An Opinion on Marketing Strategy

Danny Li, 2013-3-22

There is a Chinese take-out restaurant named " WokTasty" in Champlain Square. I often purchase Cantonese salmons, shrimps, ginger beefs and corn soups there. The manager is very smart, the salesmen normally package the cooked food in boxes, and put them under the counters so that no body can see the boxes from outside, they put only one or two boxes every time on the counters in order to give the customers the feeling that the food goes quickly, only one box left, no more, to lure the customers to consume, which uses the comparative psychology of the customers. For sure, it is unsafe for everyone to select the food by their unclean hands if all the food are put on the counters, and adding more counters increase the cost of the business which eventually increases the cost of the customers.

Nowadays , a lot of stores use the Chinese interlocking stratagems to market, such as swapping, scratching-off, buy-one-get-one-free, price-ending, prompting cash, and price-ceiling, etc. All the so-called marketing strategies usually take advantage of the greedy eating, vain gloriousness, seeking novelty of the customers, penny wise, pound foolish, essentially they are the cheating behaviours. If things go on like this, it is no good to the society and individuals when there are many evil-minded business and unhealthy customers. The marketing strategies are normally developed in the commerce colleges of the top-notch universities, the so-called "marketing strategies" should be limited in some specific areas and sectors. They are going to hurt the public when they are indiscriminately used in the real life.

I do not reject the smart marketing strategies, not in favours of  the so-called "national wide business rush".  "Money talks" and  "Slave of the Money" is the most terrible thing in the commercial society, the soul of the society is filthy  and filled with lust. I am in favour of the smart law of business management, all the market strategies such as swapping, scratching-off, buy-one-get-one-free, price-ending, prompting cash, and price-ceiling, etc can be allowed in the specific area once in a while with the pre-condition of harmless to the innocents, the business does not need to use the strategies indiscriminately on every body everyday to survive. The mature customers go shopping to buy the goods they need, the so-called "leading consuming" essentially is a kind of misleading consumer. Only those marketing strategies building up the individuals can be considered as the acceptable methods.

(20 minutes translation)

Shopping in USA

Danny Li, 2013-3-21

I often gave my son a ride to US in his spring break every year. In the past, We set out to Seattle in the morning and returned to Vancouver in the evening. We were very interested in shopping in US a few years ago, when we often flied to San Francisco or drove to Portland, since the road conditions were much better than nowadays, and there were less vehicles running on the No 5 highway, 120km/hr was the perfect speed to ride on No.5 freeway.

We are lazy these years, Seattle is even too far for us to drive. The No. 5 highway should have refurbished, even 70miles/hr feeling uncomfortable. There are much more vehicles than before. And there is not much difference between the cost of shopping in US and Canada, there is no need for us to buy eggs and milk by driving around.

Today， I drove my little son only to the 50 kilometres away from Vancouver, to the small town Bellingham in the Washington State, because I promised him a few days ago that I would buy him the little chicken of A&W+KFC.

We did not buy anything today except a 9 dollars cheese, the quality and price of US cheese has always been more competitive than that of Vancouver. But the French fries are not so tasty as those in Vancouver.

(10 minutes translation)

Outline of Principles on Materials Research and Engineering Ethics

Gesheng Li

Foreword

The engineering ethics is the moral result of engineering research. Essentially ethics and moral are the cyclic definition. they are used to define one with another. The idea is sample but  they are strong and powerful ideological weapons.

The materials science and engineering ethics has brought about a lot of publicity due to the analysis of the materials failure in the famous cases of research and engineering sectors. The failure analysis of materials is a kind of converse thinking, which is the basic and Critical link to analyze the failure cases,  to sense the potential safety hazards,  and to prevent accidents. it is somewhat alike to Crime Scene Investigation of the police. The on-site protection of failure scene  is prerequisite to keep the failure analysis going on smoothly.

The failure analysis centers on the materials of automobiles, trains, ships, gears, axles and shaft bearings, pressure vessels, and electronic devices, etc. The failure is the antonym of reliability. The failure analysis normally include, metallographic analysis , sample preparation, macro examinations, optical microscopic analysis, the assessment of chemical compositions， spectral analysis，ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation，mechanical performance testing，fracture analysis，computer simulation experiment，X-ray diffraction analysis.

The technique of failure analysis has become very ripe to exploit, the lack of ethical analysis is another important issue. For example, the axles of trains breaking might be caused by the mal-adjusted temperature of heat treatment of a drunken metallurgical worker. The landing gears of double engine plane broke down due to the 28 years service that was taken advantage by the airline company in California. The brittle fracture of Jiujiang Bridge was caused by the cheating on labour and materials.

