A study on gender differences in computer science Essay Example for Free

A study on gender differences in computer science Essay A study on gender differences in computer science field found that despite males and females entering kindergarten with an equal ability in overall mathematics and science performance levels, there was an observable gender gap in mathematics and science by the end of 5th grade (Varma 2010, p. 303). By the end of 5th grade, students perceive that mathematics, science, and computing is for white males (Clewell Braddock 2000, p.90). This trend identified by Varma (2010, p.303) continues from 5th grade through to high school graduation, resulting in males and females entering university with different achievement levels in mathematics and science (Varma 2010, p.303). Due to the differing achievement levels, males predictably had a higher confidence level and positive attitude than females (Varma 2010, p.303). Doube and Lang (2012, p. 66) found that males had a higher self-concept in STEM fields than females despite an equivalent and sometimes lower level of achievement. Females\ low confidence level could also deter them from selecting and persisting in computing courses (Doube Lang 2012, p.66). Vitores and Gil-Juarez (2016, p.666) found there is a decline in the number of women selecting computing and information technology (IT) degree programs across the world. Women found their teachers\ perceptions of female students to be generally lower than those of the male students which also resulted in a decrease in self-confidence and an increase in anxiety toward their field of study (Beyer et al. 2005, p.393). Due to insufficient training and unequal emphasis to male and female students, one significant factor for cultural reproduction is teachers being held responsible for continuing the belief that males dominate the mathematics, science and computing fields (Varma 2010, p.302) giving status to science and technology (Male, Bush Murray 2009, p.456). Male (2010, p.462) suggests that in order to improve the retention of female engineering students, engineering administrators must investigate the existing assumed gender neutral cultures rather than making women fit the current structure. Varma (2010, p.314) suggests teachers in primary and high school need to improve their style of teaching instead of continuing the belief that females are more suited to humanities, social sciences and arts and males are suited to mathematics, sciences, and computing. Another significant factor for cultural reproduction is the lack of significant female role models in computing which would help to change the perception of stereotypes in the field from \geeky\ or \nerdy\ (Varma 2010, p.303). Stereotypes such as antisocial \ geeks\ and having a career that doesn\t require or value personal skills or a career that doesn\t necessarily help others has been identified as a deterrent to female involvement in the computing discipline (Doube Lang 2012, p.66). Sorby (2007, p.2) proposes that \female role models and mentors will be important to increasing gender diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics\ due to women in male-dominated professions reporting they felt threatened by negative stereotypes. Researchers have found that 3D spatial skills such as mentally rotating objects in space are critical to success in a variety of careers, particularly in engineering and science (Sorby 2007, p.1). Several researchers have published evidence to suggest that female spatial skills are greatly behind that of a male (Sorby 2007, p.2). One theory is that spatial ability is related to a male sex hormone, however, the skill is most likely due to a number of factors such as pre-university activities requiring hand-eye coordination such as playing with construction toys, high school classes like shop/woodwork, playing computer games and sports (Sorby 2007, p.2). Sorby (2007, p.2) states that \ since most of those activities have a fairly high degree of gender bias favoring men, it is no wonder that the spatial skills of women often fall behind those of their male peers\. In conclusion, meritocracy is not the reason a greater number of males study the Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) field over females. The lower number of females in higher education STEM enrolments could be due to teachers continuing the belief that males dominate the mathematics, science and computing fields, a lack of role models for women resulting in low confidence and anxiety in this field, stereotypes such as \nerds\ and \geeks\ deterring women from enrolling and gender bias with pre-university activities which don\t allow women to develop the same skills useful to the STEM field. All of these factors could contribute toward males believing they are better suited to the STEM field, resulting in higher enrolments over females. 4102.0 Australian Social Trends 2012, \Education Differences between Men and Women\, Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 6 October 2017, http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[emailprotected]/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features20Sep+2012#HIGHER Barnett, S 2007, \Complex Questions Rarely Have Simple Answers\, Psychological Science in the Public Interest, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. iii. Doube, W Lang, C 2012, \Gender and Stereotypes in Motivation to Study Computer Programming for Careers in Multimedia\, Computer Science Education, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 63-78. Male, S, Bush, M Murray, K 2009, \Think Engineer, Think Male?\, European Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 455-464. Sorby, S 2007, \Developing 3D Spatial Skills for Engineering Students\, Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 13, no.1, pp. 1-12. Varma, R 2010, \Why So Few Women Enroll in Computing? Gender and Ethnic Differences in Students\ Perception\, Computer Science Education, vol. 20 no. 4, pp.301-316. Vitores, A Gil-Juarez, 2016, \The Trouble with \Women in Computer\: a Critical Examination of the Deployment of Research on the Gender Gap in Computer Science\, Journal of Gender Studies, vol. 25, no. 6, pp. 666-680.

