War Poetry Essay Example for Free

War Poetry Essay A popular theme for poets in the last century was war. Many famous poems were written about the two world wars, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. For my report I have chosen six poems, three by Wilfred Owen and three by Australian poets. ?Anthem for Doomed Youth, ? The Send Off and ? Insensibility (1) were written by Owen during the first world war to express his anti-war attitude. ?Beach Burial by Kenneth Slessor, ? Homecoming by Bruce Dawe and ? Letter XV by Bruce Beaver are famous Australian poems about war. The poems have many similarities, especially in content, but also have their differences. The subject matter of the poems is obviously generally the same. Most are about soldiers dying/dead because of a war. ?Beach Burial is specifically about the WW2 battle at El Alamein, and ? Homecoming is concerned with the effect of the Vietnam War, but the rest are about war in general. The purpose of the poems is to convey the poets own beliefs against war, for example Wilfred Owen was an avid anti-war activist, despite or maybe because of the fact that he fought in WW1. The emotion portrayed is mostly depressive, somber and bitter. ?Anthem for Doomed Youth seems slightly accusatory; this is because the poet asks questions of the reader, almost daring the reader to disagree. ?Letter XV emits a confused mood, as if the poet doesnt understand why war exists. All the poems could probably be described as elegies, considering they are all laments for the dead. ?Anthem for Doomed Youth is almost a Shakespearean sonnet, but the rhyming is wrong, so technically it is a Petrarchan sonnet (divided into an octave and sestet). The other poems are either separated into regular stanzas ? like ? Beach Burial- or have no real structure, such as ? Homecoming. There is plenty of imagery in most of the poems. ?The Send Off used the oxymoron ? faces grimly gay to describe the men, indicating that they seem happy but they shouldnt, since they are going to war. The poet also describes the men as ? dead while they are alive, because he is so sure of their fate. Imagery is used in ? Homecoming to describe the different types of men -? curly-heads, kinky-hairs, crew-cuts and their homes ? ridiculous curvatures of earth the knuckled hills this paints a vivid picture in the readers mind. In Beach Burial dead bodies are given attributes of live men, such as ?  they sway and wander. As well as this, the phrase ? words choke is used to describe the lack of names for the dead soldiers. Personification is also used in ? Anthem for Doomed Youth, where guns are ? angry and the sound of shells is described as ? shrill, demented choirs. ?Alleys cobbled with their brothers is used in ? Insensibility to describe a trench with dead bodies strewn around; this is an unpleasant image, used intentionally to disturb the reader. These techniques are used to give life to the poems, to portray the thoughts of the poet and to make the poems interesting. Sound and Rhythm are important in a poem to make it audibly aesthetic and to make it flow. Two of the poems have no rhyme (blank verse) ? Letter XV is staccato and abrupt but ? Homecoming uses repetition of ? bringing them home to help flow, and an amphora of ? theyre. ?The Send Off has four stanzas of five lines each with a rhyming structure of a,b,a,a,b for each stanza. ?Anthem for Doomed Youth has the structure- a,b,a,b,c,d,c,d, e,f,f,e,g,g. This, as I mentioned, is almost a Shakespearean sonnet (a,b,a,b,c,d,c,d, e,f,e,f,g,g). These rhymes improve the sound and rhythm of the poem. ?Insensibility and ? Beach Burial each contain a slant rhyme. ?Insensibility uses consonance, with rhyming couplets i. e. Killed/cold, brothers/withers. The second and fourth lines of ? Beach Burial have a slant rhyme, i. e. come/foam, men/begin, while the third line has an internal rhyme, such as wander/ under in ? At night they sway and wander in the waters far under Although ? Insensibility and ? Beach Burial dont have ? true rhyme; the fake rhyme still creates rhythm. The two main components of a poem are the content, meaning the subject and emotion, and the technique which is things like structure, rhythm and imagery. The six war poems I chose have a very similar content because the topic is common to all of them. Large differences come in the technique, because this defines the way a poem is written, not what it is about. Owen s poems, ? Anthem for Doomed Youth ? The Send Off and Insensibility (1) were all structured poems with at least partial rhyme, and had similarities because of the poets technique. The three Australian poems, ? Beach Burial by Kenneth Slessor, Bruce Dawes ? Homecoming and ? Letter XV by Bruce Beaver differ greatly, from the regular rhyming ? Beach Burial to the staccato, unstructured ? Letter XV The technique part of the poem, as it can be seen with these examples, is completely detached from the content, and varies between poets, rather than themes. I prefer the rhythm and consistency of Owens poems and ? Beach Burial to the style of ? Homecoming or ? Letter XV. I like the rhymes, as they tend to bring the poem together, they unify it. Obviously I agree with the message in all these poems, or I wouldnt have chosen the theme of war / anti-war poetry. All of the poems depressed me (apart from Letter XV, which confused me) so the poets must have done a good job at portraying emotions.

Channel Design For Packaged Coconut Water Marketing Essay

Channel Design For Packaged Coconut Water Marketing Essay Through secondary research on supply chain in developed markets like USA and Europe, and also in emerging markets like Africa which are huge markets for packaged coconut water, we have tried to look at aspects like sourcing, transportation and distribution. Existing distribution channel in India for FMCG goods and beverages were also studied to understand the current scenario. Indian retail market dynamics are different for rural and urban areas and hence both were studied in detail to find out the most suitable model for both the markets. Finally, we have proposed a hybrid model consisting of a model for urban markets and a different model for rural markets. Contents INTRODUCTION The supply of coconut water in India is still very much fragmented and although it is available in packed bottles and pouches in some parts of India , the supply of it is mostly on roadside shops and road vendors, which is mainly the unorganized market. Hence we have studied the ways companies actually do business in coconut water in other countries where the supply chain is developed and has a bigger market than we have in India. There are different models which are opted for in different places of the world depending on the customer preferences, customer awareness, and the market size and growth rate. Although in India, mostly the production is in rural places, there needs to be developed a robust and efficient distribution channel whereby the coconuts are transported from these small rural places to processing plants and factories. The market for coconut water beverages grew by 100 per cent in 2011, taking the retail sale value of US and European markets to over $265 million (Rs.1,457 crore). The market is slated to grow another 50 per cent this year. Bottled in exotic flavours and in stylish cartons, its expensive: About $4 (Rs.220) a can. But its still available at  Rs.10-30 in Indian bazaars OBJECTIVES Our objective is to study and design distribution strategies for packaged coconut water. We intend to examine the intricacies of the category setup in the area of distribution channel, schemes, margins, partners, and transportation from various on and off field experiences. The project will cover the scope of both the traditional general trade/rural as well as the emergent modern trade. We plan to understand the distribution channel for existing packaged drinks and then identify the feasible options available for coconut water. We will conduct our study using primary or secondary data and design a distribution channel for the same. A detailed description of the designed channel will be given and a comparative study will also be undertaken. We will base our design keeping the following framework in mind: Precondition of marketing channel formation Identification of goals of distribution Specifications of the tasks of distribution Provision of alternative structure of marketing channel Analysis of factors influencing the performance of marketing channel Setting the optimum structure of marketing channel Selection of marketing channel intermediaries LITERATURE REVIEW Title-1: DEMYSTIFYING SUPPLY STRATEGY FOR COCONUT WATER Source: Beroe Inc Samyuktha S.R | Senior Research Analyst Paradigm Shift in the Coconut Water Market 2012 à ¨ à ¨ à ¨ 2020 Concentrated demand: The demand for coconut water is mainly from the developed countries, especially from the US. There is an increasing demand from EU and Australia as well. Demand Focus Demand across the globe: Increasing per capita income, and disposable income across the developing regions will attract more demand for coconut water. Level of Shift Price premium: At present, coconut water is priced roughly double of other mass market sports drinks. Price Equivalence Price parity: It is essential to bring the prices of coconut water to similar price points of other existing product category to sustain in the market. Level of Shift Expansion of product portfolio: The major beverage manufacturers are currently expanding their product portfolio comprising more naturally healthy drinks such as coconut water and RTD Tea. Consumer Preference Market cannibalization: There is potential threat from naturally healthy drinks category that can cannibalize the existing traditional soft drinks. This might be eating soft drink manufacturers original market leading to an overall decline in sales. Level of Shift Lower product differentiation: There are currently very few variation introduced coconut water. Till now it has come in standard flavors primarily fruit derived. Degree of Product Variation Higher product differentiation: There is high possibility of introducing multiple flavors and product enhancement in terms of introducing newer/innovative product line derived out of coconut water namely low calorie smoothies. Level of Shift Regional Insights Coconut Water: Factors US Europe Southeast Asia Market Share Consolidated Consolidated Fragmented Vita Coco is the largest player in the US which holds roughly 60% of the share. In the EU, Green coco is the leading player, but in Southeast Asia the market is highly fragmented. Coconut Availability Low Low High Southeast Asian countries are the largest coconut producing countries. Large quantities of coconut are available in these regions for extracting coconut water. Consumer Awareness Low Low High The natural beverage has a locational advantage in tropical belts in terms of widespread consumer awareness about its health and nutritional benefits due to centuries-long use unlike other regions namely the US and EU. Health Consciousness High High Low-Medium Increasing health awareness across the EU and US have resulted in growing demand for health focused drinks. This has paved way for the demand for coconut water in the recent past. Supplier Strategy The present procurement strategy by coconut water manufacturers is by entering into a long-term contract with multiple suppliers across the major coconut producing countries like the Philippines and Indonesia to ensure supply assurance. However, there is possible shift in the style of long term sourcing strategy by the companiesin the coming years to make certain on continuous supply of coconut water by either becoming a major/minor stake holder in the suppliers firm or by vertical integration. By vertically integration the companies are bound to own coconut plantation which requires high investment and trained labor to take care of plantations. Nevertheless the companies can have assured supply through vertical integration excluding unfavorable weather conditions, which has a critical role to play in terms of supply disruption. Procurement strategy overview and outlook GAPS IN THE LITERATURE: The paper fails to mention how the emerging countries in Asia would need to do to in order to achieve a distribution system where the product is available in all small rural outlets as well, because the market structure is different in countries like India as compared to the developed supply chain system in developed western countries. Title-2: CREATING A DISTRIBUTION ADVANTAGE IN INDIA Source:www. bcg. com/CreatingDistributi onAdvantageinIndiaMay07 Authors: Vikram bhalla, Abheeksinghi, Sharad varma India has become worlds largest markets for consumer goods Due to fast growing of retail sector, India has been host to consumer multinational companies for several decades Indeed, quite a few Indians think of Unilever, Nestle Philips Electronics as Indian companies Retailing density with more than 12 billion retail outlets ,India has highest retailing densities in the world Still India is relatively new territory with a number of inter-related factors that make distribution channel challenging. Most distribution models in India involve many intermediaries between companies and their retailers. Other distribution involves both retailers and Wholesalers who are served