Animal Behavior (Biology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Animal Behavior (Biology) - Essay Example sneaking behaviors are relevant due to the fact since females are the restraining sex, and females invest more in offspring than males, males tend to be competing for females. (Roche 2006) This proves to be a significant evolutionary requirement and is especially t evolutionary requirement and is especially relevant when taking evolution and sneaking behaviors into account. Given the evolutionary requirements and the success of sneaking behavior in the context of reproducing and the ability to do so it becomes obvious why the Haplochromis burtonii who succeed at this mating form of natural selection will prevail and evolve. In order for evolution to succeed natural selection is first required to be a success. My hypothesis as to why the sneaking strategy is favored in certain circumstances is that it succeeds evolutionary because f a disparity in the population of females. If the population of males is more than can be supported by the population in order to survive they can do so by being a sneaker. This is beneficial to the sneaker male because by impersonating a female he is able to a nest in a manner that does not require fighting and his chances of injury is reduced or eliminated. I also think that inclusive fitness may be beneficial to the survival and imminent evolution of the male. ... This premise means that as a minimum a number of this variation must be heritable. By that it is meant that a genetic basis of behavior must be present. This is because a basis for both successful natural selection and evolution behavior must affect the ability of an animal to survive and reproduce. By making reference to inclusive fitness it is meant that the male may have a better chance to reproduce if favored by the females in this respect. However it is important to observe altruism is not a high priority behavior within Haplochromis burtonii populations. However it can exist in regard to inclusive fitness behaviors and by practicing sneaking behavior the sneaker male has a better chance of benefiting from inclusive fitness from the females. Roche explains that "Inclusive fitness can be estimated using a coefficient of relatedness, which estimates the chances that two related individuals both have a given allele (alternately: the proportion of genes that are identical in two individuals because of relatedness)." (2006) I hypothesize that by participating in sneaker behavior the Haplochromis burtonii literally doubles chances of either reproducing or surviving until they are able to do so. 1) c) How could you test this empirically What predictions do you make if the hypothesis is true To test this hypothesis empirically would prove to be a challenge. The reason for that is the challenge of tracking the specific Haplochromis burtonii would be difficult and specific subjects would be impossible to distinguish during many parts of the observation. There is no way to mark the subjects. However the behavior of the Haplochromis burtonii can be observed. It is during the course of these observations that

Technical writting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Technical writting - Assignment Example He could position the data and information according to things to carry out in the diverse geographic or districts locations of the town. Spatial pattern makes logic intended for the author to standardize the information through physical location for the reason that the information is simple to understand as well as utilize in this format, mainly for tourists who are not well-known with the region (Friedlander, 2004). A Chronological principle of organization is order of importance or climactic order. In Chronological pattern, items are set as of least important to most important. Usual conversions would comprise most difficult, more important, by far the most expensive, still harder, worse up till now, even more damaging, and so on. This is an elastic standard of organization, as well as can guide the organization of the entire or part of case, cause & effect, comparison & contrast, plus description (Friedlander, 2004). For instance, a writers stated principle is to explain the past development or development of the city of Seattle. Supposing that Seattle is having 100 years old history, the writer could systematize the data and information through combining it into 4 chunks of 25-year each. In this state of affairs, the sub-points within all major part of time represent the mainly important events that happened throughout that particular time frame (University of Washington, 2009). Usability testing is proven to trim down expenditure, augment user satisfaction, also save on improvement as well as redesign work (Blastam, 2009). Usability testing assesses behavior, not preference.   Clients are notoriously bad at presenting what kind of software they want; on the other hand through observing and determining behavior, we are able to know about most excellent supports, their motivations, and objectives (Ostrander, 2000). Usability testing offers a great competitive

What Cyber Events Could Really Cause Terror in the Australian Essay Example for Free

What Cyber Events Could Really Cause Terror in the Australian Essay In general terms, cyber events, such as cyber attacks or terrorism is defined as any action intended to damage computer networks, which mainly affects the operation of various infrastructure such as air transport and security logistics. The increasingly high growth rate of cyber crimes has drawn the attention of the public domain and the media. This is because the potential damages, which can be brought by cyber crimes, have far reaching consequences to the government and the whole population of any given country. This paper is written to discuss the cyber events which could cause terror in the Australian population. The military defense system in Australia is well equipped to defend the nation against any external assault. If the military communication and other defense logistics where to be hacked or attacked through cyber events, this would mean a security threat to the nation’s population. Take for instance a situation where the Australian cyber space is invaded and remotely controlled by enemies, this would invade not only the national security but also breach individuals’ privacy, a factor which would cause public outcry. Still to be noted here is the security threats imposed by cyber terrorism in the business and government information systems. Cyber events targeted at business institutions such as the banking sector would instill fear to investors. This would not only affect the banking sector but also all businesses, whether small, medium or large businesses. A good example of the government’s information system attack is the recent attack of the prime minister’s website. The website was accessed after the government’s internet filtering legislation was attacked. It followed that the prime ministers website was overloaded by information requests and loaded with pornography. In this context, such cyber events threaten the national security and can amount to terrorism.