The ethical analysis of materials failure is slightly similar to the psychological analysis of the crimes. The various psychological activities, humanistic environments and the failure modes of materials decide the new area of research. The ethical analysis of materials failure has great prospect in the futural research and engineering work.

The DC-10 airplane crushing, the Jiujiang break brittle fracture, the Columbia space shuttle destruction are all caused by ignorance of public safety.

There were also some research misconduct in the materials science and engineering sector, such as exaggeration of research theory meaning, practical value and scientific achievements, providing mendacious statements in the foundation application, plagiarism of others technique, improper use of research funding, falsifying the experimental samples, etc. These problems were caused by the lack of scientific research ethical trainings.

The authors have the hands-on experience of the science research and engineering in the on-line courses, that is, they are the interesting cases that the young materials engineers and scientists need to know. There were too many lessons of scientific research misconducts, such as data fabrications, false experiments results, plagiarisms, improper operations of scientific instruments, etc. They were the reasons due to the lack of scientific ethical training.

Therefore, it is an very important field that the young materials students want to learn. In fact, everyone is making an ethical story all his life. It is designed for the materials experts rather than the ordinary readers, learn from others . it saves the young engineers a lot of grief. It is specified for the inside experts of materials scientists and technicians, based on the hands-on experience of the author.

Course Introduction

"The principles of materials science and engineering ethics"  is designed as the specialized basic course and the compulsory course of undergraduates and graduate students major in materials science and engineering, also focused on the continuing education of engineers and technicians in the materials industry. This case is purely fictional.  Any resemblances to actual individuals or events are coincidental.

Class Distribution

The course includes 8 knowledge modules, 224 credits, 2 terms.

(1) The history of scientific research and engineering ethics, 12 credits

(2) The instrument designing and data processing in the materials engineering, 40 credits

(3) Materials microstructures and physical properties ethical analysis, 40 credits

(4) The ethical problems in the materials designing

(5) Introduction to principal procedures in the materials research and engineering

(6) Introduction to the materials failure analysis, 40 credits

(7) Authorship and publication case analysis, 42 credits

(8) Assignments and thesis cases analysis, 40 credits

The History and Necessity of Scientific Research and Engineering Ethics


Danny Li, 2013-3-14

The engineering ethics is the moral result of engineering research. Essentially ethics and moral are the cyclic definition. they are used to define one with another. The idea is sample but  they are strong and powerful ideological weapons.

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending  philosophic concepts of right conduct and misconduct. The term is from a Greek word, ethos that means "character". In philosophy, ethics studies the moral behavior in human society, and how an individual should act. Engineering ethics is the field of applied ethics and moral principles to the practice of engineering including the scientific activities. "How should we deal with this situation?" , "In what moral principles should we do when we meet this situation?" It was a critical-thinking. The engineering only centers on the technique issues rather than the ultimate purpose of engineering practice and the moral characters.

The engineer recognizes that the greatest merit is the work, so exercise their profession committed to serving society, attending to the welfare and progress of the majority. By transforming nature for the benefit of mankind, the engineer must increase their awareness of the world is the abode of man and his interest in the universe is a guarantee of overcoming their spirit and knowledge of reality to make it fairer and happier. The engineer should reject papers that are intended to harm the general interest, in this way avoid situations involving hazards or constitute a threat to the environment, life, health and other rights of human beings. It is an inescapable duty of the engineer to hold the prestige of the profession and ensure its proper discharge; also maintain a professional demeanor rooted in the ability, honesty, fortitude, temperance, magnanimity, modesty, honesty and justice, with the consciousness of individual well-being subordinate to the good social. The engineer must ensure the continuous improvement of their knowledge, particularly of their profession, disseminate their knowledge, share experience, provide opportunities for education and training of workers, provide recognition, moral and material support to the school where he studied, in this way revert to the opportunities the company has received. It is the responsibility of the engineer who carried out their work efficiently and supports the laws. In particular, ensure compliance with the standards of worker protection provided by the law As professionals, engineers are expected to commit themselves to high standards of conduct (NSPE) [1]

The engineering ethics is closely linked with human civilization. The ancient Egyptian obtained some technique engineering by building the pyramids. They created the technique to build the  pyramids that could stand up against the natural disasters such as earthquake in the windy and dusty desert environment，and it brought about the human concerns to the slave workers. The pyramids were made of thousands of granite blocks weighing up to 80 tons, which were made in the mountains 1,000 kilometers away, the ancient Egyptian transported the granites over by boats along the Nile river.

The ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates was sentenced to death, his students dug the underground tunnel directly to his bed in the prison, and bribed the jailors in order to save the great philosopher. Aristotle first mentioned the concept of "engineering ethics" in his books of "natural philosophy", "physics" at the Academy and the Lyceum, which was the earliest class lessons of "engineering ethics".

