World’s Largest Solar-Powered Boat

The TURANOR PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar-powered boat, has just completed the first stage of its journey around the world – a trans-Atlantic journey from Monaco to Miami. The Swiss-designed solar-powered catamaran left Monaco on the 27th of September and docked in Miami just a few days ago, on the 28th of November. More after the break...

At 101.7ft (31 meters) long and 49.2ft (15 meters) wide, the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar is the world’s largest solar-powered boat. The vessel is completely fuelled by renewable energy, with its solar cells having a 22% efficiency rate. These are the highest rated cells available for purchase on the market, and the cells cover over 500 square meters of the ship. The solar cells are able to power two electric motors which are found in the hull, giving the ship at a top speed of 14 knots. Most notably, the large surface area of solar cells means that the catamaran can travel for up to three full days, even without direct sunlight – any excess energy is stored in a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery.

After this layover in Miami, the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar will head to Cancún, Mexico for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, where it will participate in activities organized by the Swiss government. The vessel is then expected to fully circumnavigate the world in the coming months, visiting San Francisco, Sydney, Singapore and Abu Dhabi, before returning home to Monaco.

The multi-national crew of the ship include Frenchman Patrick Marchesseau (Captain), Christian Ochsenbein (Bern, Switzerland), Michaela von Koskull (Finland), Jens Langwasser (Kiel, Germany) and project initiator Raphael Domjan (Yverdon-les Bain, Switzerland).

 

Largest Wooden Sculpture in the World

The power of a wood structure is defined in a striking new edifice. A wood canopy of six "parasols" has been erected in Seville, Spain. Completed last month, it was designed by Berlin architect J. Mayer H., with timber construction by Finnforest-Merk GmbH, Aichach. Metropol Parasol, is it is formally known, is built of 3,400 wooden parts, is over 90 feet tall almost 500 feet long. 16 More images after the break...

The structure is made of  interlocking pieces of wood  held together mostly with glue and with metal clamps. Costing an estimated 130 million Euros and built over the course of five years, the structure is designed as an urban icon to draw attention to Seville, and reclaim an underutilized urban area. Restaurants and shops are embedded in the towers and below the canopy. A view walkway crowns the top. Architect Mayer designed it as an entry in a competition in 2004. Mayer describes it:

 The Metropol Parasol scheme with its impressive timber structures offers an archaeological museum, a farmers market, an elevated plaza, multiple bars and restaurants underneath and inside the parasols, as well as a panorama terrace on the very top of the parasols. Realized as one of the largest and most innovative bonded timber-constructions with a polyurethane coating, the parasols grow out of the archaeological excavation site into a contemporary landmark, defining a unique relationship between the historical and the contemporary city.

Don't Just Relate - Advocate!: A Blueprint for Profit in the Era of Customer Power

Don't Just Relate - Advocate!: A Blueprint for Profit in the Era of Customer Power
Wharton School Publishing 2005-05-21 | ISBN: 0131913611 | 256 pages | PDF | 11 MB

 

In today's environment companies need to go beyond relationship marketing" to be true customer advocates -- faithfully representing their customers' interests. Customer advocacy means providing customers and prospects with open, honest and complete information. It means talking with customers, not at them. In most companies, customer advocacy requires a massive transformation in both culture and process. In this book, MIT's Glen Urban covers the entire 'pyramid' of customer advocacy: the 'base' (starting with TQM and customer satisfaction initiatives); the 'middle' (relationship marketing); and the 'pinnacle': new advocacy techniques built on trust, not coercion.

Companies from GM to Intel, Qwest to John Deere are beginning to recognize the urgent importance of customer advocacy. Urban reveals what they're trying, and what challenges they're up against -- and identifies crucial lessons for earning the customer trust needed to thrive in today's radically changed business environment.

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Creating Powerful Brands

Butterworth 3/ed (11-2003) | PDF | 496 pages | 0750659807 | 7.5Mb

Creating Powerful Brands, Third Edition /by Leslie de Chernatony, Leslie de Chernatony and Malcolm McDonald.
This is the third edition of one of world's most respected and successful books on branding. Written by an internationally acclaimed branding expert and author of From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation, it has been comprehensively revised and updated with a raft of new cases and examples.
The book gives the professional and the student a deep understanding of the functioning and management of the modern brand and contains:
* Powerful analysis of new areas such as e-branding and e-marketing
* A completely new set of advertising and brand images to illustrate key points* A powerful analysis of the key drivers of brand value
There can be no doubt that the power of brands in the international marketplace is still growing, and that Creating Powerful Brands, third edition, can explain both why and how they work.
* Comprehensive coverage of brand management
* Applications orientated, yet grounded on solid theory
* Frameworks organizing the principles of brand building

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Marketing in the Public Sector: A Roadmap for Improved Performance

Marketing in the Public Sector: A Roadmap for Improved Performance by Philip Kotler, Nancy R. Lee

Wh-rton Sch-ol Pub-hing | 2009 | ISBN: 0131875159 | 352 pages | PDF | 12 MB

Praise for Marketing in the Public Sector:
"Professionally, as an academic turned politician, this book--if published a few years earlier--would have made my life much simpler. This book lays out, in detail with concrete examples, how to conduct a grand plan for change. Particularly impressive is the application of different marketing principles along each step of the transition process toward establishing an efficient service-oriented governmental agency." Somkid Jatusripitak, Ph.D., Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Royal Thai Government

"This book is filled with insights for people who want to communicate effectively about government programs, but it should also be on the bookshelf of any government manager who needs to think creatively about how to improve customer service. Every page contains information and ideas that public-sector leaders can, and should, put in their management tool kits." Christine O. Gregoire, Governor, Washington State

"Increasingly, public sector managers have been challenged to 'do more with less.' Marketing in the Public Sector demonstrates that marketing is not simply another line-item expense, but rather a set of tools that help public servants allocate resources more effectively and efficiently. The book is chock-full of real-world stories of creative marketers working within diverse organizations, all of whom have come to understand that marketing is not simply advertising or persuasion, but rather a mindset." E. Marla Felcher, Ph.D., Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

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Bond Markets, Analysis and Strategies, 6th Edition

Frank J Fabozzi, "Bond Markets, Analysis and Strategies, 6th Edition"
Pr.e H.ll | 2006 | ISBN: 0131986430 | 792 pages | PDF | 39,3 MB 

Target Market: Fixed Income Securities Courses or Bond Markets Courses

Fabozzi's, Bond Markets, prepares students to analyze the the bond market and use the tools for managing bond portfolios.

Many texts on the market are far too theoretical, Fabozzi is quite the opposite. This text covers Bonds, analytical techniques for valuing bonds and quantifying their exposure to changes in interest rates, and portfolio strategies for achieving a client’s objectives.

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The Handbook of International Trade: A Guide to the Principles and Practice of Export

Jim Sherlock, Jonathan Reuvid "The Handbook of International Trade: A Guide to the Principles and Practice of Export "
GMB Publishing | 2008-01-01 | ISBN: 1846730341 | 402 pages | PDF | 1,6 MB 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Provides the reader with an informed and informative focus on the future development of the world economy.... Enthusiastically recommended." -- The Midwest Book Review "The Midwest Book Review"

Product Description

The Handbook of International Trade is both a "textbook" for students and a handbook for practitioners. The book provides a thorough understanding of the underlying issues involved in developing and managing cross-border trade. Opening with a description of the structure of the global economy and the dynamics governing world trade, the book then provides a comprehensive guide to the practice of export trade - the methods, procedures, conventions, documentation and laws. Finally there is a section looking at the prospects and likely future development of global trade.

 

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