Bullet Velocity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bullet Velocity - Research Paper Example A bullet is a metallic projectile loaded in cartridges and fired from firearms, the cartridge consists of a cartridge case, propellant charge, primer, and bullet. Pulling the trigger strikes the primer which in turn ignites the gunpowder, high pressure is built which propels the bullet forward and ejects the casing. The flight path of a bullet includes travel down the barrel, path through the air, and path through a target or wounding (Fackler, 1996). The burning gunpowder produces pressure given by Force divided by Area and the larger the barrel the greater the acceleration of the bullet. It is difficult to measure forces within the barrel but the velocity at which the bullet exits the barrel (muzzle velocity), can easily be calculated (Bruner et al, 2011), and is given in feet per second. Bullet velocities are classified as below 1000 fps, 1000-2000 fps and above 2000 fps as low, medium and high velocity respectively. (Wilson, 1997) (Wilson, 1997) Bullet Velocity Initial/Internal B allistics Pressure exerted on the bullet by the burning powder is given by Pressure=Force/Area Whereby: Area = base of bullet= diameter of barrel = constant Energy transmitted to the bullet thus depends on: 1. Mass (ponds) 2. Time of travel (seconds) 3. Time interval over which force is applied (seconds) 4. Barrel length (metres) The pressure and time is related as shown in the graph below Pressure Time over which force is applied As the bullet travels through the barrel, it phases minor deformations called setbacks resulting from imperfections in the barrel, however, the effect of this deformations are negligible (Jandial et al, 2008) External Ballistics/In Air to the Target This can be determined from Kinetic energy formulae as follows: Let: m=mass of bullet a=acceleration of the bullet x=distance travelled From Newton’s second law F=ma †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦(1) Then; Work done is given by work done=ma(x) From the expression v2=u2+2ax (Zitzewitz et al, 1995) Wh ere: v=final velocity u= initial velocity =0 since the bullet starts from rest Thus; a=v2/2x †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (2) Substituting eqn(2) into equation of work Work done = mv2x / 2x †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (3) Since work done=Kinetic energy Kinetic energy of bullet, KE=mv2 2 Rearranging for velocity V2 = 2KE M Velocity, V= (2KE M) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.(4) OR Let W = Weight in grains. Then M = W/ (7000grains per pound 32 ft/s) where: 32 ft/s – gravitational acceleration Kinetic Energy = WV2/450435 ft/lb Hence velocity, V= (KE450435 W) This is the bullets velocity as it leaves the muzzle. This velocity is affected by Drug as it heads towards the target. Let f (v/a) - ratio of velocity of bullet to velocity of sound in the medium of travel k- Constant for shape of the bullet &- constant for yaw p- Density of medium d- Diameter of bullet Drug, D = f (v/a) k&pd2v2 The degree to which a bullet is slowed by drug is calle d retardation given by Retardation, r = D/M Velocity is thus given by misery Velocity, V = (KE450435 W) – D/M A bullet fired straight upwards will slow down, stop and fall back to earth obeying the lows of free fall. It accelerates until it reaches a point where its weight equal to resistance of the air, this velocity is called terminal velocity (Cecil 2012). The formulae for free fall is expressed as V= ? gt where: g—gravitational acceleration t—time of fall References Bruner D, Gustafson CG, Visintainer C. Ballistic injuries in the emergency department. Emerg Med Pract. 2011;13(12):1-30. Cecil Adam, Retrieved from http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Formula_for_velocity_of_a_bullet Fackler ML: Civilian gunshot wounds and ballistics: dispelling the myths. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 1998;16:17-28. Jandial R, Reichwage B, Levy M, Duenas V, Sturdivan L. Ballistics for the neurosurgeon. Neurosurgery. 2008;62:472-480. Wilson JM: Wound ballistics. West J Med. 1977;127:49-54. Zit zewitz, Paul W. & Robert F Neff.  Physics: Principles and Problems. New York: Glance, 1995:

Beethoven Sonata in D Major, Opus 10 No 3 First Movement Term Paper

Beethoven Sonata in D Major, Opus 10 No 3 First Movement - Term Paper Example In the thirty-second notes, it contains very many passages, which limits the rhythm at which it can practically be in use. Its creation features a fake recapitulation in flat E. First movement The first movement is signified by a marking, ` con brio,’ which contains a number of examples of the urgent need of virtuoso pianistic techniques. Towards the end, the first movement has a quasi-cadenza. The final allegro assai movement includes trills, upward runs, sudden contrasts, and some use of the minor key. It is a package of variations on a subject matter marked by, "La Prima Parte Senza Replica’’ where the very first part is not repeated. The music has 3 variations. At this point, it looks like it is almost ending quietly like in the first movements and in the last movements, but it concludes suddenly with a roaring C major chord. In the very first phase of the first movement the form that involved is sonata, G major: allegro vivace. In the second movement, the fo rm is serenade, C major: adagio grazioso. Finally, in the last and third phases, the form is rondo sonata, G major: allegretto. The stridently profiled distinctiveness of the op.10 sonatas nonetheless admits a number of familiar features amid them, such as the occurrence of comic music thriving in rapid contrasts and surprising turns. Fanciful, random comedy surfaces in the finales of all the pieces, and mainly noticeably in the beginning allegro of the succeeding sonata is in F major. The sonatas are nevertheless marvelously contrasted in personality, mainly in the opening movements: the abrupt, theatrical phrase of the C small sonata sets into reprieve the calm, naughty spirit of the F major, while the vibrant intensity of the third sonata, in D major, propels the official intend from inside. Similar to Beethoven’s four previous sonatas, op.10 no.3 also has four faction sandwiched amid a beginning allegro and a finale in a silent quicker tempo. In the preliminary seriousnes s of this sonata, like the largo e mesto of op.10 no.3, Beethoven stress the distinction among hopeful, apparent lyricism and dark, discordant chords in the bass. Other than in the pathetique some of these variations are combined at the onset; the logic of conflict implied in the up melodic recitation is eroded against the brooding load of the C minor tonality, through highlighting on diminished-seventh chords. Whilst penetrating the high pitch registers, melodious rise becomes both touching and fragile. This is because it is reliant on the immovable choral reinforcement of the bass (Marshall 76). The recitative-like expression close to the ending of the grave are harmonically parenthetical, hanging on an illusory accentual intonation that delay the forthcoming motion to the tonic C minor in anticipation of the commencement of the following allegro di molto e con brio. The sluggish movement in tonic or non-tonic minor mode in op.10 no.3 It is the lights out effect that gives the ini tial impact: the sudden precipitation of a gloomy antitype to the first movement’s type. Always, when non-tonic happens in the slow movement, it is expected that there will be a relief in all movements. Thus, the logic of no escape is redoubled during the subside of representation into minor. Allegorically, when the beginning is heard, especially the beginning of a sluggish movement, the chilling of gloom passes above the tonic; the

How medical care important during war Research Paper

How medical care important during war - Research Paper Example Most of them were not qualified. Over 10,000 surgeons had served in the US army. At that era of 1860s, it was a huge tragedy. Medical knowledge had not been addressed as uses of sterile dressing and antiseptic surgery was not used. As a result, most of them died due to diseases. Also, intestinal dysentery complaints such as dysentery were common as it claimed many lives than those caused by wounds (Anne 66). The Medical care has made many transitions dating back to civil war days. The research identifies the significance made by medical care sector through innovation made in that period. In this context, the research features the medical care employed initially and improvements made at recent times. The breakthrough has been suitable in the current wars. A variety of essentials of medical care necessary in battlefield will be reviewed closely. The importance is associated with a variety of innovations made. Medical care is essential in the war fight for any eventuality that comes with the scenario. Ensured sanitation and hygiene-this are inherent in military medicine in order to reduce the number of casualties by avoiding of non-combat related issues among military personnel especially in the prevention of disease. It encompassed the prevention of communicable diseases, promoting of personal hygiene that has ensured free supply of water food sanitation, as well as administered waste disposal. It is achieved through controlling, preventing and combating insect borne diseases such as mosquito, fleas and other insects. Field hygiene control measures included awareness on knowledge to avoid venomous animals and control on rodent-borne diseases. These diseases are rampant in battlefields (Zachary 16). Emotional and physical satisfaction: Female nurse’s work ensured that all patients were fed with the correct diet. Physical needs of the patients were managed properly such as

