...Strong Tie Ltd. This case is about the decision to hire a consultant to provide an analysis of the company’s performance and to provide suggestions on future actions. Strong Tie Ltd., located in Winnipeg Manitoba, manufactured connectors to be used to reinforce wood joints. Bill Johnstone created this company to capitalize on the high demand for the housing market. After his death, the family owned business was passed on to his son, who ran the business along with his daughters. Strong Tie Ltd. made investments in automation, which affected their numbers from 2006 to 2008. As a result, they have higher margins and can sell their connectors at a lower price. From 2006 to 2008 there has been changes in the Income Statement and Balance Sheets of Strong Tie Ltd. There statement of cash flow shows that the outflow of money was greater what they actually had on hand. In earlier years, they had a higher net income and fewer expenses, which was in their favor. Strong Tie Ltd pursued the opportunity to increase competitiveness, by becoming an automated factory where they were able to reduce labor costs and speed up design. With these investments however, most of the ratios had an either slightly decreased or had no change. The liquidity ratios that were used in this case displayed that Strong Tie Ltd, had strong financial conditions throughout the three years. The current ration remained well above two over time and the industry average in comparison to the strong tie average were...
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...Case 2: Ocean Carriers | Prof. Graeme WarrenFIN 4422 | Miguel OyolaZ23136486Feb. 25, 2014 | Ocean Carriers 1) Identification of the strategic issues and problems Strong Tie Ltd. (STL), a family-owned corporation, has been the leader of its industry segment with a market share of 70% and through the years has obtain a remarkable reputation for its quality, especially on custom products. In recent years, STL has lost 10% of its market share and now at 60% is having trouble maintaining its leadership in the industry segment due to the arrival of new competitors, especially from China. These new competitors have obtained 30% of market share and are still growing. The problem identified is the high cost the company has, which has led STL to struggle in maintaining its leadership; in addition to these costs the start of the recession in late 2007, a 28% increase in metal prices at the beginning of 20081, and aggressive competitors have had an impact on the company performance, consequently, reporting a NEGATIVE growth of 5.76% in sales for 2007 – 2008. ------------------------------------------------- 1. Mark Skaer. "Steel Prices Continue to Rise." AHR Expo. N.p., 31 Mar. 2008. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. http://www.achrnews.com/articles/steel-prices-continue-to-rise 2) Analysis and evaluation Strategies * Due to fluctuating prices of raw materials, STL tried to implement just-in-time (JIT) strategy. JIT brings out efficiency when companies can...
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...Esparaud Louidort Strong Tie Ltd case #1 finance 10/2/2013 Strong Tie Ltd financial and strategic issues 1. Introduction Strong Tie Ltd. is a Canadian family-owned company that specializes in manufacturing of standardized and customized structural connectors located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is run by the son of the founder together with his three daughters. Unlike its competitors, the company keeps its production in China, which is possible partly due to high level of automation of the production of standardized details. The production of customized details is labour-intensive, but high costs are supposedly being offset by high premium the customers are ready to pay. Or are they? While Universal Connector – the main competitor who currently holds 30% market share and is growing – showed in the last financial year 10% net profit margin, 17% ROA and 28% ROE, as compared to Strong Tie Ltd., who, in fact, broke even in 2008 with reported net profit amounting to just $7,000, which, given the necessity to pay $500,000 a year dividends to the owner’s sister, is equivalent to a loss. There is no doubt that the company is going through the hard times at the moment. Financial crisis means that people are likely to build fewer houses, so the whole market is in stagnation, while the competitors – Universal Connector and several smaller companies – are gradually taking away the once-70% market share from Strong Tie Ltd. Despite superior perceived quality and possibility to charge...
