Solar Cell and Solar Energy Materials

Solar Cell and Solar Energy Materials Introduction: One of the biggest challenges to mankind is highly depended on the decreasing fusil fuels such as oil, coal, natural gas. Fusil fuels are nonrenewable energy resource which usually takes million of years to form. As a result, their reserves are depleted much faster than it forms. Furthermore, the combustion of these fuels causes environmental degradation through air pollution and global warming. Combustion of carbon-based fossil fuels creates not only air pollutants, for example, sulfur oxides, nitrogen odixe and heavy metals, but also carbon di-oxide, the notorious greenhouse gas widely considered to be the number one culprit of global climate change.[1] In order to protect our environment and provide energy security, energy generated from renewable sources has been extensively studied.[2] Though it will take some decades to come close to a truly sustainable energy system, the research is being conducted to find solutions to (1) increase efficiency in production, transmission, and u tilization of the remaining fossil fuels, (2) reduce negative impacts to the environment, and (3) develop or improve technologies and infrastructure for the smooth transition to the alternative/ renewable energy sources (e.g., nuclear power, solar energy, wind power, geothermal energy, biomass and biofuels, and hydropower).[3] Among those, solar energy has many advantages such as availability and lower cost. The search and synthesis for low cost solar cell materials made of earth abundant elements has been a topic of extensive study across the globe. A brief historical background: In 1839,the photovoltaic effect was discovered by French physicist, Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel. He constructed the worlds first photovoltaic cell in his fathers laboratory at age nineteen, which was the beginning of solar energy materials technology. This experiment was done by illuminating two electrodes, which were coated by light sensitive semiconducting materials, with different types of light. He observed that electricity increases with the increase of light intensity. Then an English electrical engineer, Willoughby Smith, was discovered the photo conductivity of selenium in 1873. In 1883,Charles Fritts built the first true solar cells made from selenium wafer which is coated with a thin layer of gold. He found that the efficiency was only about 1%. In 1905, Albert Einstein published in a paper that light consists of â€Å"packets† or quanta of energy, which can be varied only with its frequency.[4] This theory was very simple, but revolutionary that explained the data of photoelectric effect. The photoelectric effect was experimentally proved by an American experimental physicist, Robert Andrews Millikan, who later won the Nobel Prize for the photoelectric effect and measurement of the charge of the electron. In 1954, a single-crystal cell of germanium and a cadmium sulphide p-n junction was developed with an efficiency of 6%. Later the University of Delaware found that the efficiency exceeds 10% with the first thin film solar cell which was made of copper sulfide and cadmium sulfide in 1980. In 2007,they achieved 42.8% efficiency in solar cell technology.[5] To date, the highest 44.8% efficiencies have been achieved by using multiple junction solar cells. Solar cell: Solar cell is electrical device which converts solar radiation into electricity by photoelectric effect. It consists of two types of semiconducting materials, one is n-type and another is p-type. When these two types of materials placed with each other, it forms depletion layer at middle of these two materials. When sun light falls on the depletion layer the materials absorb photon and the electron from filled valence band excites to the unfilled conduction band, which creates a hole and electron pair. The hole goes to the p-type conductor and the electron goes to the n-type conductor. If we complete the circuit by connecting these two materials we will see there is flow of electricity. [6] Fig 1: A schematic diagram of solar cell Some important Solar cell and solar energy materials Solar cells are typically consists of semiconducting materials and these cells are named after thesemiconducting materialsthey are made of. Thesematerialsmust have certain characteristics in order to absorbsunlight. Some solar cells are designed to absorb sunlight that reaches