Rebellion in China around 1900 :: essays research papers

Around 1900, after numerous long stretches of capitulating to the unrivaled military of the West, the Chinese went to bat for their nation. China was a frail, in reverse, nation, misused by the West. They felt that they could counter the remote control, however changes were pointless in light of the fact that they required the West to help with the changes. However, something started their certainty, and they trusted themselves to have the option to overcome any remote power. This sparkle was the Society of Harmonious Fists, usually known as "Boxers." Combined with despondent individuals, and new weapons innovation, the Chinese revolted against the outside forces. The principal reason of this certainty was the Boxer Society, which framed in North China after the Sino-Japanese war, yet wasn't notable until 1898 in Shantung. This association was really a clique, following unusual and crazy acts of guard. It had no focal pioneers, and the practices shifted in various areas. Their objective was to freed China of the outside hazard. The fighters were unique in relation to most different revolutionaries of their time. They would lead open physical activities that should make an otherworldly shield to ensure one against remote slugs and shells. These appeared to be like a fighters preparing practices so the westerners nicknamed the individuals from the Society of Harmonious Fists "Boxers." Or maybe then utilizing remote weapons, they depended on enchanted spirits and blades, blades, fights, and polearms to drive the outside villains from their valuable home nation. The participation of this gathering comprised of generally the lawbreakers, poor, and unskilled of China who wore a basic uniform comprising of a red armband, scarf, or waistcloth. These individuals really accepted that enchantment would ensure them, and help expel the outsiders from China. That gave them enough certainty to attempt to decimate the outsiders. Teachers were murdered, railways were decimated, and holy places were singed all for the sake of autonomy from outside principle. Another key angle in the uprisings against the west was a progression of catastrophic events that cleared China during the most recent decade of the nineteenth century. Starvation struck, dry seasons forestalled the planting of harvests, and to top it all, the Yellow waterway overwhelmed, causing the demolition of 1,500 towns and 2,500 square miles of open country. These calamity lead to despondency of the individuals. So as to keep them from turning on the administration, the Dowager Ruler, Tsu Hsi, urged the laborers to defy the outsiders. A portion of these furious individuals joined the Fighters, and others revolted alone, yet they had the Empress behind them, giving them support, and making them feel prepared to take on the evil spirits from the West. The third reason that the Chinese felt prepared to confront the West, was a

Ramon Magsaysay Essay

Last Thursday, November 29, 2012, this is the day that were hanging tight for. I was so eager to have our last field trip as a secondary school. This field trip is truly essential for me in light of the fact that Clare, Alaica, Kim, Ray, and I are first an ideal opportunity to be late in our last field trip. We show up at south general store at 5:25am, and very nearly 5 minutes when the transport left us. There’s no additional transport for the mavericks like us. I feel anxious right now since we don’t realize what would do. Nobody realizes how to go to our first goal. Beam proposed that it’s better for us to return home and ask help to our folks to carry us to Pasay. Clare, Alaica, and I, didn’t consent to his recommendation, since we realize that it will just requires some investment before we show up at our first goal. Alaica chose to request help in the watchman inside the south store. The gatekeeper show us how to go to MOA in Pasay. We ride at the LRT, from Santolan to Cubao. After that we request that the cab driver get us Mall of Asia, where Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center are found. We at last arrived at our first goal. We felt glad since we didn’t expect that we did it. Our companions embrace us tight like we’ve never observed for a long years. My heart is bouncing a result of joy. We meander around and we saw a few stuff that are identified with science like, earth science, science, science, and material science. We likewise had a short film seeing on how the divine bodies are being framed. We are totally astonished on what we’ve seen. It’s like you were in the space when you begin to watch that video. We are completely engaged and simultaneously we are learning. Before we leave this spot, our brain are loaded up with the new information and new experience. Our next goal is in Tzu Chi Foundation in Sta Mesa, Manila, whare you can found a decent hearted people. The individuals here are buckling down not for themselves, however for the individuals who are handicapped. They do it without sitting tight for any arrival. At the point when you head inside, you will discovered their low value shop, where reused bottles are transformed into helpful once. The entirety of the things inside are truly moderate and helpful. The cash that are being entered to them, will add to their store that