Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Strategic Management - Essay Example Some of the local brands are also considered by the company that includes Aguila, Castle, Snow, Victoria Bitter, Miller Lite, and Tyskie. The company has been successful in creating its position in both the emerging as well as developed markets across the globe (Overview, 2012). The present study has been considered to make an environmental analysis of SABMiller. Environmental analysis involves identification of the environmental factors that can affect a company, and hence their nature and impact on the level of success of the company. Depending on such factors, if identified, a company would be able to consider measures accordingly such that any negative impact may be prevented. SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, application of Porter’s Five Forces are some of ways through which environmental analysis of a business can be done (Business Environment Analysis, n.d.) and these will be applied in the present study to have an understanding on SABMiller company. Position of SABMiller : SABMiller is older than the state of South Africa itself and has faced several challenges in determining the position that it currently holds. There were several business restrictions that SAB had to fight by ruling over the production of beer along with acquisitioning competitor companies and enhancing the facilities of production and distribution. The large brewing companies accounted for 17 percent of the market in the early period of the 1990s. However, by the year 2009, these companies have started accounting for around 45 percent of the market that reflects on the increasing competition. SABMiller has thus since 2010 considered strategizing more focusing in the impacts of the environmental factors (Johnson, 2010, pp.643-644). SABMiller’s operations in the present day may be represented through the following chart: Figure 1: Summary Scope of SABMiller Operation Today (Moulaeifar, 2009, p.2). SWOT Analysis: SABMiller: SWOT analysis is a technique that enables an underst anding on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a business organization thereby allowing the business to consider measures accordingly for the benefits and success of the company. However, this technique makes the strategic planning of the business highly formal (Jacob, 2009, p.9). From the case study and other readings, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the company could be learnt. The strengths of the company are reflected through its operations that are spread across the globe, and taking advantages of locations like India, China, Vietnam, and African markets. The worldwide knowledge of the company is good in terms of entering new markets creating its presence. The market dominance of the company being the second largest brewer too adds to its strengths. In terms of value addition, cost leadership, economies of scale and efficient distribution, the company has a competitive advantage over other brewers. Also the company has a strong presenc e in the US (Johnson, 2010; Moulaeifar, 2009, p.5). The company’s weaknesses include lack of assets in Western Europe that limits the company’s operations in the region. Moreover SABMiller does not have any assets in the markets where there could be major growth for the company. Thirdly, the income level of individuals largely determines the level of

