Mystuf

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE STUDENT INFORMATION MEETING JANUARY 18, 2010, 6:45 P. M. THEATRE I. What is the International Baccalaureate (IB and Pre-IB) II. What is the Nature of the IB Programme? III. The Six Major Areas of Study in the IB and Pre-IB Programmes: Courses Offered at Richmond High IV. Details of the Curriculum V. Choosing and Selecting a Diploma VI. Possible Diploma Options: Examples VII. Why do IB? VIII. What do Students Learn, and What Leads to Success? IX. How do Colleges and Universities Recognize IB Courses and the IB Diploma X. Some Facts and Common Sense Ideas About the IB ProgrammeIBO mission statement The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigoro us assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. RHS mission statementWe strive to do our best by creating an inclusive learning community through supporting and caring for one another. IB LEARNER PROFILE The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be: INQUIRERS: They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.KNOWLEDGEABLE:They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding acro ss a broad and balanced range of disciplines. THINKERS:They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions. COMMUNICATORS:They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with thers. PRINCIPLED:They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them. OPEN-MINDED:They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.CARING:Th ey show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. RISK-TAKERS:They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs. BALANCED:They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.REFLECTIVE:They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development. I. What is the International Baccalaureate (IB)? †¢ The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) is a rigorous preuniversity programme leading to assessment in six subject areas. †¢ Established in 1968, the IB offers a challenging curriculum noted for its depth and international perspective. †¢ The two-year IB Diploma provides a coherent and demanding educational experience across the full curriculum. Beyond completing college-level courses and examinations, IB students are also required to engage in community service (CAS), individual research (EE), and inquiry into the nature of knowledge (TOK). †¢ The IB Diploma is accepted as an admission credential at universities in 106 countries. †¢ In addition, high scores on IB exams often entitle students to credit or placement at university. In some cases students will get first year credit. †¢ The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers high quality programmes of international education to a worldwide community of schools.There are more than 758,000 IB students at 2,750 schools in 138 countries. II. What is the nature of the IB programme? a. Has the strengths of a traditional and broad c urriculum. b. Three important additional features: 1. Theory of Knowledge (TOK): is an interdisciplinary requirement intended to stimulate critical reflection on the knowledge and experience gained inside and outside the classroom. The course challenges students to question the bases of knowledge, to be aware of subjective and ideological biases and to develop the ability to analyze evidence that is expressed in rational argument.TOK  is a key element in encouraging students to appreciate other cultural perspectives. 2. Creativity, action, service (CAS): The IBO’s goal is to educate the whole person and foster responsible, compassionate citizens. The CAS programme encourages students to share their energy and special talents with others. Students may, for example, participate in theatre or musical productions, sports and community service activities. 3. An extended essay of 4,000 words: Each student has the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest.The essay re quirement acquaints diploma candidates with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected by universities. The IB Programme leads (to): †¢ interdisciplinary learning †¢ critical reflection †¢ questioning the bases of knowledge †¢ students to an appreciation of other cultural perspectives †¢ an education of the whole person (CAS) †¢ sharing energy and special talents with others †¢ independent research †¢ the demanding writing skills expected by universities III. SIX MAJOR AREAS OF STUDY IN THE IB PROGRAMME: COURSES OFFERED AT RICHMOND HIGH Group 1: Language A1 English A1 (HL) and English A1 (SL) †¢ Several Self-Taught (ST) Languages: Spanish, Yoruba, Chinese, Russian, etc. If a student is fluent (speaking and writing) in a language other than English, she may take a self-taught language. Group 2: Language B †¢ French B (SL) and French B (HL) †¢ Japanese B (SL) and Japanese B (HL) †¢ Mandarin B (SL) and Mandar in B (HL) †¢ Spanish B (SL) and Spanish B (HL) Group 3: Individuals and Societies †¢ Geography (HL) and Geography (SL) †¢ History (of the Americas) (HL) †¢Business and Management (HL and SL) †¢ ITGS (HL, SL) (Pre-requisite: IT 10)Group 4: Experimental Sciences †¢ Biology (HL) and Biology (SL) †¢ Chemistry (HL) and Chemistry (SL) †¢ Physics (SL) Group 5: Mathematics †¢ Mathematical Studies (SL) †¢ Mathematics (SL) †¢ Mathematics (HL) Group 6: The Arts and Electives †¢ Music (SL) and (HL) †¢ Theatre Arts (HL) and Theatre Arts (SL) †¢ Visual Arts (HL) and Visual Arts (SL) IV. DETAILS OF THE CURRICULUM The International Baccalaureate programme consists of courses in six major areas of study. Each course may be offered at the I. Standard level (SL), which involves approximately 200 hours of instruction, r at the II. Higher level (HL), which involves approximately 300 hours of instruction. Universities give credit and/o r placement for HL courses. An HL course is the equivalent of a first year university course. Many of our students get credit/placement for 3 HL courses. Each course credit is worth approximately $700-$800. Upon completion of any individual course the student receives a certificate from IBO and the course is recorded on the provincial graduation certificate with the special designation â€Å"IB†. V. CHOOSING/SELECTING A DIPLOMA In selecting a diploma a student must select a course from each of the six course groups. †¢ The only exception to this is that Group 6 may be skipped, and a second course from any of the other Groups may be chosen instead. †¢ A student may take as many as 4 HL courses, but no fewer than 3. †¢ A student may take as many as 3 SL courses, but no fewer than 2. VI. Programme Options: a. ONE DIPLOMA OPTION English A1 (HL) History (HL) Chemistry (HL) Math Methods (SL) French B (SL) Physics (SL) Extra: Biology (SL) b. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION Man darin B (HL) History (HL) Chemistry (HL)English A1 (SL) Physics (SL) Math Methods (SL) c. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION English A1 (HL) French B(HL) History (HL) Theatre (HL) Biology (SL) Math Studies (SL) d. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION Geography (HL) Biology (HL) Visual Arts (HL) Spanish B (SL) Math Methods (SL) English A1 (SL) e. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION English A1 (HL) Visual Arts (HL) Geography (HL) Spanish ST (SL) Math Studies (SL) Biology (SL) f. ANOTHER DIPLOMA OPTION Mandarin B (HL) Mathematics (HL) English A1 (HL) Geography (HL) Physics (SL) Biology (SL) Extra:ITGS (SL) VII. Why Do IB? A. A High Level of RecognitionUniversities in 102 countries welcome IB Diplomas as well as individual courses for admission, placement, and credit purposes. Individual IB courses are recognized as signifying a student’s rigorous preparation in an academic discipline; the IB Diploma signifies such preparation in all six academic disciplines, service to community, and development of an international p erspective. B. Fair and balance Assessment Using International Standards IB assessment is of many types, occurs several times over the usual two-year duration of IB courses, and includes the classroom teacher as a partner.IB students’ work is assessed by several examiners whose assessments are carefully moderated by an international examining board. IB teachers receive detailed formal feedback on every aspect of their students’ IB assessment each year. C. A Remarkable Degree of Flexibility IB curricula and examinations are available in IBO’s three official languages of English, Spanish, and French. The IB Diploma offers schools a wide variety of courses, teachers a wide choice of topics, and students a wide variety of assessments and areas of specialization. D. Commitment to Authorized SchoolsSchools must undergo an exhaustive application process for authorization to offer courses. Once authorized, schools are required to participate in IB professional developme nt on a regular basis and to be reviewed every five years by the appropriate regional IBO office. VIII. What do students learn, and what leads to success? †¢ self-awareness †¢ self-understanding †¢ self-regulation †¢ personal decision making †¢ managing feelings †¢ handling stress †¢ empathy †¢ communication/participation †¢ personal and social responsibility †¢ group dynamics †¢ conflict resolution individual growth †¢ world citizenship †¢ self-esteem †¢ moral responsibility †¢ self-reflection †¢ personal self-evaluation WHICH LEADS TO †¢ focus/concentration †¢ resourcefulness †¢ flexibility †¢ interest in process and results †¢ pace/steadiness †¢ responsibility/hard work AND †¢ writing skills †¢ thinking skills †¢ oral skills †¢ time-management skills AND †¢ marks IX. How do Colleges and Universities Recognize International Baccalaureate Courses an d the IB Diploma? †¢ IB has largely succeeded in its goal to be a universally recognized admissions credential. Specific agreements are in place with ministries of education