In ancient China, there were a large amount of ethical educations in a hundred schools in pre-Qin times, such as golden mean of the path, the relationship of rulers and ministers, Confucian Doctrine of filial piety and fraternal duty, as a principle of family ethics, is the traditional  expression of Confucian humanity philosophy in ancient China, the Equality of Things by Zhuangzi. Chinese morale values includes the ancients' unpretending desires for pursuing happy life, harmonious family and peaceful community, and crying up value orientation of harmonious society. The education of engineering ethics of ancient China mainly centered on good timing, geographical convenience and good human relations. There were much more probabilities of car crush at T-junctions, the house insurance should be more expensive,  the ancestral graves and living quarters should not be built in the low - lying land, since it collects water. The doors and windows should face the south in order to light and keep warm.

Confucian said "To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools". The engineers should prepare the tools  with proficiency so that they can get twice the result with the half effort. There are many elements in the engineering practice, engineers are the first elements, the nature of engineering elements is not the ethics, but every engineering practice implies rich morale issues and ethical problems.

In ancient China, Bin Li in Qin dynasties planned and designed on the Dujiang Weir Project, the PRINCIPLES OF SYSTEM SCIENCE IN THE DUGIANG WEIR PROJECT includes the elite of Chinese ancient engineering ethics that allow the project to work well for 2,000 years.

The tool materials are often considered as the important means to study human history. The Bronze ware is the symbol to differentiate primitive communism and slavery,  the iron ware is the watershed between slavery and feudalism. The Han dynasties iron sword is a kind of man made smelted iron, but not natural meteoric iron. The manufacturing technology of the sword was forging from wrought iron regarding to the condition of the unearthed sword by the use of organic silica for conservation. The engineer supervised the forging and smelting of iron ware, the manufacturing procedures are slightly similar to the modern quality control and quality insurance. The engineers had to put the government and public's interest in front of their own, which was the sprout of altruism of engineering ethics.

Dong Zhongshu thought that the social hierarchy was the fundamental law of the universe, the Wuchang Dao was the only element to keep a cordial and harmonious society, which the pyramid management mode of ancient China. His non-religious Feature of Heaven Human Ideology was the basic principles of ancient China. The sui yang emperor ' s opening the canal was overambitious and unrealistic so that his greedy construction plan only focused on the progress of engineering ignoring the human ethics.

John Augustine mentioned his Metaphysical Dimension of  Free Will, that God is a omnipresent engineer. . John Calvin in Renaissance created the management mode of Church, which leads also to the modern engineering ethics field.

The military engineers were the earliest technicians in the ancient Rome who were marching with the legions, designed the siege engines, built the fortifications and logistics roads. The great Colosseum was built by the ancient Rome civil engineer. The “Greek fire" was one of the most powerful secret weapons designed by the Rome marine engineers, which guaranteed the Rome to hold the command of sea, and keep the empire of byzantine last over 1,000 years.

French built the Pont du Gard, aqueduct, 275 meters long, 48.8 meters high, by which they created the first engineering responsibility and contract. The aqueduct was owned by the city government that hired the engineers and workers.

Da Vinci was an archetypal Renaissance figure， a mechanical engineer, a civil engineer and a military engineer. "His genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal. Leonardo has often been described as the archetype of the Renaissance Man, a man of "unquenchable curiosity" and "feverishly inventive imagination" [2]

In 20th century, the US engineering society reinforced the engineering ethics code, slightly similar to the ancient Rome associations, such as how to avoid the interest conflicts, how to avoid the rat-race competition, how to protect the intelligence properties, which made the engineering ethics a subject of philosophy, law, science, engineering and management.

reference

[1]  Layton (1986). pp. 6-9

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci

Who is Moses?
Danny Li, 2013-3-16

 

Moses is believed to be the writer of first 5 books of the Old Testaments of the Bible. Many non-Christian historians think that Moses was an Egyptian Prince aiming at the moon, rather than one of the descendants of Jacob.

 

I met a new immigrant from Greek in Vancouver, he told me that, the circumcision was in fact a tradition of Egyptians rather than that of Hebrew. Many laws claimed that they were from God. Moses just copied them. |Many people moved to the Egypt when there were natural disasters.

 

These opinions could mislead many people. Many others have the tradition of circumcision, many others claimed that their law was from God, many others moved to Egypt when there were drought. It was real as well.

2:14

(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law,

2:15

since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)

The words in the book of Romans can explain the reasons. All Scripture is God-breathed, and once we were alienated from God and were enemies in our minds because of our evil behavior. he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

 

Therefore, the story of Moses is real when you believe, you can find many reasons to mislead yourself if you do not trust the Bible, in the hope that God will grant you  repentance leading you to a knowledge of the truth,

 

(25 minutes translation)