategic outsourcing book by Greaver M. (1999), he explains that there quiet a number of reasons how outsourcing can be a major advantage. These points are broken into 6 headings; 1. Organizational reasons Enhance effectiveness and focus on what you do best and also makes the company more flexible 2. Improvement driven reasons Improve operating performance and also management and control 3. Finally driven reasons Reduce investment assets and free up these resources for other areas of the business 4. Revenue driven reasons Gain market access and  business opportunities along with accelerating expansion 5. Cost driven reasons Reduce cost through superior provider performance and lower cost structure 6. Employee driven reasons Increase commitment and energy in non c ore areas. Amazon decided to outsource its inventory management, and with this they decided not to stock every item offered on its site. It stocked only the most popular and frequently purchased items and as for the other items, they were requested from the distributor on ordering. The item would be sent to Amazon, unpacked and finally sent to the customer. Amazon entered into an agreement with Ingram Micro Inc. to use its knowledge and experience in the electronic goods and supply chain management in order to provide logistics and order-fulfillment services for desktops, laptops and other computer related accessories. From the case, Kevin Murai, President, Ingram Macro U.S. informs everyone the advantages in which they can offer to Amazons supply chain and satisfaction of customers, â€Å"The customer fulfillment services we are providing to Amazon.com’s computer store will minimize the number of touches to the product, while ensuring a seamless shopping experience for Amazons customers from start to finish†. A collaborative approach was obvious from this. A collaborative partnership has become an alternative approach to care, replacing traditional hierarchical approach as the desired approach to care. The features of collaborative partnerships are (1) Power sharing and sharing of expertise; (2) the pursuit of mutually agreed on, person centered goals and, (3) a dynamic process that requires the active participation and agreement of all partners in the relationship, Elsevier M. (2006). Both Amazon and Ingram Micro both shared the passion for customer satisfaction which was the main driving force to the success of their partnership. Amazon has identified its core competencies as: customer convenience and accessibility, massive selection, personalized service, quality of the site content, quality of its search tools and price, Mulqueen K. (2009). By entering into this partnership it gives Amazon more quality time to put into its core competencies. During the initial stages of Amazons warehousing, it aimed to have every item in stock in o rder to maximize customer satisfaction. By having this inventory, it would enable Amazon to meet the needs of the customers when they purchased the goods online. When the customer chooses the item, Amazon takes it from inventory and sent it to the respective  customer. We can see the logic in which Bezos takes as he is aiming to satisfy every customer in order to build a positive image and reputation of the company. Holding this much inventory on the other can be quite costly and also for a small business which Amazon was when taking on this method can be very difficult to manage. Amazons warehouses were a quarter mile long and 200 yards wide storing millions of books. Each warehouse cost Bezos around 50 million and not only this he started to realize that having all these large amounts of stock was unutilized cash which could be used to improve the business elsewhere. The below image (fig 1.1) gives you an idea of the scale of the warehouses and how an effective inventory management structure is vital. Learning from the difficult holiday season of 1999, Bezos outsourced some of their core competencies in order to pay more attention to othe r areas of the business. In our opinion this was a step in the right direction as when Amazons partners shipped the goods Amazon revamped the layout of their warehouses which makes the items easier to find and allowed customer orders to be sorted more efficiently. In early 2001, when Amazon partnered with Ingram Micro Inc., we feel that this was the correct decision for Amazon in the aim for efficient inventory management and it didn’t take long for changes to be made to the stocking of inventory. Amazon decided to stock only the most popular and most frequently purchased. If an item which wasn’t in stock, Amazon simply ordered in from the distributor and who then shipped it to Amazon where they would unpack it and send it to the customer. This may seem like a longer process but we feel this step which significantly reduce costs and better utilized Amazons finances. This is evident from the case as in December 00; their gross profit was 656.8 million where it was almost doubled in December 02 where the profit was 1,074.9 million. By doing this method, inevitably Amazon reduced holding costs. This method was proving to be a positive for Amazon as the improved inventory management helped Amazon record its first ever profit in 2001. From being initially in a deficit of $2.86 billion seven years earlier, Amazon recorded a net profit of $5 million in the fourth quarter of 2001. By Amazon outsourcing its inventory management, we could see the improvements almost immediately from their financial reports in the case. It is clear in our opinion, that Amazon made the right decision when outsourcing this function. It has reduced cost by keeping fewer inventories  and at the same time has partnered with a company with a great deal of expertise in the technology functions which can again be a major positive for the company. This shows again that outsourcing the inventory function was the correct decision for Amazon. The transfer of Amazons inventory management as shown in the case was a positive influence on the company and we feel that it was a successful