Alexis de Docqueville essays

Alexis de Docqueville essays Alexis de Tocqueville was born on July 29, 1805, in Paris. His father was a government official in various parts of France. His great-grandfather was a liberal aristocrat who was killed in the French Revolution. And his mother was a devoted Roman Catholic. Abbe Lesueur was Tocqueville's tutor, when his father passed away. Tocquevile went to the College Royal in Metz to study philosophy at the age of six-teen. During this time Tocqueville started to have fears about the role of the aristocracy in French government and he suffered a deep religious crisis that would affect him for the rest of his life. When he was finished at The College Royal at age eight-teen, Tocqueville moved back to Paris and he studied law. He then started a career as a lawyer, that is, as a salaried official of the royal court system. Tocqueville's father's career had been steadily moving forward until, in 1826, he became prefect of Versailles (the most influential prefecture in France). In 1827 was made a peer by Charles X. Tocqueville received a position as apprentice magistrate at the Versailles court of law, at the same time. During this period Tocqueville began to have more and more liberal sympathies as a result of his belief that the decline of the aristocracy was predictable. The first part of Democracy in America was published, in 1835. The book was extremely well-known throughout Europe. In the same year Tocqueville got married to Mary Motley, an Englishwoman. The marriage was a disgrace to Tocqueville's family because they though of Mary Motley to be of lesser birth. Tocqueville's mother died in 1836. After his mother died, Tocqueville went back to politics. He ran for the Chamber of Deputies in 1837, but lost. He lost because of his noble background. In 1838, he was named to the Legion of Honor for Democracy in America. In the year 1839 he was elected to the Chamber. ...

