River Dove Catchment Management Plan Sample

River Dove Catchment Management Plan Example

Dove Catchment Management Plan SampleA catchment management plan (CMP) is a document that provides a long-term strategy or framework for the sustainable utilisation and development of water and related resources in a given area. River Dove is an important in the UK supplying water for community, commercial, and industrial use and providing habitat for several species, some of them endangered.  Considering the importance of River Dove to the UK and the sources of pollution in the area, it is only prudent that a catchment management plan is developed for the river. This research paper sample presents a River Dove catchment management plan sample. In case you are looking for a Dove catchment management plan sample doc or download, here is a River Dove catchment management plan sample pdf.

Download the River dove catchment management plan sample pdf

Dove Catchment Area Management Plan

General Site Information

River Dove catchment is situated in Derbyshire and Staffordshire, covering an approximate area of 1,020km2 according to the Dove Catchment Partnership in 2022. Originating at Axe Edge in the Peak District, about five kilometers from Buxton, the Dove is a tributary of the River Trent, flowing southward. Along its course, it is joined by various tributaries such as the Tean, Churnet, and Manifold rivers (Agricultural and Environmental Data (AEDA), 2013). The river passes through several towns, including Ashbourne, Uttoxeter, Cheadle, Tutbury, Hilton, and Leek, contributing to the local economies and landscapes. Rural areas within the Dove catchment also benefit from the river, supporting community life. Moreover, the Dove traverses the Peak District National Park, offering habitat and movement corridors for numerous wildlife species. The catchment area is home to several Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and protected areas, including the Tittesworth Reservoir (a water supply source) and the South Pennine Moors special area of conservation. In total, the Dove catchment area encompasses 31 water bodies, including 17 rivers, canals, surface water bodies, and four lakes (Environment Agency, 2022).

Description

The upper region of the River Dove catchment is predominantly characterized by small villages, pastureland, and scattered farms and cottages, as indicated by Derbyshire County Council (n.d.). Within these areas, the primary activities include intensive dairy farming, sheep rearing, and arable cropping, as highlighted by Derbyshire County Council (n.d.a). Livestock dipping, a common practice for controlling pests and diseases, continues to be prevalent in the upper catchment, according to The Wild Trout Trust (2009). Download the complete River Dove catchment management plan sample pdf.

Segmentation Targeting and Positioning Volkswagen

segmentation targeting and positioning strategy exampleSegmentation, marketing, and positioning (STP) is an important concept and practice in marketing. A real life STP marketing case study example can help you understand what STP is and how it is applied by companies. 

 

This article presents a segmentation targeting and positioning strategy example or STP example company.  It also presents a segmenting targeting positioning example. It discusses market segmentation of cars and stp model marketing example, and is related to market segmentation for car industry, automotive market segments, automotive market segmentation, and marketing stp:

  • Psychographic segmentation of automobile industry
  • Geographic segmentation of automobile industry
  • Demographic segmentation of automobile industry
  • Behavioral segmentation of automobile industry

The article basically attempts to answer the question how do car companies segment their market (focusing on Volkswagen)? Here is the STP marketing example company essay preview: 

Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning by Volkswagen

Introduction

Many successful companies across the world apply segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP) as part of their marketing strategies. Volkswagen (VW), a company that makes cars is one of the successful companies that apply STP. Established in 1937, the company manufactures several car brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Lamborghini, Skoda, Porshe, Scania, Man, Bentley, and Bugatti, (Volkswagen, 2018a; Bhasin, 2017; Volkswagen, 2018b). While its headquarters is in Wolfburg, Germany, the company has several branches and plants spread out in different parts of the world. This enables it understand and meet the needs of its global clientele in addition to affording it a robust distribution network. This paper briefly discusses segmentation and targeting before focusing on how Volkswagen has segmented its market, its target markets (segments), and how the brand is positioned.

