Human Resources consultant Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Resources consultant - Case Study Example This would have helped the bosses portray that they are quite interested in the store and the employees working there. 2. According to Equity theory, workers are motivated if they perceive that the reward is equal to the input given by workers (Koontz, 1986, p.295). The workers of Flight 001 do not perceive that the reward or compensation given to them is equal to their input and hard work due to which they have been de-motivated. Due to lack of motivation, the workers might not use their knowledge, skills and abilities at the optimum level and they might under produce. To motivate employees owners shave to pay compensation according to the amount of hard work and dedication injected by the workers in the business. 3. The hygiene factors that are being met in the organization include status, work environment and supervisory procedures. In this case we can see that employees feel that they are not just employees who are being supervised and assigned tasks, they feel that they are a very important part of the organization. This shows that the environment of the organization is quite flexible, there is less supervision and workers in the organization are quite loyal as they are treated as a part of the organization. Motivational factors existing in the organization’s environment include: recognition of achievement, greater responsibility and flexible working environment. The motivational factor of greater responsibility is available because owners have not just assigned tasks to workers, but owners are viewing employees that the main reason of organization’s success and are provided higher responsibilities such as decision making and problem solving. The organizations environment is quite flexible because the organization is not using any supervisors to keep an eye on the employees and employees are making decisions on their

Airline Industry Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Airline Industry Analysis - Essay Example However, the industry is highly depended on the existing business cycles, weather, and political stability. According to industry data, Delta’s Cargo business contributes 40 percent of total revenues while Delta US contributes 27 percent of revenues with the rest coming from Delta International travel (Wood, 2008). Although Southwest Airlines has the highest market in US domestic travel, Delta has the highest revenue passenger Mile (RPM) and has reported the considerable increase in US domestic market share over the last six years. The company has undertaken measures in cost cutting through investing in aircraft that are more fuel-efficient and undertaking investments in technology in order to improve the efficiency of crew systems (Braun & Latham, 2014, p 56).  Five forces analysis The five forces model is essential in understanding the attractiveness of the industry, the drivers of competitive edge and profitability in the industry. Michael Porter’s five forces mode l includes the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers and degree of rivalry in the industry (Wood, 2008).  The threat of new entrants  Although the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 saw the entry of small low-cost carriers in the US market, the threat of new entrants remains high due to the high capital required to establish operations, the relative economies of scale of the international carriers and stringent regulatory and licensing process (Wood, 2008).

Petroleum extraction process Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Petroleum extraction process - Term Paper Example However, to start drilling the reservoir containing the sufficient amount of oil should be found. The researches on oilfield exploration started in 19th century. They were aimed on studying features of bedrocks. The main purpose was to find the rocks that were suitable rock as reservoir of oil (Speight 100). In the beginning of the 20th century surface rock with suitable characteristics were studied. New techniques developed in 1960s provided the possibility of exploration below the surface of earth (Speight 101). New geophysical technologies are based on studying gravitational, magnetic, seismic, electric, electromagnetic and radioactive properties of the bedrocks. The methods are subdivided on techniques without depth control and techniques with depth control. The first group utilize spontaneous responses from local and distant sources that are controlled by the observer. The second group foresees introduction of energy (electric or seismic) into the ground, analyze and interpretation of transmissibility (Speight 101). Gravitational methods are connected with studies of gravitational field which is affected by differences in density of geological bodies. Therefore, the gravimeter detects differences in density, and the detected variations permit to make a conclusion about the presence of rock formations (particularly oil). Magnetic methods are based on detection of the magnetic properties of the rocks. Detected difference provide the possibility to suggest the presence of desired materials. Seismic methods are based on creation artificial shock and detection the time necessary for the vibration impulse to get to the seismic detector. Depending on the obtained results, the conclusion about presence of oil can be made. Electric and radioactive methods are based on the measurement of conductivity and radioactivity (respectively) of the studied

