Research on the Australian Education Export Industry Essay

Executive Summary The following report provides a detailed analysis of the four sectors in the education industry in Australia, which are: Higher Education, Vocational Education and Training (VET), English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) and the schools. The report starts interpreting trends from the industry in Australia, analyzing numbers of enrollments and commencements of students in each sector, as well as their nationalities. With these numbers we have an overall idea of the scenario, which shows that Higher Education is the Over Performing sector, followed by ELICOS, VET and schools. A second stage of the research is the PESTEL analyze, which observes the Political, Economical, Social, Technological and Legal conditions of Australia, with the conclusion that Australia has a stable government, strong economy and high currency, great quality of life, invests widely in technology and gives incentives to international students to come to Australia. The data provided by PESTEL helped with the SWOT analyzes of the industry and sectors in Australia. The findings shows opportunities manly in students that progress in more than one course in Australia, which already lead us to consider ELICOS as a good sector to invest. After the secondary data gathered, a qualitative research was created and is here presented showing that all the interviewed international students are having a positive experience in Australia and more than half would enroll in a different course after finishing the current one. As a result of the findings, ELICOS course was pointed as a better option of investment – since higher education has risks of high costs and perceived quality. Private institutions offering ELICOS and VET come up as an even better choice, since almost one quarter of international students progress from ELICOS to VET. New South Wales is recognized as a better location for investment, since the majority of students choose that state as a destination. A few schools offering ELICOS and VET were identified as an option for investment, however a more detailed analyses of their internal data would be necessary to point out with certainty which one would be the best option. 1. Introduction 1.1 Background Students from all around the world choose Australia as a study destination, wishing to gain a top-quality education. Each year, Australia becomes even  more popular, with many new international students enrolling in courses around the country. In 2013, 526,9321 international students enrolled in education programs in Australia, representing a 2.6% increase over 2012. Most of the international students in the country are studying in the Higher Education sector, followed by the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector, the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) sector and the schools sector. 1.2 Purpose of Report The aim of this report is to research about the education export industry in Australia. The report was commissioned by the Group April with the aim to analyze the trends in the following education sectors: VET, ELICOS, Higher Education and Secondary School courses. The Market Trends will be interpreted in order to identify their impact on the education sector, as well as potential opportunities and threats to the industry. 2. Interpreting Market Trends For the purpose of this research we will analyze the number of international students commencements (number of students starting a new course) and enrollments (enrolling in a course) in the country. According to Australian Education International, the total value of commencements and enrolments students has been growing steadily in the last ten years. We will analyze the data the number of international students from all sectors from 2010 to 2013. The following chart shows the summary of commencements from 2010-2013. Chart 01: International Students Commencements from 2012 to 2013 Source: http://www.austrade.gov.au/Education/Student-Data/2013/ In addition to that data, we also have the table below, comparing the number of commencements and enrolments per year and course: Table 01: Enrolments and Commencements from 2012 to 2013 With the data provided, we can see that in 2013 Higher Education Sector ranked first by volume of commencements and enrolments. VET had the second  largest volume of enrolments but third in commencements. ELICOS ranked second in volume of commencements, but third in enrolments. From 2012 to 2013, the number of commencements in Higher Education increased by 8.1%. The ELICOS commencements also registered 21% growth in the same period. The VET sector commencements have been declining in the last 4 years, but had only a minor decrease from 2012 to 2013 (0.1%). Schools accounted for only 2.9% of commencements, declining steadily in the past years. It is possible to notice that even though Higher Education is the over performing sector, ELICOS is also gaining more relevance over the past years. The Chart 01 shows that VET sector has been declining over the years. When considering number of enrolments for each sector, the top nationalities differ between the categories. The Australian Government also provides the following data: Higher Education enrolments: China (39.9%) and India (7.2%) VET: India (21.5%), China (10.5%), Republic of Korea (7.3%) and Thailand (6.6%) ELICOS: China (25%), Brazil (8.7%) and Thailand (7.9%) Schools: China (46%) and Vietnam (10%) The top five nationalities present in number of enrolments in 2013 contributed to 52.1% of the total, which were: China (28.5%), India (9.3%), Republic of Korea (5.2%), Vietnam (4.9%) and Thailand (4.1%). When looking directly at students visa granted, the last five years have also showed a majority of Chinese, Indians and Koreans students, differing only in the last two countries. The chart below shows the student visa applications granted by the top five countries of origin: Chart 02: STUDENT VISA APPLICATIONS GRANTED BY TOP FIVE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features20Dec+2011 Accessed on 29/10/2014 As per the chart above, China represents the majority of international students, with approximately 50 thousands student visa granted in 2011. China also represented in 2013 the majority numbers for all education sectors. Also, over 90% of Chinese ELICOS students went on to do further study in Australia in 2012.2 The Australian Financial Review points out that  the most likely reasons why Australia became a destination for so many Chinese students can be due to the increase of the middle class of the country and the geographical proximity to Australia. 3 India still represents the second largest group of international students, even after drastically dropping from 2009 and on. The plunge on numbers came specifically after a series of attacks on Indian students in 2009.4 South Korea comes in third in the represented numbers of granted visa, followed by Malaysia and Brazil. There is also a strong relationship between the Australian Dollar rates with the number of students’ commencements per year. The table below shows the number of students’ commencements versus the average rate for AUD/USD Dollars. Year It becomes even more noticeable when represented in a chart how one factor is influencing the other. The lowest the Australian dollar rate is, the higher the number of commencements becomes. On the other hand, as the Australian dollar rate increases the commencements decreases proportionally. The following data can be seen in the next chart: Chart 1.1. – Students Commencements vs Australian Dollar Rates 2.1Over Performing and Under Performing Sectors Analyzing the numbers of commencements of each area in the last 4 years, it is possible to say that the three Over Performing sectors would be: Higher Education, ELICOS and VET. The three Underperforming sectors are schools, VET and ELICOS. Compared to the three other sectors, the Schools sector is small and has been declining over the past years. To proceed with the study of which sector would be more interesting to invest on, a PESTEL (Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal) and SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) analysis will be made. 2.2 PESTEL Analysis: The following analysis intend to identify the Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal Australian conditions, in order to provide enough data to clearly present its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats afterwards. Political The Australian Government is a constitutional monarchy, being under a federal system. For that reason, Australia can be considered a stable country. The Government also has innumerous initiatives regarding international students, such as the International Students Strategy of Australia. With those initiatives, Australia’s Government acknowledges the importance of international students for the country and seeks to protect the country’s reputation for high-quality education and for being a safe, welcoming and culturally diverse place to live.7 Economical The Australian economy has experienced continuous growth and also features contained inflation. It is one of the largest capitalist economies in the world with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$998.3 billion (2013 est). The service sector dominates the economy, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of jobs. 8The unemployment rates are considered low (6.1% in September of 2014), however the part-time employment has decreased recently.  Those numbers may affect international students, since they can only work on part-time contracts. The Australian Dollar Currency has been maintained stable over the past few years, valuing 0.88 US dollars in October 2014. A strong currency is a factor of great impact on international students, since the exchange rates may affect their decision. 9 Social Australia population is composed by a majority of white people (92%), followed by Asians (7%) and aboriginal and other (1%). The official language is English, which is one the main reasons for international students to choose it as a destination. It’s considered a welcoming country for people from overseas. Australia is also known per its high quality of life, safeness and great education institutions. Environmental The weather conditions and the natural landscape in Australia are positive aspects of the country when seen by students. Travelling interest has a major impact on students’ decision. Technological Australia is a modern country that invests in constant evolution of its Technology. The Government invests heavily in national science agencies, as well as providing about AU$2.5 billion to Universities10 to support research and research training activities, and this is complemented by research funding from the private sector, non-profit organizations and state governments. That factor might influences in the Higher Education numbers for international students. Analyzing the worldwide situation, we can also point out that the technological changes have been providing advances in several sectors, as well as education. With the improvement in technological resources and Internet speed, a wide variety of courses online are being offered – even by top quality know universities. That factor might also have great influence in students’ decision. Legal There are many requirements for applying to a student VISA in Australia,  which had also been in constant change throughout the last few years. Most of the Government reforms were introduced in response to the Knight Review (2011) of Australia’s student visa system, such as the streamlined visa processing and new arrangements for post-study work visas. At the same time that changes came to facilitate the students’ application, it can give a negative image to international students, since there’s always a risk of changes in the law if there’s an interest to renew their VISA. 2.3 SWOT The following SWOT analyses will provide data about the education industry as well as the sectors in Australia, pointing out its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Strengths High-quality education: Australia is a worldwide destination to many students by its top quality of education. Australia’s English language teaching is mainly highly regarded worldwide. Permission to work and study: The student visa permission to work up to 40 hours fortnightly is a decision factor by many students that have to work while studying. Proximity to Asian countries: Considering that many Asian countries look for English speaking countries to study, Australia stands out for its proximity to the continent. Highest quality of life: Australian has the highest quality of life in the world, according to the OECD Better Life Index organization, analyzing the categories: income, housing, jobs, community, education, environment, civic engagement, health, life satisfaction, safety, and work-life balance. Tourist VISA and working Holiday students: Many international students come to Australia through tourist visas or working holyday visas, being allowed to study ELICOS to up to 14 weeks in the first case and 4 months in the second one. That gives an extra advantage for this sector, since they are easier to apply to. Weakness VISA requirements: Australian VISA requirements changed recently in 2012, accepting the recommendations of Knight11. Event though it brought positive changes to facilitate the VISA process, the constant changes in VISA requirements might make long term students consider if any changes will still come up. High price and competitors’ countries quality: Australia was  pointed by a HSBC report as the most expensive destination for higher education for international students. Besides that, when it comes to perceived quality of higher education, it was ranked in 5th by Chinese parents (staying behind USA, UK, Germany and Hong Kong). 12 Opportunities Growth in numbers of higher education international students: a new British Council report has predicted that the number of international students of higher education will reach 3.8 million by 2014.13 Strengthening of the student VISA from Canada and USA: With modifications in student VISA requirements of competitors’ countries, Australia comes up as an option for new students. Major events in the country: Major events are frequently being held by Australia, calling international attention and being an extra reason for students to choose the country as a destination. The Commonwealth games, which will be held in 2018 in the Gold Coast, might have a big influence in student numbers, especially for short-term courses (such as ELICOS). Students’ progression from different sectors: Many students progress from ELICOS to higher education or VET, most likely had been on a package arrangement where the ELICOS study was a precondition for undertaking the next course. 14 Threats Changes in New Zealand student visa: The recent changes in New Zealand student visa now allows more English language students to work part-time, becoming a even bigger competitor to Australia as an destination.15 Crimes against international students: Any crimes and racist acts against international students have an impact in international students numbers. With the murder of four international students in Brisbane since November of 201316, the exposure by national and international media can damage the safeness image of the country. 3.0 Approach for research After our secondary research about the education market in Australia, a qualitative study was made with international students in order to find out the reasons and influences that made them choose to study in the country. An  online questionnaire was made and answered by 18 students. 3.1 Qualitative Analysis The nationalities interviewed were: Brazil, USA, Chile, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic and France, from which 61% were Brazilians, 11% Italians and 28% of each other nationality. Chart 03 – Nationalities Half of the students are enrolled on ELICOS courses, one third on VET and 17% on Higher Education. None of the interviewed is studying on secondary school. The schools of study vary between the following: ILSC Brisbane, Shafston, Queensford, ALS, Queensland Academy of Technology, TAFE, Bond University, University of Western Australia, Australian College Sports and  Fitness, Hetc Harvest, VIVA College and Melbourne University. All the interviewed students declared that their experience in Australia has been positive so far and 67% would enroll for another course in the country and consider living in Australia permanently (from which 22% are current ELICOS students). More than half of the students (56%) considered studying in a different country before choosing Australia, being mentioned the following: New Zealand, Canada, USA, Ireland, South Africa, UK and Germany. An open question also asked the students to describe briefly why their experience in Australia has been positive or negative, and it was mentioned the different cultures/nationalities present in the country, opportunity to meet new people, personal and professional growing, independence, improvement of English, great quality of life, good weather, new challenges and travelling (Refer to appendix 1 for further details). 4.0 Recommended Sector The following section will explain which sector have been identified as the best business opportunity, based on the interpretations of marketing trends and qualitative analysis sections of this project. Based on the report findings, we can see that two sector are in great advantage: Higher Education and ELICOS. While Higher Education has been the sector over performing in the last years, the forecast for that sector may  not be favorable – especially due to the competition of different countries that offer lower costs of studying and are increasing high-quality study reputation. To open a new University or other Higher Education school would be a great risk for investors, considering that it would take time to build their brand awareness and reputation. More than that, the costs for buying an existing private institution would be much greater in that sector. The second over performing sector was considered ELICOS, since the numbers of commencements and enrolments have been increasing constantly. When it comes to ELICOS, it is also an entry door to other courses in Australia – as many students that proceed from ELICOS to VET or Higher Education. ELICOS students may also be on student visas (currently around 60%) or visitor, working holiday or other VISAS (around 40%).17 ELICOS sector is also divided in a wide range of courses, where as the main courses offered in Australia are: General English, English for Academic Purposes, Exam Preparation Course, English for Special Purposes, English for Teaching and Study Tour. These options are closely aligned to the need of the students, attracting all sorts of international students. 4.1Competitor Analysis ELICOS courses are provided in a wide range of institutions and sectors. According to the Knights review (2011), the ELICOS activities occur in almost all parts of the international education sector: â€Å"Unpublished National English Language Training (ELT) Accreditation Scheme (NEAS) research shows that of the 269 active providers in 2010, 100 were stand†alone ELICOS providers, 99 were private VET providers and another 18 were publicly owned VET providers, 32 were universities and the remaining 20 were schools. The numbers of ELICOS students in the different providers also varied significantly. 24 providers had a capacity for 50 or less students. 81 providers had a capacity for between 51 and 150 students. But more than half of all registered providers, 164, had a capacity for more than 150 students at a time.† (KNIGHT, 2011, p. 64)18 Considering that data, it is a better investment to buy an existing institution than opening a new one, since there are a wide number of competitors already. Since the majority of students choose to study in New  South Wales, as we can see per the chart below, the best investment would be in NSW state. Chart 07 – International Student Enrolments & Commencements by State and Territory (2010) Source: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features20Dec+2011 – accessed on 30/10/14 The private VET providers that also offer ELICOS as an option can be considered a good investment option, since AEI researches show that 23% of ELICOS students in Australia eventually progressed to VET. 19 New South Wales Government also tells that Private VET colleges and institutions are very popular with international students, with the majority of international students in NSW studying at a private college.20 That data confirms that a private ELICOS institution that also offers VET will be a good choice. The following private schools in Sydney stand out as options that provide ELICOS and VET courses: ILSC Education Group: ELICOS and VET provider Since the number of students and financial reports of each institution are not publicly available, there isn’t enough data to point with certainty which school would be a better option for investment. However, a more detailed analysis can be made as a secondary step of this report. 5.0 Conclusion This report objective has been centred on identifying the over performing  sectors on the industry of education, which we believe have been successfully reached. The data provided will give be used by the Group April to decide which sector is the most promisor. We would recommend Group April to closely look at potential schools with extensive knowledge and good reputation, besides being costly competitive and well located. Finally, throughout the whole project, attention was maintained to remain realistic based on the investor budget and interest in industry. The findings of the interpreting trends section as a whole were summarized in a SWOT analysis table to facilitate its understanding. Considering the overview of the over performing sectors the best choice considered for investment was the ELICOS sector, since is growing at a very good pace. SLIC will remained opened for further discussion of the content of this report, as well as for conducting a second phase of research. Question: Describe briefly why did you found your experience in Australia positive: Student 1. â€Å"I had a substantial improvement in my English level at the same time I could know different cultures (not just Australian) and met many interesting people.† Brazil, Male, 21-25 years old, ELICOS Student Student 2. â€Å"Because there are many differences between Brazil and Australia. Most of the social problems that we have in Brazil are almost nonexistent here. The quality of life is extraordinary.† Brazil, Male, 26-30 years old, ELICOS student Student 3: â€Å"Positive: Friendly citizens, Weather, Good opportunities of work† Brazil, Male, 26-30 years old, ELICOS student Student 4: â€Å"To be completely independent, Know about new cultures; Learn new languages† Chile, Male, 26-30 years old, ELICOS student Student 5: â€Å"Due to the people I met† Spain, Male, 26-30 years old, ELICOS student Student 6: â€Å"Because Australia still giving me a lot of opportunities to grow personal and professional.† Brazil, Male, 26-30 years old, VET student Student 7: â€Å"New experience and challenges, meeting new people, improving my English, travelling† Czech republic, Female, 31-40 years old, ELICOS student Student 8: â€Å"Good people, opportunity to work, grow up by myself.† Brazil, Female, 26-30 years old, VET student