Importance Of Soil Conservation Environmental Sciences Essay

Importance Of Soil Conservation Environmental Sciences Essay Quantitative determination of the extent and impact of soil erosion by water in the tropics have been sketchy. However all available evidence indicates that accelerated erosion is a problem of serious magnitude and with a multitude of negative effects in many tropical countries. The awareness to conserve soil began approximately nine thousand years ago when human civilization shifted from nomadic hunting and gathering experience to a more permanent, settled and intensive soil-dependent plant and animal farming systems (Miller, Rasmussen and Meyer, 1985). Soil provides the medium from which most of the sustenance for humankind is derived. This thin, complex, crustal carpet uniquely integrates many attributes of the lithosphere, atomosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere (Miller, Rasmussen and Meyer 1985). Soil is regarded as a nonrenewable source since its formation from the parent rock material to an agriculturally productive growth medium is a very slow process (Lal 1990). The top soil is where most of the living activities of both flora and fauna take place. According to Brady and Weil 1999, the top soil is the upper most part of the soil ordinarily moved in tillage or its equivalent in uncultivated soils which range in depth from 7 to 25 cm (the plow layer). Removal of this plant nutrient enriched topsoil due to soil erosion would result in lowering of soil fertility through losses of both organic matter and nutrients which would result in decline of crop yields (Lal 1986; Rose and Dalal 1988). This loss in soil productivity due to erosion is serious in caribbean countries where fertilizer substitute for the lost plant nutrients is not affordable. This would lead to poorer soil profile characteristics such as low organic matter levels (Rose 1989;Rose 1998). Soil Erosion is perhaps the most serious form of land degradation throughout the world. For the tropics specifically, while it is acknowledged that erosion is more serious than else where, no analytical or systematic studies have been undertaken to document the problem, it consequences or potential solutions. Soil erosion results in lost water and plant nutrients at rates even greater than those occurring naturally through leaching ( Brady and Weil 1999). If there are no conservation practices present, soil erosion will occur and land degradation, reduced productivity due to loos of top soil, increased runoff and off site sedimentation problems (such as siltation of bodies of water and damage to crops and roads) will occur. The consequent socio-economic costs of sometimes more obvious off site damage are commonly easier to identify and quantify (Chrisholm 1987; Rose 1993). 1.2 Soil Conservation Strategies The caribbean is characterized by steep slopes. The degrees of steepness and the proportion of the land area classified as steep may vary. In Trinidad and Tobago, a larger propotion of steep slopes is still covered with natural vegetation which reduces the soil washed off the surface. Trinidad is marked with a long dry season in the early part of the year and then followed by an intense wet season. Most erosion occurs when the land is cleared of vegetation for farming. This usually occurs just before the rainy season. It is important to note however that most food crop production in Trinidad as well as the rest of the Caribbean, is carried out by small farmers on sloping land with no attention to soil conservation practices. This is the main reason for severe soil erosion in Trinidad and Tobago and by extension the Caribbean. Soil conservation is understood as not only involving the control of loss of soil material due to erosion but also the decline in fertility (chemical, physical and biological breakdown of the soil). (Young 1984). The adverse effect of soil erosion is not confined only to decrease in soil depth but ultimately to the loss loss of organic matter and plant nutrients and consequently to degradation of soil physical properties and crop yield decline ( Young 1984). It is important to note however that treating the benefits of soil conservation in isolation from other agricultural improvements does not assure adoption of the soil conservation practice (Young 1984). Integration of soil conservation is important ( Douglas 1988; Shaxson 1988). Sheng and Meiman (1988) stated reasons for the difficulty of farmers in adopting soil conservation practice. The reasons are as follows: i) long time for the result of soil conservation to be realized, ii) identification of benefits from soil conservation and iii) the need for big investments by farmers. It is important to