What Are The Uses Of Nanotechnology Environmental Sciences Essay

What Are The Uses Of Nanotechnology Environmental Sciences Essay Nanoscience and nanotechnology congers up visions of making, imaging, manipulating and utilizing things really small and the defining feature of nanochemistry is the utilization of synthetic chemistry to make nanoscale building blocks of different size and shape, composition and surface structure, charge and functionality[1]. The initial concepts of nanotechnology were decribed by Richard Feynman in 1959 when he gave a talk describing a process involving individual atoms and molecules that could be manipulated. Professor Taniguchi later helped define nanotechnology as a process involving separation, consolidation and deformation of materials on particles the size of an atom or a molecule[2]. The national nanotechnology initiative describes nanotechnology as the understanding and control of matter at dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometres where unique phenomena enable novel applications[3]. The nanotechnology field is interdisciplinary and spans across physics, biology, chemistry, medicine, materials science and computing[4] and requires engineering at a nanoscale. A nanometre is equal to a billionth of a metre (10-9) and nanotechnology can be defined based on its scale being less than 100nm[5]. The science of nanoscale materials is said to fall between the extremes of 1nm and 1 Â µm lengths[1]. Nanotechnology incorporates science and technology to allow manipulation of atoms and molecules to create new systems, materials and devices with at least one feature of less than 100 nm in size. This provides the capacity to work at the molecular level, atom by atom, to create large structures with fundamentally new molecular organisation[6] which significantly contributes to enhanced material properties in physical, chemical and biological aspects as a result of their nanoscale caliber[6]. At the nanoscale materials have different properties; silver and gold nanoparticles hav e catalytic properties whilst pieces visual to the human eye are inert and unreactive. This is due to smaller particles having a much larger surface are to volume ratio and at sizes below 100 nm quantum effects become apparent. Fabrication on a nanoscale requires the use of molecules as building blocks. There are two approaches taken towards nanotechnology. The top-down approach uses conventional methods of micro fabrication extending them into the molecular size regime and includes electron beam and X-ray lithography. The bottom up approach incorporates the principles of self-assembly extending them from the molecular into the micrometer size regime which in a way mimics the way nature constructs biological systems and requires suitable building blocks. In 1959 hypothetical concepts and experimental results for nano-size materials and devices appeared, however the recent scientific developments have encouraged a revival of activity and created developments in the nanoscience field[1]. Nanotechnology has followed on from micro-engineering where tolerances of 10-6m have become common in the motor vehicle and aerospace industries allowing the manufacture of high quality and safer transportation. In the computing industry the miniaturization revolution has become most apparent. The worlds first stored-program electronic digital computer nicknamed the baby was built in Manchester in 1948 and had the processing power equivalent to that of a mobile phone yet the machine itself filled an entire room. Today the components of a computer have been de-scaled down to the size of a mobile phone and contain nano features, whilst they can process information much faster. Nanoscience is already a leading solution provider to many societal, health and environmental problems and due to its high potential for future developments it is attracting large amounts of funding. Nanotechnology has played a vital part in major revolutionary advances in medicine. Nanoparticles can be used to help faster detection of diseases. They are introduced into the body and bind to targeting antibodies which in turn will bind to the diseased cells and creates a fluorescent glow which can be detected by an imaging system which pinpoints the location of the disease from early onset. There are nano coatings that can repel dirt and prevent the spread of mrsa which has recently become a problem in hospitals. Nanotechnology is creating a path for faster diagnosis of disease and more accurate drug targeting using smaller quantities of drugs, hence reducing toxicity to the body. Looking from an environmental aspect nanotechnology is helping to develop cheaper and more efficient solar energy cells to be used in homes as a cleaner energy source. Nanotechnology is responsible for the production of environmentally friendly nanocoatings which are highly effective and not toxic to the environment, which can be used to replace toxic cadmium and chromium coatings that are currently used. There are nanocoatings which can protect materials making them more durable and resistant to scratches and graffiti. Nanoparticles can be used to invisibly tag things which make it easier for identification purposes and for crime prevention. Nanotechnology has allowed for tougher car tyres, improved sun creams, cheaper solar cells, stronger aeroplane wings, more sensitive and specific sensors, more efficient catalysts, hydrogen storage, tougher fabrics, new materials for sports equipment such as golf clubs and to reinforce the frames and strings on tennis racquets, intelligent glass for windows and glasses, flat screen TV screens among many other things. Carbon nanotubes are highly electrically and thermally conductive and have a tensile strength one hundred times stronger than steel whilst being a lot lighter. The highly desirable properties of carbon nanotubes allow tremendous future possibilities for aviation, military and medical applications. Carbon nanotubes and other materials such as plastics and textiles can be combined to produce lightweight bullet proof vests. Silver nanoparticles are present