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Planning Process

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Planning Process CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is 20 year old tool for environmental management, not living up to its full potential. (Mudge, 1993). This chapter describes the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) planning process as conventionally depicted in subsequent EIA texts and guidelines. EIA characteristics and objectives are first presented because EIA planning process characterisations are interdependent with assumed EIA characteristics and objectives. Following the depictions of EIA characteristics, EIA objectives and the EIA planning process vary greatly from source to source. These variations are more the result of the varying perspectives of different authors than clearly defined schools of thought. Although, there has been a pro- process of evaluation over the past two decades, there also are many instances where elements suggested in earlier works have not been incorporated into most recent portrayals. This overview of the conventional EIA planning process is a point of departure for the modifications and refinements discussed in later chapters of this research. Also, the conventional portrayals of EIA characteristics, EIA objectives and the EIA planning process will be revisited in later chapters, taking account of combined implications. The following are EIA characteristics as commonly depicted in introductory EIA literature and guidelines; As a field of study EIA draws upon many social and natural science disciplines (Jain, Urban and Stacey, 1977). Drawing upon diverse disciplines is necessary to understand the significant aspects of the environment in order to predict how those environmental attributes may change over time with and without a proposed action; Boundaries between, and links to both traditional disciplines and to other transdisciplinary and transprofessional fields such as planning (Lawrence 1992). EIA must transcend individual disciplines if a holistic image of the environment with and without a proposed action(s), is to be presented. Hence, EIA should not be viewed as a transdisciplinary field. EIA consist of structural approaches and set of procedures in order to ensure that environmental factors are considered in planning and decision making (Clark1981a). In this regard EIA is a normative procedure that seeks to identify natural and social environmental norms or ethical standards and to infuse these into planning and decision making. In the definition of Environmental Impact Assessment, the impact element is often prefaced by one or more dimensional distinctions, such as; positive and negative (Mitchell and Takheim 1977; Rau and Wooten 1980); time ( short term, long term, frequency, duration); space (on-site, off-site); direct and indirect, quantitative and qualitative; individual and cumulative; and likelihood of occurrence (Rau and Wooten 1980). While the assessment component of EIA includes analysis synthesis and management- Analysis involves data collection and compilation, the identification of likely environmental conditions and interactions among environmental conditions and systems (Mm 1979; Munro et. al 1986; Amour 1990; Erickson 1994) und the description, measurement and prediction of likely effects and interactions among effects. Synthesis includes the interpretation of the significance of affects and interactions among them (Munn 1979; CEARC l988b) and the aggregation and evaluation of individual and cumulative effects (Cumulative Environmental Assessment CEA) both with and without mitigation (Westman 1985; Lang and Annour 1981; Armour 1990; Erickscm 1 994; Shoanaka 1994). Management includes mitigation (Jain, Urban and Stacey 1977) compensation and local benefits (Amour 1990), the management of residual impacts (CEARC 1988b), monitoring and contingency measures, and communications/ consultation activities (CEARC 1988b). In summary, EIA is a process that identifies, predicts, evaluates and manages the potential (or real) impacts of proposed (or existing) human activities on both the human and natural environment. The EIA planning process includes analysis, synthesis, management, communications and consultation activities. The consequences of such activities and their alternatives will result in specific impacts. Underlying EIA practice are usually implicating application assumptions. Formal or informal institutional mechanisms are, for example, anticipated to be in place to help to compel, or at least facilitate public or private proponents to initiate and complete an EIA planning process and the necessary documentation, as a perquisite to project approval. Along with perquisite methods it is expected that a systematic planning process can be devised or adapted for analysing and synthesizing the appropriate data and for involving relevant agencies and the public. Further assumed that: there is appropriate expertise to tackle the necessary technical work and to review whatever the outcomes of the planning process; there is a basis for choosing among alternative plans and for deciding if an undertaking should or should not proceed; the people who make the decision will rationally use the information provided to guide their actions; the requirements for approvals can be enforced and the impacts managed if unforeseen impacts occur; the contingency measures can be instituted. These application assumptions have been increasingly challenged in the EIA literature and in decision of courts and hearing panels and boards. The expectation that knowledge and expertise are sufficient may be especially dubious in situations characterised by emerging technologies, poorly understood environments and complex inter relationships within and among proposed actions and components of the environment. The extension of EIA from the conceptual to the applied pre-supposes that EIA must also be a transprofessional field of practice, EIA comprises of a core body of knowledge, skills and methods. Social and natural sciences provide the initial knowledge base- EIA seeks to integrate and, thereby transcend, the inputs and insights of a range of professions with expertise m the proposed action, the environment and their interactions, within a public policy setting. Frameworks, procedures and methods have been formulated and refined through practice, which over the years, has resulted in the emergence of EIA as a recognized area of expertise. EIA is a planning tool (Bisset 1983; Clark l9Ã »3a; Smith 1993). It is a form of applied policy analysis or more specifically, a form of resource management and environmental planning (Smith 1993). Consequently, the formulations and applications of environmental planning processes is one aspect of EIA. It, therefore, tends to be assumed that the EIA planning process should be anticipatory (prior to decision-making), systematic or orderly and rational. The results and conclusions from the EIA planning process should also be documented, generally in the form of an EIA report or statement. EIA is a generic planning process intended to contribute environmental information to decision-making. It provides a regulatory basis for forcing the explicit consideration of environment concerns by public and private decision makers. As such EIA forms a part of the institutional fabric through legislation, public policy or administrative procedures. Institutionalisation requires mechanisms to prepare, review and document the process, to coordinate inter-agency and private/public interactions, to adjudicate disputes and to monitor and enforce compliance. This dissertation therefore takes up this theme to investigate the effectiveness of EIA in the Skye Bridge project by considering the planning process and by using literature review as a means of analysis and research. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW On July 3, 1988, European Union (EU) Directive 85/337/EEC (Directive) came into force and as a result, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) became a part of the EUs environmental protection plans. The Directive requires that before consent is given for the development of certain public and private projects that are likely to have significant effects on the environment, an assessment of those effects must be compiled and considered by the developer and the authority in charge of approving the projects. By asking decision-making authorities to ponder likely environmental harm before the harm occurs, the Directive promotes a policy of preventing environmental harm. The comprehensive effectiveness of mandating pre-consent environmental impact assessment is undercut, however, because the Directive textually exempts national defense projects from its process. This study suggests that the European Union could and should include national defense projects in its EIA law. Part I of this Chapt er will provide a summarized, chronological evolution of environmental policy in the European Union. Part II will give a description and history of EIA law, including that of the United States, so as to provide a comparative and contrasting point of reference. Part III will propose a way by which the European Union can more fully live up to the preventative approach that it has espoused for environmental protection by requiring environmental impact assessments for national defense projects. This Chapter concludes that the inclusion of national defense projects in the EUs EIA law would broaden the scope and effectiveness of EIA law and environmental protection generally. 2.1. HISTORICAL AND LEGAL DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT LAW 2.1.1. The Evolution of Environmental Policy in the EU The 1957 Treaty of Rome (Treaty), which established the European Economic Community, focused on the creation of a common-trade zone. Accordingly, the Treaty failed to make any explicit statements regarding policies for environmental protection. In fact, until 1987, all EU environmental protection legislation was introduced via the general language of one or both of two Treaty articles that only implicitly recognized EU authority over environmental issues in Member States. Article 100 of the Treaty calls for the harmonization of laws affecting the common market in Member States. Article 235 authorizes measures that prove necessary to attain one of the objectives of the Community absent a specific delegation of authority by the Treaty. Although the Articles make no explicit reference to environmental issues, they have been used as authority for certain environmental regulations. For example, Article 100s allusion to issues affectin g the common market was used as the authority to develop legislation that regulated product and industry standards across the EU. On the heels of the increased environmental awareness that swept the globe in the late 1960s, the European Community initiated the European Community Action Programmes on the Environment. The first of these five-year programmes, covering the years from 1973 to 1977, established principles and priorities for future environmental policies. The second five-year programme (1977-1981) established a list of eleven principles and actions to be taken in order to move closer to the goal of environmental protection. The list included the decision-making tool of environmental impact assessment. The first two Action Programmes had a common theme of protecting human health and the environment by controlling pollution problems. The third five-year Programme (1982-1986) solidly shifted the emphasis of environmental policy from one of pollution control to one of prevention and integration of environmental issues into other European Community policies. Not surprisingly, it was during the era of the S econd and Third Action Programmes when Directive 85/337/EEC, an inherently preventative and integrating piece of legislation, was first proposed and then accepted. The Fourth Action Programme (1987-1992) continued the trend of prevention but proceeded further beyond its predecessors by stressing the importance of using stringent environmental standards in regulating the activities of Member States. The evolution of environmental policy in the EU took a crucial step on July 1, 1987 when, in conjunction with the adoption of the Fourth Action Programme, the Community adopted the Single European Act. The Act, which consisted of amendments to the Treaty of Rome, contained articles that specifically affected environmental policy. Article 100A recognized the relationship between promotion of the common market and protection of the environment by authorizing the EU to adopt environmental legislation on the basis that such issues affect the marketplace. Article 130R lays out the objectives of future Community action relating to the environment by formalizing the principles of prevention, subsidiarity, polluter pays, and most importantly, integration. Article 130T reconfirms that individual Member States may enact environmental legislation that is more stringent than, but is compatible with, that of the Community. The evolution of environmental policy in the EU from the 1957 Treaty of Rome through the various Action Programmes and to the Single European Act exemplifies the European Communitys commitment to a preventative approach to environmental protection. EIA law stands as a hallmark of that preventative approach. The EUs commitment to the comprehensive prevention of environmental degradation is tested, however, by the limitations of its own EIA law. 2.1.2. Environmental Impact Assessment Law: A Description and Comparative Study 2.1.2.1. EIA: A General Overview The essential structure of EIA law is common to all the nations that use it. Generally, EIA law is a process intended to minimize or prevent environmental damage that is usually associated with the construction and operation of certain development projects. Usually in the form of legislation, regulations and/or administrative processes, EIA law requires that certain development projects, while still in a planning stage, be analyzed in terms of their potential adverse impacts on the environment. Developers and/or governmental bodies, depending on the particularities of the EIA law in question, must conduct an analysis, or assessment, of the environmental effects of certain projects. The public authority responsible for granting or denying consent to the project is asked to take into account the results of the assessment. Again, depending on the particularities of the EIA law in question, provisions are made for public disclosure of the assessments, as well as for public involvement in the authoritys decision-making process. The EIA process plays four important roles in protecting the environment. First, EIA law gives concrete, practical effect to environmental policy language that is often broad, general and otherwise absent of specific mandates. The U.S. Congress, in formulating its declarations of environmental policy, included EIA so as to insure that the policies enunciated . . . are implemented. EIA helps to insure proper implementation of policies by requiring the formulation and submission of written assessment reports, demonstrating an affirmative compliance with the environmental concerns outlined in policy language. A second role for EIA is to provide an analytical decision-making tool that institutionalizes foresight. It asks the decision-making authority to look beyond the moment and to incorporate into its decision the possible irreversible future effects a project may have on the environment. Third, to the extent that EIA affirmatively asks developers and decision-makers to account for the social and economic costs resulting from their actions, EIA forces the internalization of those costs and consequences that might otherwise go unaccounted for. The final role that EIA plays is as a public-awareness measure. Most EIA processes allow for public disclosure of development plans, as well as for public participation in the decision-making process. In the words of Professor Nicholas Robinson, EIA