supports to their foundation. Our last goal is in Galilee Mansion Garden Resort in Bulacan. Here, we make the most of our last visit even in the center of the most sultry of the sun. We don’t care on what will befell our skin surface, since all we need is toâ grab this chance to feel unwind, appreciate, and have holding with my kindred understudies and companions. After this brave field trip, we finished our day with the grin in our countenances. This is our last field trip as fourth yr. understudy, that’s why this field trip is truly important for us. I.Hindi pinayagan ng gobyerno ang pag-alis ni previous president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at ang asawa nito na si Jose Miguel â€Å"Mike† Arroyo.Papuntang HongKong para mag pagaling sa hinarap na sakit ng dating pangulo na hypoparathyroidism.Pinigilan sila ng mga opisyales ng â€Å"immigration† sa pag-sakay nila sa anumang eroplano o sa pag alis ng Bansa. Ngayon ay nagpapagaling siya sa Saint Luke’s Hospital.Madaming napahayag kung ano na ang kalagayan ng dating pangulo,Kaya ipapatawag ang mga doktor na bother aalaga ngayon sa dating pangulo. II.Para sa associated ay tama lang ang hindi pag-payag ng ating pamahalaan na makaalis ng bansa para mag-pagamot si Gng.Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.Dahil pwede naman siyang pag-gamot dito sa Pilipinas at mag-pagaling,Madaming magagaling na doktor ang Pilipinas.At saka baka siya lamang ay tumakas sa isasampang kaso sa kanya. III. Panghuli at pinakamahalaga sa associated bilang isang batang Pilipino ay ang pag-titiwala ni Gng.Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sa mga doktor ng Pilipinas na magagamot siya kahit mas maunlad ang mga kagamitan ng ibang bansa sa pag-gamot kaysa dito sa Pilipinas Ito na ang ating huling sandali Di na tayo magkaka mali Kasi wala ng bukas Sulitin natin ito na ang wakas Kailangan na yata nating umuwi Hawakan mo aking kamay Bago tayo maghiwalay lahat ibibigay lahat Paalam sa ating huling sayaw Mag dulo pala ang langit Kaya’t sabay tayong bibitaw Sa ating huling sayaw Di na malayan na malalim na ang gabi (malalim na ang gabi) Pero ayoko sanang magmadali (sway kang magmadali) Kay tamis kay sarap Ngunit ito na ang huli Kailangan na yata natin umuwi Hawakan mo aking kamay Bago tayo maghiwalay lahat ibibigay lahat Paalam satisfying huling sayaw Mag dulo pala ang langit Kaya’t sabay tayong bibitaw Sa ating huling sayaw Paalam sa ating huling sayaw May dulo dad la ang langit Kaya’t sabay tayong bibitaw Sa ating huling sayaw Paalam satisfying huling sayaw May dulo pala ang langit Kaya’t sabay tayong bibitaw Sa ating huling sayawa

Reflective Journal on Team Building and Leadership

Question: Talk about theReflective Journal on Team Building and Leadership. Answer: Presentation Group building is a complex and tedious. Pioneer in an association assumes a significant job as the administration of the association and the whole group is the obligation of a group head. This diary helps in mirroring the learning and relates the hypotheses of administration and group constructing with the goal that the pioneer can apply it on their self. The point of this paper is to examine the job of pioneers in an association and the speculations identified with group building and administration. The diary communicates the individual perspective of the creator with respect to what kind of chief or a pioneer that individual is and what it intends to be in next five years. It tends to the individual perspective and the job of a trough or pioneer in the association. Thinking about the pretended in the past aides in understanding the internal qualities and shortcomings and improves the relational abilities and execution. This paper will mirror the job of the supervisor or a pioneer that I played in an association. It will likewise ponder the aptitudes that I used to fabricate a group. It enables the individual to reflect from the encounters with the goal that it tends to be improved in future. An individual gains from its encounters. Body Authority is an expertise that an individual has to lead a whole group and guide them for their work to accomplish the objectives and focuses of the association. In a work environment, the job of the pioneer is to deal with the representatives and facilitate the work between the supervisory crew and people working in an association (Daft, 2014). I was a group chief in an organization named ABC private constrained, which is a promoting and deals organization in Australia. I had joined the organization in the year 2012 as a promoting and sales rep and now I hold a place of a group chief. Our group comprises of eight individuals where every part has a task to carry out. The job that I play is that of dealing with the group, rouse them, manage them and assess whether the group is displaying acceptable execution and can satisfy the hierarchical goals. From the encounters, I have discovered that the most significant job of an innovator in an association is to enable the workers to improve efficiency and execution of the association. The achievement of the group lies in the hands of a pioneer. It is henceforth fundamental for an innovator in an association to be proficient with the goal that the individual can successfully deal with the group. While dealing with the group in advertising and deals