in socks and help combat bad odour by killing bacteria and this idea has been mimicked in dressing for wounds to keep them sterile. Nanotechnologies have enabled self-cleaning and dirt repellent clothes, which contributes to reducing the energy used to wash them. Nanotechnology developments in the pipeline include carbon nanotubes that can generate heat and may be ideal for electric blankets or as wall paper to heat cold walls and insulate homes. Research currently in process includes polymer based nanofibres that can be filled with nanoparticles, enzymes, catalysts, or an antibacterial. The nanofibres can be sprayed onto cut and wounds to activate the healing process or used to form temporary membranes or filters in the body. Nanoelectric devices have been embedded into textiles and can monitor internal temperature, chemical sensing and provide support for people that partake in extreme sports or for firefighters and other professions wherer this could be a vital piece of equipment. To support these nanoelectric devices research is being conducted on the viability of man made nanfibres which are used to present new properties such as shock absorbance, strength, heat stability and fire retardancy. Encapsulation is a process which increases th e performance or shelf like of a less stable substance and has been used in the nanoencapsulation of cancer drugs to increase their efficiency. It can help to deliver improved taste and protects food substances from harsh processing environments and in household cleaning products they can provide longer lasting scented household fragrances and also to help reduce energy and water use by slowly releasing enzymes in washing detergents. Nanoscale manufacture is already well established with food companies. Several foods and drinks comprise of natural nanoscale ingredients which can be manipulated which often happens in the manufacture of dairy produce[3]. Nanotechnology has been used to incorporate new tastes, flavours, physical effects and health benefits to foods as well improving food manufacture standards by being used to create antibacterial surfaces, packaging that is protected against contamination and special filters that can remove impurities and toxic chemicals[3]. Research in the motor industry is offering applications of nanotechnology to provide improved fuel cells for cleaner energy, more efficient catalysts, corrosion and scratch protection as well as stronger yet lighter engines and other motor parts. Nanoparticles are currently present as additives in fuels which enable lower fuel consumption and decrease any toxic emissions and research is being conducted to develop way in which nanotechnology coul d eradicate hazardous reactants and toxic emissions altogether. Cars are benefiting from nano-sensors which are reducing collisions and can detect part failures within the vehicles. The benefits surrounding the use of nanotechnology in our every day lives is endless, it is obvious that nanotechnology could shape the world of the future and contribute to developing a sustainable environment; maybe one day nanoscience could contribute to ending world hunger. Cancer could be eradicated as surgical procedures are carried out at the molecular level and eventually with nanosurgery everything could hopefully be repairable. However without the cycle of life and death the population on the world would increase to an unmanageable amount that would affect the sustainable environment we are supposedly aiming to achieve. Future developments of nanotechnology are totally unpredictable and the nanoscience phenomenon is still in its early stages. While the many benefits of nanotechnology are apparent, scientists are nervous about what the future may hold and concerns surrounding the ability to make materials come to life via means of reconstruction on the molecular level are most daunting. A particular concern is the development of nanorobotics that could potentially lead to nanorobots taking on human duties which would endanger and unbalance the world economy. However nanoscience is in the responsibility of the scientists and out of our hands for the time being, there are people who fear the future of nanotechnologies and there are those who are looking forward to their developments. Like with any new technology on the market, nanotechnologies also pose potential risks which need to be fully understood in order to optimize the advantages of using nanotechnology regularly. Once embedded in polymers nanoparticles are very safe, yet there is some uncertainty surrounding free nanoparticles and the health threats posed if inhaled. The government and the nanotechnology industry are extremely aware of the possible risks, it is not doubted that nanotechnology can bring profound benefits to society but these various applications of nanotechnology need to be supervised and maintained to safe and risk free level. Public concern surrounding nanotechnology is limited as a large population of the public have not yet heard of nanotechnology[7] and those who have dont fully understand what it actually entails[8-10]. A study in France confirmed that 81.5% of the participants had little or no knowledge about nanotechnology (table 1) [7]. Social scientists have researched what influences public perception of new up coming technologies like nanotechnology[11]. A recent study in March 2011, Comparing nanoparticle risk perceptions to other known EHS risks has concluded that the public are relatively unconcerned about nanotechnology risks and the risks of nanotechnology perceived by the public are relatively low compared to other health and environmental risks ( fig 1.)