Analysis Duke Mitchell Top Gun Essays

Analysis Duke Mitchell Top Gun Essays Analysis Duke Mitchell Top Gun Paper Analysis Duke Mitchell Top Gun Paper Essay Topic: Film Masterpiece is the only word used to describe this film. Tony Scott, the director, made this film as good as it can get. Following, Top Guns success in box office, with everybody scrambling to watch it, Tony Scott found himself one of Hollywoods best action directors in the 1980s. His best achievement came when Top Gun won an Oscar in 1987 in the Academy Awards in USA. Everybody enjoyed this film, but the question was that did the audience enjoy it? The answer was yes as Top Gun also won the Peoples Choice Award in 1987. Top Gun was released in the USA on the 12th May 1986. Soon later, it had been released in the UK on the 3rd October, 1986. The price-tag stuck on Top Gun had risen over $350 million worldwide and had broken all home-videos record. Top Gun is an action-packed film starring Hollywood star Tom Cruise who is a United States Navy F-14 pilot and plays a fearless character (Maverick/Pete Mitchell). Hes joined by his counterpart Anthony Edwards who plays as (Goose). They are joined by other fighter pilots called Val Kilmer (Ice Man) and Rick Rossovich (Slider) who are Mavericks main rivals. This film it full of action and is about the Cold War between the Americans and the Russians. Throughout the film there is aerobatics performed at the beginning of the film and the end of the film. These performances are shot with great angle-shots and long-shots adding to the effect on the audience. This is what makes the audience raise their necks to see better on their television screen. It also makes the audience feel like they are part of the action with these effects of high-speed planes whizzing across their television screens. The film begins somewhere above the Indian Ocean where Maverick and Goose are flying wingman Cougar and Merlin and are attempting to try and intercept an unknown bogey (enemy). Cougar looks troubled as he gets surrounded by two bogeys. Cougar says to Maverick that Maverick get down here and get these ass-holes off me. Maverick realises this and teases the bogeys recklessly and intimidates them to follow him leaving Cougar with more room. Maverick wasnt satisfied with the amount of fun he was getting so he tilted on his aircrafts head meaning he could see the opponent face to face. He also sticks a finger at him which shows Mavericks attitude. This also shows that in such dangerous and tight situations, Maverick is not just doing his job, but he is also having fun. After losing the bogeys, Maverick heads to search for Cougar, who emerges to be in some discomfort. Stinger (Instructor) orders Maverick to land as he is low on fuel but Maverick looks determined to rescue Cougar. Maverick spots Cougar in deep shock and tries to motivate him by saying Come on Cougar, this is a walk in the park. Cougar also stares at his family photo suggesting that hes afraid of losing his family. He rescues Cougar and flies back to base. Cougar, in such shock, explains to Stinger and says that he has lost the edge to continue anymore. Cougar apologises and hands his pilot badge to Stinger. As Cougar has lost the edge to prolong, this leaves Maverick and Goose to fill in Cougars shoes. But firstly, Maverick is ordered to enter Stingers cabin where Stinger describes Maverick as a brave pilot. But knowing the enthusiasm in Maverick, he is upset with Maverick disobeying a direct instruction to land. But Stinger knows that he has a choice to make after Cougars unlikely resignation. He confirms that Maverick and Goose will be going to Miramar, Fighter Town, USA to fly with the best of the best in the piloting business. Im gonna send you up against the best. You two characters are going to Top Gun. Maverick appears to be over the moon after his success which has sent him to Top Gun. He races an aircraft on his motorbike and clinches his fist while punching the air. This is effective to the audience because when somebody climbs a ladder to reach to a higher status, they usually have to earn it. But in this case, with Cougar retiring, the doors have seemed to just have opened for Maverick to enter without earning it. It also is the turning point in the film. This shows that it was in Mavericks destiny to achieve the Top Gun status. It was an unlikely chance of Top Guns number one pilot losing the edge. After testing his instructors patience on his very first day, Stinger had no other choice other than sending Maverick to Top Gun. When Maverick and Goose enter an off-base bar, Maverick sees Charlotte Blackwood, his new civilian teacher. Unfortunately he is unaware of this and foolishly approaches her with a song. He sings the song called Youve lost that Loving Feeling by the Righteous Brothers. This gives you an idea about Mavericks attitude at work and off work. At work he has motivation, concentration and fun and he does the same at the bar. It feels like he aims a target at Charlotte as if he was aiming a target at an enemy in his aircraft. When he sings to her, Charlotte looks around to see if everyone is looking. And sadly for her, even the off-duty pilots join in. To prevent further embarrassment, Charlotte asks Maverick to sit down with her giving him the eye-contact. As they introduce themselves, they begin a back and forth battle of teasing. As Maverick flies in his plane, he flies to Charlotte only to be given grief. Its clear that Maverick wants to chat up Charlotte but she is not going to make it easy for Maverick. It appears that she teases him by insulting him in many ways. The first example is when Maverick introduces himself she replies Did your mother not like you or something. But then Maverick explains to her that it is his call sign. The other example is when Charlotte asks Maverick if he is a good pilot and Maverick replies I can hold my own. Then Charlotte says Great, then I dont have to worry about you making your living as a singer. These silly remarks add to the audiences effect as Maverick is getting shown up and shows everything is not as easy as it looks. In this film, Charlotte Blackwood seems to change as the film moves on. First she was Charlotte then she turns into a new form called Charlie. This can also symbolise that she has fallen for Maverick and has changed to adapt with him. As the film progresses, a commander introduces Charlie to her students as the new civilian teacher who provide information on the enemy aircrafts and aerial combat techniques. When the commander leaves it to Charlie, she faces the class leaving Gooses eye wide open and Maverick shaking his head. Charlie begins to talk about MIG-28s and states that it cannot do a negative G pushover. Having done an inverted dive with a MIG 28, Charlie looks impressed. So, youre the one. When the lesson finishes, Iceman approaches Maverick asking Who was covering Cougar when you were showboating with the MIG. This suggests that where were you when Cougar was in trouble? Anything could have happened to Cougar in the time when Maverick was having fun. Maverick should have been flying wingman with Cougar but where was he afterwards. Maverick was just having fun by sticking the finger and taking photographs over his enemy. Iceman appears to be jealous of Maverick as he has had more success in his flying till date. Iceman has already criticised Mavericks reckless flying when he was showboating. He again criticises Mavericks flying in the changing room by saying Youre everyones problem. Thats because every time you go up in the air, youre unsafe. I dont like you because youre dangerous. That is what Maverick is all about and he takes this as a compliment towards his greatness in his very short flying career. While all this was happening, Maverick and Goose are instructed to get up to Vipers (boss) office after breaking Top Guns rules of engagement. The first was when Maverick flew under the 10,000 feet limit. The second is when Maverick did that circus stunt fly-by after defeating Jester. Goose is a simple family man, who just wants to fly without any hurdles. You can see the worry Goose is in as he fiddles with his hands by scrunching and rubbing it together. His body language suggests that he is unhappy and scared of what the consequences will be. Viper explains to Maverick that he has broke a major rule of engagement and declares that he should obey them like everyone else does. Lieutenant Mitchell, Top Gun rules of engagement exist for your safety and that of your team. They are not flexible, nor am I. Either obey them or youre history. Vipers status at Top Gun is much larger than Mavericks and Viper shows this by looking outside the window. This suggests that hes not even willing to give eye-contact to his pilots. After Maverick and Goose are dismissed from Vipers office, Viper asks his colleague that if you had to go into a battle, would you want him with you? His colleague responds I dont know, I just dont know. This implies that he knows Maverick has the ability to win but on the other hand, Maverick is risky and put his and others lives at risk. However, if you dont know the answer to a question, you say I dont know once. But he says it twice showing that he really is unsure about the question Viper has given him. In the middle of the night, Goose enters Mavericks room claiming that he cant get to bed. When somebody cant get to sleep, the obvious reason is that they must be in deep thought about something. In Gooses case, it is that he wants to graduate not just blow his career. Goose says When I realised we were off to Top Gun, all I could think of what that trophy. Ive got to be straight with you, Mav. Right now I just hope to graduate. This shows that Goose is not here to mess about and ruin his career; he has a family to think about now. He cant let Maverick do circus stunt fly-bys and breaking rules consistently and get into more deep trouble with Viper. He expresses his feeling to Maverick without hesitation. He says to Maverick that I cant blow this. Maverick has no other family, as with his father is classified as dead, the only person he has close to him is Goose. Maverick knows this and says to Goose Youre the only family Ive got. The next scene is when Maverick and Goose face Iceman and Slider in a volleyball match. Maverick and Goose defeat their main rivals but without realising it, time flies by and Maverick gets late for the date with Charlie. He refuses Gooses will to play one last match and heads straight to Charlies house on his motorbike. The motorbike emphasizes a symbol of rebel. Another example of a rebel is the speed the motorbike is going at. Rebels usually have motorbike because they like the speed they are going at. The camera is shot facing the back of Maverick which includes the Ocean line in the frame. The Blue Ocean line shows you the never-ending desire and shows that opportunity never ends for anyone no matter what circumstances they are going through. When Maverick and Charlie settle down and talk face to face, Maverick talks about his father who had apparently disappeared on November 5th, 1965 in an F-4. Deep down in Mavericks heart, he knows that Duke Mitchell didnt screw up, he was a great fighter pilot. With Duke Mitchell classified as dead, Maverick has a reputation to live up to. Charlie even asks Maverick that Is that why youre always second best up there? As at the beginning of the film, Charlie had teased Maverick, it appears that Maverick has replied back by leaving Charlie unsatisfied to have a shower. Charlie wanted more time with Maverick but Maverick teased her and left her alone. Goose is happier than ever after finding out that his family has visited him. He is a loving husband of a loving wife (Carole) and infant boy. This scene shows Goose playing the piano with delight of seeing his family again. Putting the Vipers warning behind him, Goose prepares to enjoy himself with his family, what now includes Maverick. As Maverick and Charlie get to know each other better, Goose, Carole and their son play on the piano. They sing Great Balls Of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis. Soon after, Maverick and Charlie join in and all characters in this particular scene seem to be one big happy family. The mood in the bar is joyful and upbeat and this scene then contrasts to the scene when everything changes to unhappy. This outlook presents 2 families, being merged into 1 big family. Goose, Carole and their son are like a family to Maverick. Maverick once said Youre the only family Ive got. The excitement in the bar is huge and is shown when Carole says Take me home or lose me forever. Goose replies Show me the way home honey. These two couples are made for each other just like Maverick and Charlie. I just feel sorry for Carole as Goose makes a fool of himself by singing. After the enjoyment is over, all pilots learn that the Top Gun trophy is still up for grabs. The music then played is Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins. This song is always played when the aircraft are flying. Maverick and Goose can see the bogeys in sight and head for their target. But as they moved closer the engine stalls leaving the aircraft into a flat spin. The flat spin was unrecoverable due to the speed it was travelling at. Then, Maverick and Goose had no other choice other than to pull the ejection handle. Maverick said I cant reach the ejection handle. Then Goose tries and does pull the ejection handle, but the trailing canopy breaks his neck and kills him instantly. It was inevitable just after moments of happiness, this tragedy happens. The pulse-aiding music in the bar got the momentum pumping and gets the audience thinking that good things are going to happen. But when you fly with such immense speed you always carry a risk. When Maverick falls into the sea, he desperately grasps Goose already aware of the incident occurred. As Maverick holds him, the music loses its pace and you could mostly hear Gooses craves of Oh no. This is dramatically effective and leaves the audience sad. Half of the viewers mind thinks that hes dead, but the other half tells you that Maverick will save him. When the coast guard says to Maverick Youve got to let him go, sir, it is like Maverick is letting him go physically and mentally. When someone close to you dies you obviously regret it. The moment is like a junction on a motorway splitting apart. The tragic incident leaves Maverick guilty. He thinks that he was the cause of the death. This makes him lacking in confidence and faith in his own ability to fly again. He considers quitting Top Gun. What the hell went wrong? When losing such a close friend, it always leaves you upset and wanting to be with them again. This is what Maverick want. Oh God, I want him back. Moments after the accident, the scene shows Maverick stripped in the bare and empty washroom. This is effective like everything has been taken from him. In this case, its the clothes, Goose, confidence and faith. He also stares in the mirror searching for answers, searching for himself. He is trying to get answers of who was responsible and why? Hes looking for a reflection. Hes been stripped to emotions. I like this scene because I feel it shows a different side to Maverick. Usually, Maverick is aggressive and a fearless character. But now hes broken and upset. Viper enters the washroom and tells Maverick that Goose is dead. He also says that these things happen in careers involving fighter planes. Viper also gives an advice by saying Youve got to let him go. Viper also said The first one dies, you die with them, which suggests that if s a friend or someone close to you dies, half of you die with them, mentally. Wolfman informs Charlie that Maverick just quit Top Gun. Charlie tries to persuade Maverick to continue flying as it wasnt his fault. Even Carole tried to persuade Maverick by saying He loved flying with you Maverick. Hed have flown anyway, without you. Hed have hated it but he would have done it, shows that Carole is trying to make Carole to fly. Its a story about Love vs Loss. Faith is in between the two. When loss gets too big, then faith gets loss with it too. With Maverick confused, he has one last choice to visit Viper and get some advice. While hes there, he discovers a fact that has been haunting him. His father Duke Mitchell, did not mess up, he was a hero. He was shot down in an F4 but refused to go down and doing so, he saved 3 other pilots before going down himself. Duke Mitchells disappearance had been classified because the US Department hoped to avoid an international incident as the incident took place on the wrong line on some map. This mystery has been haunting Maverick and he asks Viper, So he did do it right. And Viper says Yeah he did it right. With Viper telling Maverick this fact, it has lifted the burden and the weight of Mavericks shoulders. With Charlie, Carole and Viper trying to convince Maverick to graduate, it has worked. The burden has been lifted off Mavericks shoulders and this motivates him and he also want to prove him to others. Maverick decides to return to Top Gun and has a mission to face. He must provide air-support to a SS Layton ship which has disabled into foreign territory. Stinger says to all the pilots This is what youve been trained for. When Maverick is held to take off, Iceman seems to be in trouble with 5 bogeys (MIGs) on his back. Without further delay, Maverick is forced to help Iceman and does so after firing lock on all bogeys, one by one. When Iceman has been rescued, Maverick and the other pilots have made their country proud. Maverick become a hero and afterwards, he sits in the bar on his own. All of a sudden, the song Youve lost that loving feeling is heard. When Maverick looks around the bar, he sees Charlie who left the Washington job for Maverick. Conclusion: This film is up there with the best of the best. A feature of this film makes this film a success. The feature is Camera Shots. The camera shots appear from a range of angles. But the quick capturing of the faces to the aircraft adds to the films adrenaline. I enjoyed this film as I enjoyed the action part of the movie. It wasnt just the action part, it was also the romance, comedy and rivalry between particular pilots. The best scene I enjoyed was the scene where Goose died because it shows that when things can go wrong, it does go wrong. That was the case in this film.

When the Longtime Star Fades Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

When the Longtime Star Fades - Essay Example The company should not let Bob leave just because he is not conversant with modern technologies used in the music industry. Bob is a living legend and loved by all players within the entertainment industry. Additionally, Bob works very hard and is very dedicated to his work (Guterman, 2010). His years of service and simplicity have made him famous. Throughout the years, Bob’s hard work paid off when he becomes the senior manager in the organization. Noel’s arguments for letting Bob go are superficial and lack support. In this regard, Noel should first put into consideration other alternatives that can push Bob to learn about the transformations introduced into the entertainment industry. Also, Noel should appreciate Bob’s talents and personality. Noel may consider introducing compulsory management training within the organization where Bob will learn about the latest trends in the entertainment industry. Alternatively, Noel may also consider pairing Bob with other salespersons who are conversant with new technologies and evaluating their group performance before making the

Early Adulthood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Early Adulthood - Essay Example People also have to strengthen their relationships with friends. They become deeper, and some people may become new friends. All the valuable connections are important for people, as happiness is widely determined by a number of happy memories – which concern more psychological aspects, rather than material needs and desires fulfilled. Lack of psychological fulfillment leads to frustration, dissatisfaction and lack of happy memories and, thus, lack of overall happiness. Another crucial aspect is to find a place within the society and develop own career. Young adults have to develop features needed for a successful career. It is a very important thing, as people spend a lot of time on work – which leads to shortening quantity of children in the family. Work is not only about earning – it is about status, recognition, identity, self-realization and many other essential aspects. Early Adulthood is the outcome from the previous periods of life and is a preparation to Middle Adulthood with its tasks for development. People face many difficult questions and challenges that build them up. People have to develop simultaneously in various spheres of life. They stop being children only and start having own children. They discover what they want to do in their lives. Definitely, love maturation is a crucial step of this period. Romance and addiction start to obtain ground and responsibilities. Many fantasies are getting broken and the reality comes up and people have to manage it.