and universities in 104 countries that recognize the IB Diploma as a valid means of earning entry to postsecondary study. †¢ The IB Diploma is increasingly being viewed as a strong indicator of academic promise and achievement. †¢ IB students often have an advantage in the admissions process at selective universities. †¢ In addition, IB courses and exams are recognized for the purpose of advanced credit and/or placement at over 900 North American colleges and universities. In fact, over a 100 postsecondary institutions now grant a full year of credit to students who have earned an IB Diploma. For a directory university recognition and policies, please use the following link: http://www. ibo. org/diploma/recognition/directory/index. cfm X. SOME FACTS/COMMON SENSE IDEAS ABOUT THE IB PROGRAMME à ¢â‚¬ ¢ There are three programmes, which are structured as follows: 1. Primary Years Programme:K-Grade 5 2. Middle Years Programme:Grade 6-Grade 10 3. Diploma Programme:Grade 11-Grade 12 †¢ Each of these programmes is an integrated programme. Thus the IB Diploma Programme is an integrated two year programme. A student taking the IB must complete the two years in it, if the student is to get IB credit for a course or for the complete programme. †¢ The IB programme is recognized by the vast majority of North American/world universities. †¢ The IB Diploma score is recognized for admission and entrance to all B. C. universities/most Canadian universities/most American universities. †¢ IB courses are evaluated on a 1-7 scale. Thus, a 7 represents the equivalent of a middle to a high A (90%-100%). †¢ A top score on a Diploma is 45 points.Last year, worldwide, there were well over 20000 diplomas. Approximately 50 of these achieved a perfect 45 points. †¢ A stu dent must achieve a minimum of 24 points to get a diploma. Also, a student must average a score of 4 in his HL courses. THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE AND UBC International Baccalaureate Diploma Students For students who complete the IB Diploma, admission to the university will require a minimum of 24 points, including bonus points. Students who are on a full Diploma programme will get early admission to UBC on the basis of predicted IB scores.IB Diploma students, and IB Certificate students will qualify for Government scholarships on the basis of IB Diploma/Certificate scores. UBC uses an equivalency scale to award a percentage grade based on IB scores. The following grid establishes the equivalency scale: IB Diploma Admission Average Scale Points% 2467 2570 2673 2776 2880 2984 3088 3190 3292 3393 3494 3595 3695 3796 3897 3998 4098 4199 4299. 9 4399. 9 4499. 9 4599. 9 A Diploma student with a predicted score of 30 points will get early admission to SFU. 32 points will provide earl y admission to UBC. International Baccalaureate Certificate StudentsFor students who present results for one or more Higher Level International Baccalaureate certificate courses, admission will be based on the higher of either the school grade or the IB score on equivalent courses. The grade conversion scale that will be used to determine admission is as follows: IBHL Grade% Equivalent 796 690 586 476 370 Credit for equivalent first-year UBC courses will be awarded to students who achieve a grade of at least 5 in Higher Level IB Arts courses, and 6 in Higher Level Science courses. UBC also grants credit for Physics SL. Details are provided in the Undergraduate Information Guide.EARLY ACCEPTANCE SFU, UBC, and UVic give early acceptance, to Diploma holders, on the following basis: 32 point Diploma:$3500 (SFU) 34 point Diploma: $5000 (SFU) UBC will be granting scholarships in 2010 when students get a letter of acceptance to the university. Scholarship money will begin to be offered (mo st likely) at the 33 point level. IBO mission statement The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. RHS mission statement We strive to do our best by creating an inclusive learning community through supporting and caring for one another. RHS CORE VALUES These core values were developed through student and staff focus groups.At Richmond High, we endeavour to live by these values. Value 1We value the traditions that recognize, promote, and encourage all members of the RSS co mmunity to feel pride in what they do (e. g. ) academic excellence, artistic expression, technical excellence, athletic achievement, multiculturalism, community involvement, staff cohesiveness, school spirit, school logo and colours. Value 2We value communication among all members of the RSS community that is based on honesty, equality, integrity and mutual respect.Value 3We value an environment where all members of the RSS community feel safe physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially. Value 4We celebrate the differences among people and promote harmony and equality among members of the RSS community. Value 5We value opportunities for all students to be challenged, to excel and succeed at RSS. Value 6We value the diversity of student learning styles, and recognize that a positive environment enhances learning, and that course content must be made relevant to our students. SCHOOL GOALS These school goals were developed by our School Planning Council.Goal 1Social Responsibi lity To continue and further develop a school community where students are involved as leaders, motivators, and mentors and where they are openly looking after, being responsible for, and making positive connections with one another. Goal 2Literacy To improve and emphasize reading skills which are grade specific and applicable in all subjects. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DOING AN IB DIPLOMA? †¢ IB diploma students qualify for early admission on the basis of IB Diploma points at both UBC (32 points) and SFU (30 points).They also qualify for early admission to other provincial, national, and international universities. †¢ IB Diploma students are in a strong position to get scholarships. A student with 36 points (actual points as confirmed by the exams) is guaranteed to get a scholarship at UBC ($4,000); 32 points gives the students $2000, and 30 points $500. At SFU, 34 points will ensure a $5000 scholarship. †¢ IB Diploma students can get B C Government scholarships on the basis of IB Diploma scores. †¢ IB Diploma applicants have their applications reviewed several times. Less tuition needs to be paid (as long as students meet faculty requirements). †¢ IB Diploma students are treated like scholarship students: they are fast tracked. †¢ Conversion/equivalency has not changed, eg. 32 points is the equivalent of 92% average. †¢ It is easier for a student to achieve 32 points than it is for her to achieve a 92% average. †¢ â€Å"I just hope that when people ask an IB student to explain the differences between the regular provincial program and the IB program, he/she can name the most important aspects: time management skills, analytical skills† (Ricky Pak). In addition to what Ricky says, all representatives mentioned the fact that IB Diploma students have superior research and writing skills, and oral skills. †¢ IB Diploma students have the highest retention rates (in other words, fewer students quit during first yea r) at university(in both the US and Canada). †¢ â€Å"IB students who registered directly into 2nd year courses scored an average of 7% to 12% higher than their classmates. † (From UBC brochure about the IB Diploma) †¢ IB Diploma students may qualify for Broadbased Admission (UBC)/Diverse Qualifications (SFU). GPA based on an IB Diploma is sounder because of the solid academic load; there is no â€Å"fluff† in IB. †¢ An IB Diploma recipient will be in the top 10% of his/her graduating class (High School percentile rank). †¢ Admission Officers at universities know of the high academic quality of IB Diploma graduates. †¢ IB’s examination requirements and assessment procedures validate the integrity of student’s performance; there is less of a need to rely on SAT scores. †¢ The Extended Essay and the TOK essays validate the writing and research skills of IB candidates. Participation in an IB Diploma demonstrates that students ac cept rigorous academic challenges. †¢ Participation in the IB strengthens a student’s confidence, social sophistication, grace, and poise. †¢ CAS provides evidence of the student’s commitment to physical activity, service to the community, and personal creativity. †¢ The IB Diploma assists the student in developing time management, goal setting, and other organizational skills. †¢ Diploma students can get first year credit for up to five courses (at $700 a course, a student could save up to $3500).UVic gives students credit for first year if a student has a 28 point Diploma. †¢ Beginning September 2009, SFU will be granting 30 credits to IB Diploma students who have achieved nothing lower than a 4 in their May IB exams. †¢ Achievement across a range is still thought to be a better indicator of longer term success than A grades in three or four chosen subjects. †¢ Oxford and Cambridge start making offers to IB Diplomas at 38 points. â € ¢ â€Å"I am glad that I chose to pursue and â€Å"stay† in IB diploma. I felt a bit proud for not giving up and writing countless BIG essays! † (IB Diploma Graduate, 2002) ———————–The English programme is international. The perspective of the curriculum is global rather than local. Consequently, students study literature from other continents and languages as they develop their understanding of a literary theme and analyze historical events from a broad geographical perspective. The intention is not only to broaden the student's base of knowledge but also to promote a sense of the universality of learning. This sense of the universality of learning is addressed, in as far as it is possible, in every single course, but particularly so in the TOK and the Language A (English) courses.

