Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Matrix Paper essays

Matrix Paper essays Every human being is born into a society whereas they are taught specific actions. For example, a young child is taught to read a book, he does not know how to read from birth. It is a part of the learning process he must endure in order to grow. Everyday actions or rituals, as in a job or even brushing your teeth become imbedded in peoples minds. Man by nature is a subject, to his family, job, and world. Laws that must be followed govern humans. Basically, each individual fits somewhere on the Totem Pole. In the film The Matrix, Neo, the main protagonist, is subjected from birth to normal everyday actions of life. He is born into his parents idealistic society-the normal earth. To Neo this is the norm. What each person does daily is just part of life. He works for a computer company as a slave in the Matrix. His idealistic society is normal; he does not think of himself as a slave in bondage. At one point a character contacts him named Morphios. Morphios shows Neo through the use of a pill just what the real world is like. Every thought that Neo has been subjected to becomes a fantasy or just a front. Neo awakes in a vat of gunk attached to many chords. His matrix world no longer exists, just a memory in his new growing mind. He is reborn into the real world. Same as before, he is subjected to a new learning process. Still this man has not escaped subjection. In this world the humans are subjected to the artificial intelligence life forms; they control the board. The humans are still interpolating class structure and everyday (for the characters) actions. Neos escape into a better world in reality is only a bad change of scenery from the matrix. His life for the most part is still under subjection; however, just in different forms. The film The Matrix places a thought in each viewers mind: are we really being subjected to an i...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Personal Flags Ice Breaker Activity

Personal Flags Ice Breaker Activity Flags have a way of making everybody feel good, especially when they’re waving in the breeze. Ask your students to make their own personal flag and present it to the class for this ice breaker. What does their personal flag say to the world? Ideal Size Any size works. Break into small groups if desired. Uses Introductions in the classroom or at a meeting, especially if your gathering is international. Time Needed 30 to 60 minutes. Materials Needed Depending on how elaborate you want to get, and how much time you have, you can have students draw on a regular piece of paper, or you can provide different colored construction paper, scissors, glue, etc. Either way, you’ll need colored markers. Although not necessary, if your topic is history or anything that involves flags of any kind, having examples available would be helpful, and colorful. It’s important to realize, though, that the flags being created are imaginative. The sky’s the limit. Instructions Provide your students with whatever materials you chose, and explain that you would like them to introduce themselves via their own personal flag. They will have 30 minutes (or so) to make their flag. Then ask students to introduce themselves, presenting their flag and explaining the symbolism in it. Debriefing If your topic is one that involves flags or symbolism, ask students to share how they responded to specific flags. What was it about the flag? Color? Shape? Did it elicit a certain feeling? How could this be used to influence?

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Fuzzy Logic system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fuzzy Logic system - Essay Example The results of the analysis for different input and output conditions are compared and finally the best conditions are derived for the best performance of the machine. The given control system is a manufacturing machinery whose reliability can be analysed through the performance of three parts namely part A, part B and part C present in that machine. In order to diagnose faults in the components there are three sensors associated with them namely sensor 1, sensor 2 and sensor 3. A fault in any one of the three components may require either a cheap or expensive repair. The recovery time, the time that it takes the machine to return to full working order after repair, is either quick or slow or takes an intermediate amount of time. The output values of the sensors are to be controlled in a specific manner to evaluate the condition on the three parts on a scale 0 ( representing good condition – okay ) to 1( representing faulty condition). The given machinery can be represented and analysed using the Fuzzy Logic Tool Box available in MATLAB. Fuzzy logic starts with the concept of a fuzzy set. A fuzzy set is a set without a crisp, clearly defined boundary. It can contain elements with only a partial degree of membership. For the given system fuzzy variables are defined for each sensor and each part. The fuzzy variables for each sensor contain three equally sized, linear shaped, overlapping fuzzy sets comprising high, medium and low. The fuzzy variable for each machine part also contains three equally sized, linear shaped, overlapping fuzzy sets comprising of faulty, unreliable and okay. To construct the default system, the Mamdani Fuzzy Inference System in MATLAB GUI has been used. Mamdanis method was among the first control systems built using fuzzy set theory. It was proposed in 1975 by Ebrahim Mamdani (Sabeghi and Naghibzadeh , 2006,). In the FIS editor the default methods for AND , OR, implication, aggregation and defuzzification have been used. Three

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Role in Criminal Procedure of US Constitution Essay

Role in Criminal Procedure of US Constitution - Essay Example In the US Constitution itself, there is an Article that includes provision for both pre-trial and trial rights. Article III, Section. 2, Clause 3 indicates that â€Å"[t]he Trial of all Crimes [†¦] shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed [†¦]† (National Archives, â€Å"Constitution of the United States, Art.III,  §.2, cl.3†, 1787) This passage determines two important elements of criminal procedure, namely the jury and venue. These are crucial while they describe the place and method of criminal procedure.As for the Bill of Rights, there are several Amendments that are relevant to the current research question. To be more specific, Amendments Fifth, Sixth and Eight seem to be the most important to determining criminal procedure. Within the Fifth Amendment, there are several crucial points to understand in regard to criminal procedure. First, this Amendment rejects punishment for capital or i nfamous crimes except for specific cases. Similarly, in the Eight Amendment, it is stated that â€Å"[e]xcessive bail shall not be required†, nor â€Å"excessive fines, nor cruel and unusual punishments.† (National Archive, â€Å"Bill of Rights, Amendment VIII†, 1789) Second, Amendment V also indicates that one person will not be answering twice for the same crime. Third, any person has the right not to witness against oneself. Finally, the Amendment does not allow the punishment of a person without due juridical process. (National Archive, â€Å"Bill of Rights, Amendment V†, 1789).