All About Screw Pumps Engineering Essay

All About Screw Pumps Engineering Essay Screw pumps are rotary, positive displacement pumps that can have one or more screws to transfer high or low viscosity fluids along an axis.   A classic example of screw pumps is the Archimedes screw pump that is still used in irrigation and agricultural applications.   Although progressive cavity pumps can be referred to as a single screw pumps, typically screw pumps have two or more intermeshing screws rotating axially clockwise or counterclockwise.   Each screw thread is matched to carry a specific volume of fluid.   Like gear pumps, screw pumps may include a stationary screw with a rotating screw or screws.   Fluid is transferred through successive contact between the housing and the screw flights from one thread to the next.   Geometries can vary.   Screw pumps provide a specific volume with each cycle and can be dependable in metering applications.   The geometries of the single or multiple screws and the drive speed will affect the pumping action required.   The capacity of screw pumps can be calculated based on the dimensions of the pump, the dimensions of the surface of the screws, and the rotational speed of the rotor since a specific volume is transferred with each revolution.   In applications where multiple rotors are used, the load is divided between a number of rotating screws.   The casing acts as the stator when two or more rotors are used.   Based upon the needs of the application, timed or untimed rotors may be chosen. Untimed rotors are simpler in design.   The combination of factors relating to the drive speed, flow, and the characteristics of the fluid transferred may affect the flow rate and volume fed through each cavity. In water and wastewater treatment applications, a less viscous solution will require a lower power drive compared to untreated sewage, excess sludge, or concentrated slurries, which may require a higher power motor.   The viscosity of the fluid transferred and the lift required may affect the speed and power required.   Indicators of pump malfunction include decrease in flow rate or increased noise. The efficiency of screw pumps requires that each rotor turns at a rate that allows each cavity to fill completely in order to work at full capacity.   Theory Screw pumps are a unique type of rotary positive displacement pump in which the flow through the pumping elements is truly axial. The liquid is carried between the screw threads on one or more rotors. The liquid is then displaced axially as the screws rotate and mesh. In other types of rotary pumps, the liquid is forced to travel circumferentially, however the screw pump has an axial flow pattern and low internal velocities. It provides a number of advantages in many applications where liquid agitation or churning is objectionable. Screw pumps are classified as two different types: the single rotor and the multiple rotor. The multiple rotor is further divided into timed and untimed categories. Timed rotors rely on outside means for phasing the mesh of the threads and for supporting the forces acting on the rotors. Untimed rotors rely on precision and accuracy of the screw forms for proper mesh and transmission of rotation (Fraser, et. al., 1986.). History: The screw pump is the oldest type of pump. The first applications, dating back to the third century B.C., included irrigation and land drainage. The screw pump is thought to have been first used in Egypt (Ewbank, 1972). After several other types of pumps were invented, the screw pump was not used as much because these other pumps could handle higher head capacities. However, later it was found that these pumps could not handle wastewater like the screw pump could. Because of this, the screw pump became widely used for such an application. The Dutch were the first to design a spiral lift screw in 1955. After this, double screw units were put into operation for flood control in the Netherlands and in municipal sewage installations in Europe. Based on excellent results from the pumps used in Europe, the trend extended to Canada and United States and are currently used today (Cheremisinoff, et. al., 1992) [2]. How a Screw Pump Works: Screw pumps for power transmission systems are generally used only on submarines. Although low in efficiency and expensive, the screw pump is suitable for high   pressures   (3000   psi),   and delivers   Ã‚  fluid   Ã‚  with   Ã‚  little   Ã‚  noise   Ã‚  or   Ã‚  pressure pulsation. Screw   pumps   are   available   in   several   different designs;   however,   they   all   operate   in   a   similar manner.   In   a   fixed-displacement   rotary-type   screw pump (fig. 1, view A), fluid is propelled axially in   a   constant,   uniform   flow   through   the   action of just three moving parts-a power rotor and two idler   rotors.   The   power   rotor   is   the   only   driven element,   extending   outside   the   pump   casing   for power   connections   to   an   electrical   motor.   The idler  rotors   are   turned   by   the   power   rotor   throu gh the   Ã‚  action   Ã‚  of   Ã‚  the   Ã‚  meshing   Ã‚  threads.   Ã‚  The   Ã‚  fluid pumped   between   the   meshing   helical   threads   of the idler and power rotors provides a protective film to prevent metal-to-metal contact. The idler rotors   perform   no   work;   therefore,   they   do   not need to be connected by gears to transmit power. The   enclosures   formed   by   the   meshing   of   the rotors inside the close clearance housing contain the fluid being pumped. As the rotors turn, these enclosures   move   axially,   providing   a   continuous flow.   Effective performance   is   based   on   the following   Ã‚  factors: The rolling action obtained with the thread design   of   the   rotors   is   responsible   for   the   very quiet pump operation. The symmetrical pressure loading   around   the   power   rotor   eliminates   the need   for   radial   bearings   because   there   are   no radial   loads.   The   cartridge-type   ball   bearing   in   the pump   positions   the   power   rotor   for   proper   seal operation.   