[9]. In this study the public have ranked street drugs as the highest posed risk followed by smoking, AIDS, nuclear waste and obesity. Nanoparticles have been ranked on the low end of the scale, 20th out of 24, along with X-rays, air trave l and mobile phone use[9]. Fig.1. Rankings by high health risk perceptions[9]. A survey of the public perceptions about the use of nanotechnology in foods and food packaging concluded that the public are ambiguous and pessimistic surrounding applications in the food industry[7]. However the study only surveyed 752 individuals, so this is not a true and fair representation of the views of the public world or UK wide. The study titled The public understanding of the food domain was carried out in France and revealed that the general consensus of the participants was that they were doubtful about nanotechnology in food and food packaging and hence viewed that the benefits equalled the risks[7]. However as the percentage of unfamiliarity surrounding nanotechnology of the participants was extremely high[7] it could be argued that with more understanding of the topic participants and also the rest of the public would be more swayed to support nanotechnology if they were more informed of the benefits and risks. The unknown causes people to be doubtful and cynical and view something they have no knowledge about in a negative light. Evidence suggests that the public however perceive nanotechnology to pose more of a risk than experts do but generally the public believe that the benefits associated with nanoscience outweigh the impact of risk[10, 12]. Table 1. Frequencies and percentages: nanotechnology food packaging (nano-outside), nanofood (nano-inside) and nanotech familiarity (N=752) [7]. After the public backlash against genetically modified foods the public perceptions of new and emerging technologies are highly valued and extremely important and need to considered fully[13]. Given the important and lucrative benefits of nanotechnology for the future the public need to be made fully aware of the advantages before they make negative judgements themselves based on their lack of knowledge surrounding the topic. Uninformed people will automatically have a negative biased opinion of new technology if they are not slowly introduced to the idea and made aware of the advantages before they hear about the minor risks and pass judgement themselves. People in industry fear that without more research and public awareness there may be an outcry against their use of nanomaterials[14]. It was reported that increased education on new technologies led to increased public anxiety of the subject[15]. Will giving the public more information, provide them with more ammunition for a repeat of the public out cries against genetically modified foods and gene technology. Communication between the public and decision makers in nanoscience and the government needs to be established sooner rather than later to gain the public approval and to ensure there isnt a repeat performance of the GM food backlash[13]. Already public protestors present at Nanotechnology debates held in France in 2010 chanted Nano, its not green, its totalitarian[16]. Public perception depends upon the type of utilization surrounding the new technology [17] and most of the time applications involving food and medicine are considered to cause the most controversy in the public eye[18, 19]. A Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the UK found no evidence that nanomaterials have harmed people or the environment, but recommended further research and evidence to confirm this[14]. The public need to hear positive evidence surrounding the safety of nanotechnology maybe before they are introduced to current and future developments. Public concern includes whether manufacturers and industry will benefit more in terms of revenue from nanotechnology than the consumers[20]. The concern over nanotechnology in food is more of a worry to the public than its use in packaging which is deemed to be quite useful in fact [20]. Titanium-dioxide, one of the most commonly used nanoparticles used in consumer products such as sun creams [21] has recently been slated after finding that Titanium dioxide nanoparticles caused chromosomal damage, as well as inflammation, all of which increase the risk of cancer when tests were carried out on mice[22]. However a year later the same source of information, UCLAs NanoSystems Institute revealed how nanoparticles have been used in the delivery of cancer drug therapy in mice[23] which could have huge potential in the development of human anti-cancer drugs. As of yet the various warnings against nanotechnology can not be justified as there is a lack of concrete evidence to support such claims against nanotechnology. According to new laws from the European Parliament cosmetics containing nanomaterials will have to be duly labelled and the new regulation states Nanomaterials: labelling, definition and safety assessment needed[24]. After Germanys Federal Environment Agency revealed a report about nanotechnology[25] which consequently lead to media headlines reading The German Environment agency warns against nanotechnology and Nanotechnology can make you sick[26] the environment agency retaliated by declaring that we havent done any of our own research and as a result feel the report has been misinterpreted [27]. This is an example of fabrication of warnings against nanotechnology and without adequate evidence the public misconception with regards to new nanotechnology will continue. A report published in 2010, Report on the European Commissions Public Online Consultation towards a Strategic Nanotechnology Action Plan concluded a number of points related to public concerns with regards to nanotechnology amongst other cohorts[28]. The majority public opinion on nanotechnologies was reasonably optimistic and not a single person voted opposed towards nanotechnologies (fig). The public perceived food and healthcare to be most at risk with respect to nanotechnology (fig). Toxic nanomaterials and the nanomaterial workers health were both highlighted as being the most important major issues the public had concern over (fig). The general consensus across all areas questioned was that more action needed to be done with regards to the EU Policies in the new action plan. The areas highlighted the most included addressing safety concerns, developing better tools and adapting existing nanomaterial legislation (fig). Fig.[28] Fig. [28] Fig. Public concerns about the current state of development of nanotechnologies[29]. Fig. [28]