task. The reason for this is simple; Amazon has tried and tested various inventory techniques from when it was first established. At first Amazons inventory was too great and was seen to be unutilized cash. Bezos realized that this unutilized cash could possible to used to benefit over departments within the company. The task of outsourcing this area made a profit for the company immediately, at the end of 2001, Amazon had a sales record of 1.1 billion which was a 15% increase on the same period of the previous year. Then again in 2002, we can see from the case that Amazon recorded sales of 3.93 billion which was a 26% increase on the year previous. These figures show that the task of outsourcing inventory for Amazon was an important function which has shown to get record sales for the company and along with the expertise given by Ingram Micro was overall a positive influence on the company. Overall, Amazons decision to outsource its inventory management and concentrate more on other funct ions within the business was the correct decision in our opinion. This is proven by the increase in profit since doing so. Amazon managed to outsource this function and still satisfy their customers which is one of their core values along with being innovative. According to businessweek.com, Amazon in 2010 had a net income of $231 million in comparison to $177million in 2009 which again is an indication that the company’s decisions have only had a positive impact as the company continues to grow. This is a positive for the company but in comparison to its main competitor, EBay had a net income of 397.65 million in 2010 which is also seen on businessweek.com. This shows that there is a lot of work done but still in order to compete with its competitors it must still strive to improve. Amazon prides itself on a strong brand, excellent customer service and a well designed, easy to use website. Its use of E-Business strategies enables the company to cut costs better than its competitors and empower its customers by offering them choice. It could be argued that Amazons’ most valuable asset is its CEO and Founder Jeff Bezos. Bezos innovative style has grown the company from  strength to strength and latest figures, according to the website www.siliconrepublic.com show an increase in profit of 36% to $12.95bn for 2010 from a sink to 3.7pc from 5pc at the end of 2009. In 2001, Amazons CEO, Jeff Bezos welcomed competitors rather than fighting them. This decision was initially seen as somewhat controversial. According to Vogelstein (2003) the decision caused such a stir in the book-publishing community that the Authors Guild formally stepped in. They wanted used books sold on a different page from newly published ones. Amazon was able to do this as a result of its efficient inventory management. Vogelstein (2003) states that Amazons warehouses are so efficient that they need to be replenished 20 times per year and they can now handle three times the volume they handled in 1999. The net result of this initiative is increased profits as can be seen from the case. The success of Amazon can be attributed to E-Business. Tedeschi (1999) state; Business on the Internet is cutting significant cost out of the supply chain, with better procurement and resource planning. With Amazon, these cost savings are passed onto the end customer. Through price comparison and transparency on its webpage, customers could make informed decisions based on price. This created massive popularity with its customers. E-Business also creates brand strength. According to Matthewson (2002) a recent survey demonstrated the importance of online brand building, as it showed that six out of ten internet users directly typed into their browser the address of the brand they are interested in buying. The website is said to attract 81 million unique visitors each month .Amazon has capitalized on this process known as cyber-branding. This essentially promotes the company through superior customer service. Its logistics in both inventory efficiency and technology gives it a superior edge over its competitors. Its operations are very efficient due to the strategic locations of its warehouses and headquarters, which have enabled Amazon to cut a lot of its costs. The market in which amazon.com operates and how it is organized by region and country: Amazon.com has always sold goods out of its own warehouses. It started as a bookseller, pure and simple, and over the last decade has branched out into  additional product areas and the third-party sales that now represent a good chunk of its revenue (some estimates put it at 25 percent). Both retailers and individual sellers utilize the Amazon.com platform to sell goods. Large retailers like Nordstrom, Lands End and Target use Amazon.com to sell their products in addition to selling them through their own Web sites. The sales go through Amazon.com and end up at Nordstrom.com, Lands End.com or Target.com for processing and order fulfillment. Amazon essentially leases space to these retailers, who use Amazon.com as a supplemental outlet for their online sales. Small sellers of used and new goods go to Amazon Marketplace, Amazon zShops or Amazon Auctions. At Marketplace, sellers offer goods at a fixed price, and at Auctions they sell their stuff to the highest bidder. Amazon zShops f eatures only used goods at fixed prices. If an item listed on zShops, Marketplace or Auctions is also sold on the main Amazon.com, it appears in a box beside the Amazon.com item so buyers can see if someone else is selling the product for less in one of the other sales channels. The level of integration that occurs on Amazon is a programming feat that few (if any) online sales sites can match. Another sales channel called Amazon Advantage is a place where people can sell new books, music and movies directly from the Amazon warehouse instead of from their home or store. Sellers ship a number of units to Amazon, and Amazon handles the entire sales transaction from start to finish. In all of these programs, Amazon gets