How Is Degradation Effecting South East Asia Environmental Sciences Essay

IntroductionBing a tropical part, bulk of Southeast Asia ‘s member states are rich in biodiversity. Southeast Asia in general is one of the countries in the Earth that holds most of the resources. However, the rich biodiversity of the country did non vouch economic stableness ( although the part experienced economic growing in the recent decennaries ) . Apparently, it is an country which is comprised chiefly by developing states and states with flourishing population. Further, the rate of population growing in the part is comparatively high, and it ranked among the fastest turning topographic point in the universe. Hand in manus with this, is the rapid urbanisation that is taking topographic point in assorted states of the Southeast Asia. Presently the population of Southeast Asia makes the 8.7 per cent of the entire universe population, nevertheless its land district merely comprised of about 3 per cent of the whole land country of the universe. These two variables are distributed at different proportions among the states comprises Southeast Asia, and Indonesia embraces the largest part land district in the part at the same clip it is considered the biggest archipelago in universe. Therefore, it has the largest figure of human species in Southeast Asia, and fundamentally ranked 5th among the states of the universe with the highest figure of population. Furthermore, because of its archipelagic characteristic, Indonesia is bestowed with singular biodiversity both in land and marine countries[ 1 ]. The natural resources have been an of import participant to the economic development of Indonesia. However, the arresting biological wealth of state is invariably confronting sedate menace. Being situated at the Pacific Ring of Fire, it faces assorted black activities related to the motion of the Earth which threaten the being of some species in the country, but aside from this natural menace, a more terrible signifier of menace that is continuously being experienced by the country comes from human activities which led to a great magnitude of devastation natural resources in Indonesia. Too frequently, development plans of the states are made with small respects to the environment and its possible impacts and changes to the ecosystem ( Partha ; 2002 ) .. The mere ballooning of the human population is another challenge to both the economic system and the environment. With the rapid population growing of the state and altering regulations in the resource instabilities occur. And there is no better illustration of the instability that occurs between the economic system and the environment than clime alteration.[ 2 ]This merchandise of environmental debasement due to human activities desire for development resulted to extreme inundations, drouths and typhoons, which straight or indirectly affects the state ‘s economic system ( Tasaka ; 1992 ) and its people. At this point we are all cognizant that Indonesia is the top state in Southeast Asia when it comes to natural resources and biodiversity ; nevertheless it is besides the state that has the highest rate of environmental loss. In this respect this paper will show the initial reply to the undermentioned inquiries: What are the effects of environmental debasement particularly climate alteration in Indonesia? What are top beginnings of environmental debasement in the said country, and to what extent does it impact the socio-economic state of affairs of the people and the state in general? What is the current position of the environmental debasement and clime alteration in Indonesia, and how does the job of environmental impairment being addressed by the province?Different Faces of Environmental DegradationThe high quality in resources of the state, like what is mentioned above, is based on its rich environmental diverseness. However, this profusion is easy stealing off due to the environmental debasement. Therefore, twelvemonth by twelvemonth the gait of environmental debasement becomes faster than the old old ages. Long-run development of assorted resources put excessively much toll on the environment. The end for development normally clashes with the environmental rule, and this is non a state of affairs endemic in Indonesia, about all underdeveloped states is confronting the same quandary. Export Pollution During the earlier decennaries, among the several identified causes of the weakening of natural resources or environment in general is â€Å" Pollution Export † . This pollution export was introduced to the part by Nipponese industries. Two decennaries after the World War II, Nipponese industrialisation took off. This advancement nevertheless is anchored at the Swift development of heavy and chemical industry and most of their physical constructions were built in intensely populated locations. The locations of these construction triggered bitterness from the locals. Huge protest started to put in gesture in order to eliminate the constructions which protestors and civil societies claimed to hold a destructive consequence non merely to the environment but to the nearby population ( Hall, 2002 ) . In the coming of 1970 ‘s, people ‘s consciousness and concerns were heightened. Many of the local groups pressured the authorities to turn to the issue on local pollution being produced by chemical industries by taking into consideration resettlement countries of the mills both domestic and international sites. As a response of the province, industries were transferred to prefectures and some where even moved to other provinces, and Southeast Asiatic states were the 1s seen as promising locale for resettlement ( Lucas ; 1992 ) . The transportation of industries to the developing states had been easy because leaders of these states took the state of affairs as an chance for development without taking into consideration the effects to the environment. Due to this, the fact that these industries were evicted from their original locations because of the anthropogenetic pollution that it created and its negative impact to the environment were overlooked, if non deliberately neglected. With the transportation of these industries, pollution was besides transferred to the new site. One of the industries relocated in Southeast Asia, peculiarly in Malaysia and Indonesia is the International Tree Plantation ( ITP ) . This is a big graduated table plantation is consist of one assortment of works that is in demand for export. ITP vary from oil thenar plantation, pulpwood plantation, timber plantation and others. In the countries of Malaysia and Indonesia, it is either Pulpwood or Palm oil plantation that is present. Although, ITP sometimes is perceived as non destructive as compared to other signifiers of resettled industries, it still has a negative consequence on the environment. All these plantations are monoculture that tries to replace natural ecosystems which can take to negative effects on the environment and the society. Take for case the eucalyptus plantation in Indonesia, wherein it causes the lessening in H2O production and the supplanting of autochthonal people shacking in the country that was cleared for plantation. These industries are merely taking to bring forth and sell ( Lohmann ; 1999 ) . Transboundary Haze Pollution Another major subscriber to the environmental debasement in the part is transboundary pollution and it is known as haze pollution.[ 3 ]This pollution crosses lodgers of different districts. There are two common types of haze pollution, foremost is the pollution that can make topographic points through organic structures of H2O, and the 2nd type are those pollution that is being carried to different topographic points through air ( Hanim, 2002 ) . Among the types of transboundary pollution, it is air pollution that affects most of Southeast Asia. Although, marine pollution is besides a job in the country, when it comes to the consequence and how the part is being affected, it is air pollution brought more incommodiousness. Since transboundary pollution is a traveling pollution, it has the inclination of transporting the pollution off from the emitters and conveying it to the non-emitters doing the one responsible for the pollution acquire off with the effects while those who are guiltless of the dead suffer the majority of its terminal consequences. This scenario has been a perennial experience among Southeasterly Asiatic states, although here both the emitters and non-emitters suffer the consequence of the actions of the anterior entity. Transboundary haze pollution that has been experienced in this part is normally caused by forest fires in Indonesia.[ 4 ]The forest fire is normally the result of glade of the plantation countries that got out of manus and go a full blown forest fire. Although, there has been a policy that summon plantation industries non to utilize combustion in uncluttering the field, still there are still a batch of them that stick to this method because it ‘s more convenient and fast. Furthermore, with the altering clime and increasing temperature in the current clip, happenings of forest fire will be more frequent particularly if the plantation industries will go on to utilize firing a method of uncluttering the field. In connexion to this, governments identified country of Kalimantan and Sumatra as most vulnerable to forest fire because of two grounds. First, because the countries are to a great extent forested hence fire could easy eat the full wood and go forthing an undreamed sum of am endss, and 2nd, is because bulk its constituents are extremely combustible. Prior to the recent 2006 forest fire that occurred in Indonesia, it had a series of destructive forest fires in the yesteryear that made major belittling effects non merely to the people but most particularly to the economic system of the states affected. During the El Nino phenomenon on 1997-1998, the recorded worst forest fire broke off in the land of Indonesia. Total estimated damaged reached US $ 9 billion in all sectors that were affected in the state, nevertheless non included in this figure are the sum of damaged it caused to its adjacent states, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. In 2002, another forest fire occurred in Indonesia, nevertheless as compared to the earlier forest fire in 1998, this one is less aggressive and caused lesser damaged. The most recent wood fire, like what is mentioned above, occurred on October 2006 covering the hot topographic point countries of Kalimantan and Sumatra. This recent episode of forest fire even affected the Pacific Islands. The effects of forest fire as transboundary pollution are countless. The gas emanation from the burning is the ground why Indonesia is among the top ranking green house gas emitters. Each clip a wood or a plantation is cleared, dozenss of anthropogenetic gases are being release in the ambiance. These gases are major ground for planetary heating. Aside from the fatal effects of haze pollution to the environment, it besides places damaging consequence on people ‘s wellness ; moreover it disrupts the economic activities. Climate Change The issue on environmental debasement and clime alteration are inseparable. Whenever the impairment of the environment takes the spotlight, non far buttocks is the fickle shifting of planetary temperature, entangled happenings of drouth and typhoon and so many others. Scientists claim that the adhering tie between the two issues is the opprobrious human activities. Harmonizing to some bookmans, although non all of the lending factors to climate alteration are semisynthetic, comparatively immense part of it was triggered by unstoppable human activities. Take for illustration, the abovementioned wood fire. Some may reason that forest fire are non truly associated to any activities of homo, nevertheless this statement might be true in some occasions