Strategic Position of McDonalds Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Position of McDonalds - Assignment Example The researcher states that McDonald's achieved a 27% revenue growth over the three years ending in 2007. The market success of any business largely depends on its product quality and service efficiency. It is clear that high-quality products can be designed, produced, and delivered only if high-quality people are employed. As Rioux and Bernthal point out, for any business like McDonald's offering customized services, efficiency in employee recruitment, selection, and retention is particularly vital to meet customer satisfaction and thereby promote market share growth. While analyzing McDonald’s recruitment and selection policy with reference to related practices such as training and development, staff turnover, and rewards and benefits, the policy seems strategic. To illustrate, the organization uses effective and extensive recruitment and training approaches to attract, identify, develop, and retain potential staff that would best suit McDonald’s long-term business int erests. McDonald's opened its first restaurant in the UK in 1974 and there were 1330 McDonald’s restaurants in the country by 2004. Like corporate giants like Walmart and Coca-Cola, McDonald's is also a world’s leading large-scale employer. As per records, in 2004, the company employed 43,491 people in its restaurants and they embraced 40,699 hourly paid workers, 2,292 managerial personnel, and 500 office staff. McDonald’s US franchisees employed further 25,000 people in 2004. Most of the McDonald’s employees are paid based on an hour-rate system and those employees are referred to as crew members.