organization I learned different things that helped me build up my expert aptitude. As indicated by Dyer, (2013) a pioneer is significant at all phases of the board. At lower levels, the job of a pioneer is to execute the plans laid by the top administrators and at top level, the job of a pioneer is to organize the exercises. A pioneer is an agent of the association or a group. His job is to advanced the questions looked by the group to the administrators and viably settle them so the profitability of the association isn't hampered. A pioneer goes to the gatherings, meetings on then benefit of his group and speaks to them in different capacities and occasions. I have spoken to my group in different events. From the experience, I discovered that it is important to speak to the group in a positive manner with the goal that the chiefs can see the difficult work that the individuals put in. The job of a pioneer is likewise to arrange the hierarchical objectives to individual objectives. The endeavors of workers are coordinated to achieve the targets of the association (Goethals et al., 2014). From the encounters, I discovered that the primary job of a pioneer is to enable the association to expand its profitability and execution by appropriately dealing with the whole group and its individuals. For the administration of the whole group a pioneer is required to have different attributes and abilities. The most significant ability for a pioneer in an association is that of powerful correspondence (Schoemaker et al., 2013). A pioneer is required to viably convey the methodologies, objectives and plans to its colleagues and supervisors. Correspondence additionally helps in taking care of the issues that the individuals face by appropriately imparting the questions to the individual concerned. The pioneer ought to likewise have aptitudes of propelling and moving its colleagues. This is one of the most significant aptitudes that a pioneer should gangs. The colleagues ought to be inspired to buckle down towards accomplishment of objectives of the association. A pioneer is the one that makes vision for the future and sets a way for the workers. A pioneer is additionally required to be a decent leader in the association. An issue can emerge whenever and at any circumstance in an ass ociation. Subsequently, it is basic for the pioneer to have ability to take care of the issue adequately. A pioneer ought to likewise have an aptitude to settle on significant choices and think deliberately. A pioneer is straightforward and straightforward in its work that can show high uprightness. A pioneer is likewise the person who is excited and enthusiastic in their work (Tyssen et al., 2014). The primary point of a pioneer ought to be to construct a star group and not a group of stars. As per Du et al., (2013), each individual has diverse expert aptitudes and knowledge in an association. Thus, it is the obligation of an innovator in an association to recognize the field of skill and specialization of every person in a group and afterward partition the work likewise. The fundamental device that drove my group to make progress was broadening of the work inside the group based on specialization. The ability and expertise of every person in the group was recognized and comprehended by the pioneer and crafted by showcasing and deals was partitioned likewise. The individuals master in the field of deals was given the activity of taking care of deals tasks while the ones who were successful in advertising tasks were distributed that activity. This system assisted with finishing the work effectively and in brief period. Because of specialization of the work, the specialists were likewise inventive and innovative in their activities. Consequently, the hierarchical objectives and destinations were accomplished effectively absent a lot of trouble. Various associations have various kinds of pioneers. As opined by Johansen, (2012), there are five kinds of authority styles. Initial, one is free enterprise authority style where the pioneer has no immediate command over the colleagues and doesn't give ordinary input to the oversight. Under the free enterprise authority style the colleagues are exceptionally prepared and expertly skilful who require extremely less oversight. Free enterprise authority style is really a framework where really, no pioneer is required and the group requires no control (Goleman et al., 2013). The second kind of administration style is imperious initiative styles where the administrators settle on the choice without the help of others. Supervisors goes about as pioneers in totalitarian authority style. It is powerful for the representatives who require close oversight to the work. The third kind of initiative style is participative authority style where the pioneer assumes a basic job in the oversight and the executives of group. Participative initiative style is otherwise called just administration style. The pioneers comprehend the issues of the representatives and work in a joint effort with them. The pioneer and representative together work to accomplish the objectives and focuses of the association. Representatives are likewise a piece of dynamic procedure and consequently are spurred to accomplish the work (Aga et al., 2016). Another sort of initiative style is value-based