the Earths surface, while others are constructed foruse in space. Solar cells can be made of only one layer of light absorbing semiconducting material which is called single-junction. Sometimes cells can be made of multiple layers of semiconducting materials to take advantage of wide range of absorption and charge separation mechanisms which is called multi-junction. Solar cells can be classified into three categories according to generation: The first generation cells also called traditional, conventional orwafer based cells that are made ofcrystalline silicon which includes materials such asmono-crystalline and poly-silicon silicon. Second generation cells arethin film solar cells, that includeamorphous silicon,CdTeandCIGScells and are commercially significant in utility-scale photovoltaic power stations,building integrated photovoltaicsor in smallstand alone devices. The third generation of solar cells includes a number of thin-film technologies often described as emerging photovoltaics which are not yet commercially applied and are still in the research or development phase such as perovskite solar cells and quantum dots solar cells. Crystalline silicon The most prevalent bulk material for solar cells iscrystalline silicon(c-Si), also known as solar grade silicon. Bulk silicon is separated into two categories according to crystallinity and crystal size. Mono-crystalline silicon Polycrystalline silicon In 1981, the first solar panels based on polycrystalline silicon, which also is known as polysilicon (p-Si) and multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si),was introduced to the market. Unlike monocrystalline-based solar panels, polycrystalline solar panels do not require the Czochralski process. Raw silicon is melted and poured into a square mold, which is cooled and cut into perfectly square wafers. Polysilicon cells are the most common type used in photovoltaics and are less expensive, yet less efficient than those made from monocrystalline silicon. Thin film Thin film technologies reduce the amount of active material in a cell. Most designs sandwich active material between two panes of glass. Since silicon solar panels only use one pane of glass, thin film panels are approximately twice as heavy as crystalline silicon panels, although they have a smaller ecological impact.[8]The majority of film panels have 2-3 percentage points lower conversion efficiencies than crystalline silicon. Cadmium telluride(CdTe),copper indium gallium selenide(CIGS) andamorphous silicon(a-Si) are three thin-film technologies often used for outdoor applications. CIGS technology laboratory demonstrations reached 20.4% as of December 2013. The lab efficiency of GaAs thin film technology topped 28%. Thequantum efficiencyof thin film solar cells is also lower due to reduced number of collected charge carriers per incident photon. Most recently, CZTS solar cell emerge as the less-toxic thin film solar cell technology, which achieved ~12% efficiency. Cadmium telluride Cadmium telluride is the only thin film material so far to rival crystalline silicon in cost/watt. However cadmium is a highly toxic andtelluriumsupplies are limited. Thecadmiumpresent in the cells would be toxic if released. However, release is impossible during normal operation of the cells and is unlikely during fires in residential roofs.[9]A square meter of CdTe contains approximately the same amount of Cd as a single C cellnickel-cadmium battery, in a more stable and less soluble form.[9] Copper indium gallium selenide Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) is adirect band gapmaterial. It has the highest efficiency (~20%) among all commercially significant thin film materials. Traditional methods of fabrication involve vacuum processes including co-evaporation and sputtering. Recent developments atIBMandNanosolar attempt to lower the cost by using non-vacuum solution processes. Gallium arsenide thin film The semiconductor materialGallium arsenide(GaAs) is also used for single-crystalline thin film solar cells. Although GaAs cells are very expensive, they hold the worlds record in efficiency for asingle-junctionsolar cell at 28.8%.