Discussion About Multimeter Essay

Discussion. 1. When we want to measure voltage reading, the multimeter must be parallel with the component that we want to measured. The red on the high voltage side, and black on the lower. When measuring current, amperes, the multimeter must be in series with the component. Remove one side of the component and connect the black multimeter lead to the board where the component was plugged in and the red lead connects to the loose component. The difference between the two is that if we measure the voltage, the internal resistance of the multimeter is set to what is essentially infinity. If it was anything less then it would be acting as a resistor and drawing its own current which would reduce the current on the component being tested, which would in turn reduce the voltage reading we get. When we measured current, the internal resistance of the multimeter is set to almost 0. This is to ensure that it does not contribute to the resistance of the series it is in. Increasing the resistance of a series of components can cause current further â€Å"upstream† to flow into other branches which throws off our current reading.In short, for voltage tests the mm is placed in parallel with the components and acts as an open line to take a reading. For current readings the multimeter is placed in series with the component and it acts as a simple piece of wire with zero resistance. 2. There are many types of errors that maybe encountered in the measurement process and measures to minimize it. For examples random error, systematic error and gross error are static error (i) random errors Random errors are ones that are easier to deal with because they cause the measurements to fluctuate around the true value. If we are trying to measure some parameter X, greater random errors cause a greater dispersion of values, but the mean of X still represents the true value for that instrument. (ii) systematic error A systematic error can be more tricky to track down and is often unknown. This error is often called a bias in the measurement. In chemistry a teacher tells the student to read the volume of liquid in a graduated cylinder by looking at the meniscus. A student may make an error by reading the volume by looking at the liquid level near the edge of the glass. Thus this student will always be off by a certain amount for every reading he makes. Systematic error can be classed by three different error such as: -instrument error -environment error -observational error (iii) gross error Gross error is usually made by human mistakes. As example, error when taking measurement reading, incorrect recording and improper use of instrumentation. We can minimize this error by taking at least three separate readings and take proper care in reading and recording. 3. The significance of using the correct range for measurement are to get the more accurate and precise reading and to reduce the percentage of error when taking a reading.