note however that Williams and Walter (1988), in a terracing project in Venezuela, found that improvement in the living incomes and opportunites for employment, increases the difficulty of motivating the farmers to adopt soil conservation practices. Apparently when low income and underemployment prevail, farmers easily participate in soil conservation programmes (Williams and Walter 1988; Liao et al 1988). The adverse effect of soil erosion is not confined only to loss of soil particles but also the loss of organic matter and plant nutrients. As a result of this crop yield decline will occur (Young 1984). Conservation farming should serve as the basis for counteracting the problem of soil erosion. To carry out this approach in developing countries, novel approaches in extension and research are needed. The majority of the soil conservation techniques were developed in the United States of America under condtions different from the other parts of the world experiencing erosion (Sheng, 1982; Hudson 1988; Sheng 1988). The techniques that worked well in the United States were extrapolated to the tropics in the 1930s and 1940s. It took fifty years to realize that these methods were unsuitable for the tropics ( Hudson,1987; Hudson 1988). The dominant traditional farming system in the tropics are the shifting cultivation and related bush fallow systems (Okigbo and Greenland, 1976). The non-ac ceptance of the many recommendations on soil conservation methods is attributed to their in appropriateness and incompatibility with the farmers operating environment (Douglas, 1988). The following agricultural conditions in the United States of America paved the way for the development of soil conservation activities (Hudson,1982;Hudson 1987): Combined good topography and favourable climate Low population pressure for intensive land use Strong and sustained government support well educated and informed agriculture sector Readily available credit and financial support Reliable prices and market outlets for agricultural produce Highly developed and highly mechanized agricultural industry. According to Hudson (1987), the absence of these conditions in most developing countries made the North American approach to soil conseration in appropriate. The absence of political will, or the limitations in or lack of resources often hindered soil conservation programmes in developing countries. The main aim of soil conservation should be preventation rather than cure. Soil conservation activity should be focused mainly on preserving good land rather than reclaiming damaged land. Without waiting for visible soil erosion damage, farmers should be encouraged to understand that there is a need for soil conservation due to continuing reduction in agricultural yield (Hudson, 1987). Loss of agricultural productivity should be emphasized in any soil conservation programme. For sometime, soil erosion research activities had almost been exclusively directed towards uantfying soil loss, hence data on the effect of soil erosion on agriculture productivity is seriously lacking (Crosson and Stout, 1983; ASAE,1985; Follet and Stewart, 1985; Stocking, 1985). Removal of topsoil resulted in decline of yield of a variety of agricultural crops (El-Swaify, Dangler and Amstrong 1982). Factors like type of soil, depth of soil, fertility status, topography, and type of crop affected the size of the decline in agricultural yield (Frye et al, 1982; Langdale and Schrader, 1982; Schertz 1983). There is limited data for soil and crops in the tropics (Lal, 1977). The effects of soil erosion on soil productivity in the tropics are move severe than for temperate countries (Moberg, 1972). This is because of highly weathered soils, fragile fertility status and most crop nutrents are found in the topmost layer of the soil. There is also significant deterioration of physical qualities of the soil as a growing medium after soil erosion (Lo, 1990). Higher erosion rates, the more severe changes in chemical qualities resulting from erosion and the inability of the farmer to provide the necessary inputs for restoring those qualities to a sufficient level were the primary reasons given for these conclusions (El-Swaify, 1990). The benefits of soil conservation are not immediately realized in every case and may initially result in crop yield reductions (John 1988). Improvement in agricultural production, rather than mitigating soil erosion, is of more significance and desirable for the farmer, while prevention of soil loss is an unreal concept for them (Hudson, 1987). The new approach of soil conservation will be a mixture of both agronomy measures as well as mechanical works ( Tracy, 1988). Mechanical systems are frequently expensive, consume