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• 1. [Article] Vizio Inc. Product Development Process

  Vizio Inc., which started with only 3 people in 2002, has become the number one shipper of LCD HDTVs to the U.S. consumer electronics market of 2009. They have achieved their fast growth by concentrating ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Vizio Inc. Product Development Process Author: Lim, Donggyu, Krampits, Mark, Letts, Matthew, Katarya, Nitin, Shott, Tom Year: 2010 Vizio Inc., which started with only 3 people in 2002, has become the number one shipper of LCD HDTVs to the U.S. consumer electronics market of 2009. They have achieved their fast growth by concentrating on their target segment and market. The founder started in the TV sale business and thought that he could sell to a niche market in the consumer electronic market, especially LCD TV. Therefore, he began to make an inexpensive, but high quality LCD TVs. Another key to his success is that he formed strong relationships with overseas TV manufacturers. While his competitors are selling the same products worldwide, Vizio focuses on the U.S. market. Vizio has developed a solid sales network and has established brand power. It has over 170 employees and over $4 billion in sales in 2009. Vizio is going to introduce a new technology, 3D TV, into their product line. It has been decided that a new process, a Phase Gate Product Life cycle will be followed for this new technology and others that will be produced in the future. Title: Vizio Inc. Product Development Process Author: Lim, Donggyu, Krampits, Mark, Letts, Matthew, Katarya, Nitin, Shott, Tom Year: 2010 Vizio Inc., which started with only 3 people in 2002, has become the number one shipper of LCD HDTVs to the U.S. consumer electronics market of 2009. They have achieved their fast growth by concentrating on their target segment and market. The founder started in the TV sale business and thought that he could sell to a niche market in the consumer electronic market, especially LCD TV. Therefore, he began to make an inexpensive, but high quality LCD TVs. Another key to his success is that he formed strong relationships with overseas TV manufacturers. While his competitors are selling the same products worldwide, Vizio focuses on the U.S. market. Vizio has developed a solid sales network and has established brand power. It has over 170 employees and over $4 billion in sales in 2009. Vizio is going to introduce a new technology, 3D TV, into their product line. It has been decided that a new process, a Phase Gate Product Life cycle will be followed for this new technology and others that will be produced in the future. Close

