Shape Memory Alloys Research

Shape Memory Alloys Research 1.1 General considerations When a regular metallic alloy is subjected to an external force greater than its elastic limit, it deforms plastically, i.e. the deformation persists after returning to the unloaded state. The Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) do not follow this behavior. At low temperatures, an SMA specimen may undergo a plastic deformation of about few percent, and then fully recover its initial shape that had at higher temperature by simple heating above a threshold temperature. Their ability to recover their form when the temperature is raised, makes this class of materials unique. This phenomenon has been discovered in 1938 by researchers working on the gold-cadmium alloys [Gilbertson (1994)]. The shape memory effect remained a laboratory curiosity until 1963, when the first industrial and medical applications appeared. 1.2 Martensitic Transformation The shape memory effect is based on the existence of a reversible phase transformation of thermoelastic martensitic type [Kurdjumov, Khandros (1949), Kumar, Lagoudas (2008)], between a microstructural state at high temperature (austenite phase) and a microstructural state at low temperature (martensite phase) [Patoor et al. (2006), Lagoudas et al. (2006)]. Austenite has in general a cubic crystal lattice, while martensite is of tetragonal, monoclinic, or orthorhombic crystal lattice. The transformation from one crystal lattice to the other occurs by distortion of the shear lattice does and not by atoms diffusion. This type of transformation is called martensitic transformation [Perkins (1975), Funakubo (1987), Otsuka, Wayman (1999)]. In reality, the matrenitic transformation in SMAs is a phase transformation of the first order, where there is co-existence of several phases, and there is presence of interfaces between the phases [Guà ©nin (1986)]. Historically, the term martensitic transformation describes the transformation of the austenite of steels (iron-carbon alloys) to martensite during a quenching. By extension, this term has been generalized to a large number of alloys whose phase transformations have certain characteristics typical of the transformation of steels [Rosa (2013)]. During martensitic transformation of a SMA, the crystal lattice of the material changes its shape. The microstructure of martensite is characterized by a change in shape and by the difference in volume, which exists between matrensitic and austenitic phase [Duerig et al. (1990)]. Therefore, internal strains arise during the emergence of martensitic areas within the austenite. The internal strains can be partially relaxed by the formation of several areas of self-accommodated martensite crystals that minimize the overall deformation induced. These areas called variants and are oriented in different crystallographic directions [Kumar (2008)]. In the absence of external strains, these variants are equally possible and the distribution of self-accommodated groups allows the material to be transformed in order to retain its original shape. Therefore, the formation of the martensite results in elastic (reversible) deformations [Funakubo (1987)]. At constant temperature, the martensite-austenite interfaces are in steady state. A change in temperature in one direction or the other results in moving these interfaces to the benefit of one or the other phase structure. The interfaces can also move under the action of an imposed strain. A specimen can therefore be distorted not by sliding, which is the usual mechanism of plastic deformation, but by the appearance and disappearance of martensite variants [Kumar (2008)]. Therefore, during martensitic transformation atoms in the structure move on very small distances leading to deformation of the crystal lattice. This causes a small variation in volume with shearing of the structure in a specific direction. During the transformation process, the growth of martensite crystals occur in form of platelets to minimize the energy at the interface. The martensitic variants can occur in two different types: twinned martensite (formed by combination of self-accommodated martensite variants) and detwinned martensite (reoriented martensite) where a particular variant dominates [Liu, Xie (2007)]. The characteristic behavior of SMAs is based upon the reversible phase transformation from austenitic phase to martensitic phase and the opposite. By cooling under zero loading, the crystal sructure changes from austenitic to martensitic phase (forward transformation to twinned martensitic phase). This transformation is resulting in the development of a number of martensitic variants, which are arranged in a way that the average change in macroscopic shape is insignificant, causing a twinned martensite [Leclercq, Lexcellent (1996)]. When the material is heated at the martensite phase, the crystal structure is transforming to austenite (reverse transformation from detwinned martensitic to austenitic phase), leading to recovery of shape [Sabu ri, Nenno (1981), Shimizu, Otsuka, Perkins (1975)]. The above process is called Shape Memory Effect (SME) [Schetky (1979), Wayman, Harrison (1989)]. The martensitic transformation is characterized by four temperatures (Figure 2) [Gotthard, Lehnert (2001)]: MS: Temperature below which the martensite appears (martensite start) MF: Temperature below which the entire sample is transformed into martensite (martensite finish) AS: Temperature above which the austenite appears (austenite start) AF: Temperature above which the entire sample is transformed into austenite (austenite finish) The transformation begins at the cooling to the temperature MS. This transformation is completed to the temperature MF. Between these two temperatures, there is coexistence of two phases, which is a characteristic of transformation of the first order. If the cooling is interrupted, the material will not change. To go back to the initial shape, the temperature is increases so that the inverse transformation begins at the temperature AS and finishes to temperature AF, which is higher than MS [Massalski et al. (1990)]. If the trace on a diagram (Figure 1) the volume fraction of material processed as a function of temperature, there is a hysteresis loop, due to the presence of an irreversible energy corresponding to dissipation of mechanical energy transformed into heat [Ortin, Planes, Delaey (2006), Wei,Yang (1988)]. Figure 1 Martensitic transformation temperatures [Gotthard, Lehnert (2001)] The thermoelastic reversibility of the crystal lattice is certain in the case of an ordered alloy [Otsuka, Shimizu (1977)]. The correlation between the manifestation of martensitic transformation and atomic order was shown experimentally in Fe-Pt SMAs [Dunne, Wayman (1973)]. Nevertheless, in disordered alloys, such as Fe-Pd, Mn-Cu and In-TI, can occur thermoelastic transformation too. The atomic order is, therefore, a sufficient condition for manifestation of thermoelastic transformation, but not necessary [Otsuka, Shimizu (1977)]. 