Competitive position

Production of nitric phosphates is not expected to expand rapidly ia the near future because the primary phosphate exporters, especially ia North Africa and the United States, have moved to ship upgraded materials, wet-process acid, and ammonium phosphates, ia preference to phosphate rock. The abundant supply of these materials should keep suppHers ia a strong competitive position for at least the short-range future. Moreover, the developiag countries, where nitric phosphates would seem to be appealing for most crops except rice, have already strongly committed to production of urea, a material that blends compatibly with sulfur-based phosphates but not with nitrates. 

A viable electrocatalyst operating with minimal polarization for the direct electrochemical oxidation of methanol at low temperature would strongly enhance the competitive position of fuel ceU systems for transportation appHcations. Fuel ceUs that directiy oxidize CH OH would eliminate the need for an external reformer in fuel ceU systems resulting in a less complex, more lightweight system occupying less volume and having lower cost. Improvement in the performance of PFFCs for transportation appHcations, which operate close to ambient temperatures and utilize steam-reformed CH OH, would be a more CO-tolerant anode electrocatalyst. Such an electrocatalyst would reduce the need to pretreat the steam-reformed CH OH to lower the CO content in the anode fuel gas. Platinum—mthenium alloys show encouraging performance for the direct oxidation of methanol. 

Because most fuel ethanol manufactured ia the United States is made from com, price plays a cmcial role ia determining the competitive position of ethanol ia an open market. With com priced at about 2.50/bu, the embedded feedstock cost of product ethanol is about 0.14—0.23/L ( 0.52—0.87 gal), depending on over-all yield and by-products ignored (125). Euel ethanol plants may have contingency plans to close if com prices rise to a certain level, eg, 3.50/bu or above (126). 

As of this writing, the process has not been commercialized, but apparendy the alcohol can be separated from its propylene oxide coproduct process to maintain an economically competitive position. The formation of organic hydroperoxides is a concern, as it was in the Shell process. 

AH of these factors contribute to the manufacturing cost of the composite product and thereby determine not only the most cost-effective composite process to use but also the competitive position of composites with the other materials of constmction. 

The impact of a knowledge-based application may appear in many ways improved competitive position, quality improvement, improvement in efficiency, cost reduction, and reduction in downtime, to name a few. Some of these benefits may be hard to quantify others may not be quantifiable at all. For example, the actual benefit derived from a diagnostic advisory system may not be apparent if the process behaves normally. To quantify the benefits, a careful post-audit may have to be done, taking into account the number of faults averted, and comparing the frequency of faults before and after implementation. 

At this stage a prototype product is produced, and its performance in the market is assessed. If this is satisfactory, full-scale production is established. But the designer s role does not end at this point. Continuous analysis of the performance of a component usually reveals weaknesses or ways in which it could be improved or made more cheaply. And there is always scope for further innovation for a radically new design, or for a radical change in the material which the component is made from. Successful designs evolve continuously, and only in this way does the product retain a competitive position in the market place. 

To maintain and improve competitive position — To avoid costs of poor performance... 

Given the potential future importance of ceramics in areas as diverse as electronics (see Chapter 4), machine tools, heat engines, and superconductors (see Chapter 4), the United States can ill afford to surrender technical leadership to its competitors. The dominant trend in the field is toward materials with finer microstractures, fewer defects, and better interactions at interfaces (particularly in composites). Chemical processes provide important tools to capture the promise of ceramics for the benefit of our society and to maintain our international competitive position in technology. 

Policies and procedures for risk management decisions must be estabhshed and be clear and simple if the massive, but necessary, workload of risk assessment and management is not to cripple the chemical industiy s worldwide competitive position and consume inordinate resources through inefficiency. 

Demlng, W. Edwards. "Quality Productivity and Competitive Positions" MIT Press Cambridge, MA. 

These efforts will result in renewed emphasis on the effective long-range R D capabilities of the industry. The materials science industry must take the lead in developing a strong competitive position for this country. However, the U.S. Government also has a clear role in supporting that effort. 

Concentrates of new chemicals are always expensive, but they frequently change rapidly in price. Picture the position of a small but locally important mixer of insecticides remote from sources of supply, who suddenly finds himself with a substantial inventory of a new chemical purchased at 15 to 20% above a newly announced price. His competitive position becomes what is known as poor. ... 

The sales strategy needs to decide what product to be sold in which sales market representing the sales location in the value chain network. New markets needs to be evaluated for their attractiveness and the own competitive position with respect to existing products or the capabilities in the development of new products for the respective demand. Sales business rules include decisions on the strategic share of contracted business volumes vs. flexible spot business volumes. These business rules often depend on sales channels and frame contracts with customers. The sales strategy can be matched with classical marketing mix decisions on products, prices, promotion and communication, as well as sales channel decisions. 

I mentioned three factors in federal law which impact on this disclosure problem. The first is that the Freedom of Information Act makes it difficult to withhold information. It does this both by an uncertain standard of confidentiality, and by the omission of the procedural protection which comes with all other kinds of adjudicative decisions by federal agencies. The courts rewrote the Freedom of Information Act s original intent in the 1974 National Parks v. Morton decision. Since that time, each submission to an agency has been vulnerable to disclosure if the owner fails to carry a rather difficult burden of proof That disclosure would cause substantial harm to competitive position at the time the disclosure is made. Assume that the owner of a secret catalyst had a market share of 10 in specialty fatty acids for rubber production, and filed the catalyst information with the EPA on April 1, 1982. When the request for disclosure comes in November 1983, what will the firm s market position be then, and how much would this... 

This representative is only of limited regional importance. Its shade is a medium yellow, which places it in a competitive position with a number of similar colorants of the same class, which it also resembles in its fastness properties. 

China s reduction in whole plant purchases in favor of the importation of equipment and technology, as well as the renovation of existing plants, will further enhance the United States competitive position. America s preeminent technical leadership in petroleum and petrochemical industries will undoubtably attract Beijing to favor U.S. companies in these high-priority ventures. 

Deming, W.E. (1982), Quality. Productivity, and Competitive Position, MIT Center for Advanced Engineering Study, Cambridge, MA. 

One Cohort IV interviewee responded Blacks were denied appointments and resources that would have placed them in competitive positions... One has to acknowledge that racism limited blacks opportunities in chemistry. A Cohort V interviewee argues There is a tendency for contributions made by African Americans to be downplayed simply because they are African American or that an African American is involved. I think it is still true that if African Americans want to get the recognition deserved, they have to be much better than a white. A Cohort V interviewee from industry said ... 

November 2002 The Technology Roadmap - suggested actions and targets based on published benchmarks for major fuel cell development programs around the world as well as in the UK. A set of development targets were established with the objective of giving the UK a competitive position in certain fuel cell markets. 

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