Laughter Is the Best Medicine Essay Example

Laughter Is the Best Medicine Essay [-0][-1] Sign Up[-2] or Log In[-3] or Log In via Follow us on Pinterest[-4] HomeHYPERLINK /Special:CategorylistingArticlesHYPERLINK /Special:CommunityDashboardCommunityHYPERLINK /Special:UserloginMy Profile[-5] Top of Form 1 Bottom of Form 1 Edit[-6]  ·Home[-7]  ·Ã‚ » Categories[-8]  ·Ã‚ » Education and Communications[-9]  ·Ã‚ » Learning Techniques and Student Skills[-10]  ·Ã‚ » Memorization Skills[-11] How to Improve Your Memory[-12] Edited by Ben Rubenstein, Theresa Mulligan, Tom Viren, Mike and 138 others 90[-13] ArticleHYPERLINK /index. hp? title=Improve-Your-Memoryaction=edit EditHYPERLINK /Discussion:Improve-Your-MemoryDiscuss[-14] Wouldn’t it be nice to just look at a page and never forget what was on there? What if you could never again forget a friend’s birthday? The bad news is, not everyone has a photographic memory, otherwise known as eidetic memory. Most of us rely on mnemonic devices. The good news, however, is that everyone can take steps to imp rove their memory, and with time and practice most people can gain the ability to memorize seemingly impossible amounts of information. Whether you want to win the World Memory Championships, ace your history test, or simply remember where you put your keys, this article can get you started. Edit[-15] Steps Memory Tricks [-16][-17] Memory Tricks[-18] Improving Your Memory 1Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve. Too many people get stuck here and convince themselves their memory is bad, that they are just not good with names, that numbers just slip out of their minds for some reason. Erase those thoughts and vow to improve your memory. Celebrate even little achievements to keep yourself motivated. We will write a custom essay sample on Laughter Is the Best Medicine specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Laughter Is the Best Medicine specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Laughter Is the Best Medicine specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Ads by Google[-19] 3-Minute Chakra Test[-20] Take the Free Chakra Test Find Out Which Chakras Are Blocked www. ChakraHealing. com[-21] 2Memory is best practiced through association. [1] The reason that most of us cant remember our friends phone number is because 535-3473 is just a string of numbers that have no obvious connection to your friend. In order to use your memory efficiently, the best way is to actively create an association for things youre trying to remember. For example, write out your friends phone number: five three five three four seven three. Now try to create a clever phrase that starts with the first letter of those words: fairy tales feel true for some time. Youre now much more likely to remember that phone number.  ·Alternatively, you could create a story that involves 5 characters buying 3 things and doing 5 more things with them Use your imagination. The point is that you want to connect the phone number to something else. Throwing your best friend as a character in the story would be a good idea too. 3Association also works if you created vivid, memorable images. You remember information more easily if you can visualize it. If you want to associate a child with a book, try not to visualize the child reading the book thats too simple and forgettable. Instead, come up with something more jarring, something that sticks, like the book chasing the child, or the child eating the book. Its your mind -– make the images as shocking and emotional as possible to keep the associations strong. [-22][-23] 4Group information together to help you remember them; this is called chunking. Random lists of things (a shopping list, for example) can be especially difficult to remember. To make it easier, try categorizing the individual things from the list. If you can remember that, among other things, you wanted to buy four different kinds of vegetables, you’ll find it easier to remember all four.  ·Another example: you probably wont remember 17761812184818651898, but try putting a space after every fourth number. Now you can see that those numbers are years, and you can pick key events from each year to help you remember the string of numbers (e. g. , Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War). Repeat information youre trying to memorize to yourself every few days or so. This is called spaced repetition learning. We are more likely to remember more recent things and things that weve experienced with greater frequency[2], so repeating associations and mnemonics to yourself is a good idea. Start practicing every day, and you can gradually decrease the frequency until you remember it naturally.  ·Flash cards are especially useful for studying. Its essentially a card with a question on one side and the answer on the other. (You can also put two things you want to associate on opposite sides of a flashcard. In the course of learning a topic, you would have a stack of cards and would go through them testing yourself. Those that you got right you would put to one side and review a few days later. The more difficult ones might take several days to fix in the brain. However, how do you determine the ideal time to review the cards that you have temporarily remembered? Leave it too long and, like all memories, it may have faded and we forget the answer. If we review it too soon then we waste time looking at it. We need some system to know exactly when to review each card. This is where Spaced Repetition Software comes in. This software automatically works out the most efficient time to test you on each card for optimum memory retention. There are a number of free bits of software out there for you to use.  ·Cramming only works to put information in your short-term memory. You may remember the information for your exam the next day, but you will barely recall the unit when its time to take the final. Spacing out your studying is important because it gives your brain time to encode the information and store it in your long-term memory. 6Organize your life. -24] Keep items that you frequently need, such as keys and eyeglasses, in the same place every time. Use an electronic organizer or daily planner to keep track of appointments, due dates for bills, and other tasks. Keep phone numbers and addresses in an address book or enter them into your computer or cell phone. Improved organization can help free up your powers of concentration so that you can rem ember less routine things. Even if being organized doesn’t improve your memory, you’ll receive a lot of the same benefits (i. e. you won’t have to search for your keys anymore). When its time to study or remember something new, switch your breathing pattern to be slower and deeper. Deeper and slower breathing actually changes the way your brain works, by inducing the brains electrical pulses to switch to Theta waves. Theta waves normally occur in your brain in hypnogogic sleep. This is the stage of sleep when outside noises like an alarm clock can influence dreaming. It turns out being in this stage also can aid memory. A good example is the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon, when information youve been trying to think of all day suddenly comes back to you after napping or waking up from sleep. To activate your Theta waves, switch your breathing to your lower abdomen in other words, start breathing deeply from your stomach. Consciously slow your rate of breathing too. After a few moments, you should feel calmer, the Theta waves should be flowing in your brain, and you should be more receptive to remembering new information. 8If the above advice does not work you may consider using nootropic supplements. Nootropics are generally well-tolerated and can help aid in improving overall memory. Racetam supplements like Piracetam are very popular for improving memory but there are also strong herbal nootropics like Bacopa and Huperzine A. General Advice 1Exercise your brain. Regularly exercising the brain keeps it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. By developing new mental skills especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument and challenging your brain with puzzles and games, you can keep your brain active and improve its physiological functioning. Try some fun puzzle exercises everyday such as crosswords, Sudoku, and other games which are easy enough to for anyone. [-;25][-;26] 2Exercise daily. [-;27] Regular aerobic exercise improves circulation and efficiency throughout the body including the brain and can help ward off the memory loss that comes with aging. Exercise also makes you more alert and relaxed, and can thereby improve your memory uptake, allowing you to take better mental pictures. 3Reduce stress[-28]. Chronic stress does in fact physically damage the brain, it can make remembering much more difficult. After prolonged stress, the brain will start to become affected and deteriorate.  ·Stressful situations are recognized by the hypothalamus, which in turn signals the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland then secretes adrenocorticotropic hormones (ACTH) which influences the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline and later, cortisol (corticosteroids). The corticosteroids can weaken the blood-brain barrier and damage the hippocampus (the memory center). Ironically, the hippocampus controls the secretion of the hormone released by the hypothalamus through a process of negative feedback. After chronic stress, it will begin to deteriorate and will not be as efficient in regulating the degenerative corticosteroids, impairing memory. Neurogenesis (formation of new neurons) indeed exists in the hippocampus, but stress inhibits it.  ·Realistically speaking, stress may never be completely eliminated from ones life, but it definitely can be controlled. Even temporary stresses can make it more difficult to effectively focus on concepts and observe things. Try to relax[-29], regularly practice yoga or other stretching exercises, and see a doctor if you have severe chronic stress as soon as possible. Eat well and eat right[-30]. There are a lot of herbal supplements on the market that claim to improve memory, but none have yet been shown to be effective in clinical tests (although small studies have shown some promising results for ginkgo biloba and phosphatidylserine). A healthy diet, however, contributes to a healthy brain, and foods containing antioxidants broccoli, blue berries, spinach, and berries, for example and Omega-3 fatty acids appear to promote healthy brain functioning. [-31][-32]  ·Feed your brain with such supplements as Thiamine, Niacin and Vitamin B-6. Grazing, or eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals, also seems to improve mental functioning (including memory) by limiting dips in blood sugar, which may negatively affect the brain. Make sure its healthy stuff. 5Take better pictures. Often we forget things not because our memory is bad, but rather because our observational skills need work. One common situation where this occurs (and which almost everyone can relate to) is meeting new people. Often we don’t really learn people’s names at first because we aren’t really concentrating on remembering them. You’ll find that if you make a conscious effort to remember such things, you’ll do much better.  ·One way to train yourself to be more observant is to look at an unfamiliar photograph for a few seconds and then turn the photograph over and describe or write down as many details as you can about the photograph. Try closing your eyes and picturing the photo in your mind. Use a new photograph each time you try this exercise, and with regular practice you will find you’re able to remember more details with even shorter glimpses of the photos. Give yourself time to form a memory. Memories are very fragile in the short-term, and distractions can make you quickly forget something as simple as a phone number. The key to avoid losing memories before you can even form them is to be able to focus on the thing to be remembered for a while without thinking about other things, so when you’re trying to remember something, avoid distractions and complicated tasks for a few minutes. 7Sleep well[-;33]. The amount of sleep we get affects the brains ability to recall recently learned information. Getting a good nights sleep a minimum of seven hours a night may improve your short-term memory and long-term relational memory, according to recent studies conducted at the Harvard Medical School. 8Build your memorization arsenal. Memory pegs, memory palaces, and the Dominic System are just some techniques which form the foundation for mnemonic techniques, and which can visibly improve your memory. Memory pegs involve visualization methods in which you make use of various familiar landmarks, associating the to be learnt information to these various popular landmarks. This helps to trigger and enhance the memory process. 9Use Online Resources. Visit and participate in collaborative mnemonic websites[-;34] to remember words and concepts. 10Venture out and learn from your mistakes. Go ahead and take a stab at memorizing the first one hundred digits of pi, or, if youve done that already, the first one thousand. Edit[-35] Video |This video contains a variety of tips for memory enhancement. | Edit[-36] Tips  ·Memorize your favorite song or poem until you can say it to yourself without any help. Try to do this often. Most people’s brains are not very good at remembering abstract information, such as numbers. This is one of the things that separate those with eidetic memory from those with a great, normal memory. The key to being able to recall such things is to build associations and links that evoke the memory. This is why almost anybody with normal brain functioning can dramatically improve their ability to recall things using mnemonics. Whil e building a memory palace, for example, actually requires that you remember more, by associating the thing to be remembered with other things (emotions, other memories, images, etc. you build more mental links to the memory, thus making it easier to access.  ·Visualize whatever you have to do as part of something you see every day. For example, if you have to give your dog some medicine, visualize your dog in your fridge every time you walk past it or look inside. This will keep your dog fresh in your mind.  ·There are also games that have been created to help you improve your memory. Playing some of these will help.  ·Take a tray of objects (say, 10 objects). Study them for 30 seconds. Take the tray away and write down all the objects you can. Increase the number of items to exercise the mind even more. Or, get someone else to find the objects on the tray; this makes them harder to remember and will test you more.  ·Leave yourself a telephone message reminding yourself of important to do tasks.  ·Try memorizing the order of a deck of playing cards. Although this may seem like a pointless task, it will allow you to discover memorization techniques that work best for you.  ·Put black ink at the end of your palm to remember any important thing for the next day or for that day itself. Whenever you see the black dot, youll remember what to do. Write in a diary or journal every day without fail. Even small issues should be written down this is a good way to make sure you dont miss anything.  ·A large number of memory improvement products are available (a search on the internet will produce hundreds of such products). Most of these products actually teach you mnemonic strategies, and while some are no doubt bunk, some ar e legitimate.  ·One easy method to help you remember people’s names is to look at the person when you are introduced and say the person’s name: Nice to meet you, Bill. Another way to remember someones name is to visualize that person holding hands with another person you know well with that name. Its weird but it works.  ·Write the event or task down immediately. If you dont have a pen, one thing you can do is change the time on your watch; later on you will remember why it is set at the wrong time. You could also wear your watch upside down.  ·When studying, take a break every so often, and do something dynamic, run up and down the stairs a couple of times, go back to your work in ten minutes  ·Talk with somone about what you are trying to remember. Its easier to remember the more you repeat it. If youre poetically inclined, try turning some things you need to know into a song or poem. Ads by Google[-37] Spelling Games[-38] Tons of Word, Math, Logic Games to S harpen Your Brain. Free Download! www. APlusGamer. com[-39] Brain Exercises[-40] Improve Memory and Attention with Brain Games by Scientists www. lumosity. com[-41] Carpet Cleaning. [-42] Best Price. Quality Service. Pro Carpet Cleaning. 082-241502 jjcleaningswk. com/Best+Service[-43] Edit[-44] Warnings  ·Solve any personal or some concerns that bother your mind. Good memory means peaceful mind. While some herbal supplements that claim to improve memory may in fact work, there is no conclusive evidence that any of these are effective. Most are harmless, however, and may be worth a try, but exercise caution: some supplements can have harmful effects, and not all contain what they say they contain.  ·Exercise due diligence when purchasing a memory improvement product. Find out as much as you can about how the program works, and do your own research to determine if it will work for you. Some of these products are simply scams. Be especially wary of products that promise to improve your memory instantly or with little or no ffort: effective strategies to improve recall take time and practice.  ·If you notice a severe or sudden deterioration of memory, talk to your doctor immediately. Sometimes these can be precursors to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Edit[-45] Related wikiHows  ·How to Memorize Lists Using the Pure Link System[-46] How to Memorize a List in Order How to Memorize a Grocery List How to Add 5 Consecutive Numbers Quickly How to Express Yourself How to Improve Emotional Intelligence How to Improve Mind Power How to Focus on Healthy Eating to Improve Exam Performance Edit[-47] Sources and Citations MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)[-48] Links to all sorts of scientific information on memory Wikipedia Article on mnemonics, with tons of examples NASA Tutorial on memory (with some fun exercises) Slate. com A review of some memory-enhancement products BBC Radio 4s the memory experience How to get smarter, one breath at a time Time Magazine article reporting on the impact of meditation on the brain. [1]  ·[www. nutsaboutmemory. blogspot. com Nuts About Memory] The latest tips, techniques, and strategies on memory improvement. ^ http://www. thememorypage. net/htiym. htm ^ http://www. thememorypage. et/htiym2. htm  ·[2] references to nootropics and their effects on memory Article Info Featured Article Categories: Featured Articles[-49] | Energy Longevity[-50] | Memorization Skills[-51] Recent edits by: Club_penguin7, Frostmaker84, Flower122 In other languages Espanol: Como mejorar tu memoria[-52], Portugues: Como Melhorar Sua Memoria[-53], Deutsch: Wie man sein Gedachtnis verbessern kann[-54], Francais: Comment ameliorer sa memoire[-55] Share this Article:  ·Discuss[-56] Print Email Edit Send fan mail to authors Ads by Google[-57] Soccer School in Madrid[-58] Soccer Boarding School Internationa Fooball Academy in Madrid, Spain www. intersoccermadrid. com[-;59] Subconscious Mind Power[-;60] Program your subconscious mind to create what you want, simple steps 7steps2success. net[-;61] Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,799,322 times. 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Click Beetles, Family Elateridae

Click Beetles, Family Elateridae Click beetles, as you might suspect, are named for the clicking sound they produce. These entertaining beetles belong to the family Elateridae. Description: Click beetles are usually black or brown, with some species bearing red or yellow markings. Most fall within the 12-30 mm range in length, though a few species can be considerably longer. Theyre easiest to recognize by shape: elongate, parallel-sided, with rounded front and hind ends. A click beetles pronotum has pointed or spiny extensions at the posterior corners, which fit snugly around the elytra. The antennae are almost always serrate in form, though some may be filiform or pectinate. Click beetle larvae are often called wireworms. Theyre slender and long, with shiny, tough segmented bodies. Wireworms can be differentiated from mealworms (darkling beetle larvae) by examining the mouthparts. In the Elateridae, the larval mouthparts face forward. The eyed click beetle, Alaus oculatus, bears two enormous false eyespots on its pronotum, most likely to deter predators. Classification: Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum – ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – ColeopteraFamily - Elateridae Diet: Adult click beetles feed on plants. Most larvae also feed on plants, but they tend to prefer newly planted seeds or plant roots, making them a pest of agricultural crops. Some click beetle larvae inhabit decomposing logs, where they hunt other insects. Life Cycle: Like all beetles, members of the family Elateridae undergo complete metamorphosis with four stages of development: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Females usually deposit eggs in the soil around the base of host plants. Pupation occurs in the soil or under bark, or in some species in rotting wood. Overwintering occurs in the larval and adult stages. Special Adaptations and Defenses: When stranded on its back, a click beetle has an unusual way of righting itself to flee from danger. The juncture between the prothorax and mesothorax is flexible, enabling the click beetle to do a backbend of sorts. This movement allows a special peg, called the prosternal spine, to fit into a catch or hold between the middle pair of legs. Once the peg is secured in the hold, the click beetle suddenly straightens out its body, and the peg slips into a mesosternal groove with a loud click. This motion hurls the beetle into the air at a speed of roughly 8 feet per second! Some species in the tropics have a special light organ which they use to communicate with potential mates. The click beetles light burns much brighter than that of its cousin, the firefly. Range and Distribution: Click beetles live throughout the world, in nearly every terrestrial habitat except for the most extreme montane and arctic environments. Scientists have described over 10,000 species, including almost 1,000 in North America. Sources: Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity, by Stephen A. MarshallBorror and Delongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th Edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonFamily Elateridae - Click Beetles, Bugguide.net. Accessed online June 4, 2012.Elateridae, South Dakota State University. Accessed online June 4, 2012.BioKIDS - Kids Inquiry of Diverse Species, Critter Catalog, Elateridae, click beetles. Accessed online June 4, 2012.