Edgar Degas :: essays research papers

Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas was born on July 19, 1834, at 8 rue Saint-George's in Paris. His father, Auguste, a banker, was French, and his mother, CÃ ©lestine, an American from New Orleans. The family name "Degas" had been changed to "De Gas" by some family members in Naples and France in order to sound more aristocratic; the preposition indicated a name derived from land holdings. Degas went back to using the original spelling sometime after 1870, and that is how we spell his name today.He was destined for a law career, but instead entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where he studies with Louis Lamothe. There he became a painter and sculptor. Degas was associated with the Impressionists, taking an active part in there firsts exhibitions, but his individual choice of subject matter, handling of composition, and emphasis of drawing distinguished his works from theirs. He worked with a number of media: oil, pastel, lithography, engraving, and sculpture. From the mid-1850s through the mid-1870s Degas explored many types of subject matter. He copied works by earlier artists and executed his own history paintings, portraits, and scenes of daily life. Degas eventually ended his efforts at history painting and devoted more attention to portraiture, turning images of relatives and friends into complex psychological studies.His oils and pastels depict the inhabitants of the world of sports, business, ballet, and the cafes in their self-conscious posturing and characteristic gestures. He has numerous paintings of jockeys, dancers, laundresses and prostitutes. Another favorite subject was a model at her bath. Degas' observation of movement resulted in the radical compositions that preserved the character of his subjects. As Degas' subject matter became more contemporary, so did his artistic style. Early on, Degas presents people as individuals, whereas works from the mid-1870s on categorize women in particular according to their professions. The laundresses, milliners, and dancers represent types rather than specific individuals. Degas' handling of paint and use of color also become bolder and more experimental. Degas' collection of repeated poses and postures speaks to his preoccupation with texture, color, and form.In the later years of his life, despite failing eyesight, he continues to paint his women models in varied, unarranged poses. Soon after he began to let him self go. He stopped caring for his dress or trimming his beard. He had chronic bronchitis and bladder problems. Degas continued to work as long as he was in the house of Rue Victor-Masse.

