Youth Homelessness in Hawaii Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Youth Homelessness in Hawaii - Essay Example This paper has addressed homelessness amongst the youth in Hawaii, from various angles. The paper starts with an introduction to the issue, then looking down the historical perspective of homelessness in the United States. This is then followed by a narrowed down approach to homelessness among youths in Hawaii. The causes and the impacts as well as the demographics of the issue have been discussed. The paper ends with an insight into the social manner in which this issue can be approached. In this regard, the arenas of social policies have been visited, that is macro, mezzo and micro methods into intervening homelessness. Introduction According to the United Nations and the Conference for European Statisticians (CES) (2009), homelessness can be categorized broadly into two categories; Primary homelessness; this is also referred to as rooflessness. This refers to the group of people who live in the streets without any shelter that would qualify for a living quarter (United Nations, 20 09). Secondary homelessness; these are people who have no usual residence are usually hopping between various types of accommodation that would cater for them such as homeless institutions. The category also includes those who are in various private aboard but cannot quote a usual address during census (United Nations, 2009). Homelessness, can thus, according to the above two approaches, be defined as the condition of lacking a regular dwelling. Legal definitions of this term are very broad and vary from country to country. Various conditions lead to homelessness with the condition proliferating in the mid 80s due to strenuous economic conditions. Most countries, however, have put in place various measures to cater for the homeless. This is mainly and in form of provision of basic life commodities as food, clothing and shelter. This is done by community-based organizations through volunteers or through government agencies. According to Basuk & Rosenberg (1988), homelessness was a pr evalent issue in The United States in the 80s. In their article, they acknowledged presence of about a third of the homeless living in America. Despite these alarming figures, little was known in terms of the causes of the situation, consequences, and the antecedents of the problem. According to research, there are so many conditions being faced by the homeless that are still unmet. This paper focuses on homelessness in Hawaii. The paper will focus on the effects of the situation, demographics, economic trends, effects on families, and other related effects, and the social concern at various levels. Homelessness in Hawaii There has been a large increase in the number of homeless youth in Hawaii. The issue has trickled to Honolulu, a major city in tourism. The increase in the number of homeless people in Hawaii has led to a major outcry from concerned groups such as the church, public service, leaders of the community and the general public. Incidentally, the issue of homeless people in Hawaii is slowly becoming a public issue considering the high rates of publicity that its facing. Such continual cycles of homelessness within the youth in Hawaii is leading to deteriorating behaviors and a rise in crimes. It is a behavior that inflicts on youth in such a manner that one may find some running away from their homes due to the various problems. There are more detrimental effects of homelessness to the community such as increase in insecurity, and poor health and sanitation. It is a common factor to see homeless youth living in sewer lines (Kidd, 2006). Social personnel have the liability of abating this situation through looking into various solutions such as safe housing, access to health care, and maybe try to unite some of the homeless with their families, where