Sustainable Living In The 21st Century Environmental Sciences Essay

Sustainable Living In The 21st Century Environmental Sciences Essay Sustainable living is about a lifestyle that reduces an individuals or societys use of global natural resources (Ainoa et al. 2009). For sustainable living, we should conduct our lives in ways that are consistent with the core principles of sustainability, in natural balance and respectful of humanitys symbiotic relationship with the Earths natural ecology and biological cycles (CELL, 2010?). Such a living style requires that we make serious attempts to reduce our carbon footprint by altering diet, energy consumption and transportation methods (Winter, 2007). Brown () has described sustainable living in the 21st century as shifting to a renewable energy-based, reuse/recycle economy with a diversified transport system. It is generally recognized that education is the most important factor in improving the quality of life and for enhancing opportunities for individual development. However, it has only recently been realized that education is the decisive factor in addressing the present crisis related to environmental instability. The extent of the global environmental degradation crisis has only come into focus because of the multiple and repeated alarms being raised over the effects of climate change. However, addressing the multiple threats to the sustainability of humanity within the 21st century is an enormous challenge involving educating and re-educating people on a multitude of complex and inter-related concepts. Education must have a dominant role in moving towards sustainable living since it is the single most important factor in improving the quality of life. Science education is essential in achieving social development through environmental awareness. Education must be the advocate for environmental sustainability being a moral obligation for all. Moving towards environmental sustainability involves educating communities on the intensity of present environmental degradation and motivating them to reduce their ecological footprint based on acquired knowledge and experience. Higher education is particularly relevant to solving the crisis of climate change (Hales, 2008). It is timely that higher education should focus on science and engineering for the development of new technologies for conservation of water and energy supplied and teach communities how to live and work sustainably. Specially structured educational programs are needed. These should be multidisciplinary to cover all aspects that relate to sustainable living, must holistically address the total energy, water and carbon footprints of lifestyle choices, and explain how these choices, decisions and behaviours affect natural resources, social equity and economic development. Further, extension programs mu st act as models for others to follow and help communities walk the talk (Crosby et al., 2008). This chapter is an attempt to emphasize the most significant aspects of education associated with moving toward sustainability. What is sustainability? Sustainability has different meanings for different people and has only recently come into sharp focus following concerns on climate change and the consequences for sustainability of humanity. Unfortunately, the climate change debate has overshadowed the more important debate on the sustainability of the environment. Over the last two centuries, the environment has been seen as self-sustaining and a resource to be exploited and consumed. Only in recent decades has the environment been acknowledged as being seriously stressed and threatened, and in urgent need for conservation and regeneration. Despite the present widespread recognition of global environmental degradation being caused by human neglect, there is intense debate on how environmental conservation and regeneration can be achieved both now and in the future. This debate is frustrated by a lack of a pragmatic definition of sustainability, particularly in relation to sustainable environmental development. The much quoted Brundtlund Report definition published in 1987 was the first to link sustainable development to social responsibility: sustainable development means maintaining the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. However, the needs of the present generation are many and diverse and include food, water, energy and money among others. These needs have already exceeded the resources on which they depend and so the ability of future generations to meet their needs is already compromised. Following such a loose definition of sustainability, there has been continuing alarm on the disparity of the needs of the rich compared to those of the poor and on what should be sustained and priorities of sustaining. The reality is that present population growth, exotic lifestyles and excessive consumption of resources are not sustainable but to create sustainability remains an elusive objective. It is obvious that there is an urgent need to move towards sustainability based on major changes to the present dominant social and community values. The extreme dedication of communities to consume resources must change to conservation of resources coupled with wealth accumulation changing to wealth distribution to assist in closing the gap between the haves and have-nots. Hence, sustainability should be driven by people power. Sustainability also implies changes of attitude and emphasis on perceptions of the meaning of economic growth. This has long been associated with increased trade and industrial development which have produced a downward spiral of increased poverty and progressive environmental degradation. Economic growth has to be measured in terms of meeting the essential needs of humanity without enhancing environmental degradation together with greater equity in the distribution of economic benefits. Social justice is a crucial component of sustainability. Sustainability is primarily dependent on the preservation of the diverse and complex ecosystems which make up the global ecosphere. These fragile systems are under unprecedented stress as a consequence of the relentless demands for cleared land for housing and industry, the increasing demands for fossil fuels for energy generation and the burgeoning demand for food from grain crops and for fish from the oceans. It is only because of the comparatively recent alarm bells sounded by the onslaught of climate change that irreversible environmental degradation has been fully recognized and appreciated but alas, not fully understood. In order to emphasize the scale of degradation and its correlation with human impact, a new jargon has emerged that of ecological footprint which is a measure of the ecological capacity of individuals. At present, even the crudest estimates of ecological footprints indicate that the developed nations of the world are living beyond their ecological capacity and are thus living on borrowed time. Sustainability inevitably involves government at all levels and requires democratic revitalization to produce sustainable, accountable and equitable forms of capitalism which activate social reforms and promote ecological awareness. There is a common perception that technology will solve the sustainability issue but this is a misconception since although technology can assist moving towards sustainability, it is not the unilateral antidote. Further, achieving sustainability is not a quick fix phenomenon but a prolonged and uncertain journey involving dedicated commitment of people and resources. It is already clear that the rate of technological development in mitigating climate change is not consistent with the magnitude of problem. Put simply, to reduce carbon emissions means capturing carbon dioxide and diverting it from the atmosphere. These two operations need to be both technologically and economically feasible and require time consuming research coupled with innovative strategies to commercialize new scientific discoveries. Although a tangible definition of sustainability is elusive, it does have many facets all related to sustaining the environment as the top priority.   Thus, education for moving toward sustainability also has many facets which are best illustrated by the cluster chart shown in Figure 1 and a brief discussion of each component of this cluster follows. Fig. 1 Cluster diagram to describe the components of education associated with sustainability. Education for sustainable environments Sustaining humanity in the 21st century depends on sustaining the environment as the top priority so as to preserve its resources. In simple terms, preserving these resources means that sustainable consumable yields are provided but that the consumption rate does not exceed the regeneration rate. Similarly, non-renewable resources must be preserved which means that the consumption rate is balanced by the production rate of renewable resources. In conjunction with these balancing strategies, it is necessary to ensure that waste generation does not exceed the assimilation rate of the environment. Clearly the present crisis of acute and widespread environmental degradation is the result of these three factors being ignored over many decades. The environment in all its dimensions is degrading globally. Atmospheric pollution has been of major concern for many decades but has now reached new heights of concern following the widespread concern on the effects of climate change. The main cause of climate change is believed to be due to the excessive build up of carbon dioxide in the lower atmosphere caused mainly by the excessive combustion of fossil fuels for the production of energy. However, carbon dioxide is not the only known greenhouse gas, methane is also a potent heat storage gas along with water vapor. This fact alone is sufficient for much complacency within the climate change debate and poses additional challenges for climate change educators. Whether or not climate change is a reality is irrelevant in the context of environmental sustainability since all factors which disturb the equilibrium of the environment which has been established over millennia have to be considered and addressed. Loss of biodiversity from the land arises largely from habitat loss and fragmentation produced by overuse of land for development, forestry and agriculture. This is blatant conversion of natural capital to investment capital and although there has been widespread condemnation of destruction of the rain-forests of the world for decades,   the realities of such devastation are only now becoming fully apparent as are the effects of intensive agriculture which reduces soil quality at alarming rates. It is ironic that forests conserve biodiversity, preserve water and soil quality, provide a wide variety of products and, above all, produce atmospheric oxygen by photosynthesis and yet these provisions still have no tangible market value as compared with the economic benefits of logging and land clearing which directly increase atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.   Such are the challenges for sustainability education, since the mindsets of developers and economists clearly have to change and natural resources need to be priced sufficiently high to ensure their preservation. Similarly, water resources globally are at crisis point. Freshwater is essential for human life but at best, it is less than 5% of the global resource. Excessive use of freshwater supplies for irrigation has markedly affected the health of river systems mainly by reducing flow rates which in turn places stress on wetland systems. Further, natural flooding of river flood plains has been curtailed by the construction of dams and weirs which further control river flow rates and hence place severe stress on vital river ecosystem resources. It is again ironic that many of these aquatic ecosystems have been studied in detail over several decades but it is only comparatively recently that inter-dependence of these ecosystems has been appreciated and value of biodiversity as a realistic measure of environmental health realized. Further, the marine environment is also undergoing rapid degradation which is most apparent from the decline in the number of fish species as a result of over-fishing with the advent of trawl technology and unsustainable fishing practices. Although the recent increase in success of aquaculture has and will continue to address this imbalance, it is clear that more severe international statutory controls on fishing are required together with the implementation of sustainable fishing practices- both of which depend on international agreements and treaties which are difficult to achieve and implement. Education for sustainable economies The supreme challenge for sustainable living in the 21st century is to curb excessive consumption in the developed world whilst raising living standards in the developing world without a net increase in consumption of natural resources and environmental impact. Historically, living standards have correlated with economic growth and environmental degradation, and so moving towards sustainable living is at best challenging and at worst, impossible. Again, education is required to change the mindset on what constitutes a sustainable economy, firstly by understanding why present national economies are not sustainable. Contemporary economics is based on economic growth and efficient allocation of resources, and multiple strategies are put in place to achieve pre-determined economic objectives upon which the wealth of nations is based. Conversely, the so-called new economics or ecological economics is based on sustainable growth and fair and efficient distribution of resources. The first time that the latter became a reality rather than a theory was at the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change summit when developing world nations argued very convincingly that the developed world should financially assist the developing world in reducing global green house gas emissions. The failure of the summit to reach a unilateral agreement on greenhouse gas emissions was largely due to a lack of agreement on the basic principle of wealth distribution which underwrites ecological economics. Conventional economics puts a price on natural resources such as fossil fuels, minerals, water and foodstuffs and these are regarded as the main drivers of national economies. However, equally important natural resources such as national parks, marine parks, wetlands, coral reefs, mangrove swamps and many others are regarded as economic externalities which need not be priced and therefore are ripe for exploitation, particularly through tourism. Ecological economics is based on realistic pricing of all natural resources which are subject to consumption by humans, either directly or indirectly and in addition, is committed to the belief that sustainable economics is based on a unilateral greening of industry such that manufacturing processes are energy and waste efficient, consume less resources and provide clean, safe working environments. Ecological economics is the fundamental platform of the emerging carbon economy. However, it is already evident that there is much opposition to a carbon tax and skepticism of the effectiveness of carbon emission trading schemes in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, so public education on the basic science and economics underpinning these schemes is obviously urgently required. Education for sustainable communities There is no doubt that the overwhelming threat to sustainability of humanity in the 21st century is that the present global population of about 6.8 billion is consuming 40% more resources that the Earth is producing per annum and so with a projected global population of 9 billion by 2050, 5.4 Earths worth of resources will be required to achieve human sustainability. Even to move towards sustainability on such a scale obviously requires