Review of Enrique Penalosa's Speech Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Of Enrique Penalosa's Speech - Movie Review Example According to United States Census Bureau the current population of 322 million will shoot up to 438 by year 2050.This indicates also the number of people per household will also be more. New homes and cities will be required to be build but the question is where and how. Can we build a transport system without knowing what kind of city we want? The answer to the question is building a city will depend on what kind of life we want and what kind of life will make us happier. A city defines our way of life. In building, a new city equality for the quality of life especially for children and equality for all citizens is important. An example is a bus with 80 passengers as the right of space 80 times than a car with one passenger. Democracy means such laws are obeyed but sometime injustice happens before our face for example a traffic jam with no exclusive lane for buses.in the world public pedestrians is pace is the only that we all have free access to. A good city is where people like to be out in public space and enjoy themselves. Cities are more architectural than engineering thus, people enjoy more public space in the city. A good city is where people have contact with water, nature and trees. A good city should have space for use by children, elder ly and disabled people. People should walk in a good city without fear of being hit by cars especially children. When cars appeared they started killing people and many city dwellers where forced to migrate to the suburbs. Cars took the space used by people; there was a competition of space between cars, and people. There should be enough space for people to walk and for cars to drive. Sidewalks should be used by people e.g. Walking, kissing, admiring the surroundings but not for cars to park. Sidewalks should proceed after intersections. A city belongs to people and not cars. Netherlands has a

Associate Professor Essay Example for Free

Associate Professor Essay Teaching Note: Case 1 – Robin Hood Case Objectives 1. To provide an introduction to the conceptual framework of strategic management using a non-business situation. 2. To introduce students to the process of problem identification and potential solution analysis that will be used in case discussions throughout the semester. See the table below to determine where to use this case: |Chapter Use |Key Concepts | |1: Strategy Concept |Leadership for strategic management; sustainable competitive advantage; vision, mission, strategic objectives;| | |external environment; internal environment; efficiency vs. effectiveness; stakeholder management | Case Synopsis Robin Hood and his merry men are now in trouble because wealthy travelers (their source of revenue) are avoiding the forest. As is often common in an entrepreneurial organization, the Merry Men were highly motivated by Robin Hood’s leadership. Therefore, Robin had previously relied on informal communication to organize and implement operations. Robin is pleased with the growing size and influence of his organization. However, growth has meant that specialized duties have begun taking up most of the men’s time, leaving a command vacuum between Robin and the first line recruits. In addition, they are now all located in a large encampment that can be seen for miles. This creates the probability of a surprise attack on their position. Growth has also put great pressures on resources, so now they must harvest the forest more thoroughly. Where will additional revenue come from? Rich travelers are avoiding the forest, so in desperation Robin is considering robbing the poorer travelers, which means his lieutenants must now tell their men to rob their brothers and fathers. What started as a  rebellion is in danger of being routinized into banditry. Robin must therefore begin to evaluate the Merry Men’s mission in view of the changing environment. Should it still be an extension of his private grudges and aspirations? Has the organization acquired a new mission, if so what is it? Who are the key stakeholders here? On whose behalf should the organization formulate its mission! Teaching Plan Most students are familiar with the Robin Hood story, so it’s possible to ask them to read this short case in class during the 1st or 2nd class meeting. Either use the PowerPoint slides or ask the discussion questions directly. As students respond, either write answers on the board or refer to the PowerPoint slide answers. It’s up to the instructor whether or not to assign Chapter 1 prior to discussing the case. If the case is read before the chapter is read, then the instructor has the option to ask students, when they do read the chapter, to identify the concepts in the chapter that they recognize from the case discussion, and come to the next class prepared to share what they recognized. If the case is discussed after students have read Chapter 1, the instructor can ask students to identify what concepts apply from the chapter. Summary of Discussion Questions Here is a list of the suggested discussion questions. You can decide which questions to assign, and also which additional readings or exercises to include to augment each discussion. Refer back to the Case Objectives Table to identify any additional readings and/or exercises so they can be assigned in advance. 1. What is strategy? 2. What strategic problems does Robin Hood have? 3. What is the role of the organizational leader as strategist and articulator of global goals? 4. What are some issues in this organization’s external environment? 5. What is the relationship of the organization’s internal structure to its environment? 6. How do group values or culture influence strategy making? 7. What strategy can Robin Hood implement? Discussion Questions and Responses Chapter 1: Introduction and Analyzing Goals and Objectives 1. What is the purpose of strategy? See Chapter 1, Exhibit 01: Strategic management consists of the analyses, decisions, and actions an organization undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantages: †¢ strategy directs the organization toward overall goals and objectives; †¢ includes multiple stakeholders in decision making; †¢ incorporates both short-term and long-term perspectives; †¢ recognizes trade-offs between efficiency and effectiveness. An interesting question that the instructor can ask at this point is: what business is Robin Hood’s organization in? Some students might say philanthropy, some might say robbery. The answers to this question will help students understand the importance of vision and mission: the leader must have a clear idea of the purpose of the business, and who it competes with, in order to craft strategy. If the business is robbery, there are different competitors, like highwaymen. 