First Crusade Military Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

First Crusade Military Perspectives - Essay Example 72). At the beginning of 1113 A.C., Baldwin, the King of Jerusalem, raided into the seigniory of Damascus. Unable to oppose him single-handed, Toghtakin, the Lord of Damascus, invoked the assistance of Moudud of Mosul (Irwin 1998, p. 75). In July 1113 the combined forces of the Lords of Mosul, Damascus, Sinjar2, and Maridin marched into Palestine. In a battle near Tiberias, the Franks were routed with terrible loss, and a large number of them were drowned in the lake and in the Jordan. In June 11193 they were again defended at a place called al-Balat by Ilgazi, the Lord of Maridin. Even the Egyptians won some successes on the sea coast (p. 77). But the Crusaders had the whole of Europe at their back; the reinforcements which poured in for them from all parts of Christendom, the assasincation of Moudud, who was stabbed by a Batinia after the battle of Tiberias, and the division of the chiefs, all helped them to recover their grounds (p. 78). Sultan Muhammad died in 511 A.H., and this death was not without effect on the fortunes of the Muslims and Christians. He was succeeded in the over-lordship by his brother Sanjar, the last hero of a heroic race, and in the succession of his private dominions of his son Mahmud. In 516 A.H. Zangi obtained from Sultan Mahmud the city of Wasit as an appanage, and the post of Commissary4 at Basra. Four year later the government of Mosul and Upper Mesopotamia was conferred on him, with the title of Atabek ("Prince Tutor"5), and he was confirmed in this dignity by the letters patent of the Caliph (p. 80). In 1128 A.C., on the invitation of the people of Aleppo, who had suffered terribly from the depredations of the Crusaders6, he took possession of their city. Hamah followed the example of Aleppo (p. 81). The following year Zangi routed the Crusaders under the walls of al-Asarib, and captured the castle after a stout resistance. A short truce between Joscelin, the Count of Edessa, "the greatest demon of them all"7, enabled Zangi to take part in the inevitable civil was which broke out on the death of Sultan Mahmud (p. 85). Atabek Zangi did not long concern himself with the troubles in the East. His great work lay in Syria. The Crusaders were again in ferment; they had received large reinforcements from Europe, and had been joined by a Greek contingent under the personal command of the Emperor John Comnenus. They captured Buzaa, put the sword all the male inhabitants, and carried into captivity the women and children. They they marched upon Shaizar (Casarea), a day's journey from Hamah. The castle of Shaizar, the birthplace of Usamah8, was almost impregnable (Philip 2000). Usamah's works offer a mesmerizing counterpoint to Christian stories of their own conduct and the responses of their opponents. Actually, Usamah's amity with a number of the Franks set him aside to recover from revengeful insult, and his expressions on the inquisitive thoughts and behavior of the Franks remain a precious resource. Mystifying are the workings of the Maker, the Creator of everything! When one comes to relate cases about the Franks, he cannot but praised God

Determination of Mercury content in Canned Tuna brands using Literature review

Determination of Mercury content in Canned Tuna brands using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and use Isoto - Literature review Example The relative lethal nature of mercury is dependent on its chemical form, methyl mercury as one of the substances existing in the environment. Additionally, this chemical form of mercury is also toxic due to its high liposolubility. However, all the forms of mercury released in the ecosystem undergo biogeochemical transformation processes hence converted to methyl mercury. The main exposure of mono methyl mercury to humans is consumption of fish. Mono methyl mercury (MMHg) represents the major type of mercury in fish. This is because it has the capability of biomagnification in the food chains within the marine. Organomercury compounds may also find their way into the environment from both anthropogenic sources and from production by natural in situ biogenic modifications. Exposure to mercury leads to a variety of signs and symptoms including dizziness, allergy, vomiting and muscular weakness. Furthermore, its toxicity elicits impaired hearing and vision as well as depressed immune sy stem. Eventually, its accumulation within the body leads to brain damage which consequently may lead to death. As it is the case with most anthropogenic, mercury finds its way into the aquatic environment in its inorganic form. Chlor-alkali industry is one of the major pollution source and gateway for mercury (Gao et al.). Consequently, monitoring of the mercury levels within the environment is not enough. Therefore, speciation analysis provides critical in useful information in the assessment of toxicity and health risks of mercury. Furthermore, such analysis helps in understanding the biogeochemical cycling of mercury compounds. As a result, enormous and concerted efforts have been made in developing reliable methods for mercury determination and speciation analysis in biological and fish samples. This review articulates with emphasis special attention to clean sample preparation, good storage sample procedures and performance of the different techniques (Lee et al). Mass spectrom etry (MS) can be considered as one of the most important analytical techniques in the analysis of element concentration. It is a method that has also been employed for isotope analysis, surface characterization and structural examination of bioinorganic compounds. In an attempt to understand metabolic pathways of toxic and toxicology in general, strategies have been developed. These novel approaches are important in obtaining qualitative and quantitative information regarding the elements, element species and their interactions. A variety of methods for determination of mercury have been well captured and elaborated in literature. The cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV AAS) has been the most preferred method in the analysis of mercury especially in foodstuffs. This is because the method has an efficient speed in addition to its simplicity. Moreover, this technique possesses relative freedom from obstructions and also has low operational costs as well as high sensitivity. The high sensitivity is very evident when mercury vapor is pre-concentrated on an amalgamation comprising gold element. Another variant of atomic absorption spectrometry is the graphite furnace technique, commonly abbreviated as GF AAS. This method allows for direct determination of many metals at trace and ultra trace levels in solid samples. Advantages of this technique include high sample throughput and low sample requirement in terms of the sample mass for analysis. In