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Effects of gambling Essay Example for Free

Effects of gambling Essay What are the Odds? With flashy lights, cheap buffets, and free hotel rooms; owners of casinos use these things as a ruse to pull people in. In a study by Dr. Weinstock, it was found that when gambling, the odds are stacked against the player. The odds of a college athlete becoming a pro football player are 3,000 to 1, the odds of being struck by lightning are 280,000 to 1, the odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 140,000,000 to 1 (Weinstock). Gambling is a complex and intriguing human activity. It has been in existence for several thousand years. Casinos are now located everywhere and gambling has become a recreational activity for all kinds of people. Gambling can be destructive to people and communities; however gambling can be a positive pastime because it provides entertainment and relaxation. It is a popular activity because people find it so pleasurable. The United States History of Gambling board did a study shows that thirty-eight percent of Americans will go to Las Vegas in their lifetime (History of Gambling in the United States). People go on vacations to places like Las Vegas or Reno Nevada, which are two major cities for gambling, to gamble for fun. It’s an enjoyable activity. People can participate in many different types of gambling; those with instantaneous prizes or scratch cards, slot machines, betting on sporting events, betting on special events, televised lotteries and traditional lotteries. Gambling can be positive and negative for these reasons: economy, addiction, harmful to the youth, and scholarships. Gambling preys on people who are poor, luring them with the promise of a life free from financial worries and burdens. In a physiological study, sixty percent of casino revenue comes from gamblers making less than $25,000 per year (Nance-Nash). As a result, bankruptcy rates are 100 percent higher in counties with casinos than in counties without casinos. While casinos may bring in tax revenue, this is perhaps the worst form of regressive taxation imaginable (Nance-Nash). The poorest of the population are the ones funding this tax revenue. On a more positive note, the regulation of the economy is a positive in favor of gambling. Wherever there is a casino, there is people spending money. When people win money, they use it to purchase items, thus putting the money back into the economy. Through regulation of the economy, new schools and hospitals can be constructed because of the increased funds caused by gambling taxes. With the creation of new casinos, other businesses in the area are often forced to shut down. Although gambling establishments may give tourism a boost, there may also be an increase in crime rates, which clearly isn’t a positive change. With more people passing through a town or city, there are more opportunities to commit crimes without getting caught. Gambling addicts can turn to thefts, robbery, fraud and embezzlement just to get more gambling money. The benefits to local businesses may be overstated, since many tourists will confine their activities to casinos and may not even spend their money elsewhere. Casinos are bad, because when people become addicted, it takes away from the economy by providing rehab, food, and housing assistance. As some people view gambling establishments as providing jobs, the activity also takes jobs away. People who become problematic gamblers become so addicted that they feel like that can’t do anything else besides betting. In turn, this causes people to lose their job in result of this addiction. 50% of college students were either problem or probable pathological gamblers (Weinstock). Looking at gambling from a different angle; when these establishments are built, other real estate such as hotels and restaurants are added to the community. These businesses provide more jobs. . Casinos are a positive because of the jobs they provide. Such jobs include: dealers, security staff, janitors, and entertainers. By providing more jobs, casinos help increase the population in an area. Jobs in the casino industry are often well paid jobs. Casinos make a great addition to a city with rundown areas because they encourage visitors and tourists. Gambling addicts not only do damage to themselves but to their families. Gambling addicts take a whole lot of time away from their families and friends. Whats worse is that they may even be spending not just their money but money for their familys daily expenses or for their kids education. Addicted gamblers fail to recognize this and are only focused in getting more cash when in reality, theyre just losing more. Gambling badly affects family life. Divorce, child neglect and suicides are products of gambling addictions. The legalization of gambling is not a problem, people who become addicted bring the problems and suffering upon themselves. A lack of self-discipline can lead to financial problems. Americas gambling addiction isn’t too far behind the nation’s drug problem, and it’s growing (Nance-Nash). In the United States there are 15 million Americans addicted to gambling and 23 million addicted to drugs or alcohol so the problem of people being addicted to gambling is not as bad as it may look. Also, there is a simple cure to gambling and that is to just stop going to casinos. Drugs have harmful effects and are much harder to break that addiction. The key for society is to find the right balance of it. Furthermore, people should be aware of the downsides of gambling so they participate in moderation. Gambling is fun and rewarding but destructive too, if one doesnt know how to handle it. As a youth, the rates of being at-risk for problem gambling can be two to three times higher than an adult. Gambling has become a problem because young kids, not yet old enough to gamble are now participating in this harmful activity, illegally. Huang found through research that students who gamble are at risk of obtaining other addictions such as binge drinking, marijuana use, cigarette use, and unsafe sex. (Huang) Living in the constantly changing times of today, technology has made placing bets easier than ever before. Students are liable to take part in gambling because it is deemed socially acceptable. As is it glamorized by advertising, and promoted as a sport, more and more people have found it okay to throw their money away on a nonsense game of luck. Although, for students gambling creates money for scholarships like the Arkansas Lottery scholarship. The Arkansas Lottery Commission is responsible for providing entertainment to the public and maximizing the revenue generated. Though gambling is looked at both negatively and positively everyone has their own opinion. They are all opinions; by giving supporting facts for both looks I have shown that gambling does have its ups and downs. Neither out ways is the other gambling something that will more than likely always be around. The gambling industry only exists because there are people willing to risk their money on a game of chance in the hope that they will make a profit. Usually, the only people who profit are the owners of casinos and other gambling establishments, but there are some people who are convinced that their day will come. Is it worth the risk to gamble your life away? While doing research supporting gambling it was found that gambling is beneficial because it stimulates the brain and strengthens decision making skills. (Campbell) People gamble, whether it is legal or not, because it helps them face the world more successfully than they could without the spark which it gives. Gambling is just an extension of entertainment like going to the movies or out to a sporting event. Casinos and gambling are harmless in moderation. They are beneficial to the community and the people who live there. Legalized gambling is a national sensation. The gaming industry is prosperous and should continue expanding.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