2. What strategic problems does Robin Hood have? Robin Hood’s organization is in a profit squeeze: revenue is down and costs are rising. In addition, there are cracks in the culture of the organization. Issues that need to be addressed include: †¢ How to avoid detection of the growing organization? †¢ Has Sherwood Forest become too small to sustain operations? †¢ What to do about the growing strength of the Sheriff’s forces? †¢ How to address organizational communications and leadership confusion? Decisions that need to be made include: †¢ Should Robin Hood kill the Sheriff? †¢ Should Robin Hood accept the Baron’s offer to join in freeing King Richard? †¢ Should Robin Hood impose a fixed transit tax in order to increase revenue? Consequences to be considered include: †¢ Does the change in the external environment mean that the original mission is no longer valid? †¢ If Robin Hood decides to kill the Sheriff, accept the Baron’s offer or impose a tax on travelers, how do each of those actions link to the mission? †¢ If the mission changes, to what degree does Robin Hood have to worry about the loyalty of stakeholders? One other issue concerns the rapid growth of the organization. In the space of two years the organization grew from fragmentation and obscurity to a strong regional presence. Competitive strategy is about sustaining a position in the industry. Growth implies that strategy has to be flexible enough to adapt. Does Robin have a sustainable strategy? 3. What is the role of the organizational leader as strategist and articulator of global goals? See Chapter 1, Exhibit 06: The primary role of the organizational leader is to articulate vision, mission and strategic objectives. Leaders must also be  proactive, anticipate change and continually refine changes to their strategies. This requires a certain level of â€Å"ambidextrous behavior†, where leaders are alert to opportunities beyond the confines of their own jobs, and are also cooperative and seek out opportunities to combine their efforts with others. Robin Hood needs to evaluate his initial vision of the organization’s purpose: what was the original goal that was â€Å"massively inspiring, overarching, and long-term†, that represented a destination that is driven by and evokes passion? Is the original vision irreconcilable with the present circumstances? Robin Hood’s organizational mission may have to change: a mission encompasses both the purpose of the company as well as the basis for competition and competitive advantages. Organizations must respond to multiple constituencies if they are to survive and prosper, and the mission provides a means of communicating to diverse organizational stakeholders. If the vision and mission have to change, Robin Hood must establish strategic objectives to operationalize the mission statement. That is, objectives help to provide guidance on how the organization can fulfill or move toward the â€Å"higher goals† in the goal hierarchy—the mission and vision. Therefore, Robin Hood needs to redefine the organizational vision and mission since it may have changed rebellion may have become routinized into banditry. He must also identify the key stakeholders, broadening his focus beyond his own private grudge to include the needs of the district, the region, or the nation. And he must establish new goals. Depending on the stakeholders, these new goals may include replacing the Sheriff or changing the political order. 4. What are some issues in this organization’s external environment? There are obvious resource constraints. Sherwood Forest has finite resources: the inputs into the organization (travelers to rob) have dwindled, especially since the rich travelers have started avoiding it. Robin Hood’s band are spending past gains on present problems in the assumption that  future revenues will continue to grow at the same pace as in the past. This assumption, one that is often pervasive in successful organizations, may be unwarranted. The Merry Men are reduced to robbing poorer travelers. The poor travelers are their main stay of political support. Here is a common pitfall of success, the tendency of organizations to take their best and most important customers for granted, to extract from them the highest return for least effort in the belief that they have no practical alternative. In addition, trained manpower is scarce. Regarding the physical environment, the current growth of the organization has created a large encampment that can be seen for miles, and is therefore now a target for attack. The nature of the Merry Mens environment and operations requires stealth and flexibility. The current physical facility does not provide for this. 5. What is the relationship of the organization’s internal structure to its environment? See the Chapter discussion of the trade-offs between effectiveness and efficiency. Given the growth of the operation, Robin Hood’s previous structure may no longer be effective. He may no longer be able to achieve the goals of the organization. He might need to make trade-offs. His current structure is functional, with each lieutenant a specialist. Communication has been informal, and Robin currently has no direct link to his first line recruits. This structure performed well in the early days of the band. However, with the growth of the organization, this has become problematic, resulting in lack of coordination. His lieutenants could do double time as staff and line personnel: fulfilling their staff duties in off-peak periods, but available for line duty during field operations. Robin might want to consider creating a decentralized regional operation, with sub-bands who can operate out of smaller regional headquarters and better coordinate movements. This will increase flexibility of the total organization by moving the organizing of operations closer to those who undertake them. This will also reduce the chance of attack because then only  part of the band might be detected and surprised. Decentralization also pushes food-gathering down the line, thereby eliminating food distribution problems. Small scale operations can be carried out with greater economy. 