a massive psyche change of humanity and   Ã‚  extreme urgency in the implementation of sustainable living practices. Building sustainable communities essentially involves people power but communities require educating in order to develop the knowledge, values and skills required for informed decision-making that will improve quality of life now without damaging the environment in the future. Achieving sustainable living is a journey of indefinite duration but with a clearly defined destination. It is a journey taken both by individuals and by communities simultaneously to the benefit of all. The foundation of sustainable communities is the development of sustainability literacy within communities which involves an understanding of the present imbalance between consumption and regeneration of essential natural resources energy, water and food. It is somewhat ironic and humbling to witness that the indigenous communities of the world have been far more sustainability literate over the last two centuries than the so-called modern communities over the last two decades. Sustainable communities are resilient communities which have changed life-style behavior and habits which depend on excessive consumerism to those which embrace waste reduction, reuse and recycle strategies all of which harmonize living standards with environmental demands. These changes take time to implement but result in community social well-being, strong economies and flourishing environments, the benefits of which become obvious to all. Sustainable communities vary enormously with respect to size and character but traditionally form two groups urban and rural. In the past, it has been much more difficult to sustain rural communities due largely to the one-way migration from country to town/city to obtain employment. However, this trend can be at least partially reversed with the wider implementation of eco-development which has been responsible for the so-called new urbanism philosophy but is only just becoming apparent in rural and regional centre infrastructure planning. Eco-development is based on a clean, green living philosophy which incorporates consumption of renewable energies, conservation of water and living off the land using smart ways to grow food. Sustainable literacy only becomes effective when communities understand and appreciate that sustainable living not only gives rise to better, healthier lifestyles but also is cost effective both in the short and long terms. By virtue of their sustainable lif e-styles, sustainable communities are resilient to the effects of climate change and are well suited to benefit from future carbon-based economies. Education for sustainable energy supplies Sustaining humanity in the 21st century requires sustaining energy resources and supplies which creates the dilemma which has become known as the global energy crisis. Coal, oil and natural gas combined provide about 80% of global energy needs mainly in the form of electricity and transport fuels but at the same time produce the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions which are believed to be responsible for global warming. It is estimated that global energy demand could jump by 50% by 2030, consistent with a global population increase of 1.5 billion over the next two decades and this translates to a global warming estimate of the order of 6oC if fossil fuels continue to be the primary energy resource.    An increase of 6oC corresponds to about 3 times the global warming which has occurred over the last century and would have catastrophic environmental, economic and social effects. It is this type of horror scenario which is driving the so-called global energy revolution which dictates that there has to be a move away from fossil fuels as the primary energy resource towards the use of clean green renewable energy resources. These are receiving increasing attention but all have significant technological, development, economic and ethical problems associated with them. The dilemma is that at present, all known renewable energy resources combined including nuclear, solar, wind and biofuels account for less than 10% of global energy requirements and although considerable technological advances are occurring with respect to the commercial development of renewable energy resources, this situation is unlikely to change significantly within the next decade. Similarly, efforts to reduce greenh ouse gas emissions from existing coal-fired power stations, collectively known as clean coal technology, are at least 10 -15 years away from commercial reality. It is conservatively estimated that fossil fuels will remain as the primary global energy resource for at least the next 30 50 years and that phasing out of existing coal-fired power stations will take at least 10 15 years. Thus, the energy crisis is essentially how are sustainable energy supplies to be provided exclusively from renewable energy resources over the next half century? Although, it is generally agreed that the transition to renewable energy resources is inevitable, the time scale for such a transition is very unclear since there are not only major technological problems to be overcome but also major social and economic issues to be addressed along the way which involve significant educational strategies to be unilaterally implemented. Given that it is already abundantly clear that we live by an energy economy it is unlikely that the extra costs associated with abatement of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion coupled with the costs of developing alternatives to fossil fuels will be readily accepted by communities, given that the present escalating costs of electricity and transport fuels are a source of despair globally. Then there are ethical issues to be resolved in the transition to clean energy resources. It has been extensively argued that nuclear power is the only realistic alternative to coal and oil as a primary energy resource but the general population is very concerned about the degree of fail-safe operation of nuclear power stations and is very concerned about safe disposal of nuclear waste. Similarly, biofuels which rely on food crops such as corn products as the primary energy resource are competing with the desperate need to increase grain production globally to address malnutrition in some 23% of the global population. It is clear that the global energy revolution will only succeed if viable education strategies are introduced and available to the general population which address the widespread lack of understanding of climate change and, in particular, its causes and also address the pros and cons of renewable energy resources. The immediate future has to involve a blend of old and new energy generation technologies coupled with a widespread recognition that energy has to be conserved and not wasted. It is practical education programs which will promote this ethic at all levels within communities. Education for sustainable water supplies Sustainable living also means having access to sustainable water supplies. At present, it is estimated that some 15% of the global population do not have access to safe water and the majority of these are in developing countries. It is well-known that many of the life threatening diseases, so common in the developing world, are spread by drinking contaminated water. Further, it is estimated that agricultural irrigation consumes some 65% of global freshwater supplies and already many countries and regions are experiencing water scarcity at alarming levels due to prolonged periods of drought. Droughts are predicted to become more prolonged as a result of the consequences of climate change and so demand for freshwater will inevitably rise predicted to be by some 30% over the next two decades and thus it is clear that urgent strategies are necessary to educate communities to use less water more efficiently. Unfortunately, increase in freshwater use is driven by numerous factors which are difficult to assess and control. These factors include population increase and distribution, lifestyles, economies and, most particularly, by increasing demands for food which drives increases in irrigated agriculture. There is also a political factor which influences freshwater usage in that many of the worlds major freshwater resources are shared since major rivers often flow through several countries. For example, the Danube passes through 12 countries that use its water and the Nile flows through 9 countries which are totally dependent on its waters. Agreement between countries that share freshwater resources can be difficult to achieve and sustain but are generally associated with demands for more effective water usage and strict management programs. Since freshwater is such a valuable resource, water pricing is a highly contentious issue at all levels domestic, industrial and agricultural. Agriculture is linked directly to food production and hence farmers believe that they have the right to sufficient water to produce sufficient crops to provide a sustainable income for themselves and their families. Some governments however believe that such water rights should be controlled by license in view of the scarcity of the commodity and this explains the conflict that is evident between primary producers and water licensing authorities. It is inevitable that sustainable agriculture depends on a major reduction in water used for irrigation by progressive use of drip-irrigation technology in conjunction with installation of improved drainage and recycling systems. Also, during the so-called Green Revolution of the 1960s, new strains of many species of crops resulted in large increases in productivity and this technology is now focused on strains of grain crops which require less irrigation. At the industrial level and as a major part of industrial greening strategies, industry is adopting water recycling initiatives which may include partial treatment of waste water. These initiatives are complementary to the energy consumption reduction strategies and are consistent with the 3Rs of clean, green industry reuse, recycle, reduce. At the domestic level, a user pays system is usually applied to water consumption and during periods of drought, restrictions are placed on water usage which are enforced by water management authorities. It is becoming increasingly apparent that due to the escalating cost of water, communities and individuals are becoming more aware of the need for water conservation and are taking appropriate steps to initiate the 3R rule both individually and collectively. These initiatives include the installation of water tanks in homes to collect rain water and the recycling of non-sewage waste water for external use. No longer can it be taken for granted that the right to water means simply turning a tap on. Education for sustainable food supplies Food security, in conjunction with sustainable energy and water supplies, are the essential components of sustaining humanity. At present, food security is not a reality since at least 15% of the global population is undernourished and with a projected surging population increase, it is a daunting challenge to reduce world hunger, especially since this is directly linked with poverty and exacerbated by global warming. The Green Revolution, which partially achieved food security over the period 1960 to mid-1980, was the dawn of intensive agriculture which has resulted in serious environmental problems. Widespread deep tilling of land together with excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides coupled with intensive irrigation has caused degradation of soil quality and texture in addition to dry land salinity. The additional threat of climate change will inevitably further threaten the achievement of food security in coming decades unless urgent steps are taken now to move towards sustainable agriculture. Science, technology and innovation are essential drivers of sustainable agriculture and hence food security. Improved mechanization of agriculture using efficient harvesting machines which reduce soil compaction are already increasing productivity and use of geographical positioning system (GPS) technology to monitor and control the position of such machinery enables precisely measured amounts of seed, fertilizer and pesticides in addition to the determination of soil and plant quality, which enables early detection of diseases. Further, development of improved crop varieties and marker assisted plant breeding combine to reduce losses due to pests and diseases. These biotechnologies lead to strains which are tolerant of drought, heat and saline conditions in addition to improved pest and disease resistance. Further, drip irrigation coupled with micro-nutrient addition is becoming increasingly effective in increasing production of staple crops such as sweet potato. In the quest to find alternative, clean, green energy resources, bio-fuels have come into prominence.   Biofuels are currently produced from starch, sugar cane, wheat, maize and palm oil. Biofuel production is currently somewhat controversial since the required raw material is derived from land that should be used for food production. In addition, sugar cane and palm oil plantations contribute to deforestation of tropical rain forests.   Second   generation   biofuels are currently being investigated which use crop residues, grasses and willows as base materials and these have much promise as future commercial biofuels and are free of the food related controversies. The last decade has seen massive exploitation of marine resources in the quest to achieve food security. The application of modern technology to commercialization of fishing operations has led to a global overfishing crisis such that sustainable fisheries thresholds have been exceeded. Many of the coastal commercial fisheries have collapsed as a result of declining catches and the global industry is facing further threats from seawater warming and increasing acidification caused by climate change. Thus, the seafood industry is not sustainable. The solution involves harvesting methods that capture fish selectively and within specified limits so as to allow regeneration. However, such strategies are difficult to implement on an international scale. Aquaculture is becoming increasingly important in addressing the challenge of food security. Total fish capture in 2010 amounted to some 145 million tonnes of which aquaculture contributed 54 million tonnes representing an increase of some 20 million tonnes compared to a decade ago. Aquaculture meets at least three objectives: provides seafood and hence income for coastal communities, reduces fishing pressure on wild populations and maintains fish supply to sustain commercial, subsistence and recreational demands. Aquaculture can be sustainable provided that quality seawater, dependable supplies of seed and feed-stocks are available together with application of strategies to ensure disease free hatcheries and grow-out systems.   The next generation of aquaculture may involve introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs have already been introduced into agriculture and genetically modified crop strains have been shown to give higher yields with lower fertilizer suppo rt. The transgenic animal products are controversial and early attempts to market GMO salmon have faced stiff resistance. However, the potential for GMOs to be a force in combating food shortages is significant and cannot be overlooked. Food security is clearly based on a combination of sustainable agriculture, sustainable fisheries and sustainable aquaculture together with a paradigm shift in the extent to which natural food resources are exploited. Fundamentally, more food has to be produced with less energy, less water, less chemicals and by methods which allow environmental regeneration. Education in sustainability science and technology Sustainability science is the science associated wi