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...I was born in Los Angeles, California May 20, 2000 at around 5:00 PM. It seems like I was just recently born but it’s been almost 16 years. I still remember some moments when I was a little child. I still look back to my childhood and say, “I miss being a kid.” Here and there I look through my baby pictures and I believed I was a cute baby. But at the age of four, I found a talent. A talent what would represent me as a person and a talent that can be very difficult depending on how far you go with it? But the talent was soccer. I’ve been playing soccer ever since I was four. I joined a recreational team but the coaches told I was way beyond that level. So I joined a competitive team and played a year older. Then I turned five and joined another team that had kids the same age as me. Ever since, I’ve seen many beautiful cities, been to many states, and attended many soccer tournaments. I attended my first tournament in September in the year 2007. I remember I was nervous but excited. My coach told us that if we won all the necessary games; we would win all a prize. Unfortunately, we didn’t earn the prize we wanted. Then a month later in that same year, I attended my first out of state tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. I was stoked to be in an airplane with all my teammates traveling to play soccer. I felt so glorious, like if I was on the top of the world. The years passed and I continued to travel a lot just for soccer. I was seven years old when I...
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...Teaching Analysis HOW TO TIE A WINDSOR KNOT Core Concept I chose to write a paper on how to tie a tie (The Windsor Knot). I chose this video because I wanted to compare it with the way I tie a tie. This particular video used the double Windsor knot. When I started watching the video I didn’t realize it was for the double Windsor knot. There are several ways to tie a tie and I find myself looking at other people’s ties to figure out if they did it the same way that I do or what method they use. Some people’s ties look a little crooked or sloppy and I always wonder what approach they took when they tied their tie. I always wonder if they may have left a step out. Some people’s ties are too short so I figure that they don’t know how to adjust the tie. I like my tie to be straight and the right length. I am a tall person so I have to make sure I tie mine a little longer. When I meet someone dressed up and wearing a tie, the tie is one of the first things I notice. So I assume that other people are noticing the same thing and this always makes me cautious of how my tie looks before leaving my house. Organization I feel like this video (How to Tie A Tie For Begginers) was well organized. He demonstrated the tying process very well. He started off with a tie around his neck and explained step by step what to do. Even to the point of what end of the tie should be in the right hand and which end should be in the left hand. If this was my first time at tying a tie, I believe I could have...
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...semiotic potency, one should be equipped with a basic knowledge of semiotics. According to Gill Branston, the author of The Media Student's Book, Semiotics "is a theory of signs, and how they work to produce meanings, or the study of how things come to have significance. This includes signs devised to convey meanings (langage, badges) as well as 'symptoms' (as in 'thats' the sign of swine flu'). (Branston 12) Potency is an evaluation of strong or weak, which in this case involves the strong or weak signs of semiotics that appear in the image. At first glance, a viewer may notice 2 noticeable subjects of the image. There is a vehicle, and there is young man next to the vehicle. This image although not an advertisment, does advertise an event or a special moment to the viewer. Upon viewing the image, a viewer would notice that the young man is not wearing casual clothing. He is dressed in formal wear. A deeper study of what he is wearing is where semiotics would start to show. He is wearing a button down, a belt, chinos, leather shoes, a watch, and a bow-tie. These material objects signify a generic image. These objects put together usually triggers the thought process that somebody wearing these things is going to a special event, possibly a graduation, a date, a wedding, or something of importance. That was a basic...
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...Declutter Your Desk How to hide all those extra computer gadgets. by Van Mardian (van@decluttered.com ) Scroll to the bottom to see reader submissions! My desk is now free of extra gadgets! External burner is mounted underneath the desk. open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com Actually, everything is mounted underneath using MDF pegboard and some wire. open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com The pegboard is suspended using these shackles and small wooden dowels. You can get the shackles here (Amazon). If I need to add or remove devices, I can remove the pegboard by removing the wooden dowels that are holding it up. Swivel a drill back and forth to create the openings for the shackle. open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com I cleaned up the openings using square and round files. Perfect fit: open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com Trace the openings onto the underside of the desk. Make sure the pegboard doesn't drift during this process. I pressed it up against the frame of the desk and used my other three limbs to keep it in place while I traced. Trace the spots for the four screws and pre-drill. It's important not to drill too far or you'll go through the topside! And if you drill too short you risk cracking...
