Ruthenium or Ru Element Facts

Ruthenium or Ru is a hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal that also belongs to the noble metals and platinum metals group in the periodic table. While it does not readily tarnish, the pure element can form a reactive oxide that can explode. Here are physical and chemical properties and other ruthenium facts: Element Name: Ruthenium Symbol: Ru Atomic Number: 44 Atomic Weight: 101.07 Uses of Ruthenium Ruthenium is one of the best hardeners for addition to palladium or platinum. It is alloyed with these metals to make electrical contacts with extreme wear resistance.Ruthenium is used to plate other metals. Thermal decomposition or electrodeposition are the most common metals used to make ruthenium coatings.One ruthenium-molybdenum alloy is superconductive at 10.6 K.Adding 0.1% ruthenium to titanium improves its corrosion resistance by a factor of a hundred.Ruthenium oxides are versatile catalysts.Ruthenium is used in some pen nibs. (Dont chew on your pen!) Interesting Ruthenium Facts Ruthenium was the last of the platinum group metals to be discovered.The element name comes from the Latin word  Ã¢â‚¬ËœRuthenia’. Ruthenia means Russia, which refers to the Ural Mountains of Russia, the original source of the platinum metal group ores.Ruthenium compounds are similar to those formed by the element cadmium. Like cadmium, ruthenium is toxic to humans. It is believed to be a carcinogen. Ruthenium tetroxide (RuO4)  is considered particularly dangerous.Ruthenium compounds stain or discolor skin.Ruthenium is the only group 8 element that does not have 2 electrons in its outer shell.The pure element is susceptible to attack by halogens and hydroxides. It is not affected by acids, water, or air.Karl K. Klaus was the first to isolate ruthenium as a pure element. This was an involved process in which he first prepared the salt,  ammonium chlororuthenate, (NH4)2RuCl6, and then isolated the metal from it in order to characterize it.Ruthenium displays a wide range of oxidation states (7 or 8), although it is most commonly found in the II, III, and IV states.Pure ruthenium costs around $1400 per 100 grams of the metal.The element abundance in the Earths crust is estimated to be 1 part per billion by weight. The abundance in the solar system is believed to be about 5 parts per billion by weight. Sources of Ruthenium Ruthenium occurs with other members of the platinum group of metals in the Ural mountains and in North and South America. It is also found in the Sudbury, Ontario nickel-mining region and in the pyroxenite deposits of South Africa. Ruthenium may also be extracted from radioactive waste. A complex process is used to isolate ruthenium. The final step is hydrogen reduction of ammonium ruthenium chloride to yields a powder that is consolidated by powder metallurgy or argon-arc welding. Element Classification: Transition Metal Discovery: Karl Klaus 1844 (Russia),  however, Jà ¶ns Berzelius and Gottfried Osann  discovered impure ruthenium in 1827 or 1828 Density (g/cc): 12.41 Melting Point (K): 2583 Boiling Point (K): 4173 Appearance: silvery-gray, extremely brittle metal Atomic Radius (pm): 134 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.3 Covalent Radius (pm): 125 Ionic Radius: 67 (4e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.238 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): (25.5) Pauling Negativity Number: 2.2 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 710.3 Oxidation States: 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 0, -2 Electron Configuration: [Kr] 4d7 5s1 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 2.700 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.584 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001)Crescent Chemical Company (2001)Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952)CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.)