Sir Gawain vs Beowulf Essay -- Compare, Contrast, Comparative

Although Gawain and Beowulf share many similarities, their characters are almost complete opposites. Both aim for some sort of fame, one more than the other; differing in the way they attempt to achieve this success. Gawain remains true and looks to humility to guide him, whereas Beowulf is very prideful and selfish, loving nothing more than boasting about his virtues. Regardless, both go through tremendous changes throughout their quests, dealing with repercussions, and many challenging obstacles along the way. Initially, Gawain’s strongest trait is humility, Beowulf’s is pride. In the beginning of Gawain and the Green Knight, a mysterious warrior enters King Arthur’s court to extend a challenge. Although he knows others in the court would handle the challenge better than him, out of respect, when King Arthur attempts to accept the challenge Gawain comes forth and suggests he takes his place. Gawain presents himself as â€Å"the weakest of them, I know, and the dullest-minded/ so my death would be least loss, if truth should be told/ only because you are my uncle am I to be praised/ no virtue I know in myself but your blood† (Broadview Analogy 269). Instead of bragging about his bravery, Gawain acts modestly and states that his death would be of little loss during this challenge. He is not self-absorbed and gives off the impression that the only reason he is a knight is because of his relation with King Arthur. By stating this, he gives off the impression that h is self confidence is quite weak; this is astonishing for a character of this era. Although King Arthur has at least one of his knights to be proud of, it seems as though Gawain’s behaviour is not looked upon as modest by others in the court, but rather disreputable. The D... ...ash between good and evil. Beowulf is a representation of a Godly figure, possibly Christ, whereas his enemies represent figures of darkness, possibly Satan. Due to his battle with Grendel, Beowulf realises the true abilities of Gods power and develops into a more Saint like character who is more concerned with giving help rather than Gaining fame. He seeks Gods guidance, but looks to pagan ideals when he deems so. Although he never completely takes complete advantage of Gods power, he does earn the fame and glory that he fought bravely for. Gawain returns to Camelot a changed man, bearing his sins on his shoulders, whereas, Beowulf develops into a more saint like character who is more concerned with giving help than gaining fame. Gawain becomes more aware of his wrong doing, and attempts to better himself by carrying the green girdle as a reminder of his sins.

Teens Choice to Drink :: essays research papers

Article Summery Beyond Invulnerability: The Importance of Benefits in Adolescents’ Decision to Drink Alcohol Introduction: Many things affect the choice of an adolescent to drink alcohol. It is thought that this particular age group thinks that they are not vulnerable to the risks involved with drinking alcohol. Studies in this area have resulted in mixed conclusions; some support the idea of adolescent invulnerability others do not. Intervention programs seem to work better if they are aimed at reducing risk taking behaviors than helping an adolescent realize their true invulnerability (in fact vulnerability). Older adolescents seem to be more likely to participate in risky behavior because of positive outcomes of previous risky behavior. This experiment is to find out how adolescents perceive the benefits of risky behavior and how the perceived benefits motivate risky behavior. Five main questions will be discussed: 1. How do individuals perceive both the benefits and risks of drinking alcohol? 2. How do risk and benefit perceptions differ across age group? 3. Experience differs with age, so how do risk and benefit perceptions differ by experience? 4. Do risk and benefit perceptions predict drinking and smoking 6 months later? 5. What is the relative contribution of perceived benefits (or perceived risks) in predicting risk taking behavior? This article is about a longitudinal study, but only focuses on the last two (of three) experiments which were spaced 6 months apart. Methods: The sample for this experiment is taken from fifth, seventh and ninth graders in Northern California. The participants were chosen by one of two methods mail based or classroom based. The mail method (letters were sent to the home) recruited 89 fifth graders, 130 seventh graders and 58 ninth graders. The classroom method (information was given to students at school) resulted in 36 fifth graders, 18 seventh graders and 102 ninth graders. Participants were given surveys to complete (and later compensated with $$). The answers on the surveys were measured in a few different ways. An individual’s benefit versus risk perception was measured by having the participants fill in a certain probability (percent) that a benefit or risk will happen as a result of a risky behavior. To measure a participants’ previous experience with benefits or risk they were asked yes or no questions, for example, have you ever liked the buzz you got from drinking alcohol? Or have you ever gotten sick from drinking alcohol? An individual’s experience with drinking was also measured by a 5 point Likert scale, participants could chose any point on a range from none to more than 10 times to answer the questions how many times have they drunk alcohol and how many times have they have had six or more drinks.