administration where the pioneers are given sure assignments and are made a decision about dependent on execution. They are given prizes or discipline dependent on their exhibition. Workers follow the headings of the pioneers and the representatives and pioneer together set the objectives that they are to accomplish. The last kind of administration style is transformational authority style where the pioneers rely upon high relational abilities to meet the objectives. The principle job of a pioneer is to insp ire representatives to improve the profitability of the association (Avolio Yammarino, 2013). In ABC private restricted organization my tasks was arranged under transformational administration style as the primary job that I played as a pioneer was that is inspiring representatives and directing them to accomplish the objectives, targets and improve the profitability of the association. The activity was an objective based activity where the representatives are required to accomplish hundred deals for every month. This is the motivation behind why transformational administration style is liked so the workers are spurred to satisfy their objective. The workers are additionally a significant piece of the association and are remembered for dynamic procedure. Henceforth, at different occasions the authority style is likewise arranged under law based initiative style. From the encounters, it is comprehended that the totalitarian or definitive authority style debilitates creation and makes the activities progressively mind boggling. Thus, it is achievable and reasonable to follow ch ange and participative initiative style. While filling in as a pioneer in ABC private constrained in Australia I had confronted different issues. The principle issue was that of taking care of the group and the activities in the association. From the encounters, I discovered that a pioneer ought to be productive in taking care of any circumstance and take care of the issues without hampering the enthusiasm of any one. Impression of the encounters helps in redress the issues and mix-ups submitted in past. There were barely any slip-ups that I had done while filling in as a pioneer. The principal botch was fabricating too agreeable nature with the colleagues. Along these lines, the colleagues didn't esteem my request. This drove the profitability to decay. Understanding the mix-up I got legitimate in my activity that again helped is reestablishing the lost efficiency. The subsequent issue was absence of inspiration. The colleague

Philosiohy Comparison Essay

Mainland reasoning, Pragmatic way of thinking, and Analytic way of thinking are every one of the three types of methods of reasoning that are in light of Hegel. The distinctions started inside English talking nations and European talking nations, which off-set into two separate customs. Mainland theory is the most unique in its reaction to Hegelian optimism in Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth century. The fundamental schools of philosophical idea are existentialism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, and basic hypothesis, being that existentialism and phenomenology are the two conspicuous schools. A portion of the subjects of existentialism incorporate â€Å"Philosophy must concentrate on the person in her or his encounter with the world,† and â€Å"Senselessness, vacancy, detail, partition, and failure to impart infest human presence, bringing forth nervousness, fear, self-question, and despair,† (Moore, B. N., and Bruder, K. , 2011, p. 154). Mainland savants don't concur that science is the most ideal approach to depict the lifestyles and underscore on metaphilosophy. To me, Continental Philosophy is hard to depict in light of the fact that it appears to be basic rather than expressive. Next, Pragmatic way of thinking is the principle custom of theory in the United States. By and large, Pragmatic way of thinking talks about the absence of an essential fact of the matter. Reality can change appropriately to any circumstance contingent upon the time and spot. The three most popular practical people are C.S Peirce, William James, and John Davey. Instrumentalism, which is Dewey’s result of sober mindedness, says that human movement and human musings are instruments utilized by people to take care of reasonable issues. They accepted that fact shifted from individual to individual contingent upon where he/she needed to advance throughout everyday life. Finally, Analytic way of thinking is the fundamental convention of reasoning in England and later in the United States. Obviously the principle reason for Analytic way of thinking is investigation, which communicates complex ideas into progressively basic ideas. A logician, Bertrand Russell whose accentuation was primarily in arithmetic, identified with logicism. Logicism says that scientific facts can be demonstrated from standards of rationale. Russell alongside G.E Moore and Gottlob Frege couldn't help contradicting Absolute Idealism, yet in addition customary way of thinking all together. Mainland theory, Pragmatic way of thinking, and Analytic way of thinking all have very various ideas however have been conceptualized around similar roots. References Moore, B. N., and Bruder, K. (2011) Philosophy: The Power Of Ideas. (eighth ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Smart Grids Everything You Need to Know