The Debra Lafave Case

The Debra Lafave Case Debra Lafave, a 24-year-old married middle school teacher in the Tampa, Florida, area was arrested in June 2004 and accused of having sex numerous times with one of her 14-year-old students. She was charged with four felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery and one count of lewd and lascivious exhibition. Here are the latest developments in the Debra Lefave case: Court Rules in Favor of Lafave Oct. 16, 2014 - The Florida Supreme Court has ruled in favor of former middle school teacher Debra Lafave in her appeal to end her probation early. The court ruled that a circuit judge was in his rights to reduce her original sentence. An appellate court had overturned Judge Wayne Timmermans ruling to end Lafaves probation early calling his decision an abuse of judicial power resulting in gross miscarriage of justice. After a year of being off probation, Lafave was again placed under supervision. The Supreme Court did not address the merits of the judges ruling, the panel wrote, Although we recognize the perceived inequality that the Second District sought to remedy, the district court lacked jurisdiction. Although Lafave is no longer on probation, she is still a registered sex offender who must check in with the sheriffs office twice a year or face felony charges. Previous Developments Court Hears Lafave AppealSept. 16, 2013The Florida Supreme Court has heard oral arguments in the case of a teacher convicted of having sex with a student who now wants her probation to be cut short. Debra Lafave is asking the states highest court to reinstate a 2011 ruling by a judge to end her probation four years early. Judge Reinstates LaFaves ProbationJan. 25, 2013Probation has officially been reinstated by a Florida judge for a former Tampa teacher who was convicted of having sex with one of her students. Debra Lafave must now finish the final four years and two months left on her sentence. Debra Lafave Ordered Back on ProbationAug. 15, 2012A former Florida middle-school teacher whose affair with a 14-year-old student shocked the nation, not to mention her then husband, has been ordered back on probation by a state appeals court. Debra Lafave was released early from probation last year by Judge Wayne S. Timmerman over the objections of the prosecution. Debra Lafave Probation Ends EarlySept. 22, 2011A former Florida middle school teacher who made national headlines by admitting she had sex with a 14-year-old student has been released from probation four years early. Debra Lafave, who is now a mother of twins, requested that Judge Wayne S. Timmerman terminate her probation early. Debra Lafave to Be Released From House ArrestApril 8, 2008Over the objections of prosecutors, a Florida judge has ruled that former teacher Debra Lafave, who confessed to having sex with a 14-year-old student, will spend her final three months of house arrest on probation instead. No Jail Time Ordered for Debra LafaveJan. 10, 2008It took a Florida judge 11 seconds to rule that conversations former teacher Debra Lafave had with co-workers at the restaurant where she worked was not a willful nor substantial violation of her probation. Debra Lafave Arrested for Probation ViolationDec. 4, 2007On the day her attorney was planning to file a motion asking that her home confinement sentence be reduced, Debra Lafave was arrested at the restaurant where she works for talking with a 17-year-old female co-worker. Debra Lafave Off the HookMar. 21, 2006Hours after a Marion County judge rejected a plea deal for Debra Lafave, the Florida middle school teacher accused of having sex with one of her 14-year-old students, state prosecutors dropped all charges against her to protect the victim in the case. Judge Reconsiders Debra Lafave Plea DealMar. 9, 2006Prosecutors joined Debra Lafaves attorneys in asking a Florida judge to reconsider their plea deal that will allow her to avoid jail time for having sex with one of her 14-year-old middle school students. Judge Rejects Debra Lafaves Plea DealDec. 9, 2005A Florida judge has rejected a plea bargain that would have allowed former teacher Debra Lafave to avoid any jail time for charges that she had sex with one of her 14-year-old students. Florida Child Molester Gets ProbationNov. 22, 2005In a blatant example of a double-standard in dealing with child molesters, a Florida judge has sentence former middle school teacher Debra LeFave to probation for having sex repeatedly with a 14-year-old male student. Debra Lafave Turns Down Plea DealJuly 18, 2005The middle-school teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student has decided to turn down a plea bargain deal and opt instead of going to trial when she plans to use an insanity defense, according to her attorney. Teacher Who Had Sex With Teen Says Shes InsaneDec. 2, 2004Debra Lafave, the suspended Florida middle school teacher facing four felony counts of lewd and lascivious behavior for having sex with a 14-year-old student, will plead not guilty by reason of insanity, according to her attorney.