a cut of each sale (usually about 10 percent to 15 percent) and sometimes charges additional listing or subscription fees; in the case of Amazon Advantage, the company takes a 55 percent commission on each sale. The Advantage channel is something like a consignment setup, a sales avenue for people who create the ir own music CDs or have self-published a book and are simply looking for a way to get it out there. One of the latest additions to Amazons repertoire is a subsidiary company called Amazon Services. Through Amazon Services, Amazon sells its sales platform, providing complete Amazon e-commerce packages to companies looking to establish or revamp their e-commerce business. Amazon sets up complete Web sites and technology backbones for other e-commerce companies using Amazon software and technology. Target, for instance, in addition to having a store on Amazon.com, also uses Amazon Services to build and manage its own e-commerce site, Target.com. But selling goods isnt the only way to make  money with Amazon.com. The Web sites affiliate program is one of the most famous on the Web. Through Amazons Associate Program, anyone with a Web site can post a link to Amazon.com and earn some money. The link can display a single product chosen by the associate, or it can list several best seller products in a particular genre, in which case Amazon updates the list automatically at preset interv als. The associate gets a cut of any sale made directly through that link. The cut ranges from 4 percent to 7.5 percent depending on which fee structure the associate signs up for (see Amazon Associates for complete program details). The associate can also take advantage of Amazon Web Services, which is the program that lets people use Amazons utilities for their own purposes. The Amazon Web Services API (application programming interface) lets developers access the Amazon technology infrastructure to build their own applications for their own Web sites. All product sales generated by those Web sites have to go through Amazon.com, and the associate gets a small commission on each sale. References * about Ingram Micro. [Online] Available from: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=98566p=irol-aboutIMOverview * Aryasri A R (2007) Managerial economics and financial analysis, 3rd Ed, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi * Bolumole, Yemisi A., Frankel R., Naslund D, 2007. â€Å"Developing a Theoretical Framework for Logistics Outsourcing†, Transportation Journal, [e-journal], Vol. 46 Issue 2, p35-54, 20p, , Available through: Business Source Premier database [Accessed 18 February 2011] * Coltman et al (2000) E-Business: Revolution, Evolution or Hype? (Online) Available http://www.uazuay.edu.ec/bibliotecas/e-business/E-business_Revolution_Evolution_or_Hype.pdf * Dickenson et al (1999) Strategic Analysis Recommendation: eBay, restructuring Process to Retain and Grow Core Business, Pacific Lutheran University. * Eell S. (2010) Amazon.com Inc. [Online] Available: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/amazon_inc/index.html * Elsevier M.(2006) The Collaborative Partnership approach to Care, Ann Millar, Toronto Canada. * Downes Mui (1999) Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance, Harvard Business School Press. * Galente J. (2010) Amazon.com’s Profit Forecast Falls Short of Estimates [Online]. Available: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-10-21/amazon-com-s-profit-forecast-falls-short-of-estimates.html * Gitman McDaniel (2008) The Future of business: The Essential, South-Western Cengage Learning, OH * Greaver M (1999) Strategic Outsourcing: A Structured Approach to Outsourcing Decisions and Initiatives, AMACOM; illustrated edition, NY. * Hardman R (2009) Santas not so little helper: Todays the busiest online shopping day of the year. So are they ready at the biggest grotto this side of Lapland? [Online] Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1233766/Santas-little-helper-Todays-busiest-online-shopping-day-year-So-ready-biggest-grotto-Lapland.html * Ingram Micro Talks Cloud With Amazon, Rackspace, Salesforce.com. [Online] Available from: http://www.mspmentor.net/2010/06/07/ingram-micro-talks-cloud-with-amazon-rackspace-salesforce-com/ * Ingram Micro reports about increasing business demand in iPad. [Online] Available from: http://iphoneroot.com/ingram-micro-reports-about-increasing-business-demand-in-ipad/print/ * Johnson et al (2008) exploring corporate strategy, text and cases, 8th ed, prentice hall, NY * Kardes Gurumurthy (1992) Order-of-Entry Effects on Consumer Memory and Judgment: An Information Integration Perspective, Journal of Marketing Research, 29 (3), pp. 343–357 * Lankford W.M., Parsa F (1999). Outsourcing: A primer, Journal of Management Decision, [e-journal], Vol. 37 Issue 3/4, p310, 7p, Available through: Business Source Premier database [Accessed 18 February 2011] * Levi et al (2003) Design and Managing the Supply Chain, Concepts and strategies and case studies, Second edition, The McGraw – Hill companies, NY. * Matthewson J (2002) E-Business: A jargon-free practical guide, Butterworth-Heinemana, Oxford * Mulqueen K. (2009) Consulting For Human Resources Organizational Development Training, [Online] Available: http://www.consulting4hr.com/articles.html * People carrying dollar. [Online] Available from: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-18434335/stock-photo-people-carrying-dollar.html * Save money buying used books at Amazon.com. [Online] Available from: http://jeremy.zawodny.com/blog/archives/006969.html * Sanders et al (2007) A Multidimensional Framework for Understanding Outsourcing Arrangements, Journal of Supply Chain Management, [e-journal], Vol. 43 Issue 4, p3-15, Abstract only. Available through: Business Source Premier database [Accessed 18 February 2011] * Scandoval (2002) How lean can Amazon Go? (Online) Available http://news.cnet.com/2100-1017-886784.html * Tedeschi R (1999), A Market that Dwarfs Retail E-Sales, New York Times,

воскресенье, 21 июля 2019 г.