Critical Evaluation of Institutional Factors Impact on Outward/Inward

Essay Critical Evaluation of Institutional Factors Impact on Outward/Inward Foreign Direct Investment This aim of this essay is to evaluate the impact of institutional factors on outward and inward FDI. This will be done by determination of the major FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) factors, evaluation of the role of institutional factors and investigation of institutional factors impact on inward and outward FDI flows.Several sources (Aswathappa, 2012; Jensen, 2012) have identified FDI as an investment, made by a company based in one country (home country) into another company, which is based in other country (host country), in order to obtain certain degree of management control over that company. Recent evidence (Ho and Rashid, 2011) has demonstrated that a tendency for a firm to engage in foreign investment depends on a combination of different factors and elements.Dunning (2011) has argued that company has to satisfy three conditions in order to successfully engage in internation al activity, which are ownership (know-how, technologies), localisation (natural resources, low production costs) and internationalisation. This theory is quite unique because it is developed by several important FDI determinants such as natural resources, production efficiency, strategic assets and market size. Nachum (1999) has argued that in accordance with Hymer’s firm’s specific advantages theory, companies are engaging in FDI if they possess specific advantages e. . access to raw materials, economy of scale, marketing advantages, etc. Aswathappa (2010) has suggested another FDI determinant which is ‘follow the client/rival’. If one of the clients builds a foreign facility, it is reasonably for the company to follow the client and also build a foreign facility in order to continue cooperating with the client. If one company goes to the foreign market it draws the attention of other similar companies, that can potentially exploit similar opportunity an d therefore follow the rival.The same source has also stated that market size is another crucial FDI determinant, which play important role for foreign investors. Nevertheless, Seyoum (2011) has argued that FDI inflows cannot be only determined by such variables as qualitative and skilled labour, availability of natural resources, technologies or modern infrastructure. It is essential to highlight the importance of role of institutional factors in attracting foreign investors. It was suggested by Solomon (2007) that foreign investors are seeking for countries with stable political and social institutions.As it was figured out by Benassy-Quere, et al. (2007) the main institutional factors are: efficient protection of civil and property rights, economic and politic freedom and stability and corruption. Moreover, Globerman and Shapiro (2003) have stated that good institutions (well developed financial system, private property protection, government services, etc. ) have positive impact on both inward and outward FDI. Nevertheless, in some cases quality of institutions depends on FDI for instance, Chinese MNE’s value natural resources more than sound legal system or political stability (Kolstag and Wiig, 2012).According to Jensen (2012) host country’s political regime is one of the most important determinants of FDI. It is considered that authoritarian regime is rather more stable than democratic. The same source has assumed that democracy may be influenced by the interests of the particular groups, which can increase tax rates, trade barriers or implement protectionism policies in order to protect domestic companies from foreign MNE’s. A study carried out by (Knutsen, et al. , 2011) has stated that authoritarian regimes can reduce labour costs supressing human or different organisation rights e. g. hild labour and trade unions and therefore decrease costs for foreign investors. Nonetheless, there is counterargument provided by the same source s (Jensen, 2012; Knutsen, et al. 2011) which suggests that democracy has rather more positive effects on FDI that authoritarian regime. It was argued that reduced child labour can increase education level and trade unions can bring more social stability. In some cases MNE’s are able to influence democratic country’s government in their favour. Moreover, investments in non-democratic countries may hurt reputation of the foreign investors and decrease demand for their products at home market.Recent evidence (Hatchondo and Martinez, 2011) has argued that foreign investors enjoy sound legal protection system. Another source (OECD, 2008) has suggested that higher protection standards results in the greater positive impact on FDI. It was also argued that governments with free market economy have more efficient legal protection system than countries where economy is heavily influenced by government e. g. China. Free market economy is based on ownership, therefore MNE’s from such countries value property rights and they tend to select host countries with the same regulations and laws (Hsu, Zhang and Long, 2007).Level of corruption, is quite contradicting aspect of inward FDI. It is mostly assumed to have negative impact on FDI. Firstly, it brings additional costs, if foreign investors have to bribe someone. Secondly, corruption involves more uncertainty and risk because it is done in illegal way. Furthermore bribed contracts cannot be enforced in court. This issue is also able to impact on outward FDI, because investors tend to exclude possible risks and uncertainty (Wei, 2000; Knutsen, et al. , 2011). However, Egger and Winner (2005) have suggested that corruption may be beneficial for the FDI.The authors have described an idea of â€Å"grabbing hand† and â€Å"helping hand†. It was said that, indeed, corruption bring additional costs and uncertainty for foreign investors and acts as the host country’s â€Å"grabbing handâ⠂¬  but it is only in the short run. It was stated that in long run corruption might be attractive for foreign investors. Corruption allows speeding up bureaucratic procedures or can help to avoid regulatory and administrative restrictions and therefore it will act as the â€Å"helping hand†. Ultimately, if the revenue effects are bigger that costs effects corruption is likely to be positive for FDI.In accordance with several studies (Wells, 2001; Azemar and Delios, 2008) it was figured out that taxes have relatively small impact on IFDI (Inward Foreign Direct Investment). The authors have stated that in some cases foreign investors are much likely to focus on large market size with rather high tax rates than on country with small market size and much lower tax rates. Nevertheless, it was suggested that countries with excessive tax rates are much likely to kill IFDI however the countries with reasonable tax rates may exert little or almost no influence on IFDI.Furthermore, i t was also mentioned that tax havens demonstrate that countries (or regions) with extremely low tax rates are important determinant of the IFDI e. g. Delaware in the USA. Peng and Parente (2012) have stated that bureaucratic regulations and heavy taxation on domestic earnings in Brazil have pushed two thirds of the OFDI stock to tax havens. Another interesting idea was proposed by Wells (2001) it was argued that if host countries policymakers have better understanding of how tax policies can affect the foreign investors, they would be more successful in terms of attracting FDI’s.For, example tax holiday policy could stimulate IFDI flows. A number of authors (Kolstag and Wiig, 2012; Kalotay and Sulstarova, 2010) have figured out that OFDI (Outward Foreign Direct Investment) may be heavily influenced by government or political changes. One of the best examples is Chinese â€Å"Open Door† and â€Å"Go Global† policies, it was argued that those changes has increased total Chinese OFDI from 3. 3% in 1996 to 10% in 2006 (Kolstag and Wiig, 2012). However, it was also described that most of the Chinese companies are state owned and their activities reflect political objectives e. . focus on natural resources. Political changes and stability is significant push factor. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many Russian privately-owned companies were actively engaging in OFDI. The reason of that issue is that they tried to avoid uncertainty and find safe environment with stable political environment (Kalotay and Sulstarova, 2010). As it was figured out by several authors (Levent, 2006; Garcia and Navia, 2003) financial institutions are important ‘Push’ factor of OFDI. Financial conditions of the home country affect the decision to invest abroad.If home country has poor financial system e. g. no access to financial support, unstable deposit base, high interest rates, etc. than the MNE’s are much likely to seek countries with wel l-developed financial institutions. Another finding was proposed by (Kolstag and Wiig, 2012) arguing that in some countries e. g. China, financial institutions are more cooperative with foreign investors that with the domestic companies, therefore companies are pushed to go overseas in order to obtain access to financial institutions.Witt and Lewin (2007) have stated that misalignments between the firms needs and home country institutional conditions are pushing firms to go abroad. The authors have demonstrated that countries with relatively high societal coordination are slowly adapting changes in the extra-institutional environment and results as the misalignments between firms and home institutions. For example, in year 2003 Germany had high social contributions and taxes as well as others rigidities which have impacted on both OFDI and IFDI flows.It was argued that every seventh German entrepreneur was planning to partly move abroad, every ninth was planning to move all producti on abroad and every thirteenth was thinking of relocating HQ (Head Quarter) abroad. Therefore, firms tend to seek the most appropriate for them institutional environment and if there is no such in home country, they are much likely to go abroad. Summarising all of the issues, it was figured out that most of the institutional factors have quite significant impact on IFDI and OFDI. The research has demonstrated that such nstitutional factors as political stability, governmental regime, corruption, legal system, financial institutions, etc. have serious impact on FDI. Nevertheless, there are some situations when other non-institutional factors may be more important, for instance China is focused more on the natural resources more than on the good institutions or market size might be more important for foreign investors than taxation issues. It was also found out that some institutional determinants may have impact on both outward and inward FDI flows.For example, political stability or corruption, these two factors may be applicable for both types of FDI flows. However, some of those institutional factors are better applicable for IFDI rather than OFDI or vice versa. References Aswathappa, K. (2010). ‘Intrernational Business’, 4th Edition, pp. 100-112. New Dehli: McGraw Hill. Azemar, C. and Delious, A. (2008). ’ Tax competition and FDI: The special case of developing countries. Journal of the Japanese and International Economies’. 22 (1), pp. 85-108. Dunning, J (2011). New Challenges for International Business Research: Back TotThe Future, pp. 90-200. UK: Edward Elgar. Egger, P. and Winner, H. (2005). ‘Evidence on corruption as an incentive for foreign direct investment’. European Journal of Political Economy. 21 (4), pp. 932-952. Garcia, A. and Navia, D. , (2003). ‘DETERMINANTS AND IMPACT OF FINANCIAL SECTOR FDI TO EMERGING ECONOMIES: A HOME COUNTRY'S PERSPECTIVE’, pp. 21-23. Spain: Banco de Espana. Globerman, S. and D. Shapiro (2002). ‘Global Foreign Direct Investment Flows: The Role of Governance Infrastructure’, World Development, 30, 11, 1899–919. Hatchondo, J. C. and Martinez, L. (2011). Legal Protection to Foreign Investors. Legal Protection to Foreign Investors’. 97 (2), pp. 175-187. Hsu, C. , Zhang, W. and Lok, L. , (2007). ‘The Business and Investment Environment in Taiwan and Mainland China’, pp. 200-205. Singapore: World Scientific. Jensen, N. , (2012). ‘Politics and Foreign Direct Investment’, pp. 8-14. USA: University of Michigan Press. Kalotay, K. and Sulstarova, A. (2010). ‘Modelling Russian outward FDI’. Journal of International Management. 16 (2), pp. 131-142. Kolstad, I. and Wiig, A. (2012). What determines Chinese outward FDI?.Journal of World Business. 47 (1), pp. 26-34. Knutsen, C. H. , Rygh, A. and Hveem, H. (2011). ‘Does State Ownership Matter? Institutions Effect on Foreign Direct Investment R evisited’. Business and Politics. 13 (1), pp. 1-31. Levent, I. (2006). ‘Global Development Finance 2006: The Development Potential of Surging Capital Flows’, pp. 107-110. Washington: WB Publications. Nachum, L. (1999). â€Å"Home country and firm-specific ownership advantages: A study of US, UK and French advertising agencies†. International Business Review. 8 (5), pp. 633-660. OECD, (2008). Private Sector Development in the Middle East and North Africa Making Reforms Succeed’, pp. 124-126. France: OECD Publishing. Paul, J. (2008). ‘International Business’, 4th Edition, pp. 235-240. New Dehli: PHI. Peng, M. and Parente, R. (2012). ‘Institution-Based Weaknesses Behind Emerging Multinationals’. RAE. 52 (3), pp. 360-364. Quere, A. , Coupet, M. and Mayer, T. (2007). ‘Institutional Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment’. The World Economy. 30 (5), pp. 764-782. Seyoum, B. (2011). ‘Informal Institutions and Foreign Direct Investment’. Journal of Economic Issues. 45 (4), pp. 917-940. Solomon, B (2007).Three Essays on the Impacts of Risk and Uncertainty on Foreign Direct Investment and Remittances Flows into Developing Countries, pp. 53-55. USA: ProQuest. Wei, S. -J. , (2000). ‘How Taxing is Corruption on Internal Investors? ’, Review of Economics and Statistics, 82, 1, 1–11. Wells, L. (2001). ‘Using Tax Incentives to Compete for Foreign Investment: Are They Worth the Costs? ’ pp. 97-100. USA: WB Publications. Witt, M. and Lewin, A. , (2007). ‘Outward foreign direct investment as escape response to home country institutional constraints’. Journal of International Business Studies. 38 (4), 579-594.