• 2. [Article] Business Plan For Riverside Energy LLC

  In 2008, $5.2 billion was spent on program management and supporting contractors in energy efficiency in the United States[1]. Funding for energy efficiency is expected to increase as the cost of power ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Business Plan For Riverside Energy LLC Author: Smeraglio, Matt Year: 2012 In 2008, $5.2 billion was spent on program management and supporting contractors in energy efficiency in the United States[1]. Funding for energy efficiency is expected to increase as the cost of power production rises. This report focuses primarily on energy efficiency available to dairy farms, located in the Northern Mid-West region of the United States. Dairy farms have seen sharp increases in feed prices, large fluctuations in milk prices, and a steady rise in electricity rates. Of these three, it is easiest for the farmer to lower energy consumption. Riverside Energy will enable farmers to realize maximum potential energy and cost savings by offering custom dairy energy audits. Riverside Energy is proposing to startup as a sole proprietorship energy efficiency company, focusing on the agricultural and industrial markets of Michigan, which was ranked most improved in energy efficiency in a recent study [2]. The primary revenue stream will be providing energy audits to dairy farms, which will help them to lower energy consumption, saving substantial money. The final deliverable from Riverside to the customer will be a detailed Dairy Audit Report, detailing the best ways to save energy, and the expected upgrade costs, dollar savings and payback (return on investment) for proposed upgrades. As the demand for energy increases, there is more and more pressure for electrical utilities to build new power plants. But it is more cost effective for utilities to pay energy consuming customers to use less energy than to build new power plants. This promotes the sale of energy efficient equipment and energy audits. For dairies, there are cash incentives to pay for a portion of auditing services, and for dairy equipment upgrades. This in turn promotes Riverside’s auditing revenue stream. The biggest challenge for Riverside will be to compete against established auditors in the Michigan area, which is a fragmented group of university programs, state programs, small companies, and electric utilities. Riverside hopes to differentiate by establishing itself as both agriculturally knowledgeable and highly skilled in detailed analysis. Five primary marketing strategies have been established, which include selling direct to farmers, presenting at trade shows, enrolling in the Michigan Farm Energy Audit Program, participating in utility incentive programs, and creating partnerships with dairy equipment vendors. The most promising will likely be dairy equipment vendor partnerships, because they have the highest amount of contact with dairies, strong generational relationships, and sell the efficient equipment that riverside will propose for upgrades. It is estimated that each audit will sell for between $1,000 to $2,000 dollars, and that there are a potential of 1,900 dairies available for audits in the region. Riverside hopes to capture up to 67 audits per year, which would yield $120,000 in sales per year, taking 4 years to ramp up to this sales level. Pro forma income statements predict a break even after 23 months, with estimated startup costs at $26,700. Funding for this startup will be comprised of owner investment and a small bank loan. Riverside believes it has found a niche in the energy efficiency market through dairy energy audits. Though prospects are promising, further details on additional revenue streams and development of key relationships should be pursued before launch. Riverside could be ready for launch in 6 months to a year. Title: Business Plan For Riverside Energy LLC Author: Smeraglio, Matt Year: 2012 In 2008, $5.2 billion was spent on program management and supporting contractors in energy efficiency in the United States[1]. Funding for energy efficiency is expected to increase as the cost of power production rises. This report focuses primarily on energy efficiency available to dairy farms, located in the Northern Mid-West region of the United States. Dairy farms have seen sharp increases in feed prices, large fluctuations in milk prices, and a steady rise in electricity rates. Of these three, it is easiest for the farmer to lower energy consumption. Riverside Energy will enable farmers to realize maximum potential energy and cost savings by offering custom dairy energy audits. Riverside Energy is proposing to startup as a sole proprietorship energy efficiency company, focusing on the agricultural and industrial markets of Michigan, which was ranked most improved in energy efficiency in a recent study [2]. The primary revenue stream will be providing energy audits to dairy farms, which will help them to lower energy consumption, saving substantial money. The final deliverable from Riverside to the customer will be a detailed Dairy Audit Report, detailing the best ways to save energy, and the expected upgrade costs, dollar savings and payback (return on investment) for proposed upgrades. As the demand for energy increases, there is more and more pressure for electrical utilities to build new power plants. But it is more cost effective for utilities to pay energy consuming customers to use less energy than to build new power plants. This promotes the sale of energy efficient equipment and energy audits. For dairies, there are cash incentives to pay for a portion of auditing services, and for dairy equipment upgrades. This in turn promotes Riverside’s auditing revenue stream. The biggest challenge for Riverside will be to compete against established auditors in the Michigan area, which is a fragmented group of university programs, state programs, small companies, and electric utilities. Riverside hopes to differentiate by establishing itself as both agriculturally knowledgeable and highly skilled in detailed analysis. Five primary marketing strategies have been established, which include selling direct to farmers, presenting at trade shows, enrolling in the Michigan Farm Energy Audit Program, participating in utility incentive programs, and creating partnerships with dairy equipment vendors. The most promising will likely be dairy equipment vendor partnerships, because they have the highest amount of contact with dairies, strong generational relationships, and sell the efficient equipment that riverside will propose for upgrades. It is estimated that each audit will sell for between $1,000 to $2,000 dollars, and that there are a potential of 1,900 dairies available for audits in the region. Riverside hopes to capture up to 67 audits per year, which would yield $120,000 in sales per year, taking 4 years to ramp up to this sales level. Pro forma income statements predict a break even after 23 months, with estimated startup costs at $26,700. Funding for this startup will be comprised of owner investment and a small bank loan. Riverside believes it has found a niche in the energy efficiency market through dairy energy audits. Though prospects are promising, further details on additional revenue streams and development of key relationships should be pursued before launch. Riverside could be ready for launch in 6 months to a year. Close

• 3. [Article] Hedonic Analysis of Housing Prices Near the Portland Urban Growth Boundary, 1978-1990