Related Article: Market Segmentation, Targeting & Positioning (STP) Company Examples

Segmentation and Targeting

Market segmentation, according to William Stanton, is the process of dividing the heterogeneous market for a product into several sub-markets or segments, each of which tends to display homogeneity in all important aspects (Rudani, 2010; Tabavar n.d., p. 63).  Philip Kotler, on the other hand, defines segmentation as the process of dividing a market into discrete groups of buyers based on factors such as needs or characteristics, behaviour, marketing mixes, or who might require different products (Rudani, 2010). A company’s market can be partitioned or divided based on different factors. Some of the bases commonly applied in segmenting a market are demographic characteristics (such as age, gender, religion, income levels, family size), behavioural characteristics (such as brand loyalty status, usage rates/consumption levels, benefits sought by the buyer, response to a product, and occupation), geographic characteristics (such as geographic location, cultural preferences, language, population type and density (urban, rural, exurban, suburban), time zone, and climate/season, and psychographic characteristics (such as values, beliefs, interests, attitudes, lifestyles, personality traits, social status). 

Targeting, according to Bihani (2004), is the process of evaluating how attractive market segments are and choosing the segment(s) to enter. It involves making choices taking into consideration available and necessary resources. Firms have a number of options with regard to the targeting strategy to apply. The main targeting strategies that companies can apply are mass marketing, niche marketing, segmented marketing, and micromarketing (Strydom, 2005; Kotler et al., 2015).

Segmentation and Targeting by Volkswagen

Volkswagen applies segmented marketing and has its market partitioned based on a mix of psychographic, demographic, geographic, and behavioural factors to meet the specific needs of different groups of customers. The following section discusses Volkswagen’s market segmentation based on these factors.

Psychographic Segmentation and Targeting

Psychographic segmentation involves partitioning a market based on customers’ values, beliefs, interests, attitudes, lifestyles, personality traits, social status, or other psychographic factors (Camilleri, 2018). With regard to psychographic segmentation, Volkswagen has partitioned its market based on customers’ interests, values, social status, and lifestyles. In this regard some of the segments the company targets include consumers who simply need to move (or transport goods) from one place to another conveniently and affordably, sports enthusiasts, technical/engineering enthusiasts, and consumers who need luxury and comfort as will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

Vehicles such as the beetle, Polo, Golf, Jetta, Touran, and Volkswagen Amarok pick-up and are aimed at catering to the needs of consumers who simply need to move from one place to another (or transport goods) conveniently and without spending so much money; they simply wish to enjoy the utility value of a car (Schmid, 2013; Skema Business School, 2014). This customer segment include people who wish to use the car as a tool. Some customers in this segment may go for the compact cars such as the beetle, polo, and golf to conveniently move around while some customers may go for the Touran (family van) so that they can easily transport their families with relative comfort. ….

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Positioning of Volkswagen/ Volkswagen Brand Positioning

Market positioning, according to Wilkinson (2013), is the process of establishing the identity or image of a product or brand so that it is perceived in a certain way by consumers. Positioning relates to how the consumer perceives the product or brand in relation to other products or brands. It involves placing a product in such a way that it occupies a clear, distinctive, and favourable place, relative to competing products, in the minds of consumers in the target market (Walletzký, 2015). With regard to positioning, Volkswagen takes pride in being a leader in German engineering (which focuses on design precision and feel), and to this extent has in the past used the tagline “The Power of German Engineering” (Sherman, 2017). The company has also used the slogan “If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen” to highlight the brand’s reliability (Nevick, 2013)…

Conclusion

Volkswagen segments its market based on a mix of psychographic, geographic, demographic and behavioural factors to meet the specific needs of different groups of customers. With respect to psychographic segmentation, the company has segmented its market based on customers’ interests, beliefs, values, social status, and lifestyles. Some of the segments the company targets in this regard include consumers who simply need mobility, sports enthusiasts, technical/engineering enthusiasts, consumers who prioritise comfort, and individuals with high social status. With regard to demographic segmentation, VW segments its market based income level and age…

This is preview of the article. 

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Related article: Market Segmentation, Targeting & Positioning (STP) with Company Examples

Outline
Introduction
Segmentation and Targeting
 – Segmentation and Targeting by Volkswagen
       – Psychographic Segmentation
       – Demographic Segmentation
       – Geographic Segmentation
       – Behavioural Segmentation
– Positioning of Volkswagen
– Conclusion
– References

Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning by Volkswagen

 

Decolonisation and International Power Relations

Did Decolonisation Transform Power Relations in the International Economy? If not, why not?