[10]GaAs is more commonly used inmultijunction photovoltaic cellsforconcentrated photovoltaics and forsolar panels on spacecrafts, as the industry favours efficiency over cost forspace-based solar power. Perovskite solar cells The name perovskite solar cell is derived from the ABX3crystal structureof the absorber materials, which is referred to as perovskite structure. The most commonly studied perovskite absorber is methylammonium lead trihalide (CH3NH3PbX3, where X is ahalogenion such asI−,Br−,Cl−). Formamidinumlead trihalide (H2NCH3NH3PbX3) is a recently studied newer material which shows promise, with a bandgap between 2.23eV and 1.48eV. This minimum bandgap is closer to the optimal for asingle-junction cellthan methylammonium lead trihalide, so it should be capable of higher efficiencies. The efficiencies of perovskite solar cell have increased to 12.8% in 2014.[11] This increased efficiency is making them a very rapidly advancing technology and a hot topic in the solar cell field. Perovskite solar cells are also forecast to be extremely cheap to scale up, making them a very attractive option for commercialization. Quantum dots semiconductor solar cell: Quantum dots are tiny particles or nanocrystals of a semiconducting material with diameters in the range of 2-10 nanometers. Due to high surface to volume ratios for these particles, quantum dots display unique electronic properties, intermediate between those of bulk semiconductors and discrete molecules. Due to their small size, the electrons in quantum dots are confined in a small space which is called quantum box. When the radii of the semiconductor nanocrystal is smaller than the exciton Bohr radius (exciton Bohr radius is the average distance between the electron in the conduction band and the hole it leaves behind in the valence band), there is quantization of the energy levels according to Pauli’s exclusion principle (Figure 1).[12][13]The discrete, quantized energy levels of quantum dots relate them more closely to atoms than bulk materials. Generally, as the size of the crystal decreases, the difference in energy between the highest valence band and the lowest conduc tion band increases. More energy or more energy light is then needed to excite an electron from valance band to conduction band. Therefore, the properties of semiconducting materials can be tuned by changing the size of the quantum dots. By using different sized quantum dots in multi-layer junction we can absorb wide range of light. Figure 4: Splitting of energy levels in quantum dots due to the quantum confinement effect, semiconductor band gap increases with decrease in size of the nanocrystal.[12][13] Conclusion The primary energy sources: coal, oil and natural gas are fossil fuels are polluting our environment. Furthermore, these resources are quickly depleting and becoming extremely expensive day by day. Therefore, weneedtoconsiderrenewableenergysources such as solar energy, by using solar cells we cangenerate electricalpower by converting solar energy intoelectricity. Reference: Wang, Zhong Lin.Nanotechnology for the energy challenge. Ed. Javier Garcà ­a-Martà ­nez. John Wiley Sons, 2013. Hou, Yu, Ruxandra Vidu, and Pieter Stroeve. Solar energy storage methods.Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research50.15 (2011): 8954-8964. Moniz, E. J.; Garcia-Martinez, J. Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, Germany, 2010 Einstein, Albert. The photoelectric effect.Ann. Phys17 (1905): 132. Delaware University, US, HP http://www.udel.edu/PR/ UDaily/2008/jul/solar072307 .html Li, Zhongrui, et al. Light-harvesting using high density p-type single wall carbon nanotube/n-type silicon heterojunctions.Acs Nano3.6 (2009): 1407-1414. Green, M. A. Recent developments in photovoltaics.Solar energy76.1 (2004): 3-8. Pearce, Joshua, and Andrew Lau. Net energy analysis for sustainable energy production from silicon based solar cells.ASME Solar 2002: International Solar Energy Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2002. Fthenakis, Vasilis M. Life cycle impact analysis of cadmium in CdTe PV production.Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews8.4 (2004): 303-334. Yablonovitch, E., O. D. Miller, and S. R. Kurtz. The opto-electronic physics that broke the efficiency limit in solar cells.Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2012 38th IEEE. IEEE, 2012. Qin, Peng, et al. Perovskite Solar Cells with 12.8% Efficiency by Using Conjugated Quinolizino Acridine Based Hole Transporting Material.Journal of the American Chemical Society(2014). Reimann, S. M.; Manninen, M. Reviews of Modern Physics, 2002, 74(4), 1283. Bawendi, M. C.; Steigerwald, M. L.; Brus, L. E. Annual Review of Physical Chemistry, 1990, 41, 477.