Big Dig

A stakeholder is a person, group, or organization that has a direct or indirect stake in an organization because it can be affected by the organization’s actions, objectives, and policies. In a business, there are many people and organizations who are able to support and have responsibility to keep the business survive. Stakeholders are one of them. They are people who have an interest in the activities of a firm or business, however, they do not have to own any finance in that business. There are two types of stakeholders –Internal and External stakeholders.The external stakeholders in construction project are: Local, and National authorities and government, Social organizations, Political organization, Local communities, the General public, Environmentalists, Interests groups, Real estate owners, Nearby residents, Trade and industry, Social Services (schools, Hospitals etc. ), Media, anyone else who believes he or she has a stake in the project. Internal stakeholders are: Project owners, Client organization, Project Management team, Customer user, Suppliers contractors’ subcontractors, Employee, Financiers, and Creditors.Major stakeholders for the big dig project are: the Massachusetts Highway Department, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA), the Metropolitan Highway System (MHS), Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff (B/PB), and the General public. The main direct stakeholders who are benefiting from the completion of the project are the Boston commuters. The main objective of the Big Dig project is relieving highway traffic congestion, reducing traffic jams in Downtown Boston, and decreasing the accident rate. The elevated Central Artery had been designed to carry up to 75,000 vehicles per day when it opened in 1959.However, the size of traffic continued to increase, with traffic mounting to 200,000 vehicles per day, and approximately 190,000 of those going over the Charles River crossing in the 1990s. The two tunnels under Boston Harbor b etween downtown Boston and East Boston/Logan Airport were facing the same problem. The accidents were concentrated around exits from the elevated highway onto local streets in downtown Boston, and this was linked to the lack of an ‘Inner Belt’ highway that was supposed to complete the Central Artery design.Such an Inner Belt was never built because of community opposition to the construction of an additional highway, which would have required displacing thousands of residents and businesses. Through the years, it became clear that without major improvements to the Central Artery and the harbor crossings, the congestion was only going to get worse. The annual costs from this congestion were significant, including wasted fuel from idling due to still traffic and related deficiencies to air quality, as well as charges for delayed deliveries.All of these were estimated to cost $500 million per year. In addition, Boston's North End and Waterfront neighborhoods were cut off f rom the downtown, limiting these areas' ability to participate in the city's economic life. The success factors are the contributions made by the management towards a successful project. These can be classified into five groups as follows: †¢The project manager: Having a project manager is not going to guarantee the success of a project. The person needs to have an array of skills under his arm to use during the project.He must guide the rest of the team to successfully complete all the objectives. †¢The project team: Project managers are very lucky if they have the option to choose their project team. More often, their team is inherited to the project from various sectors of the organization. The team needs to consist of variety of skills and experience. Collectively as a team, success is easy to achieve with proper guidance. All members of the project team must be committed to the success of the project and the overall mission of the company. Project: The scope and timel ine of the project are crucial. For example, if a project is urgent, the critical factor in that case is time. †¢The organization: Top management support is the principal success factor for many independent research groups. The organization needs to provide support to both the project manager and the project team. †¢External environment: External environment can be the political, economic, socio-culture and technological context in which the project is executed.Factors like the weather, work accidents or the government’s favorable or unfavorable legislation can affect the project in all of its phases. External constraints should not affect the project. Back up plans need to be in place in case daily tasks cannot be carried by the team. Yes, the project is successful. The economic impacts of the projects are as follows: †¢There has been approximately 62% improvement in the traffic flow, which exceeded project expectations. †¢A 12 percent reduction in citywi de carbon monoxide levels was achieved. Improvements and substantial reductions in traffic delay is providing approximately $168 million annually in time and cost-saving for travelers. †¢Average travel times from the I-90/I-93 interchange to Logan Airport during peak periods have decreased between 42% and 74%, depending on direction and time of day. †¢Average afternoon peak hour northbound travel time on I-93 through downtown has dropped from 19. 5 minutes to 2. 8 minutes. †¢The opening of the I-90 connector to Logan International Airport has added 800,000 residents to the 1. million who can access the airport within a 40-minute drive of their home. Overall, the project is successful as can be seen from the above economic impacts of the project. The major objective to relief the traffic has been successful and there is a much better traffic flow now. This project gives us a good idea about the success criteria used here and gives us a practical example of the required contributions by the management and employees to make the project successful.

Behavior Traits of Successful Businesses

The planner must recognize how to balance the current products against possible policies for future development and their likely implications in terms of cash flow, market share, return on capital employed and other key components of company objectives. A successful behavior trait taking hold for successful companies is to develop business models to assess a strategy. These models provide change models expanding on issues such as â€Å"what†, that provide a picture of the company now of analysis; and â€Å"which†, that suggest alternative action paths for the company to take. Both of these models provide information to build a more complete picture of events within the business and options for future development. Managers should make use of these models and many don†t. Those that do are more likely to be successful and have the ability to minimize risk of failure. Business managers who do are far more likely to survive. For planners and non-planners there is not a single universal technique that can be applied in all situations. Use of strategic planning models can be a very important behavior trait for successful companies. Companies that do not use strategic planning models usually don†t because the model does not offer what the customer wants. It may be inadequate because of its analysis of the relationship between company resources and markets. These result in advice about overall investment decisions rather than about the specifics of how to manage the alternatives in the market/business relationship can be shortsighted, since there are always alternatives in order to gain the maximum competitive advantage. Since change is so an important aspect of business continuity, many models don†t necessarily provide assiduous suggestions for what type of change should be considered. An example of modeling one such model in use by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) subdivides their profit centers into four main subdivisions. This breakdown does help in planning for strategic investment matters but it does not assist the planner in identifying a single product development proposal to investigate further from a number of alternatives. The matrix system comprises the following: 1) Stars, which are products generally with negative cash flow 2) Question marks, which are products with generally negative cash flows but with low relative market share in growing markets 3) Dogs, which are products unlikely to be generating substantial positive cash flows due to the fact that they are in slowly growing markets with low relative market shares 4) Cash cows, that are products that generating cash which have high relative market shares and are established in slowly growing markets. BCG model like the previous statement in the above paragraph does not define the product enough and does not create opportunities to explore alternatives in which to improve profitability or market share. The growth concept is divided into five separate levels one being dominant, strong, favorable, tenable and weak and relates this to the stages of market development. The stages are embryonic, growing, mature, and aging, which produce a series of strategic guidelines for company development. The market growth concept provides valuable guidance about broad policies, replacing the concept of market attractiveness in the GE matrix with stages of market growth. A PLC (product life cycle) are frameworks for planning. It suggests that specific changes in product policy should be followed after the initial product introduction. A major problem is that few products follow â€Å"typical† PLC curves. This implies that the organization evaluates the likely progress of each facet of the product†s performance over the ensuing time scale to identify particular areas where investment should be concentrated without a clear indication as to whether that product will follow the predicated path of the PLC. There are several other types of commonly used models and analysis (Product viability, Market newness, technology position, opportunity cost risk, and the Ansoff matrix) that can be employed each having strengths and weaknesses and should be applied to achieve a specific outcome. By carefully defining the likely market attractiveness for innovation and the resource environment for innovation, management can identify the types of innovation that are appropriate for a particular business unit. The key components of the market and resource environments are: 1. Market attractiveness is degrees of synergy, market size, barriers to diffusion, the expected product life and the stage of technological development. 2. Resource components are likely to be market position and personnel resource, which combine to yield a definition of the company core competence. By establishing a weighting scheme the analyst can create a three-by-three grid of market attractiveness versus resource environment to provide a measure of the likely ability of the organization to carry out particular types of innovation and the expected profitability of the proposed innovation policy. Personnel are the hearts of a continuing effective innovation policy. But, it is just as important that management and leaders are made aware of their unique roles and how crucial their behavior is upon the organization – ultimately the success of the company. Managers must be able to stimulate conversation and innovation. Leaders must be clear on how paradigm shifts and leadership is interwoven. Managers must be able to demonstrate paradigm pliancy if they are going to expect others to practice it. The more active managers can be in the search for new paradigms, the more likely those managers will be to have people work with them. An example made in the paradigm text indicated that the piston engine was on its way out in the 1970†³s because of the mandates on for a cleaner environment. Once the engine engineers stepped outside the old boundaries, they found that electronics could help to resolve the issue. Managers must facilitate and encourage cross talk. More and more the answer to a particular problem will lie with someone else and if you don†t apply the cross communication, that idea won†t be brought to surface effectively. It†s especially important that managers listen. Even when some ideas sound off the wall, you want people to approach with their ideas in an on-going fashion. On the other hand, the merger of these ideas though on their own may seem a bit far-fetched; when combined they offer leverage for the manager to generate great and unique solutions. In the text, Paradigm, the author Joel Arthur