facilitates democratic decision making and consensus building regarding new development. For EIA to incorporate environmental norms into decision making, it must address both environmental ethics and values and human ethics, values, perceptions, beliefs and attitudes. It is an objective procedure for identifying, measuring and predicting environmental attributes and changes brought about by existing or proposed actions, but is subjective in the interpretation, aggregation and management of those changes. Although driven by an environmental ethic, the links between EIA and ethical theory in general and environmental ethics in particular, have been tenuous at best. The tendency has been to assume that concepts and methods developed to predict and explain environmental change provide a sufficient knowledge base. The practice of EIA involves, usually implicit assumptions regarding the known environment, environmental impacts and environmental norms. It is, for example, generally assumed that aspects of the environment and their inter- relationships can be identified, described or measured and monitored; changes, with or without a proposed action can be predicted to the extent that cause-effect relationships can be established; stakeholders values can be determined; measures of impact magnitude and importance can be combined; individual and cumulative environmental consequences can be interpreted, aggregated and managed; end issues of probability of uncertainty can be managed sufficiently to decide whether a proposed action should proceed and, if so, then, in what fashion. These knowledge assumptions are questionable, especially in the subjective realm of conflicting values, perceptions and human behaviour. The primary focus of EIA was initially on the physical and natural environment and, to a lesser extent, on the socio economic consequences of physical and natural environmental changes. The environmental aspect of EIA now generally embraces both natural (physical, biological and ecological) and human (human health and well being, social, cultural, economic built) environmental components and systems (Wiesner, 1995) and their inter relationships (Jain, Urban and Stacey, 1977; Estrin and Swaigen, 1978; CEARC, 1988b). There are many opinions regarding whether social impact assessment (SIA) or socio-economic impact assessment is or should be a sub-field of EIA (Morris and Therive1, 1995). A broad definition of the environmental EIA facilitates a more comprehensive approach to environmental management but it leaves open the possibility that certain elements of the environment will not receive pertinent attention. The question of how best to integrate social, ecological and economic data and perspectives remains unresolved. Human actions alter the environment (Jain, Urban and Stacey 1977; Mitchell and Turkheim 1977). In EIA, the term impact generally refers to the accepted environmental consequences (Meredith 1991) of a proposed action or set of actions (Rau and Wooten 1980) and less frequently to the actual consequences of an existing activity. Distinctions also are often drawn between changes or effects (measures of magnitude) and impacts (measures of magnitude in combination with measures of importance), between alternations of environmental conditions or the creation of a new set of environmental conditions, and between environmental conditions changes caused or ind uced by actions (Rau and Wooten 1980). Although the traditional focus of EIA has been capital projects, EIA requirements are increasingly applied to legislative proposals, policies, programs, technologies, regulations and operational procedures (Munn 1979; Estrin and Swaigen 1978; CEARC 1988b). The expectation that the conceptual basis for EIA largely developed at a project level can be readily extended and applied to policies, programs and technologies is questionable. At the policy and program level the range of inter related choices tends to multiply, impacts tend to be more generic and less amenable to precise prediction and EIA overlaps with policy and program evaluation, planning and environmental and resource management. A distinction is sometimes drawn between project level EIA und the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of policies, plans and programs (Sadler 1995). Risk assessment, technology assessment and environmental health impact assessment are viewed as either subfields within EIA (Sadler 1995) or as distinct fields that partially overlap with EIA in most cases EIA applies to the actions of both public and private proponents (Meredith 1991; Mitchell and Tuclcheh 1977). Alternative methods of achieving a proposed end and of managing the impacts associated with a partial choice are also usually considered in an EIA planning process. 2.1.2.2. A Comparative Study: The United States Experience with EIA The significant history of EIA law began with the passage in the United States of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. NEPA was brought about as an instrument of policy and planning (Roberts, 1984a). Among NEPAs eloquent but broad declarations of environmental policy is a brief section mandating EIA law for certain projects, thus providing a set of teeth with which to enforce the statutes policies. Section 102(2) of the Act requires all federal agencies to prepare and include an environmental impact statement (EIS) with every recommendation or proposal for major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The importance and weight of this requirement, as well as the problems inherent in defining its triggering terms, are demonstrated by the fact that the EIS clause has spawned nearly all case law brought under NEPA. Much of NEPA case law has dealt with the issue of w hether projects involving national defense and national security are subject to compliance with Section 102(2), and judicial review of such compliance. The environmental, public-awareness and military interests at stake in these cases are reflected by two questions. First, will compliance and judicial review compromise the confidentiality of matters regarding national security? Second, will compliance and judicial review compromise the ability of the military to proceed with projects, which while detrimental to the environment, are crucial to the defense of the country? In answering these questions, it is important to note that NEPA calls for EISs from all agencies of the Federal Government; the statute does not provide a textual exception for national defense or security projects. Despite the clear language of the statute, however, U.S. courts have struggled with the issue and are currently responding in a manner that runs counter to the language and true intent of NEPA. Most court decisions find that NEPA-based claims against projects involving national defense interests are justifiable. Early cases, however, were ambiguous in answering questions of whether such projects must comply with NEPA requirements and whether EISs for such projects are subject to judicial review of their legal sufficiency. For instance, in the early case of McQueary v. Laird, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals dealt with a NEPA challenge to a military project by claiming lack of jurisdiction. In another early case, Citizens for Reid State Park v. Laird, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Maine found that NEPA applies to all federal agencies, including the Department of Defense. The Court in Citizens for Reid State Park refused to require an EIS for the Navy project in question, however, because it found that the plaintiff citizens group had failed to prove that the Navy plans constituted a major project significantly affecting the environment. Later court d ecisions often allowed national defense projects to proceed without an EIS or judicial review of an EIS, not because the courts believed that such projects did not have to comply with NEPA, but merely because the courts found that major federal action or significant effects on the environmentrequirements necessary to trigger NEPA were absent. In cases where major federal actions having significant effects on the environment were found to exist, compliance with NEPA was required despite national security interests. In Committee for Nuclear Responsibility, Inc. v. Schlesinger, for example, the Supreme Court refused to issue an injunction for violation of NEPA, but the Courts rushed decision upheld a Court of Appeals finding that the Atomic Energy Commission did have a judicially reviewable duty to comply with NEPA requirements in spite of national security considerations. In Progressive Animal Welfare Society v. Department of Navy, the Western District Court of Appeals of Washington found that the Navys plan to use dolphins in a military project was a major federal action with significant environmental impact; accordingly, a NEPA EIS was required for the project. Finally, in Concerned about Trident v. Rumsfeld, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia found that the Navys plans for a submarine support facility requ ired compliance with NEPA to the fullest extent possible. The court found that the Navys own internal environmental impact statement was insufficient to fulfill the requirements of NEPA. In making its decision, the court, citing judicial precedent as well as NEPAs lack of a textual military exception, rejected the Navys argument that NEPA could not possibly apply to strategic military decisions. The court stated that the Navys plans were subject to NEPA requirements despite the projects serious national security implications. In 1981, the Supreme Court again addressed the issue of the militarys compliance with NEPAs EIA mandate. In Weinberger v. Catholic Action of Hawaii, the Court refused judicial review of the Department of Defenses compliance with NEPA in a matter of national security. The dispute began with the Navys plan to construct a weapons and ammunition holding facility capable of storing nuclear weapons in Ohau, Hawaii. The Navys internal assessment concluded that the fac ility would not have significant impact on the environment and as such, a NEPA EIS was unnecessary. The Navys assessment, however, failed to include an analysis of the facilitys impact on the environment should nuclear weapons actually be stored at the site. The district court that first reviewed the case found that the Navy had complied with NEPA to the fullest extent possible. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the district court, arguing that an EIS was necessary and feasible since it would not necessarily release confidential matters. Important to the court was the fact that the Navy had already made the nuclear capabilities of the facility public knowledge. The court went on to suggest a hypothetical approach to writing EISs that would protect national security, environmental concerns, and public disclosure interests. Judge Merrill wrote that under this hypothetical approach, the Navys EIS must evaluate the hypothetical consequences of storing nuclear weapons at the site but it need not imply that a decision to actually store nuclear weapons had been made. The court argued that since the public was already aware of the capability of the facility to store nuclear weapons, a hypothetical EIS that discussed the impact of such storage, but not whether it would actually occur, would not reveal anything the public did not already know . Further, it would allow the Navy and the decision-making authority to consider the true and potential costs and consequences of proceeding with the project. Finally, the Court stated that a hypothetical EIS would assure the public that the decision-making process had fully accounted for the projects externalities and consequences. On review, the Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals creative approach to balancing the interests at stake. The Court, discrediting the Ninth Circuits notion of a hypothetical EIS, refused to mandate a NEPA EIS because it believed that doing so would reveal confidential matters of national security. In the majority opinion, Justice Rehnquist outlined the current status of the law regarding military compliance with EIA law in the United States. He wrote that public policies favoring the protection of confidential information regarding national security ultimately forbids judicial scrutiny of whether or not the Navy has complied with NEPA to the fullest extent possible.' Justice Blackmun, who concurred with the judgment of the Court, was joined by Justice Brennan in stressing that although the Defense Department may disseminate EISs in a manner that protects confidential matters, it is still bound by the obligations of NEPA. 2.1.2.3. A Comparative Study: The European Unions Experience with EIA Sixteen years after NEPA took effect in the United States and after five years of consideration in the European Union, Environmental Impact Assessment law was officially incorporated into the statutory framework of the EU on June 27, 1985. Directive 85/337 mandates EIA for certain projects such as those involving crude-oil refineries, thermal and nuclear power stations, motorway construction and dangerous waste landfills. It also requires EIA to be performed in conjunction with those other projects that Member States find have a significant effect on the environment due to the projects particular characteristics. The specific legal authority for the Directive is derived from Articles 100 and 235 of the EEC Treaty. The Directive also cites to the first three Action Programmes for their policies of preventing environmental harms at the source rather then trying to counteract environmental degradation once it occurs. The procedure called for by the Directive identifies, describes and analyzes the effects a development project may have on humans, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climate, landscape, welfare and cultural heritage. The EIA must contain a description of the project in question, an outline of the main alternatives to the project, the reason for choosing the proposed plans, a description of the significant effects the project will have on the environment, and a description of the measures that must be taken to avoid, reduce or compensate for those effects. Because developers have the best knowledge of the nature of their proposal, they have the responsibility of gathering the information and compiling the EIA. The decision-making authorities who have the power of giving consent to the developers plans have the responsibility of setting standards for approval or disapproval and ensuring that the developers EIA complies with the law. Further, they are obligated, by statute, to incorporate the EIA into their decision-making process. Also, Article 10 of the Directive states that the authorities must respect existing regulations and practices regarding industrial and commercial secrecy. Finally, the Directive envisions an active role for the public. In addition to supplying the decision-makers with information regarding the impact a project will have on the local environment, the public may have an opportunity to suggest alternatives and to pursue judicial action in order to request a review of consent. Further particularities of public participation and involvement are to be determined by the individual Member States. 2.1.2.4. The National Defense Project Exception to Directive 85/337/EEC The effectiveness of the Directive in preventing environmental harms is undercut by the exception it gives to national defense projects. It is reasonable to infer that this exception reflects two assumptions. The first assumption, explicitly mentioned in the Directive, is that national legislative processes will ensure that defense projects comply with the Directive. No rationale is provided for this assumption except for the implied reasoning that national legislators share the concerns of the Directive and are able to guide national legislation accordingly. The second assumption appears to be that the confidentiality of Member States national security matters would be compro

