CHAPTER 17, ASSIGNMENT 10

ASSIGNMENT 9, CHAPTER 9

Assignment 9.4

The past 10 years have seen a growing trend for manufacturing operations to be moved off shore from the United States to Asian countries. Prepare a list pros and cons concerning the off shoring issues.

Offshoring is seen in the context of possibly production offshoring or services offshoring. After its accession on the World Trade Organization (WTO) within 2001, the People's Republic of China emerged as a prominent destination for production offshoring. Another focus area has been the software industry as part of global software development and building global information systems. After technical progress in telecommunications improved the number of choices of trade in services, India became a country leading in this particular domain, though many parts with the world are now emerging while offshore destinations.

Offshoring could be the relocation of a business process derived from one of country to another typically an operational process, such as production, or supporting processes, such while accounting. Typically this refers to a company business, although state governments also can employ offshoring.

Companies are always on the lookout for new ways to reduce costs and maximize profits. One method that has gained considerable popularity in recent years is offshoring, which refers to the sourcing of products, parts and labor from foreign countries. Although it is an effective way of reducing costs, it has also generated a considerable amount of controversy in all levels of American society.

            The economic logic should be to reduce costs, sometimes called job arbitrage, to improve corporate productivity. Jobs are added in the destination country providing materials or services (generally a lower-cost job country), but are subtracted from the higher-cost labor country. The increased safety net costs of the unemployed might be absorbed by the government (taxpayers) from the high-cost country or by the company doing the offshoring. Europe experienced less offshoring than North America due to policies that employed more costs to corporations along with cultural barriers.

Swiftness and Expertise with Offshoring

• Another advantage to offshoring products is that labor can be outsourced to professionals who are experts in their field at a lower cost. In fact, many of these professionals are better at their chosen professions than those who can be found within the offshoring organization. Important tasks can be completed quickly and more efficiently than they would be with on-site employees. This, in turn, also allows the offshoring organization to focus on other matters and possibly expand its business.

Offshoring as a Cost-Saving Measure

• The biggest reason why so many American companies are flocking to offshore their products and services is that it is a cost-saving measure. Since lower overhead costs lead to larger profits, it's easy to see why offshoring is so popular. Other countries often have lower labor rates and require fewer benefits, so companies do not have to spend as much money on labor. Other cost savings through offshoring are realized through lower taxes, different environmental and safety standards, more lax work rules and labor laws, and lower equipment costs.

Appraisal and Financing Limitations

• Offshoring a product can save a company money and provide some measure of privacy usually not available in the United States, but the very fact that a major part of a company's process is being performed in other countries makes it difficult for owners, financial partners and investors to determine the full value of the company. The product is quite simply out of reach, a fact that can cause lenders to become reluctant to approve financial assistance for the company.

Environmental and Political Disruptions

• Another issue that arises when offshoring a product is that companies are at the mercy of political and environmental disruptions. Large chains that rely on products being shipped to American stores from around the world are often out of luck if a major storm system hits the offshored facility or its shipping lines. Political issues and occasionally-limiting labor laws can also cause problems. The very practice of offshoring products takes these problems out of a company's hands.

ADVANTAGES

1. No additional employment cost.

 There can be many extra costs involved in traditional onshore staffing but with outsourced offshore staff there is no extra costs. For example in Australia an employer is required to pay 9% extra for superannuation but this extra cost is not required when you lease staff through us. In other countries there are different extra employment costs and taxes that can be reduced or eliminated by using our offshore staff leasing service. And its not just the direct costs but it is also the administrative time and effort that is required to work out all these extra charges, but with our offshoring service it is just one simple and easy regular monthly payment and even that can be automated to save you administration time.

2. Save money with lower staff costs

 This is the big benefit and major attraction to offshoring. An example of the saving achieved is that typical graphic designer in USA may cost on average $6,250 per month where we can supply senior experienced graphic designers for under $2000 per month, giving you a saving of over $4000 per month to start with. We can supply junior graphic designers at just $995 per month so the savings can be considerable.