What are the Marxist explanations for the current global economic Essay

What are the Marxist explanations for the current global economic crises - Essay Example Marx argues that the relations of production are initially progressive but deteriorate over time to a point where capitalists are in control of the application of productive forces. The capitalists lack interest in promoting socially beneficial reforms. In a capitalist society, the capitalists benefit most as they are in control of the means of production. As such, they receive a disproportionate share of wealth, power, status and privileges. Marx insists that only labor should earn money and that money should not be used to make more money. As such, capitalists should not receive an income as interest on their savings or investments as they are going to earn income without working (Elster, 1986, P.259). Marxists argue that due capitalism’s insistence on production for profit; a huge gulf exists between production for profit and production to meet needs. Profits are maximized by producing to satisfy the needs of richer people; and as a result, urgent needs of poorer people are neglected (Elster, 1986, P.297). Capitalists engage in savage competition, and there is pressure to develop more efficient production and better technology. Over time, capitalists tend to increase the percentage of capital investment that goes into the machinery and to decrease the percentage put into buying labor. As a result, workers earn less while capitalists increasingly accumulate wealth. Consequently, the workers have less purchasing power and cannot afford the goods produced by capitalists leading to a fall in capitalists’ profits on the long-run (Elster, 1986, P.230). The aggressive competition and accumulation of wealth by capitalists gives rise to a chronic problem of finding profitable outlets for the accumulated capital. The search for outlets has led to important phenomena such as takeover mania, speculation, stock market crashes and financial crisis. More importantly, it has inspired

Financial Performance Interpretation (Strategic management Class) Essay

Financial Performance Interpretation (Strategic management Class) - Essay Example the ratio between the current assets and liabilities. These ratios can be compared for all three offices of the company to other companies to give us an idea of how well Stilsim Company is performing. Despite the fact that Stilsim has been performing profitably for the past two and a half decades, a SWOT analysis shows that the reason why they have been suffering financially lately is due to them not implementing upgrades to keep up with the fast growth of the business. If we compare Stilsim to a competitor such as Cross Country Healthcare we can see that it is performing satisfactorily as shown in Table 1 below. In order to fix the problem we first need to identify it, and in order to do so a good approach is to compare the three offices. A comparison of the profit margins for the three offices is given in Table 2 below. We can clearly see that it is the Capital City office that is struggling, despite the fact that it is the main office and therefore is expected to perform better than the others. A alarming observation is that Stilsim is spending more money and earning roughly the same profit each year, and in the long run this could become a serious bottleneck for the company’s growth and survival. After a comparison to one of their competitors we can see that currently Stilsim company is performing satisfactorily. However, by analyzing the performance of their three offices we have been able to identify the issue and the company should attempt to rectify the problem. Being in the business for 25 years, the company should be aiming higher and increasing their profits, rather than ending up increasing their expenses each subsequent year with the same profits. By analyzing Stilsim company’s finances using internal analysis, external analysis and ratio analysis several issues have been identified, the most significant being the performance of the Capital City Office which is running in to a loss and is a financial

3D-finite Element Analysis of Beam Design

3D-finite Element Analysis of Beam Design Abstract: Any design and development activities involves in huge amount of time and money in bringing out the final product to the market, whilst functionality of the product being crucial under all scenarios without fail or malfunctioning over a period of time. Earlier design was carried out by the conventional methods from planning to final manufacturing of a components and the behavior of the product was understood only when it was not meeting its functionality. Recent developments in the above said area is vast, as this enables an engineer to study the behavior of a component/assembly, whist suggesting precautionary measures or a possible solution in validating the member thereby saves an organization time and effort. Thanks to the recent developments in the field of Stress analysis, along with the CAD packages, which actually enable us to visualize the component in 3D and analysis and design, validate it before it is actually released for manufacturing. Furthermore the robustness of CAE packages enables us to visualize the behavior of the component/assembly when it is actually put to work defining constrains under which it has to perform. Industries strongly rely on these packages to reduce the time and money involvement of a company and it is important for an Engineer to adapt the methods presented in this paper in the right approach so as to meet the design criteria which should be practical in nature. Introduction: This paper demonstrates the Design of a beam which has to be validated under several constrains/operating conditions, and understanding its behavior under these real time situations. Application of Stress methods using Solid Works Simulation package is demonstrated to understand the behavior of the beam. 3D Finite element analysis is one of the approaches in understanding the behavior of the load paths under different situations and with different boundary conditions. Several beam sections are validated to design the best beam under the given load conditions and the best beam based on several criteria are made, by demonstrating several plots. Hand/Theoretical calculations and results from Simulation are interpreted in order to study the behavior of the beam. Methods of this Stress Simulation and relevant steps are explained by plotting various plots like the Stress, Displacement and Factor of Safety by relevant comments at certain stages are done for the company to understand the process and design validation. Further it is important for the safety engineer to understand the usage of 3D finite element method so as to interpret the results and to make design changes before the component being put it function. Beam analysis: [Part 1] The figure below shows the beam on which the loads are acting at points P1, P2 and P3 of magnitude 18KN, 26KN and 20KN respectively. Beam 1 and 2 are bolted with pins through the two beams and the beam is supported at two locations. Analyzing the above situation, several considerations are needed in order to apply and analyze the situation. The above situation is a case of simply supported beams at either ends and loaded at the center. Design phase: The given sections are designed using Solid works package as per the dimensions provided. The cross-section of beams designed is plotted below. Consider the cross-section 1 for analysis. Below shows the cross-section 1 with dimensions being A= 0.3m, B=0.3m respectively. 3D element solid element type analysis using finite element method: Cross-section 1: [Beam with circular hole] As shown above the assembly is created using solid works as Solidworks.asm format and is meshed and analysis is carried out. Several steps are carried out like constrains, load conditions, assigning material are done in order to study the behavior of the assembly. Load points are defined at three locations as shown; either of the beams is connected by means of metal pads of 3mm thick with pins to support them. As we apply the loads at points P1, P2 and P3, simulation is carried out and a report on the desired results is obtained and are plotted below. Further to the design of the beam with relevant dimensions, simulation of the assembly is carried out using Solid works simulation. Several boundary conditions are implied, like the loads at the given locations, applying material, bolts at four locations and finally meshing the assembly to perform the analysis. Repeating the above procedure for rest of the cross-sections for design of beam, following plots will account for the values of Von-misses stress, displacement and factor of safety. Deflection Calculations: From the bending moment diagram, we observe that the maximum deflection occurs at the centre of the beam. The maximum load due to all the three loads can be found out. By using the Principle of Superposition, the deflection due to each load can be interpolated to the centre. Consider a load P acting on a beam AB at a distance of a from end A as shown in figure. The bending moment plot shown in figure above, shows a discontinuity at the point x=a. Solving for each of the lengths of the beam For length AD, (d2y /dx2) = (M/EI) = (Pbx/EIL) 1 Integrating equation 1, we get, y = (Pbx3/6EIL) For length DB, y = (Pax3/2EI) (Pax3/6EIL) + B1x + B2 To determine the four constants A1 and A2, two boundary conditions and two continuity conditions are used. For segment AD, y (0) = 0 = A2 For segment DB, y (L) = 0 = (PaL2/3EI) + B1L + B2 Equating the deflections and slope on both segments at x=a, and solving the four equations, we get, A1 = (Pb/6EIL) (L2 b2) A1 = 0 B1 = (Pa/6EIL) (2L2 + a2) B2 = (Pa3/6EI) Hence we get the following equation, for length AD y = (Pbx/6EIL) (x2 L2 + b2) . (2) Considering the load P1 = 18KN, the deflection at midpoint, we have, P = 18000N, x = 1.4m, b = 1.9m, L = 2.8m, E = 220 X 109N/m2. Substituting these values in equation (2), we get y = (2.9407 X 10-8) / I m Hence, below are the values For cross section 1: y1circle = 0.04523mm For cross section 2: y1oct = 0.0454mm For cross section 3: y1sqr = 0.0465mm For cross section 4: y1isect = 0.06022mm For segment AD, using the expressions obtained for B1 and B2 in the deflection equation, we get, y = (Pa/6EIL) [(x3/2) (x3/6L) {x (2L2 + a2)/6L} + (a2/6)] 2 Considering the load P2 = 20KN, deflection at mid point can be calculated using, P = 20000N, x = 1.4m, a = 1.7m, L = 2.8m, E = 220 X 109 N/m2. Substituting the above values in equation (2), the deflection at mid point D is found to be: y = (2.2074 X 10-8)/I m Hence, For cross section 1: y2circle = 0.03395mm For cross section 2: y2oct = 0.0341mm For cross section 3: y2sqr = 0.0349mm For cross section 4: y2isect = 0.0452mm Similarly, considering the load P3 = 26000N, deflection at mid point is, y = (54.0484 X 10-9)/I m Hence, For cross section 1: y3circle = 0.0831mm For cross section 2: y3oct = 0.0835mm For cross section 3: y3sqr = 0.0854mm For cross section 4: y3isect = 0.1107mm Total deflection is given by: y = y1 + y2 + y3 Hence, For cross section 1: y = 0.1622mm For cross section 2: y = 0.1630mm For cross section 3: y = 0.1668mm For cross section 4: y = 0.2161mm Factor of safety for the beams. Factor of safety is given by the formula: FOS = ?yield / ?max Given, yield stress of the material, ?yield = 650N/mm2 Using the above data, we get, For cross section 1: FOS = (650/8.6) = 75.58 For cross section 2: FOS = (650/8.64) = 75.23 For cross section 3: FOS = (650/8.84) = 73.53 For cross section 4: FOS = (650/11.46) = 56.72 By the above results, the cross section with the highest FOS can be chosen for designing the beam. Hence it can be recommended to choose the cross section with circular hole for final design. Part 2 The zone is red color is critical, means it has high stress and displacement. Hence clamping used will play a major role. From the plot, the maximum displacement at this location is 0.6511 mm, which is less than the customers expectations and hence the design is safe. As this displacement is almost 3.8 times of the specified value [2.5mm], no design changes or precautions would be needed. Therefore, Maximum displacement < Specified value. Part 3 Finite element method is one of the methods widely used and applied among the industries in the recent years and is used to study the behavior of the part by assigning various properties on to it. Method of simulation: Static studies in Solid works simulation calculate displacements, reaction forces, strains, stresses, failure criterion, factor of safety, and error estimates. Available loading conditions include point, line, surface, acceleration (volume) and thermal loads are available. Below criteria are important and are followed in this document so as to obtain values which are realistic in nature; The approach is done in three phases and are, Bottom up assembly-Phase 1 Defining load points-Phase 2 Simulation-Phase 3 Phase 1. Assembly of beams with relevant dimensions was done with fully defining the sketch geometry. Generating bosses with desired lengths and creating the profile as needed. Mates being defined between each parts using mate options in assembly mode. Phase 2. Split of 10mm was done at the top surface of the beam was done in order to imply point loads. Phase 3. Solid works simulation tool was used to access the simulation options. Steel was applied from the material database for all the components in the assembly. Connections were defined so as to make the assembly a rigid structure by defining the locations and this creates an effect of holding both the beams by means of bolts. Fixtures create an effect of holding the beam as required and are done at the either ends. Loads in terms of Newton were applied on to the points which were defined at phase 2. Mesh size was defined for the entire assembly and this inturn divides the geometry and several nodes are created for analysis. Finally the meshed model will provide us the study report, Von-misses stress, Factor of safety and Displacement of all the four cross-sections are obtained. Possible mistakes in simulation: It is up to the safety engineer in order to take extreme care before the analysis is performed so as to avoid the failure or inaccurate results during or before the simulation is actually performed. Mistakes should be avoided to the maximum extent while conducting simulation, as this might deviate the results and are not practical in nature and hence lead to misinterpretation. Some of them are listed below. Applying the material: This result in wrong stress and strain plots, displacement plots, Factor of safety, this inturn results in wrong load path distribution. Defining boundary conditions: Defining boundary conditions is crucial in terms of accurate results. Loadings should be done as per the real situation and unwanted assumptions have to be avoided. Generating mesh: Applying mesh is one of the important criteria as this procedure being the base on which the elements of the member or the beam is divided into several millions of individual pieces and are analyzed by applying degrees of freedom. Mesh size: Mesh size is important in order the material/component to take the load conditions. Larger mesh could result in small deflection and results may not be practical in nature. Clamping face: Wrong clamping face in simulation would completely alter the end result and this leads in wrong interpretation of the results obtained from the stress plot, displacement plots and Factor of safety. Mesh sizes and types: Solid works simulation currently includes solid continuum elements, curved surface shell elements (thin and thick) and truss and frame line elements. The shells are triangular with three vertex nodes or three vertex and three mid-edge nodes. Solids are tetrahedral with four vertex nodes or four vertex and six mid-edge nodes. They use linear and quadratic interpolation for the solution based on whether they have two or three nodes on an edge. The linear elements are also called simplex elements because their number of vertices is one more than the dimension of the space. The size of each element indicates a region where the solution is approximated by a spatial polynomial. Most finite element systems, including SW Simulation, use linear or quadratic complete polynomials in each element. You can tell by inspection which is being used by looking at an element edge. If that line has two nodes the polynomial is linear. If it has three nodes then the polynomial is quadratic. When the model is set for simulation, the program sub-divides the model into many tetrahedral small elements, these small points share a common point called as NODE. Below shows the small element where a common node is shared by curves, lines and edges. Difference between hand calculation and simulation: Few difference do exists between theoretical and hand calculations. Hand calculations: Hand calculations are often called as theoretical calculations, because of the fact that it does not take into consideration of several constrains could not be defined as we could do it in simulations. Material cannot be assigned in hand calculations. Mesh cannot be created for better and accurate result. Deflection, stress plot, displacement plots could not be visualized in hand calculations. Several assumptions might be required and thereby accounts in the deviation of the result from that of simulation. Hand calculations are based on the available formulae like from the design data hand book and are not different compared to simulation results. Result analysis like the animation of the result and high stress regions could not be obtained from hand calculations. Changes in boundary conditions would require repeating the procedure in hand calculations and time consuming process. Conclusion: Study of 3D-Finite element analysis of beam design assembly, address the capabilities of simulation. The idea of using the presented methods and techniques helps in optimizing the product before manufactured. This helps an industry in being changing their design at this stage based on the results obtained from simulation. Simple to complex parts/assemblies are simulated by this method, by defining several boundary conditions. The advancement in FEA area is vast, and has the capabilities of creating an environment of real time engineering situation and much finer results could also be obtained, as it provides options for finer mesh and hence more accurate the results. Finally this method of optimizing or validating the product at the initial level before design is done, has its own advantages, whilst it is worth understanding the customers requirement along with understanding the basic concepts of FEA makes a worth effort towards any engineering problem. Hence I strongly suggest for any organization to follow the process of FEA and get the full benefit of the same, as they could save time in the process of optimization of the product. References: Class tutorial. S Timo shenko and D H young. 5th Edition. Elements of strength of materials. Strength of materials by Bela I. Sandor. Solid works study material. Strength of materials by Ferdinand L. Singer and Andrew Pytel, 3rd Edition Strength of materials by Surya Patnaik and Dale Hopkins, Title: A new unified theory for the 21st century.

Business Marketing Management Capstone Written Project Essay

A. Executive Summary The business plan is written for the Step Ahead Learning Center serving the children of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. The center educates young students in reading, writing, and math to meet or exceed the Common Core Standards for Washington State. The center will increase children’s literacy and comprehension of reading, writing, and math through practices such as one-on-one tutoring and small group sessions instructed by trained and certified personnel. The center will teach understanding and mastery of concepts over the memorization of concepts, testing comprehension by requiring practical, real life application of knowledge to prepare children for college, work, and life. The center will have a venue available for professional private events which include work presentations, public speaking, educational classes, etc. The revenue from the outside use of this venue will help fund operations of the Center. Step Ahead Learning Center is formally asking for $20,000 to complete a fifth fully functional computer lab, and asks for on-going contributions to further assist with the advancement of technology incorporation, helping to achieve or exceed the Common Core Standards as set forth by the Washington Education Association (WEA). Ginsburg, Leinward, and Decker (2005) stated that the mathematics concepts in U.S. textbooks are often weak, thus presentation is becoming more mechanical than ever. A.1 Business Identification Step Ahead Learning Center 1000 W. 4th Ave. Kennewick, WA 99336 (509)555-9876 stepahead.kennewick@gmail.com stepaheadlearningcenter.com A.2 Mission, Goals and Objectives The center’s mission is to integrate technology into teaching and learning, reinforcing consistent expectations in learning for all students across all grade levels consistent with school board expectations, teaching comprehension and mastery over memorization of concepts, and emphasizing critical topics children will need to possess to succeed in school and after graduation. This mission helps the Learning Center achieve the vision of a culture that promotes high educational standards, high expectations, individual learning, collaborative learning, and excellent communication skills. The partnership between the Learning Center and the local school board will increase the amount of highly educated children into the community, raising the community welfare and individual well-being. The primary purposes of the Learning Center are: 1. To reinforce consistent expectations in learning for all students across all grade levels, in partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school boards. 2. To teach comprehension of concepts over the memorization of concepts, instilling a high personal standard of learning. a. Consistently test to ensure a high level of retention by requiring a practical, real life application of knowledge to prepare students for life beyond school 3. To introduce or reinforce critical topics students will need to succeed in the classroom and in the future. 4. To provide a venue for professional based private events, helping offset operation costs of the Learning Center The primary objectives of the Learning Center are: 1. To increase overall average Measurement of Student Progress (MSP) test scores to â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts by the end of the 2015-2016 school year. 2. To increase Common Core Standards comprehension levels in reading, writing, math, and technology to â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts by the end of the 2015-2016 school year. 3. To decrease crime and substance abuse among children, teens, and young adults in the community by providing a safe and inviting Learning Center where children can learn and grow as individuals and as a member of the community. 