Stereotypes of the Russian Home at the 1851 Great Exhibition in Paris E

Russian House Since the 1851 Great Exhibition, world's fairs have always attempted to celebrate cultural diversity. In pavilions, participating countries promoted their natural resources and industrial products, while celebrating their national identity. However, not all cultures could be accurately portrayed. These exhibits did not prevent negative stereotypes about other people's cultures for persisting. Stereotyping almost became an art form, and was particularly apparent at the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, where specific buildings were built to exemplify architectural stereotypes of different countries. As part of an exhibition called L'Histoire de L'Habitation Humaine or History of Human Habitation, which was the creation of architect Charles Garnier. Many of these small structures related to remote and "exotic" locations around the world. One of the countries that received the exotic treatment was Russia, despite this country's political power. Charles Garnier was born in 1825 and studied architecture at the Paris Ecole des Beaux-Arts. After he was awarded the Grand Prix de Rome in 1848, he went to study architecture in Italy. In 1860, Garnier won the competition for the new Paris Opera House, which was not completed until 1875 and remains his most important commission. His other works include villas he built in Bordighera, Italy, an Observatory in Nice, the Cercle de la Librairie in Paris, and many very famous works in Monte Carlo, including a casino resort. Charles Garnier was also a self-appointed expert in world cultures and their architecture. Thanks to the fame he had acquired at the Paris Opera House, he was asked by the fair commission to design "foreign" buildings for the World's Fair in 1889. Later in 18... ...built by Garnier in for the World's Fair were a resounding success. Bibliography Chandler,Arthur."Revolution." http://charon.sfsu.edu/PARISEXPOSITIONS/1889EXPO.html World's Fair magazine. 1986 revised 2000. Doumato, Lamia. Charles Garnier, 1825-1898 Vance Bibliographies. Monticello, Ill. 1988. Garnier, Charles, "La Maison Russe," L'Habitation Humaine. Paris, Hachette 1892, 701-710 Jourdain, Frantz. Exposition universelle de 1889. Constructions à ©levà ©es au Champ de Mars par M.. Ch. Garnier... pour servir à   l'histoire de l'habitation humaine. J. W. Bouton, New York. 1892. Mead, Christopher Curtis. Charles Garnier's Paris Opà ©ra : architectural empathy and the renaissance of French classicism. MIT Press. Cambridge Mass. 1991. Vernes, Michel. "La leà §on d'architecture de Monsieur Garnier." Architecture intà ©rieure crà ©Ãƒ ©. 249, August-September1992, 38-45.

Marketing Strategies of Boeing and Airbus Essay

Effective marketing strategies are considered to be the integral part of every organization. If it’s implemented in an appropriate manner than an organization can reap desired results. Every organization wishes to design its marketing strategy in a proactive manner such that it would give the organization a sustainable competitive advantage. That’s the reason why an organization stresses a lot it developing effective marketing strategies because they want to achieve their objectives and their mission. In this paper we would analyze the marketing strategies of Boeing and Airbus and how both of them are influencing the aviation industry. Introduction The Boeing Company is considered to be the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircrafts and as far as exports are concerned the Boeing Company is United States major exporter. The organization is quite in every attribute and it employee more than 105,000 people. Similarly, Airbus is the subsidiary of Aircraft manufacturing company EADS (European Aerospace Company). Airbus is considered as one of the leading aircraft producers of the world and the company produces around half of the world’s jet airlines. Both these organizations are considered as fierce rivals of each other and they have a strong eye on each other’s strategies. These two companies have been soaring high in the marketplace based on its level of market share and level of credibility. In fact the two companies have been improving their businesses in order to outwit each competitor by incorporating technology advances in superior designs (Campos, 2001). The rivalry between the two plane makers has already created a noise in the marketplace but the two companies are still existing and soaring higher in spite of competition. The products of Boeing are known as Boeing business jets, Boeing VIP and military jets and they are numbered as 737,747,767,777, and 787 Dreamliner. Similarly, the products of Airbus are A320, A300, A330 and A380 Family. Marketing Strategy of Boeing The marketing strategy of Boeing is quite extensive and attractive in nature. Boeing faced a huge number of manufacturing difficulties and a competitive threat from its huge rivals Airbus. Boeing had to find an efficient way of developing and building airplanes and for that reason they changed the entire production systems and they revamped their marketing strategies (Balle & Balle, 2005). Boeing’s aircrafts are a sign of prestige and comfort. Boeing marketing strategy like others is dependent on projections and forecasts. That is the reason why Boeing forecasts a $2. 6 trillion market for a new commercial airplane which is nearly over the next 20 years. The strong market demand in the airplane industry will lead the organization to a world fleet and with a significantly improved environmental performance. Boeing gives an appealing touch and it’s more preferred by the customers. The 787 of Boeing is considered to be a different version of airplanes and it has an entirely different vision. Similarly, the design of the plane is entirely different too. The conventional approach is not followed by the Boeing and it doesn’t apply the hub-and-spoke model. The vice president of sales and marketing has stressed on the design of Boeing and he believes that number of frequencies offered by the airlines has doubled. He believes that customer’s preferences about airplanes are changing and customers prefer more point-to-point flights which allow the customers to fly more frequently and on smaller planes (Newhouse, 2008).

NVQ Business studies Essay

Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world. ?OCR Business and Administration NVQ (QCF) UNIT 203 Title Work in a business environment Level 2 Credit 2 1. 1Describe what is meant by diversity and why it should be valued? Diversity should be respected and valued, because nobody is completely the same as anyone else. It is everywhere in our lives which makes rich and varied. In our lives diversity can be defined as differences in heritage, race, beliefs, customs, mental capabilities, physical appearances etc. It should be valued because no one is completely the same as anyone else, even within the above categories. If diversity is not valued then it can lead to violence and hatred. People tend to reject what is different. Our differences/diversities can lead to growth as a society or it can lead to violence and hatred. We must value our diversity in order to work together for the common good of our society/world.