6. How do group values or culture influence strategy making? During strategic analysis, the leader does â€Å"advance work† to anticipate unforeseen environmental developments, identify unanticipated resource constraints, assess changes in his or her preferences for how to manage. During strategy formation, depending on the type of organization structure, the leader might include key individuals in a discussion around selecting which strategies might be best to implement at which level within the organization. In strategy implementation, the leader must ensure proper strategic controls and organizational design, and establish effective means to coordinate and integrate activities within the firm as well as with suppliers, customers and alliance partners. Therefore, leaders must pay attention to all stakeholder needs, including the group’s values and the organizational culture. See Chapter 1, Exhibit 05 for the diverse stakeholder groups and the claims they make on the organization. Regarding the organizational culture, it was based on founding values that embraced a missionary outreach to the community. The original purpose created unity and a spirit of daring among the Merry Men. Robin is considering abandoning the higher (more affluent) segment of his market for a deeper exploitation of a very large segment with limited resources. Here he runs up against organizational traditions and values. If Robin pursues profit maximization now (robbing all travelers, including the poor), the group will become thieves. Group members will resist stealing from their brothers and fathers. Robin needs to restore the group members’ need for order and purpose. The Merry Men need to feel that their participation is quasi-voluntary. 7. What strategy can Robin Hood implement? The basic question strategic management tries to answer is: How can we create competitive advantages in the marketplace that are not only unique and valuable but also difficult for competitors to copy or substitute? Robin Hood must assess how functional areas and activities â€Å"fit together† to achieve goals and objectives. If the organization is still Robins extension of a personal grudge, then displacing the Sheriff should be the primary mission of the Merry Men. If the organization is acting on behalf of the district then replacing the Sheriff with a more benign administration should be the priority. If however the Merry Mens existence is an expression of widespread dissatisfaction with the present political order, then Robin should consider his potential contributions on a national scale. An analysis of the options confronting Robin ought to lead the students to question the criteria by which strategy is judged. Who is the actor in strategy? The chief executive officer? Top management? A coalition of stakeholders? There is clearly no theoretical answer to these questions. A discussion ought to set the ground for an appreciation of the political and structural forces under which strategy emerges. Robin should have a meeting with the Merry Men to explain the strategic dilemma and long-term issues. He needs to increase organizational discipline, which could be done by creating a clearer organizational structure with strategic controls that enforce the mission. To do this, he needs to recruit qualified leaders for the new decentralized structure, and involve lieutenants in the solution. It is always an issue – which functions should be decentralized and which retained at the corporate level. In this case intelligence gathering and finance should probably be kept centralized. It is crucial for the students to appreciate the contradictory pressures that implementation generates. The new decentralized structure will call for more intricate communication and command systems. It increases flexibility, but also increases the probability of breakdown and mismanagement. In this case runners must keep the various sub-bands in communication. This is a primitive technology that may be insufficient to ensure coordination. An  opportunity exists here for the students to appreciate to what extent sophisticated organizational forms are made possible by modern technologies which are ordinarily taken for granted. While restructuring is going on Robin must begin to consider other aspects of his strategy. He should examine the possibility of diversifying beyond the confines of his traditional forest territory. This is viable if he is decentralized. Operations can be carried on in the countryside by the autonomous sub-bands. He must also resolve the issue of the proposed transit tax. What should be his relationship to the local population? Should he increase their burden of taxation, or not? Robin must also prepare for the possibility of ceasing operations by providing outplacement training. He should pursue alliances beyond the current band of Merry Men, negotiating a possible change in the political order, negotiating amnesty, returning the band to legality. He should probably avoid contact with the Sheriff! Finally, Robin should recognize that mistakes will occur. Therefore he should anticipate the costs of implementation, especially the problems of extended communication. Robin must familiarize his lieutenants with his intentions and the projected problems. They must actively become involved in the evolving implementation. Ultimately, however, Robin Hood must consider the long-term course of action. If the Merry Men were a profit-maximizing organization in the classic sense they would be satisfied with keeping the Sheriff off balance; or perhaps work towards his replacement with a more inexperienced man. They are however a missionary organization. To pursue profit maximizing would sooner or later lead them to thievery, pure and simple. It would also undermine their unity and spirit of daring. Robin Hood has little choice but to increase his involvement in issues that lie beyond his immediate task environment.