Spanish-American War :: essays research papers

The cause of the Spanish-American War relates directly to Cuba, and the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine. In 1895, Cuba was extremely governmentally disorganized, and was beginning to rise against Spain. The Cuban’s soon adopted a conception that the more damage that they did to the Cuban mainland, the faster the Spaniards would leave Cuba, and the Americans would help the Cubans to win their independence. The Americans soon came to Cuba, in an attempt to assist the Cubans in their fight for freedom. The Spanish intervention with Cuba threatened the trade routes that America had near, and with Cuba. By helping Cuba, America would be vastly saving itself economically because these routes were highly valuable. During this time you must remember that the United States had a new, powerful Navy, and they were anxious to show their power off to the rest of the world. Cuba served as the perfect stage to put on a show. When Spanish General Weyler arrived, he controlled the rebellion in Cuba by herding the Cuban citizens into enclosed concentration camps. They were detained under very unsanitary and inhumane conditions. Many of them died. This treatment of the Cuban people by the Spanish angered the American public, and they demanded that war be declared against Spain. The American people were clearly disgusted by the way the Spaniards treated the Cubans. Why wouldn’t they be? The Spaniards treated them like scum. They were livid; the Americans wanted the government to take action against the Spaniards for the actions they took against the Cubans. Both Presidents Cleveland and McKinley tried to keep America out of war. In 1896, Congress overwhelmingly passed a resolution that called for President Cleveland to review the impending situation in Cuba. The anti-imperialist Cleveland refused to do anything. But, on February 15, 1898, the American battleship U.S.S. Maine anchored in Havana Harbor exploded. Two hundred and sixty of the American crewmen were killed. On April 11, 1898 President McKinley went to Congress and asked for American troops to stop the war. Congress agreed and on April 25 the U. S. declared war on Spain. In McKinley’s declaration of war against Spain, he stated "For the recognition of the independence of the people of Cuba, demanding that the Government of Spain relinquish its authority and Government in the island of Cuba, and to withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, and directing the President of the United States to use the land and naval forces of the United States to carry these resolutions into effect.

Media Criticism

Getting the right scope of a television program enables it to penetrate the viewing habits of the audiences. Since the complete line up of ideas and program formats are intended to satisfy the viewers, it would be appropriate to input program and story aspects according to the currently accepted social situation. In line with this, viewing a previously run TV show may provide a great sense of nostalgia especially for the people who have experienced watching it in the past. The â€Å"old school† TV program chosen for this article is Charlie’s Angels. Apparently, this program was considered to be one of the pioneers in providing the viewers satisfying and exciting storylines back in the 1970’s. If the program format is to be identified with the aspect of postmodernism, then it can easily fit in that category, simply because of the fact that the ideology and the events of most episodes reflect the criterion of a post modernist era. Some of the best ways to recognize the philosophy of post modernism in the show is by identifying how the characters and the plot of each episode interacted with one another. One very clear aspect of a modernly patterned theme of Charlie’s Angels may be recognized on the type of empowerment given to women. Since in the past, women are looked below the standards of the society, the show was able to inhibit the previous notion of not letting women enter any types of physical activities especially those of which that induce masculinity factor. It can be seen in most episodes that the three lady characters were always set to complete missions that were clearly identified for men. Another very good example of modernism aspect in the show is the introduction of different things and objects for the purpose of assisting the missions of the protagonists. The then modern technology played an important role in providing the audiences some fresh ideas on how science has ultimately changed the tasks of ordinary people. Different devices, gadgets and instruments were all part of the Charlie’s Angles missions. Apart from the post modernism structure of the show, Charlie’s Angels also induces a very huge aspect of nostalgia. Even for younger people during those times, the concept of having a TV