A Review of Job Satisfaction, the Influencing Factors and Consequences

A Review of Job Satisfaction, the Influencing Factors and Consequences of Job Satisfaction Introduction Job satisfaction has been gaining attention from both researchers and managers, especially due to the contemporary proliferation of the idea recognising the significance of people in terms of achieving competitive advantage and sustainability in organisations. The purpose of the essay is to review factors influencing job satisfaction and consequences attributing to job satisfaction after reviewing some understanding of the meaning of the term and the reasons why job satisfaction is widely studied. Literature Review ï  ¬ The meaning of job satisfaction and the attractiveness for studies It is relevant that the meaning of job satisfaction is reviewed. Job satisfaction can be simply defined as the level at which employees have a positive feeling to their jobs (Agho et al. 1993, p. 1007). Another definition by spector (1997, p. 2) emphasises that the term â€Å"job satisfaction† should include both positive and negative sides (Spector, 1997, p. 2). In this case, the term â€Å"job satisfaction† explicitly points out that the job satisfaction is a continuum with entirely satisfied and not satisfied at all at the two extremes. Importantly, job satisfaction can be the outcome of the employees’ general perception of the job as a whole or specific feeling towards different aspects of the job. And the overall job satisfaction cannot be regarded as the result of calculation of satisfaction levels concerning different aspects of the jobs Among different job attitudes elements, job satisfaction is of outstanding importance and even viewed as the central element (Saari & Judge, 2004, p. 396). As other elements of attitudes, the nature of job satisf... ...atisfaction and individual performance’, Academy of Management Review, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 712-721 Saari, L. M. & Judge, T. A. 2004, ‘Employee attitudes and job satisfaction’, Human Resource Management, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 395-407 Seashore, S. E. & Taber, T. D. 1975, ‘Job satisfaction and their correlates’, American Behavioral Scientist, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 333-368 Spector, P. E. 1997, Job satisfaction: application, assessment, causes and consequences, Sage Publications, Inc, California Spencer, D. G. & Steers, R. M. 1981, ‘Performance as a moderator of the job satisfaction-turnover relationship’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 511-514 Tett, R. P. & Meyer, J. P. 1993, ‘Job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intention, and turnover: path analyses based on meta-analytic findings’, Personnel Psychology, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 259-293