Eng 105 unheard HW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Eng 105 unheard HW - Essay Example Though it seems bad, the colored folk are being accepted though it a journey I know. LYON: [uncomfortable at the direction the talk is taking] It’s my music, finally started to show progress. Some producer saw me on stage at my regular club say I got talent. Next thing you know am off making something for myself. Fences is a play that focuses deeply on relationships that are strained by personal decisions and by the times they are in. the discrimination of the colored community is clearly highlighted as a theme in the play and it is portrayed as having a major role in the lives of the characters. Troy, the main character in the play, makes many mistakes in his lifetime and has learnt to live with the old ones he made as a youth. In so doing, he is able to create a family, which is relatively happy and gets a stable job. These and the friendship he has with his workmates give him something to be thankful about. The event that occurs towards the closing of the climax of the play exposes the stained relationship existing between the members of his family. Rose and Lyon have such a relationship, which is made even more difficult by introduction of Raynell in the family. Lyon and Cory are okay with each other, but there is a barrier between them where Lyon expresses a form of crippled thinking and his younger brother is more focused and sharp. In this particular instance, Lyon expresses his regard for his father when he refers his brother to their father in respect to finding a job. In this manner, he indirectly accepts that he is the one at odds with his father because he had refused an offer for a job by him. Lyon is the main focus of the act and he is exposed as having been involved with an incident he is ashamed of. He lies to his family on the source of the money he reinstates to his father knowing that if he disclosed the truth, he would be rejected. This instance goes further to show that the stereotypic

Operations Process Design Essay Example for Free

Operations Process Design Essay Operations process design 1. Introduction The assignment will be on the manufacturing of concrete stone paving. This product has been chosen because its demand is growing rapidly as most people are concerned about the need for decorating their homes, businesses, municipalities are involved in small town regeneration programmes and there is growth in development buildings and malls in the Eastern Cape. Concrete stone paving is preferred instead of other forms because it is versatile, aesthetically attractive, functional, cost effective and requires little or no maintenance if correctly manufactured and laid. Sellers of concrete stone paving in East London are sourcing it from other provinces or countries, there are very few manufacturers and yet the demand is high. The company which will be started for the manufacturing of stone paving will develop a business strategy and mission and the operations mission and objectives will be aligned to them. The operations’ mission will be to provide quality and value for money stone paving in an effective and efficient way. The distinctive competence is the fact the local manufacturing that will offer customer opportunity to order desired designs instead of choosing from the available designs. The company will also capitalise short lead times as the product is locally manufactured and has highly skilled and experienced cross functional team that is innovative. 2. Product/service design In designing the product the company will adopt an inter-functional view, meaning that a product must meet the market needs and also have a technical advantage. This will be easily accomplished by the company as it possess a team of highly experienced specialists. Strategy for the stone paving is to differentiation and a product in which a customer finds value for money. In designing that product a cross functional team will be formed as this will benefit the organisation to make  the product a success. The team will be composed of all relevant representatives who have expertise in different fields like marketing, operations, engineering and supply chain management. Suppliers and customers will be included in the design phase of the product. Similar criteria will be used for selection of suppliers that will be involved in the project. The criteria to be used will be technical expertise, capability, capacity and low risk, thus only suppliers who demonstrate these attributes will be considered. Shruder, et al. (2013) suggests that collaboration with customers in the design process is essential as it results in a smooth running of the processes. The collaboration with customers will be considered for the development of the stone paving and different methods will be used to encourage participation like aligning incentives for customers to share knowledge and including them as advisors in the design team. While the stone paving is developed the manufacturability and value engineering activities which are concerned with improvement of design and specification at the research, development, design and production stages of product development will be considered. The foreseen benefits of implementing manufacturability and value engineering are cost reduction, reduced complexity of the paving, reduction of environmental impact and additional standardisation amongst others (Heizer and Render, 2011). Literature suggests different techniques that can be used in the design of products throughout the product life cycle, for the stone paving product techniques that will be used are: o robust design – this will allow small variations in the production of the paving to be done without affecting the product. o computer aided design – the computer will be used to develop and document the different types of paving. o value analysis successful products will be reviewed during the production process to ensure improvements. The aspects of design for paving that will be considered include the sizes, types and colours of paving to be manufactured. Further consideration will  be how the product must be manufactured, its quality and market acceptance. The specifications of the product will be meticulous in order to ensure efficient production. Heizer and Render (2011) states that it is vital to define, design and document a product as it determines the equipment, the layout and human resources required. Engineering drawings will be prepared for the stone paving to show dimensions tolerances, materials and finishes of components. Then a bill of material will list the components, their description and the quantity to make one unit of each type of stone paving. The assembly drawings, assembly charts, route sheets and work orders will be used to assist in the actual production of the paving. The laws and industry standards applicable to the product will be adhered and the product will be produced and delivered in an ethical and environmentally sound and sustainable way. 3. Process design According to Schroeder, et al. (2013) there are different types of processes (batch, assembly line, continuous, job shop, and project) each being suitable for a specific product produced. The concrete paving slabs are a low to moderate volume and will be produced in different types, sizes and colours, therefore the batch process will be more suitable. The factory layout will be designed such that it increases the efficiency and reduces the bottlenecks in the process. As different types of paving will be manufactured, e.g. budget manufactured stone, standard manufactured stone, premium manufactured stone and premium natural stone amongst others, the type of order fulfilment which will be appropriate is the make to order so as to reduce the costs of inventory, storage and damage. The suppliers will also be arranged such that the orders for supply like concrete and aggregates are delivered just in time for manufacturing. The process for the manufacturing of paving will be according to the stages detailed below. 3.1 Batching Aggregates will be used for making the various types of paving. The different aggregate types will be stored separately and so that they are well drained at all times. They will be protected from rain so as to stay dry before being mixed with the cement, thus ensuring that the optimum moisture content is not exceeded. The cement will be weighed to an accuracy of 1% except when batched by whole bags. Aggregates will be weighed to an accuracy of 2%. The weight of the aggregate batched will be adjusted in order to make allowance for moisture contained in the aggregates. 3.2 Mixing After batching, the aggregates and binder will be discharged separately or simultaneously, together with pigment if required, into the mixer and thoroughly mixed before any additional water is added. If a mix has high fines contents it may require longer mixing. Based on measurement of the variable moisture content of the aggregates or visual assessment by operators, water must be added to the mixture to bring it to optimum moisture content. Uniformity is important because differences in water content from batch to batch will result in differences in quality. After mixing, the mixture is stored in hoppers ready for dispensing into the moulds. 