like in the times of boom storm. However, if we would analysis it deeper, the figure of boom that hits the forested country is undistinguished as compared to human-induced instances of forest fire. These issues ( environmental debasement and clime alteration ) are non confined in an country or countries entirely. Climate alteration specifically is a planetary concern and it will go on to be one. Sometimes this issue leads to the division of the universe between the South and the North The division between universe states is mark by the separation between the developed and the developing economic systems of Southeast Asia. This limit besides separates the major subscribers to climate alteration, in other words the states that emit most of the green house gases, and the states that have small part in the emanation of green house gasses, yet are most likely to super the most effects. Normally, developing states comprise the South contingent, while developed states comprise the North contingent. With this it is noticeable that developing states as a whole has a comparatively little emanation of GHG which cause clime alteration. On the other manus, developed states about occupied all the top places as provinces with the highest sum of GHG emanations. This tendency is straight relative to the sum of industrialisation that occurs in a peculiar province. In retrospect, since developed states are less industrialised in contrast to the extremely industrialised states of the North, that is why they have history for a lesser GHG emanations unlike in the instance of the ulterior group. In footings of emanation Indonesia ranks among the states with high GHG emanations. Forest fires and deforestations are the beginning of green house gases being emitted by Indonesia to the ambiance. In comparing to non-forestry emanation, forestry emanations are five times larger than emanation generated from non-forestry sector ( industrial and energy sectors ) . In the figure below, Indonesia ranked 3rd among the highest subscribers of C dioxide in the universe ( Houghton ; 2003 ) . Furthermore, deforestation and land transition are the major beginnings of emanations of ghg in Indonesia, while agricultural sector has the lowest part to the ghg and the sum accumulated by this sector is globally undistinguished.[ 5 ]Unlike in developed states wherein their chief beginning of gas emanation is from the energy sector in Indonesia, energy sector emanation is really little, nevertheless it is little yet quickly turning. In the thick of industrialisation that is go oning in the state it is the energy sector that supports the said growing, and with the rapid rate of industrialisation growing, the use of energy goes bigger every bit good ensuing to the increasing emanation of ghg by the sector.Summary of Green House Gas EmissionThis chart shows the ranking of top GHG emitters ‘ states harmonizing to the US EPA. It besides shows the dislocation o f beginnings of GHG emitted by each state.It is noticeable that some of the development states are included among the top emitter states In Indonesia forestry ( deforestation and forest fire ) is the chief beginning of GHG emanation. Figure 1 Beginning: US EPA 2006The Deterioration of the Environment and Its ImpactsEffectss of environmental debasement are extremely apparent in Indonesia. This is farther aggravated by inconsistent clime ( which is besides a merchandise of environmental debasement ) . Because of this, the country is exposed to great losingss. The combined emphasis due to the rapid population growing of its population and its physical features as an archipelagic state with a astonishing coastline put the full state in a really vulnerable terms to the impacts of clime alteration. Among the extremely affected group are the people from below poorness. Most of them shack along the unguarded countries and they besides do n't hold mechanism to accommodate to the altering state of affairs being face by the state. In the recent clip, the state has already experienced drawn-out drouths, stronger typhoons and inundations. All these are rooted to the abuse and maltreatment of the environment. In add-on, the rich biodiversity of the state is besides at hazard which may do drastic consequence on nutrient supply and security of the state. Another at hand menace to nutrient security is the clime alteration ; this might impact the activities of the husbandmans and fishermen taking to production loss. Aside from these, listed below are the other impacts derived from environmental debasement. Agriculture, Economy and Food Security, Agribusiness is a major economic sector in Indonesia. It accounts for bulk of GDP of the state, and so Indonesia relies to a great extent on the part from this sector and most of the economic systems are depending on agribusiness and natural resources. In add-on, this is besides the sector that provides most of the nutrient demands of the state. With the coming of the embracing consequence of environmental debasement, clime alteration is badly pounding agribusiness. Changes in precipitation and temperature curtail the agricultural activities because it lower dirt birthrate, shorten turning season, limits the type of harvest that can be planted, and hence put the husbandmans at the losing terminal. All these interpret to lesser output, lesser production and comparatively low income for the people involved in this economic system. Scholars stressed the high possibility of nutrient deficit because of these alterations in the usual mechanism of the environment ( Amin ; ; 2004 and Fahn ; 2000 ) . With the diminution in agricultural production, nutrient security will automatically be affected. Take for case, the 1997-1998 El Nino Southern Oscillation ( ENSO ) phenomena, the event affected the length of moisture and dry seasons in Indonesia.[ 6 ]Prolonged moistures and dry seasons were experienced which caused a crisp diminution in agricultural production and brought about one of the greatest autumn in gross domestic merchandise in the past several old ages ( Lasco et al. ; 2008 ) . Just the mere hold of one month in the oncoming of rainy season during El Nino old ages decreases the production of rice by 6.7 % in west Indonesia and 11 % in East Indonesia ( Naytor et al. ; 2007 ) .The ENSO Map of Indonesia-10 months – 8 months – 6 months – 4 months – 2 months – 0 months Beginning: World Meteorological Organization Based on figure 2, the islands of Java, Bali, Komodo, Flores, Lombok, Sumbawa, Alor, West Timor, part of Sumatra, part of Sulawesi and parts of Irian Jaya experienced the longest drouth which lasted eight months during the El Nino Southern Oscillation. Figure 2. Above is a map demoing the length of dry season experienced throughout Indonesia during the happening of ENSO in 1997-1998. -10 months – 8 months – 6 months – 4 months – 2 months – 0 monthsSummary of Observed Impacts of Climate Change on Forestry Sector Climate alteration Observed impacts Increasing temperature – Increased frequence of forest fires every bit good as country of burnt woods – Increased plague and disease infestation in woods Variability in precipitation ( including El Nino Southern Oscillation ) – Increased forest fire, and pest and disease infestation due to drought – Change in precipitation form, impacting endurance of seedlings and saplings – Increased dirt eroding and debasement of water partings due to intermittent drouth and implosion therapy – Increased population of invasive works species Sea degree rise – Loss of Rhizophora mangle woods due to progressing sea degrees Beginnings: Boer and Dewi ( 2008 ) , Cuong ( 2008 ) , Ho ( 2008 ) , Jesdapipat ( 2008 ) , Perez ( 2008 ) .Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture SectorClimate alteration Observed impacts Increasing temperature – Decreased harvest outputs due to heat emphasis – Increased livestock deceases due to heat emphasis – Increased eruption of insect plagues and diseases Variability in precipitation ( including El Nino Southern Oscillation ) – Increased frequence of drouth, inundations, and tropical cyclones ( associated with strong air currents ) , doing harm to harvests – Change in precipitation form affected current cropping form ; harvest turning season and sowing period changed – Increased overflow and dirt eroding caused diminution in dirt birthrate and accordingly harvest outputs Sea degree rise – Loss of cultivable lands due to progressing sea degree – Salinization of irrigation H2O affected harvest growing and output Beginnings: Boer and Dewi ( 2008 ) , Cuong ( 2008 ) , Ho ( 2008 ) , Jesdapipat ( 2008 ) , Perez ( 2008 ) .Summary of Observed Impacts of Climate Change on Coastal and Marine ResourcesClimate alteration Observed impacts Increasing temperature – Increased coral bleaching and devolution of coral reefs Variability in precipitation ( including El Nino Southern Oscillation ) – Increased loss of land due to eroding and implosion therapy of coastal countries – Increased harm from inundations and ramp rush including harm to aquaculture industry Sea degree rise – Accelerated salt H2O invasion inland Beginnings: Boer and Dewi ( 2008 ) , Cuong ( 2008 ) , Ho ( 2008 ) , Jesdapipat ( 2008 ) , Perez ( 2008 ) . Beginning: Taken from Asian Development Bank Indonesia gets hotter than of all time Annual temperature in Indonesia has been increasing as observed by scientists. During 1990 ‘s until the first twosome of old ages of 2000, temperature in the state has a hiting up tendency by 0.3 grades Celsius. This form of addition has been consistent throughout the decennary, although there were times that the addition is a small spot below or above that the expected temperature. However, the greatest divergence of expected heating of temperature happened during the 1998 which coincide with ENSO. The addition in temperature about reached 1 grade Celsius which was manner higher than any addition in temperature in the span of three decennaries ( 1961-1990 ) . That was the hottest twelvemonth in Indonesia in a century ( Climatic Research unit-WWF ; 2006 ) . For the following decennary, Indonesia is anticipating a greater addition in temperature throughout the state because of extra consequence of clime alteration. From 0.3oC annual addition in the old decennaries, in 2020 Indonesia ‘s temperature will increase at the rate of 0.36 grades Celsius up to 0.47 grades Celsius. In the projection done by Susandi ( 2007 ) below, the southeasterly portion of the Moluccas Island and the island of Kalimantan will see the highest temperatures. Beginning: Taken from World Bank and Department for International Development Report Figure 3. Projected Average Temperature by Year 2020 The addition in temperature has direct and indirect effects on agribusiness, forestry and marine sectors. The forestry sector has experienced greater episodes of forest fire due to the rise of temperature. This was proven by the important addition of countries burned during the El Nino. During the series of El Nino phenomenon dated 1982-1983, 1994 and 1997-1998 a sum of 13.5 million hour angle of wood had been burned Murdiyarso and Adiningsih ; 2006 ) . Forest fire triggered by lifting temperature ( climate alteration ) and/or by human activities is damaging to human. Health jobs arise from this event and aside from which, it besides affects the economic system. In Marine sector, the most prevailing consequence of warming of temperature in Indonesia is coral bleaching.[ 7 ]Presently, in the survey conducted on coral reefs a really little part, 6 % , of the state reefs remain at an first-class status while the largest ball, 70 % , of the coral population are classified under carnival to hapless status and 24 % are in good status ( Johns Hopkins University 2003 ) . Majority of coral population under the class of just to hapless were bleached. This state of affairs decreases the marine biodiversity and marine resources. Sea Level Rise