1.3 Thermomechanical properties of SMAs Several effects specific to the SMAs appear through the transformations of the crystal lattice as a function of temperature and of the field of stresses applied on the material [Duerig, Melton, Stà ¶ckel (2013)]. 1.3.1 Pseudoelastic Effect In general, by pseudoelasticity we describe both the materials superelastic behavior, as well as rubble-like behavior. Superelastic behavior is called the reversible phase transformation produced by thermo-mechanical loading. Rubber-like effect refers to the reversible martensitic re-orientation. The stress-strain curve during this process resamples to the superelastic behavior, which is similar to rubbers nonlinear elastic behavior [Otsuka, Wayman (1999)]. Therefore, a part from inducing phase transformation thermally, martensitic transformation can also be prompt by applying on the material appropriately high mechanical loading, resulting in creating a martensitic phase from austenite. When the temperature of the SMA goes above AF, shape recovery is resulted while unloading. Such behavior of the material is termed pseudoelastic effect [Kumar (2008)]. Stress-induced martensite, is generally forming from austenite when external stress is present. The process of forming stress-induced martensite can occur through different thermomechanical loading routes [Miyazaki, Otsuka (1986)]. One form of stress-induced martensite is the detwinned martensitic phase formed from austenitic after application of external stress. The material, during the stress-induced martensitic transformation and the reversed process, shows nonlinear elastic behavior described by closed à Ã†â€™-ÃŽÂ µ curves. This nonlinear elastic behavior is called pseudoelastic transformation [Otsuka, K. and K. Shimizu (1981)]. The shape recovery is due to crystallographic reversibility of transformation, like in the shape memory effect. Hence, the two phenomena, transformation pseudoelasticity and shape memory effect are practically the same except the fact that reverse transformation is produced by warming the specimen to temperature above AF. In reality, an alloy that un dergoes thermoelastic martensitic transformation exhibits both transformation pseudoelasticity and shape memory effect [Otsuka, K. and K. Shimizu (1981)]. Nevertheless, for occurring transformation pseudoelasticity, the necessary stress for slip should be greater than that for stress-induced martensite transformation. As an example, we can refer to equiatomic Ti-Ni alloys which are exposed to slip and do not exhibit any transformation pseudoelasticity, regardless of their Ni content. It was shown, however, that Ni-rich Ti-Ni alloys subjected to annealing after cold working, causing refining of their grain size, leads in raising critical slip stress, which results in any transformation pseudoelasticity [Miyazaki et al. (1982), Saburi, Tatsumi, Nenno (1982), Saburi, Yoshida, Nenno (1984)]. The existence of transformation pseudoelasticity is affected by crystalline orientation, composition of the alloy, and direction of applied stresses [Miyazaki, Otsuka (1986)]. 1.3.2 One-Way Shape Memory Effect Another property of SMAs is the one-way shape memory effect. It takes place in four steps: (1) The material is cooled to a temperature lower than MF (the parent austenitic phase) to obtain self-accommodated martensite. (2) Re-orientation of variants of the martensite is obtained via application of stress. (3) The stress is released at constant temperature T F. The material remains to a shape depending on the stress field. (4) The sample is heated at a temperature T > AF making re-appear the austenitic phase and the material gets its original shape, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 One-way shape memory effect [Miyazaki, Otsuka (1986)] Two conditions are necessary for occurring shape recovery by shape memory effect. Firstly, the transformation should be reversible, and second, slip should not occur during the entire deformation process. Martensitic transformations in ordered alloys are reversible in nature [Miyazaki, Otsuka (1986), Arbuzova, Khandros (1964)], so the entire shape memory effect mainly occurs in this type of alloys. The second condition is necessary because in the case of high stress and every type of deformation mode (stress-induced martensitic transformation in parent phase, twinning in the martensitic phase) slip can be induced, resulting in plastic strain and, not completed recovery of shape. In the one-way shape memory effect, the shape in memory by the SMA is the one of the parent phase. 1.3.3 Two-Way Shape Memory Effect The two-way shape memory effect is the reversible passage of a shape at a high temperature to another shape at low temperature under stress. The two-way shape memory effect should precede the SMA training [Nagasawa, et al. (1974]. Training of SMAs consists of temperature cycling at constant stress or stress cycling at constant temperature. During training, microstructural defects (i.e. dislocations) lead to internal stresses and therefore promote oriented martensite. A SMA subjected to training can then move from austenitic phase to oriented martensite under zero load by simple change of temperature [Schroeder, Wayman (1977)]. It has then a shape in memory for each of the two phases. Various methods that cause two-way shape memory effect have been suggested, such as, large deformation in stress-induced martensite transformation at temperatures > MS [Delaey et al. (1974)], shape memory effect training [Schroeder, Wayman (1977)], stress-induced martensite training [Schroeder, Wayman (1977)], training involving both of shape memory effect as well as stress-induced martensite [Perkins, Sponholz (1984)] remaining in martensite state while heating at a temperature > AF [Takezawa, Shindo, Sato (1976)], as well as using precipitates [Tadaki, Otsuka, Shimizu (1988)]. 1.4 Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) Several experimental studies have shown the development of nonlinear plastic (irreversible) strain when phase transformations occur [Greenwood, Johnson (1965), Abrassart (1972), Magee (1966), Desalos (1981), Olson, Cohen (1986), Denis et al. (1982)]. This mechanism of deformation is termed Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP), resulting from internal stress rising from the change in volume related to the transformation, as well as from the associated change in shape [Marketz, Fischer (1994)]. TRIP differs from classical plasticity. Although plasticity is caused from the applied stress or variation in temperature, TRIP is triggered by phase variations, and occurs even at low and constant stress levels [Gautier et al. (1989), Leblond et al. (1989), Gautier (1998), Tanaka, Sato (1985), Fischer et al. (2000, 1996)]. TRIP takes place because of two separate mechanisms. The first, refers to a process of accommodation of micro-plasticity related to volume change [Greenwood, Johnson (196 5)]. The other, refers to an orientation caused by shear internal stresses, favoring the direction of preferred orientation for the formation of martensite when and external stress is present, which involves change in shape [Magee (1966)]. TRIP is caused by the difference in compactness of the lattice structure between the austenite (parent) and the martensite (product) phase [Greenwood, Johnson (1965)]. During martensitic transformation, this difference has produces a change in volume as well as internal stresses causing plasticity in the phase with less yield stress, which is weaker   [Paiva, Savi, Pacheco (2005)]. REFERENCES Abrassart, F., Influence des Transformations Martensitiques sur les Proprià ©tà ©s Mà ©caniques des Alliages du Systà ¨me Fe-Ni-Cr-C, Thà ¨se dÉtat, Università © de Nancy I (Trance), 1972. Arbuzova, I. and L. Khandros, Abnormal elongation and reduced resistance to plastic deformation due to martensitic transformation in the alloy CU-AL-NI. Phys. Metals Metallogr., 17(3), pp. 68-74, 1964. Delaey, L., et al., Thermoelasticity, pseudoelasticity and the memory effects associated with martensitic transformations. Journal of Materials Science, 9(9), pp. 1521-1535, 1974. 