Free Essays on Innocent Lives Lost

before his execution were: â€Å"I am an innocent man. May God forgive everyone who said anything against me.† The next year, the victim’s husband confessed that he had murdered his own wife (Radelet, Bedau, Putnam 347). There are numerous amounts of incidents similar to the one depicted above that have repeatedly occurred throughout the course of history. Two highly distinguishable figures in the area of capital punishment in the United States, Hugo Bedau and Michael Radelet, discovered in 1992, at least 140 cases, since 1990, in which innocent persons were sentenced to death (Hook and Kahn 92). In Illinois alone, 12 death row inmates have been cleared and freed since 1987 (Execution Reconsidered). The most conclusive evidence in support of this â€Å"comes from the surprisingly large numbers of people whose convictions have been overturned and who have been freed from death† (Bedau 345). One out of every seven people sentenced to death row are innocent (Civiletti). That’s nearly 15% of death row inmates. The numbers are disturbing. Innocent people are becoming victims of the United States judicial system. A former president of the American Bar Association (ABA), John J. Curtin Jr., said it best when he told a congressional committee â€Å"Whatever you think about the death penalty, a system that will take life must first give justice. Execute justice, not people.† Though some of the innocent death row inmates have managed to escape their execution, there are numerous others who are unable to overturn their sentence through appeals. Many cases of innocence go unheard and result in the unfortunate fatality of an innocent. When the death penalty in 1972 was ruled unconstitutional in Furman v. Georgia, the Justices expected that the â€Å"adoption of narrowly crafted sent... Free Essays on Innocent Lives Lost Free Essays on Innocent Lives Lost Mead Shumway of Nebraska was convicted of the first-degree murder of his employer’s wife on circumstantial evidence and sentenced to death by a jury. His last words before his execution were: â€Å"I am an innocent man. May God forgive everyone who said anything against me.† The next year, the victim’s husband confessed that he had murdered his own wife (Radelet, Bedau, Putnam 347). There are numerous amounts of incidents similar to the one depicted above that have repeatedly occurred throughout the course of history. Two highly distinguishable figures in the area of capital punishment in the United States, Hugo Bedau and Michael Radelet, discovered in 1992, at least 140 cases, since 1990, in which innocent persons were sentenced to death (Hook and Kahn 92). In Illinois alone, 12 death row inmates have been cleared and freed since 1987 (Execution Reconsidered). The most conclusive evidence in support of this â€Å"comes from the surprisingly large numbers of people whose convictions have been overturned and who have been freed from death† (Bedau 345). One out of every seven people sentenced to death row are innocent (Civiletti). That’s nearly 15% of death row inmates. The numbers are disturbing. Innocent people are becoming victims of the United States judicial system. A former president of the American Bar Association (ABA), John J. Curtin Jr., said it best when he told a congressional committee â€Å"Whatever you think about the death penalty, a system that will take life must first give justice. Execute justice, not people.† Though some of the innocent death row inmates have managed to escape their execution, there are numerous others who are unable to overturn their sentence through appeals. Many cases of innocence go unheard and result in the unfortunate fatality of an innocent. When the death penalty in 1972 was ruled unconstitutional in Furman v. Georgia, the Justices expected that the â€Å"adoption of narrowly crafted sent... Free Essays on Innocent Lives Lost Mead Shumway of Nebraska was convicted of the first-degree murder of his employer’s wife on circumstantial evidence and sentenced to death by a jury. His last words before his execution were: â€Å"I am an innocent man. May God forgive everyone who said anything against me.† The next year, the victim’s husband confessed that he had murdered his own wife (Radelet, Bedau, Putnam 347). There are numerous amounts of incidents similar to the one depicted above that have repeatedly occurred throughout the course of history. Two highly distinguishable figures in the area of capital punishment in the United States, Hugo Bedau and Michael Radelet, discovered in 1992, at least 140 cases, since 1990, in which innocent persons were sentenced to death (Hook and Kahn 92). In Illinois alone, 12 death row inmates have been cleared and freed since 1987 (Execution Reconsidered). The most conclusive evidence in support of this â€Å"comes from the surprisingly large numbers of people whose convictions have been overturned and who have been freed from death† (Bedau 345). One out of every seven people sentenced to death row are innocent (Civiletti). That’s nearly 15% of death row inmates. The numbers are disturbing. Innocent people are becoming victims of the United States judicial system. A former president of the American Bar Association (ABA), John J. Curtin Jr., said it best when he told a congressional committee â€Å"Whatever you think about the death penalty, a system that will take life must first give justice. Execute justice, not people.† Though some of the innocent death row inmates have managed to escape their execution, there are numerous others who are unable to overturn their sentence through appeals. Many cases of innocence go unheard and result in the unfortunate fatality of an innocent. When the death penalty in 1972 was ruled unconstitutional in Furman v. Georgia, the Justices expected that the â€Å"adoption of narrowly crafted sent...

4 Simple Brainstorming Techniques To Help Write Killer Content

4 Simple Brainstorming Techniques To Help Write Killer Content Brainstorming is supposed to be about harnessing the power of thinking outside the box to solve that  impossible problem.  Its the magic that helps you find amazing, unique ideas. Its not magic,  of course, but when youre desperate- possibly with writers block- magic sounds good. Brainstorming techniques are what you turn to  when youre stuck and dont know what to do next. They can be  great tools because anyone- group or single person- can use them. 4 Simple #Brainstorming Techniques That Will Help You Write Killer #Content via @JulieNeidlinger4 Reasons You Should  Brainstorm If You Want To  Become A Better Writer But why go through the hassle of  using brainstorming techniques at all? There are generally four reasons that people turn to brainstorming: You need ideas. You have a problem to solve. You are looking to improve creative thinking. You want your team to work together better. The first two reasons get the lions share of the attention, but the last two, which lean toward extra-curricular exercises, are just as important. If you want to be ready during go-time for the first two, youd better take a few practice swings at it using the last two. Whether its just you or youre a part of a team, make brainstorming and creative challenges a regular habit. Brainstorming as a group. First, a caveat. Its no secret that Im wary of group brainstorming. That particular method of getting ideas has become a  standard solution for teams trying to solve problems. While it can sometimes create more problems than it solves by encouraging social loafing and rewarding some personalities over others, there are times when your team has to get together and come up with ideas. Brainstorming techniques  are also good for helping teams learn to work together. Brainstorming on your own. Brainstorming isnt reserved for groups of people, though thats how most of us think of it. There are times when youre on your own and need to generate ideas and solve problems all the same. As an artist and writer with deadlines, Im most familiar with brainstorming on my own.  In fact, I did a little solo brainstorming recently, for this very topic. While trying to come up with an idea for my own  blog post, I realized that it might be helpful to readers if I told them how I came up with ideas and got  past creative blocks in my own work- 14 ideas in all. As I looked through those 14 brainstorming techniques, I began to see three basic approaches to brainstorming that I thought would be useful to you. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour. - Mary Kay Ash 4 Brainstorming Techniques That Will Help You Write Creative Content Brainstorming techniques can take a few basic approaches. Once you understand how they work, you can mix and match them for the best results. 1. Use associative brainstorming techniques to get unstuck. Association is a powerful way to get past typical thinking, and to get out of a rut. We generally come up with ideas that are obvious at first, and associative brainstorming is a good way to artificially force yourself past that point instead of hours of work. Its a kind of shortcut that taps into the subconscious, the associations you already know but dont allow yourself to think. Associative brainstorming works best for copy writers, creativity exercises, or when youre stuck in a creative project and dont know what content to create next. This  can also be fun during your regular team building exercises. Word storm. A word storm is where you write down the words that come to mind when you see another word. You might start with a word or two based on your project, and begin writing down any word that comes to mind. These words are then grouped together according to how they are related to each other. Youll quickly create words that are associated or related, according to categories. There is a Word Storm website that can help you get started with word storm techniques. Word association. Word associations are the same as a word storm, except that you dont group according to how the words are related to each other. It works better as a technique to get creativity flowing when you dont want to bother with over-thinking how words are related. Start with a word or two, and write down the first words that come to mind. Dont over-think the process; you should be surprised at the words that pop into your head, particularly as you get warmed up. The goal is to find those hidden words that people associate with a topic that you dont immediately think of. Mind mapping. Using a mind map is a way to visually organize data and information.  Mind mapping has proven popular, particularly if you are better able to understand data visually instead of as lists or outlines. Organized around a central idea, a mind map works like the branch of a tree. Ideas and then sub ideas that are associated with the main idea branch off from the central idea. Word banks. Word banks are collections of words based on the kind of word you need based on a specific topic or theme. This kind of brainstorming technique works well for copywriters who want to find a variety of words that suit a specific project without repeating themselves. You can also use it to build a bank of words to keep on hand when writing your headlines. This is an example of power words we pulled together in a word bank to help you write more emotional headlines. Using a word storm might be one way to start a collection of words for your word bank, though the two techniques are not the same. Visual association. While visual associations aren't a typical tool for content marketers, they can be useful  both in planning beforehand as well as after visual content has been created. Using visual association after a project is completed would make sure that what you've created doesn't raise negative associations in your audience. It is best done by people who weren't on the team so that their associations are honest and not tainted by being too familiar with the project. Visual association is much like word association. Think of a Rorschach test, in which you jot down whatever words or thoughts come to mind when you see an image. The control for this method is what images you will use. I actually have a book where I collect images from magazines and other sources. You might do the same, or use a different image source. Need #brainstorming inspiration? Try word storms, word associations, mind mapping, or word banks.2. Use measurable brainstorming to choose the best solution. In some situations, you need to make decisions that are based on more than random associations. This is where problem solving brainstorming steps in, when you need something concrete. Pros and cons. You probably already use an on-the-fly method of pros and cons to make decisions in life. Writing down pros and cons in a structured manner with a few rules can make this a powerful tool. Write down what you are trying to choose between. Then, list the pros and cons to tally up a total. The option with the most pros is the route to go. You have to be careful to not cheat, though, and purposefully stack the list the way you want it to go. Let's look at an example of cheating. Say that Jim, Todd, and Erica make up Team B.  Cheating would look like this: Con: Team A will be upset. Pro: Jim will be happy. Pro: Todd will be happy. Pro: Erica will be happy. Three pros, one con, the pros have it! Pros and cons help you cut through the gray area where you either aren't sure what to do, or don't want to admit what you know you should do. When done right, the numbers are convincing. Pros and cons (weighted). There are times when some pros and cons outweigh others. In this case, you would need to weight the list because each item is not equally important. To do this, you'd need to start by listing your top goals, the things most important to you. Instead of each list item being counted as one, the more important items in your list of goals would have a higher weight. Pros and cons seem simple, but we have a tendency to cheat. Often, there is a decision we want to be the right one and we try to validate it by loading the pros and cons either way. When pros and cons just don't work, try weighted measurable #brainstorming.3. Take a new view to gain an entirely new perspective. While associative brainstorming helps you find entirely new paths, and measurable brainstorming gives you confidence to make decisions, finding a new view works when you're on the right track but just not able to nail it down. It's that feeling of being so close, but not quite there. Ask, "What if..." By simply asking, "What if?", you can turn everything on its head. Many fiction writers advocate asking yourself "what if" not only when you're stuck, but even when the writing is going well. Wondering what might happen if something changed, and using your brainstorming prowess to run with it, is a good way to get a different view on the project or problem. Think prepositionally. My 7th grade English teacher did me a great service when she helped us understand prepositional phrases by visualizing a box. Prepositional phrases generally tell where something was, and so she said that any time you saw a phrase in a sentence that could be used in relation to a box, you probably were dealing with a prepositional phrase. For example: in the box, under the box, over the box, beside the box, and so on. When it comes to brainstorming, it's not about writing prepositional phrases, but it's about imagining the problem or project you are working on to be like that box. What if you took a swing at it from the other side? From under it? From ahead of it? Now you start challenging yourself to think of something from a different perspective, from a different time (past or present) and all sorts of directions. Ask questions. Oddly, most of us, particularly when working in teams, have the answers we're looking for (or close to it). We feel stuck, though, because we aren't able to sift through all the questions and the rest of the creative noise and pare down to that answer we wanted. By whittling away at what you know and removing the extraneous from the table, you can push aside the curtain and finally see the answer. This is where questions come into play. Write down the questions you have about the project or problem. Then, for each of these questions, start listing the answers quickly. As you begin to answer the initial questions, other questions will come to mind that are associated with the answers you're jotting down. Write down these sub-questions and do the same procedure. In a way, it's like creating an outline that is based on questions.