U.S. Economy in the 19th Century

Peter Hart History 1:00-1:50 U. S. Economy in the 19th Century The Industrial Revolution first took place in Britain where it spread like wild fire. Eventually it made its way to America in the late 1800’s to the 19th century where it would eventually change America in every aspect. The American Revolution began because of a single British man named Samuel Slater who brought over manufacturing technologies. The creation of the cotton gin by Slater would soon be the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.The Industrial Revolution brought many new ideas and inventions that made the economy boom. The North would be the first to start the Industrial Revolution while the South stayed true to their old ways; agriculture. The effects of the Industrial Revolution put a strain on both the South and the North. On top of all of this, many changes were being made in this time period such as transportation, manufacturing, and communications. All of these changes transformed the daily lives of Americans as much as it did as any other historical event that has happened in history.Because of this major event, many effects were being taken place; Unions, working conditions and labor itself were accounted for the changes in the 19th century. The North started out as a commercial industry where trading and selling was a big part of American life. Before the Industrial Revolution hit America, people made all of their goods/products in their homes. Factories weren’t that prominent in the North until the Industrial Revolution came by. Technological advancements were nowhere to be found because they were used to making everything at home by hand.The South was farther behind in innovations than the North itself. They were strictly agricultural and farming. In due time though, a man named Samuel Slater brought over new manufacturing technologies from Britain to the United States where it would start the Industrial Revolution. From there, many more inventions were created such as the steamboat by Robert Fulton which marked the beginning in technological innovations. This invention would make transportation of goods and services quicker and more effectively. Another invention during this time period was the telegraph. The telegraph was reated by Samuel Morse. This invention was created in 1837 which allowed America to send messages to international countries all around the world. The new inventions being created in America would lead America in a direction of prosperity and a dominant force in production and at the same time agricultural ways. America would eventually emerge as the center of industry and agricultural in the late 19th century. As an effect of the Industrial revolution, population tripled, farming doubled in the amount of work due to technological inventions such as the steel plow by John Deere.This invention allowed farmers to plow fields faster and plow more fields without having to change the iron plow every time they uproot the grou nd. Due to this invention, more workers were needed to harvest the crops when the time came. Fortunately, a certain invention was made that helped the harvesting process go quicker and more efficiently. This invention was known as the reaper which was made in 1831 by Cyrus McCormick. Certain inventions helped working production go a lot faster than it was before the Industrial Revolution started. The U. S.Patent Office had a record of 276 inventions during the 1790’s, during the 1890’s a record of 235,000 inventions were registered. At first, the South was resistant against this new generation of inventions and industrialized cities. Ultimately, the South would fall under the new ways of the North. From 1880 to 1900, the amount of cotton mills increased dramatically; 161 to 400 in less than decade. As the need for workers rose, so did the amount of cotton. The amount of cotton increased by eightfold while the amount of workers increased by fivefold.All of these increas es resulted in the creations of new inventions. As production increased, so did the need for labor. But as labor increased, so did changes in working conditions, labor itself, and Unions were created on behalf of all of the workers. Even though all of these inventions prospered America, working conditions in the factories that were producing goods such as steel, cotton fabric, and other goods were bad and harmful for the workers. The life of a 19th-century American industrial worker was far from easy. Even in decent times, wages were low, hours were long, and working conditions hazardous.Little of the wealth which the growth of the nation had produced went to its workers. The situation was worse for women and children, who made up a high percentage of the work force in some industries and often received but a fraction of the wages a man could earn. Periodic economic crises swept the nation, further eroding industrial wages and producing high levels of unemployment. At the same time, the technological improvements, which added so much to the nation's productivity, continually reduced the demand for skilled labor.Yet the unskilled labor pool was constantly growing, as record numbers of immigrants, 18 million between 1880 and 1910, entered the country, looking for work. Before 1874, when Massachusetts passed the nation's first legislation limiting the number of hours women and children factory workers could perform to 10 hours a day, there was literally no labor legislation that existed in the country. It was not until the 1930s that the federal government would become actively involved. Until then, it was left to the state and local authorities, few of whom were as responsive to the workers as they were to wealthy industrialists.The laissez-faire capitalism, which dominated the second half of the 19th century and fostered huge concentrations of wealth and power, was backed by a judiciary which time and again ruled against those who challenged the system. For mil lions, living and working conditions were poor, and the hope of escaping from a lifetime of poverty was slight to none. As late as 1900, the United States had the highest job-related death rate of any industrialized nation in the world. Most industrial workers still worked a 10-hour day (12 hours in the steel industry), yet earned from 20 to 40 percent less than the minimum deemed necessary for a decent life.The situation was only worse for children, whose numbers in the work force doubled between 1870 and 1900. On top of working in harsh conditions, workers had to face low wages and long hours that consisted of a 60 hour week load. These conditions were outrageous and then eventually led to the forming of unions. The first major effort to organize workers' groups on a nationwide basis appeared with The Noble Order of the Knights of Labor in 1869. Originally a secret, ritualistic society organized by Philadelphia garment workers, it was open to all workers, including blacks, women a nd farmers.The Knights grew slowly until they succeeded in facing down the great railroad baron, Jay Gould, in an 1885 strike. Within a year they added 500,000 workers to their rolls. The Knights of Labor soon fell into decline, and their place in the labor movement was steadily taken by the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Rather than open its membership to all, the AFL, under former cigar union official Samuel Gompers, focused on skilled workers. His objectives were straight-forward and simple: increase wages, reduce hours and improve working conditions.Per se, Gompers helped turn the labor movement away from the socialist views earlier labor leaders had supported. Due to the capital not granting their goals, riots started to break out. A certain riot known as the Great Rail Strike of 1877 was taken place because of 10 percent cut in wages. This started a line of riots that spurted throughout the country. Finally, after many riots and negotiating with the bosses at the factorie s, conditions in factories were better and hours were decreased and wages were increased.Child labor laws were forced upon everyone, while women were given the chance to have equal opportunities and equal wages as men. All of these effects of the Industrial Revolution played a vital role in forming what is now known as America today. The Industrial Revolution led America in a way that forever changed it. It was one of the most historic events to ever happen in American history. Due to new inventions and ideas, America was led into an Industrial Revolution. With the Industrial Revolution came more jobs and Unions to protect the people in the factories from harsh working conditions, long hours, and small wages. .

Information Systems in Project Management Reassessment Assignment

Information Systems in Project Management Reassessment - Assignment Example This paper illustrates that a number of organizations involved in the development of software products have still not resorted to the use of sets of vital signs in monitoring the status of different projects that they undertake. Similarly, other organizations never even use properly documented processes to discover half-baked project concepts at the early stages of a development process and others are not even in a position to discern or rule out a troubled project in a timely fashion. In addition, some organizations are fond of neglecting or treating with a little regard the need to train the targeted clients on the benefits attributed to successful projects along with the crucial success factors that surround the development processes. Some of the factors that often contribute to failure are issues like incomplete or vaguely stated business requirements and specifications, insufficient or lacking executive support, changing business specifications, insufficient planning, technologi cal incompetence and insufficient resources among others. On the other hand, success factors for different projects including but not limited to realistic schedules and estimates, clearly defined project goals, prior specification of the quality criteria of the anticipated deliverable, active support from top management, team competence, and proactive issue resolution together with the project manager’s level of competence. In the context of project management, a critical success factor is an important influence which can determine the success of a project. Thus, critical success factors refer to the series of conditions, influences or factors that contribute towards the outcome of a project. Examples of success factors regarding software projects include open communication, careful risk management, proper planning, and properly defined scope together with a selection of a competent staff.

Marks and Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marks and Spencer - Essay Example Strengths of Marks and Spencer, primarily is their assets. Many of their outlets are purchased when land inside metropolitan areas was not at a premium; as a result the value of these outlets has skyrocketed. Secondarily one of our key strengths is their image (also a weakness that I shall arrive at later) and their brand name, St.Michael. Finally their last identifiable strength is their market share (currently static at 13%) [5]. Their Weaknesses are, as mentioned already, the image and brand name. This is mainly because their target market is split into a number of segments, the most easily identifiable being: School Clothes; pre-teens; teens - 30; 30's - 40's; 50+. This diverse coverage means that they lack the Marketing Economies of Scale with which to target and cater for each of these specifically. In addition to this there is a certain amount of product association that occurs, in the same way Lexus is attached to Toyota, they can't shake the image of a post-war retailer from the minds of the younger people that they're targeting. Opportunities are present in their ability to reshape the firm. With the main segments of the market identified I believe positive steps could be taken to capitalize on this discovery [5]. They can use this information to re-brand certain areas to make them more focused on the individual segments rather than trying to nurture a "One product suits all" ethos. They cultivate a new strategy that makes us more individual. Threats to them still remain the use of Marketing Economies by our competitors. There is no way they can get these simply because of the range that our products are targeting. Other weaknesses include their recent bad press regarding treatment of suppliers which is magnified by their previously thought reliability as a top retailer [1]. The stock marketis a threat to them, mainly because their falling share price leads to less people being interested in purchasing our shares. Chapter 3: Factors Affecting Decision Making: 3.1 The threat of entry: Economies of scale e.g. the benefits associated with bulk purchasing. The high or low cost of entry, e.g. how much will it cost for the latest technology Ease of access to distribution channels e.g. Do our competitors have the distribution channels sewn up Cost advantages not related to the size of the company e.g. personal contacts or knowledge that larger companies do not own or learning curve effects. Will competitors retaliate Government action e.g. will new laws be introduced that will weaken our competitive position How important is differentiation This desensitises the influence of the environment. All they above questions are determinants for a competitor or a new firm to enter the market. Marks and Spencer is constantly bombarded with newer brands which are more consumers specific and focused. People perceive Marks and Spencer as being 'behind the times' and so they have to bring their image in line with the 21st Century in order to win back the customers they have lost to the likes of Gap, Next and USC. According to recent customer surveys, people believe that Marks and Spencer have no specific market. People have commented on the fact that they cannot identify with the store because Marks and Spencer

Elements of Religion and Alternative paths Essay

Elements of Religion and Alternative paths - Essay Example To begin with, one should point out that I consider myself to be a Christian. That is why I participate in some of the rituals that are characteristic to this religion. For example, I was baptized. In spite of the fact that I was too young to do make a conscious decision about it, at the present moment I consider this to be an important even in my life. I also go to services from time to time which means that I participate in rituals that were established by my religion. In addition to that, my religious belief manifests itself in a widely developed ethical system that allows me to find correct ways to behave in some of the most difficult situations. Indeed, whenever I am faced with a choice which involved many different aspects to consider, I judge the decision that I would like to make against ethical guidelines that are preached by my religion, determining if I will be able to comply with them in case I make a particular decision. I would like to note that there were many instance s when my religion allowed me to choose the best option. Finally, it would not be a mistake to argue that community as well as the sense of it plays an important role in my religion. Thus, I primarily see the latter is a shared ground for different people to unite and work out a common understanding of the world that can hardly be explained in a one dimensional way. If one takes a close look at my religious belief, one will be able to see that some of elements of it outweigh other. For example, I put big emphasis on practical (ethical system) and social aspects (community), while the central myths that are promoted are not as important for me since I acknowledge that their major function is to create symbolic value. In other words, I am far more interested in elements that are able to help be on a daily basis, rather than some abstract notions that differ my religions beliefs for other. Now, it may be quite suitable to turn to the

Structureal engeneering Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Structureal engeneering - Assignment Example These are often polluted by hazardous wastes and pollutants of low level. The brownfield sites have become very popular recently because of the lack of availability of green lands (lands which have not been built-upon in past). These sites are very popular in urban areas where demand for residential and commercial buildings is very high. In such areas the old buildings are destroyed and new buildings take their place. The government in UK is taking considerable steps to encourage the use of brownfield sites and these sites have become very popular in recent past. Brownfield sites are being developed on priority basis. Brownfield sites can be redeveloped in many ways, not only by constructing residential or commercial buildings but also as recreational and open spaces. The first step in the redevelopment of a brownfield site is its assessment through certain specified experimental procedures. These experimental procedures involve analysis of the soil, analysis of surface and ground water through testing for hazardous compounds. After the conduction of these tests test reports are obtained which dictate the extent of pollution and the nature of remedial measures. Certain specific laws are present which govern the redevelopment of brownfield sites, these laws are subjected to strict environmental regulations and these can be prohibitive for the developers. A brownfield site developer should not only know about the construction techniques but also should be highly equipped to cope with environmental challenges which are to be faced during the redevelopment of a brownfield site. After the correct assessment of the potential risks involved in the redevelopment of the brownfield site, the next step is the remediation. Remediation means the removal of al l the assessed contaminants to an extent that will bring the contamination level to a very low which is