Barker defines a leader, as a person one will follow to place one wouldn†t go by himself or herself. To be successful in the twenty-first century means that leaders will need to be competent on managing within a paradigm and leading between paradigms. One without the other will not work. Successful leaders tend to lead to new paradigms in a variety of ways. Leaders need to be aware of the pattern of choices that occur during paradigm shifts. Typically three opportunities emerge: 1. Keep the paradigm; change your customer 2. Change your paradigm; keep your customer 3. Change your paradigm; change your customer Warren Bennis set forth a list of characteristics of leaders in the May 1990 issue of training magazine. The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. Roger Milliken, CEO of Milliken and Company, a privately held textile company in South Carolina demonstrated true leadership when he began his company drive to world-class status in the early 1980†³s Though most industry experts predicted the demise of the U.S. textile industry, Milliken continued to pursue excellence. In 1990 Roger Milliken won the noted Malcolm Baldridge Award demonstrating excellence. Employees operate at different levels, some are visionaries (don†t have people following them), some are leaders, some are managers, some are leaders and even a smaller percentage have all four roles – remarkable is a company that has an individual having all four characteristics. The most important factor in sector creating innovation is the concentration on academic and theoretical concept development, which demands a specific organizational framework. They contrast with the rapid developmental demands of performance extension, technological reorganization and process innovations and with the need for close contact with the market required by other types of innovation. Therefore, three broad types of organizational patterns can be described as appropriate for components of the innovation matrix and it can be described as follows: 1. Common room – appropriate for the development of sector creating innovations 2. Rugby scrum – approaches are best for the management of performance extension, technological reorganization and process innovations and those innovations that require a close and continuing contact with the marketplace for effective control 3. Coffee shop – reformation, service, branding, design and packaging are most suited in this sector Once a company has formulated an innovation policy it must evaluate whether to acquire the expertise from outside the organization (acquisition), to borrow it (licensing), to develop it with a partner with some specific expertise in this area (joint venture), or to concentrate on developing the knowledge internally. By studying how knowledge has been acquired and the problems associated with each route, it is then possible to come to some general conclusions about the best overall method for developing competitive advantage in the 1990†³s and beyond. Behavior Traits of Successful Businesses The planner must recognize how to balance the current products against possible policies for future development and their likely implications in terms of cash flow, market share, return on capital employed and other key components of company objectives. A successful behavior trait taking hold for successful companies is to develop business models to assess a strategy. These models provide change models expanding on issues such as â€Å"what†, that provide a picture of the company now of analysis; and â€Å"which†, that suggest alternative action paths for the company to take. Both of these models provide information to build a more complete picture of events within the business and options for future development. Managers should make use of these models and many don†t. Those that do are more likely to be successful and have the ability to minimize risk of failure. Business managers who do are far more likely to survive. For planners and non-planners there is not a single universal technique that can be applied in all situations. Use of strategic planning models can be a very important behavior trait for successful companies. Companies that do not use strategic planning models usually don†t because the model does not offer what the customer wants. It may be inadequate because of its analysis of the relationship between company resources and markets. These result in advice about overall investment decisions rather than about the specifics of how to manage the alternatives in the market/business relationship can be shortsighted, since there are always alternatives in order to gain the maximum competitive advantage. Since change is so an important aspect of business continuity, many models don†t necessarily provide assiduous suggestions for what type of change should be considered. An example of modeling one such model in use by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) subdivides their profit centers into four main subdivisions. This breakdown does help in planning for strategic investment matters but it does not assist the planner in identifying a single product development proposal to investigate further from a number of alternatives. The matrix system comprises the following: 1) Stars, which are products generally with negative cash flow 2) Question marks, which are products with generally negative cash flows but with low relative market share in growing markets 3) Dogs, which are products unlikely to be generating substantial positive cash flows due to the fact that they are in slowly growing markets with low relative market shares 4) Cash cows, that are products that generating cash which have high relative market shares and are established in slowly growing markets. BCG model like the previous statement in the above paragraph does not define the product enough and does not create opportunities to explore alternatives in which to improve profitability or market share. The growth concept is divided into five separate levels one being dominant, strong, favorable, tenable and weak and relates this to the stages of market development. The stages are embryonic, growing, mature, and aging, which produce a series of strategic guidelines for company development. The market growth concept provides valuable guidance about broad policies, replacing the concept of market attractiveness in the GE matrix with stages of market growth. A PLC (product life cycle) are frameworks for planning. It suggests that specific changes in product policy should be followed after the initial product introduction. A major problem is that few products follow â€Å"typical† PLC curves. This implies that the organization evaluates the likely progress of each facet of the product†s performance over the ensuing time scale to identify particular areas where investment should be concentrated without a clear indication as to whether that product will follow the predicated path of the PLC. There are several other types of commonly used models and analysis (Product viability, Market newness, technology position, opportunity cost risk, and the Ansoff matrix) that can be employed each having strengths and weaknesses and should be applied to achieve a specific outcome. By carefully defining the likely market attractiveness for innovation and the resource environment for innovation, management can identify the types of innovation that are appropriate for a particular business unit. The key components of the market and resource environments are: 1. Market attractiveness is degrees of synergy, market size, barriers to diffusion, the expected product life and the stage of technological development. 2. Resource components are likely to be market position and personnel resource, which combine to yield a definition of the company core competence. By establishing a weighting scheme the analyst can create a three-by-three grid of market attractiveness versus resource environment to provide a measure of the likely ability of the organization to carry out particular types of innovation and the expected profitability of the proposed innovation policy. Personnel are the hearts of a continuing effective innovation policy. But, it is just as important that management and leaders are made aware of their unique roles and how crucial their behavior is upon the organization – ultimately the success of the company. Managers must be able to stimulate conversation and innovation. Leaders must be clear on how paradigm shifts and leadership is interwoven. Managers must be able to demonstrate paradigm pliancy if they are going to expect others to practice it. The more active managers can be in the search for new paradigms, the more likely those managers will be to have people work with them. An example made in the paradigm text indicated that the piston engine was on its way out in the 1970†³s because of the mandates on for a cleaner environment. Once the engine engineers stepped outside the old boundaries, they found that electronics could help to resolve the issue. Managers must facilitate and encourage cross talk. More and more the answer to a particular problem will lie with someone else and if you don†t apply the cross communication, that idea won†t be brought to surface effectively. It†s especially important that managers listen. Even when some ideas sound off the wall, you want people to approach with their ideas in an on-going fashion. On the other hand, the merger of these ideas though on their own may seem a bit far-fetched; when combined they offer leverage for the manager to generate great and unique solutions. In the text, Paradigm, the author Joel Arthur Barker defines a leader, as a person one will follow to place one wouldn†t go by himself or herself. To be successful in the twenty-first century means that leaders will need to be competent on managing within a paradigm and leading between paradigms. One without the other will not work. Successful leaders tend to lead to new paradigms in a variety of ways. Leaders need to be aware of the pattern of choices that occur during paradigm shifts. Typically three opportunities emerge: 1. Keep the paradigm; change your customer 2. Change your paradigm; keep your customer 3. Change your paradigm; change your customer Warren Bennis set forth a list of characteristics of leaders in the May 1990 issue of training magazine. The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. Roger Milliken, CEO of Milliken and Company, a privately held textile company in South Carolina demonstrated true leadership when he began his company drive to world-class status in the early 1980†³s Though most industry experts predicted the demise of the U.S. textile industry, Milliken continued to pursue excellence. In 1990 Roger Milliken won the noted Malcolm Baldridge Award demonstrating excellence. Employees operate at different levels, some are visionaries (don†t have people following them), some are leaders, some are managers, some are leaders and even a smaller percentage have all four roles – remarkable is a company that has an individual having all four characteristics. The most important factor in sector creating innovation is the concentration on academic and theoretical concept development, which demands a specific organizational framework. They contrast with the rapid developmental demands of performance extension, technological reorganization and process innovations and with the need for close contact with the market required by other types of innovation. Therefore, three broad types of organizational patterns can be described as appropriate for components of the innovation matrix and it can be described as follows: 1. Common room – appropriate for the development of sector creating innovations 2. Rugby scrum – approaches are best for the management of performance extension, technological reorganization and process innovations and those innovations that require a close and continuing contact with the marketplace for effective control 3. Coffee shop – reformation, service, branding, design and packaging are most suited in this sector Once a company has formulated an innovation policy it must evaluate whether to acquire the expertise from outside the organization (acquisition), to borrow it (licensing), to develop it with a partner with some specific expertise in this area (joint venture), or to concentrate on developing the knowledge internally. By studying how knowledge has been acquired and the problems associated with each route, it is then possible to come to some general conclusions about the best overall method for developing competitive advantage in the 1990†³s and beyond.