Effects Of Eating Too Much Fast Food

Effects Of Eating Too Much Fast Food Would you like some fries with that, sir? This is what you hear at any McDonalds restaurant you can come by. You order a burger, and they offer you their crispy, yummy, juicy, famous French fries. Your brain is telling you to take it, but your heart is telling you to stop because it can hardly breathe anymore. People, with their busy schedules, go to fast food restaurants everyday without thinking if it is a good idea to eat there or not. It is cheaper and faster than other restaurants but the food is not good for their health. Despite its convenience, fast food can be very dangerous to us in the long run, which is why we should be aware of the risks and effects that it can give us so we can live a healthy lifestyle. One problem with fast food restaurants is that it is very addictive. Once we eat there, we want more of it because it is so cheap, yummy and filling. Living near by a fast food restaurant doesnt help either because we will want to eat there more. It will be the first place well think about when we get hungry. It will be a good hangout place also with the wireless internet routers added to the place. Another problem is their growing number of restaurants and their advertisements. We find them everywhere; on the road, on taxis and buses, on billboards, on buildings and other places. Also, we dont have to go to their restaurants to get their food because they now have their delivery hotlines. It increases the number of people eating fast food because most people like it better when their food comes to them instead of the harder, traditional way of sitting and eating at a restaurant. Lastly, fast food restaurants provide us food with food content that gives us very little nutritious content. They use very cheap ingredients which make fast food contain high amounts of sodium, cholesterol, fat and calories which can cause certain diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, and other heart diseases. Fast Food Addiction Bringing young children to fast food restaurants for breakfast is a bad decision to make because the child can get addicted to the flavour and taste of the food. Once the child gets addicted to it, he or she will not stop asking for more. The idea that fast food is better than other food will be implanted into their heads and they will get addicted even until adulthood. It is better to make children practice eating more nutritious food such as vegetables and fruits. Fast Food Restaurants and Advertisements We dont have time to prepare a meal with the busy schedules were given now, we think its better to eat at a fast food restaurant instead and we forget about eating healthy. Fast food is getting more in demand as we know it, resulting to the growth of the fast food industry. As they get bigger, more people will come to eat at their restaurants. Now with their delivery hotline, people can just make an effort to call their numbers and the food will be delivered to their doorstep after half an hour. With a quick drive-thru, you get your food in less than 15 minutes or less! They make everything easier and faster for us because they know that thats what we want. We also see so many advertisements around us, whether we are at home or on the road. The advertisements are on the radio, on billboards, on the internet, in newspapers, and in magazines. Its as if theyre calling out to us and putting the idea in our heads to eat their food at their nearest restaurant as soon as possible. They give us easy to remember numbers so that we can call them anytime and anywhere without having to look at the directory book. Most fast food restaurants are now open 24/7 so we can stop by or call them anytime we want. Because its so easy, we get so used to eating at fast food restaurants that we dont need to look at their menus to know what we want. This just shows us that eating there is more of a routine for us now. At about three in the afternoon, we get hungry and the first thing that pops up in our heads is Im craving for McDonalds Chicken McNuggets right now, with fries and an Apple pie! What most people dont realize is that eating too much of it is very dangerous for us because we are not aware of the content. Food Content Fast food can make us very full even at a cheap price. The reason for this is because fast food restaurants use cheap ingredients for their food which contain high amounts of sodium, cholesterol, calories and fat (Childrens Hospital Boston). There are a lot of uses for sodium. It can be used to preserve food, enhance its flavour, and to prevent the growth of pathogens. But sodium can cause very dangerous effects if one consumes too much of it. It can give us an increase in blood pressure and a high risk