The Tragic Hero of “Antigone” Free Essays

Lindsey Folcik Mrs. Monzel Period 1 8 April 2010 The Tragic Hero of Antigone In Sophocles’ play Antigone, both Creon and Antigone display some characteristics of a tragic hero. Creon is the king of Thebes following the late Oedipus and his sons. We will write a custom essay sample on The Tragic Hero of â€Å"Antigone† or any similar topic only for you Order Now He decrees that no one should ever bury Polyneices because he was a traitor to his city, while Eteocles would be buried with full military honors. Antigone hears this proclamation and decides to bury her brother, Polyneices, in order to follow the laws of the gods. They could both arguably be the tragic hero of the story. A tragic hero is usually of high birth that has a tragic flaw that causes them to fall from a great height after having a moment of recognition all too late. This comparison between Creon and Antigone will show that Creon best fits the characteristics of a tragic hero. The definition of a tragic hero includes having an anagnorsis, or moment of recognition when they realize their tragic flaw, and this is one way in which Antigone does not qualify as a tragic hero while Creon does. In the beginning, Creon is very stubborn in his decision to kill Antigone for burying her brother. Even after he hears Teiresias’ prophecy, de does not change his mind. It is not until later he realizes that â€Å"it is worse to risk everything for stubborn pride† though it is still much too late for him (235). He sees that â€Å"the laws of the gods are mighty, and a man must serve them to the last day of his life! † (236). He has not served the gods by denying Polyneices a proper burial. By foolishly rejecting the laws of the gods, his â€Å"own blind heart has brought [him] from darkness to final darkness† (242). Now he has recognized the wrongs he has committed against Oedipus’ children, which ultimately causes his downfall. Antigone, on the other hand, is aware of the consequences of her actions from the very beginning. She says to her sister â€Å"I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy†, showing that she has very consciously made this decision. She is also aware of the inevitable outcome of her decision, but it does not stop her as she says to Creon, â€Å"I knew I must die, even without your decree† (208). She ends up accepting her punishment, and still stands by her decision. Even as Creon is about to send her to her death, she says sternly, â€Å"I have not sinned before God† (227). In contrast to Creon’s blind decision making, Antigone made her rash, yet conscious, decision fully aware of the bleak ending, so she never has a moment when she realizes her flaw. In Antigone, Creon is an excellent example of a tragic hero. He has a major tragic flaw and falls from a great height. It could be argued that his tragic flaw is excessive pride. He tries to reason his decision to kill Antigone by asking the Choragos, â€Å"Who is the man here, /She or I, if the crime goes unpunished? † (209). The power of being king seems to have gone to his head. He believes that his â€Å"voice is the one voice giving orders in this city! †, which is true, but his edict is still not popular with many of the citizens (220). He is so prideful, he will even hurt his son, Haimon, to prove his point. He plans to â€Å"Let [Antigone] die before his eyes! † (222). In the end, Creon locks Antigone up in a stone vault to kill her, but he was so full of pride and did not want to be proven wrong that he was willing to hurt his son. Another way that Creon is a very good tragic hero is that he falls from a great height. This great height is the throne of Thebes. Since the death of Oedipus and his sons, he has â€Å"succeeded to the full power of the throne† (196). He is now the most powerful man in the land. Creon states that â€Å"whoever is chosen to govern should be obeyed†, and he insists on showing just how much power he holds. However, after he has his moment of recognition and his fortunes are reversed, he has fallen lower that anyone else. He says that now he has â€Å"neither life nor substance† (244). He has killed Antigone unjustly and indirectly murdered his son and wife. There is not much more miserable than that, in great contrast to his once high and honorable position as king. Through an examination of his tragic flaw and fall from grace, it is easy to see why he is a great example of a tragic hero. One of Oedipus’ daughters, Antigone, could also arguably be the tragic hero of Sophocles’ play. She has some of the main characteristics of a tragic hero, like having a tragic flaw, although she does not have a moment of recognition or fall from a great height. It seems that her tragic flaw is also excessive pride in addition to making impulsive decisions. After Creon’s decree, she refuses to give up, claiming â€Å"Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way† (191). Then, when her sister, Ismene, tries to caution her against such a rash and dangerous decision, Antigone rejects her, as she says, â€Å"I should not want you, even if you asked to come† (192). Sometimes, her great amount of pride comes off as insolence. While she is speaking to Creon prior to her death she says rudely, â€Å"Ah the good fortune of kings, / Licensed to say whatever they please! † (210). Ultimately, her pride and lack of thoughtful decision making cause her demise. But even though she has this tragic flaw, she does not fall from a great height. Her status in society is relatively low, especially compared to that of Creon. As her sister puts it, â€Å"We are only women† (191). In ancient Thebes, women are very low on the social ladder. Also, her family’s â€Å"curse† does not help her status as a woman. The Chorus says that they â€Å"have seen this gathering sorrow . . . / Loom upon Oedipus’ children† (215). The story of her father and family has brought her no honor because â€Å"The blasphemy of [her] birth† has plagued her her entire life (226). So, when she has been found burying Polyneices and is condemned, she does not fall from honor, as a true tragic hero would. Even though Antigone does posses some characteristics of a tragic hero, she does not match the definition as closely as Creon does. All in all, Creon is the true tragic hero of Antigone. He is a perfect example of one, because he has a significant tragic flaw, a moment of recognition, and falls from a very high place. Some may argue that the tragic hero is Antigone, because she has a tragic flaw. But she does not have a moment of recognition or fall from a great height. Clearly, through these examples, Creon is the tragic hero of the play. Works Cited Sophocles. Antigone. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. The Oedipus Cycle. USA: Harcourt, 1977. 186-245. How to cite The Tragic Hero of â€Å"Antigone†, Papers