DEcolonisation and international power relationsDecolonisation has been defined by Tuhiwai (2010, p. 3) as “the long-term process involving the bureaucratic, cultural, linguistic, and psychological divesting of colonial power”. According to Klose (2014), decolonisation is a process that involves the dissolution of colonial rule together with its economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions. Although different scholars have defined decolonization in different ways, there is wide agreement that decolonization is linked to the transfer of legal and institutional control over territories and dependencies from colonial powers to indigenously based, formally sovereign, nation states (Duara, 2004). Decolonisation, in Duara’s (2004) view, was not only a process but also a movement for political solidarity and moral justice against imperialism. There is a lot of agreement among scholars that decolonization had a significant impact on the global sphere (Collins, 2016; Office of the Historian, 2018). This notion is especially supported by the fact that within thirty years of the signing of the Charter of the United Nations in 1945, the European colonial empires in Africa and Asia completely disappeared, and in their stead stood new independent states (Klose 2014). For many territories under colonial rule, the thought of becoming independent states through the process of decolonization promised hope, freedom and prosperity. Decolonisation also promised positive changes in power relations between the newly formed independent states and imperial powers. This paper seeks to answer the question: Did decolonisation transform power relations in the international economy? If not, why not?This paper argues, based on dependency, New International Economic Order, and structuralism, that in spite of these promises, decolonisation did not truly transform power relations in the international economy.

Power in International Politics and Economy

The concept of “power” is perhaps the most fundamental in political science, international relations and political theory. Although there is general consensus regarding its importance, the definition of “power” remains a subject of great disagreement and debate. Indeed according to Barnett and Duvall (2005), scholars remain divided on how to define, conceive, study, and measure power, rendering the concept quite elusive. According to Barnett and Duvall (2005), power relates to the production of effects, in and through social relations, which determine the ability of actors to define or decide their circumstances and fate. Read more

Did Decolonisation Transform Power Relations

Knec Business Plan Sample

A business plan acts as a road-map for a business and thus provides a guide on important elements of the business and the steps that should be taken to start and steer the business to grow. Coming up with a business plan is one of the requirements towards graduating with a certificate, diploma, or bachelor’s degree in many colleges and universities. As a student undertaking a Knec-accredited diploma course in Kenya, you will likely be required to write a business plan based on a pre-determined format – the business plan knec format.

For many students, writing a business plan is a challenge especially given that they do not really understand the concepts being examined knec.  Learning how to write a winning business plan can be made easy with the help of a high quality  business plan sample.  In case you are looking for a Knec business plan sample or diploma in knec business plan sample, you have landed in the right place.

Knec Business Plan Sample

While a few Knec business plan samples have been posted on the Internet, most of them are clearly of very low quality, providing evidence that their authors did not really understand important and relevant business concepts.

Here is a Knec business plan example that is of high quality and from which you can learn and develop your own plan, whether for Knec or other examination or for practical use.  You can be sure that the Knec business plan example is of high quality as it is based on a past sample that achieved an A grade. 

Here is an example business plan for a boutique. While this business plan knec example may not exactly relate to the kind of business you are interested in, you have every reason to go through the sample as it will likely give you ideas of what to write in the different sections of your own business plan. By going through this business plan sample knec or sample business plan, you will also probably encounter and take note of the important concepts that are being tested and which many students are not aware of. With these concepts in mind, you are more likely to write a winning and practical knec business plan.  Here now is the business plan knec sample.

Glamify Boutique Business Plan

Chapter One: Business Description

1.1 Background of the Owner

Stanley Brown, a 25 year old male with a longstanding passion for establishing and managing businesses, will be the sole owner of Glamify Boutique. Currently pursuing a Diploma in Business Management at XYZ University, Stanley has in the past been employed as a sales person in a mtumba (second hand clothes) business. With the three years of experience as a sales person in the mtumba business, Stanley has developed effective entrepreneurship, communication, and social skills. The education and entrepreneurship skills he has acquired from his college education will be instrumental in managing the business and evaluating its financial accounts. Together, the skills and experience from Stanley’s past employment and college education will be valuable in understanding, communicating with, and interacting with potential clients, employees, suppliers and other individuals associated with the business. Stanley’s robust educational foundation, coupled with two years of practical experience working in a boutique as a sales agent, gives him the confidence to navigate the challenges that he may encounter as an entrepreneur.