3. Save on employee supervision and management

 While you will need to manage your offshore staff so they know what to do, we provide onsite supervision and motivation through our professional managers who ensure that your staff arrives on time, works diligently and has all the tools they need to perform their duties.

4. Increased staff morale and productivity

 You can increase the morale and productivity of your existing onsite staff by letting our offshore staff do all those boring and tedious tasks that your staff do not like doing. For example: ◦ If your sales staff do not like cold calls (and who does?) then hire our call center operator to do it for them.

If your web site manager cant find the time to get the back links that he knows is important, then hire a link builder for just $995 per month and know that it is being done efficiently and consistently to achieve great SEO results and the web manager can spend time on the more important website management tasks.

If your programmers do not like doing testing then outsource it so they can get back to the development work they much prefer to be doing.

If your senior staff know that maintaining their social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Plaxo, etc) is essential but do not have the time to keep them all up to date with regular postings then hire one of our offshore staff to do it for them.

5. Save on office space and equipment

 You can increase your staff without increasing your office space when you lease staff through us. We provide your new leased employee with a complete workstation consisting of a desk, chair, phone, computer and standard business software. That is just the direct costs you can save but there is also many indirect proportional costs that you could save with things such as employee lunch rooms and games facilities or maybe its just a saving in electricity or even coffee expenses. Each employer will have different costs but there will always be some savings in overhead expenses by having staff offsite.

DISADVANTAGES

1) Loss of customer focus, from the offshore company – Since the majority of the offshoring companies are not facing the end customer on a day to day basis, a certain lack of customer focus can usually be experienced in the employee base

2) Time differences – Many offshoring companies operate within a 5 – 12 hour difference from the end customer. This occasionally tends to lead to difficulties in communication and project management

3) Cultural and language barriers between the companies – The vast gap in culture and language can lead to business and personal misunderstandings and clashes under certain circumstances. Which may in turn lead to costly losses for both companies.

4) Heavy reliance on an onsite resource – Some offshore companies attempt to address these issues by having resources onsite. This however comes with its own set of problems as the company then relies heavily on these individuals for most, if not all, customer communication.

ASSIGNMENT 9, CHAPTER 9

ASSIGNMENT 11, CHAPTER 11

ASSINGMENT 8.6, CHAPTER 8

ASSIGNMENT 7, CHAPTER 7

Assignment 7.6

Four concepts for improving the design of an on/off switch in a right-angle drill are sketched in the figure below. Determine a set of criteria for an on/off switch. Use this in-formation to prepare a Pugh chart and select the best option from the given alternatives. Concept A is modest change to the existing switch, and will be the DATUM. Concept B adds three buttons for on/off/ and reverse. Concept C is a track and slider design, and D is an add-on accessory to make it easier to operate the existing switch.

a)      Enlargement of existing switch

b)      Multiple switch design

c)       Track and slider switch design

d)      Accessory add-on to existing switch

ASSIGNMENT 6, CHAPTER 6

Assignment 6.6

Using the function basis terms provided in the chapter, create a valid function structure for the device chosen in Problem 6.5.

ASSINGMNET 4, CHAPTER 4

    4.2)  Brainstorm about uses for old newspapers

ASSINGMENT 5, CHAPTER 5

5.5) Where you would find the following information?

    a) The services of taxidermist

    b)  A consultant of carbon fibre reinforced composite materials

    c)  The price of X3427 semiconductor chips 

    d)  The melting point of osmium

    e)  The proper hardening treatment for AISI 4320 steel

a) The services of taxidermist

The information of services of taxidermist can be found by:

1.  Search engine such as Google or Yahoo that lead to the website:

       ·       http://www.taxidermy.net/

       ·       http://www.taxidermy.org.uk/

       ·       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxidermy

2.   Journal from the scholar that study about taxidermy :

      ·       Harper, Douglas. "taxidermy". 17 July 2010

      ·       Davie, Oliver (1900). Methods in the art of taxidermy

      ·       Henning, Michelle (2007). "Anthropomorphic taxidermy and the death of nature: The curious              art of Hermann Ploucquet, Walter Potter and Charles Waterton."