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Redbox Essay

I. Executive Summary Redbox Automated Retail LLC was started in 2002. It started out being an experiment, funded by McDonalds, with grocery style kiosks and DVD rental kiosks. Within the first year Redbox dropped the grocery side and capitalized fully on the automated DVD vending machine rental. In 2009, Redbox became a fully owned subsidiary of Coinstar. A strategic evaluation of Redbox’s internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and potential threats are the bases of this marketing plan. While Redbox exhibits non-traditional marketing venues, they have proved to be successful marketing channels. A strong focus is put upon Redbox in contracting with Verizon for the implementation of streaming movies, maintaining the low price for rentals, and the convenience of the kiosks for the busy consumer. II. Environmental Analysis Since Redbox was originally tried as a grocery and DVD rental kiosk, the transition into only the DVD rental market was relatively easy. Redbox is not only its business name; it is also its aesthetic view. It is a fully automated video and gaming rental venue that is all contained within a 12 foot square red box, hence the name. Redbox positions its kiosks in high-traffic areas like gas stations, grocery stores, and pharmacies. These are strategically placed for their intended target markets to have a one-stop shop on their way home from work. The idea behind it was to entice the customer to rent a movie at a store that they are frequently shopping at, without having to make another stop. A. The Marketing Environment 1. Competitive forces. Redbox is in a highly competitive market. They face competitors such as Netflix and Blockbuster. Redbox leads in a competitive stand out by offering quick, convenient and affordable movie rentals. A Blu-Ray movie rents for $1.50 per day and a regular DVD movie rental is $1.20 per day. The Redbox network is nationwide and offers more than 30,000 convenient locations. (4) Blockbuster Express recently joined the kiosk movie rental market which led them to be a direct competitor to Redbox. They also have a leg up on Netflix as Redbox doesn’t require monthly contracts, which is highly appealing to the casual movie viewer. 2. Economic forces. With the present state of the economy, Redbox flourished when the demand for cheaper movie rentals increased. When the Blockbuster brick-and-mortar stores were forced to close, Redbox rentals jumped up 28% from 2010 to 2011. (1) 3. Political forces. There are no foreseen political forces that can alter Redbox’s operations. 4. Legal and regulatory forces. There are several laws and regulations that Redbox should abide by. But with Redbox being in a self-serve kiosk, it can make some of these laws and regulations harder to enforce. The Motion Picture Association of America sets the ratings on movies, and no one under the age of 17 can rent a rated R movie. Redbox does require age verification before renting the R-rated movie(s). The Federal Copyright Act â€Å"governs how the copyrighted material, such as movies, may be used†. (2) A rented or purchased movie doesn’t issue the right to show the movie outside one’s home unless that site carries a license for public exhibition. The Video Privacy Protection Act â€Å"prevents disclosure of personally identifiable rental records† without the written consent of the consumer. (3) The Entertainment Merchants Association regulates the industry for renting DVD’s and/or video games. â€Å"They protect the right to sell, rent, and /or promote the sale and rental of entertainment products and content†. (5) 5. Technological forces. With technology always increasing and new products are always being introduced, Redbox will undoubtedly be affected by technological advances. Consumers’ interest in renting physical movies will be on a decline with companies like XFinity offering the ability to stream movies online and watch them on any screen. Hollywood studios are also putting tighter reigns on places like Redbox. They are trying to delay the rental time frame from when DVDs are released to when they are available for rental. By trying to do so, they believe that it allows the consumer a chance to buy the movie before it becomes available for rent. And the studios receive a higher cut off of sales verses rentals. 6. Sociocultural forces. Today’s fast-paced society allows for less leisure time. Consumers are looking for convenience and easy to use products. Redbox offers a convenient service that allows renters to be able to rent-and-return anywhere at any kiosk. Customers can also reserve a movie online or via mobile apps and pick up at the nearest Redbox location (4). B. Target Market(s) Redbox has three main target market segments, the casual viewer, the family viewer, and the non-web savvy person. For first target market segment, Redbox markets towards the casual viewer. They have a policy of no monthly contract fees unlike their competitor, Netflix, who enforces a monthly fee. The casual viewer doesn’t rent enough movies or games to justify the fee. The casual viewer appreciates the ease and convenience of the locations of the Redbox. While Blockbuster also targets the casual viewer, Redbox is more appealing due to the inexpensive cost to rent a movie. The second target segment is the family viewer. Redbox positions itself in convenient locations for the ease of renting for the busy mom or dad. They can stop off at the grocery store or gas station on the way home from work and also pick up entertainment for the whole family, without having to make another stop. And the third target segment is the non-web savvy person. Netflix requires the use of the Internet to be able to rent movies. For those who either don’t have the technology available or those who are insecure of using a bank account or credit card number online, Netflix is not appealing. And with the focus Netflix on streaming movies online, they are pushing aside the lower income bracket who can’t afford the technology or those who don’t understand the technological lingo required for the streaming usage. That is where Redbox steps in and will capitalize on such consumers. Consumers are being forced to move from the brick-and-mortar stores to another venue of renting movies. With Redbox’s kiosks being user friendly and convenient, many of those consumers are trending towards the use of kiosks. Also the opportunity is becoming available for Redbox to take those valued consumers who are technologically savvy and offer them the option to stream videos online. C. Current Marketing Objectives and Performance Redbox’s current marketing objectives are to drive performance. They want to continue to drive customer loyalty, continue to engage their customers and grow profitability. By engaging their customers, Redbox is always looking to make the rental process more efficient and effective. They have installed several technology upgrades into the kiosks that will shorten the rental time frame by 20-30 seconds. They are continuously working on the most convenient locations and placements of the kiosks to drive their performance and grow profitability. Since 2002, Redbox has at least doubled, if not tripled, their revenue for seven years in a row. They distribute over 37 million disks to their field employees to install in the kiosks per year. Thousands of kiosks are installed every year. They have been able to build the infrastructure of the business to grow with the changing times, to keep up with the customer demands, and to grow their customer base into loyal customers. III. SWOT Analysis A. Strengths 1. Over 30,000 convenient locations nationwide 2. No monthly membership fees 3. Rent-and-return anywhere policy 4. Offers cheaper rental prices, $1.20/night, than its competitors 5. Largest DVD-rental kiosks operator B. Weaknesses 1. Limited access to titles, mostly new releases, and the schedule of release date depends upon the studio, not Redbox 2. Increased costs for DVD acquisitions due to Warner’s discontinued relationship with Redbox (9) 3. Marketing communication channels rarely used 4. Only accepts Debit or Credit Cards for methods of payment 5. Lacking web management in monitoring code sharing websites that allows for free rentals C. Opportunities 1. Tap into the market of streaming movies online 2. Now offers video game rentals at a relatively cheap price, $2/night 3. Mobile applications for IPhone and Droid for yet another ease of renting 4. $7 billion industry, in 2011, according to IBIS World D. Threats 1. Stiff competition with Netflix, Blockbuster Express, and Amazon 2. Websites like Hulu offering movies free of charge via the internet 3. Strained relationship with Warner Brothers by not accepting their terms of a 56 day waiting period to release new releases, resulting in increased costs for Redbox acquiring Warner Brother films (9) 4. Movie studio lawsuits stating they were only making 60 cents on new release movie rentals from Redbox, whereas they make $17 per sale of DVD at Wal-Mart. (9) IV. Marketing Objectives Unlike their major competitor Netflix, Redbox is not a big advertiser. Redbox mainly uses its internet website, in store cross-promotions, and their strategic placement of their red kiosks. On www.redbox.com, they showcase their movie and video game inventory and all their locations of their kiosks. One can also reserve the movies or games on the website and pick it up at the nearest kiosk location. It is a very simple, yet effective website. Redbox uses the placement of their eye-catching, red colored box as part of their marketing campaigns. They are strategically placed in high traffic areas and four wall stores. CFO Scott Di Valerio states that â€Å"Coinstar wants to be the leader of automated retail†. (14) Redbox also uses in store cross-promotions. Take the Orville Redenbacher’s promo, for example, on special marked popcorn boxes; there is a promo code for two free Redbox rentals, a coupon for a free 2-liter bottle of soda and a coupon for Orville’s poppycock popcorn. (15) Everyone associates movies and popcorn together so by running this cross-promotion, it brings new customers to Redbox and be able to experience the ease and convenience of usage. It has made family movie night just a little better. V. Marketing Strategies A. Target Market(s) Redbox uses the strategy â€Å"Think big, start small, scale fast.† All of the opportunities that Redbox reviews and pursues are in big spaces. They also look at new ventures who can realistically reach $100million in revenue in an allotted time frame. But before those big opportunities can be obtained, they need to start small. They believe in the right environment, which includes a small team, a few resources and time to hash over the details, so they can get to a point to accurately scale each venture. When that point is reached, Gregg Kaplan, Constar’s COO, says â€Å"It’s like unleashing the wonderful benefit that Redbox and Coinstar teams and the full organization can take against these opportunities.† (6) Redbox are placing more kiosks in more convenient places in hoping to increase more brand awareness, which is especially critical since they don’t spend much on advertising means. Mobile applications for iPhone and Droid are becoming intensely popular. The application will display a map of all the kiosks available in the area and also allows the viewing of what DVDs that kiosk has available. One can also reserve the movie via the mobile application and pick up at the nearest kiosk. B. Marketing Mix 1. Product. Redbox is the leader in DVD rentals, renting more than 1.5 billion discs to date, in over 30,000 locations. They boast on the fact that Redbox kiosks are available, within a five minute drive, to more than 68% of Americans. (4) And their rent-and-return anywhere policy makes Redbox an undisputable convenient place to rent moves. It is also possible to purchase the DVD at the kiosks or online at Redbox.com. 2. Price. The price to rent a DVD from a Redbox kiosk is astronomically cheap. It costs $1.20 to rent movies, including new releases, and $2.00 for video games. The rental period lasts until 9pm the night following the rental purchase. For each additional day you keep the movie, you are charged the rental fee plus tax per day. If you happen to hold the DVD for 20 days, you are charged $24 plus tax, $34.50 for Blu-Rays, or $60 for video games and the disc becomes yours. (4) These cheap prices have caused a strained relationship with the movie studios in Hollywood. They only earn $.60 per movie rental, where as they earn $17 per DVD sale, no matter the selling price. 3. Distribution. Redbox installs their kiosks in convenient, easy to access places, such as grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants, convenience stores, and large retailers like Wal-Mart. According to Coinstar’s 2011 10-K report, they have 35,400 kiosks available nationwide, each holding about 630 disks. (11) They are available in every state, including Puerto Rico. The kiosk is like the traditional brick-and-mortar video rental store, but only occupies up 12 square feet. Consumers access the movie database via a touch screen, make their selection(s), swipe their credit/debit card, and receive the DVD or video game(s). It is meant to be a quick, efficient and fully automated rental process. The kiosk scans the bar codes of the movies or games to keep track of its inventory. Bar code scanning allows them to track the rentals and the returns easily, especially when they offer the rent-and-return anywhere policy. 4. Promotion. Redbox sends promo codes to individuals who have signed up to receive emails. They also send promo codes via text messages. Those test messages results in a free rental once per month. Another promo Redbox offers are gift cards via email that gives the recipient a code for a free rental. In 2009, Redbox added a free mobile application for iPhone users and in 2011 they made the application available for Android users. The application allows users to sort through the available titles, find a kiosk location, and reserve a movie all from a smartphone.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Engine powered by liquid hydrogen