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Fischer, F.D., Reisner, G., Werner, E., Tanaka, K., Cailletaud, G. and Antretter, T., A New View on Transformation Induced Plasticity, International Journal of Plasticity, vol. 16, pp. 723-748, 2000. Fischer, F.D., Sun, Q.P. and Tanaka, K., Transformation induced plasticity (TRIP), Applied Mechanics Review, Vol. 49, pp. 317-364, 1996. Funakubo, H. (Ed.), Shape Memory Alloys, Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, 1987. Funakubo, H., Shape Memory Alloys, Gordon and Breach Sci. Publ, New York, p. 275, 1987. Gautier, E., Dà ©formation de transformation et plasticità © de transformation, École dà ©tà © MH2M, Mà ©thodes dHomogà ©nà ©isation en Mà ©canique des Matà ©riaux, La Londe Les Maures (Var, France), 1998. Gautier, E., Zhang, X.M. and Simon, A., Role of Internal Stress State on Transformation Induced Plasticity and Transformation Mechanisms during the Progress of Stress Induced Phase Transformation, International Conference on Residual Stresses- ICRS2, (Ed: G. Beck, S. Denis and A. 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Khandros, First reports of the thermoelastic behaviour of the martensitic phase of Au-Cd alloys, Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 66 (1949) 211-213. Lagoudas, D. C., P. B. Entchev, P. Popov, et al., Shape memory alloys, Part II: Modeling of polycrystals, Mechanics of Materials, vol. 38, p. 430-462, 2006. Leblond, J., Devaux, J. and Devaux, J.C., Mathematical Modeling of Transformation Plasticity in Steels I: Case of Ideal-plastic Phases, International Journal of Plasticity, Vol. 5, pp. 551-572, 1989. Leblond, J., Mathematical Modeling of Transformation Plasticity in Steels II: Coupling with Strain Hardening Phenomena, International Journal of Plasticity, Vol. 5, pp. 573-591, 1989. Leclercq S., and C. Lexcellent, A general macroscopic description of the thermomechanical behavior of shape memory alloys, Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of solids, 44, 953-980, 1996. Liu Y., and Z. Xie, Detwinning in shape memory alloy, In: Progress in Smart Materials and Structures, Ed. Peter L. Reece, pp. 29-65, 2007. Magee, C.L., Transformation Kinetics, Microplasticity and Aging of Martensite in Fe-31 Ni, Ph.D. thesis, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburg, PA, 1966. Marketz, F.   and   Fischer,   F.D.,   A   Micromechanical   Study   on   the   Coupling   Effect   Between   Microplastic Deformation and Martensitic Transformation, Computational Materials Science, Vol. 3, pp. 307-325, 1994. Massalski, T.B., et al., Binary alloy phase diagrams. vol. 3. ASM International, pp. 1485, 1990. Miyazaki S, Ohmi Y, Otsuka K, Suzuki Y. Characteristics of deformation and transformation pseudoelasticity in Ti-Ni alloys. Le Journal de Physique Colloques, 43, 1982. Miyazaki, S. and K. Otsuka, Deformation and transition behavior associated with theR-phase in Ti-Ni alloys. Metallurgical Transactions A, 17(1), pp. 53-63, 1986. Nagasawa, A., et al., Reversible shape memory effect. Scripta Metallurgica, 8(9), pp. 1055-1060, 1974. 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Sponholz, Stress-induced martensitic transformation cycling and two-way shape memory training in Cu-Zn-Al alloys. Metallurgical transactions A, 15(2), pp. 313-321, 1984. Perkins, J., Shape Memory Effects in Alloys, Plenum Press, New York, 1975. Rosa M., Phase Transformations in Steels, Volume 1: Fundamentals and Diffusion-Controlled Transformations, International Journal of Environmental Studies, vol. 70(2), pp. 337-338, 2013. Saburi, T. and S. Nenno, The shape memory effect and related phenomena. Solid to Solid Phase Transformations, pp. 1455-1479, 1981. Saburi, T., M. Yoshida, and S. Nenno, Deformation behavior of shape memory TiNi alloy crystals. Scripta metallurgica, 18(4), pp. 363-366, 1984. Saburi, T., T. Tatsumi, and S. Nenno, Effects of heat treatment on mechanical behavior of Ti-Ni alloys. Le Journal de Physique Colloques, 43(C4), pp. C4-261-C4-266, 1982. Schetky, L., Shape-memory alloys, Scientific American 241 (74-82), 1979. Schroeder, T. and C. 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San Francisco: The City that Never Sleeps

Everybody knows the old saying that ‘you never really know a person until you live with them'. Well, this also applies to visiting other countries, because I have always had an idea in my head about what kind of city San Francisco would be. I have seen various pictures in holiday brochures of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf and of course, the famous Powell and Mason line Cable Cars. Not only is the city about the famous landmarks and sites everybody has heard of, to me it was about a whole lot more and I do not think that anybody truly knows a place until they have lived in the heart of it for more than two weeks. Regretfully, I only spent two weeks in the city, and I felt as though there was still plenty I had to learn about it. People always seem to associate the state of California with plenty of sunshine, hardly any rain and generally being a warm if not hot climate. I was no different. Therefore, when I stepped off of the aeroplane and felt a cold blast of wind as I walked through the courtesy tunnel, I was fairly shocked. I did not expect to feel the cold whilst I was in California, but that was just the beginning of unexpected things to come. In all honesty I should have begun my travels with an open mind, but I thought I knew what San Francisco would be like and through fault of my own I did not expect anything else. I had visited the United States on three separate occasions before I decided to embark on San Francisco and I had never actually travelled to the western coast of America so this was new territory for me. There is supposed to be a clear divide between the East and West coasts of America and thus knowing this, it was up to me to distinguish what these factors were. The fact that I had been to the country before certainly helped me a lot, especially at the airport. Many visitors from Europe who have not visited the United States before, would be alarmed at the amount of questions security ask whilst getting their