3.  Newspaper and articles that discuss about the services of taxidermy :

        ·       Topcik, Joel. "Head of Goat, Tail of Fish, More Than a Touch of Weirdness". The New York               Times January 3, 2005. Page 2.

        ·       Charles Johnson Maynard “manual of taxidermy for amateurs a complete guide in collecting               and preserving birds and animals”

b)  A consultant of carbon fibre reinforced composite materials

1.  Searching from website.

 Example of website which is available for getting more information about carbon fibre    is www.carbonfibrereinforcedcomposite.com.uk

2. The researches, consultancies, training and information are available from net composite website as well.

3. The technology of carbon fibre reinforced composite material is available for research, development, prototyping and testing of innovation composite material and their associated manufacturing technologies in our 700 square metre development centre.

4. From the insight view of conferences, it can be done by training course, conferences, seminar and workshop on a broad range of composites topics.

5. In addition some journals also provides access to a wealth of composites information including technology guides, the latest industry news, an events calendar, a glossary, an industry directory and jobs listings.

c)    The price of X3427 semiconductor chips 

         1.        Internet for example google.com search engines.

         2.       Contact with suppliers and vendors.

         3.       Contact with consultants.

         4.       Attendance to conferences, trade shows and exhibition.

         5.       Visit to other companies.

 Example of price of X3427 semiconductor chips:

           ·         X3427 Chip Availability & Rapid Quote Request                                                                http://www.1sourcecomponents.com/partinfo/x3427%20cHIP.htm

           ·       Semiconductor Datasheet Parts    http://www.digchip.com/datasheets/parts/q6/parts_q603.php

d)  The melting point of osmium

Example of website and book that provide the the melting point of osmium information :

      ·       Handbook of Inorganic Compounds, Second Edition, By Dale L. Perry

      ·       Journal of the Less Common Metals,Volume 2, Issue 5, October 1960, Pages 357–359

      ·       www.chemicool.com/elements/osmium.html

      ·       www.webelements.com/osmium/

Figure of osmium crystal

e)  The proper hardening treatment for AISI 4320 steel

There are certain ways to find ways for proper hardening treatment for AISI 4320 steel which are :

1.         from the website and also from any access to digital database.

2.         Consultant from any companies that provide information about the treatment.

3.         Source from libraries that provide engineering books and also journal about engineering                       knowledge.

4.         The information may come from the network of professional friend and aided by email as                    communication medium.   

    Example of website that provides the treatment information :

                  ·             http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6771

    Example of books/ journals that may provide the hardening treatment :

                 ·           Heat Treating Progress: The Official Voice of the ASM Heat Treating Society,                                    Volume 2, Issues 4-9

                 ·         Gear Materials, Properties, and Manufacture, Joseph R. Davis ASM International,                                 2005.

Figure of AISI 4320 steel

ASSIGNMENT #3, CHAPTER 3

3.9) A product design team is designing an improved flip-lid trash can such as that which would be             found in a family kitchen. The problem statement is as follows:

Design a user-friendly, durable, flip-lid can that opens and closes reliably. The trash can must be lightweight yet tip-resistant. It must combat odor, fit standard kitchen trash bags, and be safe for all users in a family environment.

        With this information, and a little research and imagination where needed, construct a                          House of Quality (HOQ) for this design project.

ASSINGMENT #2, CHAPTER 2,

2.9       List the key steps in the technology transfer (diffusion) process. What are some of the factors make technology transfer difficult? What are the forms in which information can be transferred?