Smart Grids Everything You Need to Know © Shutterstock.com | monicaodoThe introduction of smart grid technology has caused a fundamental re-engineering of the electricity services industry. This article takes a look at 1) what are smart grids why do we need them, 2) features and benefits, 3) chief technologies used, 4) security and other concerns, 4) a few of the top smart grid companies, and 5) some key research programs.WHAT ARE SMART GRIDS WHY DO WE NEED THEM?Smart grids are electricity networks founded on digital technology that is utilized to deliver electricity to consumers by means of two-way digital communication. The whole smart grid system is automated for monitoring electricity usage at all the locations. This system enables monitoring, control, and communication, and analysis within the supply chain to assist with curbing energy use and expenses, improving efficiency and maximizing reliability and transparency of the energy supply chain. Thus, the need for future electrical systems or smart grids can be trac ed to four drivers:Efficiency: This is about improving the efficiency of power generation and decreasing losses in consumption, transmission and distribution of electrical energy.Reliability: This means delivering quality electrical energy whenever required.Capacity: This means fulfilling the increasing worldwide demand for electrical energy.Sustainability: It has to do with ensuring the effective incorporation of renewable power generation.The smart grid was brought in with the objective of overcoming the shortcomings of traditional electrical grids by utilizing smart net meters. A lot of government institutions worldwide have been encouraging smart grid utilization for their latent ability to control and cope with global warming, energy independence scenarios, and emergency resilience. The smart networks are equally beneficial for retail stores, enterprises, hospitals, multinational corporations, and universities. FEATURES AND BENEFITSThe Smart Grid is associated with many feature s and benefits.Demand response support: This gives users an automated way to decrease their electricity bills by directing them on how to utilize low-priority electronic devices when prices are lower.Load handling: The total or sum of the power grid load is not steady, and it changes over time. In situations of heavy load, a smart grid system can counsel consumers to temporarily reduce energy consumption.Decentralization of power generation: A decentralized or distributed grid system enables the individual user to produce onsite power by utilizing any suitable method available to him / her.Quicker reinstatement of electricity following power disturbances, more efficient electricity transmission and increased incorporation of large-scale renewable energy systems are all benefits of Smart Grid.Reduced management and operations expenses for utilities and finally lower power expenses for consumers, decreased peak demand that would assist with reducing electricity rates, and better incor poration of customer-owned power generation systems are also some noted benefits.Smart Grid can spot power theft and equipment failures: Some “smart grid” networks have dual functions. This incorporates advanced metering infrastructure systems which, when combined with different software can be utilized to recognize power theft and by way of elimination, identify where equipment failures have occurred. These are in addition to their key functions of measuring the time-of-use of electricity and doing away with the requirement for human meter reading.Currently, an electricity disruption like a blackout, can result in a domino effect â€" a sequence of failures that can impact banking, traffic, security, and communications. This is a specific cause for concern in winter, when homeowners may be left without heat. A smarter grid would contribute resiliency to our electrical power system and ensure it is better prepared to tackle emergencies such as earthquakes, severe storms, terroris t attacks and huge solar flares. Owing to its two-way interactive ability, the smart grid would enable automatic rerouting whenever outages or equipment failures occur. This would help to lessen outages and limit the effects when they do occur.Should there be a power outage, smart grid technologies would identify and isolate the outages, restraining them before they take the shape of large-scale blackouts. The new technologies would also assist with ensuring that electricity recovery starts quickly and strategically following an emergency- routing electricity quickly. What’s more, the smart grid would take better advantage of customer-owned power generators to create power when it is not available from utilities. The combination of these “distributed energy resources” would help a community ensure operation of its police department, health center, phone system, grocery store and traffic lights during emergencies. CHIEF TECHNOLOGIES USEDIntegrated communicationThese technologie s enable smart electronic devices and users to interface as an integrated system. This incorporates two-way, fully integrated, high-speed technologies that would make power exchange and real-time information possible. This would help optimize asset utilization, system reliability