Alone In The Dark Media Essay

Alone In The Dark Media Essay People sometimes find themselves alone in the cold, cruel, unforgiving darkness with nothing around them. Suddenly, they see a flickering flashlight in the distance. Running, they quickly come to the flashlight, but just as their fingertips brush against the comforting plastic the flashlight disappears. It is scary to think about, isnt it? For many college students this becomes a reality when their dreams, ambitions, and hope flicker out like a dying flashlight battery and disappear into a world of darkness due to poor preparation for exams. Many college students may take tons of notes during the semester in preparation for midterms and final exams. Unfortunately, they fall into pulling All-Nighters or other educational pit holes even with adequate notes. When facing the threat of failing a midterm or final, college students should have two goals in mind. The first goal should be to maintain stress levels while dealing with the exam. The second goal should be to do well on the exam with no problems because of proper study preparation. With the following tips and advice, college students will be able to hit the books with ease and avoid falling into study pit holes. Procrastination is a common aspect of the college life. Many students value their social scene more than their study scene. Every waking moment does not have to be devoted to studying. If, however, something as simple as shopping can be put off to a later date, the pupil should put it off. Too many students fail their exams due to trips, parties, or social events that they place before their studies only to realize their foolishness when it is too late. When preparing for a college midterm or final, it is very crucial to have time management. Students often put off studying until the last minute and find that their brain overloads and all information is wiped clean. How can a college student avoid such a disaster? The answer is simple. Plan ahead. Plan ahead. Plan ahead. College students are lucky when it comes to taking major exams. The instructors of each college course generally hands out a syllabus with important dates. A great way to start for people to start off off planning for midterms and finals is to get a daily planner. With a planner, the student can mark the days of the midterms and schedule daily study sessions to help them prepare. It is very important, especially at a college level, to prioritize study time. Many students are juggling more than fifteen credit hours and will panic the closer it gets to exam time. Even the most intellectual student will sometimes study for one subject more than another. The end result of such a procedure is not a pretty sight. The proper method of studying involves dividing time equally among all subjects. Prioritizing allows students to be mindful of their study time and allows all of their subjects to get equal attention. Everyone is different when it comes to studying. Some students can study with the radio on or with lots of noise while others prefer peace and quiet. It is important when it comes to preparation for exams to find a study spot that works. The choice is up to each individual person, whether it is in the tub or in a park. Another good way to prepare for taking midterms is for students to schedule study breaks. Many students will try and study one week before their exam and will be too ldquofriedrdquo to take the exam properly. When planning for a study session, students should take breaks that last ten minutes. Study breaks will stimulate the brain and will relax the student. Taking these steps will enable students to concentrate more on the subject they are studying. Here are ways that students can find relief from studying: Going for a run Reading a novel Having a snack Watching a television show Playing a video game Study breaks are meant to give the student a small amount of time to relax and refresh themselves. Often, college students dont give their brain a decent break and the overload causes multiple problems like mental fatigue, physical fatigue, and the inability to study. Falling asleep during a midterm is not uncommon for college students. Most of the time students will attempt to cram the night before getting as little as three hours of sleep. Students usually are fooled into thinking that they can function at a proper mental level to think critically when taking an exam. Like studying, proper sleep plays a valuable role when it comes to mental preparation for an exam. Many times people fail exams because they didnt understand their concept matter. It is important if students dont understand something to go and ask the professor for help. The worst thing a student can do is not ask questions. Students should talk to them, ask for study guides, and get together with one-on-one development plans. When midterms and finals come around, students should not find themselves unprepared. They should not attempt to pull an All-Nighter and end up falling into pit holes that could have been avoided with proper preparation. Learners should not let their dreams, ambitions, and futures fade away because without proper study methods they will be nowhere except by themselves alone in the dark.