Nineteenth Century Jerusalem Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nineteenth Century Jerusalem - Research Paper Example This report stresses that the Crimean War of 1853–1856 portended a significant influence on the development of Jerusalem in the 19th centuryAs a result of foreign help for the Ottomans against the Russians during the time of the Crimean War, the Ottoman Empire incurred heavy debts to these foreign powers. In Jerusalem, this enabled consular representatives to exert political pressure for their nationals to be offered special protection. Jews found more ways to purchase land and build shops, streets, synagogues, and houses as the Western powers gained increasing power and influence in Jerusalem, which, in turn, flourished with growth and activity. An outbreak of dysentery further pushed more Jews outside the confines of the old city into areas with less congestion and better sanitation. Because of this expansion outside Jerusalem, Zionism arose in the late 19th century as a term, which was portrayed in direct reference to Jerusalem. This paper makes a conclusion that Nathan Birnbaum first used the term Zionism as a reference to the need for Jews to immigrate to Jerusalem and Palestine as a result of fascist ideologies. Zionism became the Jewish national movement in support of creation of a Jewish homeland in Jerusalem and Palestine. The earliest version of Zionism in the late 19th century aimed at opposing the assimilation of Jews in Palestine, instead pushing for a Jewish homeland and nation that would liberate them from future discrimination.

It is a film review using book how to read literature like a Essay

It is a film review using book how to read literature like a professor-Foster Thomas - Essay Example According to Foster, acts of vampire can be symbolic and can include exploitations, evil, selfishness, using other people to get what one wants, refusing to respect other peoples autonomy and placing ones needs above others. According to Foster, flight symbolically means escape, freedom, returning home or the flight of the imagination. Flight includes the use of flying images such as birds. In the movie, violence is evident when Lord Voldemort killed Harry’s parents though he failed in killing Harry when he was just a year old. The attack by Voldemort also left a lightning bolt shaped scar on Harry’s forehead which produced stabbing pains whenever Voldemort felt any strong emotions. Violence in this movie was caused by a Lord Voldemort, a character who caused stabbing effects on Harry. Foster believes that this kind of violence is symbolic in action, which shows the connection between Harry and the Sorcerer-Harry had become a wizard. Geography is another theme evident in the film. Family is a very important theme in the movie. This is evident when Harry misses his family that he never knew and hates the Dursleys; the one he is stuck with. Blood relationship matters a lot. The Dursleys feed Harry, but they do not love him and do not treat him well. Harry later meets Hogwarts who nurtures and cares for him, hence becoming a family. Foster believes that this type of geography matters in the film represents love, security, family and home. Harry went to Hogwarts with the main aim of making friends and hence forming a family. By making friends, both Harry and Hogwarts learned on how to work together, they learned from each other and even accomplished more that what each of them would have done on their own. Love is evident when Harry finds a room that contained the Mirror of Erised from the restricted section of information in the Library, which showed him of his parents as well as several of his parent’s ance stors.

Reflections on the Field Trip Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflections on the Field Trip - Essay Example A high population translates in high demand for essential goods and services, and that would be an inducement to invest even more. It also ensures that all the available resources are utilized maximally and to optimal levels so as to fully exploit the full potential of the place. Low population would translate to underutilization of resources and low returns on investment. Mass investments in an urban centre must be properly planned. In this respect, urban or town authorities must have a professional responsible for planning mass investments. One should never rely on a supposed role of market forces; neither should they expect any magic. The planning must be carried out in a proactive manner, and in consideration of all the prevailing factors. This ensures that these investments have proper locations within the town, and prevents tendency of investors to congest one part of an urban locality while ignoring others. Some of the common mass investments include bus rapid transit, light r ail and fixed guideway. Prior to launching these investments, sufficient time should be allocated for carrying out prefeasibility studies and ascertain if such investments are really necessary and would be profitable. The cost-effective aspects of these investments must also be considered during such studies. Other crucial factors include land use and availability of space, employment densities, and walkable neighborhood designs. Land use and availability of space are of immense importance. For instance, space would be required for bus stop.

What is news and which are the influences exercised on the daily news Essay

What is news and which are the influences exercised on the daily news production processes Discuss critically the pressures put upon news gathering, selection - Essay Example What exactly is news? What is it about news that makes it an integral part of us? What is there in the words we hear and read that make us feel equal with almost every great leader and genius out there? Learning something from the news we hear and having the ability to discuss it with anyone make us feel as if we have become an important part of the world. And we are. This is the reason why we feel connected with almost every person, regardless of the color of our skin and the language of our tongue. With the ever-growing presence of technologies developed each day, there’s no reason for us to feel alone whenever something happens to us, may it be victory or tragedy, because we know that some people from the next town or halfway around the world share our feelings. A good story answers those questions above and contains all the elements therein to create and report complete and accurate news. And while there’s good news, there’s also the bad news, those that were badly written and reported. No reporter, writer, editor, and publisher can escape the production of bad news but there are always ways to avoid mistakes and errors. There is a big definition of news out there that we can’t simply put them all in one complete line. In defining news, we have to consider the presence of all the elements in it that makes news. Otherwise, we could end up having something new and uncommon but doesn’t really make us care about it. It was like eating an unusual type of fruit for the very first time but the moment we try to make something big out of it, we realized nobody even bothered to care. That is not news at all. There are a number of elements to remember before we start writing about a person, an event, or a place. According to Parks (2006), these will serve as the guiding values when we write and present news stories. Anything that happened yesterday, this morning, or an hour ago tends to attract more