Wide Range of Flammability:In comparing with all other fuels, Hydrogen has a really broad scope of flammability. Hence, Hydrogen can be combusted in an internal burning engine over a broad scope of fuel-air mixtures. One of the important advantages of this is that Hydrogen fuel can run a really thin mixture. A thin mixture is one in which the sum of fuel is less than the theoretical, stoichiometric or chemically ideal sum needed for burning with a given sum of air. This is why it is reasonably easy to acquire an engine to get down on H. In general, fuel economic system is greater and the burning reaction is more complete when a vehicle is run on a thin mixture. Besides, the concluding burning temperature is lower hence cut downing the sum of pollutants, such as N oxides, emitted in the fumes. However, there is a bound to how thin the engine can be run, as thin operation can significantly cut down the power end product due to a decrease in the volumetric heating value of the air/fuel mixtureLow Ignition Energy:Ignition energy is the energy needed to light a fuel. Hydrogen has really low ignition energy. The sum of energy needed to light H is about one order of magnitude less than that required for gasolene. The feature of low Ignition energy enables hydrogen engines to light thin mixtures and besides ensures prompt ignition. Unfortunately, the low ignition energy besides carries the hazard that hot gases and hot musca volitanss on the cylinder can function as beginnings of ignition and hence making jobs such as premature ignition and flashback. Preventing the above mentioned jobs is one of the jobs associated with runing an engine on H. The broad flammability scope of H agencies that about any mixture can be ignited by a hot topographic point.Small Quenching Distance:Hydrogen has a little extinction distance, even smaller than that of gasolene. Hence, it ‘s more hard to slake a H fire than a gasolene fire. The inclination for blowback additions as a consequence of smaller extinction distance, since the fire from a hydrogen-air mixture more readily passes a about closed consumption valve, than a hydrocarbon-air fire.High Auto-Ignition Temperature:Hydrogen has a comparatively high auto-ignition temperature. This characteristic is of import because the hydrogen-air mixture has to be compressed and the refore plays an of import function in finding the compaction ratio that an engine can utilize, since the temperature rise during compaction is related to the compaction ratio. The temperature should non transcend the auto-ignition temperature, as this would do a premature ignition. Hence, the absolute concluding temperature controls the compaction ratio. The high car ignition temperature of H allows larger compaction ratios to be used in a H engine than in a hydrocarbon engine. On the other manus, H is hard to light in a compaction ignition or Diesel constellation, because the temperatures needed for those types of ignition are comparatively high.High Flame SpeedHydrogen has high fire velocity at stoichiometric ratios. Under these conditions, the H fire velocity is about an order of magnitude higher ( faster ) than that of gasolene. This means that H engines can more closely approach the thermodynamically ideal engine rhythm. At leaner mixtures, nevertheless, the fire speed decreases significantly.High DiffusivityHydrogen has really high diffusivity. This ability to scatter in air is well greater than gasolene and is advantageous for two chief grounds. Fir st, it facilitates the formation of a unvarying mixture of fuel and air. Second, if a H leak develops, the H disperses quickly. Therefore, insecure conditions can either be avoided or minimized.Low DensityHydrogen has really low denseness. This consequences in two jobs when used in an internal burning engine. First, a really big volume is necessary to hive away adequate H to give a vehicle an equal drive scope. Second, the energy denseness of a hydrogen-air mixture, and therefore the power end product, is reduced.Fuel Delivery SystemsHydrogen fuel bringing system can be broken down into three chief types:Cardinal injection ( or â€Å"carburetted† )Port injectionDirect injectionCentral and port fuel bringing systems injection forms the fuel-air mixture during the intake shot. In the instance of cardinal injection or a carburetor, the injection is at the recess of the air intake manifold. In the instance of port injection, it is injected at the recess port. Direct cylinder inje ction is more technologically sophisticated and involves organizing the fuel-air mixture inside the burning cylinder after the air consumption valve has closed.Cardinal Injection or Carburetted Systems:The simplest method of presenting fuel to a H engine is by manner of a carburetor or cardinal injection system. This system has advantages for a H engine. First, cardinal injection does non necessitate the H supply force per unit area to be every bit high as for other methods. Second, cardinal injection or carburetors are used on gasolene engines, doing it easy to change over a standard gasolene engine to hydrogen or a gasoline/hydrogen engine. The disadvantage of cardinal injection is that it is more susceptible to irregular burning due to pre-ignition and back fire. The greater sum of hydrogen/air mixture within the consumption manifold compounds the effects of pre-ignition.Port Injection SystemsThe port injection fuel bringing system injects fuel straight into the consumption manifold at each consumption port, instead than pulling fuel in at a cardinal point. Typically, the H is injected into the manifold after the beginning of the consumption shot. At this point conditions are much less terrible and the chance for premature ignition is reduced. In port injection, the air is injected individually at the beginning of the consumption shot to thin the hot residuary gases and cool any hot musca volitanss. Since less gas ( H or air ) is in the manifold at any one clip, any pre-ignition is less terrible. The recess supply force per unit area for port injection tends to be higher than for carburetted or cardinal injection syste ms, but less than for direct injection systems. The changeless volume injection ( CVI ) system uses a mechanical cam-operated device to clip the injection of the H to each cylinder. The CVI block is shown on the far right of the exposure with four fuel lines go outing on left side of the block ( one fuel line for each cylinder ) . The electronic fuel injection ( EFI ) system meters the H to each cylinder. This system uses single electronic fuel injectors ( solenoid valves ) for each cylinder and pumped to a common fuel rail located down the Centre of the consumption manifold. Whereas the CVI system uses changeless injection timing and variable fuel rail force per unit area, the EFI system uses variable injection timing and changeless fuel rail force per unit area.Direct Injection SystemsMore sophisticated H engines use direct injection into the burning cylinder during the compaction shot. In direct injection, the consumption valve is closed when the fuel is injected, wholly avoiding premature ignition during the intake shot. Consequently the engine can non backlash into the consumption manifold. The power end product of a direct injected H engine is 20 % more than for a gasolene engine and 42 % more than a H engine utilizing a carburetor. While direct injection solves the job of pre-ignition in the consumption manifold, it does non needfully forestall pre ignition within the burning chamber. In add-on, due to the reduced commixture clip of the air and fuel in a direct injection engine, the air/fuel mixture can be non-homogenous. Surveies have suggested this can take to higher NOx emanations than the non-direct injection systems. Direct injection systems require a higher fuel rail force per unit area than the other.Thermal DilutionPre-ignition conditions can be curbed utilizing thermic dilution techniques such as fumes gas recirculation ( EGR ) or H2O injection. As the name implies, an EGR system re-circulates a part of the fumes gases back into the consumption manifold. The debut of exhaust gases helps to cut down the temperature of hot musca volitanss, cut downing the possibility of pre-ignition. Additionally, re-circulating fumes gases cut down the peak burning temperature, which reduces NOx emanations. Typically a 25 to 30 % recirculation of fumes gas is effectual in extinguishing blo wback. On the other manus, the power end product of the engine is reduced when utilizing EGR. The presence of exhaust gases reduces the sum of fuel mixture that can be drawn into the burning chamber. Another technique for thermally thining the fuel mixture is the injection of H2O. Injecting H2O into the H watercourse prior to blending with air has produced better consequences than shooting it into the hydrogen-air mixture within the consumption manifold. A possible job with this type of system is that H2O can acquire assorted with the oil, so care must be taken to guarantee that seals do non leak.Engine DesignThe most effectual agencies of commanding pre-ignition and knock is to re-design the engine for H usage, specifically the burning chamber and the chilling system. A discoid burning chamber ( with a level Piston and chamber ceiling ) can be used to cut down turbulency within the chamber. The disc form helps bring forth low radial and digressive speed constituents and does non magnify recess whirl during compaction. Since unburned hydrocarbons are non a concern in H engines, a big bore-to-stroke ratio can be used with this engine. To suit the wider scope of fire velocities tha t occur over a greater scope of equality ratios, two flicker stoppers are needed. The chilling system must be designed to supply unvarying flow to all locations that need chilling. Extra steps to diminish the chance of pre ignition are the usage of two little exhaust valves as opposed to a individual big one, and the development of an effectual scavenging system, that is, a agency of displacing exhaust gas from the burning chamber with fresh air.Ignition SystemsDue to hydrogen ‘s low ignition energy bound, lighting H is easy and gasoline ignition systems can be used. At really thin air/fuel