Information Policy and Governance Essay Example for Free

Information Policy and Governance Essay Besides the security loopholes and privacy demands from information providers and users, there are various issues that have drawn the attention of information management from the novice systems to advanced information management systems. Policies, in the management worlds have been used as guidelines against which certain safety frameworks are checked. In the information management sectors, policies are guidelines against which the integrity of information and its security can be formulated. Complexity  Whilst I have recognized that a governance copycat seems now to be undulating, I am reluctant to have a definite conclusion and certainly not in a gullible fashion. Instead, I believe that governing complexity of information is far from straightforward and, indeed, that governance malfunction in an organization is custom. Where there are not corporate strategies to guide information management, computer executives will be in risk when making long-term technology choices making it imperative for top-management executive and possibly shareholders to be involved in any decisions that involve governing of Information. The dangers of internal or external threats to a company’s data are becoming more complex as the profundity, extent of a company’s information expands hastily, and data is collective with business partners, suppliers, and customers. The complexities involved in the policy formulation process may be mainly sourced from the end users who may not always be agreeable to the draft policies and without adequate coordination, the process can collapse. Massive training programs, in-depth directives, guidelines and basic instructions, must all be considered as part of the policy formulation processes hence the complexity. Although the complexity of policy formulation may be in the initial stages, governance poses a challenge in the implementation phases. Information Policy Formulation of information management policies involves both the policy formulators and the information users. There is much coordination and interpretation needed. In many instances, there would be several drafts, approvals, debates and eventual releases. Though the information users may agree to the underlying policies on how they would create, have or gain access to, store, as well as dispose of information be it personal or business information, there may be numerous challenges to top management on how to govern and manage the long-term adherence to the formulated policies. Accountability procedures have to therefore be implemented to ensue that the policies agreed upon are not only implemented but adhered to. Policy Frame works. Besides the challenges involved in making agreeable terms upon which information management can be based, basic policies have to be formulated to guide all the stakeholders on the foundational frameworks of information integrity and security. In this case, the attention is then drawn to some basis questions: who makes the information management policies? How are the information management policies made? â€Å"Traditional organizational structure is crumbling under the weight of ever increasing egulations that drive greater accountability and transparency. Smart companies are on the forefront of building new and improved structures that support and enhance this new compliance environment, and best practices are emerging† (Atkinson Leandri, 2005, p. 37). The foundational frameworks upon which information management policies are formulated are key. Basic consideration, in this process, is given to the particular organizational needs as well as long-term goals. Both short-term as well as long-term organizational information needs have to also be evaluated, both Bookmark Privacy In any democratic society privacy is an essential human right. And now organizations are evolving in their thoughts about information privacy. More focus is being placed on the value it can deliver to an organization, and how it can contribute to enhanced and sustained stakeholder value. Most businesses are very particular about data privacy by making sure that certain data does not end up in wrong hands. As part of putting into practice this requests, the business logic section executes functions that make compulsory privacy rules which are a derivative from business rules and sources for government, industry and consumer privacy rules. Rules Traditionally, law and government policy have customary default rules for information policy, but for network environments and the information society the government is not solely responsible for making this rules. In any organization that shares data both internally and externally rules have to be put in place to govern who and when information can be accessed. And if the information is accessed there has to be certain checks and balances that make sure only the information required can be accessed. Linked Data Linked data is the aptitude of an organization to add one information set to another data set and use it for further relevance. This can be achieved by making some changes to the way information is presented to the public and some naming standards have to be implemented and followed. This is not a necessarily complex change that an organization needs to make but it will require alto of expertise, strategy planning and implementation. Places that offer information to public, such as libraries would benefit enormously from using linked data design. It means that they will stop spending time on data aggregation and start spending it on analysis and action of the already existing data. An example is linked data can be used in secure surroundings to help partners share personal, sensitive or profitable information on presentation and resources and help better target those in need or areas for improvement. Conclusion Not every organisation has setup an information management policy, and many carry out their business commendably without one. However, certain occurrences can occur and will alert such organisations to the necessity for one, however, and perpetually this will be at that dangerous ‘its too late’ moment. To avoid such kind of mishaps it is always good for organization to start planning on how they will manage there information and govern it within the company.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Essay Example for Free