1.2 Business Name

The yet to be established business will be called Glamify Boutique. This name, which reflects the attraction the business products hopefully will earn users of the products, has been chosen to for its simplicity, uniqueness, and for its capacity to highlight the type of the business. As such, it will be easy for customers to remember the name of the business and possibly associate it with attractive, exciting, and enchanting looks.

Knec Business Plan Example

1.3 Business Location and Address

Glamify Boutique will be located in Awendo Town, Migori County, specifically within the central business district of the town. The chosen location is ideally within one of the buildings along Kisii-Migori road, in close proximity to Shivling Supermarket or within 400 meters from the town’s sole roundabout, which serves as the Arika Boda Boda Stage (Figure 1).

This location has been chosen because it is strategic in that the Kisii-Migori road is a main highway that connects multiple major town and is thus used by many people on a daily basis. Additionally, the site offers ample parking space for both potential customers and delivery vehicles, ensuring safety and security. The business will operate from a rented house. The envisioned business premise will consist of two rooms: a front room with a minimum area of 160m2, overlooking Kisii-Migori highway, and a backroom, which will serve as a store, with a minimum area of 50m2. The business will possess a postal address in Awendo town with the zip code 40405.

 – Insert location image – 

1.4 Form of Ownership

Glamify Boutique will be a sole proprietorship. It will be established, owned and managed by Stanley Brown.

1.5 Type of the Business

It is clear from the business name that Glamify Boutique will be a boutique. As such, it will focus on marketing fashionable clothing and accessories.

1.6 Product and Services

The primary focus of the business will be the retail of trendy, high-quality, brand-new clothing and accessories for boys and men. Specifically, the product range will include items such as t-shirts, trousers, shorts, sweaters, jackets, short-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shirts, inner wear, hoodies, jumpers, suits, and footwear. Additionally, the business will offer a variety of accessories including belts, caps, socks, vests, watches, sunglasses, perfumes, backpacks, hats, wallets, turtlenecks, cuff-links, bows and ties,. The products on offer at Glamify Boutique will be meticulously selected to ensure that customers achieve a smart, fashionable, and distinctive look.

1.7 Justification of the Opportunity

Awendo town, with its substantial population of residents, stands as a crucial hub serving several smaller market centres and surrounding areas. The town has a catchment area with a radius of at least 13 kilometres. Serving as the headquarters of Awendo Sub-county and housing the prominent Sony Sugar company, Awendo town has a high and constantly growing population which contributes to its thriving economy. The town attracts both residents and visitors from surrounding villages, village centres, and even from other towns. The town’s population includes government employees, business people, bank employees (Equity Bank, National Bank, Kenya Women, and Post Bank), professional workers, digital economy workers (including freelance writers and online forex traders) and employees of Sony Sugar Company. These individuals undoubtedly seek fashionable clothing and accessories to enhance their appearance and style, driven by a desire to set themselves apart from how the general population look and dress.

Having first-hand experience living in Awendo area, the proprietor often encountered challenges in finding stylish clothing for himself and his male relatives. This personal struggle brought to light a business opportunity – the need for a well-stocked boutique specializing in fashionable clothing for men and boys. This realization of this gap in the market has been further confirmed by informal surveys conducted within the town, with a focus on the target market, by the proprietor. The results of the informal survey indicates that most existing boutiques predominantly focus on women’s clothes, are greatly understocked, or are poorly managed. As a result, many residents resort to online shopping or travel far away to major towns (Kisii, Migori, Kisumu, or Nairobi) to acquire high-quality, fashionable clothing for themselves or their male family members.

Copper and Lead Levels in Aberdeen Harbour

Copper Lead Aberdeen Harbour Sediments

Here is a preview of the paper on Copper Lead Aberdeen Harbour Sediments.