Emerging Business Themes Essay Example for Free

Emerging Business Themes Essay A- QUESTION 1 1- Definition Business ethics is a form of professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. The definition of Ethical stance defined by Johnson and Scholes as: ‘the extent to which an organization will exceed it minimum obligations to stakeholders and society at large. There are four possible ethical stances existing and are stereotypes for any organization.(1) The first ethical stance is short-term shareholder interests; a company who stick very close to laws and regulations which are in place. They give and do only what they are obliged to, this usually causes problems with long-term financial decisions. The second stance is longer-term shareholder interests a company who are very focused on building and maintaining reputation in relation to its financial success. They take into consideration all stakeholders and how they can affect the organization in the future. The third stance is multiple stakeholder obligations relating to a company taking wide consultation with all stakeholders. This is a very slow process and not a good stance for a fast moving and growing company. The last stance is shaper of society companies who focus on communities and want to build them up; this stance puts the financial interest second and is usually related to charitable organizations. 2- Ethical Dimension to Corporate Decision Making Ford Motor Company is one of the competitive motor companies in the world. In 1970s, the compact car Ford pinto, became a famous for its tendency in rear-end collisions to leak fuel and explode into flames. More than 20 people were killed or injured before the Ford Motor company issued a recall to correct the problem. The decision process behind the Pinto’s launch revealed that under intense competition from Volkswagen and other small car manufacturers, Ford has rushed the Pinto into production. Ford’s engineers had discovered the potential danger of ruptured fuel tanks in crash tests, but the assembly line was ready and Ford’s leaders decided to proceed. This is an evidence of greed, callousness and unethicality. (2) Looking to their decision, it take into account a growing understanding on how cognitive biases distort ethical decision making, and come to a different conclusion. In our mind, the executives involved in the Pinto decision, were making an unethical choice. It is because they thought of it is as purely a business decision rather than an ethical one. The problems are already highlighted to Ford’s leaders, but, in those days, safety was not popular in Ford. Problem meant delay on a Pinto. Production must go to achieve sale target. We don’t believe that Ford’s leaders or executive in charge were consciously unethical or intentionally sanctioned unethical behavior by people further down the chain of command. After decades, the Ford Pinto case has allowed us to dissect Ford’s decision-making process and apply the latest behavioral ethics theory to it. The pattern of evident continues to recur in organizations. It is diverted the Ford’s Executives’ attention from the ethical dimension of problem, and executives today are swayed by similar forces. (2) To overcome all the problems, Ford Motor Company has a program to guide compliance with Ford Policies and Directives. Ford compliance program is reviewed by a senior management compliance committee and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. The program raises awareness of the Companys commitment to defines corporate practices through Policies and Directives, ethical practices, ensure an infrastructure that allows for the reporting of Policy violations or business-related legal violations through a number of avenues worldwide, conducts risk assessments, oversees the investigation of such reports and education on key legal and provides training and ethical risk areas. The Handbook outlines requirements for its employees and those working on behalf of the Company and provides background resources for a wide range of business-related situations, including: (3) 1- Workplace environment 2- Gifts, favors and conflicts of interest 3- Use of Company assets and data safeguarding 4- Integrity of financial records 5- Product quality, safety and environmental matters 6- Intellectual property 7- Working with governments (political activities) 8- Competition and antitrust laws 9- International business practices References: 1-Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org./wiki/Business_practices 2- Max H. Baseman And Ann E. Tenbrunsel – Harvard Business Review April 2011- http://hbr.org/2011/04/ethical-breakdowns/ar 3- Ford Motor Company- Fordmotorcompany.com -report 2008/2009 – http://corporate.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2008-09/governance -sustainability-ethical B- QUESTION 2 1-Climate Change – Ford Motor Company. In 21st century, climate change is the most important global political and business issues. It will have a huge impact of the world and threaten livelihood of millions of people in the world. Every years, average temperature in artic have risen twice, increasing emissions of greenhouse gases. Climate change is the result of an increase in heat-trapping (greenhouse) gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the major long-lived greenhouse gas (GHG). The burning of fossil fuels (to provide electricity, heat and transportation, and to support industry and agriculture), as well as deforestation, leads to net emissions of CO2 and increased levels of atmospheric CO2. The atmospheric concentration of CO2 has increased from a preindustrial level of 270–280 parts per million (ppm) to a level of approximately 392 ppm in 2012. (4) Ford Motor Company have a holistic view of climate change and have addressed non-CO2 long-term greenhouse gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), nitrous oxide (N2O) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Through its Restricted Substance Management Standard they have prohibited SF6 in tires in magnesium casting. They were continuing their scientific research to determine the relative contribution of a wide range of long-lived greenhouse gases to radiative forcing of climate change. (4) 2-Ford’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Ford has estimated that their total CO2 emissions are in the range of 350–400 million metric tons (Mmt) per year, varying over time with fluctuations in vehicle production and sales, on-road fleet size and vehicle miles traveled. The estimate includes emissions from its facilities, emissions from current-year vehicles and emissions from all Ford vehicles on the road. (4) 3-Climate Change Risk and Opportunities In 21st century, concerns about climate change, the energy security and price of fuel, along with the global recession, have changed the automotive business. This creates substantial risks for automakers but also opportunities for innovation that enable growth and expansion. Below, the general trends driving change in Ford’s markets and take a closer look at several key markets. Also discuss the physical and supply chain risks to its business posed by climate change. (4) Ford’s Markets Price of fuel, consumer interest in smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles and energy security concerns are also a driver of fuel economy regulation and alternative fuel development. All of Ford’s major markets are increasingly shaped by government actions to regulate fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions, provide incentives to shift consumer and introduce low-carbon fuels and business behavior. Some of governments are also actively involved in development, promoting the research, battery technologies and purchase of new vehicle. Greater concern from Investors about climate change as a material risk. Providing climate-change-relevant information to investors and shaping its business strategy with climate change in mind are important elements of maintaining access to capital. Product globalization strategy – respond to changing markets, regional preferences, opportunities and the risks presented by the climate change issue. Ford has created global vehicle platforms that offer superior fuel economy, safety, quality and customer features. (4) 4-Physical Risks Climate change raises the potential for shifting patterns of extreme weather and other risk to Ford’s facilities. For insurance, Ford assesses the risks each of their facilities faces at least once a year. This risk assessment is updated and takes into account the risk of exposure to storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding. (4) 5-Supply Chain Risk Ford suppliers located in more than 60 countries, regulatory and physical risks as a result of GHG regulation and the impacts of climate change. These risks could affect their competitiveness or ability to operate, creating the potential for disruptions to the flow of supplies to Ford. (4) 6-Ford Climate Change Strategy Ford’s long-term strategy is to contribute to climate stabilization by: †¢ Continuously reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy usage. †¢ Working with industry partners, energy companies, consumer groups and policy makers to establish an effective and predictable market, policy and technological framework for reducing GHG emissions. †¢ Develop the flexibility and capability to market lower-GHG-emission products. (4) 7-Product Sustainability Process -Science – Stabilization approach Technology plan -Government – regulatory trendsproduct CO2 strategy Policy position -Consumer- market trends Cycle plan -Competitive- industry trends Marketing and Communication plan 4- Ford Motor Company – http://corporate.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2011-12/environment-climate-risks C- QUESTION 3 In 21st century business challenge and difficult global trading conditions, good relationship with several groups of stakeholders such as employees, customers, dealers, suppliers, investors and communities are very important. 1- Ford Motor Company Stakeholders. Through internal analysis and developing sustainability programs, Ford has interdependent relationship with a few categories of stakeholders such as employees, customers, dealers, suppliers, investors and communities, also its relationship to ‘society’ which includes government agency, NGOs and academia. (5) 2- Employees Employees are the most valuable resource. In 2011, Ford employed more than 164,000 individuals at 73 plants, 41 distribution warehouses, 106 sales offices worldwide and 57 engineering research/development facilities. All of the hourly employees in its automotive operations in the U.S. and also its subsidiary outside U.S. are represented by unions and covered by collective bargaining agreements. Unions are key partners with Ford in providing a productive, safe and respectful workplace. Ford faces workplace health and safety challenges such as; establishing and reinforcing high, common expectations for the safety of their employees worldwide. Most of their manufacturing facilities have joint union/management safety committees that guide the development and implementation of safety programs. (5) ONE Ford plan aligns its efforts toward a common definition of success: having ONE Team, ONE Plan and ONE Goal for an exciting, viable Ford that delivers profitable growth for all. (5) †¢ F: Foster Functional and Technical Excellence(5) †¢ O: Own Working Together(5) †¢ R: Role Model Ford Values(5) †¢ D: Deliver Results(5) 3- Customers Ford Motor Company serves more than 5.5 million customers worldwide. Ford’s customers are the most important stakeholder. Their major regional markets include South America, North America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Russia, Australia and Asia. In some regions, Ford serve 3 types of customers- individual retail consumers, small business customers and large commercial fleet customers. It will continue to expand products and services for these existing customers while working simultaneously to gain new customers in emerging markets. In North America and Asia, they are focusing on increasing their offerings of smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles. (5) 4- Dealers Dealers are the face of Ford to its customers and communities, the key employers and contributors to local economies. Dealer sustainability program has launched in 2010, a voluntary sustainability initiative for dealers to reduce their carbon footprints and improve the energy-efficiency of their dealerships. The goal of the â€Å"Go Green† Dealer Sustainability Program is to collaborate with dealers to implement cost-effective ways to improve the energy-efficiency of their facilities. It partnered with the Rocky Mountain Institute, a leading energy-efficiency organization, to pilot new technologies and architectural design principles. (5) 5- Suppliers Ford relies on more than 1,400 production suppliers to provide parts that are assembled into Ford vehicles. 9,000 supplier companies provide a wide range of nonproduction goods and services, from industrial materials to computers to advertising. Ford and its suppliers work jointly to deliver great products, have a strong business and make a better future. In today’s economic environment, achieving lower costs and improving quality require an unprecedented level of cooperation with suppliers and the maintenance of strong supplier relationships. (5) 6- Investors The success of Ford as a company directly affects its 162,000 investors, and they have been focused on improving Ford’s financial health. Provide information and interact regularly with investors through corporate website, annual report and regulatory filings and annual meeting. They also engage with socially responsible investment organizations that are seeking information to use to evaluate its sustainability performance. These interactions help Ford stay abreast of and respond to investor concerns. (5) 7- Communities Ford Motor Company impacts the communities in numerous ways, provide the employment, the taxes, the environmental and safety performance and support and participate in civic life. The communities are composed of a range of groups and individuals, include its customers, employees, business partners, government regulators, community organizations and members of civil society, and individuals who live and work around its facilities. Ford has been supporting community more than 100 years ago. This includes helping feed hungry people, providing mentors in classrooms and teaching teenagers to drive more safely. Changing of Fundamental have been happening including increased competition globally and changing markets for its products, with future sales growth expected to occur in emerging economies. Ford is expanding sourcing in these lower-cost emerging markets, as a way to serve both local markets and the global supply chain. Ford seeks to respect and make a positive contribution to its host communities. (5) 5- Ford Motor Company – http://corporate.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2010-11/society-stakeholders D- BIBILIOGRAPHY 1-Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org./wiki/Business_practices 2- Max H. Baseman And Ann E. Tenbrunsel – Harvard Business Review April 2011- http://hbr.org/2011/04/ethical-breakdowns/ar 3- Ford Motor Company- Fordmotorcompany.com -report 2008/2009 – http://corporate.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2008-09/governance-sustainability-ethical 4- Ford Motor Company – http://corporate.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2011-12/environment-climate-risks 5- Ford Motor Company – http://corporate.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2010-11/society-stakeholders

The USA and World War 1 Essay Example for Free

The USA and World War 1 Essay In this essay I am writing about why the USA got involved with World War 1 and why they did not join the League of Nations. I am going to find what provoked the Americans to get involved with the war and who it was that provoked them to do so. I will also state what the Americans gained from World War 1. One of the reasons that the USA got involved with the war was because the Germans sunk an American ship, which was shot by a Torpedo at about 2:15pm on the starboard side, about 1900 people died. Following this, is a brief description of what happened and how many peopled suffered from this brutal attack, and some might call it cowardly, and frankly I agree with them. On 7 May 1915, the Lusitania was in the dangerous waters off the southern coast of Ireland. Although the Cunard Archives indicate that Captain Turner took the necessary precautions, other sources indicate the Captain failed to follow directives to sail in a zig-zagging fashion and did not travel these waters at top speed in order to conserve fuel. It should be noted, also, that no military escort was provided even though the Germans had been quite explicit in their threats against British shipping. At approximately 2:15pm a torpedo struck the Lusitania on the starboard side between the third and fourth funnels. This strike was followed by another explosion of uncertain origin. The Lusitania sank bow first, in a manner similar to the Titanic. Unlike the Titanic, however, the Lusitanias rapidity of sinking stopped people getting to the lifeboats but there were very few lifeboats on the ship anyway. Given the nature and design of the submarine, the German U-boat made no attempt to rescue anyone. Kapitanleutnant Schwieger noted in his diary that the ship would not last long, and that he could not fire another torpedo at the people trying to save themselves. Following the sinking of the Lusitania, American public opinion began to turn against the Germans. The incident was the beginning of the end of unrestricted U-boat activity in the Atlanic. The Germans also planned to support Mexico so they could gain land from America and that made the Americans want to get involved in the war so the Germans could not help/make a Mexican Revolution. The Germans sent a Zimmerman note to the Mexicans to say that they would help them if the Germans won the war, But luckily the Americans latched on to this quickly and went to help Britain against Germany. The two other reasons that made America get involved with the war are both what we call a long term cause. The first of those reasons is Wilson made peace proposals which he promised to America that he would bring peace to the world, and helping Britain win the war would stop all the fighting and there would be peace in the world. The second long term cause is if Britain didnt win the war America would lose a lot of money. Because America loaned Britain $4 billion and if Britain lost the war America would not get their money back. But if Britain won the war then America would get all their money back with interest. Plus helping Britain win the war would attract a lot more people to move there because they would feel as they are safe and cant be hurt, and that would make the US economy better. Why didnt America join the League of Nations? They didnt join them because U.S. Senate rejected the League of Nations and the entire treaty. Republicans who favoured isolation (the irreconcilables) spurned the treaty. Conservative Republicans, disliked the treatys provisions for joint military actions against aggressors, even though such action was voluntary. They demanded a change, but Wilson refused to compromise. Overestimating his reputation and refusing to consider Republican reservations, Wilson remained stubborn. Stubborn and exhausted, the president campaigned for the treaty until he collapsed with a stroke. The United States never joined the League of Nations, started in 1919, and signed a separate peace treaty with Germany in 1921. In my opinion I think America were a very clever country because they knew exactly what they were doing when they loaned out the money to Britain, because they knew that if they got involved in the war against Germany, Germany really didnt stand a chance and America would get all the money back with interest. But on the other hand I do think they should have joined the League of Nations, I dont think Wilson should have been so stubborn about it all. But Wilson is his own man and who am I to argue with him, he won the war for Britain in my point of view, and I have just got a gut feeling he was one step ahead of everyone else. I think Germany was a very devious country but never the less they had the guts and determination to battle Britain and the USA. But after the war they didnt just fall on the floor and give up they got back up on there feet and got on with there lives and 20 years on they start World War 2!! As for Britain, you cant really fault them, they won the war, and Britain made new Allies that would help them in the near future. So Britain gained a lot from the war as did America, but as for Germany, who is going to bring the pride back to their country so they can hold their heads high and be proud to be a German, maybe the name Adolf Hitler springs to mind..