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Essay Gertrude becomes shocked at what Hamlet has just done Oh me, what hast thou done? here she stands in shock. Gertrude cannot really believe that her own son has committed a ruthless murder. This can be interpreted by Gertrude holding her head in her hands and not wanting to look at Hamlet or the dead body of Polonius. Hamlet tells Gertrude what Claudius has done A bloody deed? Almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother, she does not want to believe Hamlet as she says, As kill a king? Hamlet on the other hand looks at Polonius as a wretched, rash, intruding fool he pities Polonius. This is because he has always tried to get to the top by methods that have not always proved successful or helpful by indirections find directions out. Now Hamlet turns on Gertrude, he forces her down again and accuses her of having no sense of feeling If damni d custom have not brazed it so, that it be proof and bulwark against sense. He also accuses her of not knowing the meaning of marriage vows makes marriage vows as false as dicers oaths. He then compares the two husbands. He does this to show to Gertrude what she had and what she has now so she sees what a big mistake she made by marring Claudius and not seeing his true self. Hamlet regards his father as one of the Gods Hyperions curls, the front of Jove himself, an eye like Mars, to threaten and command; a station like the herald Mercury he also says where every god did seem to set his seal. Followed by him talking about Claudius like a mildewed ear. Like in many publications Hamlet will have the picture of King Hamlet around his neck in a locket and Gertrude will have the picture of Claudius around her neck in a similar fashion. Afterwards he begins to insult Gertrude about her inability to be in command of her sexual desires. Many people believe that Hamlet is so malevolent towards Ophelia because Hamlet sees Gertrude having no control over her life so he thinks that all women are like that and cannot make up their minds. Another reason is that he subconsciously loves his mother and cannot commit in another relationship. At this point Gertrude realises what she has done Thou turnst my eyes into my very soul, and there I see such black and grainid spots as will not leave their tinct. However she does not want to hear any more and repeatedly tells him to stop Oh speak to me no more. These words like daggers enter my ears . daggers is a reoccurring theme as in Act 3 Scene 3 he says I will speak daggers to her but use none. So in actual fact he achieved his goal. When the ghost appears Hamlet goes quiet and speaks peacefully. He does this as he looks up to and respects his father also he is still quite scared of him even though it is his father it is still a ghost. Additionally Hamlet is worried what it might do to him because Hamlet has been offensive toward his mother, which was not part of the plan. The ghost is dressed in armour, as he was when he was living. The ghost reminds Hamlet of his purpose and tells him to comfort Gertrude This visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose. But look, amazement on thy mother sits. Oh step between her and her fighting soul the ghost says this quietly, almost whispering. This statement shows that even though Gertrude married so soon after his death, King Hamlet still cares for her. Immediately after Hamlet comforts her and asks how she is doing, his tone of voice changes completely as if something just wash over him. Very confused by what just happened she asks Hamlet Wheron do you look? this could imply that Gertrude does not care as much for King Hamlet as Hamlet as she cannot see King Hamlet. It could also mean that King Hamlet would rather not appear before of Gertrude, as he still loves her and would not want to startle or upset her. Hamlet eventually convinces Gertrude that in reality he is not mad and asks for her forgiveness. He does this as he feels, on reflection of what the ghost said, that he was very harsh to Gertrude, also he upset her and is afraid of the ghost. Hamlet subsequently requests Gertrude not to sleep with Claudius and tell him about the conversation and his antic disposition. He threatens Gertrude and becomes quite aggressive again but not as much, Gertrude again becomes a little scared of Hamlet. Gertrude subsequently reassured Hamlet that she would not say anything I have no life to breathe what though hast said to me. Hamlet reveals his plot to kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He tells her this as he feels that she is on his side and he would like to remain as honest and loyal as possible to her. At this point Gertrude has been through so much she does not really take this in and so does not make much of a reaction. The scene ends with Hamlet dragging Polonius body out of the room leaving Gertrude in a solitary moment. The lights dim all is quiet and all that is heard is the rain and the scene will end with a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. This scene prepares us for what is to come as it gives us an insight into what Hamlet is capable of. Additionally this is the first time a murder has taken place besides King Hamlets murder. This scene contains so many emotions that it is practically a play itself. I believe that the Branagh production worked the best as there was much more emphasis on the important parts of the scene although there was too much violence when killing Polonius. Also Gertrude does more to get away from Hamlet in this film than the others do as she turns away much more when he talks to her about Claudius and her failure to control her sexual feelings. His production also had more emotion to it and showed what was happening much more clearly. This play has proved so popular through the ages as it contains something for everyone, as it ranges from romance to murder. Furthermore everyone can relate to it as it has many components of real life situated within the play, this made it, and made it stay so popular. There is also much more room to interpret the script so every time you see Hamlet performed by a different company you can be assured that you will get a new play each time.