directly by the manufacturer. Infrastructure complexity- Only few full service distribution companies operate GAPS IN LITERATURE: The literature does not mention what should be the distribution strategy for a small price product like coconut water, which also needs to be converted from the tree into the hands of the consumer in s small period of time to avoid the product getting spoiled. Title 3: ANALYSIS EVALUATION OF DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS IN FMCG Source:http: // www.beemanagement Authors: Bee Management consultancy private limited. The supply chain of products in the FMCG market in India is one of the longest supply chains an industry could really have. There are as many as 5 levels of intermediaries involved in the entire supply chain. Even though these FMCG companies are big multinationals and Indian but face a major challenge of making their products available in the market in the right quantities and in the right time FMCGs dont really have a wide network of sales agents and other force which is required and is ideal for catering their products to the markets. This aspect is taken over by distributors, wholesalers and retailer whose margins on these products actually double the price of these products when a final consumer buys it. These products are transported either via roadways or railways within the domestic markets and normally dont take more than a week to reach the retailers. The distribution activities are highly volatile and dynamic. Since its a volume game, manufacturers make all possible efforts to boost sales and promote their distributors to earn more and more orders from the retailers and wholesalers. GAPS IN LITERATURE: The gaps in the paper with respect to coconut water would include how the supply chain system would be different for the product as most of the sourcing takes place from the rural parts of the country and the demand lies in both the rural and urban area, hence the rural demand needs to be met with the units supplied directly from the rural areas and the rest needs to be transported to the urban processing plants. Research Methodology We have taken the following research methodology: Secondary Research- Research was carried out to understand the existing distribution system for coconut water for any player and any market. Since the product category is mainly dominated by unorganized players, beverages industry was analyzed as the product category was similar to the coconut water. Major sources for secondary research were websites, literature review and articles. Primary research- Research was done to find out the expectation of the consumers from coconut water and to profile the customer based on data analysis to target for our product. Convenience sampling was used. CHANNEL MEMBERS Traditionally in our country a consumer has had a particular ritual before purchasing the coconut water. The ritual begins with first selecting the best coconut and it is opened in from of him and then he drinks it. This is very much different from the experience of buying a coconut water drink from at tetra pack. Modern Trade/Large Chain Retailers Direct access to the consumer Demands contribution margins, discounts etc. from the Brand Small Individual Retailers Huge number of small point sales Can also buy products directly through cash and carry or modern trade Indirect channel (Wholesalers) Play a fundamental role in beverage distribution Possess critical information regarding volumes of sales, competitors beverages etc. Price Cleanliness FreshnessFactors Governing Production Location Coconut water has been known for its natural health benefits that it offers to human kind. The benefit are well scripted in the traditional texts of Ayurveda and Unani. Coconut water has been said to provide minerals and energy, and prevent from dehydration in case of summers in the tropics. The tender coconut water has been said to improve digestion and help in the cure of UTI. But, to come up with coconut water drink in packaged form and to cater regions all across India definitely requires answering some essential questions including the areas of high production of coconut, the demand of coconut water in the country, what is the current coconut production, etc. The following factors can be taken into consideration while determining the production location: Procurement of Raw materials and location: Today, India is one of the leading producers of coconut in the world (ranks third) producing 13 million tonnes per annum. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh are the highest producing states contributing 90% of coconut production in India which can be seen from the table (for year 2006-07) shown below. Area under cultivation in India is around 1.93 million Hectare where Kerala has the highest cultivation area of 0.898 million Hectare. In India, productivity for coconut has been increasing since past decade. In 2006 -07, productivity increased from 7608 to 8165 coconuts per hectare. Table 1: State wise production and productivity of coconut States Productivity(nuts/ hectare) Production (mn nuts/annum) Kerala 7046 6326 Tamil Nadu 13133 4867 Karnataka 3139 1210 Andhra Pradesh 8577 892 West Bengal 323.5 Orissa 274.6 Maharashtra 914548 273.4 Assam 204.9 Source: www.indiastat.com From the table, it can also be seen that Maharashtra has the highest productivity for coconut. Therefore, in future, it might come up as the largest producer of coconut if more area is brought under cultivation. Hence, one can say that there is a huge potential in India as far as production of coconut is concerned which is directly linked to the potential of coconut market. Proximity to raw material suppliers Coconut is considered as the cash crop by a lot of people living near the coastal areas. Moreover close to 7000 km of coastline in the country has given accessibility like no other in India. Any region which is in proximity (about 100-150km) to these coastal areas and is accessible by major towns and city should be considered. Proximity to domestic customers and export site Northern and Western parts of India are seen as a potential customer base as coconut availability is low in these regions. Hence the proposed region of production should be well connected with these parts of India. Moreover these parts also have ports (both ship and airports) for export of coconut water to other neighbouring countries. Costs The location should provide advantage in terms of low inbound costs owing to proximity to major procurement centres. In case the location lies in rural region, labour costs are cheap. Outbound cost in terms of product distribution and marketing should be low owing to the proximity to the domestic markets. Water availability should be readily available and cheap. Infrastructure Availability of power supply, telephone, mobile and internet connectivity are some of the infrastructural resources of the area. Connectivity to nearest railway station and airports should be taken into account. Moreover transfer of coconut water in particular conditions of temperature should be maintained so as to increase the shelf life of the product. Quality of Labour In a rural area, semi skilled labour required for manual operations is available cheaply. For the technical operations, technicians can be hired locally on as per need. Highly skilled technical labour would have to be incentivized to work in rural markets, but may also be hired on as freelancers. CHANNEL DESIGN Intensive Distribution Network Intensive Distribution is when a product is made available in many retailers. The products that are sold intensively are usually low priced or impulse purchase products.An example of the use of Intensive Distribution would be for chocolate bars. They can be found almost everywhere (grocery stores, department stores, convenience stores, gas stations, etc.) In this type of distribution the sellers unit costs for stocking are low. The convenience for customer is critical as most of the products are impulse buy products. In intensive distribution the product is everywhere. An example would be the retailing of gasoline. If you look at all the major retail outlets, they are on every corner. In an intensive distribution, the stocking costs are typically very low. Convenience for the customer is critical. When they decide that they need gas or toothpaste, youd better be there. Convenience is more important to the customer, whereas in selective distribution they are willing to travel to a retail outlet and have fewer choices for that type of product. Urban Distribution Network Company Carry and forwarding agents Redistributing agents Wholesalers Rural retailers Urban Retailers Consumers In this, the company directly supplies its product to the retailers which helps them to save the margin, which they give to the wholesalers and it also ensures quick availability of the product to the retailer. The flowchart above depicts the scenario. The company manufactures the product which is then sent to the carry and forwarding agents. After Manufacturing of the product, it needs to be sent to the market for sales distribution. This is where CF (Carry forward) agents come into picture. They act as a link between company distributor. They transfer stock from company to distributors. The distributors then make the product available in the market through retail dealer channel Rural Distribution Network Since last five years beverage companies had started penetrating rural marketing also. For the rural sector these companies are working on Hub and Spoke model. To reach out to rural India, we need to start out by drawing up a hit list of high potential villages from various districts. So to ensure full loads, large distributors (Hubs) need to be appointed, and they would supply the product from the  companys depot in  large towns and  cities.  . The hubs would appoint smaller distributors (Spokes) in adjoining area so that the goods can be distributed. Below is the diagram illustrating the same. CONSUMER PROFILING Since we are coming up with a product at the national level, therefore, it is important to identify the industry. Customers and consumers behaviors help to correctly define ones industry. Therefore, we conducted survey to identify the industry where our product will have an existence. The sample size was around 80 people out of which 96% people drink coconut water. Convenience sampling was used because of the time constraint. From this it can be seen around half of the people in the sample perceive coconut water as health drink and around 45% people perceive it as refreshing drink. From the survey, it has also been seen that people mainly prefer coconut water when they are thirsty, tired or when they want some health drink. As an overall perspective we can see that close to 80% consumers perceive coconut to be related to nutrition and wellbeing of their body. Others Thirst quencher Refreshing Drink Health drink No response What do you consider coconut water? 100 80 60 40 20 0 Percent Thus, from the survey results, it can be clearly seen that the product should have an existence in Health and refreshing industry which we, here, are considering it to be fruit juice industry as fruit juices are also perceived in the same way. Here, one might argue why not (Carbonated) soft drink industry? The reason why we are not placing our product in the same is that people do not consider carbonated drinks as health drinks, but thirst quenchers. Since we are positioning our product as health and refreshing drink so fruit juice industry suits the best which is also backed up by the survey so conducted. STP ANALYSIS: Segmentation: Demographic: The youth (Age: 15-30) will be the main target segment whereas the people of middle age will be the spillover segments. Geographic: We will target both rural and urban areas. Psychographic: Socioeconomic classification is done in rural and urban areas. Behavioural: This will be done taking into account the benefits and usage rate, as required by target customers. Targeting: Our target group of consumers would comprise people from SEC A and SEC B in urban areas and R1 R2 in rural areas, health conscious people, the youth who consider going natural as fashionable and also institutional buyers like airlines, railways, upmarket restaurants and hotels. We would also target doctors who would recommend our product to their clients. This would provide an immense opportunity to us to create a stronghold in the market and generate higher revenues and superior economic profitability. Positioning: We are positioning our product as a natural health drink that is extremely nutritive and also highly refreshing. Its tagline will be Naturally Refreshing MARKETING MIX: Product: Product is different from what we get from roadside coconut vendors since the shelf life of such products is very low. Our product has a shelf life of 9 months and hence making it available to a wide range of markets becomes easier since customers would rest assured of the quality of this product. We would also apply for accreditation by authorized food agencies like FPO and other quality control certifying agencies like HACCP. Packaging: Tetra packs will be made available both for small as well as large SKUs. The colour of the packs will be palm green and there will be images of green cocounuts, prominently displayed to reinforce the positioning