3.3 Filling of moulds Two basic principles will be applied for the production machines. The first method takes an amount of mixture and progressively compacts it under vibration until a predetermined height has been reached. In the second method, a gauged quantity of mixture is compacted for a set period. Care has to be taken for variations in density which may result if the gauged quantities are not consistent or the mixture is not uniformly distributed within the mould. Previbration is often used to facilitate filling and any gaps in moulds are thereafter topped up with a second filling of mixture. 3.4 Compaction The standard optimum period of vibration is 3 to 12 seconds and the same standard will be applied when compacting. Concrete pavers with a thickness greater than 80 mm will not be manufactured. Frequency and amplitude of vibration will be optimised for the specific materials being used and the number of blocks being moulded per cycle. 3.5 Curing The quality of concrete pavers is improved by water curing. Curing can be effected in one of three ways: moisture retention, steam curing and thermal insulation. The methods that will be used are detailed below: Moisture retention This is the least sophisticated method, is effective for blocks that are less dense and thus tend to lose moisture rapidly. Loss of moisture from newly made blocks is prevented by wrapping them in plastic sheeting. Thermal curing Newly moulded paving blocks are placed in an insulated chamber for a period of 24 hours. Temperature is increased by the heat of hydration of the cement and no additional heat is provided. The method is therefore inexpensive. 3.6 Quality control Control measures will be implemented at various critical points during the process and specific tests will be undertaken so as to ensure that the end product is of high quality. 4. Layout The company will have a layout strategy that will support its differentiation and value for money strategy. The layout strategy is aimed at developing an effective and efficient layout that will meet the organisation’s competitive requirements. According to (Slack, et al., 1998)  the layout design must consider the achievement of the following:- o maximum utilisation of space, equipment and people o improved flow of information, people or material o improved employee morale and safer working conditions o improved customer interaction, and o flexibility to accommodate changes and innovation 4.1 Manufacturing equipment Batching equipment Weight batching will be performed to ensure that a uniform product is obtained and for smaller projects, whole bags of cement will be used if the sizes of batch and mixer are compatible. Mixer Because a semi-dry mixture is used to mould concrete paving blocks, effective mixing will be done with pan and trough mixers. The size of the pan mixer will be related to production so that batches are used up within a reasonable time. Moulding machine Paving blocks must have fullest possible compaction achieved therefore the equipment must be capable of a high degree of compaction and satisfactory output. Stationary plants using the pallet system will be used as they provide the necessary high levels of vibration and pressure. LINE 1LINE 2LINE 3 5. Staffing If an organisation is to achieve it’s corporate as well as operations strategy and objectives, machines and equipment are not enough. People are needed to perform the operations of the business so that ultimately a product is produced and sold to the customers, thereby making money for the business. Important decisions have to be made regarding the jobs to be performed and the type of skills and competencies people who perform those  jobs should have. The development of the organizational structure should follow after the development of the strategy and the Human Resource department in collaboration with other departments should ensure that the right people are employed and retained for the productivity and sustainability of the business. This business‘s structure will be composed of the core business functions which are engineering, operations/manufacturing, marketing and sales, finance, human resources and administration as well as information communication technology. Below is a typical organizational structure that will ensure that the organization fully functions and cross functional teams will be used to ensure utilization of skills and contribution by many towards achievement of the organizational goals. Organisational Structure 6. Capacity planning Capacity refers to the number of units that the organisation can hold, receive store or produce in a period of time, this assist in assessing whether the demand will be satisfied or whether facilities will be idle. It is critical to determine the size of the business with the aim of achieving high levels of utilisation and high return on investment. The choice of equipment and the capacity decisions must be aligned to the organisation’s mission and strategy. Nigel, et al. (1998) suggests that the following factors be considered in order to obtain good capacity planning, o accurately forecasting the demand,  o understanding the equipment, processes and capacity increments, o finding the optimum operating size, and  o ensuring the flexibility needed for adjustments in technology, product features and mix as well as volumes. A number of techniques are available and useful for making capacity decisions and those are bottleneck analysis, good forecasting, breakeven analysis, cashflow and net present value amongst others. Currently the trends show that in East London in the Eastern Cape, the demand for the paving tiles exceeds the supply as a result the prices charged are very high compared to other cities or to other provinces. The places that are selling the tiles only buy them from other provinces or countries there is only one manufacturer. Therefore by maximising on the location economies and focusing at the Eastern Cape market, one could be able to have the desired market share. A risk management plan has to be in place and an aggressive marketing strategy will be designed to ensure customers become aware of our products and the value that can be derived from sourcing paving locally. Bottleneck management will be paid attention to by the Operations Manager as this will impact on the efficiency of the system and utilisation of resources. The four principles of bottleneck management will be taken cognisance of, the principles are: o release work order to the system at the pace set by the bottleneck’s capacity. o the bottlenecks should always be kept busy with work. o Non-bottlenecks should have planned idle time, as increasing their capacity has no impact on the system’s overall capacity. o Increasing capacity of the bottleneck increases capacity for the whole system. Illustration of capacity analysis with parallel processes 30 min60 min60 min60 min 28days 1 day Break –even analysis The break-even analysis will be calculated to determine how many products must be produced before profit can be made. Efforts to reduce the variable costs will be undertaken so that production can be maximised. 7. Location choice Location is the geographical positioning of an operation relative to the input resources, other operations or the customers with which it interacts (Slack, et al., 1998). The objective of a location strategy is to maximise the benefits of location of the organisation. The strategies used can either be location and costs or location and innovation, for this paving manufacturing company the location and costs strategy will be the focus, innovation will be a long-term factor to be considered. The manufacturing of concrete paving slabs requires cement, aggregates, water chemical admixtures, pigments and people amongst other factors. The company will have to identify all the necessary factors that may impact on the business financially and otherwise in order to select the location for manufacturing. A number of methods of evaluating location alternatives can be used to reach an informed decision, the table below shows the factor rating method used to select an appropriate site. Based on the scoring for factors considered important for the site, site A will be the best choice. Factor rating method for two sites |Key success factor |Weight |Site |Site | | | |A |B | |Proximity to suppliers |0.3 |60 |50 | |Proximity to customers |0.3 |65 |70 | |Labour pool |0.2 |45 |52 | |Climate |0.05 |60 |45 | |Wage rates |0.05 |73 |66 | |Community factors |0.1 |50 |30 | |TOTAL | |58.2 |54.9 | The optimum choice will have to be a balance of supply side and demand site factors that are considered important by the organisation for it to maximise its profits. The centre-of gravity method, locational break-even analysis which is a cost-volume analysis to make economic comparison of location alternatives and transportation model can also be used to assist in the choice of location (Heizer and Render, 2011). The company will be located in South Africa and within the Eastern Cape and the above analysis will assist with choosing the specific site. 8. Supply chain design According to Heizer and Render (2011) competition is no longer between companies but with supply chains. A range of suppliers will be interacted with in the manufacturing and marketing of the product and therefore an integrated approach to supply chain management must be used. Supply chain is determining factor of the product’s product costs, quality, responsiveness and differentiation. A number of supply chain strategies can be used like many or few suppliers, joint ventures, vertical integration, virtual companies amongst others. The company must should strategies that will support its objectives, provide competitive advantage and ensure satisfaction of its customers. 