Copper and Lead Levels in Aberdeen Harbour

1.0 Introduction

Anthropogenic activities are recognized as a significant contributor to the build-up of heavy metals, such as lead and copper in urban areas and marine settings, posing health risks to people’s lives and the lives or marine organisms (Yan et al., 2018; Briffa et al., 2020). Exposure of humans or marine organisms to these pollutants can result illness, poor health, or even death (Briffa et al., 2020). Lead, a well-known poison for centuries, is a subject of global public health regulations and is linked to miscarriages, brain damage, kidney damage, cancers, and even death in humans (Tchounwou, et al. 2012; WHO, 2024). Although naturally present in soils at low concentrations, studies indicate a gradual increase in environmental lead concentrations due to human activities (WHO, 2024). Copper, essential for enzymatic activity at low concentrations, acts as an enzyme inhibitor at higher levels, causing diarrhoea, vomiting, and liver disease in humans (Tchounwou, et al. 2012; Ashish et al., 2013).

Harbours, due to shipping activities, often experience severe marine pollution (Onwuegbuchunam et al., 2017; Zhang, 2020; Shahzad, 2023), leading to a rapid decline in water and sediment quality, impacting fish and marine life significantly. Unlike some pollutants, heavy metals cannot undergo biodegradation and may accumulate in sediments to toxic levels over time (Tchounwou, et al. 2012). According to the Marine Management Organisation (2015), marine sediment concentrations below 50mg/kg (dry weight) for lead and below 40mg/kg for copper fall under Action Level 1 (AL1), indicating safe levels (Appendix 1).

Situated in Aberdeen City, Aberdeen Harbour, is recognized as one of the oldest and busiest ports in the United Kingdom (Ship Technology, 2018). Handling approximately 8,000 vessels annually, the harbour contributes over £1.5 billion to the national economy by managing nearly five million tonnes of cargo (Ship Technology, 2018). The cargo, including industrial chemicals, pesticides, oil, and liquefied gas, poses a potential risk of pollution. Additionally, other sources of heavy metals entering the harbour include construction, domestic, industrial, and agricultural activities, as well as chemicals and wastes. Continue Reading (Alternative 2)

Here are some words that can be used to describe the paper:

Aberdeen harbour baseline study example
Aberdeen harbour sediments study
Aberdeen Harbour Baseline Survey
Aberdeen Harbour Baseline Survey for Environmental Status
Copper and Lead Levels in Aberdeen Harbour Sediments
Copper Lead Aberdeen Harbour Sediments

Sample data

Copper and Lead Levels in Aberdeen Harbour Sediments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question/Prompt/Instructions can be found here … or here

Statistical Process Control Case Study

Prompt:

Present literature review on statistical process control highlighting the development of the concept from the time it was developed to-date. You have been provided with historic data relating to temperature of combined effluence discharged by company ABCD. The data provides temperatures recorded four times a day during the month of September 2022. The company’s effluent discharges are usually controlled within the 250C to 350C range. The company (a brewery) usually performs weekly maintenance on the balancing system, whose effect is to neutralise the pH of the effluent and in the process heats up the discharge. The maximum temperature allowed for the discharge is 400C. Using the data, visualise the performance of the company’s effluent control process. Ensure that you describe the analytical approach you have applied and include any graphs you have produced. Based on your analysis/visualisation, how well has the effluent control process performed? What priorities should the company adopt for quality improvements? – This is a statistical process control case study. 

Data Sample: 27.508, 33.19, 30.06, 30.01 … (120 data points in total).

Statistical Process Control Case Study

Statistical Process Control Case Study

Introduction

Statistical process control (SPC) is the application of statistical methods to monitor, control, maintain, and improve the performance of a process (Jiju & Mehmet, 2003; Jamadar (2020). SPC is also a tool that applies time series plots, for checking whether products or processes confirm to their design requirements (Qiu, 2014). SPC, a brainchild of Dr. Walter Shewhart, was first developed in the 1920s as a tool for monitoring and controlling manufacturing processes (Best & Neuhauser, 2006). The tool’s versatility was recognized by Shewhart and Dr. Edwards Deming, who acknowledged that repeated measurements would exhibit some variation. Shewhart later realized that the tool had the potential for use in other types of processes in addition to manufacturing (Best & Neuhauser, 2006; Niavand & Tajeri, 2014). True to this finding, in contemporary times, SPC extends its application to diverse contexts such as management, health quality assurance and improvement, survey, among countless other settings (Jin et al., 2019; Qiu, 2019).