Motherhood in Barbara Kingsolvers The Bean Trees Essay Example For Students

Motherhood in Barbara Kingsolvers The Bean Trees Essay Kingsolver Bean Trees EssaysMotherhood in The Bean Trees In the novel, The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver, we watch as Taylor grows a great deal. This young woman takes on a huge commitment of caring for a child that doesnt even belong to her. The friends that she acquired along the way help teach her about love and responsibility, and those friends become family to her and Turtle. Having no experience in motherhood, she muddles through the best she can, as all mothers do. Marietta was raised in a small town in Kentucky. When she became an adult, she decided she needed a change. She wanted a different name and a different place to call home. She got in her Volkswagon, started driving, and on this journey she changed her name to Taylor. A stranger gave her a three year old Indian child to take care of, who she names Turtle. The two finally settle down in Tucson, where they live with a single mom who is also from a small town in Kentucky. Taylor works for a woman who hides politic al refugees in her home, and Taylor becomes good friends with two of them. These two refugees act as Turtles parents and sign over custody to Taylor, so that Turtle could become her daughter legally. Taylor was very unsure about whether or not she would be a good mom, but in the end she realizes that Turtle belongs with her, and that Tucson is home. The first half of The Bean Trees was hard to stay interested in. Although the book had a lot of action, it could have been spread out more. It wasnt until the middle of the book that we found out what was medically wrong with Turtle, why she was so lethargic. Considering this child was such a major part of Taylors life, and would change her future completely, she was not talked about as much as she could have been. Its like half the time she forgot Turtle was there. Its funny how people dont give that much thought to what kids want, as long as theyre being quiet(280). I understand that Turtle was just dropped in Taylors lap, but I still think Turtle deserved to have more attention given to her than she did. I would have liked Turtle to have been the child that was taken from the refugees, the refugee woman showed her so much love. I couldnt have taken her from Esperanza. If she had asked I couldnt have said no(288). I think they would have loved her much more. What I liked about the story was how interesting the end was, I could not put it down. I had to find out if Taylor decided to keep the child. Taylors friendship with LouAnn was a nice addition to the story, they helped each other out in different ways. Taylor was a strong independent person, anyone who would leave their home town with no idea where they were going, and in a vehicle with no starter, is a pretty determined person. Although I admired Taylors character, Turtle was what kept me wanting to read more, wanting to know why she never moved or made a sound. After awhile I began to wonder if perhaps she was dead(27). I was glad when Taylor finally took her to the doctor, it was interesting following that part of the story . These are healed fractures, some of them compound(165). This child had been through a lot. Mattie, Taylors friend and boss that was secretly hiding refugees in her business, was an important part of the book. It tied in great with them being able to sign custody of Turtle to Taylor. This book had some good parts and some parts that dragged. I would not recommend it to many people. This book was directed more towards women, dealing a lot with motherhood. I compare it to watching a movie that you try to watch but fall asleep in the first 10 min., but if you actually make it past the beginning its worth watching. The second half of this book was what kept me from feeling that I wasted my time. I was glad to see Turtle starting to come out of her shell, she talked up a storm and wanted to play(300). Keeping someone wanting to read more is what makes a good book, Bean Trees did a good job of this in the second hal f. WORKS CITED Kingsolver, Barbara. The Bean Trees. New York: Harper Collins Publishers,1988. .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 , .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .postImageUrl , .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 , .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0:hover , .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0:visited , .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0:active { border:0!important; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0:active , .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0 .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3c748dcde65421b8fffdd7e323b2d4b0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Process Structure And Function Process Organization In Computer Architecture Essay