Essay --

Part I 1. How many independent variables are in a 4X6 factorial design? How many conditions are in this design? There are 4 and 6 independent variables, and 24 conditions for this design. 2. What is the difference between a cell mean and the means used to interpret a main effect? The main effect is used to interpret the differences in means over levels of one factor collapsed over levels of the other factor (Jackson, 2012). However, the cell mean is used to interpret is used with models that include three-way interactions. In addition, a cell means is used with mixed procedures (Jackson, 2012). 3. What is the difference between a complete factorial design and an incomplete factorial design? The complete factorial design consists of all combinations of all factor-levels of each factor; and it can estimate all factors and their interactions (Collins, Dziak, & Li, 2009; Jackson, 2012). In addition, the fixed-level designs may be calculated (Collins, Dziak, & Li, 2009). For example, a two-level factor, a three-level factor, and a four-level factor has 2 x 3 x 4 = 24 runs. The incomplete factorial design some of the cells are intentionally left empty, where participants will not be assigned to those combinations of factors. It is most likely to be used in a controlled group (Trochim, 2000; Jackson, 2012). Therefore, the research can evaluate relative treatment comparisons within a single study and be able to determine the effect of different treatment combinations (Trochim, 2000; Jackson, 2012). 4. Explain the difference between a two-way ANOVA and a three-way ANOVA? A one-way ANOVA is used when the research wants to evaluate the differences between variables (Kirk, 1995; Jackson, 2012). For example, a study may evaluate the dif... ...her factor (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008). How does a covariate reduce noise? An ANCOVA design is a noise-reducing experimental design can adjusts posttest scores for variability on the covariate pretest. Covariates are the variables you adjust for, where the effect is going to be removed. Any continuous variable can be used as the covariate; however, the pretest is usually best (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008). Describe and explain three trade-offs present in experiments. Schank and Koehnle (2009) argued that the three trade-offs present in experiments are the inevitable in any decisions including blocking or to standardize conditions in experiments. The interpretation of multiple tests of a hypothesis is clarified. Experiments with large samples raise the possibility of small, but statistically significant, biases even after randomization of treatments (Wiley, 2009).