passport stamped. This just goes to show that the American's do not just let anybody into their country and they have got to be certain that everybody who has not got a visa to live and work in the country has visited for recreational purposes only. I know that security has been stepped up since the attacks on September 11th, but when the passport control officer asked me, ‘Why are you visiting the USA? , ‘How long will you be staying? ‘, and ‘Have you visited before? ‘, it made me feel like a criminal for being in their country. At the time I felt like I had been interrogated for no reason, but looking back on it, I see that it was only for my increased safety whilst I was visiting that they had to ask those questions and they did ask everybody. Ever since I can remember, I have always thought it was only the English that constantly talked about the weather. I was not expecting to hear about it non-stop whilst I was in San Francisco. However, I soon found out the reason behind it; I was actually visiting the city in the hottest weeks it had ever seen, I could not believe my luck. The cold blast of air I had felt whilst stepping off of the plane must have been the air conditioning, I breathed a big sigh of relief as I realised that the California I had been dreaming of might actually become a reality. I had booked into a youth hostel for the first three nights of my stay and having never stayed in one before I really had no idea what it would be like. As soon as I realised the taxi had pulled up outside the hostel, I began to worry. It looked nothing like the pictures I had seen on the internet, it was situated in a desolate street and a man was sitting on the steps outside with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I honestly would have used all my spending money to stay in a respectable hotel for the rest of the trip if it had meant that I did not have to stay in the hostel. However, I was persuaded to give it a try for one night and I was given the chance to decide what to do after that. Keen to get out of the hostel I went for a walk on that first night to get an idea of how far we were from all the places I wanted to visit. To my horror, it seemed that nobody went for walks in the city, especially not at night anyhow. We were not staying far from Market Street, which is the main street in the city and it literally spans from one end of the city to the other and eventually ends at the Ferry Building next to the Bay Bridge. Having read about Market Street whilst doing my research, I was glad I was staying within walking distance, because that is the street where you can catch the streetcars and the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport), which is the equivalent to the London Underground. Knowing that I was within walking distance of all the major transport links made me feel better and I decided that the next day I would take the Cable Car to Fisherman's Wharf and see what that had to offer. The Cable Cars are the only vehicles of their kind still in operation and are considered to be National Landmarks. Travelling on a Cable Car was at the top of my list of things to see and do whilst I was visiting San Francisco, therefore it had to be one of the first things I did. Seeing the city the next day, when the sun was beaming and more people were walking the streets made all the difference. I just could not believe how many homeless people there were on the streets though, with all of their worldly possessions packed into a shopping trolley they wandered up and down market street begging for money. Compared to London and New York, it seemed to me that San Francisco had a serious problem with the amount of homeless people living on the city's streets. It was not until the end of my trip that I found out, that the council of San Francisco actually gives each and every registered homeless person four hundred dollars a month, so that they can afford shelter and food. Although, hardly any of the money the city gives them is actually spent of shelter and food, it goes on alcohol and drugs, which is not helping anybody. There has been uproar from the public about the situation and there have been many petitions to stop the council from giving the homeless any more money. I soon began to realise that even though I was in California, I was still in a city and all city's have their good parts and their bad parts, even more so the tourist attractions and the lived in areas. At that point I was ready to be a tourist with the rest of them, so I headed to Powell Street for a ride on one of the famous Cable Cars. It was a beautiful day so I sat on an outside seat and I did not have to fight for it and I soon realised why. I could not believe how steep the hills actually were, at one point we were so high up that I could see Alcatraz Island all the way at the bottom and the red cables of the Golden Gate Bridge just rising above the buildings in the distance. As the Cable Car descended down the hill, it went at a fairly high speed and I certainly felt the wind as it blew against us. The driver pointed out famous sites along the way, such as Chinatown on the right hand side, the famous Lombard Street as featured in many movies and then finally we came to our destination that was Fisherman's Wharf. Built in 1900, Fisherman's Wharf is the most popular tourist attraction in San Francisco. I was not disappointed in the least when I finally arrived. I think the smell of crab and other seafood delights probably hit me before I had actually reached the Wharf, but that was just part of the experience at being there. Fisherman's Wharf was heaving with tourists, it was an unusually hot day and it seemed as though everybody had had the same idea. I had not expected the place to be so big; there were so many different piers I was not quite sure which one to visit first. However, it was soon decided that we should visit the San Francisco museum at Pier 45, which was also home to the US submarine USS Pampanito. The museum was no ordinary museum, since it was made out to look like an old Victorian arcade. It was crammed full of old wooden machines that worked if a quarter was dropped in and once the money had been collected the machines would come to life, considering the age of the contraptions it was quite amazing that they still worked. Unfortunately the trip around the USS Pampanito was not scheduled for that particular day so we then headed on to Pier 39. This was a thoroughly modern area of Fisherman's Wharf and to me it seemed as if it had only been designed with tourists in mind. According to the guidebook, Pier 39 is San Francisco's number one attraction and I can actually see why the book would say this, since it certainly does have a lot to offer to keep both adults and children entertained. There were the usual boutiques and memorabilia stores and of course no American city would be complete without a famous Hard Rock Cafi, but the one thing that could have kept me entertained for hours was just around the corner. I could not believe my eyes when all I could see there in the water right in front of me was more than one hundred sea lions sunbathing on floating rafts. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, not even Sea World could compete with the sea lions at Pier 39. It seemed unimaginable that just a few hours previous and not even 5 miles away I had been alarmed by the amount of homeless people and street beggars, yet there I was staring at over one hundred sea lions housed within a small dock and I was not sure what surprised me the most. Being Saint Patrick' day the very next day, I prepared myself for a long day. I had heard on the grapevine that the American's love to celebrate on Saint Patrick's Day and I was certain that this one would not be any different. I think that the American people are very open-minded when it comes to culture, race and sexuality, but I found even more so in San Francisco. There are so many different cultures within the city and they even have designated areas of the city in which they live. The obvious one being Chinatown, but the North Beach area is home to many Italian-American's, the Castro area is renowned for its Gay and Lesbian scene, Ocean Beach is known for its Japanese culture and the Irish fit in anywhere in between. That is why it did not surprise me that on Saint Patrick's Day, a day that the Irish would be doing the most celebrating it would seem, the American's were doing their best to outdo them. After talking to many people who actually work in San Francisco, the current trend is to live elsewhere and travel into work each day. The most popular areas to live are either Oakland, which is over the eight and a half mile long Bay Bridge, or Sausalito that is in the other direction and across the Golden Gate Bridge. Having taken a trip over the Golden Gate Bridge and seeing the city from a different angle, I could certainly see why it might be tempting to live in the quieter towns and enjoy the hustle and bustle of going to work each morning. It was like entering a different country as soon as we had crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and drove through Marin County. Even the weather had changed so drastically in that short distance; the temperature must have risen by twenty degrees Fahrenheit at least. We were heading towards the town of Sonoma and Napa Valley for some wine tasting, a far cry from the busy city that was San Francisco. Sonoma is regarded as the birthplace of California viticulture and the wine industry there is closely tied to the Spanish Missionaries that found San Francisco in 1823 and in fact it used to be the state capital for a while. The town itself was built around a square and it looked so clean and pristine, it was hard to comprehend that the city that never stands still was only forty miles away. Back on the road again and heading towards Napa Valley, I just sat there taking in the beautiful scenery, I really could not believe that a place could be so different. The divide between city and country really stood out in California and it was hard for me to decide which I liked the most. Just one main road went from Sonoma to Napa, with huge vineyards either side of the road it was easy to see why it was called ‘Wine Country'. The size of the vineyards amazed me; the plots of land and the size of their houses were huge. It really was something I had never seen before, well the English are not really well known wine makers so I suppose there has never been a chance for me to see it. A trip to Napa would not have been complete without a touch of wine tasting so our first stop was at the Sequoia Grove Ranch, a huge working ranch where you can pay five dollars for four tastes; two whites and two reds. The price of wine by the bottle anywhere in California is so expensive compared to England, even the Californian wine; therefore I did not make a purchase. The next visit was to the film director Francis Ford Coppola's ranch, named Niebaum-Coppola. The sheer size of this vineyard was one to blow you away, the elegance and style which pour out of the buildings is remarkable. It was clear that somebody extremely rich owned this vineyard and it was also a small museum in honour of the film director since there were a lot of exhibits in the hallway. Lots of memorabilia from his films were hung in cabinets around the galleries and this to me made the experience of wine tasting more exciting, just knowing I was visiting in Francis Ford Coppola's vineyard. It seems that the man has a lot to do with the state of California, obviously he has done a lot of work in Hollywood, but with his ranch in Napa and he has also shot one of his films in a downtown San Francisco diner which I visited later on in my trip. The film was called, ‘American Graffiti', and was about teenagers growing up in the rock and roll era, but some of the scenes were set in Mel's Diner on Mission Street, San Francisco. After leaving Napa we headed for the outlet stores. If there were something the American's know how to do properly, it would be shopping. Because, there in the middle of the countryside was a huge outlet shopping mall, with every brand name you could ever imagine at extremely good prices. I thought it was just San Francisco that was built around shopping malls and boutiques, but I was wrong, since even in the country they still have time to build a huge mall. That is what I found whilst being in San Francisco for two weeks, most American's do not like to stay at home, and they tend to go out more. Even after a day at work, it seems that they would rather go out for a meal than cook it at home and this was just the way of life for people in the city. Although according to some locals, American's do not walk anywhere they drive to their destination or they travel on the local transport system. Not me though, I walked everywhere and I did not see the problem with it, I thought at first it may be because of the people on the streets, but they were no problem to me. I decided that it must be because American's have got used to being lazy and taking the easy option, which in my view was probably more accurate. One thing was for sure; they certainly know good food when they taste it. That same night I headed into Chinatown for something to eat and I seriously could have been in China for all I knew, even the street signs were in Chinese. It was a very lively place, lights and noise wherever you turned. We were going to a restaurant called the ‘House of Nung Ho' and the food was supposed to be out of this world. Whenever I have been to a Chinese restaurant in the past, there has always been a candle of the table, knives and forks wrapped up in a napkin, but when I arrived at the ‘House of Nung Ho', I was not expecting it to be a cafi lit up with strip flourecsent lights. There was even a queue outside for this tiny back street cafi, a good sign I thought, but I was still a bit concerned that this was not the type of restaurant I had been expecting it to be. Once inside however, we had ordered our food and they cooked it right in front of me, with a bottle of ‘Tsingtao' Chinese beer in my hand, I was looking forward to the food. After talking with the owner, he pointed out a framed picture