9. Quality management In order to offer quality products to the customers thereby improve revenues and reduce costs, the organization will ensure that quality is managed and continuous improvement efforts are implemented. A variety of techniques can be used to ensure quality is managed, this will start with ensuring that suppliers provide products that meet required standard e.g. cement should comply with SABS EN 197-1 . This will be the norm for other products as well in order minimise the risk of a poor end product. The ISO 9000 process certification, inspections and statistical process control will be implemented. The Operators and Quality Assurers will have to be trained on quality standards and methods for checking. The company like other companies will adopt the both the lean and six sigma process improvement approaches as  these have proved to assist most organizations. Quality control Quality control is defined as the stabilisation and maintenance of a process to produce consistent output (Schroeder, et al, 2013, p210). Throughout the processes critical control points will be defined to control and improve the processes. Control measures will be implemented to:- o Monitor changes in materials so that timely changes can be implemented in manufacture. The control measure will be regularly monitoring of changes in grading and moisture content of aggregates, monitoring mix consistence and measuring wet density of blocks. The causes for a change in density will be investigated in order to ensure correction of the root cause. o Routinely monitor the quality of the product for compliance with the specification. The more routine quality and compliance tests will be the checking on dimensions of blocks, testing strength of blocks and carrying out abrasion tests at an appropriate age. 10. Conclusion The company will achieve its business strategy and maximise profits if it has a clear and well defined operations strategy that is aligned to the business strategy. The use of cross-functional teams and supply chain strategy will assist it to gain competitive advantage and continuous improvement. The product design, process design, layout and supply chain should also support the operations of the company and lead to maximisation of profits. Quality must be managed throughout the processes and risks should be mitigated as the environment internally and externally is rapidly changing and technological advancement results in introduction of new products. 11. References Heizer, J. and Render, B., 2011. Operations Management. 10th Ed. London: Prentice Hall. Schoeder, R.G., Goldstein, S., and Rungtusanatham, M.J., Operations Management in Supply Chain. 2013. 6th Ed. New York: MacGraw-Hill. Slack, N., Chambers, S., Harland, C., Harrison, A., and Johnston, R., 1998. Operations Management. 2nd Ed. London: Pitman Publishing. Samples of products to be manufactured [pic][pic] START BATCHING MIXING MOULDING COMPACTION CURING PACKAGING CEO Marketing and Sales Specialist Human Resource and Administration Specialist Financial Specialist Operations Specialist Engineering Specialist Sales representatives x 2 Engineering Technician Supervisors x 2 Packers/ Loaders x 4 Quality Assurers x 3 ICT Technician Machine Operators x 4 Maintenance x 2 Drivers x 2 Packagingg Curing Compaction Moulding Mixing Batching Storage Order Packaging Curing Compactionnnn Mixing Moulding Batching STORAGE Administrator

Identification of Epitope in EAV N Protein

Identification of Epitope in EAV N Protein Identification of a novel conserved B cell epitope in the N protein of EAV (Bucyrus strain) Running title: Identification of epitope in EAV N protein. Highlights: One EAV N-specific mAb 1C11 was developed. A minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was identified. The identified epitope was conserved among different regional EAV strains. The mAb and identified epitope may be useful diagnostic tools for EAV infection. Abstract Objective: To identify the minimal epitope of N protein of the equine arteritis virus (EAV). Methods: The full-length sequence of EAV N gene was cloned by RT-PCR and ligated into pET32a vector for expression. The recombinant pET-N protein was expressed in E. coli and purified by Ni affinity chromatography. The purified N protein was used to immunize mice for preparing monoclonal antibody (mAb). The reactivity of mAb was evaluated by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The peptides were identified using the prepared mAb by indirect ELISA and Western blot. The homology analysis was performed using DNAMAN software. Results: Recombinant EAV N protein was successfully expressed in the procaryon expression system. An EAV N-reactive mAb was selected and designated as 1C11. Indirect ELISA results showed that overlapping domain of MBP-N10 and MBP-N11 was recognized by the mAb 1C11. Further, the indirect ELISA and Western blot showed that 101QRKVAP106 was the minimal linear epitope of the EAV N protein. The homology analysis showed that the identified epitope is conserved among all EAV isolated strains, with the exception of the ARVAC which is a modified live virus vaccine strain. Conclusion: One EAV N-specific mAb was developed and a minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was identified. The EAV N-specific mAb and the defined linear peptide epitope of EAV N protein may be useful for the development of specific diagnostic tools and design of vaccine. Keywords: Epitope; N protein; Equine arteritis virus; Monoclonal antibody Introduction Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the etiologic agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA) which is a respiratory and reproductive disease of horses [1-3]. EAV was à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst isolated from horses in Ohio in 1953. It is the prototype virus of the family Arteriviridae (genus Arterivirus, order Nidovirales) [4, 5]. EAV infection of horses has been reported in many countries including New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa [6-10]. EAV is a positive-sense, enveloped and single-stranded RNA molecule with a length of 12.7kb [11]. It contains two large open reading frames (ORFs, 1a and 1b) and seven smaller ORFs (2a, 2b, and 3 to 7). ORFs 1a and 1b encode two replicase polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab), whereas the ORFs 2a, 2b, 5, 6, and 7 encode the known EAV structural proteins E, GS, GL, M, and N, respectively [12]. Moreover, ORFs 3 and 4 encode glycosylated membrane-associated proteins whose functional role is still under debate [13, 14]. EAV N can be used as an alternative protein candidate of diagnostic antigens and accounts for 35-40% of the total virion protein [15]. B cell epitopes involved in the immune response against EAV [16]. In the present study, we aimed to identify the precise B cell epitope using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against EAV N protein. Our result will provide important information for developing serological diagnosis of EAV infection and understanding the antigenic structure of EAV N protein and vaccine design. Materials and methods Ethics statement Care and use of laboratory animals and all animal experiments were in accordance with animal ethics guidelines established by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee in China. All animal studies were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SYXK (H) 2006-032). Cell lines and virus SP2/0 myeloma and Rabbit kidney 13 (RK-13) cells were cultured and maintained in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM; Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA) in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 °C. All culture media were supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (GIBCO, Invitrogen) and antibiotics (0.1mg/ml streptomycin and 100 IU/ml penicillin).The Bucyrus strain of EAV (GenBank accession No. NC-002532.2, a highly cell culture-adapted strain provided by the key laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Diseases in Yunnan province, China) was propagated in RK-13 cells and stored at -80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. Expression and characterization of recombinant EAV N protein The full-length sequence of EAV N gene was cloned by RT-PCR using the following primers: 5†²-CCCGGATCCATGGCGTCAAGACGATC-3†² (upstream) and 5†²-TTTGTCGACTTACGGCCCTGCTGGAGGCGCAAC-3†² (downstream). The primers contained BamH I and Sal I restriction sites (italicized). The purified and digested PCR product was ligated into an expression vector pET32a (Novagen, Germany). The pET-N recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) and 1mM isopropyl-ÃŽ ²-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG, Invitrogen, USA) was used for inducing expression of N protein. The recombinant proteins were obtained from the bacterial lysates. The insoluble inclusion bodies were washed and solubilized with phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). Then, the recombinant N protein fused with 6 His-tags was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and purified by Ni affinity chromatography according to manufacturer’s instruction (Invitrogen). Preparation and characterization of mAbs against N protein EAV N-reactive mAb was generated as previously described [17]. Briefly, 6-week-old female BALB/c mice were immunized with the