Lg Brown Goods

Project on LG Contents Mission3 Mission Statement3 Vision3 Core Values3 How the present strategies are within the mission, vision and core values3 Present Strategy3 Market Analysis3 Segmentation3 Targeting4 Positioning4 Needs4 PESTLE Analysis4 Political factor4 Economical factor4 Socio-cultural factors5 Technological factors5 Legal factors5 Environmental factors5 Industry/ Competitive Analysis6 Industry in which LG Competes6 Industry performance for last 5 years and projections for next 3 years6Market share of Top 5 players by segments7 Market share of organized and unorganized for last year and projection for next three years8 Industry’s 5 competitive forces9 Indirect Competitors of LG Electronics (Brown Goods) –9 Top Direct Competitors of LG Electronics in INDIA –9 Competitive advantages of Samsung Electronics –10 Competitive Advantages of Sony Electronics –10 Competitive Advantage of Videocon –10 SWOT Analysis of LG Electronics –10 Performance Review11Past performance of the product and elements of the marketing mix11 Objective of the company13 Mission Mission Statement To become a top innovative electronics company in the world. It takes pride in its company and employees and believes that this is what will make it into one of the most innovative companies of the 21st century. Vision LG’s vision is to deliver innovative digital products and services that make our customers’ lives better, easier and happier through increased functionality and fun. Core ValuesGlobal, Tomorrow, Energy, Humanity and Technology are the pillars that this corporation is founded on; with the capital letters L and G positioned inside a circle to centre our ideals above all else, humanity. The symbol mark stands for our resolve to establish a lasting relationship with, and to achieve the highest satisfaction for our customers. How the present strategies are within the mission, vision and core values By adopting the Blue O cean Strategy LG will be able to sustain its leadership position.BOS provides a systematic way of identifying and creating high growth opportunities. LG is looking not just to maintain its leadership position in India, but to continue to grow, and to transition from a mass brand to a premium one. Through the adoption of this policy, LG plans to launch products or services which create or significantly increase its market shares and profit by offering differentiated values in view of customers. The move to adopt Blue Ocean Strategy is seen as an ambitious drive to resurrect LG globally.The strategy aims at designing in order to exploit opportunities, so far untapped; either within the present segments of LG or outside, where there is zero or negligible competition. Present Strategy * Local and efficient manufacturing to reduce cost * Product localisation; LG came out with regional language menus on its TV * Introduction of low priced products for the rural market especially in the TV segment * LG has adopted the regional distribution model in India * Offering affordable products at a lower margin –cutting on volume to ring in revenues * LG is adopting the Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) in India as part of its global strategy * BOS gives a frame work for breaking away from the competition to achieve high customer value and profitability simultaneously * Blue Ocean Products are products and services which create a differential value for the customer, thus opening up vast, new markets to drastically improve profitability and market share * Blue Ocean Business Model is one that focuses the efforts of the company on providing differentiated value to customers. Market AnalysisSegmentation – Demographic Higher income group Occupation – Geographic Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities – Psychographic Loyalty status – switcher loyal because product of different need are taken from different brand considering superiority Usage rate – high in terms of usage user life stage – marriages and other life stage are when brown good and eletronics are bought benefts – for consumer who seek benefits derived with tech occassion – bought mostly on festive season so provided with various schemes. – Behavioural LG look for Value and lifestyle which people believe they correspond to. TargetingLG has targeted its market on the basis of the product that they are offering to the consumer. upper-lower and higher segments people more concern to health benefits, life style and quality products LCD and Plasma TV for premium segment trying to shift to mid class and mass market of product selective specialization Positioning Differentiate product on technology which appeal to consumer on basis of health benefits like health wave system for oven, golden eye for TV its tagline describes to make people life better convenient and healthier they try to position as young vibrant and premium brand NeedsNeeds met by the LG brown n electronics product – ease of use, higher efficiency PESTLE Analysis Political factor Taxation policies, foreign trade regulations, trade policies are the important political factors. LG must follow the compliances given by the government like the Environmental Protection Agency. Sales volume gets negatively affected due to any change in the policies or foreign trade regulations. It will cause consumer to pay more for products. There is a possibility that the change in government can have an effect from the support of LG’s Research and Development. These political factors are:High import duty Export promotion scheme of Indian government like EPCG(Export Promotion Capital Good Scheme), EOU(Export Oriented Units) status Plants in Tax incentive areas like Pune, Greater Noida. Economical factor Price wars is the biggest economic factor for LG. LG has used competitive strategies like localization and adapting it to different markets. Making it easier to grab consumerâ₠¬â„¢s attention with products that are easier for their everyday living. In India, LG opened manufacturing facilities that begun with the R&D looking at what competitors have already brought to the arket and made their product unique and geared towards the consumers needs. Things that may affect sales volume from a economic stand point is a sudden change in consumer’s income. So LG would have to look in to how they can make products more affordable for consumers in recession. In India GDP is rising. Per Capita Income is increasing, so spending power of consumer is increasing. Socio-cultural factors LG went into the market in India with all the right tools. They adapted to the market and immediately began to be the innovators of that market.They have given back to the society by providing them with employment opportunities by building manufacturing plants. They are manufacturing eco-friendly products and increasing the life style of the people. Within the social factor, LG has been able to achieve a higher sales volume in India. Technological factors LG has always been a leader in innovation from the 1980s so technology is the important factor for them. LG is expanding in 3G Network technology. In India, Reliance incorporation with LG has 3G plans made for smart phones. LG introduced its LG Optimus 3D to the market in India.Improvement in technology made the product cheaper and quality of product has been increased. Legal factors Legal factors like employment law and consumer protection law can also affect the start-up of a company. Employment laws, like how many people a business employs the number of employees in each location, the minimum number of employees specified in the employment law etc. Consumer protection law protects consumers from fraudulent or unethical business practices, misleading advertisements, and defective products. So, these are some of the laws that businesses must abide before starting a venture.Environmental factors LG must foll ow the compliances given by the government bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency which also monitors the implementation. The company was penalised for failing to meet its commitment to make products free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) by the end of 2010. All of LG's mobile phones are now free from PVC and BFRs while other products such as TVs and notebooks contain PVC/BFR free parts; LG aims to phase these substances out from TVs monitors and PCs by 2012 and household appliances by 2014.In the Guide the company scored badly on the Energy criteria, being criticized for setting a weak target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and not making renewable energy part of its low carbon strategy. LG scored most points in the Sustainable Operations category with the company providing take-back for obsolete phones in 52 countries and being in the process of addressing the issue of conflict minerals. LG is now following a green pr oduct strategy. The objective of LG Electronics’ green product strategy is to minimize the environmental impact on the whole value chain while enriching lives.The strategy consists of three components; energy, human and resources. The strategy is based on a model that takes into consideration high energy efficiency, a reduction in raw material usage, and human welfare. Industry/ Competitive Analysis Industry in which LG Competes LG Competes in Consumer Durables industry. The  consumer durables industry  emerged in the twentieth century and has now become a global industry worth billions of dollars. * LG specializes in the manufacturing of consumer durables The scope of our report covers LG’s brown Goods which include: * Television * Audio-Video Systems Computers * Electronic Accessories Industry performance for last 5 years and projections for next 3 years * We believe that the Indian consumer durables industry will post strong double digit growth of ~15% over the next 3 years. * We believe that the industry will continue to grow led by lower penetration, increasing disposable income, easy credit availability coupled with declining prices. Increasing rural demand would be the key feature of the industry growth going ahead. * However, increase in raw material prices and intense competition among players, are key challenges for the industry. In a scenario of shorter product life cycles and increasing competition, we believe that the companies with strong R;D, wide distribution network, strong brand would benefit most from the strong industry growth. * We believe that the consumer durables industry’s growth has been two pronged: (a) driven by lower penetration in rural markets and (b) new innovations and replacement demand in urban markets. Source: Display search ,CEAMA, GEPL, Capital Research Market share of Top 5 players by segments Source: Display search ,CEAMA, GEPL, Capital Research Source: Display search ,CEAMA, GEPL, Capital Resear chMarket share of organized and unorganized for last year and projection for next three years Present Scenario : At present around 97 per cent of the more than 5 million retail premises of all types in India are smaller than 50 sq mtrs. So organized retail forms only 3% of the total retail sector in consumer durables industry. Prediction for the future : The urban and rural markets in India are growing at an annual rate of 7 to 10 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. One of the key enablers of this growth has been the increasing penetration of organised retail.While there are established distribution networks in both rural and urban India, the presence of well-known brands and organised sector is increasing. This situation is, however, transforming. Shopping malls are becoming increasingly common in Indian cities, and based on plans announced by key developers, a proliferation of new malls is expected over the next three years. Although many of the new malls would be much smaller than their western counterparts , Indian consumers will have a far larger number of attractive, comfortable, brand-conscious outlets in which to shop.As a result, the organized retail industry is expected to cover a market share of 15 to 18 per cent by the end of 2010, from just 3 per cent at present. This will have a positive impact on the consumer durables industry, as organized retailing would not only streamline the supply chain, but also facilitate increased demand, especially for high-end and branded products Industry’s 5 competitive forces Indirect Competitors of LG Electronics (Brown Goods) – The indirect competitors of LG electronics brown goods such as television, audio systems and cameras are the manufacturers of modern computers and laptops such as Lenovo, H.P and Dell. Modern laptops offer a variety of multidimensional features to the consumers who use them. For instance they can be used as a television, as a video and audio music player or even as a camer a as it hosts all these capabilities in itself. Thus it provides indirect competition to firms which produce the exclusive gadgets offering these services on a single unit basis. Another form of indirect competition is posed by the major mobile phone manufacturers of the world such as Apple, Nokia, Samsung and H. T. C.Modern mobile phones have become very sophisticated and encompass a variety of multimedia features such as gaming, videos, music, camera and the internet. Thus it is acting as a one for all device today and thereby poses indirect threat to dedicated players offering singular service gadgets such as T. V, Music systems or D. V. D players. Also LG faces indirect competition from cheap imitations and imports especially from China and Singapore. These products though poor in terms of quality are very economical and hence cater to a wide range of rural consumers who are extremely price conscious.They can easily purchase these cheap electronic goods at low prices. Thus, they are eating away a possible market share of LG electronics and thereby acting as an indirect competitor to it. Top Direct Competitors of LG Electronics in INDIA – 1. Samsung Electronics 2. Sony Electronics 3. Videocon Competitive advantages of Samsung Electronics – Samsung electronics gains competitive advantage by innovations in the process of product manufacturing, design and development. It has a very strong research and development unit that is working continuously to offer new and innovative product designs.Its speed of execution is perhaps its biggest strength. The time gap between product visualization and its actual delivery is very short which helps it offer the latest in technology trends to its customers in a short span of time. It maintains a very talented pool of creative people who help in driving its technological innovations. It has also been able to feel the pulse of the customers over the years and has been successful in offering product features whic h were highly desired by the customers at acceptable prices.Competitive Advantages of Sony Electronics – The biggest advantage possessed by Sony Electronics is its strong brand image which it has been able to build over a period of time. Its core competence includes the miniaturization of products which involves making products and its components of very small sizes without compromising on its quality. It has a great research and development wing that helps it come out with cutting edge breakthroughs in technology and innovation. Thus, it has been able to offer products with high quality.It has been successful in creating a pool of loyal customers from urban and semi urban areas who seek advanced high quality products without being too concerned about the price factor. Competitive Advantage of Videocon – Videocon has gained competitive advantage in the electronics industry by offering technologically advanced good quality products at relatively low prices. It strives t o provide the best possible service at the lowest possible prices. This has enabled them to become a hot favourite among the price sensitive Indian consumers especially those belonging to rural areas having low purchasing power.It uses strategic planning and vendor management to achieve operational efficiency. It has been able to penetrate a wide market area due to its efficient distribution systems. It has the largest distributed manufacturing base in India having twelve facilities across the country. Thus it has been able to manage a complex supply chain effectively. SWOT Analysis of LG Electronics – Strengths – 1. LG electronics is one of the market leaders in home appliances segment in India and so enjoys a position of strength in the electronics industry. 2.Most of the LG products are of simple design and very ease to use which helps it in satisfying its customers and building trust. 3. It has alliances and partnerships with major technology companies of the world such as G. E, Siemens and Microsoft etc. 4. It has a very wide range of product categories to tap consumers of various segments. 5. It has one of the widest distribution networks in the industry with more than 47 branches and 175 area offices. 6. It has a strong R;D division which helps it to come out with technologically advanced products. Weaknesses – 1.The after sales service of LG is not perceived to be up to the mark as customers are not highly satisfied with it. 2. It has similar product categories and features as compared to its close competitors. 3. It has not been able to create a powerful brand image for itself in the market. 4. It is often directly compared to its biggest competitor Samsung and its supremacy over other brands is overlooked. 5. It has not been able to attract the top talent in the form of highly skilled employees to its fold. Opportunities – 1. The rural market in India is growing as the economic condition of the areas is improving at a fast rate.This has opened a huge potential for sales in these areas for LG. 2. The consumer electronics industry in India is also poised for further growth thereby giving ample opportunity to LG to expand its scope. 3. There will be great opportunities to launch new products in the future as technology is advancing and consumers are always on the lookout for something new. 4. LG has the opportunity to become the leader in white goods market as well by leveraging its supremacy in the other electronics fields. Threats – 1. The biggest threat to LG electronics is from its biggest competitorSamsung which is also from South Korea and is a dominant force in the Indian Electronics market. 2. There is a threat of entering into a price competition with its close competitors that could lower its profit margins. 3. The short product life cycle of electronic products is also a threat to the company as they become obsolete very quickly. 4. The changing government regulations on health, safety and environment issues may also pose a threat to the operations of LG. 5. Cheap imitations and imports from China also pose a small degree of threat to its sales. Performance ReviewPast performance of the product and elements of the marketing mix LG Electronics is doing everything it can to retain its number one position in the Indian brown goods consumer durables market, estimated at Rs 35,000 crore. With more than 30 per cent share of this market, it now expects its India operations to overtake its Korea sales in the next three to four years. LG Electronics India is targeting revenue of Rs 20,000 crore (the figure currently is Rs 16,000 crore) through rapid expansion and new product launches. It is investing Rs 800 crore to expand production capacity, and the advertising budget is Rs 700 crore for this year.LG is focusing on key innovations including 3D TV, mobile digital television, and new solar cell business. The performance highlights – Sales have been shown according to product and place. The following chart shows the percentage contribution made by different product categories in total sales of LG Company. The chart shows that major part of LG revenue comes from brown goods (Home Entertainment and Mobiles). The chart below shows the breakup of sales region wise: Source: 1. Business Standard article June, 2012. 2. Annual Report-LG, 2011 Product Product localisation is a key strategy used by LG. LG came out with Hindi and regional language menus on its TV. †¢ Introduced the low-priced â€Å"Cineplus† and â€Å"Sampoorna† range for the rural markets. †¢ LG was the first brand to introduce gaming in CTVs. In continuation of its association with cricket, LG introduced the cricket game in CTVs. Price To overcome high import duties, LG manufactures PC monitors and refrigerators in India at its manufacturing facility at Noida, Delhi. LGEIL had already commissioned contract manufacturing at Mohali, Kolkata and Bhopal for CTVs. Th is has helped LGEI to reduce costs.LGEIL is implementing a â€Å"digital manufacturing system† (DMS) as a cost-cutting innovation. This system is a follow-up to the Six Sigma exercise LGEIL had initiated earlier. Place (Distribution) LG has adopted the regional distribution model in India. All the distributors work directly with the company. This has resulted in quicker rotation of stocks, and better penetration into the B, C, and D class markets. LG also follows the strategy of stock rotation, rather than dumping stocks on channel partners. LG has over 46 branch offices and another 110 areaoffices across the country.LG had set a target of developing 2,000 dealers, in addition to the existing 3,000 dealers all over India Promotion To make itself a known brand in the consumer electronics sector, LG has taken innovative marketing and promotional initiatives: †¢ Launch of new technologies in consumer electronics and home appliances. †¢ LG was the first brand to enter c ricket in a big way, by sponsoring the 1999 World Cup, and followed it up in 2003 as well. †¢ LG brought in four captains of the Indian cricket team to endorse its products. LG invested more than USS 8 million on advertising and marketing in this sport. LG has differentiated its products using technology and health benefits. The CTV range has ‘Golden Eye’ technology, air-conditioners have the ‘Health Air System’ and microwave ovens have the ‘Health Wave System’. Objective of the company LG Electronics India aims Rs 16,000 crore sales turnover in 2012. The Indian unit of South Korea's LG Electronics expects to double its revenue to $9 billion by 2015, a top executive said, as rising incomes and growing urban households expand the consumer durables market in Asia's third largest economy. LG Electronics Inc, the world's No. TV brand, said on Sunday it aimed to increase its global market share in LCD TVs to 15 percent this year from 11 percent last year by boosting unit sales by 54 percent. LG Electronics is aiming at a 50% market share in the 3D TV market this year, as against 40% last year with the launch of its latest series of Cinema 3D Smart TVs priced in the range of Rs 55,000 to Rs 7,00,000, boasting of world's slimmest bezel TVs. Soon Kwon, MD, LGEIL says, â€Å"We are targeting business worth Rs 1000 crore from 3D TVs and aim to consolidate our position in the Flat Panel TV segment with 30% market share.We have an aggressive marketing strategy with target investment of Rs 100 crore. † The new range is also accompanied by new Cinema 3D glasses for 2012. Adds Kwon, â€Å"3D entertainment is set to explode in India at a steady growth of 500%. We are anticipating the size to go up to 5 lakh units this year, as against 1 lakh units last year. † LG’s aim is to increase export from India to about 40%. LG’s estimated sales(in million) of year ending dec’12 is 47 and dec’13 is al so 47.