The Entwistle 4mat Review Theology Religion Essay

The Entwistle 4mat Review Theology Religion Essay Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity allowed me to understand the past occurrences of psychology and theology. The book displayed the religion and confidence that psychology and Christianity should combine for it to possess a higher understanding and permitting the client a higher probability of healing. So as to do this there should be an entire understanding of every element in and of itself. Entwistles (2010) book presented all the facts from history as it has formed society these days. As he mentioned these historic events, it shows simply how the knowledge today may be a reflection or reaction of what happened then. Christianity has invariably had an enormous impact on world history and the way the planet is viewed. The author makes it clear that God offers humans reality and honesty in His Word. When consideration of his works is given his Word has begun to demonstrate an impact on the planet. The Word of God is the Bible that God created as a guide to living life in the way that God designed to be the best for humankind. Theology and Psychology do not appear to be to be compatible however they are similar when it involves the appreciation and comprehension that enables a persons life to be meaningful. The planet is filled with individuals that have many abilities to share. God created us in his image therefore that makes each of us distinctive in our own sense. We all have things of our own to share and contribute to the world around us. Theology and Psychology are earnestly applied in human character and human purpose. The author identifies within the book that there are not any dissimilarities between the holy and therefore the worldly person when it involves the truth. Within the hearts of men, good and evil exists; it is our human nature. All are born into sin, being sinful is inevitable. The author makes a sensible argument when he wrote this book. The incorporation of psychology and theology makes for a nice combination in helping individuals with an assortment of issues. He emphasizes the magnitude within the ever-evolving worldviews towards the last part of the book and the author even provides an example for all to pursue. It would be helpful when aiding clients or daily interaction with others. The practice of integrating the approaches between psychology and Christianity is the result that has taken complete type from psychology and the reality that God has given to humankind (the Bible). The theories, worldviews and sinful intentions that are established throughout the society can offer certain obstacles for the combination of psychology and Christianity from individual and business views. The main goal of secular psychology and Christianity is to assist people to prevail over any problems or circumstances in their lives. Any recipients of the secularisms and Christianity itself ought to look past their pictures and target the task that helps man through the troublesome times in their lives. The application of theology and psychology will turn out miracles in individuals lives. It appears as if the aim of this book is to supply universal steerage toward the advancement of humanitys overall state of being. Concrete Responses This information I gained from this book helped me to put a puzzle together that relates to my parents marriage. Psychology tries to explain why we as humans do what we do to each other. Christianity shows us how God wants us to treat each other. God gives us a better way. When I think back to what I witnessed as a child during my parents marriage and subsequent divorce was that when God was in the midst of our home, the relationship that my parents had was strong. When God was no longer the center of our lives my parents relationship fell apart and ended in divorce. The impact and the emotional pain of my parents divorce are still with my siblings and me to this day. The psychological and spiritual support that my parents needed at that time was not available to them. I remember my Mother saying that she felt like they were abandoned by our church when our family needed their support the most. Our family separated from our church after my parents divorced and it was many years later before any of my family sought out a church home again. I think we as a society know better now. When you know better you will do better. There is more psychological and spiritual support for families that are in crisis now. I can see the value of what I want to do as a profession, and how I want to help families even more clearly now. Reflection The questions that I actually have for the author of this book are: How do we convince those in need of counseling services to decide on a Christian counselor versus a secular counselor? How will the concept of Christian counseling grow and flourish in the secular world? I would think that possibly the best means of promoting Christian counseling would be through word of mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. Acts 22:15 (NKJV) It is important that we are passionate witnesses for God. Many people will rely on word of mouth when they are in search of a professional person or service. I did not feel that this book was well laid out. It appears to be too academically weighted which means it might reach a wider audience if the words, theories and ideas were a touch more simplistic. I found myself having to look up particular words in order to fully understand what was being discussed. It was quite distracting and time consuming. Somebody with less education than myself would most likely have a troublesome time reading and understanding this book. Although it is academically heavy, I actually found that it is a resourceful tool and filled with insight regarding the planet and the way we can view theology, psychology and Christianity. Upon finishing the book, I actually gained an abundance of information and would suggest it to others. Action When I become a Christian counselor, my approach to reaching my clients will be to consistently depend on the power of prayer, the Holy Spirit and Gods truth in scripture to enable them to make positive changes in their lives. I will want to share my own personal experiences to help my clients to relate to me and to trust me and to help them to understand that I experience the same challenges as they do in life. Hopefully, I can be an example of love, compassion, understanding, and proof of happier days on the other side of whatever the problem might be that they are dealing with. Humbling myself before my clients will enable me to serve them as if I were serving God. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV) Serving others with the only purpose of reflecting Gods love and bringing them into His presence could be an invaluable experience that I want to be a part of. There are a great deal of people in this world of strife that are hurting and in need of comfort and peace. I would like to become someone that God can use to bring this about for his people that he loves so dearly.

The Role of Instructional Technology in Change Management Essay

The Role of Instructional Technology in Change Management Businesses change processes and personnel to remain competitive. Essentially their bottom line is profit and efficiency. Change management can be described as implementing new ideas and processes by maximizing the positive components and minimizing the negative to management, employees, and customers (Anonymous, 1999, p. 76). There are many variables to consider when implementing a new process to an organization. This paper will focus on successful change management strategies and its significance to instructional technology. A majority of all change management projects are systems driven. "Aggressive companies are accelerating deployment of strategic business applications to achieve market dominance" (Fournier, 1999, p. a10). For example, an organization develops a new computer interface in order to help serve customers more effectively and efficiently. With the new system, employees have access to more account information that, in turn, requires less follow up time, and the customers’ request is handled faster. Furthermore, this new system will support new business initiatives that are scheduled in the near future. Change and configuration management strategies are necessary "†¦to ensure system reliability" (Fournier, 1999, p. a10). Configuration management is defined as "†¦the IT process concerned with identifying, documenting, controlling, and tracking the configuration of interrelated IT components, at discrete points in time, throughout the development or maintenance life cycles" (F ournier, 1999, p. a10). Moreover IT components are also known as configuration items, comprise "†¦a variety of interdependent software, hardware, and networking components" (Fournier, ... ...way’(Laabs, 1999, p. 48). References Anonymous. (1999, February). Zambia seminar on change management. ManagementAccounting-London, 77 (2), 76. Buchanan, D., Claydon, T., & Doyle, M. (1999). Organisation development and change: The legacy of the nineties. Human Resource Management Journal, 9 (2), 20-36. Elam, D., & Meyland, S. (1998, November). You play like you practice. Inform, 12 (10), 42-43. Ettore, B. (1999, May). Change management. Management Review, 88 (5), 8. Fournier, R. (1999, March 22). Keep your apps in top shape. Informationweek, 726, a10-a22. Hibbard, J. (1998, March 9). The learning revolution. Informationweek, 672, 44-60. Laabs, J. (1998, November). Show them where you’re headed. Workforce, 77 (11), 45-48. Wilbur, R., A. (1999, March). Making changes the right way. Workforce, (Workforce Extra Supplement), 12-13.

Irregular Religions Essay -- Social Issues, Poverty

Perhaps the strongest basis for one critic’s belief that Major Barbara had â€Å"an utter want of the religious sense† comes from the morality and adopted religion of Andrew Undershaft. An armorer, Undershaft founded his creed on the belief that â€Å"honor, justice, truth, [and] mercy† are â€Å"graces and luxuries of a rich, strong, and safe life† (93). To Undershaft, social problems such as sloth and drunkenness can be traced back to poverty, for a man’s â€Å"first duty, to which every other consideration should sacrificed, is not to be poor† (15). Shaw makes this point clearly in the play’s preface, and argues his own cynical views through the mouth of Undershaft. Shaw explains through Undershaft that poverty is â€Å"the worst of all crimes† (142). The impoverished â€Å"poison [the country] morally and physically† – â€Å"they force [those not poor] to do away with [their] own liberties and to organize unnatural cruelties for fear that [the poor] should rise against [the wealthy] and drag [the wealthy] down into their abyss† (142). Life has proven to Undershaft that money is a God on Earth; money allowed him to raise his family comfortably despite the less-than-reputable source from which he obtained it (namely, war). Because his faith of money and gunpowder is unconventional in its generally strict focus on the economic aspects of life, the faith leaves little room for the traditional spiritualism and morality of religion. Undershaft admits that he would not have the income of a poor man for all his conscience (88). In Undershaft’s religion, typical morality – that is, earning money in a respectable way, believing death and destruction are abominations, and seeing God as that which rules the world – has no place. Undershaft takes advantage of â€Å"the ... ...ara has learned from the Army, a starving man will say anything to get the bread, furthering Crosstianity rather than absolving his soul (142). While Shaw respects the Salvation Army’s intentions in trying to rid the country of poverty, he believes only a revolution can destroy it completely and that the Army’s attempt to save people individually is ultimately futile. The Army is not saving their souls; rather, it forces them to sin by lying to gain food. Barbara comes to this understanding at the end of the play, and by it she is converted again to the saving of souls, this time â€Å"through the raising of hell to heaven and of man to God† – essentially, by bringing goodness and spirituality into her father’s factory of death (152). Through her strength and spirituality Barbara finds hope and reaffirms the true, if unconventional, Christianity she practices.