ratios ( 130:1 to 180:1 ) the fire speed is reduced well and the usage of a double flicker stopper system is preferred. Ignition systems that use a waste flicker system should non be used for H engines. These systems energize the flicker each clip the Piston is at top dead Centre whether or non the Piston is on the compaction stroke or on its exhaust shot. For gasolene engines, waste flicke r systems work good and are less expensive than other systems. For H engines, the waste flickers are a beginning of pre-ignition. Spark stopper for a H engine should hold a cold evaluation and have non-platinum tips. A cold-rated stopper is one that transfers heat from the stopper tip to the cylinder caput quicker than a hot-rated flicker stopper. This means the opportunities of the flicker stopper tip lighting the air/fuel charge is reduced. Hot rated spark stoppers are designed to keep a certain sum of heat so that C sedimentations do non roll up. Since H does non incorporate C, hot-rated flicker stoppers do non function a utile map. Platinum-tip flicker stopper should besides be avoided since Pt is a accelerator, doing H to oxidise with air.Crankcase Ventilation:Crankcase airing is even more of import for H engines than for gasolene engines. As with gasolene engines, un-burnt fuel can ooze by the Piston rings and enter the crankcase. Since H has a lower energy ignition bound than gasolene, any un-burnt H come ining the crankcase has a greater opportunity of lighting. Hydrogen should be prevented from roll uping through airing. Ignition within the crankcase can be merely a startling noise or consequence in engine fire. When H ignites within the crankcase, a sudden force per unit area rise occurs. To alleviate this force per unit area, a force per unit area alleviation valve must be installed on the valve screen. Exhaust gases can besides ooze by the Piston rings into the crankcase. Since H fumes is H2O vapor, H2O can distill in the crankcase when proper airing is non provided. The commixture of H2O into the crankcase oil reduces its lubrication ability, ensuing in a higher grade of engine wear.Emissions:The burning of H with O green goodss H2O as its lone merchandise: 2H2 + O2 = 2H2O The burning of H with air nevertheless can besides bring forth oxides of N ( NOx ) : H2 + O2 + N2 = H2O + N2 + NOx The oxides of N are created due to the high temperatures generated within the burning chamber during burning. This high temperature causes some of the N in the air to unite with the O in the air. The sum of NOx formed depends on:The air/fuel ratioThe engine compaction ratioThe engine velocityThe ignition timingWhether thermic dilution is utilisedIn add-on to oxides of N, hints of C monoxide and C dioxide can be present in the fumes gas, due to ooze oil combustion in the burning chamber. Depending on the status of the engine ( combustion of oil ) and the operating scheme used ( a rich versus thin air/fuel ratio ) , a H engine can bring forth from about zero emanations ( every bit low as a few ppm ) to high NOx and important C monoxide emanations. Power End product: The theoretical maximal power end product from a H engine depends on the air/fuel ratio and fuel injection method used. As mentioned in above, the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio for H is 34:1. At this air/fuel ratio, H will displace 29 % of the burning chamber go forthing merely 71 % for the air. As a consequence, the energy content of this mixture will be less than it would be if the fuel were gasolene ( since gasolene is a liquid, it merely occupies a really little volume of the burning chamber, and therefore allows more air to enter ) . Since both the carburetted and larboard injection methods mix the fuel and air prior to it come ining the burning chamber, these systems limit the maximal theoretical power gettable to about 85 % of that of gasolene engines. For direct injection systems, which mix the fuel with the air after the consumption valve has closed ( and therefore the burning chamber has 100 % air ) , the maximal end product of the engine can be about 15 % higher than that for gasolene engines. Therefore, depending on how the fuel is metered, the maximal end product for a H engine can be either 15 % higher or 15 % less than that of gasolene if a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio is used. However, at a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, the burning temperature is really high and as a consequence it will organize a big sum of N oxides ( NOx ) , which is a criteria pollutant. Since one of the grounds for utilizing H is low exhaust emanations, H engines are non usually designed to run at a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio. Typically hydrogen engines are designed to utilize approximately twice every bit much air as theoretically required for complete burning. At this air/fuel ratio, the formation of NOx is reduced to near nothing. Unfortunately, this besides reduces the power end product to about half that of a likewise sized gasolene engine. To do up for the power loss, H engines are normally larger than gasolene engines, and/or are equipped with turbochargers or superchargers.Hydrogen Gas Mixtures:Hydrogen can be used well in internal burning engines as an linear to a hydrocarbon fuel. Hydrogen is most normally assorted with high force per unit area natural gas for this intent since both gases can be stored in the same armored combat vehicle. If H is blended with other fuels, it normally has to be stored individually and assorted in the gaseous province instantly before ignition. In general, it is impractical to utilize H in concurrence with other fuels that besides require bulky storage systems, such as propane. Gaseous H can non be stored in the same vas as a liquid fuel. Hydrogen ‘s low denseness will do it to stay on top of the liquid and non blend. Furthermore, liquid fuels are stored at comparatively low force per unit areas so that really small H could be added to the vas. Liquid H can non be stored in the same vas as other fuels. Hydrogen ‘s low boiling point will stop dead other fuels ensuing in fuel â€Å"ice† . Hydrogen can be used in concurrence with compact liquid fuels such as gasolene, intoxicant or Diesel provided each are stored individually. In these applications, the fuel armored combat vehicles can be formed to suit into fresh infinites on the vehicle. Existing vehicles of this type tend to run utilizing one fuel or the other but non both at the same clip. One advantage of this scheme is that the vehicle can go on to run if H is unavailable. Hydrogen can non be used straight in a Diesel ( or â€Å"compression ignition† ) engine since H ‘s car ignition temperature is excessively high ( this is besides true of natural gas ) . Therefore, diesel engines must be outfitted with spark stoppers or utilize a little sum of Diesel fuel to light the gas ( known as pilot ignition ) . Although pilot ignition techniques have been developed for usage with natural gas, no 1 is presently making this with H. One commercially available gas mixture known as Hythane contains 20 % H and 80 % natural gas. At this ratio, no alterations are required to a natural gas engine, and surveies have shown that emanations are reduced by more than 20 % . Mixtures of more than 20 % H with natural gas can cut down emanations further but some engine alterations are required. Thin operation of any internal burning engine is advantageous in footings of oxides of nitrogen emanations and fuel economic system. For hydrocarbon engines, thin operation besides leads to take down emanations of C monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons. As more O is available than required to burn the fuel, the extra O oxidizes more C monoxide into C dioxide, a less harmful emanation. The extra O besides helps to finish the burning, diminishing the sum of unburned hydrocarbons. As with H, the drawback of thin operation with hydrocarbon fuels is a decreased power end product. Thin operation of hydrocarbon engines has extra drawbacks. Thin mixtures are difficult to light, despite the mixture being above the LFL of the fuel. This consequence in dud, which increases unburned hydrocarbon emanations, reduces public presentation and wastes fuel. Another disadvantage is the decreased transition efficiency of 3-way catalytic convertors, ensuing in more harmful emanations. To some extent, blending H with other hydrocarbon fuels reduces all of these drawbacks. Hydrogen ‘s low ignition energy bound and high firing velocity makes the hydrogen/hydrocarbon mixture easier to light, cut downing dud and thereby bettering emanations, public presentation and fuel economic system. Sing power end product, H augments the mixture ‘s energy denseness at thin mixtures by increasing the hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, and thereby improves torsion at wide-open throttle conditions.Current Status:A few car makers have been making some work in the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles ( Ford has late announced that they have developed a â€Å"production ready† hydrogen-powered vehicle utilizing an ICE and BMW has completed a universe circuit exposing a twelve or so hydrogen-powered 750i vehicles ) . However, it is non likely that any hydrogen-powered vehicles will be available to the populace until there is an equal re-fuelling substructure and trained tech nicians to mend and keep these vehicles. Like current gasoline-powered vehicles, the design of each H powered vehicle will most likely vary from maker to maker and theoretical account to pattern. One theoretical account may be simple in design and operation, for illustration, a thin combustion fuel metering scheme utilizing no emanation control systems such as EGR, catalytic convertor, evaporate fuel case shot, etc. Another theoretical account may be really sophisticated in design and operation, for illustration, utilizing an EGR fuel metering scheme with a catalytic convertor, multiple flicker stoppers, etc. Until such clip that a H substructure exists, hydrogen/natural gas fuel blends provide a logical passage to to the full hydrogen-powered vehicles. These vehicles can run on either fuel, depending on handiness