Orion Essays - Orion, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Oenopion, Canis Major

Orion Essays - Orion, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Oenopion, Canis Major Orion Orion Down fell the red skin of the lion Into the river at his feet. His mighty club no longer beat The forehead of the bull; but he Reeled as of yore beside the sea, When blinded by Oenopion He sought the blacksmith at his forge, And climbing up the narrow gorge, Fixed his blank eyes upon the sun. The Occultation of Orion by Mr. Longfellow This poem was written about the Greek myth of Orion. The story says that Orion, the son of Neptune, was a handsome giant and a mighty hunter. His father gave him the power of wading through the depths of the sea, or, as others would say, walking on its surface. Orion loved Merope, the daughter of Oenopion, king of Chios, and sought her in marriage. He cleared the island of wild beasts, and brought the spoils of the chase as presents to his beloved; but as Oenopion constantly deferred his consent, Orion attempted to gain possession of the maiden by violence. Her father, incensed at this conduct, having made Orion drunk, deprived him of his sight and cast him out on the seashore. The blinded hero followed the sound, of a Cyclops' hammer till he reached Lemnos, and came to the forge of Vulcan(Hephaestus), who, taking pity on him, gave him Kedalion, one of his men to be his guide to the abode of the sun. Placing Kedalion on his shoulders, Orion proceeded to the east, and there meeting th e sun-god(Helios) was restored to sight by his beam. After this he dwelt as a hunter with Diana(Artemis), with whom he was a favorite, and it was even said she was about to marry him. Her brother was highly displeased and often chid with her, but for no purpose. One day, observing Orion wading through the sea with his head just above the water, Apollo pointed it out to his sister and maintained that she could not hit that black thing on the sea. The archer-goddess discharged a shaft with fatal aim. The waves rolled the dead body of Orion to the land, and bewailing her fatal error with many tears, Diana placed him among the stars, where he appears as a giant, with a girdle, sword, lion's skin, and club. Sirius, his dog, follows him, and the Pleiads fly before him. Orion, the brightest constellation in the sky, is easy to find if you look for the three bright stars that make up Orion's belt. Once you have found this distinctive pattern, two other very bright stars will help you define the rest of the constellation. The first star, Betelgeuse, is located at Orion's right shoulder. The second, Rigel, is at his lower left. Orion is the great hunter, aiming his arrow and holding his club over his head. His sword hangs from his belt. In the area of this sword are found a number of very exciting star formation regions, including the Great Nebula of Orion. The nebula is visible with the unaided eye, as a smudge about halfway down his sword. The Great Nebula of Orion(star M42) is one of the most photographed objects in the sky. This area is a collection of gas and dust where stars are being born. The central bright star that is illuminating the gaseous cloud is actually four stars known as the Trapezium. The nebula itself is one of the nearest star formations at only about 1,500 light years away. It has formed stars recently, only 300,000 years ago. In Orion many of the stars have different colors, colors tell us about a star's temperature, composition, age, size, and distance from us. Red stars are generally older, cooler stars that have used up much of their hydrogen fuel. Blue stars are generally younger and hotter. Most of these stars are blue, with the exception of the very red star, Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse is a red supergiant, Rigel is a blue supergiant. The red streak in the sword area is the Orion Nebula. Orion is located in the celestial equator and Orion's outstretched upper arm is located in the Milky Way. Orion is followed by two hunting dogs at his right. One of these, Canis Major, contains the brightest star in the sky. This star, Sirius, is located just where the dog's neck meets his body. Sirius should help

The Origin of Wildfires and How They Are Caused

The Origin of Wildfires and How They Are Caused It is interesting to note that, of the four billion years of earths existence, conditions were not conducive for spontaneous wildfire until the last 400 million years. A naturally-occurring atmospheric fire did not have the chemical elements available until major several earth changes occurred. The earliest life forms emerged without needing oxygen (anaerobic organisms) to live about 3.5 billion years ago and lived in a carbon dioxide based atmosphere. Life forms that needed oxygen in small amounts (aerobic) came much later in the form of photosynthesizing blue-green algae and ultimately changed the earths atmospheric balance toward oxygen and away from carbon dioxide (co2). Photosynthesis increasingly dominated earths biology by initially creating and continuously increasing the earths percentage of oxygen in the air. Green plant growth then exploded and aerobic respiration became the biologic catalyst for terrestrial life. Around 600 million years ago and during the Paleozoic, conditions for natural combustion started developing with increasing speed. Wildfire Chemistry Fire needs fuel, oxygen, and heat to ignite and spread. Wherever forests grow, the fuel for forest fires is provided mainly by continued biomass production along with the resulting fuel load  of that vegetative growth. Oxygen is created in abundance by the photosynthesizing process of living green organisms so it is all around us in the air. All that is needed then is a source of heat to provide the exact chemistry combinations for a flame. When these natural combustibles (in the form of wood, leaves, brush) reach 572 º, gas in the steam given off reacts with oxygen to reach its flash point with a burst of flame. This flame then preheats surrounding fuels. In turn, other fuels heat up and the fire grows and spreads. If this spreading process is not controlled, you have a wildfire or uncontrolled forest fire. Depending on the geographic condition of the site and the vegetative fuels present, you might call these brush fires, forest fires, sage field fires, grass fires, woods fires, peat fires, bush fires, wildland fires, or veld fires. How Do Forest Fires Start? Naturally caused forest fires are usually started by dry lightning where little to no rain accompanies a stormy weather disturbance. Lightning randomly strikes the earth an average of 100 times each second or 3 billion times every year and has caused some of the most notable wildland fire disasters  in the western United States. Most lightning strikes occur in the North American southeast and southwest. Because they often occur in isolated locations with limited access, lightning fires burn more acres than human-caused starts. The average 10-year total of U.S. wildfire acres burned and caused by humans is 1.9 million acres where  2.1 million acres burned are lightning-caused. Still, human fire activity is the primary cause of wildfires, with nearly ten times the start rate of natural starts. Most of these human-caused fires are accidental, usually caused by carelessness or inattention by campers, hikers, or others traveling through wildland or by debris and garbage burners. Some are intentionally set by arsonists. Some human-caused fires are started to reduce heavy fuel buildup and used as a forest management tool. This is called a controlled or prescribed burn and used for wildfire fire fuel reduction, wildlife habitat enhancement, and debris clearing. They are not included in the above statistics and ultimately reduce wildfire numbers by reducing conditions that contribute to wildfire and forest fires. How Does Wildland Fire Spread? The three primary classes of wildland fires are surface, crown, and ground fires. Each classification  intensity depends on the quantity and types of fuels involved and their moisture content. These conditions have an effect on fire intensity and will determine how fast the fire will spread. Surface fires typically burn readily but at a low intensity and partially consume the entire fuel layer while presenting little danger to mature trees and root systems. Fuel buildup over many years will increase intensity and especially when associated with drought, can become a rapidly spreading ground fire. Regular controlled fire or prescribed burning effectively reduces the fuel buildup leading to a damaging ground fire.Crown fires generally result from intense rising ground fire heat and occur in the higher sections of draping trees. The resulting ladder effect causes hot surface or ground fires to climb the fuels into the canopy. This can increase the chance for embers to blow and branches to fall into unburned areas and increase the spread the fire.Ground fires are the most infrequent type of fire but make for very intense blazes that can potentially destroy all vegetation and organic manner, leaving only bare earth. These largest fires actually create their own winds and weat her, increasing the flow of oxygen and feeding the fire.

Post Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Post - Assignment Example This way, it will be possible to make accurate assumptions that will impact on planning positively because assumptions have influence on planning (Bush, 2005). I perfectly agree with the position you took on the purposes of EOP, especially when it comes to the aspect of planning. I would agree with you that planning is an important tool for achieving efficiency and for avoiding waste (Dudo, Dunwoody & Scheufele, 2011). Very often, emergency workers approach emergency events with virtually no idea about outcomes to expect. This happens when there is poor planning towards such events. Having an EOP can therefore help in ensuring that emergency workers abreast themselves with possibilities of emergency outcomes so that they can make the right preparations to them. An additional insight that I will like to add to your point is that whiles preparing emergency operations plans, it is important to take much inspiration from past events. I believe that it is based on past events that the right planning can be made to achieve efficiency. While you were opining on the questions/issues that must be addressed by an EOP, you made very important points which I agree with very perfectly. One of these was the point you made about the community. I agree with well that the community has a role to play in emergency management and that it is always very important to ask questions about the roles that the community can play in times of emergency. Once the role of the community is clearly defined, it will be possible to get the very best from them in times of emergency. The situation where community members interrupt the work of the emergency workers will also be avoided. This is because there will be distinctions between what they are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to you. With all the lessons above, it can be conclude

Safe work environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Safe work environment - Essay Example Visitors language should be checked for any harmful devises carried by him. Work stations are to be design to make the employees more comfortable as they would be working long hours sitting. The work station and the equipments like tables and chairs are to be designed to ease the pressure on the employees' body thus avoiding the stains and pains at various back parts. New employees are to be made known about the safety and security measures prior to their joining. They should be given a book let explaining about the privacy and safety policies for their kind reference. The parcels and other goods coming through courier service are to be checked at the ground floor security and should forward to their floors. If the goods are having some offense contents the objects are to be kept at the ground dispatch room and the consignee has to be called for cross check. An in-house doctor has to be placed at the work station for addressing concerns. Reference: Employee safety handbook, Office of research safety and office of risk management, Northwestern university, 2003 viewed on 21/12/2006 available at http://www.northwestern.edu/risk/EmpSafetyHandbook2003.pdf Safety tips,