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...makes the reader question the relationship between Hector and the boys; as there appears to be a lack of boundaries. Bennett does, however, create meaning with regards to the ‘ceremonial undressing’. The removal of clothing could be seen as a way off stripping off the surface of Hector. The audience question: is he the same person in leathers and when he is not in leathers? Is Hector the same person he is in school as he is outside of it or, a completely different person? ‘Le casque’ is a crucial element of this introduction as it has two meanings with regards to translation. The first being that of a standard helmet, the second: that of a knights helmet. This could be seen as symbolism. ‘A man of studied eccentricity. He wears a bow tie.’ Emphasis on the word ‘studied’ indicates that Hector is not a naturally...
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...Belgium - Kingdom of Belgium - Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch - 3 distinct autonomous regions --- Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels Capital - Each of the 3 has its own legislative body and extensive powers - Divided into 2 administrative communities--- 3 official languages: Dutch, French and German - Majority of the population can speak English as a second or third language - Roman Catholic - 1 CAD=0.747994 EUR - Capital: Brussels - Mild winters : Temperate Cool summers : cloudy, rainy, humid - Border countries : France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands Making Appointments -Telephone/write at least a week in advance -Belgian company will set the time of appointment -Aim to arrive punctually -Public transportation is first class, however the roads are very busy around the Capital, Brussels, therefore, if travelling by car, plan time wisely. -First appointments are mostly socially orientated, Belgians like to get to know someone before proceeding with business - Appointment at 11:30 a.m. = a luncheon appointment -No breakfast meetings, prefer times are mid-morning and mid-afternoon -Office hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. with 30-60 minutes for lunch. -Business don’t close early on Fridays - Shops hours: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. from Mon. to Sat. (some close for lunch) -Banks: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. Mon. to Fri -Belgians take a one-month vacation (July-August) -Celebrates traditional European...
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...If you think the '60s psychedelic counterculture (aka hippie) died out, wait till you meet this fella. We're not talking about some pretentious multicolored-volkswagen van driver wearing a tie dye t-shirt and going on and on about why women shouldn't wear bras and shave. Ramsey is simply in harmony with the surrounding nature and God's creations, animals more than humans, and embraces life as it flows by. His one story modern brick house, although set up in the middle of a cemented neighbourhood is hidden by a large backyard and trees whose names I don't know. A very calm – maybe too calm for an urban like myself¬¬– residence that transmits its tranquillity as you step in. Perfect! Mission accomplished: That's what Ramsey aimed for when he decided to convert his crashing place into a daylight home-business; he wanted his clients to be as relaxed and chilled as they can be while they undergo a two and a half hour session of indulgence and pampering. So what exactly does Ramsey do? Ramsey is a professional dog groomer. Impressive? Jaw dropping? Yikey spikey? He had heard it all. But this good ol’ dog whisperer (the name dog owners came up with after seeing how he communicates with ferocious untamed pet- beast) didn't always do that for a living. His gypsy genes incited him to hit the French territories where he took a diploma in computer science. Spending 2 years working behind a desk he discovered his rather selective claustrophobia condition- IT guy basically got sick and tired...
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...John Updike “A & P” We were asked in class to write a short paper after being asked the question, “What is the most intriguing or interesting piece we have read, and why?” My response to this question was John Updike’s “A & P”. “A & P” was not the best or even the most interesting piece that I have read. However, out of all of the stories that I have read for this class, “A & P” left me with the most questions. Some of the questions that I asked myself after reading this story were, “What did Updike want me to get from this story?” The second question I asked myself was, “Was there any symbolism or foreshadowing in the extreme amount of detail that Updike used in this story?” The last question that I wanted to answer was, “Is that it?” Did John Updike really write a story about dress code of a supermarket? Or, did he write this story about the moral dilemma a young clerk faces when he believes his boss was rude to three underdressed girls? John Updike’s “A & P” was first published in 1962. This story took place in a small grocery store. The main character, Sammy, is a young clerk. He is ringing up a lady whom he describes as a “witch”, when three young ladies enter the store wearing nothing but bathing suits. Updike uses great detail in describing the three girls. The first one that he noticed was described as “a chunky kid, with a good tan and a sweet broad soft-looking can with those two crescents of white just under it, where the sun never seems to hit…”...