Body Art and the Asian Culture free essay sample

Body Art the Asian Culture Marcie Helman March 22, 2009 Body art is a definitive and visual part of the Asian culture used to identify social and religious representations. The term tattoo is derived from the Tahitian word tatu, meaning to mark [1]. Throughout history, many cultures have socially acceptable ways in which to showcase their individuality. Contrary to popular belief, in the Asian culture, body modification is typically considered to be distasteful and socially unacceptable. The resurgence and ultimate popularity of the Asian Hanzi and Kanji characters is most prevalent in todays younger generation. However, the significance of Asian characters used in todays modern society is not as symbolic as its ancient representation. In the early 1700s, the Japanese used tattoos as a form of branding as a classification of criminals within their society. Those who bore the mark of dishonor on their foreheads were called Ronin, a masterless samurai warrior[2]. We will write a custom essay sample on Body Art and the Asian Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These criminals were believed to be the grass root society in which the yakuza was born. The Yakuza felt that because tattooing was painful, it was a proof of courage; because it was permanent, it was evidence of lifelong loyalty to the group; and because it was illegal, it made them outlaws forever. Historians note that this type of punishment replaced the earlier ostracism of nose or ear amputation. These types of punishments are clearly very visible and physical attributes that cannot be shielded or otherwise hidden. The Horis, the Japanese tattoo artist, were the undisputed masters in the use of color, perspective and imaginative design. One of the most intricate and colorful tattoo designs is found in the Irezumi, a culturally Japanese form of the body art. Early Chinese traditions regarding body art is quite surprising given our modern culture and the freedom of expression. It was believed that in early China, the art of Ci Shen and Wen Shen[3], loosely translated means to puncture the body, was considered distasteful and was an uncommon practice because it was a desecration of the body. The Chinese believe that the body is a precious gift and must be treated with respect. To harm, or in this case, puncture, was clearly sacrilegious. Synonymous with the Japanese culture, it was also used as a form of branding for their criminal population. There are hundreds of islands that make up Polynesia (also referred to as Oceania) including the more well-known islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Marquesas, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. Early Polynesian history is not of written form, therefore, the use of this art to express their individuality was more pronounced than that of the Eastern lands of Japan and China. Most of what is known today within the French Polynesian society has been passed from generation to generation through legends, songs and ritual ceremonies. People were able to easily identify each others origins solely based on the design of their body art. Polynesian body art is used in many ritualistic and ceremonial rites of passage. Different symbols, design motifs and markings depict maturity, genealogy and rank within their society. Polynesian tattooing is considered to be the most intricate and skillful tattooing of the ancient world. It is believed that most everyone in ancient Polynesian society bore a tattoo; it was a symbol of their mana, their spiritual power or life force[4]. The design and placement on the body of the tattoo is decided by the master, a highly revered elder within the village and surrounding community. Other variables that determine design and location of the tattoo on the body are life events. An example would be if they were a warrior; preparing for or returning heroically from, battle. A composite of the more familiar Polynesian islands with their cultural adaptations regarding tattoos and interpretations within their social group will be elaborated below. Captain Cook had assisted in the popularity of this art by discussions with other British citizens. It has been noted that Mai, a Polynesian who accompanied Captain Cook back to the British Isles had become partly famous and enjoyed celebrity status because of his tattoos. By the middle of the 18th century, it had become a tradition in the British Navy and by 1862 was commonplace to have at least one professional tattoo artist in residence at most British ports[5]. In Thailand, the Sak Yant is a protective tattoo that covers the body of Thai soldiers. This is an ancient tradition that spans centuries. One of he most highly esteemed locations for Sak Yant is located about 30 miles west of Bangkok called the Wat Bang Phra Buddhist temple. In todays modern society, incorporating the use of both Asian character symbols as well as the Asian-inspired art such as dragons and tigers, the art has become much more a part of contemporary lifestyles. As cited above, the art of tattooingspans the Asian region in ways that are intricate with its culture. The direction in which tattooing as an ar t and personal statement seems to be making its inroads into the middle-class community, allowing our newest generation of twenty-somethings to lead the way. With the traditional Asian culture, it seems to be that even the most austere conservatives are more tolerant and accepting, maybe even allowing, this brand of individuality. It is also reflected in the popularity of American youths depiction of body art who are brandishing Asian inspired motifs that \are more concurrent with traditional styles. Most notably, North American statistics show that one in seven people have at least one tattoo further emphasizing how tattoos are appearing more frequently than in previous generations. REFERENCES