4. To advocate collaboration among young children, increase comprehension in reading, writing, math, and technology, increase communication skills, broaden cultural views, increase moral reasoning, and foster growth of cognitive abilities. 5. To increase the level of personal responsibility of children in the community. A.3 Three Keys to Success The Learning Center anticipates success of goals and objectives through three key functions: hiring staff members that are the right fit, empowering staff to create devotion and a passion for excellence, and strong collaboration with various clientele. Hiring exceptional staff members: Step Ahead Learning Center is an equal opportunity employer. The right employees will embrace the center’s mission, hold a degree in a field of study related to education, and embody strong communication skills with peers and young children. Empowerment: This creates a high level of devotion and passion to strive for excellence. Every interaction with a child and every lesson presented, taught, or pursued by a staff member will be done with the  highest goal in mind: integrating technology into a safe and inviting learning environment to increase comprehension of reading, writing, math, and technology concepts. Collaborating and communicating with others: Staff will interact with a variety of clientele including by not limited to children, parents, school board members, funders, benefactors, and other partners or agencies providing support and opportunities for the Learning Center. Every interaction with a person inside or outside the Learning Center will help the center to meet its objectives. B. Company Summary B.1 Industry History The area in which the center will be providing educational services is well developed with current educational services. The relationship between Step Ahead Learning Center and the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts is unprecedented. Each of the three school districts strongly recommend and encourage struggling (and none struggling) students to the services offered at the center based on staff credentials and comprehension standards. In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted to â€Å"ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards.† This act has increased the relationship between the three school districts and the Learning Center because schools are required to improve their performance to meet or exceed State standards. The Learning Center is providing extra assistance to students who need it in order for the schools to meet the expectation set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act. The primary purpose of the center is to ensure high-quality student comprehension of key concepts in Reading, Writing, and Math, aligning concepts with State academic standards so that progress against common core standards can be measured. There are several smaller businesses which strive to achieve the same vision, but one competitor has market share. For this competitor, one disadvantage is that Step Ahead Learning Center has a direct  relationship with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts, they do not. An advantage this competitor has over Step Ahead is that they have built a reputation, having been in business for more than 30 years. This is the only other Learning Center in the area that meets an identical scope of the Step Ahead Learning Center. The secondary purpose of the center is to provide a rental revenue for professional or semi-professional events. There is a history of professional venues available at most large hotel chains. Several venues in the area meet the Center’s scope of a rental venue. B.2 Legal Form of Ownership Step Ahead Learning Center is incorporated in the state of Washington. The company is established as a 501(c) (3), which facilitates contributions from donors. A large majority of financing is raised internally or from charitable donations. Step Ahead Learning Center is governed by a board of twelve trustees. Independent contractors, if any, working for Step Ahead Learning Center will be held fully responsible for their own legal requirements, taxes, and expenses. A website, â€Å"stepaheadlearningcenter.com,† has been obtained by the company. This website is used as a marketing tool for the company and a source of information for parents/young adult children. B.3 Location and Facilities Step Ahead Tutoring Center is located in Kennewick, WA serving students in Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco school districts. The company will conduct business in a 10,500 square-foot space dedicated entirely to the operations of the business. Business licensure has been obtained from the City of Kennewick and fulfills any and all requirements to operate such a business. No legal issues or regulations in the city or state will now, or in the future, lessen the ability to operate in Kennewick or to conduct business from the named location. The building is equipped with general business equipment, including a high-tech computer system with Wi-Fi Internet connection, a cell phone for each staff member, Skype teleconferencing technology, and a company vehicle.  The center has two computer labs, each with 25 computers and a projector. Each computer has high speed Internet connection, Microsoft Office Home and Student, and several different purchased educational programs. The venue available for professional and semi-professional events is equipped with two computers and a projector. Each employee has a designated office with their own computer. The main teaching floor (lecture hall), each of the 5 computer labs, and each of the 3 private tutoring rooms have a projector. B.4 Management Structure Xxxxxx Xxxxx will perform Presidential duties and perform all management positions including, but not limited to, Business Development Manager, Communications/Public Relations Manager, and Project Manager. He is a certified teacher in the state of Washington with a BA Degree in Business Management / Marketing from the accredited online school Washington Governor’s University (WGU). He will handle marketing the benefits of the company’s education services to customers, human resource duties, and overseeing day to day operations. The one-on-one and group tutoring sessions will be the responsibility of four highly qualified and trained teachers. These employees are salaried and will receive a raise increase of 1% over the prior year’s pay (starting at $18,000 the first year). They will follow the company’s high standard of excellence in education that represents the local school districts and State’s required common core standard. Currently, the compan y has hired four teachers. Additional teachers can be added as deemed necessary by additional workload, meaning the company is growing. This organizational structure will meet the short-terms needs of the center, but long-term needs will require at least one receptionist and a general manager. The center plans to hire these two positions after the first 6 months of operation to reduce the work load of the teachers having to check-in students (or requiring parents to self-check-in) and the president having to oversee day-to-day operations. B.5 Products and Services The Common Core Standards in Washington state at the highest levels ever. Step Ahead Tutoring Center will use technology and hands-on methods to educate children ranging from Kindergarten to high school seniors. Students will be given additional tools and resources aligned with established school district procedures to help them succeed in school and in the future. The following services are offered by the Step Ahead Tutoring Center: Reading Tutoring: Academy of Reading, a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12 (EPS Literacy and Intervention, 2014), will be used by a designated reading teacher. Sessions will be one hour in length in a group setting of no more than 10 students per one teacher. Students will log in to their account and begin working in the program. Teachers will introduce a lesson, review basic concepts, monitor progress, and view reports on each student daily to ensure progression. If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. Writing Tutoring: Writing Skills (2nd Edition), a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12, will be used by a designed writing teacher. Writing Book A is for grades 2-4, Writing Book 1 is for grad es 5-6, Writing Book 2 is for grades 7-8, and Writing Book 3 is for grades 9-12. Students will be expected to complete one lesson every two sessions (with each session being one hour long with no more than 10 students in a group). If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. Math Tutoring: Academy of Math, a program designed by EPS for students’ grades 2-12, will be used by a designated math teacher. Sessions will be one hour in length in a group setting of no more than 10 students per one teacher. Students will log in to their account and begin working in the program. Teachers will introduce a lesson, review basic concepts, monitor progress, and view reports on each student daily to ensure progression. If teachers see a regression in progress, the student will be given a higher level of attention in the group setting. If this does not help the student improve, the student may be recommended to one-on-one tutoring sessions. One-on-one Services: An individualized one-on-one session can be scheduled with any of our four highly trained teachers in reading, writing, and/or math to ensure children are getting the help that  they need. Parents can enroll their child directly into a one-on-one session with a teacher for one session, or on a continual basis. A teacher may recognize that a student is struggling in a group atmosphere, making the recommendation that the child work in a one-on-one session until he/she shows signs of academic improvement. A one-on-one teacher will provide the student with assistance on their homework upon request. Venue Rental: Step Ahead Tutoring Center has a venue available for rent by outside parties for professional and semi-professional events such as guest speaking, presentations, meetings, etc. C. Market Analysis C.1 Target Market Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s primary target audience consists of mothers/fathers or grandparents of children enrolled in the Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland School Districts in grades 2-12. The primary target for the message is the parents/grandparents of students who are at or below State Common Core Standards in Reading, Writing, and Math. The secondary target for the message is the parents/grandparents of students who are at or above State Common Core Standards. Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s secondary audience consists of businesses and professionals, traveling and stationary, who require a venue to hold a professional or semi-professional meeting or event. The goal behind providing a venue for such meetings is to (1) gain exposure for the Tutoring Center, and (2) generate additional revenue for the operating expenses of the Tutoring Center. C.2 Industry Analysis Future trends that may affect the center’s efforts to educate students’ grades 2-12 in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts include: Basic education and Common Core Standards goals are met. An average of 85% of students in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts meet these standards. As the economy changes, the need for more highly educated and skilled workers will increase. The education and Common Core Standards goal and philosophy should be continually updated to reflect cultural and  economic needs. Expansion of Common Core Standards. A higher level of standards for students will mean updated training and certifications for staff, higher levels of work for students, and an increase in the number of students not meeting these standards, requiring extra attention. Mission, Goals, and Objectives creep. As the center gains momentum, other established or start-up business may use a similarly formatted mission statement for their company. It w ill be important for Step Ahead Tutoring Center to ensure the impact of the mission is not lessened by another groups’ participation in similar missions, goals, and objectives. Down time. The school year for the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts in from late August to the middle of June. During the summer months, summer school sessions take place around the area at various different school locations. There will be a significant decrease in the amount of students attending at the Tutoring Center during this time. The venue for rent by outside professional or semi-professional groups will help to offset costs during this time. Cash flow. During this down time during the summer months (middle of June to late August) there will be a decrease in revenues, resulting in the temporary release of two employees, or utilizing other rooms in the center for other uses, such as additional rental space. C.3 Competitive Analysis Competition for education services comes from several sources, the biggest competition being Sylvan Learning Center. According to the Sylvan Learning website, Sylvan offers tutoring in all levels for Math and Reading; they assess students’ needs and create a personal education development plan targeting select math and reading concepts; they offer their own technology for an engaging experience on the iPad; they also offer flexible schedules that fit any busy family schedule. To compete with Sylvan, Step Ahead will heavily market the availability of highly trained staff in each subject area, the inclusion of Writing concepts into the curriculum, the inclusion of technology in the administration of each subject to improve the child’s overall competence, and the partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts to ensure focus on helping students achieve proficient or advanced levels according to the State’s Common Core Standards. A second competitor is actually the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Select schools are offering after school programs focused directly on helping students understand the material being taught in the class room. This program is free of charge to students who need the additional attention. This is not a requirement of the school nor is it being offered at every school for every grade level, primarily because the school board cannot fund these programs. While the teachers at Step Ahead can assist with solving homework problems, the focus is on administering Math, Reading, and Writing programs to provide additional concepts that will further the students comprehension in the subject. Another competitor is after school clubs such as the YMCA or Boys and Girls Club of America. These programs are great for children who are succeeding in school and do not require additional attention to meet the State’s Common Core Standards. They provide children with the opportunity to play and interact with other children their own age while being supervised in a safe environment. At Step Ahead, students are being supervised in a safe environment, but they are also learning and growing their minds. A marketing approach to be taken by Step Ahead is that children who require additional help should be enrolled in an â€Å"afterschool program† such as Step Ahead where they will spend time immersed in educational programs. Competition from hotels or reception buildings that host weddings, receptions, and other private events are not considered. In general, the rental of the venue at Step Ahead is not the primary objective, thus marketing the venue against competition is not pursued. While Word of Mouth marketing will be the primary marketing strategy for the venue, the goal is that the income generated by rental of the venue will help cover operating costs of the center. Many people in the area see the need for private and semi-private educational assistant with all grade levels in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The main trigger for this realization is the lack of students meeting the States Common Core Standards. With awareness of this issue increasing, there is a positive and a negative for Step Ahead. The  positive is that more children will be enrolled into private and semi-private educational services, which means a possible increase in enrollment for Step Ahead, resulting in increased revenue and possible future growth of the business. The negative is that more schools, groups, or qualified individuals will begin to offer more private and semi-private educational services, which means an increase in competition for Step Ahead. D. Market Strategy D.1 The 4 P’s Pricing: The pricing strategy used to determine a price for the services provided by Step Ahead was a variation of Penetration Pricing and Predatory Pricing. Penetration Pricing is when a company sets their prices low to attract customers and gain market share, and then raises the prices once they have a large market share. Step Ahead used the first half of this strategy, which is setting prices low to attract customers and gain market share. Predatory Pricing is known as an aggressive strategy, intended to drive competitors from the market. Step Ahead is not interested in becoming market leader and running other companies out of business. The goal is simply to educate children and raise comprehension to the State Common Core Standard level, while covering expenses. In regard to the mission of the center, profitability is not the number one goal. Profitability, however, is still required in order to continue and expand the business, increasing efforts in providing higher levels of ed ucational services to children. The venue rental prices were set depending on cost of utilities used during these times, the cost of having a Step Ahead staff member on the premises during the event, and generating revenue for covering operating costs of the center. Product: As described previously, the service provided by Step Ahead Learning Center is additional education services. A profound need for higher levels of comprehension and Common Core concept teaching is found in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Because of this need, the center will offer tutoring sessions at different times throughout the day Monday thru Saturday. Highly trained and qualified teachers will teach one-on-one and semi-private groups (no more than 10 students) on concepts aligning with the State’s Common Core Standards in Reading, Writing, and  Math. Academy of Math, Academy of Reading, and Writing Skills (2nd Edition) are programs distributed through EPS for use by teachers to improve struggling students com prehension in the concepts of Reading, Writing, and Math. The teachers at Step Ahead are trained on these programs and will monitor students’ use of these programs to ensure the highest quality comprehension and learning. A one-on-one teacher will assist a student with their homework upon request, a Reading teacher, Writing teacher, or Math teacher will not provide assistance with homework. Promotion: Promoting education services to mothers, fathers, and grandparents (even college age students with younger brothers or sisters) has been primarily easy. A quality education is easy to market, and if a parent or relative sees that a child is struggling with their education, the first option to consider is additional education services. Methods for promoting the services offered at Step Ahead Tutoring Center include radio advertisements, television commercials, flyers, word-of-mouth, direct mail, Facebook, and blogs. The primary channel for promoting the center is the partnership with the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Secretaries, and Principals can promote Step Ahead through word-of-mouth marketing. Flyers posted at each of the schools on a main bulletin board at the front office, or an informational pamphlet sent home with a student’s report card can promote Step Ahead. The biggest promotion for the center to date is the planned grand opening scheduled for August 2014. This event is geared to be a celebration of education and it will include students, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, principals, donors, and any member of the community devoted to the success of children in their education. Promotion for the event will include television and radio advertisements, flyers, and direct mail to all households in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. A promotional tool to be used will be brochures. These informational  brochures will be given at every consultation, will be available at the front desk, and will be sent to every school is the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The information in this brochure will cover the mission, goals, and objectives of the center, the location of the center with hours of operation, contact information, and session times, a breakdown of cost compared to competitors, and information regarding the highly trained and certified teacher staff. Another promotional tool is a fully functional website for the center. It will include all the information placed in the brochure, plus much more. A staff directory will be included along with links to different online educational tools (learning games, Common Core Standard guides, school board information, school websites, etc.). The website URL is: stepaheadlearningcenter.com. Place (Distribution): Points of distribution for information about the services provided by the Step Ahead Learning Center are found (1) on site in each computer lab, at the front desk, and in the venue, (2) on the website (stepaheadlearningcenter.com), and (3) by phone call or direct mail. All promotional efforts for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center are targeted geographically to reach households in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. While select publications will reach locations outside the intended geographic area, a requirement to enroll in the learning center is enrollment in either the Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland school district. Any enrollment requests received for a student residing outside of these school district boundaries will be referred to a learning center (or equivalent) in their area. D.2 Price List The following prices are for services offered at Step Ahead Tutoring Center. Prices listed are per session. The following prices are for rental of the venue for professional and semi-professional events at the Step Ahead Tutoring Center. D.3 Selling Strategy There are many strengths of the center including: the location in the center of the three school districts which provides easier access for