space and time, need regular maintenance and do not assure improved crop production (Roose, 1988). Too much emphasis put into mechanical works discourages effective soil conservation policies (Rose, 1989). Conservation farming systems include improved farming, with mechanical protection works being a component of last resort. This approach is consistent with the principle that improved agricultural production should lead to better soil erosion control (Hudson 1988). Biological measures provide immediately recognizable short term benefits to farmers. Any mechanical work involved in soil conservation must m aximize the use of locally available experts, minimize, the use of structures and required labour. Community involvement must be involved (Hudson, 1987). To gain acceptance by farmers, any proposed soil conservation strategy should offer short-term, apparent, rapid or immediately recognizable, directly effective benefits and positive results, particularly for subsistence farmers who work in a short-time scale and who comprise a large percentage of farmers in less developed countries (Harper and El-Swaify 1988; Hudson,1988; Lovejoy and Naiper, 1988; Sanders, 1988; Thomas 1988; Tracy, 1988; Wenner, 1988; Williams and Walter, 1988). Soil conservation techniques recommended for farmers should be simple, easily understood and demonstrated, low cost, productive, sustainable and acceptable (Douglas, 1988;Vonk 1988). Conservation measures should involve principles that can be applied to more than one situation. However, methods and techniques are often site specific and caution should be exercised in extrapolating them to other sites (Saunders 1988). Adoption of soil conservation technology is assured if the farmers have full understanding, support and participation in all the stages of the project, from planning, implementation to maintenance (Harper and El-Swaify, 1988; Sanders, 1988; Vonk 1988; Tracy 1988). Farmers full participation is ensured if they are convinced that their relevant and important needs can be adequately met (Sanders 1988). Thus the farmer needs to be recognized as part of the solution rather than a part of the problem (Hudson,1987; Hudson,1988).

Close Reading of the Two Holes Passage of Toni Morrisons Sula :: Sula Essays

A Close Reading of the Two Holes Passage of Sula   Ã‚  Ã‚   Toni Morrison’s novel Sula is rich with paradox and contradiction from the name of a community on top of a hill called "Bottom" to a family full of discord named "Peace." There are no clear distinctions in the novel, and this is most apparent in the meaning of the relationship between the two main characters, Sula and Nel. Although they are characterized differently, they also have many similarities. Literary critics have interpreted the girls in several different ways: as lesbians (Smith 8), as the two halves of a single person (Coleman 145), and as representations of the dichotomy between good and evil (Bergenholtz 4 of 9). The ambiguity of these two characters allows for infinite speculation, but regardless of how the reader interprets the relationship their bond is undeniable. The most striking example of their connection occurs right before the accidental death of Chicken Little. In the passage preceding his death, Nel and Sula conduct an almost ceremonial co mmitment to one another that is sealed permanently when "the water darkened and closed quickly over the place where Chicken Little sank" (Morrison 61): Together they worked until the two holes were one and the same. When the depression was the size of a small dishpan, Nel’s twig broke. With a gesture of disgust she threw the pieces into the hole they had made. Sula threw hers in too. Nel saw a bottle cap and tossed it in as well. Each then looked around for more debris to throw into the hole: paper, bits of glass, butts of cigarettes, until all the small defiling things they could find were collected there. Carefully they replaced the soil and covered the entire grave with uprooted grass. Neither one had spoken a word. (Morrison 58-59) The image of the girls working together to dig holes in the dirt begins with each girl digging her own hole, but symbolically the two separate holes become one, representing the merging of Sula and Nel into a deep and meaningful relationship. The imagery of a "hole" is used to describe the "whole" of Sula and Nel, indicating the completeness of the two when they are together. When the girls concurrently throw their twigs into the hole it is as if they are throwing themselves into each other’s consciousness, making a permanent connection with one another. Each twig represents their independent selves being joined with the other when they are thrown together into the hole to be buried.

