..... Approximately 40-50 thousand people lived in this area. They grew corn, squash, and beans. At the center of this large area lies the great city of Chaco. Over 1,000 people were believed to have lived inside the city walls in the greatest prehistoric apartment complex. Crops did not grow well in this area so to feed the people smaller villages would travel many miles to trade crops for Turquoise, or shell jewelry, pottery, and other small prizes. These items were believed to have Godly powers to help their crop grow or to make it rain. They were very highly regarded and desired throughout the Anasazi Territory. The Anasazi lived like this in peace for hundreds of years to just one day vanish from the cities and smaller surrounding Kivas. The cities are carved from the rock of the canyons on the side of dangerous cliff faces. Why would they move from their great cities to these dangerous outcroppings of rock? There are a few theories. First is a great drought occurred in 1150 A.D. The Anasazi had survived many droughts before, but this one was the worst drought they had seen. The rock canyons had small runoff drains for rainwater and the caves held enough water for smaller tribes to...
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...Berkeley!–!Haas!School!of!Business,!Independent!Study! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Kiva!Case!Study! ! Sarah!Anderson! Joel!Ramirez! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! December!6,!2007 1 Introduction! ! It!was!a!beautiful!morning!in!November!2007!when!Jessica!and!Matt!Flannery,!the! founders!of!Kiva.org,!walked!into!their!San!Francisco!office!to!greet!the!rest!their!ever" growing!team.!!Kiva.org!(Kiva),!the!world’s!first!person"to"person!micro"lending!website! had!seen!incredible!growth!over!the!past!year.!!Media!exposure!such!as!an!appearance! on!the!Oprah!Winfrey!Show!and!a!mention!in!Bill!Clinton’s!book,!Giving,!resulted!in!an! enormous!number!of!lenders!coming!to!the!Kiva!website!in!hopes!of!lending!money!to! entrepreneurs!in!the!developing!world.!!! ! In!2005,!Kiva!introduced!microfinance!to!the!internet,!and!since!then,!has!created!a! global!community!of!people!connected!through!lending.!!By!partnering!with! microfinance!institutions!in!over!30!countries,!Kiva!has!given!small!businesses!in! developing!countries!the!opportunity!to!grow!and!thrive.!!The!company’s!microfinance! partners!post!profiles!of!loan!applicants!on!the!website,!where!anyone!with!a!credit! card!and!an!internet!connection!in!United!States,!Canada,!Europe!and!beyond,!can! provide!small!loans!to!the!businesses!of!their!choice!(See!Exhibit!1!for!a!sample!profile).! ! As!of!that!November!morning,!Kiva!lenders!have!funded!over!$14.5!million!to!over! 22,000!entrepreneurs!through...
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...In analyzing the efforts to alleviate global poverty in Sudan, Kiva stands out as a unique organization that is an enabler of value creation to microfinance operations. By partnering MFIs with individual investors, Kiva will continue to make its impact in Sudan by bypassing an unreliable government, raising low-cost capital, and raising awareness. Kiva connects individual investors with entrepreneurs in developing countries Kiva has achieved a strong position in a previously neglected area of the social investing value chain. By allowing individual investors to connect directly with entrepreneurs in developing countries, Kiva provides a new level of transparency and involvement in the effort to eliminate global poverty. Kiva has partnered with 89 MFIs representing 42 countries to reach out to poor entrepreneurs to help them create a sustainable living for themselves. Although lenders receive no actual financial return while assuming all the risk of default, Kiva remains successful because of the intense emotional return that is deeply embedded in every transaction. Kiva creates value by leveraging their partners’ strengths Kiva has developed its marketing strategy by partnering with some of the most prominent online advertising and networking websites, including Google, Yahoo!, YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace. Through these social networks, as well as through blogs and online merchandising, Kiva has been able to spread its message and brand image to countries all over the...