and security. An open architecture would produce a plug-and-play environment that would enable grid components to listen, talk and interact. Some examples of individual technologies in this area are: WiFi, one cycle control controller, advanced on-load tap-charger and advanced protective relays.Advanced control methodsThis category incorporates technologies that can monitor power system components facilitating rapid diagnosis and reaction to any event. Three technology categories in this category are analytical tools (high-speed computers and software algorithms), distributed intelligent agents (control systems) and operational applications (such as SCADA, demand response, and substation automation). By way of artificial intelligence programming methods, the Fujian power grid in China developed a wide area protection system that is quickly able to precisely calculate a control strategy and implement it. The Voltage Stability Monitoring Control (VSMC) software utilizes a sensitivity-based successive linear programming technique to find out reliably the optimal control solution.Advanced componentsThese technologies play an active role in finding out the grid’s behavior. The foundation for these technologies is RD in these areas: superconductivity, power electronics, chemistry, materials, and microelectronics. The next generation of devices would put the latest research in superconductivity, materials, microelectronics, power electronics, and energy storage into practice. This would create enhanced real-time diagnostics, more reliability, and higher power densities. Technologies in this category include:cables, transformers, advanced or smart switchesmicro grids â€" these are local el ectricity grids that can function independently of the main electricity grid whenever necessary“smart,” grid-friendly appliances such as air conditioners, clothes dryers, and washers, and hot water heaters that have the capacity to hold up operations in response to price signalsSensing and measuringThese technologies will improve power system measurements and identify and react to problems. They assess the health of equipment and grid integrity and support advanced protective relaying. They prevent energy theft and do away with meter estimations. They facilitate consumer selection and demand response and assist with alleviating congestion. Technologies that fall into this category include wide-area monitoring systems, advanced microprocessor meters (smart meter), advanced cables and switches, electromagnetic signature analysis/measurement, dynamic line rating, time-of-use and real-time pricing tools, digital protective relays and backscatter radio technology.Enhanced interfaces and decision supportThere are many situations where the time operators have to make decisions, has come down to seconds. As a result, the modern grid would call for seamless, real-time, wide utilization of tools and applications that allow grid operators and managers to quickly make decisions. Decision support with better interfaces will augment human decision making at all grid levels. Some examples of technologies in this category are: real-time digital simulators to evaluate and test electricity systems and software tools to examine the health of the electricity system.SECURITY AND OTHER CONCERNSWith the arrival of cybercrime, there are also worries about the security of the infrastructure, chiefly that entailing communications technology. The concerns mainly revolve around the communications technology at the center of the smart grid. Meant to enable real-time contact between meters and utilities in businesses and customers’ homes, there is a danger that these capabilities cou ld be taken advantage of for criminal or even terrorist applications. One of the connectivity’s key abilities is that of remotely turning off power supplies, allowing utilities to easily and quickly modify or cease supplies to customers who default on payment. This is unquestionably a great benefit for energy providers but at the same time is cause for some security concerns. Cybercriminals have on numerous occasions before, successfully gained access to the U.S. electric grid. Apart from computer infiltration, another worry is that computer malware such as Stuxnet, which targeted SCADA systems extensively utilized in the industry could be leveraged to attack a smart grid network.Theft of electricity is a cause of worry in the U.S. where the smart meters employed utilize the RF technology of Fastrak responders to interact with the electricity transmission network. People knowledgeable in electronics can create interference devices that make the smart meter report less than the rea l usage. In the same way, the same technology may be utilized to make it seem that the energy the consumer is utilizing is being utilized by another customer, therefore resulting in an increased bill amount.Other points of concern and/or opposition include:Worry that complex rate systems (such as variable rates) do away with accountability and clarity, enabling the supplier to take advantage of the customerConcerns over providing the government mechanisms control over the use of all power utilizing activitiesSocial concerns associated with Enron style misuse of information leverageSocial concerns associated with “fair” availability of electricitySome characteristics