Behind A Convicts Eyes, Behind Prison Walls in a Modern American Prison essays

Behind A Convict's Eyes, Behind Prison Walls in a Modern American Prison essays 1950's films about babes behind bars' aside, even Hollywood has had difficulty fully romanticizing the experience of prison. Even Hollywood shows a prison that eviscerates the human soul in a horrific fashion, as seen in films such as "Hurricane" and "Animal Factory." The protagonists of both films are changed forever because of their prison experiences. They are, and this is perhaps the Hollywood' element of their story, changed for the better. But the changes come more along the lines of a what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' line of narrative argument, rather than because prison fulfills an essentially rehabilitative function. It would be nice if prisons could rehabilitate as well as destroy. But the nature of the system seems to do more to keep individuals whom are harmful to society, away from the rest of so-called law abiding society, rather than to really change the ineffective life patterns and emotional coping mechanisms that exist within the structural life patterns of criminals. Behind A Convict's Eyes does little to alter this sense of prison as a holding cell' of the human soul, a site of stasis rather than of shifting consciousness for most. Perhaps this is because the central protagonist will never leave the prison whose existence he discusses. But it may also be because of the nature of the incarceration system as a Behind A Convict's Eyes as a real-life depiction of life in modern American prison lacks even the Hollywood touches of a protagonist denied justice, or the solidarity that ostensibly exists behind bars. There is a prison culture,' the book makes clear. Just as a criminal culture encouraged individuals to participate in criminal activity while they were living on the outside,' similarly there is also a culture of the criminally incarcerated that exists on the inside of prison walls. But the sadness and the hopelessness o...