on the wall of Jamie Oliver, the English chef. He had visited the ‘House of Nung Ho' and had written a glorious review of the place in the local good food guide, and he was right, the food was delicious and it made me see that first appearances are not always what they seem. I am glad I decided to queue to get into the restaurant; it was well worth the wait. Unfortunately the good weather looked as though it had passed by the second week and it was clear that I was going to have to find something to do which meant that I would not be caught out in the rain. It had been suggested to me that I make a visit to the ‘Metreon', which is a Sony Entertainment Centre. Home to a twelve screen cinema, an IMAX theatre and several gadget shops and restaurants, it did not even seem possible that I had walked past the building many time not realising what it was. Set within the financial district of San Francisco, the building is fairly inconspicuous surrounded by huge skyscrapers. Yet, once inside the building it is not easy imagining how I missed it. Hundreds of people crowding around games consoles waiting to try out a brand new game, a mile long queue for the cinema and the IMAX theatre, the place was heaving. I had never seen a place so busy, yet from the outside the building did not look like anything special. Those that wanted to escape the hubbub that was going on inside the ‘Metreon', were sat quietly in the gardens that surrounded it. The Yerba Buena gardens provide tranquillity for the people who want to escape the noise of the city and just relax for an hour on their dinner break. I was beginning to see a likeness to New York within San Francisco, since the intercultural relations were more or less the same and Central Park offers New York the same sort of tranquillity that the Yerba Buena Gardens do to San Francisco. Yet, all the while that I was making these comparisons and finding similarities between the two, I found that San Francisco is far more relaxed and laid back than New York or any other city that I have visited. I do not know whether it is the people that live there or the way the city is governed, but for some reason laid back nature works for the city. Even the homeless make ends meet, they have their own community and get on with the life they lead, that is the one thing I wish had not bothered me if the first few days in the city. In the end I learnt not to expect anything during my trip, because it always turned out to surprise me and mainly in a good way. Previous visits to America had led me to believe that the American's were extremely fake and narrow minded, yet whilst visiting San Francisco I saw no evidence of that. Maybe that is where the east and west coast divide tends to lie, since many holidaymakers from Europe mainly visit the eastern coast of America because it is closer. Tourism brings in a lot of money to the United States from Europe and maybe that is why they try so hard in places like Florida and New York to make you feel welcome; but it just comes across as being too pushy and fake. However, a city like San Francisco with its open-mindedness to sexuality, race and religion was going to be entirely different from the beginning and it certainly was. The whole temperament of the city flows like the water around it, calm and gentle yet perhaps a little rough around the edges. Overall, If I could have changed my trip for the better, I would have become a commuter for two weeks and stayed across from the city and travelled in if and when I wanted to. However, I am glad that I stayed right within the heart of the city and witnessed the good things and the bad, yet most of the time there was hardly any bad. From what I saw of California, I liked very much and would not hesitate to go back at any given chance. I think it is important to see more than one aspect of a country and given the chance I would like to explore the state much more thoroughly, perhaps visiting Steinbeck Country and Yosemite Valley. With enough time and money I think if you really want to explore California it can be done, but finding the above is not easy unfortunately. I recommend that San Francisco should be on everybody's list of places to see before they die, it truly is a remarkable city and if its variety that you want, this place has it.

Comparing Western and Chinese Business - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1544 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Compare and contrast essay Did you like this example? Indeed, young professionals, business people as well as educated professionals seem likely to be the person who possess enough income and purchasing power for those Western brands and who will be the most receptive to new ideas and value the foreign dining experience. Western franchises operating in China can be more expensive, for Chinese people, than local brands but with a growing middle class, more people can afford it and are willing to pay more for a western brand than Chinese one for instance. Moreover, Western products are most of the time seen as premiums, in other words luxury goods and Chinese people from that middle class want to show off with them. Quality, convenience and customer service are attributes held in high esteem by increasingly sophisticated Chinese consumers, and those consumers are therefore sensitive to Western brands. China’s economic model is changing and it favours a growth of franchises. China is moving away from its traditi onal role as a heavy industry, low-wage society to a service economy dominated by a highly educated workforce, it will inevitably foster a culture of entrepreneurship that is extremely favourable to franchising. Chinese environments can be volatile and difficult to predict, they are riskier than the developed markets in which most multinational companies have traditionally operated, moreover, most Western multinational enterprises without a long history in the emerging world are ill-prepared to deal with the broader range and higher levels of risk they face. Indeed, doing business in China brings with it several challenges for the company. I agree that intellectual property issue is definitely a significant obstacle in China. Indeed, for Chinese people it seems acceptable to copy brands, concepts and products. Taking a successful concept and copy it is even view as innovative to them. It seems that Chinese people are not used to innovate, it does not seem to be in their cultur e and consequently not in their work life even more if we take the case of the SOE’s, where employees are not asked to think much but just to do their definite task. However I think Chinese people do have an entrepreneurship mind since I could observe many people selling a multiple of things in the streets as well as their selling and negotiating skills in shops. Nevertheless they seem to develop it more by copying than creating new things, which in my opinion also comes from Confucianism, which claims humility and not doing something if the person is not sure about it and if it will work, therefore innovate might appear too risky for them. In addition, I think