the families living in the area, highly trained and certified teacher staff, and a true focus in further educating students to help achieve the goals listed in the Common Core Standards set forth by the State of Washington. More companies and small business are requiring their employees, vested and entry level, to have a degree or some form of education beyond high school. The center’s mission is to increase the level of education in the area, increasing the number of educated young adults entering the work force. Goal: Further the education in children to assist with increasing the percentage of students testing â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† as defined by Washington State Common Core Standards to 65% by 2016, 70% by 2018, 75% by 2020, 80% by 2021, and 85% by 2022 (and to continually maintain an average of 85% or better). A milestone for this goal, set in 2001 after the â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act† was initiated, was achieved in 2011: 50% of students within the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts will test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† in 10 years. Goal: Record, edit, and publish four videos to be posted on the Step Ahead Learning Center website. The videos will show how the teacher staff at the center teaches private and semi-private groups the concepts of Reading, Writing, and Math using technology to administer helpful programs. An HD recorded and latest editing software will be used to capture and edit the videos. The videos will be uploaded to the website by January 2015. Goal: Produce the Information Brochure mentioned earlier to be distributed to Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts and to be sent out by direct mail to households within the school district boundaries. 10,000 brochures should be produced and distributed by the end of September 2014 after the first Washington State Assessment test is administered to every student in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. D.4 Sales Forecast Step Ahead operates under a fiscal calendar year of August 1 to July 31. Following figures are based on expected market conditions. The two year totals are: Fundraising $27,000, Learning Center Sales Revenue $359,000, Venue Rental Revenue $53,400, and Funding from Donors $126,000. It is estimated that fundraising will continue at its current momentum of $5,000 for year one, and increase to $6,000 per month for year two. It is estimated that the center’s sales revenues will increase as the goals and objectives of the center become better known by the residents of the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts. The forecasted two year revenue for Step Ahead Tutoring Center is $565,400. E. Implementation Strategy E.1 Overall Strategy The center will benefit from its location in the city. It is easily accessible by everyone in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland School District Boundaries. The grand opening will be the official launch of the business, set to take place this year in late summer, early fall (2014). During the event, there will be an open house where anyone from the community can take self-tours of the building, viewing all computer labs, reception area, and rental venue. Demonstration tutoring sessions will be taking place during the duration of the event with 10 children who were asked to simulate an actual classroom environment. There will alo be a registration at the reception area for those families that feel their student will benefit from tutoring sessions at the center and wants to sign up immediately. Fundraising will be taking place each month, with the money going to different projects or needs of the center. The fundraiser during August 2014 will be â€Å"First Day Back School Supplies.† Many different businesses from the area have donated back-to-school supplies to the center with the intent that the center would sell these items to raise money for the center. Every Monday thru Saturday in August, back-to-school supplies will be for sale at the center, with registration taking place at the same time. The items that will be on sale for the fundraiser include: Ruled/Unruled Notebook Paper (100 sheets): $1.00 Three-Ring Spiral Notebook (75 sheets): $1.50 Composition Notebook (100 sheets): $2.00 Pencils (package of 10): $2.00 Pens (package of 10): $2.00 Erasers (package of 4): $2.50 Pencil Pouch: $5.00 Three-Ring Binder (1†): $3.00 Backpack: $20.00 Evaluating the success of the center will be determined by two factors: did the business meet the financial goal to be considered a financial success, and did the percentage of students in the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† meet the set goal. E.2 Implementation Grand opening date for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center: August 1, 2014. The following is a list of items to be completed and a date that they must be completed by. Scheduled Item Target Completion Date Hire staff Math Teacher Reading Teacher Writing Teacher Private Tutor Teacher Complete Invitation list for grand opening Prepared Invites sent out July 1, 2014 Purchase EPS programs Install programs on each computer Ensure full functionality July 5, 2014 Create 10,000 brochures Deliver adequate amounts to each school in the districts Mail to cover school district boundaries July 10, 2014 Teacher Schedules Create Publish July 15,2014 August 2014 Fundraiser Obtain donated materials from local businesses Send out announcements Ensure staffing plan July 20, 2014 Grand Opening Event August 1, 2014 E.3 Control Plan The overall success of the Step Ahead Tutoring Center will be measured by: (1) the business’ ability to sustain its own operations through Sales, Venue Rental, Fundraising, and Donor Contributions, and (2) the percentage of students who test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† according the Washington State Common Core Standards is at goal. The following is a table representing student enrollment and the percentage of students â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† from 2001 to 2013. From 2014 to 2022 is a projection of expected student enrollment and how many students will have to test â€Å"at grade level† or â€Å"above grade level† to meet the goal. The milestones set by Washington State are listed in bold. Enrollment Students At/Above Grade Level Year # of Students # of Students % of Students (Actual) % of Students (Goal) 2001 36,540 11,345 31% 50% 2002 35,400 10,456 30% 50% 2003 36,480 11,597 32% 50% 2004 37,919 12,679 33% 50% 2005 39,010 14,044 36% 50% 2006 41,111 15,622 38% 50% 2007 39,524 16,995 43% 50% 2008 38,125 16,775 44% 50% 2009 39,867 18,737 47% 50% 2010 42,985 21,063 49% 50% 2011 43,798 21,899 50% 50% 2012 40,288 22,561 56% 55% 2013 40,210 24,930 62% 60% 2014 41,014 25,429 62% 62% 2015 42,224 26,601 63% 63% 2016 45,914 29,844 65% 65% 2017 39,174 26,638 68% 68% 2018 38,765 27,136 70% 70% 2019 40,255 29,386 73% 73% 2020 39,782 29,837 75% 75% 2021 38,579 30,863 80% 80% 2022 43,814 37,242 85% 85% The first milestone, achieving a 50% pass rate by 2011 as determined by the Washington State Common Core Standards, was set in 2001 following the initation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This milestone was achieved. The second milestone will occur when a 65% pass rate has been achieved. Annual tracking (using a table such as this) will allow measurement of progress so marketing can be adjusted to the needs of the students in the area. There are several benefits of the center, including the monthly contributions from donors in the area who share the same dedication in seeing children succeed in education. Successful fundraising will raise $52,000 in the first two years to cover the daily operations of the center, including utilities and salaries. Rental fees are determined by the cost of utilities and salary during the reservation of the venue for a professional or semi-professional event. F. Financial Statement and Projections F.1 Revenue and Cost Estimate The following is a projection for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s first year in business: F.2 Forecasted Profit and Loss Statement The following is a projection for the Step Ahead Tutoring Center’s first year in business. Sales Revenues include Fundraising, Venue Rental, Sales, and Donor Contributions. Expenses include Utilities, Software, and Salaries (four teachers and owner), starting in August 2014. F.3 Forecasted Balance Sheet The following reports the Projected Balance Sheet for Step Ahead Tutoring Center after their first year of business: G. Financial Report G.1 Financial Projections The assumptions made in estimating the projected revenues in the prior section was based on expert judgement from past fundraising experience, anticipated demand for venue rental (based on community interest), and the cost of each private and semi-private tutoring session. Outside donor contributions are consistent each month during the first year and second year of operations. Projections for fixed expenses (Utilities) came from estimates provided by the building architect. G.1a Breakeven Point The following shows that the Step Ahead Tutoring Center will achieve a breakeven point in the fifth month of the first year. G.1b Financial Position After analyzing the estimated revenues and expenses for the first year, the company will be in a good financial position at the conclusion of operations on July 31, 2015. During the first year, the center will have $50,900 in revenue. The center would not be self-sustaining without the contributions from donors and the fundraising efforts. Sales are in line for the needs of the center during the first year. After successfully launching a website for the center and continual marketing efforts throughout the year, great awareness and a strong reputation will be build by the end of the firsr year. During the second year, further sales growth is planned with the addition of two staff members and the need to purchase replacement utilities along with additional software programs. The center will be self-sustaining without the requirement of donor contributions and fundraising efforts during the second year. G.1c Capital/Investment Needs The company will receive a $10,000 Capital Investment from Xxxxxx Xxxxx to assist with marketing the launch of the center. Step Ahead Learning Center’s website and email program have been developed prior to company planning by the owner. Using â€Å"in-house† resources to develop a product is much less  expensive then contracting the work through an outside vendor. The center is seeking a total of $20,000 to complete a fifth fully functioning computer lab (computers, projector, chairs, desks) plus on-going contributions to further assist with the incorporation of advancing technology. Donors should be prideful in knowing they helped create a better community through the higher education of children in the area, helping thousands of children to have a better future, allowing them to enter the work force better educated with high, attainable goals. References Ginsburg, Leinward, and Decker. (n.d.). Office of superintendent of public instruction. Retrieved from http://www.k12.wa.us/CoreStandards/Mathematics U.S. department of education. (2010). Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html EPS literacy and intervention. (2014). Retrieved from https://eps.schoolspecialty.com/ Sylvan learning. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.sylvanlearning.com/