purified recombinant N protein (100ÃŽ ¼g per mouse) mixed with an equal volume of Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA, Sigma, USA). Two booster injections containing the same amount of purified N protein in an equal volume of Freund’s incomplete adjuvant (FICA) were given at 2-week intervals. The purified N protein without adjuvant was injected intraperitoneally as the final immunization. After three days of the final injection, the mice were euthanized and their splenocytes were fused with SP2/0 myeloma cells using polyethylene glycol (PEG4000, Sigma). The hybridoma cells were seeded into 96-well plates and selected in hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT) selection medium (DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 100g/ml streptomycin, 100IU/ml penicillin, 100mM hypoxanthine, 16mM thymidine, and 400 mM aminopterin). After 5 days, the medium was re moved and replaced with hypoxanthine-thymidine (HT)-DMEM medium (DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 100g/ml streptomycin, 100IU/ml penicillin, 100mM hypoxanthine, and 16mM thymidine). After selection in HAT and HT medium, hybridoma supernatants were screened for evaluating reactivity and specificity of mAb by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The class and subclass of the mAb was determined using a SBA ClonotypingTM System/HRP (Southern Biotechnology Associates, Inc., Birmingham, AL35260, USA). Polypeptide design and expression Eleven overlapping peptides spanning the N protein were designed (Table 1,). For each peptide, a pair of oligonucleotide strands was synthesized. Each pair of oligonucleotide strands was annealed and cloned into the BamHà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚   and Sal I sites of pMALâ„ ¢-C4x vector and expressed as MBP-N fusion proteins. These MBP-fused proteins were named consecutively MBP-N1 to MBP-N11. The recombinant plasmids were transformed into E.coli Rosetta (DE3) (Novagen). Each MBP-fused polypeptide was induced by IPTG and screened by indirect ELISA. Briefly, MBP tags and purified N protein were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Ninety-six-well microtiter plates were coated with expressed MBP-N fusion proteins at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ overnight and blocked with 5% skim milk for 1 h at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. After washing three times by PBST (PBS plus 0.5% Tween-20), 100 ÃŽ ¼l of mAb was added to wells and incubated at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 1 h. Then, the plates were washed three ti mes by PBST and incubated with diluted horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG (Abcam, UK) at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 1 h. The color was developed and the reaction was stopped with 2M H2SO4. The absorbance at 450 nm was measured. All assays repeated three times and the average of the three values was calculated. Identification of the epitopes The MBP-N-fusion proteins were identified by indirect ELISA and Western blot using the mAb. Indirect ELISA was performed as mentioned above. For Western blot, the purified MBP-N recombinant proteins were electrophoresed on SDS-PAGE, and then transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane. Nonspecific antibody binding sites on the membrane were blocked with 5% skim milk in PBS overnight at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The membrane was washed and incubated with mAbs for 1h at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The membrane was incubated with HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody after five times washing with PBST. Following another five times washing, the color was developed using 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and terminated by rinsing the membrane with deionized water. Homology analysis To evaluate the conservation of the identified linear epitope among EAV from different geographic areas, the identified epitope and the corresponding regions of other regional EAV virus strains were aligned using DNAMAN software (Lynnon BioSoft Inc., USA). Results Production of recombinant EAV N protein and mAb As shown in Fig.1a, Recombinant EAV N protein was successfully expressed in the procaryon expression system. A clear single target band with expected molecular weight was displayed. Accordingly, the recombinant EAV N protein was suitable as an antigen for immunization and hybridoma screening. Purified proteins were utilized to immunize BALB/c mice. After cell fusion and selection, an EAV N-reactive mAb generated from one hybridoma cell line was selected for its strong reactivity against N protein. This mAb was designated as 1C11. As shown in Fig.1b, c, mAb 1C11 reacted with recombinant N protein and total protein of EAV (Fig.1b, c). The reactivity of mAb was also assessed using RK-13 cells by IFA (Fig.1d). The mAb only reacted with EAV infected cells and not reacted with uninfected control RK-13 cells. Identification of EAV N epitope To localize linear antigenic epitopes within the N protein, 11 16-amino acid long MBP fused peptides (MBP-N1 MBP-N11) were expressed and probed by mAb 1C11 by indirect ELISA. The results showed that MBP-N10 (91TVSWVPTKQIQRKVAP106) and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAPPAGP110) epitopes were recognized by the mAb 1C11 (OD450 > 1) (Fig. 2a). All the left fragments (MBP-N1-9) failed to react with the mAb. Because adjacent epitopes have 12 overlaps, we deduced that the linear epitope located in the overlapping domain of MBP-N10 and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAP106). To identify the minimal linear peptide epitope within this overlapping domain, a series of truncated polypeptides were expressed as MBP-fusion proteins. Ultimately, the indirect ELISA and Western blot showed that 101QRKVAP106 was the minimal linear epitope for the reactivity of the EAV N protein recognized by mAb 1C11 (Fig. 2c, d). Homology analysis Sequence alignment was performed to evaluate the conservation of the identified epitope among different regional EAV viruses (Fig. 3). The identified epitope is conserved among all EAV isolated strains, with the exception of the ARVAC which is a modified live virus vaccine strain. Discussion Mapping location of viral protein epitopes and defining the degree of their conservation may play an important role for understanding of the antigenic structure, virus-antibody interactions. It may be very useful for vaccine design and clinical applications. In this study, the B cell epitopes of EAV N protein were identified using a mAb. Epitope mapping using mAbs has become a powerful tool to study protein structure and provides new tools to diagnose diseases and design vaccines [18]. Here, we defined one peptide epitope of EAV N protein in by using an EAV N-specific mAb. To our knowledge, epitope on the N protein of EAV has been published, but no previous studies about 101QRKVAP106 have been reported. Starick et al. [19] produced a mAb against the N protein to detect EAV. Weiland et al. [20] used the same method to produce a mAb against the N protein of EAV and to distinguish different virus isolates from semen and tissue samples after passaging through RK-13, Vero and fetal equine kidney cells. However, the minimal epitope of these mAb was not defined precisely. Similar to the work of Starick et al. and Weiland et al. [19, 20], a mAb named 1C11 against EAV N protein was prepared by using recombinant N protein expressed in E. coli and used for identifying B-cell epitopes on EAV N protein. mAb 1C11 reacted well with EAV by WB and IFA, thus this antibody may be a useful detection tool in EAV diagnosis. mAbs are useful and effective for mapping antigenic epitopes of viral proteins. In this study, for epitope mapping, 11 overlapping peptides from EAV N protein were expressed with MBP tags and identified by ELISA to screen linear epitopes. The ELISA results showed that the epitope located in the sharing region of MBP-N10 (91TVSWVPTKQIQRKVAP106) and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAPPAGP110). Then this region (95VPTKQIQRKVAP106) was expressed, and 7 peptides with deletions were obtained to identify the precise epitope. According to the results of ELISA and Western blot, 101QRKVAP106 was considered as the minimal linear epitope of EAV protein. This result is different from the previous studies [15, 21] which stated that the precise epitope of N protein located in amino acids 1-69. This may be due to the difference of the specificity and reactivity of the mAbs. Sometimes, a mAb can react with different locations of a viral protein. Sequence alignment showed that the identified epitope is very conservative among distinct regional EAV strains, but with a mutation of one amino acids on the ARVAC N protein epitope. This result suggests a slight regional difference emerged in this epitope. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish anti-Bucyrus EAV antibody from anti- ARVAC EAV antibody by using the epitope as antigen. This will be helpful in distinguishing the distinct regional EAV infection. This finding indicates that the N epitope of EAV identified in our study have a potential use in serological monitoring and differential diagnosis. In conclusion, one EAV N-specific mAb was developed and a minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was defined. The EAV N-specific mAb and the defined linear peptide epitope of EAV N protein may be useful for the development of specific diagnostic tools and design of vaccine.