The   axial   loads   on   the   rotors   created by discharge pressure are hydraulically balanced. The key to screw pump performance is the operation   of   the   idler   rotors   in   their   housing bores. The idler rotors generate a hydrodynamic film   to   support   themselves   in   their   bores   like journal bearings. Since this film is self-generated, it   depends   on   three   operating   characteristics   of the   pump-speed,   discharge   pressure,   and   fluid viscosity. The strength of the film is increased by increasing   the   operating   speed,   by   decreasing pressure, or by increasing the fluid viscosity. This is why screw pump performance capabilities are based   on   pump   speed,   discharge   pressure,   and fluid   viscosity. The supply line is connected at the center of the pump housing in some pumps (fig. 1, view B).   Fluid   enters   into   the   pumps   suction   port, which   opens   into   chambers   at   the   ends   of   the screw assembly. As the screws turn, the fluid flows between the threads at each end of the assembly. The   threads   carry   the   fluid   along   within   the housing   toward   the   center   of   the   pump to the discharge port [1]. Three Basic Types : Single Screw The single screw pump is more commonly known as the Archimedean screw. It is quite large; typical dimensions include a diameter of 12 inches or greater, and a length up to about 50 feet. It is normally used as a water-raising pump with the screw arranged at an angle of 30 degrees. It can also be used for handling liquids containing solids in suspension with either vertical lift or horizontal transport. The design of single screw pumps allows very little fracturing of particles and little abrasion damage to the pump. One disadvantage is the considerable bulk necessary to achieve high capacities since rotational speeds are of the order of 30-60 rpm (Warring, 1984) [5]. Intermeshing Screw Pump The intermeshing screw pump is commonly called a rigid-screw pump. This type of pump is suitable for a wide range of sizes, and can be run at high speeds. The larger screw pumps are used for bulk handling of oils and similar fluids. The basic type is suitable for handling most clean fluids with low flow velocities and at low heads (Warring, 1984)[5]. Eccentric screw pump The eccentric screw pump is versatile. It is capable of handling a variety of liquids and products with high efficiency. It comprises of a rigid screw form rotor rolling in a resilient internal helical stator of hard or soft rubber with a moderately eccentric motion. It can handle viscous liquids, slurries, pastes, solids in suspension, and delicate products. This is because of the low flow velocities through the pump (Warring, 1984)[5]. Applications: There are several applications of the screw pump that include a wide range of markets: utilities fuel oil service, industrial oil burners, lubricating oil service, chemical processes, petroleum and crude oil industries, power hydraulics, and many others (Fraser, et. al., 1986). Listed below are some typical situations where a screw pump is used. The benefits of using a screw pump in each of these situations are discussed (Cheremisinoff, et. al., 1992)[2]. Raw sewage lift stations: Can handle variety of raw sewage influent, are non-clogging, require little attention, are resistant to motor overloads, and are not affected by running dry Sewage plant lift stations: Used for sewage lifts up to 40 feet and have self-regulating lift capacity (Normal lifts are 30 feet, while high lifts are 40 feet high.) Return activated sludge: Little floc disintegration, nonturbulent discharge into effluent channel, low horsepower requirements, improved activated sludge treatment. Stormwater pumping: Are ideal because of large capacity at low heads, no prescreening necessary Land Drainage: Used for flood control, can pump large volumes of water over levees. Capacity : The delivered capacity of any screw pump is the theoretical capacity minus the internal leakage. In order to find the capacity of a screw pump the speed of the pump must be known. The delivered capacity of any rotary screw pump can be increased several different ways. The capacity can be increased by simply increasing the speed, increasing the viscosity, or decreasing the differential pressure. The capacity of the pump depends on several factors (Cheremisinoff, et. al., 1992)[2]: Diameter of the screw Speed of the screw Number of flights mounted on the screw shaft Flights: Single, double, and triple flights are often used. Flights are also known as helixes. With each increase in flights, there is a 20% increase in capacity. Therefore, a single flight pump has a capacity that is 80% of a double flight pump, which in turn has a capacity that is 80% of a triple flight capacity. The three-flight pump can handle the most capacity in the least amount of space. Angle of inclination of the screw The greater the angle of inclination, the lower the output. The output lowers approximately 3% for every degree increase over a 22 inclination. Level of influent in the influent chamber Ratio of the diameter of the screw shaft to the outside diameter of the screw flights Clearance between screw flights and trough Advantages : Wide range of flows and pressures Wide range of liquids and viscosities Built-in variable capacity High speed capability allowing freedom of driver selection Low internal velocities Self-priming with good suction characteristics High tolerance for entrained air and other gases Minimum churning or foaming Low mechanical vibration, pulsation-free flow, and quiet operation Rugged, compact design easy to install and maintain High tolerance to contamination in comparison with other rotary pumps (Fraser, et. al., 1986)[4]. Disadvantages : Relatively high cost because of close tolerances and running clearances Performance characteristics sensitive to viscosity change High pressure capability requires long pumping elements (Fraser, et. al., 1986)[4]. Characteristics and Efficiency of Screw Pumps: The screw pump has a number of very important advantages compared with centrifugal due to recovery of velocity head at the discharge pumps. In order, however, to appreciate fully pipe are not as great, what the screw pump will do as compared with the centrifugal pump, particularly for low head operation, it is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the characteristic curves of both types of pumps. The three curves which are reproduced here show an actual comparison between a screw pump and a 36-in. centrifugal pump. A great deal of care has been taken to make this comparison as fair as possible; but owing to the dissimilarity of the characteristics of the two pumps, a perfect comparison is practically impossible. For this reason , wherever it is impossible to make the conditions coincide exactly for the two different pumps, the centrifugal pump has been given every