6,399,322 Ways to Get More Social Media Engagement [PODCAST]

6,399,322 Ways to Get More Social Media Engagement [PODCAST] Have you had the frustrating experience of sending out social media posts only to receive no engagement whatsoever? Most marketers have had this happen, and some have it happen frequently. Today we’re going to be talking to ’s own Nathan Ellering. He’s the head of demand generation here at , and he has conducted a study that allows him to predict how well a particular post will do on any social media platform. Do you want to increase your social media engagement? If so, you won’t want to miss today’s show. Some of the highlights of this episode include: The scoop on and what it is Nathan does here as the head of demand generation. Nathan also shares how big the demand generation team is. Why Nathan took on his research project on which social media posts tend to do well on which platforms and how he evaluated different standards of performance. How the demand generation team uses data to do what works, over and over again. How Nathan went from having massive pile of data to putting it all into motion to work for . Why marketers should focus on content before mechanics. Hints on where to get the inspiration needed to create great content. Nathan explains methods such as PAS (problem-agitate-solve), bridge after bridge, AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action), and the 4 Cs (clear, concise, compelling, credibility). How to use closed-ended questions, controversy, anecdotes, and quotes on social media for maximum engagement. Specific strategies for finding success on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+. Nathan’s very best advice on leveling up your social media skills.

Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Education - Essay Example That racism has been a feature in the interpretations of specific events in the school experiences of some respondents necessitates a re-evaluation of the role played by schools in the underachievement of African-Caribbean pupils. Due to racism, black people, no matter how motivated, are often denied the opportunity of an adequate level of education. The underachievement of African-Caribbean children in the UK has been well documented over the years. African-Caribbean children, in particular boys, have been over represented in the figures for exclusions from school, poor examination results, emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD), and receiving statements of special educational need (Taylor, 41; Mirza, 269). The situation has changed little in recent years. In 1998/99, the overall permanent percentage exclusion rate from school in the UK was 0.17% while the exclusion rates for Black Caribbean, Black African and Black other pupils were 0.59%, 0.20% and 0.49% respectively. These proportions represent some improvement from 1995/96 when they were 0.92%, 0.35% and 0.53% respectively. Other minority groups have much lower rates: Indian, 0.04%; Pakistani, 0.01%; and Bangladeshi, 0.07% (Department for Education and Employment [DfEE] 2000a, 27). Socio-economic status is known to be one of the most powerful predictors of educational success. In inner-city areas characterised by poverty and high unemployment, where African-Caribbeans often live, children from lower income families face exceptional obstacles en route to success, irrespective of the values of their parents (Strand, 170). This research suggests that local communities can provide a ‘sense of belonging’ and opportunities to be successful which can demonstrate to young African-Caribbeans that it are possible for them to succeed. Despite the DfEE encouraging local education authorities

Entrepreneurship Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Entrepreneurship - Dissertation Example The study has also provided market and industrial analysis and concluded that diesel repair business is a viable business. The study also advises the entrepreneur to invest in bio-diesel as an additional line of business as a way of diversifying the venture. Introduction Pursuit of an entrepreneurial dream starts with a viable dream. Once a new idea is conceptualized and a business plan is drawn and decision made concerning the legal structure, basic tactics such as pursuing an international opportunity or starting a new business venture, and financing issues, one can then embark on the entrepreneurship journey. For most people who venture into entrepreneurship, they prefer a new business rather than already existing business opportunities (Reuvid 2008, p. 16). Some people begin with a desire to begin a business and then look for an idea while others start by having an exciting idea and then consider entrepreneurship. However, there are basic issues that one must consider when consid ering an entrepreneurial venture, one of them is finances, industry concerned, legal issues and potential risks and rewards involved. It is thus important for entrepreneurial to consider various things that would boost or affect their success in the pursuit of small businesses. Entrepreneurship refers to the undertaking of innovations, or business acumen with the aim of transforming the innovations into useful economic goods. The undertaking may result in a new business or new organization. Entrepreneurial activities differ substantially depending on the conceptualized business idea and they range from solo business projects to major undertakings that create job opportunities (Reuvid 2008, p. 16). This study looks into the various key issues that require consideration before starting a new entrepreneurial venture. The study considers the Starting of a Diesel Repair Company in Southwest Virginia as an individual business. The study therefore looks into the various risks and rewards t hat are related to owning such a business, the personal attributes that would be critical in pursuit of the venture and the legal aspects and issues that must be addressed including licensing, and other legal requirements. The study will also explore the local business conditions within the industry involved and the market to examine some of the factors that influence the successfulness of the business. The study is relevant to people who are in pursuit of entrepreneurship and students who would wish to start new business but have not yet developed the relevant skills. Important attributes in entrepreneurship Most successful entrepreneurs demonstrate certain personal attributes such as dedication, creativity, flexibility, determination, dedication, passion, leadership, and self-confidence. Creativity is a spark that drives development of new services and products and pushes for improvement and innovation. Creativity allows for continuous learning, thinking beyond prescribed formulas and questioning. Determination is a strong desire to attain success and it includes ability to continue pursuing even after rough times and persistence. It also persuades entrepreneur to remain motivated and not necessarily by money gained from the business venture. Dedication motivates entrepreneurs to work hard and drive their ideas and plans. Flexibility refers to the entrepreneur’s ability to take a swift move in response to change in market needs. Leadership is the capacity and ability to set goals, creates rules, and ensures follow-through, and accomplishment of the established goals (Mariotti & Glackin, 2011, p. 63). Self-confidence rises from thorough planning since effective planning

Teaching English in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia Literature review

Teaching English in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia - Literature review Example The reason is that variables involved in the development process cover those areas that this paper is interested in – the demographics of the young learners (at what age children usually learn English), the teaching content (such as how religion can be integrated in the instruction), teaching methodologies, perceived problems that are unique to Saudi children and their solutions, among others. Literature on the demographics of young learners in Saudi Arabia is quite scarce. This is more so in the field of ESL or what in identifying studies that actually investigated the beginning age of ESL learners in the country. There are researchers, however, who have mentioned some information and pertinent facts regarding this matter in their wider discourse of either English learning in the Middle East or as part of the wider profile of Saudi Arabia. An excellent example is Abir’s (1993) insights on the issue. He stated, for instance, that â€Å"the standard of education in the urban centres catering to the Saudis of middle-class background is on the whole relatively low,† and that â€Å"memorising is still the backbone of the system, while standard of English†¦ is uneven and often very poor.† (p. ... (Bingham, p. 435) Beginners are usually assessed according to their English language competency and currently they have more than 600 students coming from both expatriates and Saudis alike. Similar international schools roughly adopt the same standards. Meanwhile, the national average of new learners is glaringly different. Wilson, for example, wrote that based on statistics, Saudi children start learning at a later age but that enrolment is increasing rapidly because of extensive support from the government. (p. 106) In addition public elementary schools are usually late in introducing ESL as opposed to the private schools like in the case of Jeddah Prep & Grammar School, which has been established by British and Dutch expatriates. According to Abdan (2002), elementary students should be introduced to English in elementary school because public elementary school students are presently underexposed to the language since English is not part of the national curriculum. (p. 265-266) The benefits of introducing English to young learners, preferably to be integrated in the elementary education curriculum have been cited and proven by numerous studies. These benefits are explained in various arguments ranging from the social, cultural to psychological. According to Nikolov and the European Centre for Modern Languages (2007), young children can benefit from early language learning in the same way as older pupils do. In their research, they found that majority of teachers have been surprised to find how quickly young children pick-up English. (p. 26) It is for this reason why, in America, immigrants immediately send their children to school to learn English as part of the faster strategy to assimilate in the society. (Welch