of the brand. In the urban centers, especially in modern trade, plastic bottle packs will also be made available for SKUs greater than 500ml. Price: We would price our product competitively. We would initially launch the product in tetra packs of 200 ml and 1 lt capacity priced at Rs. 20 and Rs. 95 respectively. This is almost in line with our competitors pricing strategy. For rural areas, focus will be on Rs.5 and Rs. 10 SKUs. These packs will drive penetration through trials. This would ensure greater returns to us and also project a high end quality image of the product in the eyes of consumers. Place: Our processing unit would be located in Tamil Nadu since the procurement would be done from nearby places. So, we would be saving on inbound transportation costs. We are launching the product throughout the country in one go, mainly targeting the northern, western and eastern market. Focus will be on Traditional trade, for intensive distribution. This will include paan shops, LEG, HEG and chemists as well. Modern trade: In urban areas, there is huge potential of modern retail formats and our product will be made available in Hypermarts, Supermarts and Food Stores. Alternative Channels: We will also focus on convenience aspect of marketing channel. The packaged coconut water will be sold in various bus depots, airports, transit points and railway stations. The on-the-go proposition of the product makes it an ideal option for consumers to get instantly refreshed when they are travelling. Promotion: We would take up heavy promotional campaign to build awareness about our product and to push it in the market. We would keep track of activities that our competitors would be doing so that we can strategize further. We would incentivize our channel partners and create a push strategy to gain more shelf space. Heavy advertising and brand promotion activities would be taken up to increase visibility of our product. Since we are new players and unknown to consumers, we need to spend heavily on the above mentioned activities so that we can sustain competition from giants in the industry and eventually overtake them. We would also consider sponsoring T.V. shows, sports events and cultural nights so that our target consumers can be made more aware of our brand. We understand that building good relationship with our suppliers, channel partners and customers would be the formula for our success in the market. Focus will be on ATL as well as BTL campaigns. ATL: An ad campaign with a southern actor with mass appeal can be launched to popularize the brand. BTL: This will be the prime focus area especially for promotions in alternative channel routes. Such campaigns will help in boosting sales and make the product a quick-recall refreshing option for the customers. We would be placing our product mainly in modern format retail stores, hypermarkets where new ideas are more readily accepted by consumers. Here we would have a greater chance of showcasing ourselves and increasing our visibility. Besides, these are places which are frequented by our target group of customers. We would like to ensure that the quality of our product is intact when it is in the market and hence we would like to sell it through stores that take good care of inventory, have good and adequate storage facilities. Also, we would be able to track not only our sales and turnover but also that of our competitors. This data would be available through the store manager because unlike traditional retailers, he would be engaged in systematic data management and record keeping. SWOT Analysis of our product Packaged coconut water Limitation and Future Scope of Research Limitation: The research on channel design is qualitative rather than quantitative. It is very difficult to assign weightage to different parameter for choice of channel design. The research suffers from the perception of service output with respect to another. A different set of researcher may have given different weightage to different parameters and hence could have come out with different recommendations. Current market is unorganized and there are very few and small organized players. The research is heavily borrowed from the experience of beverage industry as the product characteristics are perceived to be more or less similar. We havent considered e-commerce as the channel for the product Future Scope of research: As the market is naÃÆ' ¯ve, so there is a lot of scope for new players. In future, if the intermediaries happen to be removed from the distribution channel with companies directly selling the product to the consumers like in US and the coconut water market gets more organized, the distribution channel strategy might have to be revamped. As there is no current established market leader in this category, we are trying to replicate distribution strategy of current beverages industry in India. So again if the market grows substantially in future, the present distribution needs to be changed drastically and a completely different distribution model might have to be designed. We can also think of selling directly to consumers through e-commerce. CONCLUSION Setting up a distribution channel for coconut water requires some strategies which are different from traditional distribution methods for other products like aerated drinks, mineral water etc. There is huge potential for a product like packaged coconut water to work in a country like India. Coconut is already seen as a product which is very useful in daily requirements of households in southern parts of the country, and coconut water is seen as a product which would essentially quench thirst for the people as well as have some nutritional value. Designing a packaged coconut water drink has some unique challenges in itself. To market the product, we not only have to look at the aspect of providing just coconut water to the end consumer, but provide a solution to him, so that he can quench his thirst, and also get the nutritional benefits provided by coconut water. For this purpose we have used a systematic approach to design the distribution channel for coconut water. Despite coconut waters potential as a competitor in the bottled beverage market, attempts to capture those qualities in a commercial product have been largely unsuccessful. Once exposed to air, coconut water begins to ferment, and rapidly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. To eliminate the risk of bacterial growth, commercial bottlers are forced to sterilize the product using high-temperature/short-time pasteurization, which destroys some of coconut waters nutrients and almost the entire flavor. We have studied some of the current channel designs currently being used for distribution of aerated drinks, and figured out how different strategies are being used to distribute the products in rural as well as urban areas. Also, while designing a new channel we have to keep in mind that the Indian retail setup is such that still only 2 % of all retail takes placed through organized retail. The rest of the retail still takes place through unorganized channel and this leads to a lot of intermediaries being involved in the traversal of the product from the manufacturer to the end consumer, which provides its own unique challenges. According to our consumer survey, we have figured out that the ideal way to position our product is as a health drink which refreshes, so it is placed on a pedestal where it might be put by the consumer in the same category as a packaged fruit juice. This particular product category is growing at a very fast pace, with more and more people becoming health conscious and going for products which are healthy and refreshing. There has also been a general trend of people going for substitutes of aerated drinks as thirst quenchers as opposed to say 10 years ago. We intend to use an intensive distribution strategy mostly in northern parts of the country, because in those parts there might also be some novelty factor attached to coconut water, as it would not be as readily available as in the southern parts of the country. In the end we would like to add that in a market like India, no particular channel can be said to be an ideal distribution channel. Multinationals which have been operating in India for many years now have seen that even for marketing the same SKU to different sections of consumers, altogether new channels need to be setup in some cases, whereas some modifications need to be made in other cases. Hence we would initially target those segments of the consumers where we feel that maximum chances are there for innovators segme

Carefully Reherse The Reasoning That Leads To The Paradox Of The Raven :: essays research papers

Carefully rehearse the reasoning that leads to the Paradox of the Ravens. Is there a satisfactory conclusion? Throughout the scientific history of the world there have been many changes in the way we think, in the way we perceive the world to work. Indeed theories that were held as unshakably true in the past now seem laughable, for example the theory that the universe revolved around the Earth was deemed true by all of the scholarly community of the time, until Galileo came along and proved otherwise. Such changes in thought have lead people to be a little more cautious before giving commitment to certain scientific theories incase ten or fifteen years on the are proven to be wrong. In at least some areas of science evidence is often fragmentary and inconclusive, therefore it would of benefit to be able to say more about the degree to which a given piece of evidence supports a given theory. In short to develop a quantitative account of the relationship between evidence and theory. Philosophy has sought to do this under the heading ‘confirmation theory’. They have tried understa nding to what extent various bodies of evidence ‘confirm’ different theories. They do this so that if we know a piece of evidence highly confirms a theory then we are relatively safe in believing it to be true; but should there only be a small degree of confirmation then we can moderate our trust accordingly. However, finding this intuitive notion of confirmation is not as straightforward as it may seem and one of the problems that stems from this is the Paradox of the Ravens. Starting with the assumption that there is a relationship of confirmation and that sometimes E confirms T, where E is some body of evidence and T is some theory. Then it seems logical to make the following two assumptions about confirmation: (1.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  That generalizations are confirmed by their instances. Or If E = (Fa & Ga) and T= All Fs are Gs, then E confirms T. (2.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If E confirms T, and T is logically equivalent to S, then E confirms S. At first glance these two simple statements of logic seem to be uncontentious, but they can easily be shown to generate a puzzle, as follows. (L) All ravens are black. (M) All non-black things are non-ravens. Notice that these two statements are logically equivalent. Now, take our evidence being the observation that: (I) That white thing over there is a shoe.

Gene Therapy :: essays research papers

In the world today, medicine brings together science, faith, and values most clearly in its complexity and necessity. An example would include homosexuality. Science has developed over the years and is now starting to manipulate the human mind, body and spirit. Scientists that are now working with DNA and gene therapy have identified the genes for homosexuality and have also discovered a way to eliminate it from fetuses by altering genes before birth so that homosexuality can be eradicated from humans eventually and permanently. Many different religions see homosexuality as a sin, psychologists see it as abnormal behavior and many governments have declared it illegal and punishable. I myself do not believe in changing the human genes to eradicate a sexual preference. I would not advocate this procedure for members of my family or friends who are having babies, and/or for a society as a whole. There are many reasons as to why I do not agree to the procedure of gene therapy eradicating homosexuality from humans eventually and permanently. One reason that I do not agree with the procedure is because I believe it would eliminate the freedom of sexual preference throughout our society. As Thomas Jefferson stated in "The Declaration of Independence," "We hold these truths to be self- evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"(314). If we are told that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, then we should have the right to live with the homosexuality gene and have the right to sexual preference. No one should have to give up that freedom. A freedom that homosexuals would most likely consider a source of happiness. Homosexuals are happy with their sexual preference and should not be condemned fo r it. Sexual preference is not showing good or evil. It is a way of life. Another reason is that by finding a gene for homosexuality and eliminating it from fetuses and from humans is a way of tampering with nature. I believe that if the gene was put in a human, it was put there for a reason. God and nature placed it there. By taking the gene out you are changing life from the way God made it. I think that this is morally wrong.