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...“Introducing and piloting the KiVa bullying prevention programme in the UK” by J. Hutchings and S. Clarkson 2015. Introduction The KiVa program was developed by Christina Salmivalli at the University of Turku in Finland, it was developed as a means to reduce and hopefully prevent bullying and victimization from happening in schools. KiVa is an abbreviation for “Kiusaamista Vastaan” which translates into “against bullying” which relates to the program’s intent to effect the bystanders of bullying as previous research showed that the actions of the bystanders effects the frequency of bullying (Salmivalli, Voeten & Poskiparta, 2011). Whereas other studies have shown that trying to change possible targets and individual bullies are not sufficient to stop bullying behavior (Salmivalli, Poskiparta, Ahtola & Haataja, 2013). The program includes lessons where students are asked/invited to partake in role-play, discussions and listening to stories told by previous bully victims and online games made to guide the students reflect over the matter. Another important aspect of the program is to improve students’ social skills (Hutchings & Clarkson, 2015), as this is an important aspect when making friends, which in return makes them more protected from bullying (Hanish, Ryan, Martin & Fabes, 2005). Being in a KiVa school is easily recognized, as there are posters displayed around the school and staff wearing yellow shirts to remind the students. The KiVa procedure after discovering...
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...The above diagram illustrates some of the major activities Kiva carries out as an organization in their process of delivering value to their borrowers through collaboration with lenders and field partners. Kiva’s activities makes economic, social and environmental impacts at many points on their value chain. Below are seven key impacts of Kiva’s work, both positive and negative. These impacts need to be taken account of and measured carefully if Kiva is to continue to evolve in their efforts to use lending to alleviate poverty. Each impact is listed under the point along the value chain they are most connected. Economic Positive Primary activities > Operations > Lending program Brings affordable capital to people in need that allows them to engage in economic activity. An estimated 2.5 billion adults around the world do not use the services of a bank or other financial institution (McKinsey, 2010). Kiva loans are able to serve these same people who are not being served by conventional banks. Negative Primary activities > Operations > Lending program Many of Kiva’s field partners charge a high interest rate. Regardless of the source of capital, the partners are typically microfinance institutions that rely on interests they collect to carry out their work. The smaller the loan, the higher the interest rate due to the high transaction costs that must be covered. This disproportionately affects the poorest borrowers who take out smaller loans (Kiva). Social Positive Prima...
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...This usually opens southward, with an estufa [kiva] occupying the partially enclosed court. […] This simple form of ruin is so common, and it enters so frequently into the structure of many of the larger and more complex buildings that I have found it convenient to refer to it as the “unit type.” Houses of this type may have only three or four rooms along the back, with single rooms in the wings. Or there may be eight or ten rooms at the back with two or three in each wing. Frequently when there are several rooms along the back there are two or more estufas in the court. Following Prudden’s identification, the unit pueblo has continued to be indentified at numerous sites. Despite the increased study, definitions of the unit pueblo have changed very little in the past century, with many...
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...1. Before Amazon.com was created, the supply chain for books was fairly simple; Publishers sold books to wholesalers, who then distributed them to various retail bookstores, institutions, and libraries. Once the books were distributed to different physical stores, consumers could go to the various locations and purchase the books. Amazon.com changed that process completely. Because they are a virtual bookstore, their supply chain for books varies from that of traditional bookstores. In a traditional supply chain, the publishers sell books to warehouses on a consignment basis; if books don’t sell, then the publishers accept returns and provide a 100% refund. However, as the case mentions, Amazon.com contacts publishers, rather than a warehouse, to ship certain books, and they only do so once a customer has actually paid for the order. Amazon.com has also created its own distribution center in Delaware, allowing the consolidation and packaging of books for shipment. Because the firm is a virtual store, they have no bookshelves or limitations on the number of books they can sell. Consumers do not have to leave their living room to purchase a book, which differs from traditional supply chains greatly. 2. Because Amazon.com was one of the first companies to begin selling books online and in doing so, established a loyal customer base, I believe it would not be a good idea for other firms to enter the virtual bookstore market. The case mentions a few big name distributors, such as...
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...were able to construct the 14 great houses of Chaco Canyon resulting in the use of 220,00 pine timbers. Of these great houses were Pueblo Bonito, the first and one of the largest pueblos to be constructed. Consisting of a south-facing, straight wall, this semicircular shaped pueblo remained under construction for about 300 years (850-1150 CE) and between 1,000-1150 CE this great house cite was the center of life for Ancestral Pueblos in Chaco Canyon. This multi-story creation consists of more than 800 rooms, majority of which served as houses of extended families and clans. These rooms wrap around this semi-circle figure creating a plaza in the middle that held the kivas, partially underground chambers used by Pueblo Indians in order to conduct religious ceremonies. There were a total of 32 kivas and 3 great kivas located in this pueblo house, (Maestri 2018). In its prime, this 3-acre building held between 1200 and 1500 people. These people were farmers who were able to attend to their crops, mainly corn, beans and squash growing in the fields around the great pueblo house, (Judd...