Database management Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of the case study is to examine the concepts and ideas that Anthony Ng used to somewhat develop a digital database system. â€Å"The Hong Kong architectural industry had derived enormous gains from the unparallel economic success in real estate and stock market speculation†(CABC, 2000).This new economic surge caused much stress to come in contact with the architectural profession This stress was to produce quantity instead of quality designs. This was to meet demands of the rapidly growing society, causing building to be built by the masses. This is not the way â€Å"Anthony Ng Architects Ltd† wanted to run their business, it was not the way the corporation did business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anthony Ng, was the managing director for â€Å"Anthony Ng Architects Ltd†. His goal for the company as managing director was to develop a highly advanced EDMS, a paperless office. This paperless office would allow the architects to spend more time on designing, and less on paperwork. His plan was to have â€Å"in place an Intranet and a web-based document management system when they moved into the new office†(CABC, 2000). Anthony main goal or primary objective was that this new paperless office will increase his corporation get back to creating quality designs as well as a quality of them. The new paperless office will allow for better communication both outside as well as inside the corporation. Also would allow for the architects to focus on designing instead of paperwork.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A) Change in Communication Patterns:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While Anthony was aware of some of the potential setbacks that are going to show up in the process of changing the style of communication, I feel that he did not cover all the essentials. A very important issue that Anthony may have overlook, called dismemberment. â€Å"Dismemberment can be described as the challenge of technological incompatibility†(Sutton, 1996). This can happen frequently in large corporations such as Anthony Ng Architects Limited, when there are many different departments or divisions communicating together. What happens is that each division needs to make sure that they are all using to same programs to communicate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If would have been good for Anthony to make sure that the EDMS ... ...sp;  Ã‚  All data recovery covers is back ups to all the documents that a stored in the system. Backups are critical to protect valuable data. All thought the expertise is needed, to be sure that important data is safely backed up. This is goes back to the importance of the planning stage to make sure that this area is covered before hand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The loss of imporatant and valuable data or records can cause huge problems to corporations. Data recovery should be one of the most important aspects of you EDM system. This is what Anthony’s plan was missing for his corporation. For example if Anthony’s plan had gone into effect with no data recovery system, what would have happen if important documents were lost to the design of a new building. This problem would have cause the corporation to question if they made the right decision to switch to an EDM system. Conclusion:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anthony was correct in understanding that his Architectural firm need to move to and EDM system. For a business to be competitive in today growing economical market, it is important to focus more on the product then the documents relating to the business.

Goldstone needs to clearly define his expectations

It is clear from this case study that if Goldstone does not improve his performance he will lose his current management position. This report identifies and analyses the main issues and problems that Goldstone faces in his new role at Bulwark and also provides an improvement plan to lift performance.Over the period of 6 months since Goldstone accepted the branch management role, it has become evident that there are a number of problems and issues which need to be addressed, centred around his shortage of managerial behaviours (Yukl, 1998).Goldstone needs to clearly define his expectations of the sales team and then provide the required direction and support to facilitate the team consistently meeting those targets and expectations. Analysis Goldstone took an opportunity to move from a professional sales role into a management position at the urging of his previous manager and in the belief that he possessed the skills and knowledge to be a successful manager. He saw the role requirem ents from the biased viewpoint of a professional sales representative (Beyer et al, 1997) and once he started in the position was somewhat amazed to discover he was â€Å"†¦so wrong†.This revelation of the role demands, coupled with a shortage of Yukl’s managerial behaviours to allow him to adapt, has overwhelmed Goldstone in the first 6 months. It is likely that there was no formal management training program for Bulwark employees as part of an ongoing succession planning process, otherwise Goldstone would have had a more realistic expectation of the role requirements and had knowledge of the managerial skills needed to lead the sales team. This lack of management training is a shortcoming in Bulwark’s succession planning strategy.From the information provided in the case study it is assumed that the sales team is made up of a number of reps with varying degrees of self efficacy (Bandura, 1997). This is supported by the results of the survey conducted by G oldstone that showed an even 3-way split between satisfaction with his direction, neutral and wanting more direction. It is assumed that those with a high level of self efficacy, most likely developed through experience, are satisfied with his direction or are neutral as they are able to apply behavioural self management (BSM) techniques (Kanter and Schefft, 1988) and therefore feel that they require less direction.It is this group of reps which have driven the achievement of sales quotas in the second quarter. Those who want more direction are likely to be those who have a lower level of self efficacy and thus an increased need for development and mentoring. Goldstone’s inability to recognise the need for coaching and mentoring has resulted in significant problems managing two of his reps, Durkee and Puckett. He has provided Durkee with some support to help him through his personal problems, however has not addressed his performance issues.Durkee requires some coaching and m entoring to give him the skills to make the sale and build his self efficacy. He is already motivated as evidenced by his long hours and attention at sales meetings. There may be an opportunity to change his role within the sales team to better utilise his strengths to achieve targets and expectations. Puckett also needed some coaching and mentoring to assist in building her sales skills.Unfortunately Goldstone’s response to her approach for that assistance was to take away her delegated responsibility by completing the task himself which ultimately resulted in her leaving the company. Goldstone is also having problems managing Skrow, his branch’s top performer. Goldstone managed the conflict situation at the first sales meeting poorly when Skrow openly criticised the new investment products. It is clear from that incident that Skrow will require some extrinsic motivation if he is expected to sell the new products.In addition to this issue Skrow’s feeling of a l ack of equity in his treatment (Steers and Black, 1994) when Goldstone brought over the top performer from Spinnaker and gave him a corner office, may result in a loss in motivation to work at Bulwark. Improvement Opportunities I have identified two specific improvement opportunities to undertake if I was Goldstone. Firstly I would develop and implement a plan to improve my managerial skills and develop the required behaviours.Secondly, and concurrently, I would develop and implement a management by objectives (MBO) program (Managing People and Organisations, 2006) based on the targets and expectations set by corporate. To develop an improvement plan for my managerial skills I would initially seek some coaching from within the company. MacKinley has shown evidence of his willingness to assist and provide advice and Slake has offered his assistance on more than one occasion. I would arrange this coaching to occur on a regular basis, say 2 hours per week on the phone, and use real lif e scenarios as the basis for the coaching and advice.One obstacle that may arise is that MacKinley and Slake cannot provide coaching in all relevant aspects of management behaviour. This could be overcome by using external management consultants to supplement the internal coaching and provide a check that all aspects are being adequately addressed. The success of this coaching program could be measured through direct performance feedback from Ludlow and also utilising surveys of the sales reps to gauge their happiness with specific aspects of my management behaviour.