advantage, yet even under rather severe handicaps, the screw still maintains its supremacy under low head conditions. The combined curve shown in Fig. 3 illustrates that at all heads lower than 12.6 ft. the screw pump is the more efficient of the two pumps. It will be noticed that the 42-in. centrifugal has not been compared with the 42-in. screw pump because the screw pumps are designed for such very low heads that the suction and discharge sizes are made larger than the connections for centrifugal pumps which handle the same capacity. In other words, the 42-in. centrifugal pump would have a capacity so much greater than that of the 42-in. screw that comparison would be impossible. All of the total heads which are shown in the three curves are total dynamic heads, and this includes the velocity head. Therefore, the water delivered from the screw pump is moving at a lower velocity because of the size of pipe, and hence it is in a more usable form. The entrance losses of the suction pipe and the losses due to recovery of velocity head at the discharge pipe are not as great. It has often been stated that the speed of a screw pump can be much higher than that of a centrifugal operating under the same conditions. These curves demonstrate this beyond a doubt. It will be noted that the centrifugal pump operates at 224 r.p.m., while the screw pump operates at a speed more than 50 per cent in excess of this, namely, 360 r.p.m. The advantage in the cost and the efficiency of a motor for operating these two pumps is distinctly in favor of the screw pump. Furthermore, the screw pump is a much lighter pump, requiring less expensive foundations, and it is easier to install. The 42-in. screw pump weighs 9,000 pounds, while the 36-in. centrifugal pump weighs 21,000 pounds. This shows that the body of the screw pump is much smaller than that of the centrifugal pump in spite of the fact that the pipe sizes are larger than the latter. In addition to this, the arrangement for pumping over levees, or between canals at different levels, is much more simple for the screw pu mp than for the centrifugal pump. The property through which the canal runs is always long and narrow and the screw pump, together with its prime mover, makes a long narrow installation which lends itself to the shape of the property in which it is to be installed. The centrifugal pump is usually a more costly pump to produce than the screw pump, and this is especially true of the pump with the characteristics shown in Fig. 2 because of the fact that this 36-in. pump has a Francis runner. The Francis runner is known for its efficiency at low heads and in this case the curve reaches the unusually high maximum point of 90 per cent. This is partly due to the special design and partly due to the very careful workmanship and careful testing of the unit in question. The screw pump, on the other hand, had a caststeel runner whose surfaces were only partially smooth. No great effort was made to bring up its point of maximum efficiency, and therefore it does not exceed 76 per cent at any point. Yet, even in the face of these handicaps of workmanship and finish on the particular units which were selected for this comparison, the screw pump is shown to be inherently a more efficient pump at low heads. It does not take a great deal of imagination to see how the screw pump efficiency curve of Fig. 3 would compare with the centrifugal pump efficiency curve had its blades been made of bronze and highly polished so as to reach a maximum point somewhere above 80 per cent. The curves shown in Fig. 3 are out of the ordinary in that they are plotted against the total head rather than against the conventional gallons per minute. This is done because the comparisons are at low heads rather than at a given capacity. By using this method of plotting, it can readily be observed that at low heads the efficiencies of the two pumps can be read directly from the chart. For example, at a head of 6 ft. the efficiency of the screw pump is 57 per cent while that of the centrifugal pump is only 42 per cent. This same information could be taken from the other curves but it would be inconvenient to do so. To get the efficiency from Fig. 1 it is necessary first to read the capacity. At 6 ft. the capacity is approximately 37,000 g.p.m. The efficiency is quite indefinite on account of the steepness of the curve; but it is apparent that it checks approximately with the reading given in Fig. 3; namely, 57 per cent. Also in Fig. 2 it is necessary first to read the capacity and then the efficiency, which checks with Fig. 3 and is 42 per cent. In addition to this, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 would not make a graphical comparison even if plotted on the same sheet. The important point which should be kept in mind is that these curves may not show up the screw pump to advantage when read in their entirety but that at the extreme right where the points of low working heads exist the advantages of the screw pump begin to assert themselves. It is under these conditions that a screw pump should be used. In general, these curves have demonstrated, directly or indirectly, most of the advantages of the screw pump over the centrifugal as follows: Higher efficiency at low heads, higher speed, lighter weight, smaller dimensions, lower first cost, lower cost of installation, cheaper motor, more efficient motor, low head installation. [6].

Essay --

Is Free Health Care Really Free? Is the health care the government providing really free or not? Free Government Health Care - sometimes Universal health care usually refers to a health care system which provides free healthcare and financial protection to all its citizens. Free or Universal healthcare is against the 1st and 9th amendment. Its against the 1st amendment because people see it as a violation of the right of assembly. Its against the 9th amendment because there are more rights for the americans than the ones that are in the constitution. Free/Universal healthcare has been a more wanted thing for the less fortunate because it covers everything a normal person needs so they do not have to worry about losing their health care and not being able to go to the hospital. I am towards it because there are people in the world that cannot afford health care so if they can get on a computer or use a payphone and sign up. Because if someone were to get a disease and does not have health care it could spread and t hey just might die. Most other people are against this because their ...