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...Tanya Leadmon English 111 11/04/13 Singularity When Raymond Kurzweil wrote “The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology” in 2005, he predicted that Singularity would occur in the year 2045. Singularity is defined as when computers become smarter than humans. Kurzweil truly believes that this will happen in the year 2045. While reading my critique of Kurzweil’s theory, decide for yourself if you believe Singularity will occur in 2045, or ever. Kurzweil describes his law of accelerating returns as exponential increase in technologies like computers, genetics, nanotechnology and robotics, and artificial intelligence. Kurzweil also predicts that once Singularity has been reached, machine intelligence will be a quintillion times more powerful than all human intelligence combined. Before Singularity can occur, Kurzweil states that there will be exponential growth in evolutionary progress, computational capacity, how the brain works, and revolutions in genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics. Kurzweil believes computational capacity will continue to grow exponentially. He feels that a new paradigm will debut to carry on this growth. According to him, this new paradigm will be nanotubes. He goes on to say that the best way to build machine intelligence is to first understand human intelligence. The first step is to peer inside the brain. Kurzweil predicts that during the 2020’s greater details of the brain will surface because...
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...Chem 200 (8/28) * Chapter 1 and 2 homework ( paper) turn in next week (wed) pg 217 in lab manual * Quiz 1 in discussion sections next week * Connect homework is live -chapter 1 and 2 due sept 6 * Know common elements and ions-lab manual/syllabus pages 14-16 * Read Chapters for exams Notes Errors in measurements * Radom error: all measurements have some level of random error they can be either positive( measure more than you actually do ) or negative errors( measure less then you usually do ) * Systematic error: always the same direction (either positive or negative) Precision and Accuracy * Precision : how reproducible each measurement is , how close each measurement is to the other measurements * Accuracy : how close the measured values are to the true value. Temperature Conversions (on the exam) Chemical Language * Elements (Na,Cl)- letters of the language * Chemical Formulas (NaCl)- words of the language Water Vs. Hydrogen Peroxide (on the exam) * The use of Hydrogen peroxide: nuclear, bomb, bleach hair,etc * Molecular formula : water: H2O, Hydrogen Peroxide : H2o2 * Empirical Formula: water HO, Hydrogen peroxide: HO * Structural Formula : water HOH, hydrogen peroxide: HOOH quetion: how many atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are present in a single molucule of citric acid C3H5O(CO2H)3 Carbon: 6 Hydrogen :8 Oxygen: 7 Chemical Bonding * Bonds form between atoms when they share electrons *...
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...of the rennin mixture with to each of the 5 beakers. 7. Add the 5 different concentrations of acid to the 5 beakers of milk along with the rennin and start your timers. 8. Note the time it takes for the milk to turn solid. (or there abouts if time does not allow) Changes that occurred during the dissolving of the rennin tablet: • The water turned a milky colour. • It took roughly 6 minutes to dissolve. Results: 1.0 – 8.31 minutes 0.75 – 8.23 minutes 0.5 – 7.58 minutes 0.25 – 8.01 minutes 0.0 – 20+ minutes Discussion: When conducting this experiment some of the results that came back had a surprising outcome, according to the data we collected, the rate that the milk hardens relies on how strong the acid is. Too weak, and it takes too long and too strong and the time also...
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...NOTE: This PDF document has a handy set of “bookmarks” for it, which are accessible by pressing the Bookmarks tab on the left side of this window. ***************************************************** We are the last. The last generation to be unaugmented. The last generation to be intellectually alone. The last generation to be limited by our bodies. We are the first. The first generation to be augmented. The first generation to be intellectually together. The first generation to be limited only by our imaginations. We stand both before and after, balancing on the razor edge of the Event Horizon of the Singularity. That this sublime juxtapositional tautology has gone unnoticed until now is itself remarkable. We're so exquisitely privileged to be living in this time, to be born right on the precipice of the greatest paradigm shift in human history, the only thing that approaches the importance of that reality is finding like minds that realize the same, and being able to make some connection with them. If these books have influenced you the same way that they have us, we invite your contact at the email addresses listed below. Enjoy, Michael Beight, piman_314@yahoo.com Steven Reddell, cronyx@gmail.com Here are some new links that we’ve found interesting: KurzweilAI.net News articles, essays, and discussion on the latest topics in technology and accelerating intelligence. SingInst.org The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence: think tank devoted to increasing...
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