Cultural Event Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Event Report - Essay Example I decided to attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art because an important event related to world culture was organized by the museum authorities, i.e., an exhibition on Chinese art named as Colors of the Universe: Chinese Hardstone Carvings. My friends and I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 08.09.2012. As pointed out, my focus was on the Colors of the Universe: Chinese Hardstone Carvings, especially the artworks in the Gallery 22. Visiting the museum, I was overwhelmed by the dedication shown by the museum authorities towards art and architecture. Elephant Carrying a Vase and Pomegranates The two artworks selected for description are Elephant Carrying a Vase and Pomegranates, displayed at Gallery 222. The artwork named as Elephant Carrying a Vase (see appendix-1) is symbolic of the decorative art in China during Qing dynasty. The medium used for this artwork is jade/nephrite. Besides, the artist provided ample importance to decorative work with ruby. But one can see that decor ative work with precious stones is not related to Chinese art. Instead, one can assume that the decoration is the visible example of the influence of Indian art on Chinese art during this time period (say, 18th -19th century). Ebrey (1993) states that, â€Å"Traditional scholarship and arts flourished under the patronage of the Qing emperors, and even in rural areas schools were common and basic literacy relatively high† (p.267). ... In short, the artwork is symbolic of the rich tradition of art in China, especially the tradition of stone carving in China. The artwork named as Pomegranates (see appendix-2) belongs to Qing Dynasty. In addition, this artwork is symbolic of the development of art in the 18th century China. The lower side of the artwork consists of a wooden like structure, which acts as a foundation to the artwork. The artist made use of dark and light colors to provide importance to the whole work. One can see that this artwork is symbolic of the Chinese belief in the relationship between seeds and fertility/longevity. To be specific, pomegranate is used as a medicine to enhance sexual performance, and the same is related to fertility. So, the artist amalgamated the importance of pomegranates in Chinese belief and fertility in his artwork. To be specific, most of the Chinese artworks during the Qing Dynasty are interconnected with the beliefs and rituals during that age. Besides, Chinese artworks ca nnot be considered as mere showcase pieces. Instead, artworks are presented to express one’s gratitude. In this artwork, agate is used as the medium. So, this artwork is symbolic of the Chinese tradition of providing importance to art in daily life. One can see three pomegranates, flower and leaves on the upper side of the artwork. Summary and reaction The exhibition (say, Colors of the Universe: Chinese Hardstone Carvings) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, consists of a number of artworks related to Chinese art. Most of the artworks belong to 18th-19th century art in China. I tried my level best to have deeper understanding of the inherent theme/symbolism of the artworks. At first, I tried to have a bird’s eye

Managing and Leading Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing and Leading Change - Essay Example To sustain in this competitive business market, an organisation needs to implement lots of change tactics. Change may be in terms of technological aspects, accounting principles, human resource planning and also of expansion programs among others. Organisational change is viewed to be a sort of structured approach from the viewpoint of organisational perspective. Smoother adoption as well as execution of making effectual changes may support a specific organisation to avail significant benefits. The benefits might comprise enhancing profitability along with overall productivity, mounting market share, competing with major rivalries and most vitally accomplishing superior competitive position. It can be stated from a broader circumstance that gaining momentum of globalisation and the constant changing technologies increased the business market competition amid the marketers by a greater level. Organisations must have to adopt change process in order to survive in this competitive lands cape (Bollen & Emes, 2008). ... From a theoretical perspective, change is often viewed to a deliberate initiative of a particular company for the purpose of attaining its expected business targets by a significant level. While defining the perception of change, it has often been viewed that customers are largely influenced by various sales promotional based tools. Change may be in terms of capital structure which combines both debts along with equity. Change may be regarding the human resource policies that amalgamate the aspects like leadership and superior-subordinates interrelation among others (Bollen & Emes, 2008). Change is important in respect of the particular discussion in respect of the multinational company presented in this case wherein, a number of points need to be highlighted. Overcapacity is a kind of situation where any company fail to sell all its broad assortment of products. Thus, in order to overcome this critical situation, change plays a decisive part in supporting the companies to effectivel y selling their respective products with ease by adopting any significant measure relating to the change in corporate culture or strategies. Relating to the case, the manufacturing company faced certain significant pressures particularly upon its profit margins due to overcapacity especially in manufacturing. The aspect of change might certainly support this company towards lessening from such pressure in terms of changing its respective organisational matrix along with the functions of its various operational departments (Canada's Health Informatics Association, 2013). Critical Analysis of the Challenges According to the case, it can be critically analysed that the major manufacturing company faced certain crucial challenges or issues regarding various important aspects. The main

Americas Rationality (view) for Electing Obama as President Essay

Americas Rationality (view) for Electing Obama as President - Essay Example Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of United States in November 2008, by defeating the Republican John McCain. Barack Obama is regarded as the first black President. During the election campaign he was the most well-liked personality in America. There are many reasons behind his popularity and definitely Americans have shown their rationality in electing him as the President of the only superpower in the world. According to the exit polls, Obama’s share of National Popularity vote was 52% against his counterpart John McCain whose was 46%. In the history of US politics it was the first time since Jimmy Carter’s victory in 1976 where the Democrat Party won straight majority. Let’s discuss the different causes which brought Obama on the peak of popularity It is a long journey of victory of Obama. He declared his candidacy for the President of the United States of America on February 10, 2007.And throughout the entire campaign he was focusing on the major burning issues such as Iraq war, Energy independence, and the provision of universal health care, financial crises, any many others The American people are quite rational in selecting their president. Barack Obama became popular due to his service which was based around his resolute belief in the capacity to bring people together around a politics of purpose. Obama was elected to the state senate in 1996 and served the three terms. He especially supported the working families by cutting their taxes and he expanded health care program for children and their parents.

Current Events (Spokane Mayor Jim West) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current Events (Spokane Mayor Jim West) - Essay Example During the scandal the other facts of his private life also became publicly known to wide audience and to the City Council. Before this scandal West was involved in the accusations of child molestation. Three-year investigation and interviews with two felons who said West fondled them and forced them to perform sexual acts on him when they were Boy Scouts did not resulted in criminal responsibility because no evident had been found to accuse West. The anti-gay Mayor has been under scrutiny for allegedly molesting underage boys in the 70's and offering city jobs to young men he met on gay websites. Government officials suppose that the best way out for the city and Mayor Jim West is to resign. They say that many politicians are strong enough to overcome scandals and gossips, but in this case it will be impossible for public to "forget and forgive" it. It should be mentioned that some employees at Spokane City Hall were shocked by the accusations, others were trying to understand the implications. Organizers of an effort to remove Mayor Jim West were reviewing the wording of their recall petition after receiving an approval form a judge on one of the allegations in their ballot proposal.

DIVERSITY AND CITIZENSHIP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DIVERSITY AND CITIZENSHIP - Essay Example Furthermore, in Isla Vista, peer attitudes determine the level of security and safety, which students obtain in the college campus (Counseling and Student Support Office, â€Å"Bullying at School†). According to my perspective, where aggressive attitudes can generate unsafe environment in school campus, a caring attitude can ensure safety and security for every type of students irrespective of cultural barriers. Besides, I would also prefer to mention that peers can make any bullying intervention program successful. By demonstrating a positive behavior, they can eliminate any violent problem in school campus and therefore support in developing better relationship with every students (Furlong, Felix, Sharkey and Larson 11-15). Hence, from my personal viewpoint, my peers have imposed a strong influence on my sense of safe and security in Isla Vista as well as in the university. A global citizen is one who recognizes himself/herself with being a part of the evolving world. The actions of a global citizen attempt to support to the establishment of global values and practices. Global citizen possess adequate awareness regarding the world and its inhabitants. In order to become a global citizen, one must identify the regional differences and accept various cultures. It is in this context that global citizens understand the interconnectivity of every individual and every place. Furthermore, developing trust and collaborative attitude with different people as representative of various cultures around the world is also regarded as an inherent constituent to help developing a global citizen (Global Kids Connect, â€Å"What is Global Citizenship?†). In preparing myself to become a global citizen, I can take advantage of several activities organized in the university over next several years, such as developing positive relationship with various students representing different cultural groups, resisting against any kind of racism or intolerable behavior, valuing the

ART Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

ART - Essay Example The emperor later constructed a new city with large buildings and beautiful buildings. This created a good opportunity for Gustav and his partners to demonstrate their talents. Gustav and his colleagues received an invitation by the Emperor. The Emperor wanted them to paint the palace in preparation for a pageant. The Emperor had organized the pageant to celebrate the silver wedding with his wife Empress Elisabeth. In subsequent years, Gustav and his company got an invitation to produce a ceiling painting for thermal birth in Carlsbad. Gustav’s use of color and his patterns in his paintings were influenced by various arts. This included arts of Japan, Byzantine Ravenna, the flat, ancient Egypt and the two dimension perspective of his paintings. Gustav’s paintings at the early ages brought him a lot of success. (Rogoyska, Gustav, and Patrick 7-60). Gustav painted his famous art The Kiss at the beginning of the 20th century. The Kiss portrayed two lovers kissing one another. The painting exemplifies the era of historians and historians alike whom he referred the fin-de siecle, meaning the end of a century. The concept describes the artistic culture of the late 18th and early 19th century. This was more so in Vienna where the determination by Austrians to enjoy a happy lifestyle was disturbed by political upheavals and a future that was uncertain. Gustav captured the sensuality and opulence of this period by the famous painting (The Kiss). The setting in the painting is ambiguous and cannot be determined. The painting pattern in The Kiss signifies the gender differences. The circles represent the woman’s garment. The rectangles represent the man’s garment. The patterns depicted on the picture unite the two lovers into one entity. This shows their erotic union. Modern artists use artistic patterns to communicate dee p messages (Rogoyska, Gustav, and Patrick 7-60). The artistic work by Gustav is impressive. It

Chinese Language Cinema Essay Example for Free

Chinese Language Cinema Essay During the 21st century China had been recognized to be one of the greatest distributors of movies throughout the world. China made a big influence when it comes to movie industry on different countries particularly on the American markets. Chinese movies had been widely appreciated by the United States. There are many Chinese actors and actresses who became famous in United States like Jackie Chan, a Chinese actor and director of action motion pictures who had become very famous because of his talent when it comes to acting, doing different creative stunts work, comic manners, and his talent in choreographing different fight sequences. When it comes to film industry and economic status, China was one of the top and biggest contributors throughout the world. China did not ceased in pursuing for success when it comes to movie and film industry. Their culture, state, as well as their different kinds of languages and beliefs became one of the primary reason why mainland China are having difficulties when it comes to producing and building up a great films that will satisfy the taste of different countries particularly the United States. On pursuing their goal in becoming one of the best and highest grosser of economy in the world, China did not waste any time to be able to create a big impact and influence to the American markets especially in the Hollywood (2000). Because of their efforts and patience in continuing their goal to be part of the top countries that are producing and importing top movies in the world, Chinese community became very successful in achieving their goal when it comes to movie industry. In the beginning of the 21st century, China also became very successful in their economic status as well as their entertainment film and Chinese cinemas (2002). All the trials and difficulties that they have encountered in the past few decades were quickly transformed to a successful and progressive country. Mainland China was also known as economic powerhouse because of their successful economic status when it comes to importing and exporting different products and films. Because of their success in economy, Mainland China surpassed other countries like France and Italy who are known to be one of the most successful countries in the world. Chinese cinema became a commodity for worldwide trade, electronics, clothing materials, and even precious and expensive metals. As a start of their successful and profitable business, film and movie industry became one of their major sources of capital and income. China became one of the most excellent importers of movies in the whole world especially in the United States (2003). In spite of China’s good production of movies, there are many criticism that been spreading about their entertainment. Negative and positive opinions as well as different comments were spreading to the public. Critics implied that some movies and films are seriously violating the culture as well as the beliefs of the Chinese community because of some unjust doings and immoral acts in the film. However other films that produce under Chinese films are making a big impact to the global society because the message of the film implies some important issues to the viewers. The Chinese filmmakers are now developing their movies and films so they can express the whole story as an art, and they have indicated a very resourceful material that can be reliable to the audience ideas as well as their point of views (2007). The Chinese filmmakers are very talented when it comes to creating good arrangements of auditory effects, different color effects, environmental forms, and cultural movements that can easily attract the viewers’ attention. In Chinese cinema, they considered their movies and films as an art, because of their aesthetic value and human works of beauty. The movies provided by the filmmakers are always related to their traditions, history, and also based on their social and political status in the society. They are giving some twist to the topic so the viewers or audience will be excited and satisfy from what they viewed.