of smart grids have created opposition from industries that are hoping to or presently already deliver similar services. One example is competition with DSL and cable internet providers. Those who provide SCADA control systems for grids have purposely designed proprietary hardware, software, and protocols so that the y are not able to inter-operate with other systems so as to link its customers to the vendor.A FEW OF THE TOP SMART GRID COMPANIESABBThis is a $31 billion company that entered the smart grid party late. However, the company did make up for lost time with a number of key gains and strategic modifications to the ABB smart grid plan. The company’s smart grid ambitions are to offer the complete range of smart grid-associated software and gear. One aspect of ABB”s smart grid plan is to become a leader in blending operational technology (OT) with information technology (IT). The company made significant strides in that direction with the acquisition of Ventyx in 2010 and the acquisition of Mincom in 2011.The parent company delivers power and automation technologies to a wide base of industrial and utility customers. Its product lines cover distribution, transmission, industrial automation and turnkey substations. The company created more 50% of its sales in Europe and has had early tr iumph in China.ItronThe company provides wireless communications and smart meters, in addition to meter data management software. Itron’s smart grid portfolio also incorporates project management, outsourcing, and consulting. The company’s smart grid software and equipment are installed at hundreds of utilities in Europe and the U.S. Headquartered close to Spokane, WA, the company had profits of $2.26 billion in 2010.SiemensAlthough this company’s entry into the smart grid bandwagon came later than that of GE and ABB, Siemens has since revealed its smart grid goals to become a major force in the sector. One of the world’s biggest industrial engineering and electronics firms in the world, the company’s smart grid portfolio incorporates switches and protection gear, solar and wind power products, and substation automation. The company’s smart grid footprint runs the gamut from the production, distribution and transmission of electric power. In the U.S., the company’s hea dquarters is in Washington D.C.SOME KEY RESEARCH PROGRAMSIntelligridDeveloped by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), IntelliGrid architecture delivers methodology, recommendations and tools for technologies and standards for utility utilization in planning, specifying and acquiring IT-based systems such as distribution automation, demand response and advanced metering. The architecture also makes available a living laboratory for evaluating devices, technology, and systems. A number of utilities including Long island Power Authority, TXU Electric Delivery, Southern California Edison and Salt River Project have applied IntelliGrid architecture. The IntelliGrid Consortium is a PPP (public/private partnership) that incorporates and optimizes international research endeavors, labors to integrate technologies, funds technology RD and distributes technical information.GridWiseIt is a DOE OE program concentrating on creating information technology to revamp the U.S. electrical gr id. In collaboration with the GridWise Alliance, the plan invests in simulation and analysis tools, communications architecture and standards, test beds and demonstration projects, smart technologies, and new regulatory, market and institutional frameworks. The GridWise Alliance is a confederation of private and public electricity sector stakeholders, presenting a forum for cooperative efforts, idea exchanges and meetings with policy makers at state and federal levels.Grid 2030It is a joint vision statement for the U.S. electrical system created by equipment manufacturers, the electric utility industry, information technology providers, interest groups, national laboratories, universities and state and federal government agencies. It incorporates transmission, generation, storage, end-use and distribution. The National Electric Delivery Technologies Roadmap is the execution document for the Grid 2030 vision. The Roadmap sketches the main challenges and issues associated with moderni zing the grid and suggests paths of action that government and industry can adopt to develop America’s future electric delivery system.GridWise Architecture Council (GWAC)It was brought into being by the U.S. Department of Energy to promote and facilitate interoperability among the multiple entities that communicate with the nation’s electric power system. The GWAC members are a respected and balanced team representing the various constituencies of the electricity supply chain and users. The GWAC makes available tools and industry guidance to make clear the goal of interoperability across the electric system, recognize the architectures and concepts required to make interoperability possible, and come up with actionable steps to enable the interoperation of institutions, systems and devices that incorporate the nation’s electric system. The GWAC Interoperability Context Setting Framework, V 1.1 delineates essential principles and guidelines.Smart Grids can be considered to be the future of electricity and very welcome development no doubt.