Common Cause Variation and Special Cause Variation

In statistical process control, common cause variation and special cause variation are crucial concepts (Montgomery, 2009; Qiu, 2014). Common cause variation refers to the observed variation that come into being as a result of random fluctuations, representing the natural variability or “background noise” inherent in a process (Montgomery, 2009). This variation is anticipated based on the underlying distribution, assuming variables remain constant with the passage of time. When common cause variation is present, the process is considered to be naturally stable and predictable, and the process is considered to be in “in statistical control” or simply, “in control” (Qiu, 2014). A stable process exhibits predictable variation described by a statistical distribution, such as normal, Poisson, geometric, or binomial distributions. In a process that follows the normal distribution, normally about 95% of future measurements are expected to fall within +/- 2 standard deviations of the mean. Furthermore, regardless of the statistical distribution, almost all measurements are expected to fall within +/- 3 standard deviations about the mean, when the process is in control (Benneyan et al., 2003; Goedhart & Woodall, 2022).

On the other hand, special cause variation represents observed variation beyond what can be attributed to chance alone. This kind of variation results from external factors or special causes, constituting unnatural variation due to circumstances, changes, or events that are not naturally part of the regular process (Carroll & Johnson, 2020). In contrast to traditional hypothesis testing, where special cause variation is analogous to statistically significant differences, SPC identifies changes graphically over time and often involves the collection of a (relatively) few samples (Benneyan et al., 2003; Montgomery, 2009). Continue reading

 

 

 Common Resources and Capabilities Virgin Companies

 Virgin companies – Strategy

Revision questions

1. What are the shared resources and capabilities shared by the separate Virgin companies? –   common resources and capabilities Virgin companies.
2. Which business(es) should Branson divest from? What criteria should he apply in  deciding the new diversification strategy to apply?
3. What changes do you recommend to the Virgin Group with respect to its  its organisational structure and management systems?

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Resources and capabilities
  • Virgin companies shared resources and capabilities
  • Divesting criteria and businesses to divest
  • New diversification strategy and decision criteria
  • Organisational structure change recommendations
  • Management systems change recommendations

Richard Branson and the Virgin Group Case Study

Introduction

The Virgin Group was established by renowned entrepreneur, Richard Branson. The history of the group can be traced back to 1968 when Branson formed the Student magazine after dropping out of school. Over the years, The Virgin Group has grown to become a highly diversified organisation with operations in several industry segments and countries. The group so far operates in the UK, the United States, Australia, Russia, South Africa, and Canada among several others.  Some of the areas the group mainly focuses on are Telecoms and Media, Music and Entertainment, Financial Services, Travel and Leisure, and Health & Wellness (Virgin Group 2017).

The Group boasts of owning hundreds of companies directly or through its subsidiaries. It also boasts of having holding companies in seven main business categories. In addition, it has a stake in several companies, such stake acquired through the formation of joint ventures with other corporations.

Virgin Group has a strong asset base and its success has partly been attributed to the reputation and celebrity status of its founder, Richard Branson. Some of the Group’s notable assets include its fleets of airplanes, trains, and megastores. In addition to these, it has several resources including a strong brand name, a good reputation, talented human resources, and finances. In combination, these resources have helped the group develop capabilities and competencies in different areas.

One of the resources shared by the Virgin companies is the Virgin brand… Read more…

Recovery of Forest Soils Following Wildfire

Can Forest Soils Recover from Wildfire?