Bonds and The Bond Market Essay -- essays papers

Bonds and The Bond Market Given today's uncertain economy, many people are taking time to examine various options for their financial future. Different types of investments are investigated and bonds are one of the more popular choices considered. Many of the same people who talk about investing in bonds, however, do not fully understand them nor where they place in the economy. Many individuals believe that they should simply buy a bond and wait until it matures before cashing it in. These people fail to realize that they may be losing a lot of money due to the fluctuation of bond prices. At some point it may be more profitable for them to sell their bond than to keep it until the payment date is reached. There are many people who do not understand what bonds really are. A bond is an agreement between two separate entities. One of these bodies gives, to the other, use of their money for a period of time and, in return, may receive a "bond". The bond issuer agrees to a fixed rate of return which he will pay the supporting person or business. This fixed rate of return is an amount, in percentages, which is paid at regular intervals until some future specified time ( the "maturity date"). Upon reaching the maturity date, one's original investment is returned to them. As previously mentioned, bonds are one of the more popular types of financial investment in today's economy. There are many reasons why people invest in bonds. For example, if one chooses a stable and profitable bond, it will provide a steady source of income through interest payments during the lifetime of the bond. As well, the risk when investing in a bond is considerably less than for most other forms of investment. The bond does not, for instance, experience the volatility of a stock on the stock market, like many other forms of investment do. Also, in instances where the issuer fails to pay the principal amount back to the bond holder, legal recourse is available. Furthermore, in cases of bankruptcy within large corporations with stock holders, bond holders take priority and are ... ...onsequently the prices of previously purchased bonds decrease. If you are able to hold onto your bond until the maturity date is reached, temporary changes in interest rates will not affect your financial investment; however, if you need to sell the bond before the marked maturity date, you might have to accept LESS than what you paid for it. This volatility can work to your advantage too, because it is possible that your bond could be worth more at the time you decide to sell. This is why it is important to keep up to date on bond prices. You may be able to make money by simply selling your bond before it's maturity date. In conclusion, I would suggest that bonds are a wise venue for anybody wanting to financially invest in different corporations or governments. I would caution, however that when selecting a bond, one should seek the guidance of an experienced investor. By choosing a bond that is right for you and your lifestyle, you have the potential of increasing your profits greatly and going home wealthier and happier.

Project Report on Bamboo

Chapter-1 PREFACE A growth oriented Entrepreneur will always be in search of opportunities, which can generate income, enhance long-term value and command recognition and respect in the society. Looking at the present upbeat atmosphere in the NE Region for development of industry, thrust by Government of India for the development of environment friendly alternate resources and last but not the least, the spectacular progress made by China in the bamboo based industry – The KOTHARI group has decided to put up a unit in Guwahati to manufacture Bamboo Flooring, Board & related products.During the exploratory phase, we reviewed reports & journals published by forest department / NGOs on Bamboo resource in NE Region, visited & discussed with the Bamboo growers, met with machinery manufacturers in India & abroad, attended seminars, studied market for flooring and its development potential, consulted technocrats from India and abroad about the possibility of making flooring in India using India Bamboo. We received encouraging response and could feel the potential. Now we are determined to put up project and this report provides details on various aspects of the same.Chapter-II PROJECT AT A GLANCE PRODUCT : Bamboo Flooring & Bamboo Panel Boards. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Bamboo flooring/board is the newest and most revolutionary products in the flooring and interior decoration concept. The unique Bamboo grain provides an exotic oriental beauty to the interior of any room, and the high quality of Bamboo compared to wood guarantees a lifetime of enjoyment. Bamboo Flooring and Bamboo Board is also the most environment friendly construction material available.Although Bamboo looks and behaves like a superior hardwood, it is actual a grass. Unlike wood forests, which take decades to regenerate, the Bamboo groves only take a few years to renew themselves. As consumer (especially in developed markets such as North America, Europe and Japan) become increasingly environment c onscious, this has become a strong marketing aspect of Bamboo products. Bamboo’s natural versatility is suitable to a variety of environments. The finished product is all-around coated and protected against insects and fungus.It is suitable for all residential and commercial installations- in bedrooms, living room, kitchens, offices, schools and hospitals. PRODUCT FEATURES : Bamboo Flooring & Boards are made from 100% renewable resource, which saves precious timbers. Apart from this, it has so many salient features- Incredible tensile strength.Light weight . Excellent appearance. Harder and more stable than wood. Easy to install. Creates friendly atmosphere for Asthma & Allergy patients. Excellent insulator of heat/cold. Environment friendliness Water- resistant. Numerous uses. MARKET POTENTIAL : The demand for Bamboo Flooring & Bamboo Panels are expending from South- East Asian Countries to European and American markets.The international market for bamboo flooring is esti mated at Rs. 750 cores and it is expending at a rate of 50% p. a. Current trends in the interior decoration industry are ‘back to nature’ i. e. away from synthetics and towards more natural products such as wood / bamboo. Due to health reasons, wood/ bamboo floors are taking away the market share from carpets (bamboo floors are hypo-allergenic and as a consequence, do not suffer from dust mite infection like other floor coverings. In addition, wood sources are becoming increasingly depleted and the consumer is becoming environmentally conscious, the market for bamboo products has increased exponentially- for flooring, paneling, and a variety of products limited only by the imagination such as doors, frames, table tops, gift items, photo frames etc. Market response to Bamboo flooring is more than encouraging particularly for its look, strength and high-class protective coating. With support from international agencies and technical experts we are very optimistic about ac hieving quality standards.INDIAN SCENARIO: With booming construction activities, scope for interior decoration activities has increased substantially. Of late, growth in use of marble and granite is reducing as Interior decoration industry always looks for new products. There have been imports of wooden and laminated floors but prohibitive duties and resultant landed price is restricting growth of such alternative products. In the domestic market, the size of the organized flooring market has been estimated at Rs. 1500 crores for all type of flooring. As the supply creates its own demand nd if the Bamboo flooring can capture even 6-7 % of the market for flooring, it will mean a market of Rs. 100 Crores to being with and it is likely to grow at a rate of at least 15% per annum. Source: INBAR Report Our initial market survey has given has us all the reasons to be excited about huge potential not only for flooring but also for wall panels where there is absolutely no new product since last decade. Moreover, a product made in India will have better acceptability to larger cross section of price sensitive India consumers.PROPOSED CAPACITY : Bamboo Flooring / Panel 60000 Mtr2 / p. a. LOCATION : Export Promotion Industrial Park, Guwahati. CAPACITY UTILISATION : 1st Year 70% p. a. 2nd Year 80% p. a. 3rd year & onwards 90% p. a. COST OF PROJECT : (Estimated) (Rs. n Lakhs) (a) Land & Development 19. 68 (b) Building 51. 76 (c) Plant & Machinery 245. 52 (d) Misc. Fixed Assets 57. 10 (e) Preliminary Expense 0. 0 (f) Preoperative Expenses 49. 29 (g)Technical Know how & training 15. 91 (h) Margin for Working Capital 26. 07 (i) Contingencies 24. 81 MEANS OF FINANCE Contribution by the Promoters: Equity by promoters 97. 3 Grant from NEC 50. 00 Contribution by the Funding Agencies: (i) Technology Development Assistance from TIFAC 245. 00 (ii) Term Loan by Institution 98. 31 490. 44 Guarantee: Apart from above, Guarantee in favour of Government of India to the tune of Rs. 0 La cs for import of machines under EPCG Scheme at concessional Customs duty. Subsidies and other incentives of capital nature have not been considered while deciding means of finance. The same can be directly reimbursed of loan. PROFITABILITY The profitability projections are as follows: [III year / normal year of operation] (Rs. in Lakhs) Sales Proceeds 494. 0 Cost of Sales 338. 18 Gross Profit Before financial expenses 155. 92 Financial Expenses 34. 59 Depreciation 28. 53 Operating Profit 92. 0 Profit After Tax 91. 18 Note: Incentives such as transport subsidy etc. have not been considered in the cost of production. The same can be directly reimbursed (as and when due) to the lending institutions as per-payment of loans. This will improve working of the company substantially. Chapter –III INTRODUCTION Flooring plays a vital role in the total appearance of any house /shop / building, whereas, very little emphasis was given in improvement and innovation of flooring materi al in India.Since last few years the awareness about the importance of flooring has increased amongst Indian consumers and now there is a visible shift from conventional cemented or mosaic flooring to Granite, Marble, Italian Marble, and Glazed Ceramic Tiles etc. for many advantages over traditional flooring. Of late, due to ease in import, demand for wooden flooring and laminated flooring is also increasing. Since most of these products are imported hence higher cost and we are sure environmental awareness will always keep Bamboo flooring ahead of wooden flooring.There is huge market potential of Bamboo Flooring and Boards in India as well as abroad. As per the ‘Country Report India’ prepared by International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) on Bamboo Value-added industry, size of the domestic organized flooring market has been estimated at Rs. 1500 Crore for all types of premium flooring. Architects are of the opinion that since supply creates its own demand, it would be possible for Bamboo Flooring to capture 6-7 % of the market. This will result in a domestic market size of Rs. 100 Crore to begin with.Growth of the industry is estimated at 15% in the Indian market. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT AND USES World over Wooden Flooring is considered to be more up market compared to cement, marble, tiles etc. It enhances the warmth of any house and complements the decor of room. However with scarce timber resources and increasing environmental awareness people are shifting towards Bamboo Flooring, which is equally attractive and technically better than Wooden Flooring. The natural grains of Bamboo show up clearly and look very attractive. It looks very unique, elegant, and serene.The flooring is resistant to moisture, pressure, and scratch. It is flexible and lasts longer than wood. It also acts as sound and heat insulator. Bamboo flooring/board is the newest and most revolutionary product in the flooring and interior decoration industries. The uni que Bamboo grain provides an exotic oriental beauty to the interior of any room, and the high quality of Bamboo compared to wood guarantees a lifetime of enjoyment. Bamboo Flooring and bamboo board is also the most environmental friendly construction material available.Although Bamboo looks and behaves like a superior hardwood, Bamboo is actual grass-unlike wood forest, which take decades to regenerate, the Bamboo groves only take a few years to renew themselves. As consumers (especially in developed markets such as North America, Europe and Japan) have become increasingly environmentally conscious, this has become a strong marketing aspect of Bamboo. Bamboo’s natural versatility is suitable to a variety of environments. The finished product is all-around coated and protected against damp, insects, and fungus.It is suitable for all residential and commercial installations – in bedrooms, living rooms, offices, showrooms, hotels, restaurants, banquet halls, discotheques etc. Standard Bamboo flooring is manufactured as an all around tongue and groove board; a variety of sizes can be produced, the most popular being 900 mm X 90mm X 15mm, 600mm X 90mm X 15mm. Among the many possible lamination, the most common are protected with 3-layers of UV coating. COMPETING PRODUCTS Marble Granite Wooden Flooring Carpet PVC Flooring Ceramic Tiles Laminated Flooring ADVANTAGES OF BAMBOO FLOORING ) Bamboo is harder than various species of wood. It is 25% harder than oak, 23% harder than Rock Maple. So it is more stable. Tensile strength of Bamboo is 28000 psi, which is even more than steel. ii) Bamboo floors are hypoallergenic and as a consequence, do not suffer from dust mite infection like other floor coverings. It creates friendly atmosphere for Asthma & Allergy patients. iii) It is an excellent insulator. So in cold climate it helps by keeping the room temperature warm, and in air-conditioned atmosphere, it helps in power saving by maintaining room temperature. v) Bamboo flooring is U. V. Coated, which is very hard, scratch resistant, moisture resistant. v) It is easy to maintain. It can be easily cleaned with vacuum cleaner. vi) It has got excellent appearance. vii) It is lightweight and easy to install. viii) Bamboo flooring are impregnated with chemicals which makes it termite proof. ix) It is made from 100% renewable resource, which saves precious timber. So it is environment friendly too. THE LOCATIONAL ADVANTAGES The proposed unit is to be set up in the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), Amingaon ,Guwahati.We have considered different factors while selecting the site and found that there are various advantages of putting up the unit in Guwahati. Some of them are as under- a) Availability of raw as material: Due to high volume and low weight, any Bamboo related production has to be near the source. Major raw material, Bamboo is abundantly available in and around Guwahati. Bamboo can be procured from farmers in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Agartalla and North Bengal. b) Availability of Skilled Manpower: The local people of Assam have gained natural skill of Bamboo craft.They understand bamboo vary well. For these reasons, it will be much easier to train a local person. c) Availability of Land: This unit requires a converted shed of 8000 sq. ft. and additional space for storage utility and for future expansion. AIDC has confirmed availability of required land at EPIP, Amingaon. d) Availability of Utilities: Power: Uninterrupted power supply is available to all the units set up in EPIP. This will be an advantageous situation. Water: Water is also easily available. Steam:Steam will be required for manufacturing of Bamboo Flooring, which is planned to be produced by putting up a coal-fired boiler. Good quality coal is available from Meghalaya at a very economical price. e) Availability of Transport: EPIP, Amingaon is located adjacent to Guwahati dry port. All the dispatches to overseas market can be booked from there itself. Moreover, Guwahati is well connected by rain and road links with other parts of the country hence; transportation of finished product & raw material will have no difficulty at all. f) Subsidies & Incentives:Government of India & Governments of Assam is giving various incentives and concessions for the new unit put up in Assam such as Sales Tax exemption. Excise exemption, Income tax exemption, and various other subsidies. g) Infrastructure facility: Guwahati, the proposed location of the unit, is the capital city of Assam which has got all the required amenities such as schools, hotels, hospitals, colleges and other entertainment facilities. Chapter –IV RAW MATERIAL BAMBOO AN INTRODUCTION As the name suggest, the Bamboo Flooring are manufactured using Bamboo. Bamboo is an immensely useful and highly renewable natural resource.It has been used by people – most notable in Asia – since time immemorial, and its remarkable versatility as raw material is attested to in our day by a list of products which is as long as that of the 1,573 known bamboo species. From food, folder, fencing and fuel to flooring and furniture to flutes, fishing rods and even false teeth, bamboo products are used by an estimated 2. 5 billion people, or almost half of the world’s population. Although we in India are using Bamboo in various application but not much has been done for technical improvement of the manufacturing process of various products made by Bamboo.Comparatively a lot of research has been done in China to make better products. Value addition to Bamboo has been negligible in India. Bamboo, the world’s most useful plant, is a very large grass rather than a tree, yet has a timber-like quality when used as a construction material. It is the fastest growing plant in the world and certain species can reach heights of over 100 feet at rates of up to 5 centimeters per hour. It is harvested for commercial usage after three to five year s.This botanical cousin to rich and corn has over 1,000 species of varying sized and characteristics makes it amazingly versatile it may be used for building whole houses, furniture, cases, baskets, screens, farm tools, fishing rods, windmill blades, boat building, record needles, paper, kites, blowguns, polish, diesel fuel, scales, food, medicine, chopsticks, incense sticks, musical instruments, blinds, concrete reinforcement, plastic reinforcement, scaffolding, cables, both substitutes, piping, bike frames, various other structures and a host of other durable, useful, crafted items. Bamboo is also used for brewing beer.An Edison light bulb in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D. C. has a bamboo filament, which is still capable of burning after more than a century. The bamboo cable-supported Min Bridge in Szechwan is over 1,000 years old. BAMBOO AND ITS USES China: In a remarkably short span of time, the bamboo sector in China has transformed technologically and structurally . The last decade has seen China emerge as a pioneer in bamboo utilization and a market leader offering a variety of new products and processing techniques. The latest development in China has been the usage of bamboo as a viable replacement for wood.Bamboo mat boards have been acknowledged as an excellent substitute for plywood. Rapid growth of the bamboo plywood industry has instilled a new vibrancy in the sector. Bamboo has also been used to substitute plastics, steel and cement in new application in construction of houses, and manufacturing of furniture and agricultural tools and implements with application of sophisticated design, knowledge and use of improved composite technologies. Bamboo has an important industrial role in paper & pulp manufacturing in China. With a large and expending market, China is the world leader in bamboo shoot production and consumption.Growth of significant scale in China bamboo sector has been possible through coordinated research and its applicati on, incentive regimes, provisioning of support services, changes in agro forestry practices, and the fostering of close linkages with markets. Other Southeast Asian Countries: In other Southeast countries, however, apart from Thailand, which now boasts of bamboo shoot export equivalent to that of China, there has been little or on progress. It is still only the rural poor who continue to be principal users of bamboo. In Bangladesh, 80-90 % of rural houses are constructed from bamboo, as are many rural dwellings in India.Philippines, Nepal and Thailand. South America: In South America, bamboo utilization is small compared to Asia, except in localized areas. A large bamboo specie – Guadua anaustifolia, has been used for a housing programme in Costa Rica through a large-scale internationally funded bamboo project. All Central American countries have shown interest in this project. South Africa: Bamboo is valued in Kenya for soil stabilization. It is used to some extent in constr uction and fuel. India: In India, the principal usage of bamboo is in the paper industry, as scaffolding in construction material or in the handicrafts sector.Among other uses, bamboo splits or wholes are used as a fencing material and for making various types of tool handles, ladders, and scaffolding. Splits as well as slivers types of tool handles, ladders, and scaffolding. Splits as well as slivers are used to make a wide range of products such as baskets, the core of incense-sticks, kites and toys, flutes and a large number of handicraft items. They are used to make cages for poultry, drying, packaging, and transport of grains. Bamboo slivers are woven into mats and used to manufacture mat boards. However there is very limited value addition that takes place on these products.Also, since there is no automation in the manufacturing process, the manually made products are often of non-standard sizes. The majority of these products are consumed and sold at the local market-level on ly. The bulk utilization of bamboo in industry is in the manufacture of paper & pulp. The 13. 47 million tones of bamboo harvested annual gets utilized industrially in paper mills, as scaffolding in fencing, for internal consumption in bamboo-growing householders, handicrafts and miscellaneous items like incense-sticks, ladders, ice-cream sticks, agricultural implements etc.Again, no reliable estimates of quantities are available for any of these items. The estimate of consumption in each of the above categories is based on primary information and on an analysis of the industry size and growth rates. Paper: The total production of paper in India is 205 million tones. Paper industry experts have indicates that 25% of the raw material requirement of the industry is currently met through bamboo. Hence, the quantity of wet bamboo required for this is 2. 5 million tones (4 kg of wet bamboo is needed to produce 1 kg of paper. )Internal Consumption: According to the survey among grower hou seholds in the NER, internal consumption for fencing, baskets, temporary structure, fishing rod etc. is 10% of the harvest. Of 13. 47 million tones, this translates to 1. 35 million tones approximately. Scaffolding: The value of scaffolding is 0. 1% to 0. 5% of the total value of the construction industry. The total value of the construction industry in India comprising the residential, commercial, industry and infrastructure segments is currently estimated as Rs. 292,000 crore. Assuming 0. 25% value of bamboo scaffolding in the residential and commercial segments and 0. % in industrial and infrastructure construction, the total value of bamboo used for scaffolding is Rs. 340 crore (for 3. 4 million tones-price of one tone of bamboo is Rs. 1000) Handicrafts: About 5. 9 million tones of bamboo is utilized in commercial consumption in the paper industry and for scaffolding purpose. Taking a ratio of 3. 2 for commercial to internal consumption and making of handicraft, etc. the figure arrived at is 3. 9 million tones. Of this, 1. 35 million tones are used for internal consumption, leaving a balance of 2. 55 million tones, which is used for handicraft.These include baskets for decorative as well as packaging purpose (for carrying fruits, vegetables and livestock, etc. ), sericulture trays, mats, wall coverings, and furniture items such as stool, chairs, tables etc. Miscellaneous: Bamboo is also used for incense-sticks, ice-cream sticks, toothpicks, chopsticks, agricultural props in field, implements and tools, ladders, lathis, walking-sticks, fishing rods, boat masts, bows and arrows, flag poles, paddles, kites, fire crackers, etc. Agrabatti (Incense-stick): About 1,000,000 million incense-sticks are produced annually.Since 1000 sticks weight 1 Kg, the weight of 1,000,000, million sticks is 1 million tones. The weight of bamboo in 1 million tones of incense-sticks amounts to 0. 