King Tut Tomb object 21a-yy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

King Tut Tomb object 21a-yy - Research Paper Example King Clothing presents a puzzle to many researchers. The clothing is among the few artifacts that can give details related to the appearance and physique of the young king. The king clothing was kept in a box that was sealed and kept in the museum, and a little research has been done concerning the same. There have been indications that the king has feminine looks by some researchers. The king clothing showed measurement that was indicating that he had wide hips.Clothing was an important aspect of the king. The clothing was designed in a specific manner for the king and worn in occasions. The king used royal robes during his tenure as king depending on the occasion. The collars were made of precious gems as well as gold. The waist was covered with a white cloth which made a short skirt like the dress. In their bodies, they wore no shirt. The pharaoh armbands and armlets were made of gold and had specific crowns, which were related to their kingdom. This clothing was significant in th eir lives as they showed their power and position.Egyptian kingdom worshipped gods. The pharaohs were given the status of god this happened even after their death. The pharaoh being a god figure was expected to dress in a manner that made him significant among his people. This is the reason why most of the pharaoh’s clothing and other adornments were made of gold.Some of the clothing that was found in King Tut tomb was his personal royal clothing while others were buried with him for different purposes.... The collars were made of precious gems as well as gold. The waist was covered with a white cloth which made a short skirt like dress. In their bodies, they wore no shirt. The pharaoh armbands and armlets were made of gold and had specific crowns, which were related to their kingdom. This clothing were significant in their lives as they showed their power and position (Maggie, 2013). Religious purpose Egyptian kingdom worshipped gods. Each god had its own purpose in the citizen’s life. The pharaohs were given the status of god this happened even after their death. The pharaoh being a god figure was expected to dress in a manner that made him significant among his people. This is the reason why most of the pharaoh’s clothing and other adornments were made of gold (Maggie, 2013). Symbolism Some of clothing that was found in King Tut tomb was his personal royal clothing while others were buried with him for different purposes. The ceremonial robe was one of his royal clothi ng which was used by all pharaohs. His sandals were made of beads and leather. There was a leopard skin cloak and pad of fine linen. Appearance of archer’s gauntlet was an indication that he was a trained archer. This was supposed to help him as he was on his way to the new world. The king was supposed to be buried armed with all requirements for survival in his journey to the next world (Potter, 2011). gods represented in tomb King Tutankhamen’s tomb had a painting of Hathor who was conceived as the goddess of the West. The goddess was supposed to welcome pharaoh to the underworld. Including the cloth in the pharaoh tomb was to make sure that he had sufficient clothes for his journey into the underworld. Other objects that were included in this box included

West Nile Virus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

West Nile Virus - Research Paper Example Over the next few years, this virus had spread across the whole of North America and the Caribbean, increasing the risk of new infections. While this virus does not commonly affect human beings, cases of infections are on the increase as this virus spreads globally. The first step, in the contamination process, takes place when a female mosquito bites an infected bird. This mosquito obtains the virus while consuming the bird’s blood and in the process, the virus is passed on to it. The infected female mosquito then spreads the virus through their bites to humans and most of the infections occur among the elderly and people who have impaired immune systems. There is also a high possibility of this virus to be spread to those people who live in areas where there are mosquitoes. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, people who get the virus display mild symptoms as fever, headaches, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph glands, but in cases where the virus enters the brain however; it can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Most of the deaths caused by WNV have been among birds with few human cases, an example of which is in 2009, where there were 720 human cases of the disease in the United States amongst, which only thirty-two were fatal. There are currently no vaccines or treatments for the human WNV disease and now, scientists have accelerated the research on developing the tools necessary for its treatment and prevention. According to Margulies (47), the best way to prevent the virus is by continuously testing for it so that it can be detected early and steps taken to prevent its further spread. Furthermore, it is advisable to frequently used mosquito repellent on exposed skin so that the possibility of being bitten is reduced. Those living in areas where mosquitoes of any species

Business Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Analysis - Essay Example The business will use direct and indirect distribution channels. Direct distribution will distribute to specific clients using online selling and telemarketing to consumers, whereas, on the indirect distribution channels, the products will be distributed through retailers and stores to consumers (MAGAZINE, 2012). To ensure that the business penetrates the market, the business will often undertake promotions such as advertisements and sales promotions to inform and remind clients on the fashion trends and the ultimate goods to new and older customers. The business will provide our broad range of customers with fashionable and quality products and by giving opportunities that will help the business increase its sales volume. To ensure that they the business gains a competitive advantage over other clothing lines, the business has to develop a management that will push the business forward to achieving a high range market. The business will also build trust with the customers and make them understand that the clothing products the business offer are reliable for the growing market thus hoping to build on the strengths and to overcome the weaknesses encountered during the business operations (MAGAZINE, 2012). The fashion industry is a drastically changing one, where trends comes and go, therefore, for a business to succeed in the clothing line industry, one must understand the customers and their tastes and preferences. One must possess the ability to predict the fashion trends before they hit the market, also be creative and flexible in all activities of the business. Therefore, one has to develop working functions of the business, to ensure they capture all the activities of the business that will secure its success. Some of the main business functions are found in the different business process developed for daily business operation (BROWN, 2008, p. 53-56). First, the

West Nile Virus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

West Nile Virus - Research Paper Example Over the next few years, this virus had spread across the whole of North America and the Caribbean, increasing the risk of new infections. While this virus does not commonly affect human beings, cases of infections are on the increase as this virus spreads globally. The first step, in the contamination process, takes place when a female mosquito bites an infected bird. This mosquito obtains the virus while consuming the bird’s blood and in the process, the virus is passed on to it. The infected female mosquito then spreads the virus through their bites to humans and most of the infections occur among the elderly and people who have impaired immune systems. There is also a high possibility of this virus to be spread to those people who live in areas where there are mosquitoes. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, people who get the virus display mild symptoms as fever, headaches, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph glands, but in cases where the virus enters the brain however; it can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Most of the deaths caused by WNV have been among birds with few human cases, an example of which is in 2009, where there were 720 human cases of the disease in the United States amongst, which only thirty-two were fatal. There are currently no vaccines or treatments for the human WNV disease and now, scientists have accelerated the research on developing the tools necessary for its treatment and prevention. According to Margulies (47), the best way to prevent the virus is by continuously testing for it so that it can be detected early and steps taken to prevent its further spread. Furthermore, it is advisable to frequently used mosquito repellent on exposed skin so that the possibility of being bitten is reduced. Those living in areas where mosquitoes of any species

The Essential Features of Prokaryotic Replication Essay

The Essential Features of Prokaryotic Replication - Essay Example This is nothing but duplication of the nuclear material contained in the nucleus of the cell, be it pro or eukaryotes. Replication is an essential phenomenon related to growth and division of the cell. Growth and division refer not simply to the accretion of biomolecules, but to the replication of an integrated pattern of functions and structures. The continuity of cellular structure is a necessary complement to the continuity of genetic information. This occurs through the process of replication (Burton and Engelkirk, 2001, 134-150). Replication of the prokaryotic cells is a process central to the biological reproduction and morphogenesis. From that aspect, every cell including prokaryotic cells continuously is in a process looking forward to the next cycle of replication as long as favourable environments are available. Sometimes, the time required to replicate is too small to acknowledge. There are incidences where a whole colony of prokaryote E. coli may replicate in 20 minutes. Indeed, making two cells where there was one before is the only discernible purpose of all the cell's metabolism, physiology and behaviour. This process thus involves production of cell constituents as long as energy and nutrients are available to accommodate to the need of replication. This again involves three processes, doubling of the volume and surface area by elongation at constant diameter, duplication of the genome and partitioning of the copies, and cytokinesis, division of the cytoplasm by the in-growth of a septum at the mi dpoint, followed by separation of the daughter cells (Harold, 2001, 99-102). Structurally, prokaryotes are very simple cells when compared to eukaryotic cells, and yet they are able to carry on the necessary processes of life. Reproduction of prokaryotic cells is by binary fission-the simple division of one cell into two cells, following DNA replication and the formation of a separating membrane and cell wall. The prokaryotic chromosome usually consists of a single, long, supercoiled, circular DNA molecule, which serves as the control center of the bacterial cell. It is capable of duplicating itself, guiding cell division, and directing cellular activities. When a cell is preparing to divide, all the DNA molecules in the chromosomes of that cell must duplicate, thereby ensuring that the same genetic information is passed on to both daughter cells. This process is called DNA replication. It occurs by separation of the DNA strands and the building of complementary strands by the addition of the correct DNA nucleotides (Burton and Engelkirk, 2001, 151-162).Figur e 1: The Process of Replication Figure 2: Bacterial Replication Wall Synthesis The point on the molecule where DNA replication starts is called the replication fork. The most important enzyme required for DNA replication is DNA polymerase. The duplicated DNA of the chromosomes can then be separated during cell division, so that each daughter cell contains the same number of chromosomes, the same genes, and the same amount of DNA as in the parent cell. In bacteria, as in other walled cells, morphogenesis revolves around wall construction. Bacteria lack an internal