of heart diseases. According to the American Heart Association, it is best if one limits their sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day(American Heart Association, Inc.). The food on the McDonalds menu with the highest sodium content is the McDonalds Spanish Omelet Bagel with a sodium content of 1570 mg (Fast Food.com). Thats more than the sodium intake one must consume per day in a single bagel. Fats, with the right amount, are good because it keeps us warm and cushions our organs inside our body. Some fatty acids are essential to our body because they are used up for energy and become part of our body chemicals, such as hormones. Fats are classified into two types: saturated fats and unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are found only in plant products while saturated fats are found in animal products. Another name for saturated fat is cholesterol. Cholesterol helps the body to absorb what we need, although too much cholesterol is also bad for our body. It can cause heart diseases and osteoporosis because it can thin the bones (Berkoff 124). Calories are released in the digestion and absorption of food. Some food and drinks contain calories. We should not worry about if there are calories in food or not, but how much calories food has. The recommended calorie intake per day for us is 2000 calories. Fast food is packed with very high amounts of calories that one breakfast meal can have up to 1000 calories. Thats half the calories you can take up in a day. Obesity Fast food can cause us a lot of bad diseases like obesity and high blood pressure. Being obese does not only lower our self-esteem, it can also increase risks of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes and some types of cancer. Statistics show that more than 190 million in the American population are obese and the diseases that are related with obesity costs 147 billion dollars every year (Doane). Clearly, something has to be done about this, and not only in America. We should be very aware of the food we eat and the things we do. One way is to not make eating fast food a routine for us by thinking of the possible consequences it can give us. A good idea to prevent obesity is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise daily to use up the energy that we consume. One child struggling with obesity stated that she started gaining weight when her family started buying cheaper foods (Doane). She observed that she became obese when they started to budget their food and to get cheaper food instead, namely, food from fast food restaurants.

Properties of Topological Insulating Material: Bi2Te3-PANI

Properties of Topological Insulating Material: Bi2Te3-PANI Synthesis, Characterization and Electrical properties of a Composite of Topological Insulating Material: Bi2Te3-PANI R. R. Urkudea[*], P. T. Patilb, S. B. Kondawarb, U. A. Palikundwara[† ] aX-ray Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur 440033, India bPolymer Nanotech Laboratory, Department of Physics, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur 440033, India Abstract In the present work, we carried out a systematic study of structure, UV-Vis Spectra and surface conductivity of pure Bi2Te3, pure Polyaniline (PANI) and Bi2Te3 (5%)-PANI (95%) composite. Bi2Te3 was synthesized by a method similar to solvothermal method, whereas, pure PANI and Bi2Te3-PANI composite were synthesized by a chemical oxidative method. The materials were structurally characterized and the electrical properties were investigated in the temperature range from room temperature to 100 °C. The electrical conductivity of the Bi2Te3-PANI composite is found to be higher than that of its pure constituents at all the temperatures. The enhancement in the surface conductivity may be due to the PANI generated ordered molecular arrangement of Bi2Te3 in the Bi2Te3-PANI composite, as confirmed from powder x-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectral analysis.  © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Peer-review under responsibility of the International Conference on Nanomaterials and Technologies (CNT 2014). Keywords: Topological insulators; Bismuth telluride; thermoelectric material; Polyaniline composites; electrical conductivity. 