33 million tones. To produce 1 Kg of bamboo sticks, for incense-sticks, 2 Kg of bamboo is needed. Thus 0. 67 million tones of bamboo is consumed by the incense-sticks industry. Ladder: The construction industry is currently valued at Rs. 292,000 crore, if 0. 02% is attributed to ladders used for construction the value of the ladder industry is in the reign of Rs. 58 crore which is equivalent to 0. 29 million tones of bamboo.As per Hindu custom, biers are used to carry the dead to the cremation ground. The death rate is currently 7. 8% which amounts to 7. 8 crore deaths per year. If bamboo biers are used in 5% of the cases, there would be a requirement of 400,000 bamboo annually, which is equivalent to 0. 08 million tones of bamboo (assuming 20 Kg bamboo per bier). The total bamboo consumed in ladder production is 0. 37 million tones. Other Application: Ice-cream sticks, chopsticks, toothpicks, agriculture props, implement and tool handles, walking sticks and lathis, boat masts and paddles as well as fishing rods, etc. onsume at least another 0. 93 million tones of bam boo annually. The total consumption of bamboo for miscellaneous purposes thus amounts to 1. 97 million tones. Illegal Exports: Of the total harvested quantity of 13. 47 million tones, 11. 77 million tones are used as described in the foregoing. The balance 1. 7 million tones could be attributed to the illegal trade between the NER and neighboring countries (Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar). BAMBOO STOCK POSITION [1995 TO 2001] Experts suggest that 150 million tones of bamboo was available in the year 1995.There are limits to the regeneration of bamboo since it can be regenerated only to the extent of the harvesting that takes place. The growing stock of bamboo is 150 million tones, of which 2. 35 million tones harvested from private forest can be assumed to depleted every year from forest. The current net availability of bamboo is 133 million on as â€Å"as-is basis†. However, all of this is not in usable from. There are certain factors that have to be used to discount the quan tity of available bamboo. CHARACTERISTIC OF BAMBOO CULMSThickness of the culms: The culm of the bamboo is hollow in most cases and its wall thickness varies across species. Different species of bamboo have different wall thickness. A few species of bamboo, however, are solid. The general properties of the bamboo culm vary according to its anatomical, chemical, physical and mechanical characteristics Bamboo is particularly strong at the node where there is an inner disc called septum, which connects the outside walls, strengthening the stalk and separating it into compartments. Bamboo is widest at ground level, but is quite consistent in diameter throughout its length.Anatomical structure of the culms: The bamboo culm consists of two epidermal layers, the inner one is thicker and highly lignified while the outer one is covered by a cutinised layer with a wax coating. The outside portion of the culm wall is dense, containing about 5 percent silica. It has an exterior waterproof film o n the softer interior portion as well. The cells in the culm are axially oriented in the inter-nodal region and provide transverse interconnections in the nodal region. There are no radial cell elements and therefore, lateral movements of nutrients or liquids is greatly hindered.The internodes of almost all bamboo species have a culm wall of varying thickness surrounding a large cavity called a lacuna. The density of bamboo varies from 500 to 800 Kg/m3, depending on the moisture content. It increases progressively from the central to the peripheral parts of the culms. Chemical characteristics of the culms: The culm are consists of about 50% parenchyma, 40% fibar and 10% conducting tissues with some variation depending upon species. The major chemical constituents of a bamboo culm are cellulose; hemi cellulose and lignin while minor constituents are resins, tannins, waxes and inorganic salts.The chemical composition various with species, condition of growth, age, season, and part of the culm. The nodes contain less water-soluble extractives, pentosans and lignin but more cellulose than internodes. The silica content is high in the epidermis, very little in the nodes and none in the internodes. The nodal portion of a clum has tower hemi hemi cellulose content, but a higher content of extractives, pentosans, lignin and ash than the inter nodal portion. As a result the node is not elastic enough for splitting or for making strips and matting.Bamboo culms for weaving are therefore chosen from species that are easy to split and are not old enough to be brittle (preferably below two years). Physical characteristics of the culm: One aspect of the structure of bamboo is noteworthy: unlink wood it does it does not have any â€Å"rays† (the dark spots on the surface). Rays transport and store food, mostly sugar, but they weaken the material. Consequently, bamboo is stronger than wood, especially in shear. The wall thickness and length of the bamboo makes it natura lly durable. The basal portion is therefore more durable than the top.Bamboo possesses very high moisture content, which various with age and the season of felling. The moisture content also various from bottom to top and from the innermost layers to the periphery, and decreases with age. The shrinkage is related to wall thickness and culm diameter. Mechanical characteristics of culms: Bamboo is known for its high tensile strength. To reach its optimum strength there is an age of maturity for each species. In air-dry bamboos depending on the species, the moisture content various from 7 to 18%, specific gravity from 0. 428 to 0. 17, fiber stress at elastic limit from 16 to 120 N/mm2 modules of rapture from 33 to 160 N/mm2, modules of elasticity from 3 to 22kN/mm2 and compression strength parallel to grain from 26-78N/mm2. The Physiological Structure of Bamboo: The vegetative parts of a bamboo plant consist of roots, rhizome, culm, culm-sheaths, branches, and leaves. Roots: The profus e, fibrous roots from a dense network in the soil. Rhizome: The basal portion of the culm, which grows horizontally under the soil surface with short internodes, is called the rhizome. In its natural habitat, the bamboo plant grows from seeds or rhizomes.Unlink trees bamboo does not have a central trunk; the rhizomes provides the foundation. The extensive rhizome system stores the nutrients required for the plant’s rapid growth. The rhizome branches out from the root facilitate the vegetative propagation. This reproductive characteristic makes bamboo an â€Å"active spreading plant† which â€Å"unless inhibited will extend growth over a large area†. There are two types of rhizome system namely Sympodial and Monopodial. In the sympodial system, the apex of the rhizome gives rise to a shoot that grows into a culm, the woody stem of bamboo. These culms grow together as clump.In the monopodial system, the lateral bud from each internode develops into a clum or a rhi zome. As the apex of the rhizome grows horizontal to the ground at a distance from one another. Culm: A shoot of bamboo is usually hollow except at the nodes, which are often swollen. A young shoot is protected by a number of sheaths, which fall off as the shoot grows into a mature culm. In the hollow inner area, there are some horizontal partitions called diaphragms. On the outside these partitions have a ring around the culm. The diaphragm and the ring outside together from a node. Branches grow from these nodes.The part between two nodes is called an inter-node. The internodes of most bamboos are hollow, that is, they have a cavity. The wall of the culm is simply the clum wall. Chapter V MARKET POTENTIAL The Bamboo Flooring is becoming popular because of its better look and superior quality over other flooring materials. THE INDIAN SCENARIO The materials commonly used for flooring in India are Granite, Marble, Mosaic, Cemented floor etc. Since last few years, wooden flooring has also becoming popular in India. These different types of flooring are available in wide range of prices starting from Rs. 0 per sq. ft to Rs. 700 per sq. ft. The use of wooden is increasing particularly for application in offices & showrooms, banquet halls, discotheques, hotels, restaurants, conference rooms etc. There is a myth among the consumers that it is not suitable for Indian climate whereas wooden flooring is considered to be very convenient and it also helps in power saving particularly in the air-conditioned atmosphere. The consumers are required to be educated about the advantages of these flooring. Bamboo flooring has not yet been introduced in the Indian market.But considering its advantages over Wooden as well as bring shift from some of premium flooring presently available in the market. Bamboo flooring which is less expensive than other premium flooring is scratch & moisture resistant because of high quality U V Coating, there should be good demand for the product in India. As per the Country Report: India published by International Network for Bamboo And Rattan (INBAR) on Bamboo Value-added Industry, the total market for Bamboo flooring in India has been estimated at Rs. 200 Crores which is likely to grow at a rate of at least 15% per year.THE INTERNATIONAL SCENARIO There is an export potential, which can be realized for bamboo-based flooring. There is Rs. 750 Crores market for Bamboo flooring which is growing at a rate of 50% per annum. Indian companies can trap this growing demand. China is a major player in the filed of Bamboo flooring. They have been constantly researching on the manufacturing technique of Bamboo flooring & related products and hence they have an edge. However, for India companies, it will not be a problem to compete technically with China considering developed wood working industry in India.Moreover the species of Bamboo available in India are also considered better for manufacturing of Bamboo flooring because these are h arder than the species available in China. Chapter VI TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY TECHNICAL KNOWHOW Although not much been done in India respect to technicalities of Bamboo Flooring manufacturing. We feel Indian machinery manufacturers will have no difficulties in providing most of the machines by modifying there existing machines as per process requirement. Moreover, well-developed wood working machinery industry in India will be an additional advantages.All the basic machines required for this project are either readily available in India or needs little modification to make them suitable for this specific application only very few finishing machines are proposed to be imported from Taiwan/Europe. In 2001, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) established Cane & Bamboo Technology Center (CBTC) in Guwahati which helps in implementation of Bamboo & Cane related project, delivers technical assistance and arrange for training of man power required for this project.The U nited Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assisted â€Å"Cane and Bamboo Technical Up gradation and Networking Project†, covering the seven North Eastern States of India. The Cane and Bamboo Technology â€Å"Project† is a sub-programme of the large Technology Management Programme (TMP). The Development of Science and Technology, Government of India is the Executing Agency for the TMP. While the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the assigned Implementation Agency. The CBTC acts as the secretariat and coordination body of the Network and is the conduit for the network’s linkages.OBJECTIVES: The Cane and Bamboo Technological Up technologies and Networking Projects envisages the following as its major areas of interest: Identification, adaptation and dissemination of technologies for economic enhancement of craftspeople small entrepreneurs in the Cane and Bamboo Sector of North East India. Strengthening existing institutions by enhancing their networking capacities and linking them with specialized institution in India and abroad through the Cane and Bamboo Technology Center (CBTC).Enhancing access of craftspeople and small entrepreneurs to improved technology and knowledge thereby promoting employment