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Goals Essays - Motivation, Human Behavior, Action Philosophy, Goal

Goals Essays - Motivation, Human Behavior, Action Philosophy, Goal Goals A goal is an achievement you want to accomplish. Many people have goals for certain reasons. There are many different kinds of goals such as short-term and long-term. Having goals are very important to some people because it gives them a sense of self-confidence. Many people have goals for certain reasons. They use these goals in every day situations such as school issues, jobs, sports and relationships. An example of using a goal according to sports would be making the All Star team. People use goals for relationships such as family and friends. An example of this kind of goal would be to try to be the best source of help you can possibly be. An example of using a goal for your job would to be to get a higher salary and one for school would to be to get your work handed in on time. There are many different kinds of goals. You might have short-term goals and long-term goals. A short-term goal is a goal you may want to achieve in a short amount of time. A long-term goal is a goal that you expect to achieve in your future. An example of a short-term goal is that you may want to get an A on an essay. An example of a long-term goal would be to become a doctor. You may ask yourself why are goals important? They are relevant for many reasons. Goals bestow confidence and make people feel in control. They help people work harder since they know what they want. In conclusion, goals are important in life. There are many different kinds of goals and people use them for many purposes. People should set goals as many times as they can to get-ahead in life.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Proposed Amendments to the U.S. Constitution