  The cornerstones of Oregon's 1973 Senate Bill 100 are the preservation of farm, forest, and other resource lands and the containment of urban development within urban growth boundaries (UCB). The UCB is ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Hedonic Analysis of Housing Prices Near the Portland Urban Growth Boundary, 1978-1990 Author: Alkadi, Abdullah Year: 1996 The cornerstones of Oregon's 1973 Senate Bill 100 are the preservation of farm, forest, and other resource lands and the containment of urban development within urban growth boundaries (UCB). The UCB is a boundary around each incorporated city containing enough land to meet projected needs until the year 2000. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC), charged with adopting and implementing state planning policy, sought to keep UGBs small enough to contain urban sprawl. To avoid the potential effects of land price inflation, LCDC allowed UGBs to include more land supply than the forecasted demand. The Portland-Metropolitan region was allowed to have a 15.3-percent surplus. Policy makers are unsure what effect UGBs have on housing costs. The common belief is that by restricting the amount of land available for residential construction the market drives prices up. Contrasting opinions suggest that by substituting low-density with high-density development, per-unit construction costs are lower, thus reducing the costs of owning a home. Efforts to dispel some of the mystery about the relationship between UGBs and housing prices are needed. The objective of this research is to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between the Portland-Metropolitan area's UGB and housing prices. The study uses a hedonic model to conduct a time-series analysis for the years 1978 to 1990 for Washington County. This study found no relationship between housing price and the imposition of the UGB. In fact, the rate of increase in price for single-family housing after UGB implementation was found to be much less than before. Proximity as measured by distance of sale to the UGB was the only variable that was associated with a higher rate of increase in housing prices. All of these results, with the exception of those related to proximity, were unexpected but may be explained by several factors: imposition of the Metropolitan Housing Rule in 1981, a severe recession during the 1980s, and excess land supply. These influences do not support a conclusion that UGBs lead to an increase in housing prices, at least prior to 1990, when the UGB did not constrain the supply of land. Title: Hedonic Analysis of Housing Prices Near the Portland Urban Growth Boundary, 1978-1990 Author: Alkadi, Abdullah Year: 1996 The cornerstones of Oregon's 1973 Senate Bill 100 are the preservation of farm, forest, and other resource lands and the containment of urban development within urban growth boundaries (UCB). The UCB is a boundary around each incorporated city containing enough land to meet projected needs until the year 2000. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC), charged with adopting and implementing state planning policy, sought to keep UGBs small enough to contain urban sprawl. To avoid the potential effects of land price inflation, LCDC allowed UGBs to include more land supply than the forecasted demand. The Portland-Metropolitan region was allowed to have a 15.3-percent surplus. Policy makers are unsure what effect UGBs have on housing costs. The common belief is that by restricting the amount of land available for residential construction the market drives prices up. Contrasting opinions suggest that by substituting low-density with high-density development, per-unit construction costs are lower, thus reducing the costs of owning a home. Efforts to dispel some of the mystery about the relationship between UGBs and housing prices are needed. The objective of this research is to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between the Portland-Metropolitan area's UGB and housing prices. The study uses a hedonic model to conduct a time-series analysis for the years 1978 to 1990 for Washington County. This study found no relationship between housing price and the imposition of the UGB. In fact, the rate of increase in price for single-family housing after UGB implementation was found to be much less than before. Proximity as measured by distance of sale to the UGB was the only variable that was associated with a higher rate of increase in housing prices. All of these results, with the exception of those related to proximity, were unexpected but may be explained by several factors: imposition of the Metropolitan Housing Rule in 1981, a severe recession during the 1980s, and excess land supply. These influences do not support a conclusion that UGBs lead to an increase in housing prices, at least prior to 1990, when the UGB did not constrain the supply of land. Close

• 4. [Article] Characterization of the Shallow Subsurface Geohydrology of the Ni-les'tun Unit on the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