IVR Cloud Migration Project

IVR Cloud Migration Project INTRODUCTION The primary objective of the IVR Cloud Migration Project is to Lift and Shift their working Applications into the AWS Cloud Environment. The Lift and Shift of the IVR Applications are recommended to have automation the least amount of human interaction to build and deploy onto AWS Cloud. This document will give a step-by-step process to carry out the task of automating the creation and maintenance of the applications. REQUIREMENTS The IVR Applications require the following resources to replicate and automate the on-premise environment onto AWS Cloud. In the Automation Process, the requirement is to have minimal human interaction and have an automation pipeline from creating a build for the application to creating, deploying and configuring until a running application instance is setup. The tools that are required are as follows: AWS EC2 Instances WebSphere Liberty Profile Jenkins Pipeline CyberArk Authentication Ansible Tower AWS CloudFormation AWS Elastic Load Balancers AWS S3 Bucket ELASTIC COMPUTE CLOUD (EC2) Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is a virtual computing environment which provides users the platform to create applications and allowing them to scale their applications by providing Infrastructure as a Service. Key Concepts associated with an EC2 are Virtual computing environments are known as instances. Preconfigured templates for your instances, known as Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), that package the bits you need for your server (including the operating system and additional software). Various configurations of CPU, memory, storage, and networking capacity for your instances, known as instance types. Secure login information for your instances using key pairs (AWS stores the public key, and you store the private key in a secure place). Storage volumes for temporary data thats deleted when you stop or terminate your instance, known as instance store volumes. Persistent storage volumes for your data using Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS), known as Amazon EBS volumes. Multiple physical locations for your resources, such as instances and Amazon EBS volumes, known as regions and Availability Zones. A firewall that enables you to specify the protocols, ports, and source IP ranges that can reach your instances using security groups. Static IPv4 addresses for dynamic cloud computing, known as Elastic IP addresses. Metadata, known as tags, that you can create and assign to your Amazon EC2 resources. Virtual networks you can create that are logically isolated from the rest of the AWS Cloud, and that you can optionally connect to your own network, known as Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs). WEBSPHERE LIBERTY PROFILE IBM WebSphere Application Server V8.5 Liberty Profile is a composable, dynamic application server environment that supports development and testing of web applications. The Liberty profile is a simplified, lightweight development and application runtime environment that has the following characteristics: Simple to configure. Configuration is read from an XML file with text-editor friendly syntax. Dynamic and flexible. The run time loads only what your application needs and recomposes the run time in response to configuration changes. Fast. The server starts in under 5 seconds with a basic web application. Extensible. The Liberty profile provides support for user and product extensions, which can use System Programming Interfaces (SPIs) to extend the run time. JENKINS Jenkins is a self-contained, open source automation server which can be used to automate all sorts of tasks such as building, testing, and deploying software. Jenkins can be installed through native system packages, Docker, or even run standalone by any machine with the Java Runtime Environment installed. Jenkins Pipeline is a suite of plugins which supports implementing and integrating continuous delivery pipelines into Jenkins. Pipeline provides an extensible set of tools for modeling simple-to-complex delivery pipelines as code. A Jenkinsfile which is a text file that contains the definition of a Jenkins Pipeline is checked into source control. This is the foundation of Pipeline-As-Code; treating the continuous delivery pipeline a part of the application to be version and reviewed like any other code. REQUIREMENTS The Requirements for Jenkins Server includes the following: The size requirement for a Jenkins instance is that there is no one size fits all answer the exact specifications of the hardware that you will need will depend heavily on your organizations needs. Your Jenkins master runs on Java and requires to have the OpenJDK installed on the Instance with the JAVA_HOME path Set. Jenkins runs on a local webserver like Tomcat and requires it to be configured. RAM allotted for it can range from 200 MB for a small installation to 70+ GB for a single and massive Jenkins master. However, you should be able to estimate the RAM required based on your project build needs. Each build node connection will take 2-3 threads, which equals about 2 MB or more of memory. You will also need to factor in CPU overhead for Jenkins if there are a lot of users who will be accessing the Jenkins user interface. The more automated the environment configuration is, the easier it is to replicate a configuration onto a new agent machine. Tools for configuration management or a pre-baked image can be excellent solutions to this end. Containers and virtualization are also popular tools for creating generic agent environments. JENKINS FILE STRUCTURE Jenkins File Structure is a model to automate the non-human part of the whole software development process, with now common things like continuous integration, but by further empowering teams to implement the technical part of a Continuous Delivery. Directory Description . jenkins The default Jenkins home directory. Fingerprints This directory is used by Jenkins to keep track of artifact fingerprints. We look at how to track artifacts later in the book. jobs This directory contains configuration details about the build jobs that Jenkins manages, as well as the artifacts and data resulting from these builds. plugins This directory contains any plugins that you have installed. Plugins allow you to extend Jenkins by adding extra feature. Note Except the Jenkins core plugins (subversion, cvs, ssh-slaves, maven, and scid-ad), no plugins are stored with Jenkins executable, or expanded web application directory. updates This is an internal directory used by Jenkins to store information about available plugin updates. userContent You can use this directory to place your own custom content onto your Jenkins server. You can access files in this directory at http://myserver/userContent (stand-alone). users If you are using the native Jenkins user database, user accounts will be stored in this directory. war This directory contains the expanded web application. When you start Jenkins as a stand-alone application, it will extract the web application into this directory. JENKINS SETUP Jenkins Setup is carried out on a managing server which has access to all your remote servers or nodes. The Process can be demonstrated with a few simple steps. Jenkins has native integrations with different Operating Systems. These are the Operating Systems that support Jenkins are: Solaris 10 Ubuntu Red Hat Distributions Windows UNIX Daemon Docker JENKINS CONFIGURATION The Configuration file for Jenkins is used to make certain changes to the default configuration. The Priority configuration changes are searched by Jenkins in the following order: Jenkins will be launched as a daemon on startup. See /etc/init.d/jenkins for more details. The jenkins user is created to run this service. If you change this to a different user via the config file, you must change the owner of /var/log/jenkins, /var/lib/jenkins, and /var/cache/jenkins. Log file will be placed in /var/log/jenkins/jenkins.log. Check this file if you are troubleshooting Jenkins. /etc/sysconfig/jenkins will capture configuration parameters for the launch. By default, Jenkins listen on port 8080. Access this port with your browser to start configuration.ÂÂ   Note that the built-in firewall may have to be opened to access this port from other computers. A Jenkins RPM repository is added in /etc/yum.repos.d/jenkins.repo CREATE A JENKINS PIPELINE The requirement for creating a pipeline is to have a repository with the Jenkins file which holds the declaration of the pipeline. STEP 1: Select New Item from the Jenkins Dashboard. New Item on the Jenkins home page src=https://aaimagestore.s3.amazonaws.com/july2017/0020514.008.png> STEP 2: Enter a Name for the Pipeline and Select Pipeline from the list of options. Click OK. STEP 3: Toggle Tabs to Customize the Pipeline to Click Apply. STEP 4: To Build the Job, Click Build Now on the Dashboard to run the Pipeline. ANSIBLE Ansible Tower is the Automation tool used in this project and is a simple tool to manage multiple nodes. Ansible is recommended to automate the deployment and configuration management of the System and its Applications. Ansible Automation can be setup on any machine as it does not require a daemon or database. It will begin with the assigned user to SSH into a host file. This allows the user to run the Ansible script to execute the roles which runs various tasks defined. NOTE: In scope of the IVR applications the ansible script executes multiple roles for the creation of EC2 Instances and the installation of WebSphere Applications. Each of these roles have their very own YAML script to create and populate the instance. REQUIREMENTS The Requirements for Ansible Server includes the following: Ansible Tower Setup requires to be on a Linux Instance (CentOS or RHEL), Linux setup for some basic services including: Git, Python, OpenSSL. Some Additional Requirement: Jinja2: A modern, fast and easy to use stand-alone template engine for Python. PyYAML: A YAML parser and emitter for the Python programming language. Paramiko: A native Python SSHv2 channel library. Httplib2: A comprehensive HTTP client library. SSHPass: A non-interactive SSH password authentication. ANSIBLE FILE STRUCTURE Ansible Playbook is a model of configuration or a process which contains number of plays. Each play is used to map a group of hosts to some well-defined roles which can be represented by ansible call tasks. Master Playbook The Master Playbook file contains the information of the rest of the Playbook. The Master Playbook for the project has been given as Site.yml. This YAML script is used to define the roles to execute. NOTE: The roles in the Master Playbook are invoked to perform their respective tasks. Path = /ivr/aws_env/playbooks/ivr SITE.YML Inventory Ansible contains information about the hosts and groups of hosts to be managed in the hosts file. This is also called an inventory file. Path = /ivr/aws_env/playbooks/ivr/inventory Group Variables and Host Variables Similar to the hosts inventory file, you can also include hosts and groups of hosts configuration variables in a separate configuration folder like group_vars and hosts_vars. These can include configuration parameters, whether on the application or operating system level, which may not be valid for all groups or hosts. This is where having multiple files can be useful: inside group_vars or hosts_vars, you can create a group or host in more than one way, allowing you to define specific configuration parameters. Roles Roles in Ansible build on the idea of include files and combine them to form clean, reusable abstractions they allow you to focus more on the big picture and only define the details when needed. To correctly use roles with Ansible, you need to create a roles directory in your working Ansible directory, and then any necessary sub-directories. The Following displays the Playbook Structure for Ansible. ANSIBLE SETUP Ansible Setup is