Analysing a Company: DHL

Analysing a Company: DHL   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The aim of this strategic planning document is to thoroughly analyze a company and based on the analysis find the right strategy that fits the companys business purpose and mission. The right strategy, depending at what is directed, should help the company strengthen its position on the market; increase profits; help with further development. If a company implements a wrong strategy, it can cause bad damage or it can have huge financial impact on the company which could even end up in bankruptcy, which wipes the company off the market. The company chosen for this paper is DHL Express with focus on European region. DHL is part of the Deutsche Post DHL (further DP DHL) brand/group. The reason why I have chosen DHL for the Strategic Planning Document is that I have been working for DP DHL group for four years. I work specifically for IT Services which is the service line that internally supports the whole IT technology of the whole DP DHL group. ABOUT THE COMPANY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DHL was founded in San Francisco exactly 40 years ago by 3 budding entrepreneurs Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom and Robert Lynn. It went from small company shipping papers by airplane from San Francisco to Honolulu1 to global company shipping EVERYTHING around the world. DHL delivers time-critical shipments as well as goods and merchandise by road, rail, air or sea. DHL transports courier and express shipments via one of the worlds most extensive networks to over 220 countries and territories. The company employs more than 300,000 employees all around the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DHL Express provides wide range of easily accessible services and solutions for their customers; from transport of letters, information to transport of parcels and goods. It operates in more than 220 countries around the world and employs more than 100,000 employees. DHL Express is number one in Europe with 25% of market share. Brief history 2 1969 DHL founded by Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom and Robert Lynn in San Francisco; 1974 The first UK office opened in London. Globally, DHL had more than 3,000 customers; 1979 DHL extends its services to delivering packages. Only document services had been available until now. 1983 DHL is the first air express forwarder to serve Eastern European countries. An international distribution centre was opened in Cincinnati, USA; 1985 A state of the art hub was opened in Brussels. More than 165,000 shipments are handled per night 1998 Deutsche Post became a shareholder in DHL; 2002 Deutsche Post World Net became the major shareholder in DHL and 100% shareholding was completed by the end of the year. DHL: Our Company Portrait [online]. Available at www: DHL: Steps to success [online]. Available at www: 2005 DP DHL acquires Exel, the British logistics corporation. Exel primarily offers transport and logistics solutions for key customers; 2008 DHL opens new state of art European air hub at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany. DHL legally operates under Groups title defined as Deutsche Post AG and uses its brand name DHL. As previously mentioned DHL is part of DP DHL group and is formed by 3 divisions: Express, Global Forwarding, Freight and Supply Chain supported by internal services Global Business Services. Mail is a standalone division that is part of Deutsche Post brand. All four divisions together create Deutsche Post DHL as the picture below describes. DP DHL: Corporate Presentation, October 2009, p. 3 [online] Available at www. DHL has a divisional form of structure. The DP DHL group is organized into four operating divisions, each of which operates under the control of its own divisional headquarters. The Group management functions are performed by the Corporate Center. Management responsibilities are structured in accordance with decision-making, responsibility and reporting lines: Board departments Corporate departments Business departments Service departments Regions Departments DHL Express provides standardized products and services courier, express and parcel (CEP) both locally and globally depending on the country. Whether it is document or parcel, road or air, DHL Express provides several different types of services that are divided to four basic groups: 1. Same Day An immediate pick-up of a shipment by a dedicated courier, with an emergency delivery within the same day via a dedicated network. 2. Time Definite Express door-to-door delivery by a certain time on an overnight or next possible business day basis. 3. Day Definite Reliable door-to-door delivery within a certain number of days 4. Optional Services Shipping convenience with a range of optional services to support your express transportation DP DHL: Annual Report 2008, p. 22 [online] Available at www. DHL: Express Services Good afternoon [online]. Available at www: External Analysis Courier Express and Parcel (CEP) services exist in every single country around the world. It is neither country specific nor region specific industry. There are thousands of logistics companies operating locally or internationally around the world and Europe is not an exception. PESTLE PESTLE analysis is a view on external environment companies operates in. There are five external factors that influence life of organizations: Political environment, Economical environment, Socio-cultural environment, Legal environment and Environmental factor. The below PESTLE analysis focuses on CEP companies in European market. Political Environment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  European region is stable environment that is not affected by any significant political crisis in countries and no major changes in political structure are expected in near future. More than half of European states are integrated into European community, European Union and create one of the biggest single markets for trade and investment in the world. EU enlargement has removed border lines and has made trade and business more accessible for its members. It has brought greater opportunities for businesses, wider range of companies and benefits for their customers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  EU has created closer links with immediate neighbors and enables bigger exports, free movement of services, payments and capital for trade and investment. Prior liberalization in 90s there were many national postal operators acting as monopolies. EU decided to start postal reform that firstly completely liberalized CEP market. Liberalization has enabled both national postal operators (Post Offices) and private postal companies to enlarge their business portfolio into parcel and express market. This happens through acquisitions of well-established companies and smaller national companies. Exactly, as it happened to DHL through acquisition by Deutsche Post in 2002. Full liberalization in Europe will be completed by 2012 which gives current companies time to strengthen their positions, build new networks and gain wider portfolio of customers. EU has also built up confidence in European political and economical future of each member which enables companies to make longer term decisions, strategies and investment plans. Currently the CEP market is highly competitive and companies have to have capital to establish strong and powerful position in such an environment and have to have built up networks supported by the modernist technologies. Summary: Europe is stable environment where no major political changes are expected. Full liberalization of European postal market that will be finished by 2012 will bring more competition especially on domestic level. However, there is a potential to merge or acquire those companies operating in the local markets and increase market share. Big companies operating on international level have an advantage of built global networks and modern technology behind them. Economical Environment CEP is highly potential market and its growth is directly related to the level of GDP. Global trade is on the rising level and together with industrialization has made CEP services more important for majority of industries. Additionally, product life cycles have been reduced, quality awareness among customer is growing and in order to succeed companies are forced to maintain high quality standards. The global economic crises caused decline in economy and it has affected the entire logistics sector. Volume of shipments decreased and the recession slowed down the whole market. Even the big corporations have to fight with decreased revenues and change their investment plans and business strategies. Governments around Europe support investment plans by structural reforms and programs that encourage investors to invest. During the big economic crisis in 30s this did not happen and governments tended to act individually without multinational or even global cooperation. Todays economies learnt from those mistakes which help to lower the implications, increase customer demand and support start of growth. Due to the crisis companies changed their investment plans but did not stop them. Merges with smaller companies, agreements and strategic acquisitions represent one way of increasing the competitive advantage. Emerging markets represent big opportunity in long-term perspective. There is potential for investment and development in emerging markets and it is expected that industrialization will bring opportunities, the economy will growth and market for services will accelerate. The crisis negatively affects profits of every company on one hand but on the other hand big corporations with strong brand and position in the market have to exploit this opportunity. Smaller companies do not have potential to expand because they are in bigger risk of losing money or even bankruptcy if they fail. Big corporations are able to