Technology can result from the application of science to add value, simplification, diversification, and productivity to a management process or product. However, technology's value wanes unless it can be transferred to a user who can apply the technology to create a tangible benefit. Arising from this assertion, the vitality of public good science funding is critically dependent on technology transfer. Technology transfer appears to be a simple communication process. However, in-depth analysis reveals a predictable learning pattern whereby, comprehension of the technology is first achieved, and then comes the interpretation of how the technology can be used to solve a problem; finally, the actual application of the technology to solve a problem. Technology transfer has been employed for centuries as a method to boost technological and economic development of nations. The technology transfer process describes the linkages which integrates the adoption of new science knowledge, and the functional interrelations of the different specialists within the process. According to Khurana (2013) technology transfer is the process of disseminating technology (including knowledge and skills) from the giver to the recipient. Grosse (1996) defines the process as the process of transferring skills, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users who can then further develop and exploit the technology into new products, processes, applications, materials or services.   

Technology transfer occurs only when certain conditions are met. First, there must be two parties at least - someone who wants to acquire the new technology and another party which is ready to give out the technology. This means the first condition is that there must be a supplier and an acquirer of the said technology. The second condition is about the willingness of the technology owner to release it. Technology seekers may work hard to search for the appropriate technologies; but these efforts may become futile, if technology owners are reluctant to give those technologies to other parties. The supplier may be reluctant due to fear of competition, due to security reasons, or because the technology might not be mature enough for releasing out. The third condition lies in the degree of the desire of the technology seeker. Regardless whether transfer process occurs internally or externally, there is one key factor driving the technology recipient to employ technology transfer as a development strategy. This factor is called technology user acceptance.

Technology transfer can be described as market pull or technology push. Market pull occurs when expressed needs or problems cause private companies to seek technology from elsewhere. In contrast, technology push occurs when acquired innovations or inventions are used to create new markets or consumer needs within or outside the given country. Whereas market pull of technology is demand driven process, technology push is supply driven. Sometimes, the push and pull forces complement each other, reinforcing the pace of technology transfer. In brief, there is a distinction between technology push and market pull or demand. A technology push implies that a new invention is pushed into the market through R&D, production, and sales functions; this takes place without accurate consideration of whether the pushed technology will satisfy the user needs or not. In contrast, a market pull occurs when an innovation is developed by the R&D entity in responding to an identified market need. So, technology push is a part of a business strategy of a company to create a market for its technology or products thereof. Many of the so called ‘international technical aid’ to developing countries from developed world can be seen as technology push if scrutinized critically.

Several challenges face technology transfer that makes the process difficult is: incomplete information; market power; and market failures. Incomplete information is the fact that technology owners do not always disclose all the information to the recipient; hence the buyer is unable to fully appreciate the actual price ant the extent of the technology. Owners would prefer to open subsidiaries than disclosing the whole truth to the would-be competitors. Regarding market power, owners of technology have more power than buyers because of their accumulated advantage and the power of patents and the backing they get from International Bodies. This situation makes the price of technology often higher than expected; hence giving a smile to technology owners and pain to buyers. Besides, the market cannot always appreciate and measure the costs and benefits of technology diffusion. Hence, technology owners may not gain any benefit that might eventually occur when the diffused technology produces spillovers. If there are any positive spillover results, the advantage will go to technology buyer alone.

Another problem is that policy makers and planners may face difficulty in analyzing, measuring and pricing of complex technology transfer processes. Together with that challenge is the intricate issue of technology imitation. Imitation is hardly reported or documented properly; hence, making the capture of innovation spillover difficult. These measurement challenges leads to another complication for policy makers of how to formulate adequate technology transfer targets for the national policies and programs in the complex technology transfer undertakings. Additional problem lies in the hidden mismatch between the goals of technology giver and buyer. The capitalist world adores super profits. Hence, their goal is often to realize as much profit as possible through whatever form of technology transfer. The poor world is struggling with solving socioeconomic growth problems. The goal here is to get technology at cheapest possible price. On the other hand, although a developing country may pay fully for the technology, the country may end up receiving outdated or secondhand technology; or it may even suffer from incomplete or inadequate delivery of technology. Last but not least, in technology transfer sometimes there exists a problem of separation of knowledge from technology due to fear of competition. Let it be known that without adequate transfer of knowledge, transfer of technology alone will not be effective. Both explicit and hidden knowledge must be transferred to the recipient. In fact, it is often difficult to get from technology owners the hidden knowledge because it is a key to a competitive advantage for the technology givers.