The Great Gatsby True Love Essay -- essays research papers

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, many people of the high social status such as Tom, Myrtle, and Nick wonder if Gatsby is truly in love with Daisy, or if he is in love with what Daisy, herself, represents. Gatsby's whole life is based on trying to win Daisy's love. But does Gatsby ever think about how it would be if he did win her back? He is so caught up with the illusion of love that he doesn't really think about how his life will be, if he were to win Daisy's love back. Truly, he would not have been happy with Daisy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gatsby is a keen, intelligent man that knows how to get what he wants. Yet, just because he knows how to win Daisy's love, doesn't mean he put much thought into what his life would be like with her. In Gatsby's eyes, Daisy is the perfect 'Dream Woman';. Daisy, in Gatsby's eyes, can never do anything wrong. Gatsby, is so in love with Daisy because over the year's he has become infatuated with her. He has made her an untouchable dream. Yet in reality, Daisy is a totally different person than what Gatsby views her as. If Gatsby did live the rest of his life with her, he would most likely not be happy, only because Daisy and Gatsby are of two different backgrounds and pasts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since Gatsby is so caught up with the illusion of being with the girl of his dreams, he will do almost anything to win Daisy's love back and will do anything to have Daisy be with him. Gats...

Mind, Soul, Language in Wittgenstein Essay examples -- Philosophy Phil

Mind, Soul, Language in Wittgenstein ABSTRACT: I show that the latter Wittgenstein's treatment of language and the mind results in a conception of the human subject that goes against the exclusive emphasis on the cognitive that characterizes our modern conception of knowledge and the self. For Wittgenstein, our identification with the cognitive ego is tantamount to a blindness to our own nature — blindness that is entrenched in our present culture. The task of philosophy is thus transformed into a form of cultural therapy that seeks to awaken in us a sensitivity to different modes of awareness than the merely intellectual. Its substance of reflection becomes not only the field of conscious rational thought, but the tension in our nature between reason and vital feeling, that is, between culture and life. It is well known that Wittgenstein is responsible for two great moments in the philosophy of this century; the first initially and incorrectly identified with logical positivism, and the second even now considered as paradigm of Analytic philosophy. Insofar as identifications, both interpretations seem to me to show an imperfect and only partial understanding of Wittgenstein's philosophical motivations, but I do not intend to discuss that point on this opportunity. What is important to our present purposes is that what separates his two great works is his discovery of a kind of intellectual blindness produced by the almost exclusive predominance of one single conception of knowledge or rationality in our culture. The first signs of this philosophical shift are found in Wittgenstein's observations not specifically about language but rather about ritual practices, as they were considered in The Golden Bough. In his opini... ...of devotion their incessant, inevitable and essential tension. Notes (1) "Remarks on The Golden Bough", (OF), p. 58. (2) OF, p. 73; Cf. Lectures and Conversations on Aesthetics, II,  § 39-40, pp. 84-5. (3) OF, p. 78. (4) OF, p. 83. (5) All these attempts announce what Wittgenstein will call our "form of life". (6) Cf. Philosophical Investigations II, iv. (7) This example is derived form Stanley Cavell's discussions in: "Aesthetic Problems of Modern Philosophy" in: Must We Mean What We Say?, Cambridge University Press, 1969. (8) Remarks on the Philosophy of Psychology, v.1,  § 313 (9) Cf. Marcia Cavell: The Psychoanalytic Mind: From Freud to Philosophy, Harvad University Press, Cambridge, 1993, p. 102. (10) Cà ©sar Vallejo, in El arte y la revolucià ³n, Lima, Mosca Azul Editores, 1973, p. 70 (11) Cf. Philosophical Investigations, II, xii

Competitive Landscape in Commercial Real Estate

Home  » Property Types  » Retail  » Clash of the Titans: Regional Mall REITs Fight for Limited Outlet Development Opportunities Clash of the Titans: Regional Mall REITs Fight for Limited Outlet Development Opportunities May 9, 2012 12:54 PM, By Elaine Misonzhnik, Senior Associate Editor In the fall of 2010 executives with Taubman Centers Inc. , a Bloomfield Hills, Mich. -based regional mall REIT, began talking about the REIT’s new avenue for growth: outlet centers. Article Tools ? Latest NewsMore Latest News Taubman had recently completed the conversion of its Great Lakes Crossing property in Auburn Hills, Mich. , a 1. 35-million-sq. -ft. enclosed regional mall, into Great Lakes Crossing Outlets. Taubman was able to sign up many tenants that were not present elsewhere in Michigan, including Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Disney Store Outlet and Rainforest Cafe. Great Lakes Crossing Outlets was attracting both local shoppers and Canadians from across the Detroit River. As a result, the center’s sales per sq. ft. umbers rose significantly, company officials said during earnings calls. The success in Auburn Hills helped convince Taubman’s management to capitalize on additional outlet center opportunities. Besides, in a market saturated with fortress malls and lifestyle centers, outlet centers represented one of the last opportunities for ground-up construction. Robert S. Taubman, the REIT’s chairman, president and CEO, laid out a goal of developing from five to 10 outlet centers in the span of a decade. Among the first such undertakings Taubman pursued was a site in Manvel, Texas, near Houston.The site seemed a good fit for Taubman’s target outlet center sales level of at least $400 per sq. ft. The median household income in Manvel is $65,864 a year, more than $15,000 higher than the median household income for the state as a whole. In addition, the town’s proximity to Houston would give Taubman access to 2 million po tential shoppers. Taubman’s Texas ambitions, however, did not pan out. Both Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, a