opportunities and income generation ROLE OF THE CBTS: The CBTS is expected to play multiple roles, which constitute: Acting as a repository of information and technologies Playing out the role of a coordinator of sub-programme activities Being a vehicle for the sharing of information amongst resource and support institution, entrepreneurs, craftsmen and villagers. Acting as a platform for networking amongst constituent elements of the sectorPerforming as a catalyst to enhance the scale and depth of economic activity in the sector FOCUS AREAS: Generally speaking, the primary and secondary areas of focus are firstly, on promoting poverty eradication and sustainable livelihoods, and secondly on generation of sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities. The main focus areas are: The need to evolve and promote a better understanding of the sector Set agenda for coordinated R & D activities, strengthen institutions and agencies and create coordination mechanisms for the sectorReview the regulatory and access regime-in forest areas, for agro-forestry and at the household/homestead level Disseminate technologies and knowledge Provides support services for the sector MANUFACTURING PROCESS The process for manufacturing of Bamboo Flooring can be divided into three parts: 1. Making of Bamboo Strips: a) Straight, 4-5 years matured Bamboo is cross cut into the required length. b) Out-side knots are removed. c) Bamboo is put through a splitting machine to split the strips of required width. d) Inside knots and outside skin is removed. ) Strips are boiled and treated in a mixture of water, hydrogen peroxide and boric acid to remove sugar, starch, mildew, and pests. f) Strips are put in Impregnation pla nt where chemicals are injected under high pressure to protect the same from insect/pest attack for lifelong. g) After open drying, the strips the same are further dried in a Kiln to bring down the moisture level to 8-10%. h) For giving darker brownish shade to final products, strips can be given Carbon treatment by putting the same under high heat/pressure causing coloration impregnated throughout the sticks. ) Each strip is then passed through Four-side planning machine to get accurate rectangular shape. 2. Making of Bamboo Board: After thorough sorting, i) Strips are cut into the required length in the sizing machine. i)Glue is applied in the Gluing machine. i) Glued strips are assembled together into rough board. i) These rough boards are given required pressure in Hot Press (specially designed for this process). i) Boards are put into a Chilling Press for something till the temperature comes down to normal. i) One surface of duly pressed boards is finished on Planing machine. . Making of Bamboo Parquets: a) The specific size of Bamboo boards is passed through a rip saw to make one side plain. b) The side tongue & groove is milled into the board. c) The board is passed through a cutting and shaping machine where the end tongue & groove is milled. d) The parquet is passed through a wide belt sander for the top sanding. e) UV Basecoat is sprayed on the bottom and side of the parquets to make it moisture resistant and then again through a roller coater for top coating of UV Basecoat. f) Painted parquet is passed through U. V. Curing machine for hardening of the chemical (coat). ) It is again passed through a wide belt sander for smoother sanding. h) The above process (e, f & g) is repeated again for better finishing. i) U. V. finishing coat is applied on the Parquets through Roller Coating machine. j) Parquets are passed through U. V. Curing machine for hardening. k) Each and every parquet is thoroughly inspected and the same is packed in the corrugated boxes . Process flow has been shown in the next Sheet. EFFLUENT TREATMENT There will not be any Water/Air/Sound pollution. It has been proposed to install. Dust collectors for the collection of Dust generated in the process.The Bamboo dust can later be used for manufacturing of Particle Board. Similarly Dust collector & Chimney will be installed with the coal boiler. AVAILABILITY OF RAW MATERIAL The major raw material required for this project is Bamboo, which is abundantly available of bamboo in India, particularly in North East Region. India has the second largest reserve of bamboo in the world out of which NE Region accounts for 54% In NE Region, apart from the Bamboo available in the forest, there is a tradition to grow bamboo in the homestead, garden, field barriers etc.AVAILABILITY OF MACHINERY Different machines required for the primary processing of bamboo are available in India. Other machine such as Strip Sizing Machine, Gluing Machine, Bamboo Board Joining Machine. One Side Pla ner, Rip-Saw etc. are available in India particularly for wood working however, the same can easily be modified to make them suitable for this specific application. Some important finishing machines such as Five Side Grinding Machine, Double end Cutting Machine, Wide Belt Sanders, U V Coating Machine etc. Are being proposed to be imported.Wherever possible, we have opted for the Indian machines so that after-sales services and spares can be made easily available as and when needed and it will also reduce the cost of the project and thereby reduces the financial burden. We are ensuring better machines without compromising the quality. Selection of the plant and machinery has been done considering different stages of manufacturing process and balancing the capacity. PROPOSED PLANT CAPACITY The manufacturing capacity of the proposed plant will be 60000 meter2 per annum. This is the minimum viable capacity. The same can be increased in shorter duration.It is unlikely for a new unit to a chieve maximum capacity utilization in the initial years of operation owing to various factors like stability in process coordination, training of working, supply of required quality of raw material and consumables etc. therefore, all the calculation have been made of 70%, 80%, 90% capacity utilization in 1st, 2nd, & 3rd year onward respectively. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS The Bamboo flooring are available in different styles, colours, finished and sizes, which are as under- A) styles: I Horizontal: Bamboo strips are joined horizontally. II. Vertical:Bamboo strips are joined vertically. B) Colours: Coffee 7 Natural There can be different shades from normal to dark brown. C) Finish: Matte & Glossy. Other finish such as semi-gloss, 65:35 Matte & Gloss etc. can also be made as per the market demands. D) Sizes: 900 mm X 90 mm X 15 mm. 600 mm X 90 mm X 15 mm 900 mm X 90 mm X 12 mm 600 mm X 90 mm X 12 mm These are the sizes commonly sold in the market but Parquets can be manufactured in diffe rent sizes and thickness. MAN POWER REQUIREMENT Total requirement of manpower can be broadly divided into two categories: 1. Technical Personnel:The technical personnel include engaged in production, maintenance, running of utilities and services facilities etc. These can further be categorized as: a) Factory Staffs b) Workers Chapter VII ECONOMIC VIABILITY h) Land & development: The plant is proposed be put up in Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), Amingaon, guwahati, developed by AIDC. We have already approached AIDC for availability of land and they have assured us land as per our requirement on long-term lease (60 years). Various other expenses on site development such as land leveling, boundary wall, internal roads, etc. ave been considered while calculating the total cost of land and site development. The details of which are shown in the table below- h) Building: A covered shed of 8000 sq, ft. will be required for smooth operation of the plant. Apart from this, a semi pu cca shed will be required for preliminary Bamboo processing and space will be required for administration, storage, utilities etc. We have planned the layout for the building considering different areas of operation, safety regulation, provision for ventilation, free movements of men and material etc.The building construction cost has been estimated based on the offers received from local builders. The total cost of building is estimated at Rs. 51. 76 Lacs as explained in the Table below- c) Plant & Machinery: The selection of Plant & Machinery has been done based on the offers received from various machinery suppliers, their technical competitiveness, price, after-sale service simplicity of operation, efficiency of the machine, guarantee etc. The total cost of Imported & Indigenous Plant & machinery are shown in the Tables on the next sheet. d) Miscellaneous Fixed Assets:Apart from the main plant & machinery, various other equipment will be required such as Boiler, D. G. Set, Compr essor, material handling equipments, fire fighting equipments, furniture & fixtures, office equipments etc. We have worked out the requirements of such equipments, the details of which are as under: e) Preliminary & pre-operative expenses: This includes the expenses for company formation, interest during construction period, initial expenses on traveling, communication and other basic expenses during the pre-operation period. Total preliminary expenses are Rs. . 30 Lacs and preoperative expenses has been estimated at Rs. 49. 29 Lacs. f) Contingencies: Provision has been made towards contingencies in the total cost of project. The details of which is as under: g) Technical Know-how & Training: The total cost for Technical Know-how, Training of technical personnel & consultants’ fee has been estimated at Rs. 15. 91 Lacs. The detailed calculation has been shown in the next table. h) Margin money for working capital: The total requirement of working of capital is estimated at Rs. 6. 07 Lacs. The detailed calculation of requirement of Working capital has been shown in the next table. SOURSES OF FUNDS The total long-term fund requirement of the proposed unit is estimated to be Rs. 490. 44 Lacs, which is proposed to be financed as under: Subsidies & other incentives of capital nature have not been considered while deciding means of finance. The same can be directly reimbursed to the finding institutions towards repayment of loan. We seek equity participation from institutions for reducing interest outgo at least for a period of 3-5 years.The same can be brought back by the promoters at mutually agreed terms. TOTAL COST OF MANUFACTURING: It has been calculated by calculating cost of raw material, salary & wages, power & fuel, consumables, repair & maintenance, factory overheads etc. These calculations are based on certain assumption during the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd years & onwards of operation has been assumed to be 70%, 80%, & 90% respectively of the installed capac ity. The installed capacity of the proposed unit is estimated at 60000 meter2. the cost of various items has been calculated as per the prevailing rates in the market.Incentives such as transport subsidy, D. G. Set subsidy etc. have not been considered. The same can be directly reimbursed, as and when received, to the lending institutions as prepayment of loan. This will improve the working of the cost of manufacturing estimated for the next 10 years. RAW MATERIAL: Bamboo is the main raw material for making Flooring. We have worked out requirement of Bamboo after considering wastage. Farmer have to be educated to harvest our required quality of Bamboo which may take some time.It is therefore estimated that in the 1st year of operation we shall have higher wastage. Such wastage will gradually reduce. We shall have incentive scheme to encourage farmers for regular flow of homogeneous quality of Bamboo. This will lead to lower wastage, reduced cost of production and smooth operation on the machine. We assume after 3rd year we shall get advantage of regulated supply of Bamboo clums. CONSUMEABLE AND STORES: This includes Glue, U V coating material, various chemicals for pre processing of bamboo, packing material, stores & spares etc.Requirement of the same at 100% capacity utilization has been shown below: POWER: The total annual requirement of the proposed unit works out to 791900 KVA at installed capacity. Calculation of requirements of power and cost has been shown as under: FULE: The total annual requirement of Coal for running the boiler has been worked out at 1408 MT per annum at installed capacity. Calculation of requirements of Coal and cost has been shown as under: SALARY & WAGES: The requirements of Skilled, Semi skilled and unskilled labour has been orked out as per the production process and machine hours. The requirement of Technical & Supervisory personnel & their total Salary & Wages has been calculated in the Table on the next sheet. We have also es timated an annual increases of 5% in the Salary & Wages and have also provided for Fringe benefits @ 25% of Salary & Wages. REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE: The repair and maintenance of the capital assets has been taken at 1%, 2%, & 3% of the total cost of fixed assets in the 1st year, 2nd year, and 3rd year & onwards respectively.FACTORY OVERHEADS: Overheads such as Rent and Taxes, Insurance, miscellaneous expenses have been considered on best judgment basis to make adequate provision in the total cost of production. These have been estimated at Rs. 13. 