show regularly viewed have already introduced some great memories for them to be always cherished. The way the main actresses dressed, the simple yet unique materials they used and even the musical score or theme song of the program all play an important part in bringing good memories of the show in the present time. Nostalgia is referred to as an emotional or mental condition in which a person feels a longing of the past’s observed matters. For Charlie’s Angels, this type of emotional attachment can be felt especially for those people who were so dearly attached to the program. Patiently waiting for the next episode to be broadcasted was a part of their lives, giving a sense of affection even to the main characters of the program. In today’s generation of Television programs on the other hand, post-modernism can still be observed. For example, the TV series The Amazing Race provides some very good factors in which the modern era of showcasing different concepts in broadcasting may be observed. Looking at the complete structure of the program, one may easily identify how it already embodies the current social structure of the human population. Since it is a reality program, it has already stabilized its approach on what post-modernism really is-the general and non-alignment to a hierarchical format of presentation (Wikipedia, 2007). Obviously, The Amazing Race do not follow a particular script and depend all of the program’s events according to the way the contestant’s and their surroundings interact with each other. Everything is to be observed in relative to the person (contestants) who build the program structure. The modern day individual tend to be more adaptive to his surroundings as depicted in the TV program. Although there is the essence of teamwork, each of the people involved has his own decision making power and may sometimes even contradict the decision of other members. One more attribute about the post-modernism aspect of the show is readily evident on the freedom of the producer and the director to choose the type of sequence they want to shoot for the purpose of immersing the audience in the program. Since the budgetary aspects are independent of the terms of large Hollywood outfits, modern process of instilling one’s creativity to the program will directly affect its viewers. Overall, The Amazing Race is a complete replica of Charlie’s Angles in terms of a liberated approach in entertainment. Both programs diverted away from the normal custom of producing shows based on the conservative structure of past generations of society. The acceptance of post modernism ideas is somehow controversial on the part of the social analyst’s perception. Since the philosophy reflect the outcome of events after the Second World War, it can’t be justified whether such philosophy is an independent one or basically a form of thinking based on the overall flow of past history. One thing is certain; post modernism’s definition of philosophy is evident even in today’s media. References Wikipedia. 2007. Postmodernism. Wikipedia-The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 10, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism.

INFORMATION

INFORMATION ICT as a CareerThe ICT field is developing on a dailybasis and there is no telling how thisscene will be in the next ten or soyears. Twenty years ago, ICT as acareer was not known especially withcomputers. Fixed telephones were notused vastly especially in the developingworld; with the advent of mobiletelephones though, the subscriber basehas increased. Developing countries arenow being targeted for their hugepotential.The main advantage if ICT as a career isthat it is dynamic, it is foreverchanging. This creates newopportunities in this sector; forinstance, new communication hardwareand software is being created. Thiscreates new opportunities in teaching;the instructors always have to be up todate.The requirements for one to join the ICTsector are varied. With knowledge inMicrosoft word, excel and access, youcan get a job as a data entry clerk.Toget higher up the ladder, you wouldneed an undergraduate degree or amaster's degree in the related field.Training of personnel in the ICT s ector isrelatively inexpensive but you will needto make sure that the quality ofeducation is up to the mark.ICT creates motivation. when Bill Gatesfounded Microsoft, he had a vision ofhaving every computer in homes andoffices running his Microsoft software.This has shaped the way we all live andcommunicate in today's world.Entrepreneurship that is being createdby ICT is enormous. Cyber cafes arepopping up everywhere; people have tocheck their e-mails almost on a dailybasis. Print media is being replaced bythe internet where daily papers arebeing distributed, news channels alsooffer broadband video streaming andhome made pod-casts are on theincrease. ICT is lucrative because of the...

