Green Banking

Executive Summary Green banking is generally defined as promoting environmentally friendly practices that aid customers in reducing their carbon footprint through their banking operation activities. These practices include such things as online banking, statements, bill payments, and account opening. Banks also invest in internal initiatives to reduce their own carbon footprint. The majority of programs consist of energy efficiency, recycling, ride sharing, and environmentally friendly lending. Banks that support the local community and environment are seen as leaders in this movement. Many online banks and smaller community banks are seen as \u27greener\u27 than the large corporate financial institutions. One criticism of the large banks includes the financing of environmentally detrimental endeavors, such as British Petroleum\u27s oil spill. Those banks that received Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) or bailout money are also seen in a negative light as well as held to higher standards based on the sustainability initiatives they have promised publically. Sustainability has varying definitions depending on the organization\u27s core practices and strategies, but carries a common importance to corporations as a critical success factor as seen from the recent increase in companies producing annual sustainability reports and creating a C-suite position called Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO). The banking industry recognizes green initiatives as an increasingly important business strategy, for which the top U. S. banks are all striving to gain a competitive advantage. Recent research and surveys of these concepts aid in the conclusion that sustainability will continue to play a large role in the banking industry\u27s competitive dynamics; in addition, long-term consequences for the environment and overall business practices will be realized

Conference Marketing Research for Rolla, Missouri Chamber of Commerce

This paper is used to give recommendations to the Chamber of Commerce in Rolla, Missouri to help them to better attract conferences and events. A survey given to event planners was the main method used for analyzing what Rolla needs to change to gain more of a name as a conference destination. Although this paper is specific to Rolla, Missouri, the methods used can be imitated for any rural town wishing to attract more conferences

Energy Auditing Proposal

Executive Summary 1.1 Objectives Develop a business case for an energy audit software application that can be used on portable devices such as the iPad and reduce the time needed to complete an audit report by 50%

Aluminum Deposition on Polyimides: The Effect of in situ Ion Bombardment

The chemistry of the Al polyimide interface is examined by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy sputter profiling. Al deposited on polyimide films without an in situ Ar backsputter shows a clearly defined 50‐Å Al2O3 layer just prior to the polyimide. This layer is identified by the O/Al atom ratio at 1.5, and the binding energy of the Al 2p transition. There is a clear separation of the Al/Al2O3/polyimide layers in the sputter profiles. Deposition of Al on polyimide surfaces after Argon backsputtering produces a diffuse Al/polyimide interface with no Al2O3 present. There is evidence in the Al 2p spectra for Al–C or Al–O–C type bonds, while the C 1s spectrum clearly has a metal carbide component. Increased adhesion of Al to polyimide surfaces with Ar backsputtering may be due to the differences in chemistry observed in these two instances

Ion Bombardment of Polyimide Films

Surface modification techniques such as wet chemical etching, oxidizing flames, and plasma treatments (inert ion sputtering and reactive ion etching) have been used to change the surface chemistry of polymers and improve adhesion. With an increase in the use of polyimides for microelectronic applications, the technique of ion sputtering to enhance polymer‐to‐metal adhesion is receiving increased attention. For this study, the argon‐ion bombardment surfaces of pyromellitic dianhydride and oxydianiline (PMDA–ODA) and biphenyl tetracarboxylic dianhydride and phenylene diamine (BPDA–PDA) polyimide films were characterized with x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as a function of ion dose. Graphite and high‐density polyethylene were also examined by XPS for comparison of C 1s peak width and binding‐energy assignments. Results indicate that at low ion doses the surface of the polyimide does not change chemically, although adsorbed species are eliminated. At higher doses the chemical composition is altered and is dramatically reflected in the C 1s spectra where graphiticlike structures become evident and the prominent carbonyl peak is reduced significantly. Both polyimides demonstrate similar chemical changes after heavy ion bombardment. Atomic composition of PMDA–ODA and BPDA–PDA polymers are almost identical after heavy ion bombardment

Managing Innovation

The term innovation is one of the most misused and poorly defined terms when discussing economic growth and development. Innovation typically has a modifier in front to distinguish varying levels of value delivered and the impact to the market and some cases the world. ConradWai, CEO of Jump Ventures, defines three types of innovation: Sustaining Innovations maintain or grow market share, improve profit by gaining efficiencies and reducing costs, and often are seen as incremental improvements. The end goal for any sort of innovation pursuit is to create value. By creating something of value one hopes to attract a buyer and make a profit. Value is a two sided coin: both sides are important and each side is dependent on the other. The sides of the coin are the producer and the consumer. Disruptive Innovations are where the product or service propagates shock waves through market, changing producer and consumer behavior, and rendering existing solutions obsolete. Plastics as a whole are considered an example of a disruptive innovation

Home Automation Proposal

1.1 Objectives The objective for Phase 2 of the Motorola project is to propose a comprehensive home automation system that can be launched in the next one to two years. Currently, there are many entertainment, security, and home control devices on the market but no device that ties these systems together for consumers. The goal is to develop a system that can be easily installed, cost efficient, and able to provide genuine home automation to consumers

Demographic Impacts on Environmentally Friendly Purchase Behaviors

Researchers have continued to study green consumer demographics with mixed results. The relevant literature since 1998 (the last review) was summarized to determine what demographics seemed to impact environmental purchasing. The greatest consistency was found for gender with women more likely to exhibit green behaviors. This research article analyzed survey responses to determine the environmentally friendly behaviors of consumers and their relationships to demographics. Several demographics were found to be related to a number of specific environmentally friendly behaviors, more than in prior research. The authors concluded that using specific behaviors, in contrast to general statements or attitudes, may be more sensitive to the effects of demographics

Nanofibrous articles

Nanofibrous articles can be manufactured by a process that includes preparation of a surface of a substrate to provide an adhesion mechanism for securing the nanofibers to the surface. The nanofibers can be dispersed in an area near the substrate for the purpose of being adhered to the surface. If an ordered arrangement of nanofibers is required, an electric field can be provided in the area where the nanofibers are dispersed to selectively control an ordering of the nanofibers as they are adhered to the surface by the adhesion mechanism

Modular communication system

A modular communication system (10) can include an adaptable communication module (12) having a transceiver (13) coupled to a processor (14) and memory (20), and a first interface block (24) coupled to the processor, and a host device (30) having a power source (36), a user interface (34), and a second interface block (46). The host device can be among a plurality of host devices having different user interfaces and the processor is adaptable to control the different user interfaces when the first interface block recognizes the second interface block. The module can further include a DSP (16) and a display (18) coupled to the processor as well as an antenna (11). A host device can be a phone, a wristwatch, a camera or video phone, an MP3 player, a heart rate monitor, a game controller, a toy, a stroller, or a crib among other devices