absorb that risk much easier. Companies have started to reduce cost and people have started losing their jobs. Restructuring of company structure is one of the way how to move forward. IT is core element of every company that operates in logistics industry. Companies have to invest huge amount of money to development and maintenance of their IT infrastructure. Recent trend leaves development in Europe and transfers hosting and maintenance of the infrastructure to Asia. Summary: Conclusion from the Economical environment analysis is that companies should not stop their investment plans because of economic crisis. It is important in current situation to strengthen position in the market and expand if possible. Emerging markets represent a potential of rapid economy growth. The risk of loss is the same for all companies but for big corporations is more acceptable. Reduction of cost is evitable for every company and restructuring or outsourcing are the ways of dealing with it. Socio-Cultural Environment The third aspect of PESTLE analysis focuses on forces within society. Social and cultural forces affect customers attitudes, interests and opinions. Companies must be able to offer products and services that aim to complement and benefit customers needs and wants. If they do not quickly respond to changes in society they will lose market share and demand for their product or service will decrease. Removing of border lines makes trade and business in Europe more accessible. Emerging markets are place that is constantly developing and rapidly growing. Although the infrastructure is not as developed as in Western countries, there will be improvement with economic growth. It is important for the company to establish its brand and achieve good and reliable image and service quality among its customers. The portfolio of services that is offered in developing countries is not usually complete and focuses on the biggest needs and wants of the business. Companies do not have the only affect and responsibility to their customers. There are different parts of society they are in contact with. There are needs of employees, investors and the society as a whole. Research Development department play an important role in this area. Customer satisfaction surveys, employee satisfaction surveys, market surveys help the company to build its brand and image, increase employees commitment and shape public awareness. CEP market and logistics industry play one of the key roles in the economic growth globally not only within European market. Increases in volumes of goods transport has lead to higher CO2 emissions which according to climate scientists have direct affect on global warming. It is social cost for the society and governments discourage those social costs with fines, taxes and legislation. Companies responsibility is to decrease these cost and work with more efficient and environmentally friendly means of transport. Social cost have negative affect on customers spending but could be balanced by larger offer of environmental friendly oriented products. Summary: Social forces affect customers needs and wants and it is important for the company to know it and benefit from it. Therefore the role of Research Development is very important. Company has to respond to changes in society quickly not to loose market share and demand for services. Customer satisfaction surveys, market surveys, employee surveys play important role in building companys brand and image in the market. Border lines have been removed within EU and services are more accessible in the whole Europe. Emerging markets represent an opportunity for companies to enter and establish their brand and image. Additionally, there are also social costs for the society that companies have responsibility for. The affect on environment is significant and companies role is to decrease those costs by working with more efficient and environmentally friendly technology which is then balanced by larger portfolio of environmental friendly oriented customers. Technological Environment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology environment is vital part of every business that rapidly moves it forward. Technological innovations have changed the world and manner in which every business operates. Technology has created society expecting immediate results. Information exchange between customers, companies, people or any stakeholders is faster. That gives benefit to businesses as they can react quickly to any changes in the operating environment. However, the ability to quickly react also brings extra pressure on companies because they are expected to deliver on time and without any delays. Customers in service industry have to continuously face new challenges in planning, managing and monitoring their business processes. Companies in CEP market (and not only there) started offering customized logistics solutions to meet challenges: for example safety transport of sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals and vaccines to the healthcare industry done within a temperature-controlled environment. Operations in logistics industry is not only about cars, vans and aircraft there are other parts of infrastructure that needs technological development and improvement: posting, collection, sorting, transport, warehousing, delivery and last but not least Information Technologies. IT is core. Speed and reliability are key success factors to be able to meet standards and quality and gain advantage among competition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is important to pay special attention to IT area because service industry is fully dependent on it. Companies invest huge amount of money to development and maintenance of their IT infrastructure. As mentioned above IT is one of the key elements for logistics and operations processes. Systems must be accessible and available at all times; security is evitable unauthorized access to data and data manipulation must be prevented, to ensure that software is not delivered with defects or too late. Companies have to fight with decreased revenue and reduce their cost in times of economic crisis but importance of IT technology is so significant that they cannot stop investing in it. Otherwise there is a threat that they will fall behind and loose their market share.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Outsourcing or in other words subcontracting is a way of reducing cost in IT area. Development of new technologies, software or applications goes to another organization. Usually, the company is specialized in software development. Or hosting and maintenance of applications or services are transferred to another company. The decision whether to do in-house or outsource is often based on achieving lower production cost and usage of available resources in better way and focus energy on the core competencies of the business. Summary: Modern technology and environment is key to success of the company that helps to maintain or gain competitive advantage. IT is the most important technology factor for logistics business because speed and reliability are equal to success. However, there is an indisputable constant threat of falling behind.Investments to the modernist technologies are evitable and in times of economic crisis are much more important then anytime before. Company has to decide if it runs internal IT organization or if it outsources most of the services and reduce cost. Legal Environment Legal rules play a role in nearly every aspect of companys operation from state regulations through contracts to treatment of employees. Legal factor is very important because companies work within legislative framework where legislation can either place numerous obligations or can create market conditions beneficial for business. CEP market is regulated by Postal directive applicable in all EU states. Full liberalization process will be completed by 2012 which gives current companies time to strengthen their position, build new networks and get more customers before new competition arrive. CEP market was fully liberalized during 90s and no special license or authorization is required in most of the EU countries. Ten states of EU require companies to receive explicit decision of National regulatory authority that is called general authorization that enables them to start operating in those countries but it does not represent a barrier. General authorization document contains several conditions that are related to e.g. confidentiality of correspondence, restrictions on transport of dangerous goods, data protection standards, etc. As I said previously there are social cost for the society that must be balanced by companies obligations in terms of fines, taxes and additional legislations related to regulation of aircraft noise, regulations concerning emission standards, obligations to reduce greenhouse gas that forces companies to invest into more environmentally friendly means of transport. Summary: Legal factor is important for operations of every company. Companies have obligations like directives, taxes and rules that they must be aligned with to be able to operate in the market. Legal factor can either place numerous obligations on the company or can create market conditions beneficial for business. Liberalization is an example of the benefit. Removal of border lines together with liberalization enabled building and strengthening of positions in the logistics market. There are no special and expensive authorizations necessary in CEP industry which is another benefit for companies. On the other hand there are obligations that balance the above benefits in terms of fines, taxes and directives that are mainly related to environment. Companies are forced to invest into environmentally friendly operations. Environmental Analysis Transportation industry causes major impact on the green house gases in the atmosphere. Mobility has increased and brought many indisputable advantages that must be