Nucor Steel Case Study Essay

p curveel determination of deviceout CapacityNucor make has the self-aggrandizingst intersection subject matter capability in trade union America. However, they squander some deficiencies in this battlefield in that in 2010 they utilise retributive 70 portion of capacity, though it change magnitude in 2011 it was still just 74 percent. Gaining gigantic take capability al secondary boil d experience personifys and in moment increase the internetability of the comp all. fill in 2Rising Scrap metallic element PricesNucor maintains its free-enterprise(a) good th rough out its let loose cost yield, and their do of electric arc furnaces and recycled chuck out metals to produce firebrand. Prices for scrap brand was not higher than $137 until 2004, and oscilloscopeed a gunpoint of $438 in 2008 before the frugal street corner mutilate. In 2009 and 2010 wrongs were $303 and $351 respectively, and so in 2011 hit an incomparable high of $439. With their per unit cost structure relying heavily on these scrap nerve prices, their ability to get greater profitability is cutd. Nucor needs to find a way to off-set these rising prices in dis lay out to maintain its low cost strategy. governing body issue 3 world(prenominal) rivalry and impertinent SubsidiesUS producers of stain and vane results extradite fallen victim to war-riddenly hawkish pricing from transnational firms. In 1999 the US government determined that hexad countries were thus dumping stainless firebrand into the US commercialise. Half of those countries governments were facilitating this mental process by providing crank subsidies to offset the firms losings from selling at beneath commercialize prices. In 2001, the Bush administration installed a 30 percent tariff on those countries found guilty of illegal dumping. This self said(prenominal)(prenominal) issue is still prevalent directly as China has been accused of doing the resembling(p) lo se weightg. They strike signifi screwtly get d knowledge prices than American firms due to the fact that China has been devaluing their funds in install to make exports dirtyly cheaper. The US government must deputise and installan anformer(a)(prenominal) tariff on Chinese sword proceedss in order to protect its domestic producers from unfair distant emulation.RecommendationNucor Corporation should install an aggressive international expansion strategy to achieve several goals. It should be aimed at riposte its premier profitability that it had in 2007 and 2008 in general by reducing cost. It should strive for throwing an increased commercialise shargon in exploitation international merchandises that were not as complete by the recession in regions of Asia and the nerve eastern. With that increased withdraw for make and stigma products, Nucor should not acquire chip initional capacity, alternatively they should make to a greater extent efficient use of its tr ustworthy capacity with the goal of stint 90 percent employment of capacity. In an effort to reduce be, Nucor should increase its efforts of reverse-integration in order to permit itself with cheaper raw visibles and lower its per unit achievement costs. International grocery storeplace expansion, increased raw material production, and increasing plant capacity competency should be the main focus paltry forward as Nucor attacks to create a much cost efficient production process, increase r tear downues, grow its profitability, and hatch to fork up its stockh experienceders with hind endly dividends and increased yformer(a) dividends as it has for the past 40 years. vermiform process A Dominant Economic CharacteristicsMarket coat and Growth RateHow large is the perseverance and how fast is it growing?The worldwide effort of crude leaf blade production reached all-time highs with total production equaling 1,559 million haemorrhoid in 2010 and 1,680 million haemo rrhoid in 2011. creative activitywide production capacity was hale-nigh 2,090 million heaps in 2011, which resulted in a utilization rate of 80 percent in 2011. The worldwide production of crude brace has grown consistently since 2000 despite two significant periods of economic downturn and decreased unavoidableness. According to the World make Association, the crude steel production growth rates were 6.2 percent from 2000-2005, 4.4 percent from 2005-2010, and 4.4 percent from 2010-2011. Scope of Competitive contestationIs the geographic region over which al about companies compete local, regional,national, multinational, or orbicular? A combination of both national and globalPrimary National CompetitorsUS brandArcelorMittal the StatesTop general CompetitorsArcelorMittal Worldwide (Luxembourg)Baosteel (China)POSCO ( southbound Korea)Nippon Steel (Japan)JFE (Japan)Jiangsu Shagang (China)Tata Steel (India)Ansteel (China)Gerdau (brazil nut)Severstal (Russia)Wuhan (China)Thy ssenKrupp (Ger m whatsoever an(prenominal))Evraz (Russia)Is having a comportment in abroad grocery stores becoming more in-chief(postnominal) to a confederacys prospicient-term competitive winner? Yes, oddly in times of domestic economic downturn. In the recession of 2009-2011, steel postulate in developed countries such(prenominal) as the US and Japan was greatly diminished. However, demand for steel in developing regions such as India, China and the Middle East was exceeding local producers capacities. Thus, in that respect is significant opportunity to prosper internationally and better apply current production capacities.Specifically for Nucor, in 2007 they contumacious that international growth was a necessity, and their strategy hinged on two elements Opening distant gross revenue offices 60 percent of Nucors current steel plants were located on deep water access atomic number 18as which allowed for tardily access to international shipping atomic number 18as wi thout a significant increase in cost. voice Ventures Nucor began developing partnerships with reputable and successful foreign firms in an attempt to greater utilize their mutual competencies as well as allow Nucor to establish itself in international markets. Product InnovationIs the patience categorized by rapid product grounding and short product life cycles? not for the steel constancyInnovation is most-valuable but with the typical size of it of projects, it is in no way rapid The steel perseverance is categorized by long product life cycles, only methods of manufacturing wear been changed in the lengthy history of the fabrication How important is R&D and product base?R&D and innovation are extremely important more or less study advancements in the past 60 years ache resulted in industry breakthroughs that seduce cut costs and environmental impact dramatically are there any opportunities to overtake key rivals by macrocosm first-to-market with next generation pr oducts? Yes, any unused technology that entrust reduce costs and/or increase productiveness will almost certainly add to a caller-ups competitive advantage Being first-to-market with new innovational production methods will absolutely put forward an opportunity to overtake rivals This is evident in Nucors rise to being champion of the top steel producers in North America, their use of electric arc furnaces, thin slab casting process, and strip casting technology gave them a significant boost when attempting to period US Steel and the USs largest steel producer Economies of ScaleIs the industry characterized by economies of scale in purchasing, manufacturing, advertising, shipping, or some other(a) activities? Yes, especially in manufacturing as a company can reduce its per unit fixed costs with greater production capacity Do companies with largescale operations ware an important cost advantage over pettyscale firms Yes, smaller firms are a couple of(prenominal) and far between and during the 2000s some(prenominal) an(prenominal) were bought by larger firms in an attempt to increase their total plant capacity, recognize market per centum, and gain a vehementer position in specific geographic areas nurture/Experience Curve EffectsAre certain industry activities characterized by strong scholarship and experience tack togethers ( tuition by doing) such that unit costs decline as a companys experience in playing the activity builds? Yes, as the firms plants operate, their line workers go away more and more capable of executing the job, fixing probable problems, and generating ideas to improveproduction As the workers become more knowledgeable and experienced, they become more efficient and productive which in turn lowers labor costs and increases total product available for sale and revenues Do any companies have significant cost advantages because of their learning/experience in performing extra activities? Nucor has an advantage in this p articular area because of their egalitarian company culture where managers and periodic employees discuss emf improvements and changes on a regular basis They are excessively actually decentralized and are gift to new ideas, Nucor truly believes that their best inception of knowledge for potential improvements in manufacturing is from the employees that are on the front line of the manufacturing process adjunct B PESTEL analytic thinking policy-making FactorsThe main political factor that is affecting the steel industry pertains to the US market and foreign competition Nucor and many other American steel companies have appealed to the US government that they have been facing unfair competition from foreign firms, they believed that several foreign steel producers were practicing illegal dumping of steel and steel products into the US market In March of 1999, the US Department of mercantilism concluded that steel companies in six countries had illegally dumped stainless stee l in the US CanadaSouth KoreaTaiwanItalyBelgiumSouth AfricaThe governments in Belgium, Italy, and South Africa further facilitated this workout by providing subsidies that would cover revenue losings for firms selling steel at below market prices This is still an issue at once as US steel producers are facing similar competition from China, where most steel companies are government owned and operated, China has also de comfortd its own currency in order to provide significantly lower prices Economic ConditionsThe steel industry is relatively affected by economic conditions Since prices and percentage use of capacity are determined by market supply and demand forces, when the delivery is healthy, then demand is strong and steel companies can be gainful. On the other hand, when the economy enters a recession, then demand is trim down greatly and most firms cannot be profitable This is evident with the economic downturns that occurred in the early 2000s as well as in 2009-2011 whe n most firms saw revenues and win decrease dramatically Nucor saw sales drop from 25,187,000 tons in 2008 to 17,576,000 tons in 2009 and accordingly saw authorise profits drop from $1.8 billion in 2008 to a loss of $293 million in 2009 Sociocultural ForcesThere is a express effect of sociocultural forces with respect to the steel industry There will be peasant influence ground on the growth rate of the population, as with a faster growing population, the need for schools, hospitals, roads, and other public buildings will increase which will in turn increase demand for steel and steel products Technological FactorsThe expert advances in the steel industry have been revolutionary over the years and have provided other industries with valuable information on how to improve their own production facilities and capabilities However, in youthful years it hasnt provided for the take of many new industries stemming from those innovations, nor has it provided significant value to soci ety Environmental ForcesRising force out prices are hurting steel companies so-and-so line in that they cannot generate the same amount of power as they could in former years without increasing expenditures and elevator their per unit costs each quarter Plant emission requirements are rigorously enforced by the EPA and the US government In the past 50 years, the steel production industry has made great strides in becoming more environmentally conscious and efficient Nucor has developed new techniques and technologies that allow for a more environmentally responsible production process particularly their steel production efforts in Brazil where they use a eucalyptus nurture for the fuel in their blast furnace or else than coal, and the eucalyptus farm absorbs more speed of light dioxide from the atmosphere than the plant emits and completelyneutralizes the effect of global warming Legal and restrictive FactorsLabor laws greatly affect the steel industry, Nucor has few issues with these as they compensate their employees well over federal requirements and industry averages guard duty regulations are also a major factor as compliance with OSHA and other safety organizations in a requirementAppendix C Five Forces abbreviationThreat of New EntrantsWeakThe costs associated with entering the steel industry are excessive and the threat of a company doing so is very limited Competition from SubstitutesWeakCompanies in industries that require steel and steel products, can only use steel and steel products, as other metals dont possess the same metallurgical qualities like carriage and strong suit required There is some potential that other metals like aluminum, titanium, tungsten and many others could pose a threat, but the majority of Nucors customers need steel vendee queenModerateCustomers have the availableness to shop different companies as price is the main determining factor in the industry Since prices and competitive advantage is generally dete rmined by cost and market supply and demand forces, then customers have a moderate ability to supplement another companys, or even another countrys, price against a particular supplier Supplier PowerModerateIn previous years, Nucor had been at the mercy of rising raw materials prices barely in recent years they have begun an aggressive backward-integration strategy to begin producing 6 million to 7 million tons of steel for use in its steel product manufacturing plants Their move to provide their own raw materials has greatly reduced their belief on raw steel suppliers in the midst of ever-increasing prices RivalryStrong national competition from US Steel and ArcelorMittal regular army is extremely fierce Foreign competition from both European and Asian firms is unbelievably stout as well Since advantage is determined mostly by low costs and low prices, competition is a constant price warAppendix D Drivers of Change in the painsInnovation of new production techniquesProduction efficiencyEfficiency of capacity usageAbility to reduce costs and accordingly lower pricesGlobalizationNew merchandise strategiesResiliency to changing economic and market conditionsDiffusion of technological know-how across companies and countries integration of companiesRegulatory influences and government policy changesAppendix E circulating(prenominal) StrategyIn 2000, Nucor began a five-part growth strategy that multiform New acquisitionsNew plant windingContinued plant upgrades and cost decline effortsInternational growth through voice venturesGreater control over raw materialsTheir overall strategy includes all of the above as well as being a low-cost producer and low-price market leader in the steel industry Appendix F Competitor abridgmentCompetitor synopsis FrameworkCurrent StrategyUS SteelPositioned as the long-time industry leaderIts competitive advantage, if any is based in brand strength ArcelorMittal ground forcesPositioned alongside US Steel and Nucor in production capacity and servesmany of the same industries Competitive Advantage lies in its sales volume and earningsObjectivesUS SteelDue to significant losings both domestically and in Serbia, strategic financial changes should be expected ArcelorMittal USACurrently experiencing profitable operations, only minor changes should take place in the prospective CapabilitiesUS SteelStrengthsBrand senseYears of experienceWeaknessesUnionized manpower take in losses in recent yearsArcelorMittal USAStrengthsInternational subordinate word of ArcelorMittal, thus have knowledge beyond US market Production capacity, sales revenues, and profitsWeaknessesLack of brand sentiencyAssumptionsUS SteelAs the old guard, have operated in the red in several years, and assume that they arent deviation anywhere and that the market will turn in their favor ArcelorMittal USAWith their sweep over knowledge from international operations, and being a subsidiary of the largest single steel producer in the world, they assume that their market share and drive for low costs will eventually prevail Strategic encountering MapThe above chart displays the market positioning of the main three competitors in the US steel production industry. The size of each circle is determined by the volume of steel products shipped. All statistical data used is from 2011. Volume of steel products shipped is very comparable, and the totalnumber of production plants in the US is also very similar between the three. The largest disparity is on the net profit axis where ArcelorMittal USA led with $2.3 billion in profit, Nucor bring in $778 million, and US Steel shows losses of $53 million. Weighted Competitor Strength abbreviation and Key Success FactorsThis chart enlarge the strengths and weaknesses of each of the major three companies in the US steel market based on four key success factorsAppendix G SWOT AnalysisAppendix H Financial AnalysisNet Profit MarginNet profit margin shows the percentage of aft er-tax profit of sales, the chart above shows the true effect of the economic recession that hit in the fourth quarter of 2008, and the slow recovery of the market since then. The market is expected to gain strength in 2012 and Nucor and its stockholders are hoping that medical prognosis is true as they strive to reach their peak performance levels that they obtained in 2007-2008. double back on Invested CapitalReturn on invested capital is a measure of the ease up that shareholders are earning on long-term invested financial capital. This particular measure shows how the economic recession effected Nucors shareholders and their overall issue on invested capital. 2011 provided a significant recant in ROIC and Nucor will need to bear on to trend this measure upward to meet investor expectations. inseparable Cash FlowInternal cash flow is a rough estimate of how much cash a companys business is producing and would have for potential dividend even upments or capital expendit ures. The inhering cash flow measure is as yet another representation of how much the global recession of 2009 and 2010 effected Nucor and its ability to continue its operations as it had in previous years. Despite the drastic reduction in its internal cash flow, Nucor still managed to pay itsshareholders a dividend as it had for 156 consecutive canton while also increasing the dividend hire paid to stockholders every year since 1973.