International Business Communication Paper Essay

International Business Communication Paper - Essay Example Bureaucracy is the other major obstacle as there are endless procedures and forms to fill, resulting in waste of time and money, which are the most important resources for a business. It is therefore, crucial for an investor to note that though the country does not have specific cultural practices to be followed, they should not forget that it is a foreign country. For instance, there are people who have to be pleased in order for an investor to succeed, mostly from the ruling class. It is hard for foreign investors to procure funding since the country is in debts and there is a lot of external pressure for reform implementation. A person of either gender can own a business in the country but the people are leaning towards women leaders. However, a foreign company can only own between 40% and 70% of a business depending on the sector. The law prohibits import of labor for locally available skills, and limits inputs import by imposing heavy import duty. Table of Contents Table of Cont ents ii International Business Communication Paper Before investing in a foreign country, a citizen of the United States needs to familiarize with such a country to ensure a smooth transition from one business environment to another. Therefore, background research is necessary to ensure success of the investment once the investor knows the rules by which to play. Factors about the country that should be of interest to an investor in any sector include, but are not limited to business norms and cultural considerations. Business norms include all the requirements of the business world that the investor must follow in order to be in line with government policies, clients’ preferences, competitive landscape and possible business partners. Cultural considerations encompass the social expectations on the investor from the various stakeholders in this foreign land. Countries have different definitions of what they consider as the ethical or the unethical and any investor keen on suc ceeding in a foreign land should familiarize himself with these values. On keen observation though, it is clear that even if the country has a favorable environment for foreign investments, there is still a lot of room for improvement. For instance, the process of obtaining trade licenses is tedious though the country is currently undergoing reforms in all sectors due to the recent adoption of what politicians and the media claim to be one of the best constitutions in the world. If Kenyan leaders do not do what they are famous for i.e. corrupting systems, the country is ready and is a prime location for new investments. The country’s economy is driven mainly by agriculture and service industries. Its economy does not experience exponential growth because unprocessed goods always fetch low prices in the international market. The service industry, on the other hand, has been deteriorating as tourists shun the country due to civil unrests and terrorism threats especially in the period following the 2007/08 post election violence. Business Norms For one to invest in Kenya, there are numerous licenses to be obtained. However, since the country always sends delegations here in the US to talk to investors encouraging them to do business, it is safe to assume that the country’