carried out on a managing server which has access to all your remote servers or nodes. The Process can be demonstrated with a few simple steps. Step I. Login as the Root User on the Instance where Ansible needs to be installed. Use the sudo apt-get install ansible -y command to install the package onto an Ubuntu/Debian System. Use the sudo yum install ansible -y command to install the package onto a CentOS/RHEL/Fedora System. Step II. The Ansible system can connect to any remote server using SSH by authenticating the request. NOTE: Ansible can use ssh-keygen to create a RSA encrypted key and can copy it to the remote server to connect using SSH without authentication. Step III. Create an Inventory file which is used to work against multiple systems across the infrastructure at the same time. This is executed by taking portions of the systems linked in the Inventory file. The Default path for the Inventory file is etc/ansible/hosts. NOTE This path can be changed by using -i which is a recommended option depending on the project requirement. There can be more than one inventory files which can be executed at the same time. The inventory file holds the group names which defines the group of servers that are maintained together. The inventory file needs to be populated with the host IP Addresses that are to be accessed. The inventory file is as follows: Path = /ivr/aws_env/playbooks/ivr/inventory hosts The IVR in the brackets indicates group names. Group names are used to classify systems and determining which systems you are going to control at what times and for what reason. The group name can be used to interact with all the hosts alongside different modules (-m) defined in ansible. Example: ansible -m ping IVR ANSIBLE CONFIGURATION The Configuration file for Ansible is used to make certain changes to the default configuration. The Priority configuration changes are searched by ansible in the following order: Path= /ivr/aws_env/playbooks/ivr/etc/ansible.cfg is the path setup for ansible configuration changes. CLOUD FORMATION AWS CloudFormation is a service that helps you model and set up your Amazon Web Services resources so that you can spend less time managing those resources and more time focusing on your applications that run-in AWS. You create a template that describes all the AWS resources that you want (like Amazon EC2 instances or Amazon RDS DB instances), and AWS CloudFormation takes care of provisioning and configuring those resources for you. You dont need to individually create and configure AWS resources and figure out whats dependent on what; AWS CloudFormation handles all of that. CloudFormation Template CloudFormation templates are created for the service or application architectures you want and have AWS CloudFormation use those templates for quick and reliable provisioning of the services or applications (called stacks). You can also easily update or replicate the stacks as needed. Example Template STEPS TO LAUNCH A CLOUD FORMATION STACK Sign in to AWS Management Console and open the Cloud Formation console at http://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation/ From the navigation bar select the region for the instance Click on the Create a New Stack. Choose an Option from a Sample Template, Template to S3 and S3 Template URL Using a template to build an EC2 Instance Enter a Stack Name and Provide the Key Pair to SSH into the Instance. a A Add Tags to the Instance, this also help organize your instance to group with application specific, team specific instances. Review and Create Stack. CloudFormation Stack starts building the stack using the template. In Scope of this Project, IVR Application Instances are build using a Cloud Formation Template and will be triggered using Ansible Role. Simple Storage Service (S3) Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) A load balancer serves as a single point of contact for clients, which increases the availability of your application. You can add and remove instances from your load balancer as your needs change, without disrupting the overall flow of requests to your application. Elastic Load Balancing scales your load balancer as traffic to your application changes over time, and can scale to the clear majority of workloads automatically. You can configure health checks, which are used to monitor the health of the registered instances so that the load balancer can send requests only to the healthy instances. You can also offload the work of encryption and decryption to your load balancer so that your instances can focus on their main work. ÂÂ  Setting Up an Elastic Load Balancer Step 1: Select a Load Balancer Type Elastic Load Balancing supports two types of load balancers: Application Load Balancers and Classic Load Balancers. To create an Elastic Load Balancer, Open the Amazon EC2 console and choose Load Balancers on the navigation pane. Step 2: Configure Your Load Balancer and Listener On the Configure Load Balancer page, complete the following procedure. To configure your load balancer and listener 1. For Name, type a name for your load balancer. The name of your Application Load Balancer must be unique within your set of Application Load Balancers for the region, can have a maximum of 32 characters, can contain only alphanumeric characters and hyphens, and must not begin or end with a hyphen. 2. For Scheme, keep the default value, internet-facing. 3. For IP address type, select ipv4 if your instances support IPv4 addresses or dual stack if they support IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. 4. For Listeners, keep the default, which is a listener that accepts HTTP traffic on port 80. 5. For Availability Zones, select the VPC that you used for your EC2 instances. For each of the two Availability Zones that contain your EC2 instances, select the Availability Zone and then select the public subnet for that Availability Zone. 6. Choose Next: Configure Security Settings. Step 3: Configure a Security Group for Your Load Balancer The security group for your load balancer must allow it to communicate with registered targets on both the listener port and the health check port. The console can create security groups for your load balancer on your behalf, with rules that specify the correct protocols and ports. Note If you prefer, you can create and select your own security group instead. For more information, see Recommended Rules in the Application Load Balancer Guide. On the Configure Security Groups page, complete the following procedure to have Elastic Load Balancing create a security group for your load balancer on your behalf. Step 4: Configure Your Target Group To configure a security group for your load balancer 1. Choose Create a new security group. 2. Type a name and description for the security group, or keep the default name and description. This new security group contains a rule that allows traffic to the load balancer listener port that you selected on the Configure Load Balancer page. 3. Choose Next: Configure Routing. Step 4: Configure Your Target Group Create a target group, which is used in request routing. The default rule for your listener routes requests to the to registered targets in this target group. The load balancer checks the health of targets in this target group using the health check settings defined for the target group. On the Configure Routing page, complete the following procedure. To configure your target group 1. For Target group, keep the default, New target group. 2. For Name, type a name for the new target group. 3. Keep Protocol as HTTP and Port as 80. 4. For Health checks, keep the default protocol and ping path. 5. Choose Next: Register Targets. Step 5: Register Targets with Your Target Group On the Register Targets page, complete the following procedure. To register targets with the target group 1. For Instances, select one or more instances. 2. Keep the default port, 80, and choose Add to registered. 3. If you need to remove an instance that you selected, for Registered instances, select the instance and then choose Remove. 4. When you have finished selecting instances, choose Next: Review. Step 6: Create and Test Your Load Balancer Before creating the load balancer, review the settings that you selected. After creating the load balancer, verify that its sending traffic to your EC2 instances. To create and test your load balancer 1. On the Review page, choose Create. 2. After you are notified that your load balancer was created successfully, choose Close. 3. On the navigation pane, under LOAD BALANCING, choose Target Groups. 4. Select the newly created target group. 5. On the Targets tab, verify that your instances are ready. If the status of an instance is initial, its probably because the instance is still in the process of being registered, or it has not passed the Auto Scaling AUTOMATION OVERVIEW There are 2 Parts of the Automation Process which is used To Create a Custom AMI for all IVR Applications To Create Instances for Each Application using the Custom AMI. STEPS TO CREATE THE CUSTOM AMI The process of automating this environment starts from creating a Jenkins Pipeline for code deploy to the application that needs to be build. The Pipeline also needs integration of CyberArk for the Authentication and registering the service account required for the automation. The following process is triggered as part of the Ansible playbook where it performs multiple roles to complete automation of the Application. The Ansible role first calls for a CloudFormation Template. A CloudFormation Template is used to Build a Stack required (EC2 Instance). This template is given the AMI ID of the Verizon standard. The CloudFormation Template after the creation of the Instance triggers a WebSphere Role from Ansible that installs the OpenJDK, WebSphere Liberty Profile, creating a WLP User and Add the Necessary Net groups for the application. An AMI of the Instance at this point is created. STEPS TO CREATE THE APPLICATION INSTANCES The process of automating this environment starts from creating a Jenkins Pipeline for code deploy to the application that needs to be build. The Pipeline also needs integration of CyberArk for the Authentication and registering the service account required for the automation. The following process is triggered as part of the Ansible playbook where it performs multiple roles to complete automation of the Application. The Ansible role first calls for a CloudFormation Template. A CloudFormation Template is used to Build a Stack required (EC2 Instance). This template is given the Custom AMI created for IVR. After the creation of the Instance an S3 Role is triggered from Ansible. The S3 Role Performs the Ansible Role based on the Application Instance. NOTE: An S3 Bucket with folder structure for each application is maintained to keep the updated code and certificates along with other required installation files. IVR Touch Point S3 role fetches the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR-TP folder of the S3 bucket and install them on the Instance that is created by the Cloud Formation Role. IVR Middleware S3 role fetches the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR-MW folder of the S3 bucket and install them on the Instance that is created by the Cloud Formation Role. IVR Activations S3 role fetches the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR-Activations of the S3 bucket and install them on the Instance that is created by the Cloud Formation Role. IVR CTI S3 role fetches the IBM eXtreme Scale Grid Installation followed by Siteminder SSO installation. After the application requirements are fulfilled, the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR-CTI folder of the S3 bucket are deployed on the Instance. IVR Work Hub S3 role fetches the IBM eXtreme Scale Grid Installation followed by Siteminder SSO installation. After the application requirements are fulfilled, the EAR files, configuration files and the certificates in the IVR