1. Introduction Topological insulators (TIs) are electronic materials that have a bulk band gap like an ordinary insulator but have protected conducting states on their edge or surface (Hasan and Kane, 2010). Most of the current researches are focused on the materials, like Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), Antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) and Bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) due to the topological insulating properties exhibited by them. Bi2Te3 is one of the best TI materials. It is a semiconducting compound with narrow bulk band gap of 0.2 eV. It is also a good material for thermoelectric applications (Das and Soundararajan, 1988). It has shown a drastic change in its thermoelectric properties when it is doped with Polyaniline (PANI) (Li et al., 2011). It has also given added advantages of polymers like inexpensiveness, intrinsically low thermal conductivity, flexibility and good processability etc. (Marjanovic et al., 2013). Various research workers have attempted to synthesize and characterize composites of Bi2Te3 with polyaniline (Zhao et al., 2002; Xu et al., 2005; Hostler et al., 2006; Chatterjee et al., 2009; Toshima et al., 2011). Very recently, mechanical blending method was employed by Li et al. (2011) for the synthesis of Bi2Te3–PANI; they found that the power factor of the composite is less than both of the individual components. However, a report on the synthesis of a Bi2Te3 and PANI hybrid by physical mixing and solution mixing showed a higher power factor in the case of the physical mixture (Toshima et al., 2011). Though there is a vast literature available on the TE properties of Bi2Te3-PANI composites, experimental reports on TI Properties of the composites are not available. Based on this background, in the present work, we carried out a systematic study of structure, UV-Vis Spectra and surface conductivity of Bi2Te3 (5%)-PANI (95%) composite, pure Bi2Te3 and pure PANI. Bi2Te3 was synthesized by a method similar to solvothermal method (Deng et al., 2002), whereas, pure PANI and Bi2Te3-PANI composite were synthesized by a chemical oxidative method (Stejskal and Gilbert, 2002). The materials were structurally characterized and the electrical properties were investigated in the temperature range from room temperature to 100 °C. The electrical conductivity of the Bi2Te3-PANI composite is found to be higher than that of its pure constituents at all the temperatures. The enhancement in the surface conductivity may be due to the construction of highly ordered chain structures of PANI on Bi2Te3, as confirmed from powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectral analysis. 2. Experimental details 2.1 Materials used Bismuth chloride (BiCl3), Tellurium (Te) metal powder, Potassium hydroxide (KOH), Sodium borohydrate (NaBH4), N-N dimethylformamide (DMF), Hydrochloric acid (HCl), Aniline (C6H5NH2), Acetone [(CH3)2.CO], Methanol (CH3OH) were purchased from Merck Chemicals. Ammonium persulphate [(NH4)2S2O8] was purchased from Hi-media. All the chemicals were of analytical reagent grade and are used without further purification, except aniline which was purified prior to use. 2.2 Preparation of Bi2Te3 A mixture of BiCl3 (10 mmol), Te powder (15 mmol), KOH (80 mmol) and NaBH4 (30 mmol) were put into a beaker of 100 ml capacity. The beaker was then filled with N-N dimethylformamide (DMF) up to 90 ml and was kept into a muffle furnace. Temperature of the furnace was maintained at 100-180 °C for 24 hours and was then slowly cooled to the room temperature. The product was filtered, washed with double distilled water and dried in vacuum oven at 80 °C for 12 hours. 2.3 Preparation of pure PANI and Bi2Te3 PANI Composite PANI was synthesized by using chemical oxidative method (Stejskal and Gilbert, 2002) 0.2 mol Aniline with 0.25 mol Ammonium persulphate was oxidized in acidic aqueous medium. Aniline and Ammonium persulphate were dissolved, separately, in 50 ml solution of 1.0 mol HCl in double distilled water. Both the solutions were kept at room temperature for 1h and were mixed together in a beaker. During the process, the colour of the solution changed from colourless to light blue and then to dark green. The solution was briefly stirred and was left to polymerize for 24 h. The precipitate of PANI was collected on a filter paper, washed with distilled water, then with 20 ml of 0.1M HCl and with Methanol. PANI (emeraldine salt) powder was dried in vacuum oven at 80 °C. A similar procedure was followed for the synthesis of Bi2Te3-PANI composite, but this time Bi2Te3 was introduced in aniline solution. 3. Characterization 3.1 Structural characterization The samples were structurally characterized by XRD and UV–vis spectral analyses. XRD measurements were performed using a Diffractometer (Rigaku Miniflex II x-ray Diffractometer) with Cu KÃŽ ± radiation (ÃŽ » = 1.541838 A °). The UV–vis spectra of the prepared samples were recorded by a spectrophotometer (UV-1800 Shimatzu Spectrophotometer) using samples dissolved in dimethyl formamide in a quartz cuvette. 