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...crates onto conveyor belts eventually transported throughout the FC and simultaneously sorted by barcodes. The already sorted products are matched with the correct customer orders and transferred through a system of chutes into separate boxes. Thereafter, “packers” carefully pack, tape, and weigh each package for shipment. Finally, with these completed packages, Amazon employees load shipping pallets to be transported throughout the entire Fulfillment Center and eventually to loading or shipping docks. As a leader in supply chain innovation, Amazon acquired robots called “Kiva” which transport shelves of “picked” items across thousands of square feet to “packers” in order to pack individual customer orders. Kiva Robots also assist “stowers” by moving shelving units to them to stow new incoming inventory. Robotic palletizers also assist with lifting heavy and bulky shipping pallets. Research has shown that Amazon’s Kiva robots decrease the order cycle time for “pickers” and “packers” by “more than an hour” (Lamb). Amazon’s “middle mile”, also known as the “invisible mile”, is usually its longest, most costly, and arguably most crucial part of the supply chain. However, Amazon developed evolutionary strategies to address these challenges leading business experts to assume that the company is planning to “to become a full-fledged logistics company” rather than just an online retailer (Team Trefis). The “middle mile” begins at Sortation Centers (SCs) where orders from FCs are “sorted”...
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... The warehouse business had been doing business the same way for many many years. People would fulfill orders as they came in and there were many moving parts and the potential for human error was great. Those in the industry who were willing to attempt to implement the new innovative robotic warehouse management systems were willing to take a step away from business as usual and uproot the culture of a warehouse floor with these new ideas. This ability to innovate and leverage technology proved beneficial. The second thing is how critical a SCM is to business. Only through sophisticated software controls which integrate with a robust SCM are these robots able to bring so much value to a business. Kiva describes their system, “Using hundreds of autonomous mobile robots and sophisticated control software, the Kiva Mobilerobotic Fulfillment System enables extremely fast cycle times with reduced labor requirements, from receiving to picking to shipping. The result is a building that is quick and lowcost to set up, inexpensive to operate and easy to change anywhere in the world.” In the video in the “If Programmers Made Planes” I think the major idea of this advert is continuous improvement. Unlike the airplane which cannot fly unless every component is functioning properly software can often exist with incomplete features or things that need improvement. All modern software solutions should be designed ...
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...Peter J. Pilles Jr., “Sinagua and Salado Similarities as Seen from the Verde Valley.” Kiva, Vol. 42, No. 1, The 1978 Salado Conference (Fall 1976), pp. 113-124. This article was published in 1976 and starts off by providing a brief history of the Verde Valley, comparing the Upper Verde to the Lower Verde. The East Verde River is the point at which the Verde Valley is separated. Pilles examines the environment, climate, and history as it pertains to each the Upper and Lower Verde. It’s undeniable that there are similarities between the Sinagua and Salado. He looks in depth to examine whether the similarities are due to influences on each other, or possibly and underlying influence that preceded both cultures. Peter J. Pilles Jr. seems to have dedicated his career to archeological research in the Arizona area. He has played a big part in the early years of the Arizona Archeological Council, holding positions such as treasurer, secretary, vice-president, and president during the years 1979-1983. I think it’s important to note these years because this article was written just prior to his appointment in the AAC. This leads me to believe his work is of great integrity, and this was noticed by his peers. In the article he also states the primary resources he consulted during his research. In the acknowledgements he goes on to thank all these people for proof-reading his drafts, providing comments, and sharing observations. Instead of just reading a book and interpreting...