Disasters In Tamilnadu Coastal States

Disasters In Tamilnadu Coastal States Natural Disasters like Cyclone, Flood and Tsunami have been affecting the coastal communities for a long time. The prime reason behind this impact is the lack of last mile communications. In a disaster situation, timely warnings allow people to take actions that save lives, reduce damage to property and minimize human suffering. To facilitate an effective warning system, there is a major need for better coordination among the early warning providers as well as those handling logistics and raising awareness about disaster preparedness, security and management. There are many new communication technologies that allow warning providers not only to reach the people at risk but also to personalize their warning message to a particular situation. Opportunities are available right now to significantly reduce loss of life and properties if disaster warning systems can be improved. In this study, the researcher analyzes how various forms of Radio plays an important role in disseminating infor mation among the people during emergencies using survey and interviews. This paper also looks into the effective role of ICT in communicating security planning, preparedness and risk management strategies to coastal communities in the Tamil Nadu state of India. Keywords: natural disasters, communication, technology, radio, village information centres DISASTERS IN TAMILNADU, A COASTAL STATE IN INDIA India is one of the most disaster prone countries of the world. It has had some of the worlds most severe droughts, famines, cyclones, earthquakes, chemical disasters, rail accidents, and road accidents. The developing countries are becoming increasingly exposed to greater numbers of natural and man-made disasters, resulting in larger numbers of people becoming victims. It is estimated that between 1980 and 1984, about 800 disasters affected the lives of about 400 million people in the world. The high density of population in the developing countries, especially in the high risk coastal areas, results in several millions of people getting affected by natural disasters, especially in recurring disasters like floods, cyclones, storm surges, etc. Tamilnadu being one of the 28 states of India lies on the eastern coast of the southern Indian peninsula bordered by Puducherry (Pondicherry), Kerela, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Since Tamilnadu and Puducherry were located in the coastal areas of Bay of Bengal, the natural disasters such as Tsunami, Floods, Cyclone takes away the lives of many people which include damage to the properties. Over 1000 killed as Tsunami hits Eastern and South coastal areas in India. Over a thousand people have been killed in tidal waves in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Tamil Nadu and Puducherry was the worst affected with possibly over 800 people killed. At least 350 people have been confirmed dead in Tamil Nadu with over 100 people dead in Chennai alone. As many as 239 people have been killed in Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, while in Nagapatnam; the number of dead has been confirmed as 273. INFORMATION NEEDS IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT The information needs of disaster management deals with collection of two categories of disaster-related data: â‚ ¬Ã‚  Pre-disaster baseline data about the country and risks; and Post-disaster real-time data about the impact of a disaster and the resources available to combat it. Similarly, the disaster management functioning procedure is dealt with two types of activities: â‚ ¬Ã‚  Pre-disaster activities: analysis and research (to improve the existing knowledge base), risk assessment, prevention, mitigation and preparedness; and Post-disaster activities: response, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The ability of leaders and administrators to make sound disaster management decisions to analyze risks and decide upon appropriate counter-measures can be greatly enhanced by the cross-sectoral integration of information. COMMUNICATION FACILITIES FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT Communication is a major bottleneck in case of any major disaster particularly when the traditional network system already in force brakes down. In order to strengthen communications, it has been decided that police network (POLNET) will also be used for disaster management. For this purpose POLNET communication facility was extended to District Magistrates, Sub Divisional Magistrates as well as the Control Rooms. For emergency communication, mobile satellite based units which can be transported to the site of the disaster are being procured. A group was constituted to draw a comprehensive communication plan for disaster management nd the report has since been received. This provides for a dedicated communication system for disaster management with built in redundancies. Communication and education can play a proactive role in mitigation through awareness about the types of disaster and as to how prevention measures can be taken up. There is also a Satellite based communication system called the Cyclone Warning Dissemination Systems (CWDS) for transmission of warnings. There are 250 cyclone-warning sets installed in the cyclone prone areas of east and west coast. The general public, the coastal residents and fishermen, are also warned through the Government machinery and broadcast of warnings through AIR and Television. The use of satellite, computers, electronics, better communication facilities are make significant difference in disaster management. The data processing and computers are providing a useful tool in decision making in disaster. OBJECTIVES To study the various communication technologies applied for the inter-organizational communication for disaster management in Cuddalore, a coastal state of TamilNadu. To investigate the effectiveness of VHF Radio System based EWS in disseminating early warning to coastal communities in Cuddalore. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT The role of Government in disaster management is to provide a central, coordinated plan of action to address the damage caused by a disaster as well as the needs of the people affected. They also address the degree of risk present within an emergency situation. They repair the hazardous conditions such as polluted water supplies, damaged power lines, and inadequate housing. When needed, civil defense units such as the National Guard is called to maintain order within a disaster situation. Emergency management also involves providing the support necessary to prepare and rebuild a community aftermath a disaster. Government agencies also provide the lines of communication needed to keep responders in touch with government and public officials. Mobile communications systems are also put in place to provide airlifted networks of communication throughout a particular region. A World Wide Scenario A report on Disaster Management Centre, published by Government of Sri Lanka (2005) provides details regarding the functioning of disaster management centre in Sri Lanka. Hazard Mapping and Risk Assessment, information and data collection are the major functions of this centre. The collected information is disseminated to the communities through mobile phones, loudspeakers, television, radio etc. The article also stresses on the difficulties in communication in an emergency situation. Frequent breakdown in telephone systems, jamming of telephones systems, non-availability of telecommunication facilities in remote villages creates major hindrance in communication during an emergency situation. Kerala State Disaster Management Policy, a report published by Government of Kerala (2009) shows the system and procedure of working of Emergency Operation Centre (EOC). The system of EOC is designed in such a way that the information can be promptly assessed and relayed to concerned people. Rapid dissemination contributes to quick response and effective decision making during emergencies. EOC functions round the clock and maintains direct linkage with district control rooms through phone, fax, wireless and internet. Report also mentions the incidence command system. The Incidence Command System is an organized system of government departments and other agencies that are to be worked under a structured pattern for response and recovery. Disaster Management Policy and Communication Systems, a report published by Government of Japan (2007) brings out the functioning procedure of Disaster Management Communication Systems in Japan. Data gathering and message sending to communities are the major functions of this system. The information collected is disseminated to communities through loudspeakers and sirens. Report also shows the organizational communication between various departments like fire and disaster management centre, telecommunication and broadcast ministry, municipality etc. A Nation wide Scenario The article on Disaster Management, published by Government of India (2004) discusses the activities carried out by the central government at the times of a disaster. The basic responsibility of the government is to undertake rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures, and provision of logistical and financial support to state governments during a disaster. The logistical support includes deployment of aircrafts and boasts, specialist teams of Armed Forces, Central Para Military Forces, arrangements for relief materials essential commodities including medical stores, restoration of critical infrastructure facilities including communication network and such other assistance as may be required by the affected stats to meet the situation effectively. An article on Disaster Management in India, published by Government of India (2005), reveals the functioning procedure of National Emergency Management Authority. Reviewing the status of warning system, mitigation measure and disaster preparedness are its major functions. It suggests the state governments to restructure/re-group the officers/staff within the Department of Disaster Management with definite functions to pursuer the holistic approach to disaster management. The four functional groups to be assigned with specific tasks within departments are, hazard mitigation, preparedness and capacity building, relief and response, administration and finance. Development of National Emergency Communication Plan, an article published by Government of India (2006) recommends a nationwide network between the state governments with triple redundancy and full reliability during emergencies to connect the national, state and district Emergency Operation Centres. In Phase I of the report, it is proposed to establish an Emergency Communication System to provide mobile communication linkages through satellite between on-site disaster response teams to be deployed in remote locations and national and state Emergency Operation Centres. In Phase- II, the plan insists the connectivity using lines with various satellite back ups from the existing networks such as BSNL, Police Network, SPACENET to establish an integrated network among all Emergency Operation Centres and mobile Emergency Operation Centres at disaster sites. State Wide Scenario In Tamil Nadu and Puducherry A report Disaster Management in Tamil Nadu, published by Government of Tamil Nadu (2005) describes the activities carried out by the government in all three phases of disaster management. In Phase I (pre-disaster phase), all district collectors would prepare detailed action plans at local body level and at district level. The public and private sectors, voluntary agencies and community would be actively involved in the formulation of such plans. Formulation of appropriate policies and guidelines for disaster management, risk assessment and mapping of disaster vulnerable areas, establishment of communication network, setting up early warning systems would be carried out in pre-disaster phase. In phase II (disaster phase) warning and evacuation, immediate search and rescue operations, providing medical care, adequate health and sanitation care, provision of safe drinking water, mobilizing funds for relief, rehabilitation, relief packages are carried out in disaster phase. In phase III (post-disaster phase) reconstruction of houses, relocation of affected people, disbursement of funds, redressal of grievances, modification and updation of disaster plans are carried out. Disaster Management Action Plan for Floods Cyclones, a report published by Government of Puducherry (2009) describes the details regarding various organizations like revenue department, fire and rescue department, health department etc. involved in disaster management within Puducherry and their functions. Report also mentions the activities carried out by these departments during a disaster, like revenue department disseminates early warnings before a disaster strikes, fire and rescue department helps in search and rescue process while all the medical needs and disturbances are handled by health department. A report on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for disasters, published by Government of Puducherry (2009) describes the steps prepared in concise form as a response to any kind of disaster. It suggests the sequence of actions to be taken by different departments in central/state/district level. The SOP will respond to all disaster calls, mobilizing staff and fire units, effective management of resources by communication and mobilization of additional resources. It will be altered according to the scene of occurrence and a quick spot decision will be made by the operational in charge in consultation with the controlling officers. ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT Functions at National Level J. P. Saulina Arnold (2006) discusses National Disaster Response Mechanism, which reviews the existing arrangements for preparedness and mitigation of natural/man-made disasters, recommend measures for strengthening organizational structures and recommends a comprehensive model plan for management of the disasters at National, State and District level. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been established with personnel from the Para military forces for strengthening the preparedness and emergency response in the country. Eight battalions of the NDRF have been setup and deployed in strategic locations in the country and the NDRF personnel are being trained and equipped with state-of-the-art life saving equipments, search and rescue equipments, inflatable boats, etc. The NDRF personnel are also being trained for preparing and responding to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) emergencies. Vinod Chandra Menon (2009) discusses the role of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). NDMA is chaired by the Prime Minister is the apex body for disaster management in country, which sets up State District Management Authorities for the effective coordination among the central and state to minimize the impact of the disaster. The National Institute for Disaster Management (NIDM) has been established as the apex training institute for disaster management in India. NIDM coordinates the capacity building efforts of disaster management faculty in State Training Institutes and also offers a few distance education programmes in disaster management in collaboration with the World Bank Institute. The NIDM also hosts the SAARC Centre for Disaster Management. Vinod K. Sharma (2006) describes the role of National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), which gives direction to the Crisis Management Group as deemed necessary. The Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for ensuring that all developments are brought to the notice of the NCMC promptly. The NCMC can give directions to any Ministry/Department/Organization for specific action needed for meeting the crisis situation. The article also describes the role of National Emergency Management Authority at the National level (NEMA). When a disaster strikes, the Authority will coordinate disaster management activities. The Authority will be responsible for:-  · Coordinating/mandating Governments policies for disaster reduction/mitigation.  · Ensuring adequate preparedness at all levels in order to meet disasters.  · Coordinating response to a disaster when it strikes.  · Coordination of post disaster relief and rehabilitation. Functions at State Level The report Disaster Management in Tamil Nadu, published by Government of Tamil Nadu (2006) describes the role of State Emergency Management Planning Committee (SEMPC). State Emergency Management Plan is prepared for each kind of disaster and the details of the organizational structure for emergency management activities are known. Responsibility of concerned agencies for the execution of rescue, relief and recovery operations and Standard Operating Procedure for each is available. A State Emergency Management Planning Committee (SEMPC) should be constituted with all the stakeholders as members. The report also analyzes the role of State Crisis Group (SCG). State Crisis Group (SCG) enables quick decision making, operational direction and coordination of the issue of warning and execution of rescue, relief and recovery operations. The responsibilities of the SCG would include: On spot decision making Control and coordination of response and recovery activities Resource mobilization and replenishment Monitoring of overall response recovery activities. Preparation of reports for submission to State Government State Emergency Control Room (SECR) ensures all warning and communication systems, instruments are in working condition and collect information on a routine basis from the State departments on the vulnerability of areas to disasters. Functions at District Level The report published by Government of Tamil Nadu (2006) reviews the functioning procedure of disaster management organizations at district level. It is the District Collector who is the focal point at the District level for directing, supervising and monitoring relief measures for disaster and for preparation of District level plans. The relief measures are reviewed by the district level relief committee consisting of official and non-official members including the local legislators and the members of parliament. The Collector maintains close coordination with the Central Government authorities in the districts, namely, the Army, Air Force and Navy, Ministry of Water Resources, etc., who supplement the effort of the district administration in the rescue and relief operation. ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT Duke H. Jeong (2006) analyzes the Inter-Organizational Information Management and Communication Breakdowns in Initial Disaster Response Mechanism. During disaster relief operations, collaborative critical decisions are often made by decision-makers from many different organizations and from a diversity of professional fields. Communication breakdowns often hamper the effective coordination of a disaster response, particularly when a multiplicity of Federal, state, local and volunteer organizations takes part in the effort. A communication breakdown is defined as the failure to communicate information due to the inability to obtain critical and needed information and the inability to obtain sufficient information quality to support decision-making. Gauruav Vivek Bhatnagar (2009) discusses the New Network for Disaster Management. Terrestrial Trunked Radio (Tetra) Communication would help establish the countrys first exclusive Government Radio Network (GRN) in Delhi. Tetra network seeks to facilitate swift and secure communication among various government agencies like Police, Fire services, hospitals, Public Works Department and Transport Corporation, the system would of be of great help in any disaster management exercise. Johnson and Zawawi (2002) describe the advances in inter-organizational disaster Management. Inter-organizational disaster response requires collaboration among geographically distributed public and private organizations to enable a rapid and effective response to an unexpected event. In order to ensure coherent coordination among the responding organizations, relevant information needs have to be collected from multiple sources, verified for accuracy and shared with appropriate organizations, all within a short time frame. Humphrey (2009) suggests that disaster management should get proactive by using RPM method. RPM stands for Recognize, Prioritize, and Mobilize to anticipate potential disasters. This approach involves recognizing potential threats, prioritizing them according to their seriousness and mobilizing resources to prevent them from occurring or at least minimizing their impact. Most organizations fail to anticipate threats mainly because of following reasons: Lack of recognition: Leaders remain oblivious to approaching threats and pay no head to warning signs. Lack of prioritizations: Leaders detect a threat but do not consider it serious enough and therefore do not give the attention it deserves. Lack of Mobilization: They recognize a danger and are aware of its seriousness but neglect to take proper action in time. Lawal Billa, Mansor Shattri, Ahmad Rodzi Mahmud and Abdul Halim Ghazali (2006) have discussed about the Comprehensive Planning and the Role of Spatial Decision Support System. Through case study, they have analyzed that the strength of Spatial Decision Support System in the collection and processing of information to speed-up communication between the proponents of the disaster management program. Moreover, Spatial Decision Support System plays an important role in decision-making. Louise K. Comfort (2006) describes the Inter-Organizational Design for Disaster Management. Cognition understanding; communication, coordination and control are the main factors to be concentrated between the organizations of disaster management. Marijn Janssen and Nitesh Bharosa (2005) discuss the Advances in Multi-agency Disaster Management. When a disaster strikes, the complex task environment requires multiple organizations to transform from autonomous actors to interdependent decision-making teams. In order to ensure coherent coordination among the responding organizations, relevant information needs to be collected form multiple sources, verified for accuracy and shared with appropriate responding organizations all within a short time frame. Naim Kapucu (2006) describes the Interagency Communication Networks during Emergencies. He focuses on pre-incident and technical aspects of communication. Pre-incident communications deals among key local disaster response organizations such as law enforcement agencies, fire departments, local emergency management agencies and organizations in the health and welfare sectors. The tool used for communication between organizations during a disaster is mobile communication and computer based networking. Technical problems also inhibit the information exchange. Flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes are all capable of toppling antennas and interrupting normal electrical power. Nigel Martin (2007) has reviewed how regional governments in Asia and other national governments around the world collect, manage and share critical geo-technical information. Through case study, it was concluded that early warning information were not handled by the government in an efficient way before the tsunami wave stroke. No proper technological solutions to provide earthquake and tsunami warning information. N. K. Chhibber (2007) describes the Disaster Communication Network in Maharashtra. VSAT network and VHF radio network has been maintained for the dissemination of emergency information within the state. Ryan, Matheson (2009) analyze the Significance of Communication in Emergency Management. The study attempts to quantity the importance of communication activities to emergency management. Through content analysis, it was founded that there is a rapid improved communication between the organizations. Sir car, Scalem (2004) has described about the Networking of Organizations in four zones of working such as normal stage, pre-disaster stage, disaster stage and post-disaster stage. The role of Revenue department in pre-disaster stage is to collect the warning news from higher officials and pass the information to communities through mobile technology or radio technology. The role of Fire and Rescue Department is to provide rescue and rehabilitation procedure. Soundarya Viswanathan (2009) describes the awareness level among the government officials, representatives of local bodies and general public of disaster. Lack of awareness among them, lead to a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or society, causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses. In order to meet the disaster risk posed by forms of disasters, a system of enormous task must be undertaken such as hazard analysis and dissemination to the community, identification of vulnerabilities to various hazards, eliminating or strengthening the vulnerabilities, capacitating the community for readiness and resilent to all types of hazard. S. Suri (2000) analyzes the reasons behind the Orissa disaster which took away many lives of the people due to the failure of Cyclone Warning Dissemination System (CWDS). Due to the system failure, warnings were not given so to create awareness to the people, which has lead to a major destruction. Only television and radio warnings were given, but not of accurate information. Vinod K. Sharma (2002) describes the overall view of the disaster administration mechanism in the country at the central, the state and the district level also highlighting the role played by the secondary institutions. The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC) in the agriculture ministry is the nodal department for all matters concerning natural disasters relief at the centre. It transmits all emergency information to all concerned state governments for effective disaster management. The report published by Government of Puducherry (2006) describes the implementation of various communication technologies in Puducherry after tsunami. It describes the activation go emergency operation centre and dissemination of early warming through VHF sets. METHODOLOGY For this study the researcher has adopted survey method which is a quantitative type of research. The tool used for data collection is Questionnaire. Cluster sampling technique was used for data collection from coastal communities in Cuddalore. The sample size is 300. The Survey was conducted to find the mostly employed communication technology for security planning during disasters and the effectiveness of VHF based Early Warning Systems among them. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION The following is the graphical presentation of data collected from the questionnaires. When asked whether they are aware about various disasters, the response was the following: Fig. 1 Awareness level about various disasters Coastal communities are majorly aware of following communication technologies: Fig. 2 Knowledge regarding Communication technologies Communication technologies they have in their homes, which are majorly employed in disaster management are: Fig. 3 Communication technologies used in homes. When asked the source of getting disaster news, the response was the following: Fig. 4 Devices used to getting information regarding disasters. When asked, whether they are informed regularly the alterations in weather conditions, the response was the following: Fig. 5 Updation of weather alterations. They get weather information from, Fig. 6 Organizations that provide weather informations. When asked about the usage of mobile phones in disaster management, the response was following: Fig. 7 Usage of Mobile Phones for disseminating disaster news. When asked whether they are aware of VHF Radio based Early Warning System, the response was following: Fig. 8 Awareness level regarding VHF systems. The Efficiency of VHF Radio based Early Warning System before 2009 is: Fig. 9 Efficiency of VHF systems before 2009. The Efficiency of VHF Radio based Early Warning System after 2009 is 76% as shown below: Fig. 9.1 Efficiency of VHF systems after 2009. The Efficiency of Village Information Centres (VIC) Public Address System (PAS) based Early Warning System before 2009 is: Fig. 10 Efficiency of VIC early warning systems before 2009. The Efficiency of Village Information Centres (VIC) Public Address System (PAS) based Early Warning System after 2009 is just 19%: Fig. 10.1 Efficiency of VIC early warning systems after 2009. Type of information they get from VHF system is, Fig. 11 Type of information provided by VHF systems. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 87% of the respondents told that they are aware of various disasters that would bring great disturbance to their livelihood. 13% of the respondents very unable to distinguish the natural disasters from man-made disasters. Majority of the respondents replied that, Mobile Phones and TV are the major communication technologies, which knew that mainly provide information regarding disasters. There are majorly two modes of communication dedicated for disaster management in coastal areas. One is from the government side and the other is from the non-governmental organizations (NGO). The government of Tamil Nadu has set up VHF Radio based early warning system in all the panchayat offices of coastal villages that are present in the High Tide Line (HTL). HTL is defined as the area within 500 mts from the sea level. The warning is given through PAS (Public Address System) present on top of the panchayat office buildings that have a reach of 1 to 2 kms. NGOs have established Village Information Centres (VIC) in most of the coastal areas that are vulnerable to coastal disasters. These VICs also have PAS for disaster information dissemination. 98% of the respondents said that they are aware of VHF Radio based Early Warning System and VICs run by the local NGOs, while 2% of the respondents are unaware of it. Majority of the respondents told that VHF Radio based Early Warning System is effective in disseminating in disaster news to coastal community before 2009. It is to be noted that the Indian Ocean Tsunami striked the Tamil Nadu coast during December 2004 and after that immediately, VIC and VHF based early warning systems were established. It was functioning very well for more than 2 years as said by the respondents. But there is deterioration in the quality and frequency of disaster information being disseminated through both the systems after 2009 especially with respect to the VICs run by NGOs because of their problems with financial sustainability. The figures and percentages are clearly given in the graph above. 64% of the respondents replied that they gain early warning alerts from VHF system, 32.8% respondents receive preparedness aler