Greensboro, N. C. -based REIT that specializes in outlet center development, and Simon PropertyGroup, the largest retail landlord in the country in both the regional mall and outlet center arenas, had laid claims to outlet center development sites in nearby Texas City, just 22 miles away. According to brokers familiar with the market, the greater Houston area could not support two, let alone three, outlet centers. In June 2011, Simon and Tanger took a decisive step to win the market by announcing that they would partner to build a 350,000-sq. -ft. joint development in Texas City under Tanger’s brand name. It marked the first joint venture development partnership in Tanger’s history.Ultimately, the two firms decided to work together on one large outlet center rather than spend money fighting each other, says Michael Rodenas, principal with Rodenas Consulti ng, a national consulting firm that specializes in shopping centers and malls. As a result, Taubman quietly retreated from the market. In July 2011, while discussing the company’s earnings for the second quarter, Robert Taubman admitted to analysts that outlets constitute â€Å"a very competitive space. It’s a very competitive world out there in development generally. † He reiterated the company’s commitment to investing in outlet centers both in U.S. and in Asia, but refused to discuss the Texas project. The Houston saga wasn’t the only time Taubman and Simon came to loggerheads in the outlet space. In early April, Simon and Taubman each issued press releases about competing outlet center projects in Chesterfield, Mo. , another market where trade area demographics seem to dictate that only one outlet development can succeed. On Apr. 3, Simon revealed that Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th agreed to anchor its St. Louis Premium Outlets, an outlet center sl ated to contain at least 350,000 sq. ft. of space. (St.Louis Premium Outlets is a product of a joint venture between Simon, Woodmont Outlets and EWB Development LLC, all experienced outlet center developers. ) Two days later, Taubman announced it broke ground for Taubman Prestige Outlets Chesterfield, a 450,000-sq. -ft. center. Taubman’s press release noted that it had firm commitments from a number of tenants, but did not identify any retailers by name. It is likely that only one of those two centers will get built in Chesterfield. â€Å"We’ve said publicly, I think, Simon has said publicly that there is only going to be one project built in St.Louis,† Robert Taubman said during the firm’s first quarter earnings call. â€Å"We are way ahead, on a much better site with much better access, much better visibility. †¦ So to us it’s very clear as to which project is going to be built. † Most industry sources, however, are putting their mone y on Simon because of the firm’s size, its existing network of relationships in the outlet center industry and the fact that it has already bagged a major tenant. The large regional mall players, including Simon, Taubman, Macerich Co. CBL & Associates Properties and others, have all made overtures to enter the outlet space. But with limited opportunities for development and an existing group of experienced landlords already competing there, these battles—competing press releases, wars of words and unconventional partnerships— are likely to continue to play out repeatedly throughout the country. CBL & Associates recently invested in The Outlet Shoppes in El Paso (Texas). Last spring, both Simon and Tanger announced outlet center projects in the town of Halton Hills, a suburb of Toronto.Tanger has since moved its project further away and will build it as an outlet addition to Heartland Town Centre, one of Canada’s largest power centers. Simon, meanwhile, st arted construction on its original site in Halton Hills in April. And in the Chicago area, Macerich and AWE Talisman have announced plans to build a $200 million, 528,000-sq. -ft. outlet center in Rosemont while Craig Realty Group, a privately held outlet center developer, has ambitions to develop Chicagoland Outlets at Country Club Hills, a 408,500-sq. -ft. project.Simon Property Group declined to comment for this article. Tanger, Taubman, Macerich and Craig Realty Group, meanwhile, did not respond to calls for comments. â€Å"The problem is—as we saw when developers started to roll out lifestyle centers—that everyone goes after the same markets,† says Jeff Green, president of Jeff Green Partners, a Phoenix-based consulting firm. â€Å"And many times the newer folks to the outlet industry are going to find that it’s a much harder industry to get into when there are relationships that have been in place for so many years. † In certain isolated inst ances, uch as the one near Houston, two big developers might form joint ventures because one of them holds a better site while the other wields more power with retailers. Such examples, however, will be few and far between, according to Richard Hauer, managing director of business restructuring services at BDO, a New York City-based consulting firm. â€Å"Let me put it this way: Neither Simon nor Taubman is going to build a second-rate outlet mall,† he says. â€Å"So if the first guy can get Coach and Polo and Saks and a few of those names that every outlet mall really wants, you’ll see the other guy back down. Mass appeal The reasons the outlet sector has suddenly become overcrowded are easy to trace. During the downturn, outlet center sales rose while mall sales fell or remained flat because shoppers were suddenly attracted to outlets’ value proposition. What’s more, as these centers moved closer to urban areas and proved that they can work in close pr oximity to regional malls, the number of markets that could support new projects increased. With limited opportunity for growth elsewhere, regional mall REITs began to focus on the outlet sector.Real estate owners that want to gain market share in a new property segment typically have two avenues for growth: either through acquisition of multiple assets or another operating company or though development. But when Simon bought Prime Outlets Inc. in 2010 it snapped up the last big privately-held outlet center operator in the market. Today, â€Å"no private guy controls 20 or 30 centers that could be sold,† says Gerard Mason, executive managing director with Savills LLC. What’s more, there is a wide