Proposed Amendments to the U.S. Constitution Any member of Congress or state legislature can propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Since 1787, more than 10,000 amendments have been proposed. These proposals range from banning the desecration of the American flag to balancing the  federal budget to altering the Electoral College. Key Takeaways: ​Proposed Amendments Since 1787, more than 10,000 constitutional amendments have been proposed by members of Congress and state legislatures.  Most proposed amendments are never ratified.  Some of the most commonly proposed amendments relate to the federal budget, the freedom of speech, and congressional term limits.   The Amendment Proposal Process Members of Congress propose an average of nearly 40 constitutional amendments every year.  However, most amendments  are never ratified or even passed by the House or Senate. In fact, the Constitution has been amended only 27 times in history. The last time a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified was 1992, when the 27th Amendment preventing Congress from giving itself immediate pay raises was cleared by the states. The process of amending the Constitution in this particular case took more than two centuries, illustrating the difficulty and reluctance among elected officials and the public to changing a document that is so revered and cherished. For an amendment to be considered, it must receive  a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate or be called for at a constitutional convention voted on by two-thirds of state legislatures. Once an amendment is  proposed, it must be ratified by at least three-fourths of the states to be added to the constitution. Many proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution fail to catch on, even those that appeared to have the support of the most powerful elected official in the land: the president of the United States. President Donald Trump, for example, has expressed support for both a constitutional ban on flag-burning and on  term limits for members of the House and Senate. (The Founding Fathers rejected the idea of imposing term limits when writing the U.S. Constitution.) Commonly Proposed Constitutional Amendments The overwhelming majority of proposed constitutional amendments deal with the same few topics:  the federal budget, freedom of speech, and term limits. However, none of the following amendments have gained much traction in Congress. Balanced Budget Among the most contentious proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution is the balanced-budget amendment. The idea of  preventing the federal government from spending more than it generates in revenue from taxes in any fiscal year has drawn support from some conservatives. Most notably, it won backing from President Ronald Reagan, who vowed in 1982 to do all he could to get Congress to pass the amendment. Speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House in July 1982, Reagan said: We must not, and we will not, permit prospects for lasting economic recovery to be buried beneath an endless tide of red ink. Americans understand that the discipline of a balanced-budget amendment is essential to stop squandering and overtaxing. And theyre saying the time to pass the amendment is now. The balanced-budget amendment is the single most commonly  proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of legislation. Over the course of two decades, members of the House and Senate introduced 134 such proposed amendments -   none of which went beyond Congress.   Flag-Burning In 1989, President George H.W. Bush  announced his support for a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would have banned the desecration of the American flag. However,  the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the  First Amendment  guarantee of  freedom of speech  protected the activity. Said Bush: I believe that the flag of the United States should never be the object of desecration. Protection of the flag, a unique national symbol, will in no way limit the opportunity nor the breadth of protest available in the exercise of free speech rights. ...  Flag burning is wrong. As President, I will uphold our precious right to dissent, but burning the flag goes too far and I want to see that matter remedied. Term Limits The Founding Fathers rejected the idea of congressional term limits. Supporters of a congressional term limit amendment argue that it will limit the possibility for corruption and bring fresh ideas into the Capitol. On the other hand, critics of the idea argue that there is value in the  experience gained when congressional leaders serve multiple terms.  Ã‚   Other Examples of Proposed Amendments The following are some other recently proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Repealing the 16th Amendment. The 16th amendment created the income tax in 1913. Representative Steve King of Iowa proposed a repeal of this amendment in order to eliminate the income tax and ultimately replace it with a different tax system.  Rep. King stated: â€Å"The federal government has the first lien on all productivity in America. Ronald Reagan once said, ‘What  you tax you get less of.’ Right now we tax all productivity. We need to turn that completely around and put the tax on consumption. That is why we need to repeal the 16th Amendment which authorizes the income tax. Replacing the current income tax with a consumption tax will ensure that productivity is not punished in our country, but rewarded.†Requiring a two-thirds vote of from each house  of Congress to increase the statutory limit on the public debt, from Rep. Randy Neugebauer of Texas.  The United States debt ceiling is the maximum amount of money that the federal government is allowed to borrow to meet its existing legal financial obligations, including Social Security and Medicare benefits, military salaries, interest on the national debt, tax refunds, and other payments. The U.S. Congress sets the debt limit and only Congress can raise it. Stating that the Constitution neither prohibits voluntary prayer nor requires prayer in schools, from Rep. Nick J. Rahall II of West Virginia. The proposed amendment states that the constitution will not be construed to prohibit voluntary prayer or require prayer in school.  Overturning Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that the federal government cannot limit corporations from spending money to influence the outcome of elections, from Rep. Theodore Deutch of Florida.  Limit the power of Congress to impose a tax on a failure to purchase goods or services, from Rep. Steven  Palazzo of Mississippi. This proposed amendment seeks to undo the federal mandate that Americans carry health insurance, as spelled out by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by President Barack Obama.  Ending the practice of including more than one subject in a single law by requiring that each law enacted by Congress be limited to only one subject and that the subject be c learly and descriptively expressed in the title of the law, from Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania. Giving  states the right to repeal federal laws and regulations when ratified by the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states, from Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah. Bishop argues that this proposed amendment would add an additional system of checks and balances between state and federal governments. The founding fathers crafted the Constitution to include the concept of checks and balances. Sources DeSilver, Drew. Proposed Amendments To The U.S. Constitution Seldom Go Anywhere. Pew Research Center, 2018.Frank, Steve. The Top 10 Amendments That Havent Made It (Yet).  National Constitution Center, 2010.Amending America: Proposed Amendments to the United States Constitution, 1787 to 2014:  National Archives

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Customer Relation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Customer Relation Management - Essay Example well as through its online shopping option enabling the customers to buy their required products and avail the demanded services from the comfort of their own home and place of work. It has been observed amongst the competitors as well as the other online and brick and mortar shop based retailers that the businesses are increasing loyalty and retaining customers by employing the strategy of offering them a debit and / or a credit based loyalty cards to them, similar to the strategy employed by Pathmark. These cards provide the customers the facility of buying products on credit while availing loyalty based discounts and benefits on their purchased, in case of a credit loyalty card. With the debit loyalty card the customers are able to pay for their purchases without cash, through their own personal account while still availing loyalty based benefits and discounts on their purchases. The strategy for loyalty cards is being employed by well known retailers like Wal-Mart, Marks & Spencers, Amazon.com, Pizza Hut, Subway, Gap, Banana Republic, Old navy, Victoria’s Secret etc. â€Å""Loyalty is more important than ever in retailing today, and the way you create loyalty is through credit," says Leonard Leff, president and chief executive officer of MyReceivables.com.† (Murphy, 2001) The loyalty credit & debit based loyalty cards are being using by traditional retailing giants as well as the online retailers in order to attract the customers, motivate them to spend more on their purchases, establish the brand of the company/ retail store as well as increase repeat purchase behavior. Best Buy Stores can initiate a loyalty card based program which is linked to a credit facility provided to the customers. The company will have to form affiliations and a contract with credit providing companies for launching this product. The benefit of this loyalty program would be that the customers would be able to buy the products that they want by simply using Best Buy loyalty card