Finally, a few forms of the technology transfer are: (1) Newsletter (2) Technical reports and papers (3) Data sheets. (4) Workshops and seminars. (5) Internet.

ASSIGNMENT #1,CHAPTER 1, QUESTION 1.9

1.9 You are a design engineer working for natural gas transmission company. You are assigned to a design team that is charged with preparing the proposal to the state Public Utility Commission to build a plant to receive liquefied natural gas from ocean-going tankers and unload it into your company’s gas transmission system. What technical issues and societal issues will your team have to deal with?

Natural gas is used primarily as a fuel and as a raw material in manufacturing. Natural gas is considered as an environmental friendly clean fuel, offering important environmental benefits when compared to other fossil fuels. LNG is the liquid form of natural gas. Gas cooled to approximately −162◦C liquefies and has a volume approximately 1/600 that of gas at room temperature. However, facilities for liquefying natural gas require complex machinery with moving parts and special refrigerated ships for transporting the liquefied natural gas to market.

Hence, they are many technical issue that need to be taken care of in order to build a plant to receive liquefied natural gas. Cost for building the facilities and handling the vast quantities of liquefied natural gas is expensive and need special skilled workers. They need to have large cryogenic tanks to store the liquefied natural gas; typically these may be 70 m in diameter, 45 m high, and hold over 100,000 m3 of liquefied natural gas. This will cost a lot in term of financial economic in natural gas industry.

Next, infrastructure also plays an importance role in building a plant for natural gas. Liquefied natural gas need a huge place to process and store it. So, it need a place near to the sea and vast area of land to accommodate the company’s gas transmission system. Hence, a good safety workplace should be in highest priority in building and managing the transmission’s gas system. All facilities need to be in good aspect of safety and safety procedures must be followed to cope with all hazardous and danger in workplaces.

Moreover, the aspect of transportation also one of the technical issues arise due to the properties of the gas itself that is low density. The low density of the gas cause it to be difficult to store or transport by vehicle. The natural gas pipelines are impractical across the ocean, so the best way of transportation is by compressing the gas into liquid at liquefaction plant, and is returned to gas form at regasification plant at the terminal on the land. The ways of transportation must be follow step by step based on the rules and regulation so that there are no problem during transportation of the liquefied.

In societal issues, by building a new plant to receive liquefied natural gas, it can create more job opportunities to community. As we know, process and handling of transmission’s gas system has a lot of work and procedure to be followed, thus a lot of workers needed to accommodate the jobs.

Through environmental view, natural gas did not give a lot of impact to environment such as in air, water and soil because natural gas plant has facilities and technologies in managing waste in properly mannered before releasing to surrounding. For example, when managing surface water, companies must prevent contact between rainwater and contaminants at the processing facility.

They must also design the sites properly to ensure that rainwater that lands on a gas plant is collected in a central location where it can be stored, treated, and reused or released into the environment in a controlled manner. If methane is allowed to leak into the air before being used from a leaky pipe, for instance it absorbs the sun’s heat, warming the atmosphere. For this reason, it’s considered a greenhouse gas, like carbon dioxide. Hence the increasing of this gas will give the bad effect in term of health to the community. Companies that use effective liners and secondary containment systems, and continue to monitor groundwater throughout the life of the project, can ensure that leaks and spills are prevented and any contamination that does happen can be detected and cleaned up quickly.