Entrepreneur Observation Report Essay -- essays research papers

This report outlines a very small business of my brother’s. It describes his business, target market, financial plans, and marketing plans. I have tried to keep a neutral opinion about his opinions as much as possible. I have tried to keep my inputs and thoughts in the conclusion only. The whole idea of my brother, insert name here, owning a business started in early March of 1998 when one of the neighbors jokingly suggested he should raise chickens and sell them to people. A few days later he realized it could be easily done, and with a profit. From mid-March to September, he and I raised, and easily sold 600+ chickens, we only wished we could have raised more. When March of 1999 rolled around we were contemplating how many chickens to buy, when the person we bought the chickens from told us about the possibilities of rabbits. Because rabbits are a yearlong project, and we knew I would be leaving in the fall, it became his decision and ultimately his project. He started out with 20 baby doe (females), 3 baby bucks (males), and a small-borrowed hutch (cage) with all 23 rabbits jammed in tight. His investment in rabbits, although considerable, was still to be outdone by the ones in hutches and feed. He essentially spent all profits from chickens the year before and then some. His project now consists of 20 mature doe, 3 mature bucks, and approximately 60 babies. He has taken over a section of a large barn and turned it into a 30+ hutch rabbitry system with a circulating automatic watering system., and recently acquired a large weaning cage. I asked him how he felt when he was getting started and he said he didn’t like spending all that money but he knew he would get it all back someday. I then asked him if he was afraid of competition, or of there not being a big enough market. He said he knew of nobody else selling rabbit meat in the area on any scale, and that because rabbit meat is practically thee healthiest meat, he couldn’t see any problems in the market. He then said that if personal selling fails he can sell them through his "chicken provider" on a per pound basis. One thing I have always known about my brother and his rabbit business is that he is very confident in its success and that even though he knows there will be small problems he is very sure of overall success. When I asked him who he sees as his typical customer he said that... ...re rabbits to have babies within a couple days and must check them constantly to make sure every think is ok. He plays the role of technician when he builds cages, and maintains cleanliness. I don’t think this business could ever become a franchise although it could become a very large company with thousands of rabbits, and several employees. If it were to become a franchise I think it would best be managed by the franchisees. I think this would eliminate any hierarchy or bureaucracy involved in most franchises. Of course there would be a main office to coordinate advertising and to offer help to franchisees with questions or problems. I don’t have too many suggestions except to attempt all of the plans he has thought of. I also think that he needs to make a profit before he starts expanding any more. Once he gets into the cycle of raising and selling the rabbits he can then begin to expand, but not before then. This is really a business that has a lot of potential, and had a lot of things going for it. It is proof to me that the only successful entrepreneur is the guy that gets the idea and does it, not the guy that just thinks it would be a good idea for someone else to do. Entrepreneur Observation Report Essay -- essays research papers This report outlines a very small business of my brother’s. It describes his business, target market, financial plans, and marketing plans. I have tried to keep a neutral opinion about his opinions as much as possible. I have tried to keep my inputs and thoughts in the conclusion only. The whole idea of my brother, insert name here, owning a business started in early March of 1998 when one of the neighbors jokingly suggested he should raise chickens and sell them to people. A few days later he realized it could be easily done, and with a profit. From mid-March to September, he and I raised, and easily sold 600+ chickens, we only wished we could have raised more. When March of 1999 rolled around we were contemplating how many chickens to buy, when the person we bought the chickens from told us about the possibilities of rabbits. Because rabbits are a yearlong project, and we knew I would be leaving in the fall, it became his decision and ultimately his project. He started out with 20 baby doe (females), 3 baby bucks (males), and a small-borrowed hutch (cage) with all 23 rabbits jammed in tight. His investment in rabbits, although considerable, was still to be outdone by the ones in hutches and feed. He essentially spent all profits from chickens the year before and then some. His project now consists of 20 mature doe, 3 mature bucks, and approximately 60 babies. He has taken over a section of a large barn and turned it into a 30+ hutch rabbitry system with a circulating automatic watering system., and recently acquired a large weaning cage. I asked him how he felt when he was getting started and he said he didn’t like spending all that money but he knew he would get it all back someday. I then asked him if he was afraid of competition, or of there not being a big enough market. He said he knew of nobody else selling rabbit meat in the area on any scale, and that because rabbit meat is practically thee healthiest meat, he couldn’t see any problems in the market. He then said that if personal selling fails he can sell them through his "chicken provider" on a per pound basis. One thing I have always known about my brother and his rabbit business is that he is very confident in its success and that even though he knows there will be small problems he is very sure of overall success. When I asked him who he sees as his typical customer he said that... ...re rabbits to have babies within a couple days and must check them constantly to make sure every think is ok. He plays the role of technician when he builds cages, and maintains cleanliness. I don’t think this business could ever become a franchise although it could become a very large company with thousands of rabbits, and several employees. If it were to become a franchise I think it would best be managed by the franchisees. I think this would eliminate any hierarchy or bureaucracy involved in most franchises. Of course there would be a main office to coordinate advertising and to offer help to franchisees with questions or problems. I don’t have too many suggestions except to attempt all of the plans he has thought of. I also think that he needs to make a profit before he starts expanding any more. Once he gets into the cycle of raising and selling the rabbits he can then begin to expand, but not before then. This is really a business that has a lot of potential, and had a lot of things going for it. It is proof to me that the only successful entrepreneur is the guy that gets the idea and does it, not the guy that just thinks it would be a good idea for someone else to do.