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...ECONOMICS OF SCALE Name Institution Economics of scale Introduction Economies of scale is the cost advantages by enterprises due to size, input, or scale of operation with cost per unit decreasing with increasing scale as fixed costs are spread out more to units of output (Thatcher, 2009). The reason why some regions are more developed than other regions economically is because they produce their goods more efficiently and hence bringing more profit than competitor's regions. Since economies of scale lay it main focus on having an efficient production this shapes the economic development of regions. This paper is about economies of scale it describes how economies of scale shape the economic development of regions through description of different types of economies of scale and examples of countries and regions around the global (Stamp, 2009). Structure Definition Economies of scale is the cost advantages by enterprises due to size, input, or scale of operation, with cost per unit decreasing with increasing scale as fixed costs are spread out more to units of output. Economies of scale are known to improve with growing firms, therefore; it can be said that the economies of scale are directly proportional to the size of the firm (Stamp, 2009). From a simple firm which produces exercise books, the firm uses £200 to produce 10 exercise books meaning the average cost is £20 if the firm produces 40 exercise books the average cost is £12.The difference here is brought by...
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...Zappos was founded in 1999 by Nick Swinmurn as an online shoe retail website. It offered more than 100 brands and by 2000 it had expanded to 150 brands. They distinguish themselves from the competition by providing free shipping and an outstanding customer service. In 2009 Amazon bought Zappos for $1.2 billion. Swinmurn is no longer involved with Zappos and Tony Hsieh has been the company CEO since 2001. Hsieh has been the driving force behind Zappos innovative “weird” culture or as some people may call it a “cult”. Zappos’ culture could be considered unconventional, but its formula has generated billions of revenues while keeping customers, employees and shareholders happy. In the following paragraph, I will explore the culture of Zappos and how it manages to be successful and stand apart from the competition. I will also review my own company’s culture and whether its culture helps the company to compete and be successful. Zappos’ philosophy is based on keeping customers happy with an outstanding customer service, but in order to provide an outstanding customer service you have to have a happy employee. Hsieh’s formula is very simple: happy customers + happy employees = profits. In order words, one cannot exist without the other. Because of Hsieh’s emphasis in providing excellent service to both customers and employees, Zappos’ organizational culture profile is of people-oriented and service. Hsieh understood from the very beginning and from past experiences that the success...
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...ADVANCES IN AUTOMOBILES GOVERNMENT COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY COIMBATORE- 13. SUBMITTED BY B.SIVASUBRAMANIAN, K.VIGNESHWARAN, PRE FINAL YEAR, PRE FINAL YEAR, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PRODUCTION ENGINEERING CONTACT ADDRESS: ROOM NO:45, VAGAI ILLAM, GCT, COIMBATORE-13 CONTACT NO: 9994978256 E-MAIL ID: vickydegr8@gmail.com ADVANCES IN AUTOMOBILES Abstract In this manuscript, research on hydrogen internal combustion engines is discussed. The objective of this paper is to provide a means of renewable hydrogen based fuel utilization. The development of a high efficiency, low emissions electrical generator will lead to establishing a path for renewable hydrogen based fuel utilization. A full-scale prototype will be produced in collaboration with commercial manufacturers. The electrical generator is based on developed internal combustion engine technology. It is able to operate on many hydrogen-containing fuels. The efficiency and emissions are comparable to fuel cells (50% fuel to electricity, ~ 0 NOx). This electrical generator is applicable to both stationary power and hybrid vehicles. It also allows specific markets to utilize hydrogen economically and painlessly. Introduction Two motivators for the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier...
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...Running head: Amazon !1 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Amazon and the Quest for Domination BUS 620 Managerial Marketing October 27, 2014 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Amazon !2 Amazon and the Quest for Domination With a name that has become synonymous with online-shopping, Amazon has become one of the most recognizable and influential brands in the world. Founded in 1995, Amazon has dramatically changed and expanded the options and opportunities for consumers as well as competitors. Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, is not content with the status quo. “Amazon is a company that is anything but asleep. Amazon, in fact, is an eyes-wide-open army fighting--and winning--a battle that no one can map as well as its general (McCorvey, 2013).” Bezos realized that consumers desire low cost and fast delivery, and he took these consumer-driven concepts to never-before-seen heights through the implementation of fulfillment centers, Amazon Prime, and AmazonFresh. According to McCorvey, Bezos’ goal is for Amazon to create global, same-day delivery. This goal of same-day delivery is entirely possible, and Amazon is well on its way to realizing its plan. To make sense of how this plan will come to fruition, it is important to look at what brought the company to its current position, analyze Amazon’s competition, and understand how the company plans to reach the same-day delivery milestone. History Amazon’s CEO has been looking ahead from the beginning, wiring to...
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