суббота, 20 июля 2019 г.

Brave New World 3 :: essays research papers

Brave New World: “Oh, my God, my God!'; In 1932, Aldous Huxley first published the novel, Brave New World. During this time, the ideas that Huxley explored in his novel were not a reality, but merely science-fiction entertainment. Brave New World confronts ideas of totalitarianism, artificial reproduction, anti-individualism, and forever youth- ideas which were not threatening in the 30’s. In the 1930’s, the high ethical standards people maintained and the limited amount of scientific knowledge did not allow for the acceptance of the types of ideas found in Brave New World. These values include abstinance, family structure, and life-long marriages- issues that had little to no importance in the Brave New World. As we begin the new millenium, our increasing scientific knowledge has taken our curiousity beyond ethical consideration, and Huxley’s novel has become much closer to a reality than it was 65 years ago. Today, Huxley’s Brave New World parallels current advances in genetical engineering, cloni ng, the lowering of moral standards held by the general mass, and the obsession people have with looking young. Theses new discoveries of genetical engineering and cloning closely parallel the process of giving birth in the Brave New World. In Brave New World, people are born artificially in test tubes. Everyone is condidtioned to be the same: to share the same characteristics, their way of thinking, and their ideas. People who claimed individual thought against the community- such as Bernard in the beginning of the novel- were considered to have a defect from a lab mistake during birth, and were ostracized from the community, until they conditioned themself to think like the rest of the community. Scientific development in both genetical engineering and cloning, have made the idea of anti-individualism closer to a reality. Genetical engineering enables parents to choose characteristics for their child, creating a “poster child'; which ultimately ends in every child becoming a poster child and all looking the same. Although genetical engineering is currently under ethical scepticism, and the cloning of humans is illegal, it is still possible to eventually end all diversity (except possibly between ethnic groups as in Brave New World). Huxley says: Ninety-six identical twins working ninety-six identical machines!… You really know where you are… Community, Identity, Stability… If we could bokanovskify [a method whereby a human egg has its normal development arrested and whereupon it proceeds to bud, producing many identical eggs] indefinetly the whole problem

Childhood Sexual Abuse Impacting the Etiology of Eating Disorders Essay

Childhood Sexual Abuse Impacting the Etiology of Eating Disorders Today's literature estimates that as many as 1 in 3 females and 1 in 7 boys have been the victim of sexual abuse. There are about 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of incest each year in each major city in the United States. It is reported by the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse that in 1993, 2.9 million children were reported to protective services because they were being abused, neglected, or both (Schwartz). 16% of these 2.9 million children had been sexually abused. It is estimated that there are 60 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse in America today http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/stats.htm#Disclosure. This childhood sexual abuse has been implicated by some eating disorder experts as a factor in the etiology of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Eating disorder experts are currently engaged in heated debate concerning whether sexual abuse is a specific risk factor or a general risk factor in the development of eating disorders. Those who propose a spec ific link hypothesis believe that eating disorders are directly related to early sexual abuse and are a form of gender specific posttraumatic stress disorder. The proponents of the specific link hypothesis believe that their exists "complex, multiple mediating mechanisms between sexual abuse and disordered eating" (Kearney-Cook, 1994). They believe that sexual abuse has a direct effect on the victims body image. There is an emphasis on the "adverse effects of sexual abuse on body esteem, self-regulation, identity, and on interpersonal functioning" (Kearney-Cook, 1994). Those on the opposite side of the argument believe that eating disorders are not specifically caused by sex... ...ke-Kearney, Ann and Striegel-Moore, Ruth H. (1994). Treatment of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa: A Feminist Psychodynamic Approach. International Journal Of Eating Disorders, 4, 305 - 319 Waller, Glenn. (1991). Sexual Abuse as a Factor in Eating Disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 664 - 671 Kinzl, Johann F., et al. (1994). Family Background and Sexual Abuse Associated with Eating Disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 151, 1127 - 1130 Moyer, Diane M, et al. (1997). Childhood Sexual Abuse and Precursors of Binge Eating in an Adolescent Female Population. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 21, 23 - 30 Zlotnick, Caron, et al. (1996). The Relationship Between Sexual Abuse and Eating Pathology. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 20, 129 - 134