INBM Essay

Catch of the day Kalastaa Inc. have been in the local Finnish aquaculture industry for nearly fourteen years. They raise salmon and trout for local markets, and have recently negotiated a deal with a small fish processing plant that distributes under a major product label in Finland. Although they run a rather small operation, employing 16 people year-round, Kalastaa believes they are in a position to export some surplus and perhaps broker further deals with fish processing plants around the European Union. They do want to maintain ties with the local fresh fish markets, but sales have been steadily decreasing since the sudden influx of cheaper Scottish salmon on the market. They know their stock is of higher quality and could be exported abroad quite profitably. Kalastaa has contacted the government and enrolled in small business export initiatives. This has enabled the company to attend aquaculture conferences abroad and offered them the opportunity to network and make contact with DanskFisk, a Dut ch importer. Plenty more fish in the sea? DanskFisk was eager to negotiate a contract for 2 tonnes of Finnish salmon to distribute to a number of clientele throughout the country. Payment of credit was arranged by a Dutch bank. The documents required were a commercial invoice, the insurance policy, a marine bill of lading, and a certificate of quality. Kalastaa has arranged to have their fish inspected by a nationally accredited standards organization. Both parties agree in their contract that Kalastaa will pay freight to Rotterdam and will also insure the shipment. Once the salmon has been delivered, DanskFisk will assume all responsibility. The Finish Food Inspection Agency reports to Kalastaa that the fish to be exported is of superior quality, with a fat content of 11 percent. The  certificate of quality includes a code for superior quality and also states a color code that is standard to the Salmofan scale. Colour coding is a common practice in the fish industry and provides a method of standardization for something as subjective as colour. Both in production and sales, colour is the most important quality parameter for salmon. Salmon buyers can request information on the colour of a delivered lot in the form of a number corresponding to a colour number on the Roche scale. Another salmon colour reference is the colour number on the Salmofan scale. Kalastaa’s bank, acting as their export advisor, contacts the  company to tell them that the letter of credit has fallen though because the certificate of quality is vague and it cannot be ascertained if the shipment has passed its quality certification. Somethin g is fishy†¦ The documents were delivered directly to the buyer for payment. DanskFisk insists on inspecting the shipment upon arrival. DanskFisk is not an experienced salmon importer, and usually deals with Spanish Blue Fish and Irish Char. They are not in disagreement that the salmon shipment has passed quality inspection. Upon DanskFisk’s inspection, they claim that the fat content of the stock is much higher than is claimed in the quality inspection. They reject the sale and will accept substitute goods, but are claiming damages for loss of profit. Kalastaa management wonder if they need to rethink their exporting strategy. Case Study Discussion Questions 1.  Which shipping vessels would be most appropriate for Kalastaa to ship their product to Rotterdam? 2.  Describe the purposes for each of the export documents that Kalastaa need to provide to secure documentary credit. 3.  Which Incoterm would best represent the terms of sale between Kalastaa and DanskFisk? 4.  Would Kalastaa have benefited from employing a freight forwarder? Explain.