spread on yields between development and investment.For instance, CBL & Associates, a Chattanooga, Tenn. -based REIT, recently invested more than $108 million to provide financing for two outlet centers developed by Horizon Group Properties, a Rosemont, Ill. -based outlet cent er developer. (CBL has also partnered with Horizon on groundup projects in Oklahoma City and Woodstock, Ga. ) But CBL CEO Stephen Lebovitz admits that development projects offer double-digit returns while investing in existing centers brings returns in the 8 percent range. I would expect that our growth will be mainly through new development,† he says. At the same time, Lebovitz notes that the number of markets in the U. S. that would meet CBL’s development criteria, including a trade area of approximately a million people, a sizeable tourist base and lack of existing competition, is limited. One high-ranking industry source says that for developers targeting outlet center sales on par with Simon’s levels, which average about $550 per sq. ft. , there are maybe 10 untapped markets left that fit the necessary trade area characteristics.For developers targeting Tanger’s sales levels, which currently average $371 per sq. ft. , there are about 40 untapped marke ts. â€Å"But there aren’t 100,† the anonymous source notes. By the end of the 2012, there will be 187 outlet centers containing 71 million sq. ft. , according to Value Retail News, a publication that covers the outlet industry. Linda Humphers, editor-in-chief of Value Retail News, estimates that in the long term, the country may be able to support another 250 centers, but that would include conversions.Occasionally, a developer will be able to find a site in an offbeat location that nobody else has thought about, says Gerard Mason. But for the most part, all the REITs are looking at the same markets, and in many cases, at the same piece of land. â€Å"There is clearly room for growth in the sector—every major metro area can certainly support outlet retail,† says Michael P. Glimcher, CEO of Glimcher Realty Trust, a Columbus, Ohiobased regional mall REIT that also owns outlet centers in Elizabeth, N. J. and Auburn, Wash. I just think the reality is there a re a lot of people in that category and only a small percentage of what’s being announced will actually get built,† Glimcher says. Bloodless war When it comes to handling competition on new developments the big retail REITs have acquired a reputation for being ruthless, employing tactics such as funding community opposition groups to derail each others’ projects, says Patrick Fox, president of Saint Consulting Group, a firm that specializes in zoning and land-use battles. These are mature markets, they are largely over-built and the battle for market share is tremendous,† he notes. But unlike large regional malls that tend to be located in major urban areas, outlet centers don’t normally inspire the same kind of opposition from local residents, according to James Schutter, senior managing director with Newmark Knight Frank Retail, a retail real estate services firm. In fact, many communities want to see outlet centers built because of the tremendous amount of sales tax revenue they bring in. The real battle in outlets’ case is for tenant commitments.Although the outlet industry doesn’t have anchors in the same sense that the regional mall industry does, there are certain key stores that are necessary to attract shoppers and that the rest of outlet retailers follow, notes Hauer. These include Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th, Coach and Polo, as well as Neiman Marcus Last Call and Nordstrom Rack. About a decade ago, Hauer tried to develop an outlet center near Syracuse, N. Y. When he started negotiating with potential tenants the answer was â€Å"if you can get Polo, we’ll sign. Otherwise, we are not interested. †When there are two developers competing to build a center in a market that can support only one project it becomes a race to be the first to announce leases with major tenants. The developers try to convince expanding retailers that their center is the one that’s going to happen by putting out announcements about land permits and ground-breakings. Ultimately, however, it’s the line-up of tenants that determines whose center gets built. â€Å"Developers announce that they will put together a mall [all the time], they don’t always make it happen,† says Schutter. If you’ve got this tenant and this tenant and this tenant coming, the other guys in the marketplace say, ‘Let’s go into this project. ’† â€Å"A ground-breaking is not as strong as being able to announce a strong anchor tenant,† Fox adds. So how do those key retailers decide who to go with when the choice is between Simon and Tanger, or Simon and Taubman or Macerich and Craig Realty Group? After Taubman converted its Great Lakes Crossing project into an outlet center, sales rose significantly.Having the best site certainly makes a difference, which is why Simon may be willing to partner with Tanger if Tanger has secured a better location, according to Mic hael Rodenas. When the projects are in the same trade area, the choice might come down to seemingly small differences like which side of the highway the center will be located on or which zip codes in a given area are missing from the retailer’s customer base. But in the outlet industry, having existing relationships with a potential landlord is also very important, according to Hauer, Green,Lebovitz and others. And in this, Simon, which controls the largest mall portfolio and the largest outlet center portfolio in the country, has a tremendous advantage. That might not come into play as much in the Simon/Tanger relationship because the two REITs specialize in slightly different projects, but it will likely loom large in any battle between Simon and other regional mall REITs. â€Å"If you [as a tenant] get Simon angry with you on the outlet side, they can be angry with you on the traditional retail side also,† says Green. Let’s just say that in that case the dev eloper has a large hammer, a larger hammer than any mall-only developer would have. † That’s why most retail industry insiders feel that while Taubman and the other regional mall REITs will eventually be able to build a handful of outlet centers, they will not be able to break into the business in the big way they had imagined. â€Å"The outlet mall industry is kind of a closed world,† says Schutter. Sidebar: Eastern Promises While U. S. retail REIT executives try to build up their outlet portfolios at home, most of them realize that growth opportunities here are limited.So in recent months they’ve been announcing outlet center projects elsewhere in the world, including Canada, Brazil, Japan, China, South Korea and Malaysia. In April, Simon signed a deal with BR Malls Participacoes S. A. to develop outlet centers in Brazil, with the first project scheduled to be built in Sao Paulo by 2013 and started construction on Phase I of Shisui Premium Outlets, a 234 ,000-sq. -ft. outlet center in Shisui, Japan. Both Simon and Tanger have been working on outlet centers in Canada, including Simon’s 500,000-sq. ft. Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills and Tanger’s 312,000-sq. -ft. outlet addition to Heartland Town Centre in Mississauga. And Taubman executives have told analysts they are looking to build outlet centers in Asia, where Taubman already has offices in Hong Kong and Seoul, South Korea. â€Å"In the U. S. , you are not going to see outlet centers double in number,† says Gerard Mason, executive managing director with Savills LLC, a global real estate services firm. â€Å"That’s why Simon is in Brazil and China.In Brazil they might be able to do 15 outlet centers because their middle class is just emerging and they need shopping centers. † —E. M. Sidebar: Mini-Malls With the increase in outlet centers’ popularity, the concept has evolved to represent something different than a small colle ction of factory stores in the middle of nowhere. In the 1980s and 1990s, the rule of thumb was that an outlet center had to be located at least 70 miles away from the closest phone line, jokes one broker. Today, if a shopper goes to Central New Jersey, â€Å"you have the Freehold Raceway Mall [a 1. -million-sq. -ft. superregional center] and then 10 to 15 minutes away, there is an outlet mall,† according to Richard Hauer. Today’s outlet centers have grown larger, sometimes containing up to 450,000 sq. ft. or 500,000 sq. ft. of space, whereas the outlet centers of yesterday tended to average 150,000 sq. ft. The tenant line-up has changed from manufacturers to big retail chains, many of which, including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Gap, J. Crew and Aeropostale, have established off-price and outlet divisions.Plus, outlet centers now feature mall-like amenities, such as food courts, restaurants and movie theaters, because people are staying on the properties longer than they used to, notes Michael Rodenas. And when CBL & Associates Properties and Horizon Group Properties were working on the plan for The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City, a 350,000-sq. -ft. center that opened last summer, CBL marked land around the property for the addition of restaurants and hotel facilities. â€Å"We feel it adds critical mass,† says Stephen Lebovitz. —E. M.

Causes and Effects of Homework Essay

Homework is a thing that has been around for many years. While some assignments are big, and some are small, they both have one thing in common: they add a large amount of stress to the student’s life. Many things bring on homework: upcoming tests, grades, main ideas that must be learned. These are fair reasons to assign assignments, because they teach you new abilities and let you practice certain skills. With good reasons, there are unfair reasons as well. Teachers who have nothing better to do, students misbehaving, and students not reaching the desired stopping point in the teacher’s schedule. These causes put an abnormal amount of stress on the students. Read more:  How to write a good cause and effect essay. First, let’s focus on the good reasons. Homework can be a valuable tool in the teacher’s hands, but only if they know how to wield that tool properly. Giving students 2 hours of boring homework will not encourage the student to learn. They will just skim through, filling in the answers. On the other hand, if a teacher gives a one hour assignment that interesting and fun, then the student will be more enthusiastic about it, therefore absorbing the assignment instead of skimming over it. Homework allows the teacher additional time to teach the student. If certain skills are needed later on in life (or at least on the SAT exam), the homework would allow more time for the student to remember the skill. If there is an upcoming test (finals, SAT, etc.), assigning homework is a great way for the teacher make sure the student studies. With all of these benefits, there have to be some drawbacks. Teachers who assign a lot of homework, especially when it is due the next day, are feared. Students are stressed and can’t go into that teacher’s room without feeling dread at how long tonight’s assignment is going to take. One hour, two, or more? They wait in fear for the announcement of the homework assignment. After a grueling night of studying and writing, the students barely have enough time to sleep. They sleep in through their alarm, missing breakfast and their bus. Their parents have to drive their kids to school, which makes their parents mad at them, adding even more stress to the  students’ life. The student gets to school late, interrupting the class and receiving another tardy, and/or a detention. This puts them into a bad mood, and they can’t think about school because they are thinking about the detention. This leads to bad grades, more of their parents’ nagging, an d more stress on that individual’s life. See how one teacher’s long assignment can affect a student’s day. Terrible, isn’t it? While all of this stuff might not happen in a single day, some of it happens every day to a select few individuals. All of this can be avoided if plenty of time is given for each homework assignment, and if they are never due on Monday’s. If the teacher assigns the due date on Tuesday and reminds the class of it on Monday, the â€Å"I forgot it at home† excuse will no longer be valid. Overall, homework is a necessary evil; it teaches and gives you a headache at the same time. Some teachers should lighten up on the workload, especially math teachers. To sum everything up, a good analogy for homework is like taking prescription medication. A little is good for you, while an overdose can be a serious health risk.