  The Bandon Marsh is a large marsh restoration project located in southwest Oregon. The land has been previously used for dairy farms and much of the marsh was used for cattle grazing. The goal of the restoration ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Characterization of the Shallow Subsurface Geohydrology of the Ni-les'tun Unit on the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge Author: Beard, Christopher Madison Year: 2013 The Bandon Marsh is a large marsh restoration project located in southwest Oregon. The land has been previously used for dairy farms and much of the marsh was used for cattle grazing. The goal of the restoration is to recreate a natural habitat for shorebirds and fish. The purpose of this thesis is to gather and analyze data on the geology of the marsh and both ground and surface water quality to evaluate its ability to support biology. The US Fish and Wildlife Service began restoration on the Bandon marsh in 2005. Research on the Ni-les'tun Unit began in that same year with Geoprobe coring, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), piezometer well installation, and surface water analysis. Twelve cores were taken with the Geoprobe in 2006 and later analyzed for this thesis. A total of 50 GPR lines were run across the marsh ranging from ~25 m to 1,200 m in length for a total of about 9,700 meters (9.7 km). The ten piezometer wells were sampled to collect groundwater pH, oxidation-reduction potential, salinity, temperature, and well water elevation. Twelve channel sampling sites were chosen to be sampled in three field runs taking place in winter 2011, summer 2011, and winter 2012. The summer 2011 and winter 2012 sampling runs were done after tide gates had been removed from the marsh. The Geoprobe core samples were retrieved for extensive lab analysis. Analyses included; bulk density, porosity, permeability, and grain size studies. Lab results revealed a low permeability fine grained upper sedimentary unit ranging from ~0.5 to ~2.5 meters depth with a coarser grained higher permeability lower unit. GPR lines were analyzed for groundwater surface depths and buried channel cut and fill features (Peterson et. al., 2004). GPR results showed a fairly shallow groundwater surface around 0.5 meters in the north down to 2.0 meters in the south. The piezometer wells showed a seasonal variation in well water elevation with higher elevations in the winter and lower in the summer. Well water chemistry showed both seasonal and spatial variations. Values for pH and dissolved oxygen were lower in the north side of the marsh and higher in the south side, and pH was higher in the summer than in the winter. Wells that were more proximal (within ~400 m) to the Coquille River Estuary showed higher conductivity (salinity) values than those that were more distal (greater than ~400 m). Channel sampling results showed similar trends as the groundwater results. The lower pH values tended to be in the north side of the marsh as well as lower dissolved oxygen values. Again, there was a spatial variability in conductivity with the higher values found closer to the Coquille River. Conductivity in the channel water showed a great seasonal variability with the highest values occurring in the summer time and much lower values in the winter. As expected, channel water increased about 10 °C on average from winter to summer. The results of all of these observations and analyses are combined to put together a generalized flow model showing the different water inputs into the channel waters on the Ni-les'tun Unit. Once these inputs were derived, conclusions can be made on the quality of the water and its ability to support small aquatic life. Title: Characterization of the Shallow Subsurface Geohydrology of the Ni-les'tun Unit on the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge Author: Beard, Christopher Madison Year: 2013 The Bandon Marsh is a large marsh restoration project located in southwest Oregon. The land has been previously used for dairy farms and much of the marsh was used for cattle grazing. The goal of the restoration is to recreate a natural habitat for shorebirds and fish. The purpose of this thesis is to gather and analyze data on the geology of the marsh and both ground and surface water quality to evaluate its ability to support biology. The US Fish and Wildlife Service began restoration on the Bandon marsh in 2005. Research on the Ni-les'tun Unit began in that same year with Geoprobe coring, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), piezometer well installation, and surface water analysis. Twelve cores were taken with the Geoprobe in 2006 and later analyzed for this thesis. A total of 50 GPR lines were run across the marsh ranging from ~25 m to 1,200 m in length for a total of about 9,700 meters (9.7 km). The ten piezometer wells were sampled to collect groundwater pH, oxidation-reduction potential, salinity, temperature, and well water elevation. Twelve channel sampling sites were chosen to be sampled in three field runs taking place in winter 2011, summer 2011, and winter 2012. The summer 2011 and winter 2012 sampling runs were done after tide gates had been removed from the marsh. The Geoprobe core samples were retrieved for extensive lab analysis. Analyses included; bulk density, porosity, permeability, and grain size studies. Lab results revealed a low permeability fine grained upper sedimentary unit ranging from ~0.5 to ~2.5 meters depth with a coarser grained higher permeability lower unit. GPR lines were analyzed for groundwater surface depths and buried channel cut and fill features (Peterson et. al., 2004). GPR results showed a fairly shallow groundwater surface around 0.5 meters in the north down to 2.0 meters in the south. The piezometer wells showed a seasonal variation in well water elevation with higher elevations in the winter and lower in the summer. Well water chemistry showed both seasonal and spatial variations. Values for pH and dissolved oxygen were lower in the north side of the marsh and higher in the south side, and pH was higher in the summer than in the winter. Wells that were more proximal (within ~400 m) to the Coquille River Estuary showed higher conductivity (salinity) values than those that were more distal (greater than ~400 m). Channel sampling results showed similar trends as the groundwater results. The lower pH values tended to be in the north side of the marsh as well as lower dissolved oxygen values. Again, there was a spatial variability in conductivity with the higher values found closer to the Coquille River. Conductivity in the channel water showed a great seasonal variability with the highest values occurring in the summer time and much lower values in the winter. As expected, channel water increased about 10 °C on average from winter to summer. The results of all of these observations and analyses are combined to put together a generalized flow model showing the different water inputs into the channel waters on the Ni-les'tun Unit. Once these inputs were derived, conclusions can be made on the quality of the water and its ability to support small aquatic life. Close