Entrepreneurship Essay

Founder Of The Company The company was called KYK Automotive Inc. , and was started by Peter Yadav, the sole owner of the business. The business was started up as a partnership back in March of 1993, with the three partners being Peter Yadav, Ramesh Kapil, and Sam Kapil. They thought of the name KYK with the initials of all three last names. All three were previously working as car mechanics, with the two brothers, Ramesh and Sam working at one place, and Peter was working at a Petro Canada station, all in downtown Toronto. The three have known each other since they were all enrolled in the army together back in their homeland of India, and remained close friends ever since. Upon coming to Canada, they each found separate jobs as car mechanics, and helped out one another in finding better positions or better paying jobs. Once they were all settled down, they would always get together on the weekends and discuss about further opportunities that they could go into. Their initial thoughts were to open up a mechanic shop, with them three being the mechanics. It was through these small talks that the idea of opening up an Auto Parts retail store came about The Idea The three friends would always meet up on the weekends to relax and discuss about further opportunities for the future that would lead them to better profits and greater success. They thought hard about opening up a mechanic shop and having them three being the only mechanics their, which almost passed through. They had found a spot and were getting their capital together when one day, Peter suggested that he would be interested in something else. He wanted to go a step ahead and he had always noticed that the people who delivered the parts were always so busy, and had pretty much a work overload, where they were denying new clients because they just couldn’t handle all the workload. The mechanic shop would have been the easier route for the three, but they loved challenges and wanted to try something new as well, something a little less physically demanding, and something that would require them to use their brains a little more. When Peter suggested the idea, the other two were a bit hesitant because it was something they weren’t familiar with, and the idea of putting all their money into something that wasn’t 100% clear to them sounded a bit risky. Peter suggested though that they did know all the basics of the business since they were mechanics themselves, and that all they really needed to do was to learn about the software to look up different parts that mechanic shops needed, and that they would slowly start up and learn the rest of the business as they move along. He persuaded them on the fact that the business had a lot of demand and very few suppliers and since they already have three experienced people in the trade, they could start up the business right away. An advantage that these three had was the ability to troubleshoot as well for their customers, for instance, if the mechanic had trouble identifying what could be wrong with a customer’s car or what the part is called that he/she required, these three with their background and knowledge of the industry, could assist them in finding the exact part. The auto parts stores at that present time were unable to do this which was thought to be an excellent addition to their possible new venture, and would make their company stand out. With all these factors into play, they started to dig deeper into it and came up with an excellent choice and business decision when they decided the location. The Location During the time that they were all deciding on a location, and since they were all newlyweds and had family coming from their homelands, they needed to move out of the city and to a location in the suburbs, which was something they had decided before thinking of the new business. After months of searching for the best location that would bring in the most business, they found a location in the Mississauga/Brampton area, where there was a shortage of parts stores but an overload of mechanic shops. This would be their best opportunity to get in on the profits of the auto parts industry. The major breakthrough for them in particular was that in that time, there were many immigrants coming from their homeland of India, and a majority of them had settled down in the Mississauga/Brampton area, and a majority of them were mechanics and had opened up businesses in that area. This was a large part in the deciding factor of locations because what they had realized was that these mechanics were ordering from shops that barely understood what they were talking about, and half their parts would be delivered wrong with no fault of their own or the parts store, it just a communication problem. With Peter and the two brothers opening their shop near here, they could easily take all of this business away from other parts stores for the simple fact that they all speak the same language, are from the same place back home, and their would be no communication problems for either of them. This would save time for the mechanics because the amount of incorrect parts they receive would decrease and in turn, would increase profits for the new business. The location ended up being 1767 Drew Road, which is in an industrial area in Mississauga, and was close to many mechanic shops within a 5km radius. Day-To-Day Operations They had opened the store on March 1, 1993, with just the three of the partners working there. They had Peter as a counterperson, who would be answering calls and providing