Can Forest Soils Recover from WildfireTedim and Leone (2020) define wildfire as any unplanned and uncontrolled fire started on shrubs or forest. National Geographic has defined the term as an uncontrolled fire that that burns in the wildland vegetation, often in rural areas. The term has also been defined by Belcher et al. (2021) as any non-structure fire other than prescribed fire that occurs in a wildland. Also called vegetation, bush, or forest fire, wildfire has been part and parcel of the earth’s history over the past 400 million years, and is thus not a new phenomenon (Belcher et al., 2021). A wildfire may ignite spontaneously as a result of natural causes such as a lightning strike or may be caused by human activities. Whatever their cause, they can greatly disturb forest soil and ecosystems especially given that fire can have a significant impact on the structural, physical, chemical, mineralogical, and biological properties of soil (Certini, 2005; Shrestha, 2009) through mechanisms such as vitalisation, erosion, oxidation, leaching, and ash transfer (Xiang et al., 2014). The recovery of soil after a forest fire is an issue of great importance to conservationists, environmentalists, governments and other players. This essay seeks to answer the question: can forest soils recover from wildfire? The paper begins by discussing the impact of fire severity on soil properties before focusing on the recovery of forest soils following a wildfire.

Impact of Fire Severity on Soil Properties

Several properties of forest soil can change as a result of exposure to a wild fire. Some of these properties include level of organic carbon, nutrients, water holding capacity, aggregate stability, and hydrophobicity (Agbeshie et al., 2022; DeBano, 1990; Santín & Doerr, 2016). The level of which these properties can be affected depend on the duration, frequency, timing, type, and intensity of fire (Certini 2005; Xiang et al., 2014). Most analysts agree that out of the three factors, fire intensity has the greatest influence on the properties of forest soil during or following a wildfire (Certini, 2005; Santín & Doerr, 2016). Recovery of forest soils following wildfire …

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Read Also: Aberdeen Harbour Baseline Survey

The Role of Cost Information in the Pricing Decision

Pricing Decisions: The Role of Cost Information In the Pricing Decision

Prompt:

The Role of Cost Information in the Pricing DecisionYou are working in the management accounting department of ABC which manufactures a range of consumer electronics products. The current range comprises 50 different products and the company launches around 10 new products every year.

Your manager has asked you to write a paper which addresses issues relating to pricing decisions for all the company’s products, with a particular focus on the prices set for new products.

The current approach used by the company is a cost based approach by which a predetermined percentage is added to the estimated full cost of the product. However the directors of the company have recently questioned this approach.

You are required to discuss the following in your paper:

  • The role of cost information in the pricing decision.
  • The advantages and limitations of the company’s current approach.
  • A range of alternative strategies for pricing products which could be adopted by the company, including a discussion of the circumstances for which the different strategies would be appropriate.

Discussions have been taking place within the company concerning the pricing of one of the products to be launched within the next three months. The current planned selling price is £60 per unit and at this price it is expected that 5,000 units will be sold over the next year. However the marketing director has suggested that the sales quantity and profits from this product could be increased by reducing the unit selling price. The production director disagrees and believes that the selling price would have to be increased to improve the level of the profit.

You are required to:

  • Analyse the relationship between selling price and the level of profit for this product based on the information provided in this briefing.
  • Within your paper, present your analysis in an appropriate format. This analysis should include an appropriate chart or charts as an integral part of your paper.
  • Provide a full commentary on your analysis. This discussion should include the assumptions in and the limitations of your approach, a discussion of the views of the two directors related to the conclusions of your analysis and an assessment of the relevance to the organisation’s pricing decisions in the light of your answer to part a).

Note: you should use a spreadsheet for the calculations which underpin the analysis presented in the paper. Your spreadsheet must be submitted to support your paper.

Additional information:

The company estimates product costs based on apportionment of overheads to products using labour hours. Prices set are based on full cost plus a 25% profit mark-up.

The following information relates to this product:

  • The manufacture of each unit of the product requires materials costing £24 and 30 minutes of direct labour at a rate of £25 per hour.
  • The variable overhead costs per unit are £5.50 per unit.
  • Fixed costs for the year to be apportioned to this product are expected to be:
  • Production costs: £24,000
  • Administration and management costs: £5,000
  • Selling costs: £1,000
  • Some market research has recently been carried out to try and determine the effect on the level of sales demand if changes were made to the selling price of the product. This market research has suggested that reducing the selling price to £57 would increase the sales volume to 5,250 units for the year whereas increasing the selling price to £63 would result in a fall in sales to 4,750 units during the same period.