74 Lacs in the first year of operation. We have also made a provision of increase in this cost @ 10% per annum. ESTIMATE OF COST OF SALES, AND PROFITABILITY The estimate of cost of sales, realization & profitability for the next 10 years of operation has been shown as under: ADMINISTRSTIVE & SALES SALARY:The requirements of Administrative & Sales personnel & total Salary & Wages has been calculated as under: We have also estimated an annua l increase of 5% in the Salary & Wages and have also provided for Fringe benefits @ 25% of Salary & Wages. ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEADS: Adequate provision has been made for administrative overheads and estimated at Rs. 12. 83 in the subsequent years. SELLING OVERHEADS: Being a consumer product planned sales promotion and regular advertising will be essential apart from organizing sales meet and participation in fairs.Total sales expenses have been estimated at Rs. 33. 68 Lacs in the first year of operation. This includes 7% of sales realization of finished goods towards advertisement & publicity and balance towards miscellaneous sales expenses. A provision of an annual increase of expenses at 10% has been made in the subsequent years. PRODUCTION SALES REALISATION: Calculations of the sales realization are based on the prevailing selling price of the product in the international market. The details of sales realization at 100% capacity utilization are as under: INTEREST:Interest on term loans for capital investment and bank borrowing for working capital has been worked out as under: Working capital from Bank – 15. 00% Term loan from Financial Institution – 15. 00% Technology Development Assistance from TIFCA – 4% The details of repayment of term loan and interest thereon have been shown in the next two tables. FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS Various financial projections calculated for the proposed unit which confirm the economic viability of the project, are: . CASH FLOW STATEMENT: The cash estimates for 10 years are given in the table below- 2. BREAK-EVEN ANALYSIS The details working on break-even point has been shown in the table below: We have taken the figures of 3rd year of operation i. e. optimum year for the purpose of calculating break-even point. 3. UNIT COST OF PRODUCTION: Total Works Cost of Sales, Contributing & Net Contribution of each square meter/Square feet has been shown in the table below: 4. BALANCE SHEET: Project Balance Sheet for n ext 10 years of operation is as under: SWOT ANALYSISStrengths: Vast Bamboo source for commercial exploitation at competitive price. Local people with skill to make Bamboo handicraft will be suitable for this project. Same set of machines can produce other related products such as ceiling boards, door panels, wooden flooring etc. Weakness: There is no defined goal or policy for encouraging planned bamboo cultivation. Wastage will be higher in the initial phase. Farmers have to be educated for maintaining quality requirements. Opportunities: The usage of wood is on an increases but wood resources are declining in India.Moreover the Supreme Court has banned felling of timber in North East region resulting in closure of plywood units. Wood import can be reduced if Bamboo-based products. Threats: Bamboo Flooring industry is well established in China. Their product is already acceptable in the international market. We will have to compete with them in future. There can be shortage of part icular of Bamboo after flooring, which is likely to take place between 2003-2007. Poor infrastructure in the North East. SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS Sensitivity Analysis gives an indication of how sensitive the project is to changes in certain assumptions.This analysis has been carried out to see how the profitability would change if there is certain change in the factor concerned. This sensitivity shows the effect of increases and reductions in raw material price, capacity utilization, selling price, publicity expenses and the profitability shows the impact of that particular factor. PEST ANALYSIS The following analysis gives an overview of the environment in which the Bamboo flooring industry will have to operate. We have analyzed the Political, Economic, Socio-cultural and Technological environment for the industry.POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT I Finished Product Even if Bamboo flooring is imported at ‘0’ duty from China, the landed cost is quite high compared to our proposed selli ng price. The local selling price in Nepal market is also quite high due to higher Bamboo procurement price to them. Hence we do not see any threat from imported Bamboo Flooring. We may however have to compete with the other Bamboo Flooring manufacturers in the country but that would also add to overall market growth and awareness of the product. II Import Duties on ConsumablesImport duty on consumables is also very high. The only consumable, which is required to be imported at the initial stage, is U V coating. Cost of U V Coating to the total cost of production is 3. 50% only (including duty), hence it will not significantly affect the profitability. III Other Levies Since this unit is being put up in Assam, products will be exempted from Sales tax & excise duty. Thus it will be at an advantageous position as compared to any other unit, which may come up in other parts of the country. IV Ban on falling of Trees Supreme Court of India banned felling of trees in NE Region.This will make wooden flooring a costly substitute. In the recent years, Government of India is giving all thrust for adding value and creating awareness about uses of Bamboo. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT I Disposable Income of the Population With the sustained growth in the GDP of approximately 5-6% in the last few years there has been a high rate of growth in the disposable income of the Indian households. The NCAER data reveals that the middle (annual household income between Rs. 62,000 and 86,000) and the high (annual household income higher than Rs. 6,000) income segments have growth at a compounded average growth rate of 13% and 17% respectively between 1989-90 and 1993-94. This increases demand for the luxury products. II Availability of Easy Housing Finance Housing finance has picked up substantially in India as the rate of interest for housing loan has been reduced substantial. It has gone down to as low as 10%. Moreover there are other income tax advantages too for the investment made in ho using. Hence the construction industry is bamboo. This will in turn boost demand for various products that obviously includes flooring material.As is evident from above Tables, India has about 157. 2 million households of which about 52 percent fall in the low income (upto Rs. 20. 000) category; a further 20 percent mane purchasing power of about Rs. 9,000 p. a. constitute another 12% of total. Conclusions drawn from the NCAER data is of great significance from the point of view of the purchasing power of the consumer. When compared with the data from the previous estimates it appears that the upper middle and high-income segment of the population has been growing faster. Since a major chunk of demand for this sector is expected to get larger in the near future.Within the upper middle and high-income segment, the rural households are growing at a far more impressive rate than their urban counterparts. Roughly about 137 million people belong to upper middle and high-income categories i. e. income of Rs. 34,500 p. a. This is a fairly large size indicating that the marketing of ‘niche’ products can be the promising area. II Lifestyle Changes With more and more workingwomen in the Indian families, there participation in decision making at home is increasing. Women are always expected to be connoisseur of rich test & beauty.Bamboo flooring being user friendly, easy to clean & maintain shall get attention of women and help shift from other flooring materials. The Indian families are on the lookout for alternate ways to do household chores. Also declining supply of household workers has led to demand for products, which required less maintenance. Bamboo flooring does not required mopping, cleaning etc. It can be easily cleaned with Vacuum Cleaner. This will have an impact on the mental makeup of women in particular & in the urbanized in general. III Health Consciousness Pollution is one of the main reasons for Asthma and Allergy.People with these disease s have started avoiding woolen / synthetic carpets because these diseases these carpets become the storehouse of dust mites, which aggravates their problem. Part of the market for carpet will definitely shift towards Bamboo flooring. TECHNOLOGICAL I Life Cycle Every product has lifecycle. With technological department everyday new products are introduced in the market, but customers prefer the product, which meets their requirement. Bamboo flooring, which looks better & makes one feel better will create its own niche market.Being a natural product, it is unlikely to loose its charm for long time to come. II New Development Manufacturing of Bamboo flooring is comparatively a new technology. There is likely to be continuous research on the subject and regular improvement in all aspects of manufacturing. The areas, which require attention, are a) Saving on wastage b) Further mechanization c) Better & economical coating material d) Alternative uses. This will result in better flooring a t a reasonable price. So it will further gear up to meet any challenge from any new products.

Child and Young Person Development Essay

†¢Schools/starting nursery is a part of everyday life the child/ young person will have to make this transition many times in their life. The transition that most children/ young people experience is moving from one school or care setting to another will happen a number of times over a child’s life for many different reasons and the challenges of the transition will change each time and will have to be handled in different way. †¢Toilet training is a big step for most children/ young people as they have to learn to read their own body signals and to understand what they should do at this point. †¢Sibling. It is common for children to have younger brothers and sister and they will have to learn to deal with the transition of having a baby in the house. †¢A parent starting a new job or doing more hours at work so the parent is not around when the child expects them to be or may not understand where the parent is going. †¢Moving house to accommodate a growing family or due to parent separation/ loss there are many other reason to move house also all of which with effect the transition progress of the child differently †¢ Separations/ divorce can be very difficult on children and young people of all ages as it can lead to many other transitions that take place moving house changing schools feeling of loss and confusion all of which can be very difficult for a young person to understand and cope with. †¢Puberty can be very difficult for some young people to cope with the mood swings, confident issues or low self -esteem, how the body changes, how it can affect their relationships with others and how others may see them. Children and young people mostly learn to cope with a number of different changes or transition in their life time and they will develop their own ways of dealing with the transitions, children and young people will still need to helped and guided