prices to customers, billing the customers and locating the parts. They had Ramesh delivering the parts to all the customers and marketing their business as he was on the road, kind of like a salesman. Then they had Sam helping out at the store, with all the walk in customers they had, along with order picking the parts for the different garages as Peter needed some help as well. The business started off with a boom right from the get go, and within a couple of months, they had realized that they would require more employees to be able to keep up with all the demand, and to keep their customers happy. They had learned that the number one factor in deciding auto parts suppliers to deal with for mechanic shops was speed and accuracy of parts, and that the price of the parts was after that. By knowing this, they had brought in two new delivery drivers so that they could get the parts out quicker to their customers, and that if they had new customers, they would be able to handle the additional workload. They now had all three of the partners handling the business at the store, and if need be, Ramesh would do some deliveries during the peak hours. Peter was doing most of the work inside the shop however, for example, he would be the one to answer most of the calls, he would be ordering most of the parts from various locations, and he would be stocking and picking parts as well. This didn’t sit too well with the other two partners and this is where the partnership would breakdown. The End of The Partnership As Peter started handling most of the business and the other two were being treated as employees rather than partners, they felt the urge to let their feelings be known since they all had an equal say in the company. After a few discussions, the two brothers decided that they did not want to be part of this business anymore, and wanted out. They did not leave on a sour note however, and waited until Peter could find employees to replace them, and after a couple of months, the other two partners had left the partnership and moved onto another venture. Peter now had sole ownership of the business from December, 1994. He had with him 2 delivery drivers, and one person assisting him inside the shop, answering calls and helping pick orders and stock shelves. Business was still going great for him, but he had to narrow his customers down to locations within a 5km radius because he didn’t want to expand anymore, and his main clients were within that area so his business wouldn’t suffer regardless. Business After The Partnership Peter continued to run the business successfully, and kept all of his customers happy. He made one significant change to the business which was to stop all sales to the general public. He realized that he was losing some trust in his mechanic shops because they were losing out on some profits. The way the business worked was for example, Peter would supply shop X with a part at a cost of $15. The shop would then charge the customer $30 for that part, and an additional rate for installation. Now when Peter would sell directly to the public for $15, the shops were losing out on the additional profit and when they realized Peter was selling it to them and taking away from their business, they felt betrayed and did not want to deal with Peter anymore. After a few complaints, Peter realized that the best business decision would be to keep the mechanic shops happy because they were his main repeat customers, not the occasional walk-in customers. This also gave him some more free time to handle other business operations so it worked out even better for him. After a couple of years, he decided he wanted to add something to the business. He realized that he had been receiving many calls about tires, especially throughout the winter months. He met up with a local tire shop that had bought few parts from him and struck a deal for some winter tires. He would certain things like this for seasonal parts and make up a small flyer to show his customers what he was adding to his inventory at different times and they would sell off very quickly. The End of The Business The business had been running extremely well up until 2006, where the profit levels were decreasing, not by a huge amount but a noticeable amount, due to all the competition now in the area. When the business started, there was only one other parts store in the 5km radius, and in 2006, there were 6, which easily explains why profit levels were decreasing. All the shops had their own suppliers, and there were price wars going on with all the auto parts stores. Peter stood firm on his stance that he would not participate in these price wars, and the price he had was the price you would get the part for. The business kept going with a decent profit up until 2008, and then he decided that it was not worth staying in business as the amount of stores opening up was still increasing, and the price for parts was decreasing. In November 2008, he decided to close the shop. New Opportunities  Peter had thought about retiring and took some time off from work, but after only a couple of months off, he had started on getting back into the parts business. He found an existing business for sale back in downtown, Toronto. The building is attached to a car body shop, which is coincidentally owned by Sam Kapil, his former partner from KYK. He has been going in to the parts store, which is called Khapco, and seeing how the business is doing and if he would be interested in it, and so far he hasn’t decided on anything, but he tells me he’s not done working yet.