Legal Rights of Buyers and Sellers Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Legal Rights of Buyers and Sellers - Case Study Example In Office of Fair Trading's (OFT) website any person can see the consumer rights forum and can use for his rightful purpose. This paper presents about the rights that are applicable to a consumer and a seller. If both parties are in dispute regarding the product they can approach OFT or court. After making an enquiry court will rule in favour of the party that follows the rules and regulations. Lets look at the present case. Bigbeef Ltd is in the business of butchery trade as a wholesale supplier of fresh meat. While supplying the products they give customers a detailed description of the standard terms and conditions of trading which has to be strictly followed. It includes a clause. According to this clause until buyer pays the amount in full the ownership of the goods supplied will remain with the seller, which in this case is Bigbeef Ltd. If the buyer hasn't paid in full or paid some amount then the seller has every right to take action by recovering and selling the goods and may enter buyer's premises for that purpose. Afterwards legal action would be taken against the buyer to recover the dues. Before the payment of the dues if the buyer alters the supplied goods in any way then the seller has the whole property rights on those altered and processed goods until such payments has been made and seller' s would be extended to those altered or processed goods. Until the buyer pays the amount in full for the goods relationship between them would be money related in respect of the goods.Bigbeef Ltd supplied 100 sides of fresh British beef to Frosty Ltd that is a frozen meat distributor and a regular customer. Frosty Ltd hasn't paid any amount regarding the supply of the British beef. Of the 100 sides 75 were cut into joints, packaged and frozen ready for resale. Because of the stringent government laws and regulations regarding labelling of beef the original supplier of the goods can be easily traced. Frosty Ltd sold the remaining 25 sides to a local super market that were supplied by Bigbeef Ltd to Frosty Ltd. Frosty Ltd made no profits from this trade to local super market.The above is the scenario in which one party supplies goods to the second party without receiving any payment. The second party sells a part of the supplies to the third party without making any profits. Due to UK's strict laws with respect to labelling of the goods the second party cannot sell the goods supplied by first party without prior permission from them or until full payment is made. The General Consumer council for Northern Ireland (The Consumer Council) is a statutory body, whose aim is to promote the interests of all consumers. The Consumer Council campaigns on behalf of consumers for the best possible standards of service and protection, undertakes research and gives advice and information and issues publications. The Consumer Council also manages consumer line that gives advice and information to consumers on: Practical help on how you can deal with your problem. Sources of additional help. Advice on using Small Claims Court. Your legal rights as a consumer. The Council has an Environmental Health

Systems and Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Systems and Operations Management - Essay Example This study tries to bring to light important aspects of the shift from physical to a digital economy and how this digital economy has led to crucial development in the economy of the republic of Korea. A new breed of technology springs out every 60 years or so of which without noticing this new breeds tends to affect the economy positively as a whole; hence, developing it. It introduces new social classes and leads to a different approach to business. In current times, the economy is highly digitised which is characterized as vast, automatic and invisible with adverse effects on employment. An example given is the digitisation of air travel, whereby 20 years ago one had to visit the airport to book a flight, but in current times one can book a flight and pay for it using online services. It is estimated that in less than two decades the digital economy will be as huge as the physical economy (Sears, 2007, 41). It is growing at an alarming rate and people should not underestimate the rate at which it is changing due to the simple fact that unlike the physical economy, the digital economy has no limits. ... As the global economy is interconnected and integrated it is significant to understand the effects of information technology on the economy in general and establish frameworks that will lead to the prosperity of the global economy as a whole (Eui-Hwan, 1999, 2). Information systems and technology has led to crucial and evident development on the economy. In macroeconomic perspective information technology has affected and enhanced the factors and patterns of productions, investment and employment. In a microeconomic perspective, it has enhanced business transactions in that it has led to effective and efficient modes of communication and an interpretation of information among employees who are key players in economic development (Eui-Hwan, 1999, 2). In Korea informational technology has led to direct and indirect development of its economy. In 1995, the value of its information and communication industry was 30 trillion won, this figure rose significantly to 43 trillion won three yea rs later in 1998. Surprisingly enough its GDP also from 7.9% to 9.6%. Consequently, that year employment in that industry increased to 507,000 from 395,000 in 1995. In the information and export industry exports increased to 30billion dollars in 1998 and price increase rates in this industry services and equipment are -0.2% and 6.7% in 1998 which is lower than the national average (Eui-Hwan, 1999, 1). The role of the Korean government while dealing with economic failure has also changed from solving market failure to solving system failure, where system refers to the players involved such as the corporate, the individual person, university etc, and the environment which includes banking systems, labour

Professional Ethics And Governance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Professional Ethics And Governance - Assignment Example The creativity and the risk taking will provide the decision makers in securing and protecting the risky partnership with the stock of Enron and ensuring that the stock will not fall (Healey and Isles, 2002). The values of Enron that is included in the corporate culture is not balanced and maintained by proper and appropriate attention that is required for increasing the corporate integrity and also acquiring of the customers and not only providing value to its shareholders. The corporate culture of Enron mainly embraces its value which is of large size which is not only considered as the value but also as a strategy in order to attain big mission or objective. Enron has faced a severe failure partly because of the existence of complexity and partly because of its size and the auditors failed , the bankers and the creditors failed, the management of the company failed and even the regulators also failed to safeguard and control the integrity of the capital market (Erwin, 2011). The c ombination of the various failures has resulted in the structural problem of the company. Arthur Andersen has been considered as the most influential, high earning and the most ethical accounting firm of the world. In spite of the rise in the consulting services, the relationship of the firms with its clients the company faced several threats from the investors of its regulators, clients and courts. Andersen failure in maintaining proper audit has both legally and ethically disrupted the various aspects that are related to the development of the ethical standards and accounting theory. The maintenance of quality control which is termed and regarded as the most important element and factor in the accounting profession has also been violated by Andersen (Stevens, 2013). The corporate culture of Lehman brother can be analyzed by the fact that it failed to face the severe and aggressive recession that prevailed in the year 2008 and it went bankrupt. Lehman

Guns control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Guns control - Research Paper Example The issue of guns can be reviewed based on a social approach, the criminal approach and the political approach. There should be stricter gun control to avoid the repeat of killings by gun owners. In the wake of shootings across America, republicans and democrats have been at it spreading their agenda about the existing gun laws. The political approach in the debate deals with the laws and political players that have a voice in the debate (MacKay 17). This approach is a key player in the debate because the decisions taken by the political leaders have a wide impact on the citizens. Democrats and republics find themselves in different sides of the debate. The pro-gun faction is strengthened by the support of the republicans who are largely doomed as conservatists. The national rifle association is also a strong force that has an association with the republicans in the pro-gun movement. The democrats are largely in support of the gun control. The key role of the government is to guarantee the citizens a high level of security. There should not be fear of attack but use of guns from other people who were let to recklessly use them because of less strict laws. The role of government in making laws that guarantee safety is very much on demand based on the statistics over the recent years. These who rally for the anti-gun control initiatives argue on the basis of individual rights to security and ownership of a weapon to keep safe. While this could be true and very worthwhile to pursue, it is imperative to consider the wider scope. The social impact of the presence of guns is significant to factor in. The second amendment does much to give freedom of owning firearms by common American citizens. While this freedom is necessary, it should be checked whether there is a significant social cause for ownership of a firearm. In times where people conduct random shootings in the streets and raid schools, there should be a concern on what the freedom

Police administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Police administration - Essay Example This role involves issues such as rules, employees, jobs, tasks, supervision, budget, efficiency, and workload. This role ensures that the police executive see to it that the functions of the police organizations are executed correctly. This is because the police executive is at the tiller of the police system and therefore must ensure that processes, inputs, outputs and feedback are dealt with properly in order to allow the police system accomplish its goals. This role is important to the police department because it sees the management of police inputs, processes and outcome. Without this role, the goals of the police administration may just be a mirage (Cordner & Scarborough, 2007). The second basic police executive role deals with external matters of the police organization. Because police organizations are open systems, the organization interacts with other organizations in its environs. These environments of the police organization are associated with a number of variable deman ds such as unusual and routine requests for services of the police organization; directives originating from the judiciary; inquiries of police management of specific crimes and incidents; and the minimum requirements for police training mandated by the state. Many of these demands are particularly received by the police executive personally as well as the requests from the environment. The police executive due to this is responsible for the response of the entire police organization. In general, the police executive is held accountable for managing the interaction between the environment and the police organization in order to enable the police organization system achieves its goals. Again this is important in police departments as failure to manage effectively the police organization environment, the attainment of the organizational goals will be impeded (Cordner & Scarborough, 2007). Both the internal and external basic roles of the police executive are important to the departmen t and the community. It is essential obviously that the chief of police pays attention to the internal police operations of the police organization. The internal basic role therefore fits the concept of responsibilities and duties of management. The external basic role of the police executive may be less obvious compared to the internal basic role. Because the police organization is an open system and is therefore impacted by its environs, the criminal law, job applicants, requests for police assistance, and money to pay to employees of the police organization all come from the environment to the police department. The central government system, the community, the system of criminal justice, and the media also make primary aspects of the environment of the police organization. In order to assure success of the police department, police executives must give attention and focus on relations with all the mentioned environmental elements because they affect the police organization signi ficantly and directly (Reiss, 2004). Failure to perform any of the roles sufficiently can possibly ruin the entire police department and the police chief. Issues of internal role may lead to poor morale, low productivity, negligent work, substandard equipment and personnel, and abuses such as corruption and brutality. The system of police department can easily fail to achieve its goals as a result of poor internal management. On the other hand, not executing external basic role of the police executive will result into declined goal achievement. For example, if the police executive estrange city hall, it is most probable that requests of the budgets of the police will be put at risk and funding will be less sufficient for optimal performance of the police

The corporate communications function of Microsoft Essay

The corporate communications function of Microsoft - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is Microsoft as one of the largest and most well-known information technology companies in the world. Its internal and external communicational strategies have been analyzed to uncover how the company has been able to generate value for itself and also for its stakeholders. The study has revealed that the organizational communication plays a vital role in the success of a company. The internal communication comprises of the interaction among the employees and staff and the external communication includes the communication with the customers and notable external stakeholders like the investors. The company has improved its internal communication by incorporating advanced telecommunication technologies to virtually bring the employees together who are separated by national borders. It has been found that the communicational strategies incorporated by the company have helped to develop team work, productivity, and efficiency. The external communica tional strategies of the company include its marketing communications and promotional campaigns. Microsoft has developed its advertisements to highlight the brand image of the company and to create customer awareness about its products. It has leveraged its financial prowess to develop robust promotional campaigns. Finally, it has been concluded that the company has successfully designed its communicational process to increase its value generation and it has been recommended that in order to further improve them, it should adopt an integrated marketing strategy and adopt content localization.