Joy Luck Club: Malignant Gate

What lesson or moral is taught by the parable at the beginning of Part II? The lesson taught in the parable is that one should listen to their parents' words as they are usually correct and wise. 2. In what way does this parable help to Illustrate the following theme from this level? The generation gap, Including age and heritage, between mothers and daughters makes communication between them difficult? A child, who grew up only knowing America, will definitely struggle in communicating with a mother who was fully Immersed In Chinese culture back when she lived in China.Although age does make it difficult, these cultural differences will hinder their communication even more than age as they have different perspectives, ideologies and thoughts because of their different upbringing. 3. What might the book, The Twenty-six Malignant Gates represent In this story? The Twenty-six Malignant Gates might represent the experience, the culture and the wisdom of a mother. The mother says the chi ld will not understand as it is written in Chinese, but beyond that, it definitely is related to Chinese tradition and culture, and the wisdom of China; a child who only knows America will definitely not understand It.Rules of the Game: Wavered Gong (Daughter) Lind Gong (Mother) 1. What Is the â€Å"art of Invisible strength† Wavered learns from her mother? The art of invisible strength is the ability/strategy for winning arguments and respect from others. 2. Find two incidents in this chapter where Lind demonstrates her fierce Chinese pride. In page 91, she says that Chinese people are more motivated compared to lazy Americans. In page 99, Lind would announce to anyone who sees her that Wavered is her daughter in a very prideful and happy attitude. She's extremely proud that Wavers skill was developed thanks to undoes teaching, which makes her more proud. State a generalization about life Lind is trying to teach Wavered in the following passage from this chapter. -She's tell ing Wavered that If one wants to survive, one must know. -Learn more about the society you live In. 4. In what way does the wind mentioned in the story in the following selection from the story relate back to the wind mentioned In the story about the red candle? The wind is the metaphor for the invisible strength that Lind taught Wavered about in the beginning of the book. Lind used the invisible strength to escape marriage, when she used trickery and deception.

Redbox

Management Policy November 19, 2012 Red Box Red Box is the industry leader in DVD rental kiosks. It has established itself as an inexpensive and convenient method for customers to rent DVDs. Although Red Box is a cost leader in its segment, it is threatened by the slow but impending disappearance of the DVD format. Threat of New Entrants RedBox has a cost performance advantage over possible new entrants since it is owned by a publicly traded company and already has an established distribution channel relationship. RedBox has an advantage over new entrants in that it already has a well-known brand image amongst movie viewers.People often say â€Å"why don’t you go just rent it from RedBox† during conversations. However, consumers can readily switch over to Blockbuster or cable pay-per-services. Porter’s Five Forces I. Bargaining Power of Buyers The bargaining power of buyers is high since it is extremely easy and inexpensive for the consumers switch viewing medium s. II. Threat of Substitutes The thread of substitutes is high due to competitors such as Netflix, Blockbuster, cable and satellite T. V. companies. III. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers is high since there are only a handful of movie studios that are able to supply the DVDs.Movie studios can limit the quantity, as well as increase the price and royalty payments of DVDs. Other wholesalers can also increase the price and limit the supply of DVDs. IV. Intensity of Rivalry among Existing Competitors The intensity among existing competitors is fierce since Blockbuster has the ability to install more rental kiosks at existing stores and sign new contracts with existing retailers. Customers can buy new movies for $5 at retailers such as Walmart or get them shipped to their homes from retailers such as Amazon. V. The Threat of SubstitutesThe threat of substitutes is high. A motion picture DVD is difficult to duplicate unless it is burned illegally. However, d igital formats of movies are becoming more prevalent and as the smart phone population grows. Cellular signal carriers are also rapidly increasing their bandwidth and it is predictable, soon mobile signals will be as strong as or stronger than current broad band signals offered by cable providers. Automakers will eventually install TV monitors in each family vehicle that will allow children to watch movies downloaded or streaming live, instead of viewing DVDs.S. W. O. T. I. Strengths Redbox is owned by a publicly traded company and has the funding of its shareholders. Redbox has pre-existing retail contacts that were established by its parent company, Coinstar that enables them to expand faster than competitors who need to establish new contacts. II. Weaknesses Redbox is under the mercy of the movie studios. Should any movie studio decide to terminate their contract with Redbox, it will lose a significant percentage of its suppliers considering there are only a handful of movie stud ios.The movie studios also have influence on wholesale distributors, which can affect Redbox’s supply chain. III. Opportunities Redbox can enter the home digital rental market to directly compete with Netflix. It can also start selling other products, such as popcorn and soda, with its DVDs, in its vending machines. IV. Threats Redbox is threatened by the ever growing population of mobile users who will be able to download movies to their portable devices at speeds greater than DSL in the near future. Redbox is also under threat from pirated copies of movies that are prevalent worldwide.