Pharmacological Management of Major Depression in Older Adults Using Essay

Pharmacological Management of Major Depression in Older Adults Using Selective Serotonin-Reuptakes Inhibitors - Essay Example They have minimal effect on noradrenalin and dopamine activity, compared to the tricyclics or MAOIs. Some of the drugs, like fluoxetine, have a mood elevating effect when used in healthy individuals. Fluoxetine drug has the longest half-life amongst all approved SSRIs with drug and side effects persisting up to six weeks after the termination of therapy. Introduction Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter, a local hormone in the gut, a component of the platelet clotting process, and is thought to play a role in migraine headache. Serotonin is also one of the mediators of the signs and symptoms of carcinoid syndrome, an usual manifestation of carcinoid tumor, a neoplasm of enterochromaffin cells. Patients with non-operable tumor, take serotonin antagonist for a useful treatment. The diagnosis of depression still rests primarily on the clinical interview. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by depressed mood most of the time for at least 2 weeks and/ or loss of interes t or pleasure in most activities. Additionally, depression is associated with sleep, as well as diet disturbances and deficits in cognition and energy. Thoughts of guild, worthlessness and suicide are common. Coronary artery disease, diabetes and stroke appear to be more common in depressed patients and depression may considerably worsen the prognosis for patients with a variety of comorbid medical conditions (Katzang, 2009; Rang, 2009; Kaushik, 2011). Reports by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlight the fact that antidepressant drugs were the most commonly prescribed medications in the USA. It is observed that American physicians have been increasingly inclined to use antidepressants to treat a host of conditions that patients have been increasingly receptive to their use. Major depression is commonly associated with a variety of medical conditions from chronic pain to coronary artery disease, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) specifically in older individuals or other related old age diseases which enhances the burden of depressive thoughts and also affects the quality or life. All these reasons paved the way for growth in the use of antidepressants ( Katzang, 2009; Rang, 2009). Comparison of SSRIs with Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) - The first line of antidepressant treatment suggested for elderly population involves SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). There are weak facts for this suggestion as studies carried out highlight the comparative usefulness, protection, acceptability, as well as success of SSRIs and TCAs suggesting that there are a few optional returns of both these drugs over one another. Moreover, there is always a potential danger of falls which is prevalent in elderly patients, hyponatremia, loss of weight and sexual dysfunction, as well as drug-drug interactions. Therefore, SSRIs and TCAs must be prescribed by physician s for elderly patients considering frequency and severity of depression (Herrmann, 2000). Pathophysiology of Major Depression Observations reveal that there is a tremendous shift that has been witnessed for understanding the pathophysiology of major depression. Initially, the amount of monoamines was considered to be the central to the biology of depression. Evidence suggests that neurotrophic and endocrine factors

Purchasing Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Purchasing Development - Assignment Example For instance, a general purpose purchasing system might procure materials the way we want it to but doesn’t give us a receipt of each individual transaction (assuming we need receipts for each and every transaction). Design systems on the other hand are specifically designed from business to business and provide all functionalities that are needed for a successful purchasing function. It is necessary that procurement systems be integrated in all processes and departments of an organization. This would save the organization a lot of time and money as whenever anyone would require something, all he needs to do is send a procurement request to the purchasing department rather than waiting for the purchasing department to figure out for itself when inventory count goes down and wait for them to reorder. Sometimes there might be commercial issues arising as a result of change in organizational business plans. For instance our organization might aim to cut down on its costs as a way to maximize profits. It might plan to do so by purchasing raw materials and other supplies at a lower cost than usual. The procurement system here would need to consider whether switching suppliers to one offering a lower cost would still mean that the supplies are of the same quality. It would also need to consider whether the supplier would be able to deliver on time and not back out at the very last moment and leave us doomed. Such decisions need to be taken by the procurement department bearing the risk that a risk that a new supplier might default at any time! James (2009) in his book Buying Complex Systems stresses how it is very necessary to properly define the objectives of the purchasing operations and make sure they support the strategic objectives of the company as a whole. For instance if an organization aims to differentiate its product by offering high quality products and on the other hand the purchasing operation aims to save on money and therefore purchases low qua lity raw material then then definitely the overall aim of delivering high quality products won’t be met. The objectives of the purchasing operations need to be in line with the organization’s strategy if the organization wants to prosper. Evaluate the current and future effectiveness of an identified purchasing operational system I’m going to discuss the purchase operational system of the Agha’s Supermarket. The mart is located in the posh locality of Clifton and caters to thousands of people on a daily basis. The store is divided into many sections like crockery and cutlery, food items, vegetables etc. The purchase manager is responsible for making purchases on an overall basis. The purchase manager has a team of people, each of whom is sent out by him to different sections of the market to see the stock requirements. The team surveys the section heads every second day and pens down the stock requirement on a piece of paper. The entire team meets the pur chase operations manager the next and report to him about the stock requirement. The purchasing manager then places purchase orders and goods are obtained by the company the very next day. The current system isn’t ideal enough to deal with unexpected demand fluctuations. Miscalculations might be made by section heads while ordering stock and in the meanwhile stock outs may be experienced leading to nil sales and loss of