3.2 Electrical characterization All the prepared samples were pressed at pressure less than 5 tonnes, at room temperature, to form the compacted pellets for measurement of the electrical conductivity. The measurements were carried out, in the temperature range 20-100  °C, by standard four-probe method with constant current source kept at 2 mA. 4. Results and Discussions 4.1 Powder X-ray diffraction Figure 1 shows the XRD patterns of Bi2Te3, pure PANI and Bi2Te3-PANI composite. All the peaks of the pattern for Bi2Te3 can be indexed in rhombohedral structure (JCPDS No: 015-0863) with unit cell parameters: a = 4.358A °; b = 4.358A ° and c = 30.48A °. Broad peaks at 22 ° and 25 ° for pure PANI are observed, which are due to the repeat unit of monomer. Compared with the pure PANI, only one peak is clearly observed at 25 °, the same position, in the XRD pattern of Bi2Te3-PANI composite. The observation of a single peak is related to the monodistribution of the periodicity of the repeat unit of the PANI and ordering of the molecular arrangement of the Bi2Te3 in the PANI matrix (Talwar et al., 2014). This suggests that PANI generate an ordered molecular arrangement of Bi2Te3 in the Bi2Te3-PANI composite. Figure 1 XRD patterns of Pure PANI, Pure Bi2Te3 and Bi2Te3-PANI composite 4.2 UV-vis spectroscopy Figure 2 shows the UV–vis spectra of the samples used to explore the electronic states of Bi2Te3, pure PANI and the Bi2Te3-PANI composite. A characteristic band centred at 697 nm, a shoulder at 478 nm, corresponding to a polaronic transition (polaron- Ï€*) and a band around at 389 nm, assigned to the π–π* electron orbital transition are observed in Bi2Te3-PANI composite. In comparison with UV–vis spectra of the pure PANI: a band around 385 nm, assigned to the π–π* electron orbital transition, shifts to longer wavelength at 389 nm in Bi2Te3-PANI composite. The polaronic transition (polaron- Ï€*) is absent in the pure PANI but is observed in Bi2Te3-PANI composite. These show an interaction between the quinoid ring of PANI and Bi2Te3 (Xia and Wang, 2003). This is a signature of an ordered molecular arrangement in Bi2Te3-PANI composite and it is the purely surface conducting state. Figure 2 UV-vis spectra of Pure PANI, Bi2Te3 and Bi2Te3-PANI composite 4.3 Electrical characterization Figure 3 Variation of the electrical conductivity with temperature of Bi2Te3, PANI and Bi2Te3-PANI composite. The variations of electrical conductivity as a function of temperature of the prepared samples are shown in figure 3. The value of electrical conductivity for Bi2Te3 slightly decreases with the increase in the temperature. However, both PANI and Bi2Te3-PANI composite show increase in the value of electrical conductivity with temperature. The electrical conductivity of the Bi2Te3-PANI composite is higher than that of its pure constituents over a whole temperature range. The enhancement in the surface conductivity indicates the increase in protected states at the surface compared to that of the pure Bi2Te3. This may be due to the large surface provided to the Bi2Te3 by the PANI generated ordered molecular arrangement of Bi2Te3 in the Bi2Te3-PANI composite. 5. Conclusions In conclusion, we carried out a systematic study of structure, UV-Vis Spectra and surface conductivity of Bi2Te3 (5%)-PANI (95%) composite, pure Bi2Te3 and pure PANI. Bi2Te3 was synthesized by a method similar to solvothermal method, whereas, pure PANI and Bi2Te3-PANI composite were synthesized by a chemical oxidative method. The materials were structurally characterized and the electrical properties were investigated in the temperature range from room temperature to 100 °C. The electrical conductivity of the Bi2Te3-PANI composite was found to be higher than that of its pure constituents at all the temperatures. The enhancement in the surface conductivity may be due to the PANI generated ordered molecular arrangement of Bi2Te3 in the Bi2Te3-PANI composite, as confirmed from powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectral analysis. Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to thank Dr. S. B. Kondawar for helpful discussions. This work was supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India, under women scientist scheme-A (WOS-A), File No. SR/WOS-A/PM-1001/2014. References Chatterjee K., Suresh A., Ganguly S., Kargupta K., Banerjee D., 2009. Bismuth nitrate doped polyaniline – Characterization and properties for thermoelectric application. Mater. Charact. 60, 597–601. 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Thermoelectric properties of Bi0.5Sb1.5 Te3/Polyaniline hybrids prepared by Mechanical blending, Mater. Lett. 52, 147–9. [*]* Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 9921491567; fax: +0-000-000-0000 . E-mail address: [emailprotected] [† ] Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 9890155077; fax: +0-000-000-0000 . E-mail address: [emailprotected] [S1]Elsevier to update with volume and page numbers.