PlayStation Marketing Mix & Environment & Target Essay Example for Free

PlayStation Marketing Mix Environment Target Essay The PlayStation brand is a series of video game consoles created and developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation was the idea of Ken Kutaragi, who known as â€Å"The father of the PlayStation, a Sony executive who had just come out of his hardware engineering division at that time. The consoles origins date back to 1986 where it was originally a joint project between Nintendo and Sony to create a CD-ROM for the Super Nintendo. The PlayStation made its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in June 1991 when Sony revealed its console, a Super Famicom/SNES with a built-in CD-ROM drive. However, a day after the announcement, Nintendo announced that it would be breaking its partnership with Sony. The deal was broken by Nintendo after they were unable to come to an agreement on how revenue would be split between the two companies. The breaking of the partnership infuriated Sony President Norio Ohga, who responded by appointing Kutaragi with the responsibility of developing of the PlayStation project to rival Nintendo. The original PlayStation released in December 1994 was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation series of console and hand-held game devices. Target Market They targeted at fans of video games and teenager or audience starting at 17+ and the focus is more on the male. Of course the games themselves have limits on who can play them, depending on the content rating on the games cover. Sony developed the PlayStation with the intention of hitting a wider, especially the older generation of gaming enthusiasts. Marketing Mix * Product: A successful marketing efforts result in product that become a part of everyday life, and that what Sony reached by offers games of all genres to match customers gaming preference. With its product PlayStation they have succeeded in satisfying the customers wishes by developing it among the time as requirements of the customers and their needs. * Distribution Decisions with respect to distribution focus on making the product available in adequate quantities at places where customers are normally expected to shop for them to satisfy their needs. Selecting the appropriate retailers or wholesalers is an important thing. PlayStation covered the market. Its distributes it in various channels, customer buy it from the retailers recognized by Sony, and these retailers buy the products directly from the company itself. * Promotion Promotion is a key element of marketing program and is concerned with effectively and efficiently communicating the decisions of marketing strategy. A company’s promotional efforts are the only controllable means to create awareness among publics about itself, the products and services it offers, their features and influence their attitudes favorably. Advertising campaign carried out by Sony to promote their product for PlayStation was big, they published video clips on the Internet, and they have advertisements in television screens, newspapers and magazines all over the world and other promotional media are very important in term of creation awareness about it. Some of the phrases in the ads are: Live In Your World. Play In Ours. Wherever, Whenever, Forever. The most notable of recent PlayStation commercials is the series of It Only Does Everything, these commercials garnered popularity among gamers. * Price Pricing decisions are almost always made in consultation with marketing management. Customers directly relate price to quality. PlayStation is with price range from moderately-high. Here in Saudi Arabia its price varies from SR 1300 to 1700 first raises the market, and then begins gradually decrease its. Marketing Environment * Competitive Biggest competitors to PlayStation are Wii of Nintendo and Xbox from Microsoft. The competition among them is very strong, PlayStation sales dropped against Wii at the beginning of 2008, and one of the reasons is its low price. *Numbers in thousands * Technological The current penetration of Internet creates the stimulus for the increase use of Internet as information. The introductions of new technologies have changed the nature of customers expectations, creating new zones of tolerance. Today, customers expect more flexibility, speed and dependability from retailers, than before the introduction of web-based technologies. * Sociocultural The price has become the key determinant of purchase choice. Various consumers are always looking for the best price opportunities. Also, research shows the large number of UK consumers choice of product strongly depends on the appeal of product mix and its congruence with their self-concept.

Unprofessional Athletes Essay Example for Free

Unprofessional Athletes Essay Back in the year 1860, the Pony Express was known to be the fastest and most efficient method of sending mail. It had taken approximately ten days for a horse to travel across the country and deliver the parcels to their recipients, an astonishingly short amount of time for the people of that particular era. A little over 150 years after the inception of the Pony Express, technological advances have been made and it is safe to say that a simple message to a friend no longer takes ten days to send, nor does it travel by horse. Now, in the year 2012, a message can be sent simply with a few clicks on a keyboard or a couple clicks of a cell phone. Along with the gratification that comes along with knowing that your message was sent and received instantly, there comes a few dangers. These hazards become a greater risk for those individuals who are in the spotlight, especially professional athletes. If an athlete makes a controversial remark about any issue, he makes himself subject to mass public scrutiny; from there, the athlete may lose the respect of his fans, supporters, and even teammates based on his stance on the particular topic. An athlete may be so preoccupied by social media and how the world perceives them that he may lose focus on his main goal, which is performing well in his sport. Many professional sports leagues have rules set in place against athletes expressing their opinions of certain sports-related topics on social media, so if a player steps out of line and disobeys one of these rules he is subject to a heavy fine enforced by the league’s officials. Social media shouldn’t be used by professional athletes because of the intense microscope they are under on an everyday basis. Professional athletes have a huge following while participating in their craft, but once they enter the world of social media, especially Twitter, some athletes see this crowd start to dwindle down. Many believe that although fans may root for a player during a game, it does not necessarily translate into support off the field in their social life., In Mark Emmons’ Mercury News article entitled â€Å"Amid Giants World Series, Twitter gives fans a glimpse into athletes lives,† Harry Edwards, a UC Berkeley professor emeritus of sociology, states that: The [San Francisco] 49ers want guys to interact with fans, but they want them to be smart because when you put something out there, its out there forever. It could end up in your obituary. But its important that fans can feel like they can talk to an athlete and say, Maybe it was a tough day at the office for you guys Sunday, but youll get em next week. Figure.1 Stoudemires actions on Twitter epitomize that anything that is done over social media can be publicized and scrutinized in an instant. Figure.1 Stoudemires actions on Twitter epitomize that anything that is done over social media can be publicized and scrutinized in an instant. Although he has always been on rival opposing teams, Amar’e Stoudemire had been one of my favorite NBA players to watch due to his toughness and high-flying ability. When I first joined Twitter in 2011 he was one of the first people that I knew I had to follow. Unlike some athletes before him, he was—by most people’s standards—a respected professional basketball player who did most of his trash talking between the basketball court’s lines rather than blowing up on Twitter after a game. However, during late June of this year, Stoudemire’s reputation and fan following took a major hit after he angrily messaged a fan in response to the fan’s tweet questioning Stoudemire’s performance on the court. In the direct message as shown in Figure 1.1, Stoudemire uses slanderous and even anti-gay slurs which are blocked out with black boxes. Although he apoligized after the picture went viral, the damage had already been done and his reputation had taken a permanent hit. Stoudemire had begun to lose long-time supporters, including myself, because of the reaction he had to a simple criticism he received over Twitter. Everything an athlete does, especially over social media websites, is heavily scrutinized and can land him in an uncomfortable and unwanted position in the public. All professional athletes must be aware of the fact that with all of the intense training that they put forth in hopes of perfecting their particular craft, social media outlets, especially Twitter and Facebook, can provide unnecessary distractions that may interfere with their performance. It has become such an addiction to some players that they cannot bear to go a whole game without tweeting or writing a status update about their team’s performance. A few years ago during halftime of a game against the Boston Celtics, Charlie Villanueva of the Milwaukee Bucks tweeted this, leading to then-head coach Scott Skiles banning Twitter use during games: â€Å"In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. Were playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up. (si.com â€Å"Twitter Trouble†) The pressures put on athletes by fans is not only felt here in the United States, but also on a global level. Before the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, Australian swimmer Emily Seebohm was by far the favorite to win in the 100-meter backstroke, but was just edged out by American teenager Missy Franklin. When asked about her performance, Seebohm claimed to have been distracted by all of the posts from friends and fans back in her home country, causing a lack of sleep and mental preparation that goes into earning a gold medal at the Olympics. (The Telegraph) Professional athletes around the world should not be using any social media or social networking devices because of the negative impact it can have on their on-field performance and thus blocking them from reaching their maximum potential and skill level. It is a necessity for athletes to be cautious with their word choice because of the fines they may receive as a result of their comments. In an April 2012 Time magazine, then Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen blurted out that he loved and respected oppressive Cuban leader Fidel Castro for his unwillingness to be caught and brought down by those looking to end his reign as tyrant. (Time Magazine) These comments were not well received by the Miami community—made up of mostly Cuban immigrants who fled the country to escape from its unruly dictator. Guillen received a five game suspension, but the stain on his reputation was never completely removed. Since the preseason comments made regarding Castro, Guillen continued to make negative comments about his team’s performance, leading to multiple fines from the team’s owner and a loss of respect from a city as a whole. On October 23,2012, just over a year from initially being hired as the Marlins’ manager, Guillen was fired because of a combination of lack of wins on the field and an excess of controversial remarks made off the field of play. Athletes and coaches both need to watch whatever they say to the media or on a social networking site because of the ramifications that the comments may have with the team or sponsors they are currently working for. Many sports fans, myself included, agree that they enjoy witnessing and reading about how the everyday lifestyle of a professional athlete plays out through social media outlets. Despite the enjoyment that I experience from getting an inside glimpse of a professional athlete’s life, I do realize the issue that they may not be setting a prime model for the younger generation that look up to them. No, not all athletes are monsters made out to destroy a child’s innocence through their Twitter, but there are enough poor examples in the world to raise the question of whether or not these athletes should have their own social media outlets due to the issue of molding a younger generation into respectable adults that didn’t have their â€Å"hero’s† identity ripped away by one careless tweet or status update sent out. In the social media world we live in the question is not whether or not we enjoy seeing an athlete’s life play out over Twitter or any other social media outlet, but whether or not the material they post is ethical enough to keep their â€Å"professional† status. We are constantly told that our generation is going through a technological revolution. In fact, new, simpler ways of communicating with each other are being invented every day. However, there is one group that has to be more cautious of what they send out over these social outlets than the rest of us do, celebrities, and in particular athletes. Athletes are constantly being thrown under the spotlight for controversial Figure 2 Although Rashard Mendenhall is exercising his right to free speech, his remarks garnered much animosity toward him and his team. Figure 2 Although Rashard Mendenhall is exercising his right to free speech, his remarks garnered much animosity toward him and his team. remarks made on social media websites, from Rashard Mendenhall of the Pittsburgh Steelers criticizing people for celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden (Figure 2) to TJ Lang of the Green Bay Packers bashing replacement referees for a blown last second call that cost his team the game. These statements made by athletes can cause them to lose fans across the country and possibly the globe. Social media also provides unwanted distractions to athletes everywhere that may take their mind off of performing to their utmost capability. Also, it can become such a problem that a team may eventually cut or fire a player based off of previous controversial comments made by the athlete. Professional athletes shouldn’t have access to social media outlets, despite the amusement fans see from their day-to-day access. Works Cited Babel, Ryan. â€Å"Twitter Trouble. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0911/twitter.trouble/content.5.ht ml. Berman, Len. Trending Stories. Mashable. N.p., 4 Jan. 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://mashable.com/2010/01/04/social-media-athletes/. Ottesen, Didrik. London 2012 Olympics: Australian Swimmer Emily Seebohm Blames Twitter and Facebook for Failure. Editorial. The Telegraph [London] 31 July 2012: n. pag. The Telegraph. 31 July 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9440774/London-2012-Olympics- Australian-swimmer-Emily-Seebohm-blames-Twitter-and-Facebook-for-failure.html. Ortiz, Maria B. Twitter Gaffes Begat Punishment for Athletes. ESPN. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, 27 July 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/7495/voula-papachristou-inspires- twitter-fail-list.