Hplc Analysis Of Aloe Vera Tablets Biology Essay

Hplc Analysis Of Aloe Vera Tablets Biology Essay The project work was aimed to achieve the quantitative determination of aloin and aloe emodin in the form of tablets by employing HPLC. The method used was reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. Calibration curve method was used for the quantification of aloin and aloe emodin. The mobile phase was the mixture of acetonitrile and deionised water in the ratio of 60:40 respectively. The mobile phase was pumped at 1.5 ml/minute and the analyte was quantified at the wavelength of 220 and 296nm. The column used for separation was kromasil 5C18. Reverse phase Isocratic run of standard aloin and standard aloe emodin was done and the peaks obtained from their analysis were used to compare the test sample peaks. Aloe vera colax tablets manufactured by Aloe pura laboratories were used as the test sample tablets which were extracted with water, methanol, acetonitrile, methanol-water and acetonitrile-water. After extraction they were subjected for isocratic run in HPLC instrument a nd the data obtained were compared with that of the standard. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction to Aloe Vera Aloes is the dried juice of the leaves of Aloe barbadensis Miller, known as Curacao aloes, or of Aloe perryi Baker known as Socotrine aloes, or of Aloe ferox Miller and hybrids of the species of Aloe africana Miller and Aloe spicata Baker, known as Cape aloes belonging to the family Liliaceae. [2,3] The synonym of aloes is Aalwee, Aalwyn, Kumari, Star cactus, Aroe, Acibar, Babosa, etc. [1] Aloes is indigeneous to eastern and southern Africa and grown in Cape colony, Zanzibar and islands of Socotra. It is also cultivated in Caribbean islands, Europe and many parts of India, including North West Himalayan region. [2] All the varieties of aloe are the major sources of anthraquinone glycosides. The principal active composition of aloe is aloin, which is a mixture of glucosides, among which barbaloin is the chief constituent. It is chemically aloe-emodin anthrone C-10 glucoside and is water-soluble. [2] Barbaloin is a C- glycoside and it is not hydrolysed by heating with dilute acids or alkalies. Ferric chloride decomposes barbaloin by oxidative hydrolysis into aloe-emodin-anthrone, little aloe-emodin and glucose. [2] Along with barbaloin, aloes also contains isobarbaloin, b-barbaloin, aloe-emodin and resins. The drug also contains aloetic acid, homonataloin, aloesone, chrysophanic acid, chrysamminic acid, galactouronic acid, choline, choline salicylate, saponins, mucopolysaccharides, glucosamines, hexuronic acid, coniferyl alcohol, etc. [2] The amount of barbaloin in different commercial varieties varies to a large extent. Curacao aloes contain about 22 percent of barbaloin. Indian variety, generally Aloe vera contain very less quantity (3.5 to 4 percent). Curacao aloes contains two and half times quantity of aloe-emodin , compared to Cape-aloe-emodin. [2] The resin of aloe principally contains Aloesin. It is a type of C- glucosyl chromome. Aloesin is also responsible for purgative action of aloes. [2] Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Aloin [5] Aloe emodin [6] 1.2 Uses of Aloe Vera: Aloes is used as purgative. Its effect is mainly on colon. It has a stronger purgative action in the series of all crude drugs with anthracene glycosidal content. To counter effect the gripping action, it is given along with carminatives. [2] It facilitates the healing of any kind of skin wound, burn, or scald even speeding recovery time after surgery. [4] It is applied topically in acne, sunburn, frostbite (it appears to prevent decreased blood flow), shingles, screening out x-ray radiation, psoriasis, preventing scarring, rosacea, warts, wrinkles from aging, and eczema. [2, 4] It also seems to help prevent opportunistic infections in cases of HIV and AIDS due to its immune system stimulant properties. [4] It appears to be of help in cancer patients (including lung cancer) by cativating white blood cells and promoting growth of non- cancerous cells. [4] Aloe also appears to work on heartburn, arthritis, and rheumatism pain and asthma. [2, 4] It also lowers the blood sugar levels in diabetics. [2, 4] Other situations in which it appears to work when taken internally inclue congestion, internal worms, indigestion, stomach ulcers, colitis, hemorrhoids, liver problems such as cirrhosis and hepatitis, kidney infections, urinary tract infections, prostate problems, and as a general detoxifier. [2, 4] CHAPTER 2 HPLC 2.1 HPLC: Introduction and Instrumentation The technique of high performance liquid chromatography is so called because of its improved performance when compared to classical column chromatography. It is also called as high-pressure liquid chromatography since pressure is used when compared to classical column chromatography. Instead of a solvent being allowed to drip through a column under gravity, it is forced through under high pressure of up to 400 atmospheres. For the separation, identification and quantification of compounds, this method is frequently used in biochemistry and analytical chemistry. [11, 12] The development of HPLC from classical column chromatography can be attributed to the development of smaller particle sizes. Smaller particle size is important since they offer more surface area over the conventional larger sizes. [7] 1960s 40 to 60m 1970s 10 to 20m 1980s 5 to 10m 1990s 1 to 3m A porous particle of 5m offers a surface area of 100-860 sq.metres/gram with an average of 400 sq.metres/gram. These offer very high plate counts upto 100,000/metre. Table 1: Comparison of classical column chromatography with HPLC [7] Parameter Classical column chromatography HPLC Stationary phase particle size Large 60-200m Small 3-20m Column size Length x int. diameter Large 0.5-5m x 0.5-5cm i.d. Small 5-50cm x 1-10mm i.d. Column material Glass Mostly metal Column packing pressure Slurry packed at low pressure often gravity Slurry packed at high pressure >5000 psi Operating pressure Low ( High (500 3000 psi) Flow rates Low to very low Medium to high (Often >3ml/min) Sample load Low to medium (g/mg) Low to very low (mg) Parameter Classical column chromatography HPLC Cost Low High Detector flow cell volume Large 300 to 1000ml Low 2 to 10ml Column efficiency i.e. Resolving power (Low) Theoretical plates per meter (High) often >100,000 Plates per meter Types of stationary phases available Limited range Wide range Scale of operation Preparative scale Analytical and preparative scale 2.2 Types of HPLC techniques [7, 9, 10, 11, 12] Based on Modes of Chromatography There are two modes viz. Normal phase mode and Reverse phase mode. These modes are based on the polarity of stationary phase and mobile phase. Before explaining the modes, it is important to know the interactions, which occur between solute, stationary and mobile phase. Polar Polar interaction or affinity is more Nonpolar Nonpolar interaction or affinity is more Polar Nonpolar interaction or affinity is less Normal phase mode: In normal phase mode, the stationary phase (eg. Silica gel) is polar in nature and the mobile phase is non-polar. In this technique, non-polar compounds travel faster and are eluted first. This is because of less affinity between solute and stationary phase. Polar compounds are retained for longer time in the column because of more affinity towards stationary phase and take more time to be eluted from the column. This is not advantageous in pharmaceutical applications since most of the drug molecules are polar in nature and takes longer time to be eluted and detected. Hence this technique is not widely used in pharmacy. Reverse phase mode: In reverse phase technique, a non-polar stationary phase is used. The mobile phase is polar in nature. Hence polar components get eluted first and non-polar compounds are retained for a longer time. Since most of the drugs and pharmaceuticals are polar in nature, they are not retained for a longer time and eluted faster, which is advantageous. Different columns used are ODS (Octadecyl silane) or C18, C8, C4, etc. Common reverse phase solvents are methanol, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran and water. Based on principle of separation Adsorption chromatography Ion exchange chromatography Ion pair chromatography Size exclusion or Gel permeation chromatography Affinity chromatography Chiral phase chromatography Each of the above technique is described in brief as follows: Adsorption chromatography: The principle of separation is adsorption. Separation of components takes place because of the difference in affinity of compounds towards stationary phase. This principle is seen in normal phase as well as reverse phase mode, where adsorption takes place. Ion exchange chromatography: The principle of separation is ion exchange, which is reversible exchange of functional groups. In ion exchange chromatography, an ion exchange resin is used to separate a mixture of similar charged ions. For cations, a cation exchange resin is used. For anions, an anion exchange resin is used. Ion pair chromatography: In ion pair chromatography, a reverse phase column is converted temporarily into ion exchange column by using ion pairing agents like pentane or hexane or heptane or octane sulphonic acid sodium salt, trtramethyl or tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide, etc. Size exclusion or gel permeation chromatography: In this type of chromatography, a mixture of components with different molecular sizes is separated by using gels. The gel used acts as molecular sieve and hence a mixture of substances with different molecular sizes is separated. Soft gels like agarose , dextran or polyacrylamide are used. Semi rigid gels like polystyrene, alkyl dextran in non-aqueous medium are also used. The mechanism of separation is by steric and diffusion effects. Affinity chromatography: Affinity chromatography uses the affinity of the sample with specific stationary phases. This technique is mostly used in the field of Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, etc. Chiral phase chromatography: Separation of optical isomers can be done by using chiral stationary phases. Different principles operate for different types of stationary phases and for different samples. The stationary phases used for this type of chromatography are mostly chemically bonded silica gel. Based on elution technique 1. Isocratic separation: In this technique, the same mobile phase combination is used throughout the process of separation. The same polarity or elution strength is maintained throughout the process. In this technique, the peak width increases with retention time linearly according to the equation for N, the number of theoretical plates. Gradient separation: In this technique, a mobile phase combination of lower polarity or elution strength is used followed by gradually increasing the polarity or elution strength. One example is a gradient starting at 10% acetonitrile and ending at 90% acetonitrile after 25 minutes. The two components of the mobile phase are termed as A and B. Where A is the weak solvent and B is the strong solvent. Weak solvent allows the solute to elute slowly while strong solvent rapidly elutes the solutes from the column. A is usually water where as B is an organic solvent which is miscible with water such as acetonitrile, methanol, THF or isopropanol. Based on scale of operation 1. Analytical HPLC: Where only analysis of the samples are done. Recovery of the samples for reusing is normally not done, since the sample used is low. Eg. mg quantities. 2. Preparative HPLC: Where the individual fractions of pure compounds can be collected using fraction collector. The collected samples are reused eg. Separation of few grams of mixtures by HPLC. Based on type on analysis 1. Qualitative analysis: Which is used to identify the compound, detect the presence of impurities, to find out the number of components, etc. This is done by using retention time values. 2. Quantitative analysis: Which is done to determine the quantity of the individual or several components in a mixture. This is done by comparing the peak area of the standard and sample. 2.3 Principle of separation in HPLC: [7, 9] The principle of separation in normal phase and reverse phase mode is adsorption. When a mixture of components is introduced in to a HPLC column, they travel according to their relative affinities towards the stationary phase. The component, which has more affinity towards the adsorbant, travels slower. The component, which has less affinity towards the stationary phase, travels faster. Since no two components have the same affinity towards the stationary phase, the components are separated. 2.4 Instrumental Requirements [7, 9, 10, 12] Pumps solvent delivery system Mixing unit, gradient controller and solvent degassing Injector Manual or auto injectors Guard columns Detectors Recorders and integrators Fig. 3 The schematic diagram of HPLC [13] 1. Pump Solvent delivery system The solvents or mobile phases used must be passed through the column at high pressure at about 1000 to 3000 psi. This is because as the particle size of stationary phase is few m (5 10m), the resistance to the flow of solvent is high. Hence such high pressure is recommended. There are different types of pumps available. They are mechanical pumps and pneumatic pumps. A mechanical pump operates with constant flow rate and uses a sapphire piston. This type of pump is used in analytical scale. Pneumatic pumps operate with constant pressure and use highly compressed gas. The solvents used must be of high purity, preferably HPLC grade and filtered through 0.45m filter. Check valves: These are present to control the flow rate of solvent and back pressure. Pulse dampners: These are used to dampen the pulses observed from the wavy baseline caused by the pumps. 