potential franchisors must acknowledge the lack of confidentiality and the difficulty in controlling their brand image before entering the Chinese market. Management style between West and East is different; and I think managing a Western company by Chinese people can be difficult due to the different management style. I think it is time-consuming and expensive to train Chinese people to manage a Western franchise since Chinese people might not be used to this type of management and might not understand very well the concept and the rules set by the franchisor. In addition, the language barrier, the cultural distance between the West and China, and the fact that many Western brands are unknown in China, it seems clear to me that this is a challenging environment that requires careful consideration and planning. Moreover, I think Western franchisor should chose local manager with a high interest in the Western brand and its culture in order for the franchisee to understand better the concept and what the franchisor is expecting. Besides, if this is the case, the franchisee would not quit the position after he has been trained since he would be very interested in making effort to implement successfully something, which appeals to him, in his own country. Consequently, I would definitely su ggest for the franchisor to find a good combination of a high skilled manager with special interest in the Western concept implemented in China. Despite the potential, doing business in China is difficult. Franchisors should seek local partners who can help them navigate the local business environment. A partner in the same industry with channels of distribution, industrial connections, and guanxi (personal connections) can greatly facilitate the success of the franchisor. Finally, it is clear that there are some major developments underway that will make franchising in China a much smoother ride. Laws and regulations are becoming more transparent, emerging lower-tier cities are fertile ground for the right franchise models, and young consumers are becoming hungry for well-known brands. I believe that it is recommended for a foreign company to enter the Chinese market initially having full control of its own stores in order to familiarise its personnel with the local market , understand its legal and industry specific complexities, and be well aware and prepared to handle any setback caused by a potential franchisee. The product includes overall experience that the restaurant provides. Franchisors may be more successful by emphasizing the â€Å"Western-ness† of their products, making standardization viable. Of course, some modifications are required to adapt to local tastes because assuming that what works for a mature market will work in China is not the right assumption. I think success comes from staying Westerner with the core international brand concept and product besides staying relevant to the needs of the Chinese consumers. Therefore, products’ improvement by adding special seasonings or Chinese ingredients to cater to Chinese tastes is important too. As Chinese people’s incomes improve, they are even more attracted to Western brands and most of all, the new generation of Chinese people likes to show off with interna tional brands, and this includes eating more as the European way, consequently, going to international fast-food chains. In the U. S., fast-food restaurants are a place where people can get food quickly. The food is usually tasty, but mostly unhealthy and low-priced. But in China, the same restaurants are viewed as upscale, trendy, and modern. Indeed, one can ask why people who want to eat Chinese food would go to KFC? Therefore, franchisors should be very careful in adapting their products to the Chinese markets. A good balance of standardized products and adapted products is important. Finding more Chinese dishes in International restaurant and not being able to buy the original dishes from the brand as they can see it in movies and series could disappoint Chinese people. Nowadays, international brands in China face a fierce competition with other Western brands as well as local competitors. The latter have implemented franchises with similar concepts to Westerner since t hey had time to see if those concepts were successful or not in the Chinese market and since they saw that Chinese consumers were keen on this type of fast foods’ concept, they implemented the same thing. Moreover, international franchises such as KFC will face obstacles such as newspapers titles chasing them and exacerbating wrong things they are doing in order for the government to make the population willing to boycott those international chains. Restaurant franchisors that miss the opportunity to enter China now will face intense competition from early entrants. It will be difficult for restaurant franchisors entering now to beat the scale and profitability of the already entrenched McDonalds and KFC. I think it is very important for Starbucks to target high traffic streets with demographics’ criteria, which fit with the concept; especially young people, aware of the Western brands and attitudes as they can see in the movies and series for example. Since t hese Western brands are a symbol of modern lifestyle and sophistication, Chinese people are willing to pay more than for local brands and those products are even seen as luxury goods. Well-trained employees are essential to the success of a business. Unfortunately, in a bad economy, a business’ training budget is often the first thing cut. It may make sense at the time, but the long-term implications can far outweigh the immediate costs saved. Over time, a lack of training may reduce motivation levels and business inefficiencies and, most detrimentally, result in staff turnover. Therefore, I totally agree with Starbuck’s strategy to train intensively new employees and send the best one to new markets, which can spread the Starbucks culture among new employees, which will then be able to spread it to the consumers. Since recent generations in China are more and more aware of Western lifestyle, international brands, instead of just going right away to a Western franchise, Chine people are starting to judge if a foreign brand can really bring something different to their lives. Foreign franchisors should therefore be able to invest heavily before they could see a return. Money investment of course, but more importantly, time and patience. As the Chinese economy currently turns down, one can wonder if the government is not pointing at big foreign companies doing wrong things so they can chase them. And in order for the consumers to favour local brands instead of going to those Western brands in particular. These types of articles are big news here, it seems that the Chinese controlled media is trying to make Chinese consumers aware of wrong things done by big international companies even though Chinese companies also do wrong thing Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Comparing Western and Chinese Business" essay for you Create order

Will Amir Use His Last Chance To Seek Redemption In The...