Environmental Impact And Pollution Control In Kenya Environmental Sciences Essay

Environmental Impact And Pollution Control In Kenya Environmental Sciences Essay Currently the Kenyan household sector is completely dependent on kerosene and charcoal and in rare cases on solar power. Use of kerosene and firewood are inefficient use of fuel in Kenya. They are already high in scarcity value and expensive thus a cheaper and cleaner option is necessary. The proposed project activity is a biomass based power project. These categories of projects do require an environmental impact analysis to be performed under the existing NEMA regulations and obtain environment license. The operation of the power plant produces emissions, waste water and solid wastes such as boiler ash. Impact of release of pollutants is planned as follows to minimize the impact. Turbo Generator and Auxiliaries: The system consists of one multistage steam turbine coupled with an electric generator, air cooled condenser, air ejector system for air cooled condenser, condensate pumps, lubricating oil and governing oil system. Controls and instrumentation are provided as per the needs. The proposed biomass based power plant, will have one no. 10.0 MW turbo generator. The turbine is provided with devices to safeguard against over speed, low steam inlet pressure, high axial movement of the shaft, low lube oil pressure, high condenser vacuum, excessive vibration etc. Power generation will be 10.0 MW during the operation. The Auxiliary power (Home load) demand will be 0.9 MW. The balance power 9.1 MW will be exported to KPLC grid. Emergency Power System consists of 1 No. DG Set of 250 kVA is provided to make available emergency power supply to the station in case of black out. The total requirement of raw water for this unit will be 256 KLD. The entire raw water requirement for the unit will be met from dug well and bore well inside and outside the factory premises. This will ensure that the natural water catchment areas are preserved and the underground water is used instead. The acidic effluents generated during regeneration of caution and mixed bed exchangers and alkaline effluents generated during regeneration of anions and mixed bed exchangers of dematerialized water plant will be led into a neutralization pit. These effluents are self neutralizing but provisions will be made for final pH adjustment before disposal. Wastewater Generation S. No Particulars Wastewater Generated m3/hr Method of Treatment 1 Sewage 2.0 Septic tank with Dispersion trench 2 Softener regeneration DM Plant 0.3 Neutralization tank 3 Filter back wash/ R.O reject 0.55 Waste Water Storage Tank 4 Boiler blow down 2.46 5 Cooling tower blow down 1.159 Since, the small quantity of wastewater will be generated from domestic usages, the chances of contamination of soil will be nil. Wastewater drained from the treatment plant is pumped to a neutralization pit to maintain PH as prescribed by Pollution Control norms. The blow down water from boiler will be mixed with cooling tower to bring down the temperature to ambient level. The sewage from the various power plant buildings will be taken to a common septic tank through trenches for safer disposal. The water used in the surface condenser will be cooled in a cooling tower. Blow down from the cooling tower will be trenched out and finally conveyed to the effluent pit. The vacant area in the industry will be used for tree plantation to improve the surrounding environment of the industry. Ash The main solid waste from the proposed Power Plant will be ash (Fly ash and Bottom ash) by the combustion of fuel in boiler which will be around 35 tons/day which includes the bottom ash, ash collected in the ESP ash hoppers. The boiler will be sized to produce 45 tph steam under normal conditions. The proposed boiler will be primarily bio-mass fired single-drum, vertical type balanced draft with a furnace having traveling grate type furnace. The boiler will consist of air pre-heater, economizer, evaporators, super-heaters, fuel firing equipment, integral piping, flue gas ducting with expansion joints, supporting structures, platforms and walkways, etc. The firing system consists of a traveling grate, air plenum, regulating dampers and ash discharges valve. The traveling grate is driven by a hydraulic arrangement and the tie bars of the traveling grates are made of cast iron, to withstand the heat from the burning. The combustion air to the grate is supplied from the bottom plenum hoppers and the air is controlled by the air dampers. The discharge end of the grate discharges the ash into a water impounded hopper. The shifting are collected in the plenum hopper and discharged by an air lock valve. Based on preliminary estimates, the maximum annual generation of ash from boiler operation is 2.5 tons/hr, based on 100 percent Prosopis juliflora firing. Fly ash constitutes the major part, accounting for 75% of total generation, the balance being bottom ash. The fly ash will be utilized for land filling, Brick making or Cement blending, for road building material and for farmers, who can use the ash as manure for the crops, and also through dense phase pneumatic handling system with fly ash silos which have a capacity to store 1 week generati on of ash. The ash will be transported through trucks and the roads will be asphalted within the plant area. Environmental pollution and control Noise Noise Level Survey: The foremost objective of noise monitoring in the study area is to evaluate the baseline noise and assess the impact of the total noise expected to be generated by proposed project. The details of the expected noise monitoring locations as per studies on other similar projects are that noise levels during day time were found to be in the range 52.6 48.3 dB. The maximum noise level was observed to be 52.6 dB at the Nalli, India and a minimum of 48.3 dB was observed at Alavattam, India. Noise levels observed to fall in the range 48.6- 46.5 dB during the night time. A maximum of 48.6 dB was observed at the Nalli, India and a minimum of 46.5 dB at Alavattam, India. Equipment will conform to noise levels prescribed by regulatory authorities. Adequate noise control measures will be provided to satisfy the ambient noise level standards prescribed by NEMA. Noise absorbing materials will be used in the construction of roofs, walls, floors and in the generators. Provision of acoustic enclosures to noise generating equipments like pumps will be installed; major noise-producing equipments such as turbo generator compressors are to be provided with suitable noise abatements. Provision of thick greenbelt to attenuate the noise levels will be made. Safety equipment for noise like ear muffs and other protective devises will be provided to the staff working near noise generation source. The pollution control measures planned for the plant will ensure that it has the least adverse impact on the environment. Air The project is techno economically viable, based on the various technical and financial analyses for generating power using bio-mass. During the growth of plants, CO2 in the air is absorbed through photosynthesis. The same quantity of CO2 will be released on burning, and will be again absorbed while growing (juliflora plants). Branches of juliflora will be cut, leaving the stem for the future growth. Although there will be some emissions from the burning process itself, the project will earn substantial carbon credits as the complete carbon cycle is calculated from the oxygen generated by the Prosopis while it is growing until it is finally burned. In this way the process is neutral and qualifies for carbon credit from the developed countries. Incidentally this is revenue for the biomass power generation plant. The quantity of CO2 for a 10 MW power plant is around 51,500tonnes/year. Please advice on the highlighted part. Biomass energy generation, if done in a sustainable fashion, would greatly reduce emissions of greenhouses gases. The amount of carbon dioxide released when biomass is burned is very nearly the same as the amount required to replenish the plants grown to produce the biomass. Thus, in a sustainable fuel cycle, there will be no net emissions of carbon dioxide, although some fossil-fuel inputs will be required for planting, harvesting, transporting, and processing biomass. Efficient cultivation and conversion processes will used and the resulting emissions will be small (around 20% of the emissions created by fossil fuels alone). Also if the energy needed to produce and process biomass comes from renewable sources in the first place, then the net contribution to global warming will be zero. Draft System and Electro-Static Precipitator: The boiler will be equipped with one number of forced draft fan, secondary air (SA) fan and induced draft fan. The FD SA fans will supply the required combustion air to the boiler. The flue gases generated in the boiler will be evacuated by the ID fan and the capacity and head of FD fan will be selected considering maximum air that would be required for the fuel firing modes. In the same way, ID fan will also be selected based on the maximum flue gas generated in any of the fuel firing modes under consideration. The boiler is connected to an electro-static precipitator, which will remove the dust and ash particles from the flue gas, before the ID fan could handle it. The efficiency of the precipitator will be 99.9% and the dust concentration at the outlet of the ESP will be less than 100.0 mg/Nm3. Control of ground level concentration of SO2 emitted will be achieved by providing a stack at sufficient height of 65 m for dispersion. The unit will install an electrostatic precipitator at the exit of boilers so as to limit the suspended particulate matter and achieve the standards prescribed by NEMA. Electrostatic precipitator of 99.9% efficiency will be installed to limit the SPM concentrations below100 mg/Nm3. A stack of 55-m height will be provided for wider dispersion of gaseous emissions. Avoidance of methane emissions due to decay and de-gradation of the biomass waste is also necessary. The company intends to lay out an approach of CO2 neutrality in production and utilization of bio- mass for heat and power generation as well as avoiding CO2 emissions from the fossil fuels for the corresponding requirement. A combustion technology route is selected for the power plant, where bio-mass is burnt as fuel in a steam generator to produce high pressure steam which is then expanded in a steam turbine to generate power. This will in effect neutralize the CO2 emissions. The design of fuel handling system, involving biomass fuels is based on the estimated quantities of annual fuel requirements. Fuels will be received at the site by road. Adequate road facilities will be provided to handle the road-bound vehicles on a daily peak basis. The fuels arriving at site by different types of vehicles such as trucks, tractor trailers etc. will be weighed on a pit less type electronic road weighbridge provided in the plant premises. The CO2 emissions from these transport vehicles will be subsequently absorbed by the juliflora plants. Conveyor belt will be closed to prevent dust generation and water sprinkling system will be provided at the material handling and storage yard so as to satisfy the Ambient Air Quality/emission standards prescribed by NEMA. Well maintained greenbelt covering 25 %of the land area will be provided to arrest the fugitive emissions. Soil It has been observed that the pH of the soil ranged from 6.6 -6.7 indicating that the soils are acidic to slightly alkaline. Soils are mainly clay loams with alluvial deposits derived from tertiary / quaternary volcanic and pyroclastic rock sediments that have been weathered and eroded from the uplands. They contain high levels of P, K, Ca and Mg and low levels of N and C. The soil from the study area shows moderate to good fertility. By carrying out a replantation of the Prosopis on the cleared land then the soil fertility will be improved and maintained. Although energy crops will be grown without pesticide and fertilizer, large-scale energy farming could nevertheless lead to increases in chemical use simply because more land would be under cultivation. Soils could be depleted of organic content and nutrients unless care is taken to leave enough wastes behind. These concerns point up the need for regulation and monitoring of energy crop development and waste use. Ecology The major environmental impact of biomass energy may be that of loss of biodiversity. Transforming natural ecosystems into energy plantations with a very small number of crops, as few as one, can drastically reduce the biodiversity of a region. There are no wild life sanctuaries/parks within 20 km radius of the project site. Also because of the denuded land, wildlife is quite scarce with the most common animals being the ostrich and dik dik. However snakes are in abundance. The records of Forest Department of Kenya did not indicate presence of any high endemic or vulnerable species in this area. The natural plants which are mainly shrubs and acacia trees will not be affected by the projects routine. The out growers will be trained on how to identify and avoid these natural plant species. Please advice if this part is adequately addressed. This will lead to increasing the amount of forest wood harvested for energy and could provide an incentive for the forest-products industry to manage its resources more efficiently, and thus improve forest health. But it could also provide an excuse to exploit forests in an unsustainable fashion. Biomass energy production involves annual harvests or periodic removals of trees from the land. These harvests and removals will be at levels that are sustainable, i.e., surety that current use does not deplete the lands ability to meet future needs, and also be done in ways that dont degrade other important indicators of sustainability. Because biomass markets may involve new or additional removals of trees, we will be careful to minimize impacts from whatever additional demands biomass growth or harvesting makes on the land. Unfortunately, commercial forests have not always been soundly managed, and many people view with alarm the prospect of increased wood cutting. Their concerns can be met by tighter government controls on forestry practices and by following the principles of excellent forestry. If such principles are applied, it should be possible to extract energy from forests indefinitely. Greenbelt Development Greenbelt will be developed inside the factory premises covering a total area of about 10.5 acres. The unit will also develop the nearby area around the industry for greenbelt. The inter-spaces will be laid with shrubs. The inter-space between trees planted will be about 5m. It is proposed to double the tree density in future in accordance to the factory requirements. Socio Economic One other side effect of growing trees for energy is that it will benefit soil quality and farm economies. Energy crops will provide a steady supplemental income for farmers in off-seasons and allow them to work unused land without requiring much additional equipment. Moreover, energy crops will be used to stabilize cropland or rangeland prone to erosion and flooding. Trees will be grown for several years before being harvested, and their roots and leaf litter will help stabilize the soil. The planting of coppicing, or self-regenerating, varieties will minimize the need for disruptive tilling and planting. This project does not involve any displacement of local people. Employment opportunities will be improved in the nearby villages because of this proposed unit and this will provide indirect employment opportunities for more than 1000 families. Safety PPEs -Operation and Maintenance The following measures will be provided to ensure safety of the workers; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Industrial safety helmets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Crash helmets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Face shield à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Welders equipment for eye and face protection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cylindrical type earplug à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ear muffs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Canister gas mask à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Self contained breathing apparatus à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leather apron à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Boiler suit à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Safety belt /line mans safety belt à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Leather hand gloves à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Canvas cum leather hand gloves with leather palm à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lead hand glove à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Electrically tested electrical resistance hand gloves and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Industrial safety shoes with steel toe. Environment, Safety and Health Monitoring Programme The Environment, Safety and Health-Monitoring Programme in the factory will be as follows: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Monthly Monitoring of Stack Emissions SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOX à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Daily Monitoring of Water and Treated Water pH, TDS, TSS, COD à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Monitoring of Ambient Air SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOX CO, Noise and Work Place Air à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Occupational Safety à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Occupational Health Budgetary allocation for Environmental Management Category Capital Investment Annual Operating Costs (KES in 000) Air Pollution Management 125 1 Water and Wastewater Management 50 2 Solid Waste Management 50 5 Greenbelt 5 1 Environmental Monitoring and Training 5 1 Total 235 10 Please advice on this table. Is it necessary and are the figures almost correct. Other impact of growing Prosopis Juliflora and using it to generate energy include; Fossil fuel cogeneration and carbon mitigation will be encouraged. The furnace and boiler will have to be especially modified to be able to generate steam at the high temperatures necessary for making the plant more energy efficient. Sustainability of a biomass power plant will generally depend on the participation of the beneficiaries in terms of increased environmental awareness by distinguishing biomass power and conventional grid power. During the field survey it was found out that very little environmental concerns exist among the villagers. This is not to mean that they are ignorant of the negative impacts of deforestation, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity but that they are aware and are willing to address these impacts accordingly. They are also willing to share the responsibility to plant more trees in their land to counter effect the negative impact that the power plant may generate and to maintain the sustainability. The key to successful biomass power development is to use the resources efficiently in modern conversion systems that maximize the energy produced and minimize the byproducts of the conversion processes. In modern times, the combination of improved technological efficiencies, scientific advances, increased environmental-awareness and environmental protection regulations have turned biomass conversion into a cleaner, more efficient process. In view of the above,the following activities along the biomass value chain will require consideration in an EIA: à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ any activity or structure out of character with its surrounding; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ major changes in land use; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ all roads in scenic, wooded or mountainous areas and wetlands; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ railway lines; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ oil and gas pipelines; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ water transport; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ river diversions and water transfer between catchments; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ drilling for the purpose of utilizing ground water resources; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ timber harvesting; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ clearance of forest areas; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ reforestation and afforestation; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ large-scale agriculture; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ use of pesticides, including aerial spraying; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ introduction of new crops; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ use of fertilizers; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ irrigation; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ fertilizer manufacture or processing; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ oil refineries and petro-chemical works; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ chemical works and process plants; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ bulk grain processing plants; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ management of hydrocarbons including the storage of natural gas and combustible or explosive fuels; à ´Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™ waste disposal, including: sites for solid waste disposal; sites for hazardous waste disposal; sewage disposal works; works involving major atmospheric emissions; works emitting offensive odors. As required for implementation of the project activity, project participants have studied the possibility of environmental impacts and conclude that no negative impacts are possible due to the project activity. In fact, the project activity contributes to minimize the environmental pollution due to fossil fuel based electricity generation.