Assessment criteria
(10%)  Discussion of the importance of cost information for pricing
(10%)  Discussion of the advantages and limitations of the company’s current approach.
(25%)  Review of alternative strategies for pricing products.
(10%)  Analysis of scenario
(25%)  Commentary on spreadsheet analysis and presentation of results.      
(10%)  Effective communication and appropriate style of presentation.
(10%)  Use and presentation of academic research to support arguments.

Pricing Decisions

The role of cost information in the pricing decision

Cost is one of the factors that affect pricing decisions, hence cost information is an important factor in coming up with pricing decisions (University of Minnesota, 2015). Costs can influence prices through its effect on supply. In this regard, a company will be willing to supply more products the more the cost is lower relative to the price. It is often the case that as the firm increases supply of a product, the cost of producing an additional unit initially decreases. However, a point is reached where the cost of producing an additional unit begins to rise. The company will be willing to continue to supply its products for as long as the profit it makes from selling extra units exceeds the cost of producing them (the extra units). Another way that costs influence pricing is that all the costs incurred by the firm should be recouped through its product sales (Meehan et al., 2011; Smith, 2011). This means that the higher the units of a product that a firm sells, the less each unit is required to contribute towards covering the fixed costs. This in turn implies that the firm can afford to set a lower price for its products if it applies a cost-based approach to pricing or can make higher profits if applies value-based pricing (Leijon, 2017). It is by understanding the cost of producing the products that companies can set product prices so that they (the prices) appeal to consumers and at the same time serve to maximize operating income (Tarjomefa, 2015). Continue reading

Nitrogen Balance Experiment Urine

Nitrogen Balance Experiment Using Simulated Urine Samples. Lab report results.
Attempted solutions for the following questions:
For this assay, you were asked to dilute your samples. Please explain in your own words why you think you were asked to do this.
Nitrogen Balance Experiment Urine

You were also asked to make your own standards from a stock solution of 1mg/ml. Please indicate the amounts of stock solution and water you added to make 10mls of each of your own standards.

 

Blank

0.25mg/ml

0.5mg/ml

0.75 mg/ml

1 mg/ml

Stock soln (ml)

Provided

       

Water (ml)

Provided

       

Calculate the average reading for each duplicate pair. You may find that one of the duplicate pair is not a good reading and may decide to leave that reading out. Discuss this with a demonstrator and outline in the tables below which sample you excluded and why.

Nitrogen Balance Experiment Urine

From the absorbance you measured from your standards, graph using a scatter plot.

Once you have done so, attempt to fit a straight line through the standards. Are there any values skewing the line? Is the trendline showing a good fit with your experimental data?

Now using the result for the trendline from MS excel, report the equation and the R2 value

Once you have made the graph, determine the concentrations of the samples in the following 2 ways.

Use the equation given on your graphs (y = mx + c) calculate the concentrations of the unknowns.

 ** At this point – remember that you diluted your samples 1:20, so this means to get the ‘correct’ concentration you will need to multiply the concentration from the graph x 20.

 

Sample A

Sample B

Sample C

Equation from graph

     

Equation from graph x 20

     

The samples you used for these assays came from a simulated 24 hour urine sample.

You have determined the concentration of urea in mg/ml. You will now need to convert that to total amount in the 24 hour urine, which was 2L.

So the total amount loss per day is amount calculated as x/ml  × 2000 (i.e. 2000ml per 2L 24h urine sample)

 

Sample A

Sample B

Sample C

Equation from graph (mg/ml)

     

Equation from graph x 20 (mg/ml)

     

Total amount loss per day (mg/day)

     

Total amount loss per day (g/day)

     

Once you have calculated the concentration of each sample, think about which sample may apply to which of the following subjects.

What do abnormal results mean?

Complete the table and give your reasons below:

 

Description

24h urine vol

Subject weight kg

Which Sample?

Subject A

Healthy vegetarian subject consuming 35g dietary protein per day

2000 ml

65

 

Subject B

Obese subject undergoing therapeutic fast. 24 h urine sample from day 5 of fast

2000 ml

90

 

Subject C

Healthy football player, consuming 75 g protein per day

2000 ml

80

 

Explain your choices:

Find attempted solution…. 

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