2. Mixing unit, gradient controller and solvent degassing Mixing unit is used to mix solvents in different proportions and pass through the column. There are two types of mixing units. They are low pressure mixing chamber, which uses helium for degassing solvents. High pressure mixing chamber does not require helium for degassing solvents. Mixing of solvents is done either with a static mixer, which is packed with beads, or dynamic mixer, which uses magnetic stirrer and operates under high pressure. Gradient controller In an isocratic separation, mobile phase is prepared by using pure solvent or mixture of solvents, i.e. solvent of same eluting power or polarity is used. But in gradient elution technique, the polarity of the solvent is gradually increased and hence the solvent composition has to be changed. Hence a gradient controller is used when two or more solvent pumps are used for such separations. Solvent degassing Several gases are soluble in organic solvents. When solvents are pumped under high pressure, gas bubbles are formed which will interfere with the separation process, steady baseline and the shape of the peak. Hence degassing of the solvent is important. This can be done by using any one of the following technique. Vacuum filtration which can remove all air bubbles. But it is not always reliable and complete. Helium purging i.e. by passing helium through the solvent. This is very effective but helium is expensive. Ultrasonication by using ultrasonicator, which converts ultra high frequency to mechanical vibrations. This causes the removal of air bubbles. 3. Injector Manual or auto injectors Several devices are available either for manual or auto injection of the sample. Different devices are: Septum injectors for injecting the sample through a rubber septum. This is not common, since the septum has to withstand high pressure. Stop flow (on line) in which the flow of mobile phase is stopped for a while and the sample is injected through a valve device. Rheodyne injector (Loop valve type) It is the most popular injector. This has a fixed volume loop like 20ml or 50ml or more. Injector has two modes, i.e. load position when the sample is loaded in the loop and inject mode, when the sample is injected. 4. Guard column Guard column has very small quantity of adsorbent and improves the life of the analytical column. It also acts as a prefilter to remove particulate matter, if any, and other material. Guard column has the same material as that of analytical column. Guard column does not contribute to any separation. 5. Analytical columns Analytical column is the most important part of HPLC technique, which decides the efficiency of separation. There are several stationary phases available depending upon the technique or mode of separation used. Column material: The columns are made up of stainless steel, glass, polyethylene and PEEK (Poly ether ether ketone). Most widely used are stainless steel, which can withstand high pressure. Latest ones are PEEK columns. Column length: Varies from 5cm to 30cm Column diameter: Ranges from 2mm to 50mm Particle size: From 1m to 20m Particle nature: Spherical, uniform sized, porous materials are used. Surface area: 1 gram of stationary phase provides surface area ranging from 100 860 sq.m with an average of 400 sq.m. Functional group: the functional group present in stationary phase depends on the type of chromatographic separation. In normal phase mode it contains the silanol groups (hydroxy group). In reverse phase mode it contains the following groups: C18 Octa Decyl Silane (ODS) column C8 Octyl column C4 Butyl column CN Nitrile column NH2 Amino column For other modes of chromatography, ion exchange columns, gel columns, chiral columns, affinity chromatographic columns, etc. are available. 6. Detectors [7,9,10] Detectors used depend upon the property of the compounds to be separated. Different detectors available are UV detector: This detector is based upon the light absorption characteristics of the sample. Two types of this detector are available. One is the fixed wavelength detector, which operates at 254nm where most drug compounds absorb. The other is the variable wavelength detector, which can be operated from 190nm to 600nm. Refractive index detector: This is a non-specific or universal detector. This is not much used for analytical applications because of low sensitivity and specificity. Flourimetric detector: This detector is based on the fluorescent radiation emitted by some class of compounds. The exitation wavelength and emission wavelength can be selected for each compound. This detector has more specificity and sensitivity. The disadvantage is that some compounds are not fluorescent. Conductivity detector: Based upon electrical conductivity, the response is recorded. This detector is used when the sample has conducting ions like anions and cations. Amperometric detector: This detector is based on the reduction or oxidation of the compounds when a potential is applied. The diffusion current recorded is proportional to the concentration of the compound eluted. This is applicable when compounds have functional groups, which can be either oxidised or reduced. This is a highly sensitive detector. Photodiode array detector (PDA detector): This is a recent one, which is similar to UV detector, which operates from 190 600nm. Radiations of all wavelengths fall on the detector simultaneously. The resulting spectrum is a 3-D or three-dimensional plot of Response Vs Time Vs Wavelength. The advantage is that the wavelength need not be selected, but the detector detects the responses of all the compounds. 7. Recorders and integrators Recorders: They are used to record the responses obtained from detectors after amplification, if necessary. They record the baseline and all the peaks obtained, with respect to time. Retention time for all the peaks can be found out from such recordings, but the area of individual peaks cannot be known. Integrators: Integrators are improved version of recorders with some data processing capabilities. They can record the individual peaks with retention time, height, and width of peaks, peak area, percentage of area, etc. Integrators provide more information on peaks than recorders. Now a days computers and printers are used for recording and processing the obtained data and for controlling several operations. 2.5 Parameters used in HPLC [7, 9, 10] Retention time (Rt): Retention time is the difference in the time between the point of injection and appearance of peak maxima. Retention time is the time required for 50% of a component to be eluted from a column. Retention time is measured in minutes or seconds. Retention time is also proportional to the distance moved on a chart paper, which can be measured in cm or mm. Retention volume (Vr): Retention volume is the volume of mobile phase required to elute 50% of the component from the column. It is the product of retention time and flow rate. Retention volume = Retention time x flow rate Separation factor (S): Separation factor is the ratio of partition co-efficient of the two components to be separated. It can be expressed and determined by using the following equation: S = Kb/ Ka = Ka/ Kb = (tb t0)/ (ta t0) Where, t0 = Retention time of unretained substance Kb, Ka= Partition coefficients of b and a tb, ta = Retention time of substance b and a S = depends on liquid phase, column temperature If there is more difference in partition coefficient between two compounds, the peaks are far apart and the separation factor is more. If the partition coefficients of two compounds are similar, then the peaks are closer and the separation factor is less. Resolution: Resolution is a measure of the extent of separation of two components and the baseline separation achieved. It can be determined by using the following formula: Rs = 2 (Rt1 Rt2)/ (W1 +W2) Theoretical plate (Plate theory): A theoretical plate is an imaginary or hypothetical unit of a column where distribution of solute between stationary phase and mobile phase has attained equilibrium. A theoretical plate can also be called as a functional unit of the column. HETP Height Equivalent to a Theoritical Plate [18, 7] A theoretical plate can be of any height, which decides the efficiency of separation. If HETP is less, the column is more efficient. If HETP is more, the column is less efficient. HETP can be calculated by using the following formula: HETP = length of the column/ number of theoretical plates HETP is given by Van Deemter equation HETP = A + (B/u ) + Cu Where, A = Eddy diffusion term or multiple path diffusion which arises due to packing of the column. This is unaffected by mobile phase velocity or flow rate. This can be minimised by uniformity in packing. B = Longitudinal diffusion term or molecular diffusion which depends on flow rate. C = Effect of mass transfer which depends on flow rate. u = Flow rate or velocity of the mobile phase. A column is efficient only when HETP is minimum. Hence an ideal flow rate corresponding to the minimum value of HETP is used. Efficiency (No. of theoretical plates): The number of theoretical plates expresses efficiency of a column. It can be determined by using the formula: n = 16 Rt ²/w ² Where, n = no. of theoretical plates Rt = retention time w = peak width at base Rt and w are measured in common units (mm or cm or minutes or seconds) and are proportional to the distances marked on chart paper. If the number of theoretical plates is high, the column is said to be highly efficient. If the number of theoretical plates is low, the column is said to be less efficient. For gas chromatographic columns, a value of 600/ metre is sufficient. But in HPLC, high values like 40,000 to 70,000/ metre are recommended. Asymmetry factor: A chromatographic peak should be symmetrical about its centre and said to follow Gaussian distribution. In such cases, the peak will be like an isosceles triangle. But in practice, due to some factors, the peak is not symmetrical and shows tailing or fronting. Fronting is due to saturation of stationary phase and can be avoided by using less quantity of sample. Tailing is due to more active adsorption sites and can be eliminated by support pre-treatment, more polar mobile phased increasing the amount of liquid phase. Asymmetry factor (0.95 to 1.05) can be calculated by using the formula: AF = b/a (b and a calculated at 5% or 10% of the peak height) 2.6 Applications of HPLC HPLC is being more widely used in several fields. Apart from its use in Pharmaceutical field, it is used in Chemical and Petrochemical industry, Environmental applications, Forensic applications, Biochemical separations, Biotechnology, Food analysis, etc. In fact there is no field where HPLC is not being used. It is a versatile and sensitive technique, which can be used in several ways. Some of them are listed below: Qualitative analysis: It is nothing but identification of compound. This is done by comparing the retention time of the sample as well as the standard. Under identical conditions, the retention time of the standard and the sample are same. If there is a deviation, then they are not the same compound. Checking the purity of the compound: By comparing the chromatogram of the standard and that of the sample, the purity of the compound can be inferred. If additional peaks are obtained, impurities are present and hence the compound is not pure. From the percentage area of the peaks obtained, the percentage purity can also be known. Presence of impurities: This can be seen by the presence of additional peaks when compared with a reference standard or reference material. The percentage of impurities may also be calculated from peak areas. Quantitative analysis: The quantity of a component can be determined by several methods like a. Direct comparison method By injecting a sample and standard separately and comparing their peak areas, the quantity of the sample can be determined. Area of the peak = peak height x width of peak at the half height A1/ A2 = a (W1/ W2) Where, A1 and A2 are peak area of sample and standard W1 and W2 are weight or concentration of sample and standard a is the response factor b. Calibration curve method: In calibration curve method, series of standards are used to determine their peak areas. A calibration curve of peak area Vs concentration of the drug is plotted. From the peak area of the unknown sample, by intrapolation, the concentration of the sample can be determined. This method has the advantage that errors, if any, are minimised. Internal standard method: In this method, a compound with similar retention characteristics is used. A known concentration of the internal standard is added to the sample solution whose concentration is not known. The chromatogram is recorded and their peak areas are determined. By using formula, the concentration of unknown solution is determined. Multicomponent analysis or Determination of mixture of drugs: Similar to the quantification of a single drug, multicomponent analysis can be done easily. The quantity of each component is determined by using any one of the above methods. Marketed formulations, which contain several drugs, can be determined quantitatively for each component. Isolation and identification of drugs or metabolites in urine, plasma, serum, etc. can be carried out. Isolation and identification of mixture of components of natural or synthetic origin. Biopharmaceutical and Pharmacokinetic studies. Stability studies. Purification of some compounds of natural or synthetic origin on preparative scale. 2.7 Limitations: [7, 10] The limitations of HPLC are that drugs have to be extracted from their formulations prior to analysis and large amounts of organic solvent waste are generated which are expensive to dispose off. CHAPTER 3 Experimental Selection 3.1 Aim of Project: The aim of this project was to carry out the quantitative determination of the active pharmaceutical ingredient aloin and aloe-emodin in the given Aloe Vera Colax tablets, manufactured by Aloe Pura laboratories and to compare the results with the given standard aloin and aloe-emodin. The technique used for analysis was reverse phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography method. The analysis was performed using standard calibration curve generated at 220 and 296nm wavelength. 3.2 Chromatographic equipment and conditions: All the chromatographic equipments and conditions, which were used to perform HPLC in a laboratory environment under simulated GLP compliance conditions, are listed below. 3.2.1 HPLC system 5 (used for isocratic elution): This system is manufactured by Agilent technologies 1200 series, whose model number is G1310A and the serial number is DE 62956545 3.2.2 Software used: The software used was Microsoft windows XP, Pentium D whose product number is G 2175 BA, revision code is B. 03. 01 and its registration number is CL1CE8DB0F 3.2.3 Column used: The column used was Kromasil 5C18 whose test number is 9203- 10344 3.2.4 Pipette used: The pipette used was Volac ultra (made in U.K.), S. No. 29186, Model: R680/ F, 0-1000 mL and Volac ultra (made in U.K.), S.No. 29185, Model: R680/ F, 500-5000 mL. 3.2.5 Analytical Balance: Mettler balance AC 88 was used to weigh the sample drug whose Biom