The rational emotive behavior therapy

The rational emotive behavior therapy The rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) approach can be applied in dealing with most of the clients’ problems. The REBT approach rests on the premise that the events that occur in our lives do not upset us, but the beliefs held by each individual makes us anxious, unhappy, depressed, and enraged. The use of this approach, coupled with values and code of ethics, enables us to teach some of our clients on ways to become happy.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The rational emotive behavior therapy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While dealing some of the clients, it may be important to adopt both instrumental and terminal values. Instrumental values are permanent in nature and they form the core values of what an organization or a group believes in. Some of the instrumental values adopted include, ambition, sincerity, honesty, courageousness, responsibility, politeness, a keen sense of evaluation, confident iality, trust and obedience. All these values are applied while listening to clients and when deciding on the most appropriate plan that can be used in addressing the client’s issues. The instrumental values act as a gate pass to the terminal values. On the other hand, terminal values are defined as the goals that an organization, group, or an individual aim to achieve in the long run. Some of the terminal values applied in our case include, seeing happy families, instilling happiness and inner harmony in our clients, a sense of accomplishment, true friendship with our clients, exhibiting degree of wisdom while addressing some of the clients’ problems, ensuring that our clients live comfortable and enjoyable lives, and social recognition. All terminal values are achieved when client problems are solved or assistance on the same is offered. One of the applied theories of prejudice formation is the belief theory of prejudice. The belief theory of prejudice â€Å"suggest s that prejudice results from an aversion toward individuals who hold beliefs which are incongruent with one’s own† (Dienstbier, 1972), p.146). In relation to the study, the belief theory of prejudice is applied in a more positive way in addressing the issues and problems that most of our clients face in their day to day activities. Real life observations and the psychological evidence among clients aid in shaping how experienced problems can be solved. While addressing the issues and problems of our clients, the group adopts some codes of behavior to enhance professional-client relationship. According to Bayles (1981), an appropriate ethical conception of the client by cultivating a professional relationship with him/her gives the client freedom to determine the extent to which his/her life is affected, thereby warranting the client to make some decisions.Advertising Looking for report on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main focus of our group is allowing clients to express themselves. At the same time, we are also able to play the role of professionals. Since clients lack the professional knowledge and expertise required in addressing their problems, we assume fiduciary duty. Although the client assumes a significant responsibility and authority in decision making, as professionals we provide special care which is worthy the client’s trust. Discretion is another code of ethical behavior that our group adopts while addressing the issues of our clients. To begin with, discretion is a broader concept of confidentiality and privacy (Bayles, 1981). This means that not only is the client’s information kept confidential but the value of privacy is observed keenly. The implication made is that we do not meddle with a client’s business which is unrelated to the problem we were hired to undertake. A Client’s private life, welfare, and behavior are ke pt discrete thus gaining the value of trustworthiness. As noted by Bayle (1981), confidentiality is an element of responsibility of discretion. Therefore, confidentiality is highly safeguarded while dealing with our clients and so is their privacy. Another element used is competence which has been considered as the highest moral characteristic. As a group, we take our clients request with high level of esteem, responsibility, and respect. In addition, the requests and the needs of clients are handled with potential competence to ensure a good reputation. In cases whereby the issue is beyond our specialty, advice is offered to the clients since clients lack the ability to know when a different type of specialist is required. This has always acted as a driving force of the group in meeting the client’s needs and demands. Honesty also is applied in addressing the client’s problems and issues. In summary, both terminal and instrumental values are adopted by our group while dealing with clients’ problems and in running the group. Some of the terminal values applied include seeing happy families, exhibiting degree of wisdom while addressing problems, instilling happiness and inner harmony in our clients, a sense of accomplishment, and true friendship with our clients among others. The instrumental values include trust, honesty, confidentiality, and a sense of responsibility among others. The belief theory of prejudice is applied via the observation of the behaviour and the attitudes of the clients in a positive way. Some of the codes behaviour adopted from Michael Bayles includes discretion, honesty, trust, privacy, and confidentiality. Lastly, competence and fiduciary duty are applied while addressing issues affecting our clients.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The rational emotive behavior therapy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reference List Bayles, M. D. (1981). Professi onal ethics (Obligation to clients). Belmont. CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. Dienstbier, R. A. (1972). A modified belief theory of prejudice emphasizing the mutual casualty of racial prejudice and anticipated belief differences. Psychological Review, 79(2), 146–160.

Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Civil War - Essay Example The Union used its military to bring the economy of the South to a stand still through having the coast blockaded. In addition, it took control of Mississippi and the Tennessee River system from the west as well as the Atlanta and captured the entire territory from Georgia to the Carolinas. The strategy from the east was to capture Richmond, which was under the supervision of Robert Lee before he was forced to surrender by Grant. This decisive Northern victory was followed by a Reconstruction period. By the time the war was over, approximately 970, 000 citizens had been left as casualties with more than 560,000 dead. The leading cause of the war, the nature of its outcome as well as its name have all remained topics of discussions and controversies since then (Cobbs 414). It is believed that the origin of the Civil War can only be traced within the complicated issues of politics, slavery and conflicts arising between the State’s rights scope and the federal powers, modernizati on, economics, sectionalism, expansionism, and Antebellum period competing nationalism. Despite the disagreements among historians on the causative events of the war and its relative importance, they all agree on the effects the war. War is considered as the most destructive consequent of the political mechanism of man and his ambitions. While all wars are taken as being equally horrific, one war that will always stand out of the rest is the Civil War. Taking place between 1861 and 1865, the war is remembered as being the deadliest war ever witnessed in the history of America. Reasons Why the North won the War Between the participating parts; the Northern States and the Southern States, the Union emerged as the victors and this victory has been associated with several reasons; The Northern States outnumbered their counterparts making the Southern unable to match the advancing force from the north. The north enjoyed a majority of States with the Union having at least 20 pure states w hile the South had only 11 states. This ensured that the Union’s manpower was greater thus automatically countering the strength of the Confederate army. The Northern State also had far much bigger number of soldiers approximated to be above 2, 400, 000 while the Southern States having an inferior number of soldiers that was bellow 1, 000, 000 (Boyer 500). The other factor that gave the Union an age over the Confederate was the industry superiority of the Union. Its industrial position ensured that the Northern States had more financial resources and money to see them through the war. This financial status meant that the union was well–off when it came to supplying its troops with arms which ensured that they kept fighting, constantly received medical attention and food supply was readily available. The industrial strength of the Union was far much superior. This was characterized a better number industries and factories that offered the necessary fuel, ammunition and weaponry equipment. The Southern States on the other hand were mostly plantation and cotton owners with insufficient advanced depots and suppliers (Cobbs 434). This left the south with limited supply and food resources as well as war equipment thus they had no chance of stopping the

Competitive Advantage Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Competitive Advantage - Assignment Example It encompasses several aspects of a company's marketing tactics and strategies in building a strong competitive advantage that can secure the company's future. A competitive advantage is plainly a facet or capability of the organisation that it occupies or extends to the customers. For an organisational facet to form a 'competitive advantage', it needs to be unequalled in the market and not acquired by any other existing or upcoming competition in the market. This notion can also be translated in the words of Barney (2002, p9) as, "a firm experiences competitive advantages when its actions in an industry or market create economic value and when few competing firms are engaging in similar actions". Porter (1985, p3) explores the concept of competitive advantage as the capability of an organisation to create value for its customers in a way that procures more value to the customers than the competitors, he says, "Competitive advantage grows out of value a firm is able to create for its buyers that exceeds the firm's cost of creating it. Value is what buyers are willing to pay, and superior value stems from offering lower prices than competitors for equivalent benefits or providing unique benefits that more than offset a higher price. There are two basic types of competitive advantage: cost leadership and differentiation". Hence, a firm's competitive advantage has to be unique among all the other companies in the market. This implies that whatever company owns and provides to customers should have one or more differential aspect that can distinguish it form its competitors. Today, many organisations engage in providing almost same kind of products to a specific range of products. Consequently, the customers need to choose between a lot of options with slight distinction to satisfy their needs and problems. For a firm to win more customers than its competitors and sustain them in the long run, it needs to offer its customers something that is not being currently offered in the market. For instance, a different product with enhanced value, a courteous and friendly workforce, a well-known company image, and a breakthrough in technology helpful in satisfying customers in a much better way than the competitors. The customers would only be willing to buy the company's product or even pay a higher price for it if there's something in the product or service being by the company that the customers perceive to be valuable or different in satisfying their needs than other products in the market. The more the customers perceive the product to be valuable, the more the opportunity for the company to remain successful in the long run. The upcoming section of the paper investigates into some of the aspects of a company's marketing tactics and manoeuvres that could be utilised towards the achievement of a competitive advantage. Winning Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty And Trust Firms consistently endeavour to attain the mellowest possible levels of customer satisfaction and retention to survive in the modern competitive business arena. It is a factor that rightfully approximates a company's emplacement in the competitive market. If the customers are satisfied, the company is likely to be successful; otherwise it is doomed to be obscure in the future