weighed against the social, economic and environment costs it causes. Countries issue legislation that forces companies to reduce emissions. Companies have started implementing projects that help them to find out ways how to reduce pollutions and to be compliant with issued legislation. Transportation companies are dependent on fossil fuels and to reduce their dependency they have to look for commercial vehicles and aircraft powered differently or non-conventionally. Change of vehicle is not the only option that would reduce air pollution there are other ways that companies could take: to make their business more efficient and effective, to reduce shipping time, to take uniform approach, to offer climate-neutral products or train employees. Research Development department plays important role in those projects because it helps to come up with new ideas, technologies, procedures and processes. Summary: Transportation industry has great effect on air pollution globally. It is undisputable fact and companies are forced to fulfill the requirements of governments to reduce their contribution on pollution of the global environment. Companies have started implementing projects that help them fulfill those requirements. Research Development department is key to the success of it. PESTLE Summary Based on the PESTLE analysis I have identified opportunities and threats that will be taken into account during the SWOT analysis. Opportunity: Full liberalization of European postal market that will be finished by 2012 brings new opportunities to increase market share by acquisitions or merges with other logistics companies or newly liberalized companies. Established companies wit big market share, global network and technology have competitive advantage. Opportunity: Border lines have been removed within EU and services are more accessible in the whole Europe. Emerging markets represent a potential of rapid economy growth therefore it is an opportunity for companies to enter and establish their brand and image and gain bigger market share. Threat: Role of Research Development department in the company is very important. Company has to respond to changes in society quickly not to loose market share and demand for services. Customer satisfaction surveys, market surveys, employee surveys play important role in building companys brand and image in the market. Threat: In times of economic crisis economy slowed down and revenue decreased. Reduction of cost is evitable for every company and restructuring or outsourcing are the ways of dealing with it. Threat: Social costs represent a responsibility of companies towards society. The affect of transportation and logistics companies on environment is significant and companies role is to decrease those costs by working with more efficient and environmentally friendly technology which is then balanced by larger portfolio of environmental friendly oriented customers. Companies are forced to invest into environmentally friendly operations by fines, taxes and directives placed by governments. Therefore, companies have started implementing projects that help them fulfill those requirements. Threat: Modern technology and environment is key to success of the company that helps to maintain or gain competitive advantage. IT is the most important technology factor for logistics business because speed and reliability are equal to success. However, there is an indisputable constant threat of falling behind. Investments to the modernist technologies are evitable and in times of economic crisis are much more important then anytime before. The role of Research Development is evitable here. Porters Five Forces   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Courier Express Market is highly competitive market and its growth is directly related to growth of GDP. Customers of logistics companies are demanding. Technology improvements reduce product life cycles, quality awareness among customer is growing and in order to succeed companies are forced to maintain high quality standards. DHL Express has three biggest competitors in CEP market. They are UPS, TNT and FedEx. As you can see in the Picture 2 below DHL Express has the highest market share of 25% as a single company in Europe. All four major competitors operate internationally and have global network with good and modern technology behind them. The picture below also shows us that third of the European market is dismantled among small and medium sized companies that operates independently. European market portrait Customers of logistics companies vary from individuals to big industrial or manufacturing companies. All of them expect that the delivery service will be simple and convenient and that the delivery will be on time without any delay and in a good quality. Customers are more and more demanding because range of suppliers is broadening and they are looking for customized and innovative solutions for delivery of their goods. DP DHL: Annual Report 2008, p. 58 [online] Available at www. The range of offered products is wide but could be introduced in three basic categories: Courier services are fast, door-to-door pick up and delivery services of high-value goods or urgently required documents. Express services are time-sensitive, usually guaranteed services and have delivery time a specific day (in general the next day) and/or specific time. Parcel services are the transport of largely standardized packages with usually non-guaranteed delivery time of 2-3 days (Time-definite and Day-definite) Porters Five Forces mode will help me to analyze five forces that influence the logistics industry and better understand the environment in which DHL Express operates in and competitive advantage the company has or could gain. Threat of New Entrants HIGH   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  CEP market is large and very attractive to business. Everyone needs to deliver package or parcel. Everyone needs to use courier. Logistics industry is important and dominates to the service sector. It is very easy to entry. There are no special legal barriers, patents or licenses necessary to run the business. There are exceptions as described in PESTLE analysis but those exceptions do not represent impossible to achieve requirements. The market is still growing and there is an assumption that will grow further.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are no border lines among members of EU which would threaten new companies to enter the CEP market. Company that wants to succeed in such a competitive environment has to have a good network that enables it to operate on local and international level. Good network requires time and financial investment. High technology standard is must. Companies have to protect themselves from the threats of new entrants therefore it is important for them to find ways to turn disadvantages in their favor. They have to capitalize from their historical experience and try to find better ways to provide their service. Current big players in CEP market are well established leaders that have significant cost advantage that is unavailable for the new entrants. Large companies have buying power that allows them to offer discounts to their customers. Simply, bigger the business is lower average unit cost they are able to produce. Customers loyalty is another important factor that increases barriers to entry for other competitors. Loyal and satisfied customer will be unlikely tempted to go to competitors or new entrants. Established companies usually do business set on long-term partnerships and contracts. The basic rule says that customers get everything they need or want.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many advantages that economies of scale gives to big corporations but there are also limitations that must be taken into account. Those limitations give competitive advantage to smaller and medium sized companies. Large companies are very complex and with higher complexity the product range is widening. This makes it difficult to succeed and be the best. Specialization and innovative ideas are crucial. Large companies are also known for their high level of bureaucracy which gives smaller companies big advantage because they can satisfy customer faster and it is what matters in logistics industry. Also large companies have thousands of employees with different labor relations in every country which causes additional legal cost. In case of powerful workers union it can decrease power of the company and make their operation more difficult especially in time of restructuring.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As I have mentioned modern technology is an important factor that significantly helps to increase market share and creates more barriers for new entrants. Outsourcing or off shoring are possibilities for companies to take advantage of other economies of scale and use their buying power and specialization in favor of further development. Summary:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In summary, logistics market is large and is attractive to business because when GDP grows the demand for services grows. There is no special barrier to entry. In fact, it is very easy to entry. The market is still growing and there is an assumption that will grow further. Successful companies have built networks that enable them to operate on local and international level. Good network requires time and financial investment. High technology standard is must. Historical experience and appearance in the market is an advantage for companies like DHL. Big companies and corporations use economies of scale in their favor. Bigger company can provide higher discount and has lower profit. Customers loyalty is another important factor that increases barriers to entry for other competitors because of long-term partnerships and contracts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand there are also disadvantages for big companies that must be taken into