Will Amir use his last chance to seek redemption? In the book Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amir the main character struggles to get attention of his father and becomes jealous of the his â€Å"servant† Hassan. Amir’s jealousy tends to test Hassan’s loyalty consistently to the point where Hassan has to sacrifice for Amir’s happiness. After the flashbacks that Amir had as a 36-year adult about the times he abused Hassan’s loyalty. After the death of his father Baba, Baba’s friend Rahim Khan calls him and tells him that he has to come to Pakistan and when Amir visits Rahim Khan he tells Amir that he has one last chance to redeem himself. The way he redeemed his guilt was by Saving Hassan’s Son named Sohrab in Kabul at an orphanage. Rahim Khan†¦show more content†¦This quote is started by Baba wishing if Hassan was with them when Amir got his first car in America, and then Amir gets reminded of Hassan and the alley incident â⠂¬Å"He smiled and leaned back against the headrest, his forehead almost touching the ceiling. We didn’t say anything. Just say in the dark, listened to the tink-tink of the engine cooling, the wail of a siren in the distance. Then Baba rolled his head toward me. ‘I wish Hassan had been with us today,’ Baba said. A pair of steel hands closed around my windpipe at sound of Hassan’s name. I rolled down the window. Waited for the steel hands to loosen their grip.† (133-134). This quote shows the flashbacks that Amir had when Baba his father mentions Hassan’s name and Amir gets a flashback from the time that he abused Hassan and the time where he just watched Hassan get raped by Assef at the alley. Amir’s past mistakes are not leaving him they are apart of him now, Hassan has to sacrifice himself a lot and has to put himself in danger a lot in order for Amir to be happy and have a good life. Amir had made countless amounts of mistakes as a teenager and now as a 36-year-old adult he is realizing his mistakes and seeking redemption. Amir talks to Rahim Khan about why he can t go to Kabul. Amir is trying to decide whether he should go to Kabul save Sohrab the son of Hassan and seek redemption or just go back to America and Amir realizing thatShow MoreRelatedKey Theme Of Redemption In The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1198 Words   |  5 Pageschoices they make, and many seek redemption afterward. The idea of redemption and guilt is a key theme in the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. The novel revolves around the life of Amir and his journey of redemption for his past sins. The story begins in Afghanistan during the Soviet Invasion in 1970’s, when young Amir betrays his servant and best friend Hassan. Throughout the story Amir makes attempts to deal with his guilt by avoiding it, but he is unable to overcome his guilt until the end ofRead MoreThe Kite Runner 3049 Words   |  13 PagesThe Kite Runner teaches friendship, atonement Review Royal Hamel Hassan!† I called. â€Å"Come back with it!† He was already turning the street corner, his rubber boots kicking up snow. He stopped, turned. He cupped his hands around his mouth. â€Å"For you, a thousand times over!† he said. So opens the pivotal event in The Kite Runner, a novel by Khaled Hosseini. The movie version, which is now in theatres, was nominated for a Golden Globe as best foreign-language film of 2007. Amir and Hassan, inseparableRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini2240 Words   |  9 PagesSubject The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, is a novel about a young Pashtun boy, Amir, and his journey to seek redemption. The Kite Runner bounces between two settings. The story is narrated in 2001, in present day California and shifts back to Amir’s childhood in Kabul, Afghanistan around 1975. Amir was born into a lavish lifestyle with everything he could wish for, except for love, affection, and acceptance from his father, Baba. Ali and his son Hassan, of are servants to Baba and Amir. They areRead MoreThe Search for Redemption in the Kite Runner and Secret Daughter1252 Words   |  6 PagesThe search for Redemption In a lifetime one will face many battles and deal with guilt as said â€Å"nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character give him power† (Abraham Lincoln). Guilt from deceiving others or other immoral acts will result in one constantly searching for redemption. Khalid Hosseni’s novel Kite Runner and Shilpi Somaya Gowda’s novel Secret Daughter revolve around betrayal and redemption. Firstly, the search for personal redemption will strongly influenceRead MoreThe Kite Runner By F. Scott Fitzgerald3105 Words   |  13 Pages1. The Kite Runner portrayed numerous characters with flaws and turning points. The Protagonist Amir, he clearly faces a life changing turning point at the plot of the novel, desperate to seek redemption. Turning point in the novel, which changes his life. It seems he is desperate to seek redemption. The turning point for Amir in the novel was when Hassan went to go get Amir’s kite but he got himself into trouble with Assef and his friends. Hassan was brutally raped, while Amir choose to hide andRead MoreKite Runner Redemption Essay1174 Words   |  5 PagesHosseinis, The Kite Runner, is a flashback narrated by a 40 year old Afghan-American man named Amir, who is plagued by his childhood sins until he seeks redemption for his wrongdoing and figures out that redemption requires painful sacrifice. Amir is a kid who experinced someone so loyal to him be raped and Amir did nothing to stop the rapist. One sin led to another and before Amir knew it, he was destroying his life. After h is father died, who was someone who he looked up to most, Amir started to goRead More The Kite Runner Essay1632 Words   |  7 PagesHosseinis novel, The Kite Runner. This is the story of a mans struggle to find redemption. The author illustrates with the story of Amir that it is not possible to make wrongs completely right again because its too late to change past. In this novel Hosseini is telling us that redemption is obtainable, and by allowing us to see Amirs thought process throughout the novel, Hosseini shows us that it guilt is the primary motivation for someone who seeks redemption. Hosseini also uses not only the mainRead MoreAnalysis Of Khaled Hosseini s The Kite Runner 2073 Words   |  9 Pages do you remember ever making a promise to be loyal to a friend? Maybe you exchanged cute heart necklaces or pendants or carved your names into a tree. In Khaled Hosseini s The Kite Runner, two kids, Amir, and Hassan seem to have a strong friendship, represented in their name s carved into a pomegranate tree. However, Amir reveals weakness in their friendship when he betrays Hassan by not intervening when the town bully, Assef, sexually assaults Hassan. In Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, CarolRead MoreThe Kite Runner - Reading Logs7885 Words   |  32 PagesThe Kite Runner Reading logs NV1D Reading Log Task One, Part I. [13.01.12] The author of The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini, I think can be portrayed as the protagonist Amir for several reasons one of which is that he himself was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. I think that, because of the fact that he was born in Afghanistan, it has contributed to the novel in the aspect of which that the place is not entirely random. Like, if I wrote a book I wouldnt write a story based in perhaps the United