TATA Steel: UK Case Study

TATA Steel: UK Case Study Nicolson Mustapha Tata steel UK is one of the largest and geographically most diversified steel producers of Europe which is operating in 26 countries and have its commercial offices in around 35 countries around the globe (Tata Steel, 2017). They have been serving different markets such as energy and power, automotive, lifting and excavating, packaging, aerospace, construction etc. with their innovative products. The success of their business lies in their operations being centered on benefiting the society on the whole and making collaborative relationships with customers. The main business values of Tata steel UK include excellence, understanding, responsibility, integrity and unity (Tata Steel, 2017). The proposed strategy for Tata Steel at corporate level is market penetration while the proposed business strategy for penetrating in the market is the hybrid of cost leadership and product differentiation. Tata Steel has the capacity to penetrate into its market because it has a strong brand image and good customer base but due to increasing supply of steel from China and decreased demand, the revenue generated in the last period was a bit less than expected. In a dynamic environment, the foremost priority of a business is to keep an eye on the external environment. So, to cope with the changes taking place in the external environment, Tata Steel has to penetrate the market for increasing its market share. The cost leadership can be achieved by the capacity expansion and employment of new technology. The new technology would be used for differentiating its products from those of its competitors. Tata steel UK is one of the largest and geographically most diversified steel producers of Europe which is operating in 26 countries and have its commercial offices in around 35 countries around the globe (Tata Steel, 2017). They have been serving different markets such as energy and power, automotive, lifting and excavating, packaging, aerospace, construction etc. with their innovative products. The success of their business lies in their operations being centered on benefiting the society on the whole and making collaborative relationships with customers. The main business values of Tata steel UK include excellence, understanding, responsibility, integrity and unity (Tata Steel, 2017). This paper demonstrates the importance of understanding and in-depth knowledge that a firm must have for the formulation of its strategies from time to time. The environment in which the businesses have been operating currently has become dynamic and it is necessary for the businesses to adapt themselves with such environment by continuously updating their strategies to carry out the business (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2003). The previous analysis conducted about Tata Steel suggested that it has strong brand equity and value-chain efficiency due to which it has expanded its operations overseas in the foreign markets. One of the main competitive advantages for Tata Steel UK is that there products are unique and innovative but there are also certain threats for the survival of business i.e. increasing competition, changing economy of UK and the fall in demand from China (Schram, 2015). The first part of this paper discusses different strategic options that are available to Tata Steel UK or to propose a strategy at corporate level, second part deals with formulation of business strategy, while the third part deals with the evaluation of strategy on the basis of suitability, acceptability and feasibility. The main objective of this paper is to see the Tata Steel UK from strategic management perspective. Different models and frameworks from previous academic literature have been used for the purpose of analyzing the industry and proposing a relevant strategy for the selected firm. Strategic options have been defined as the resourceful substitute action-oriented reactions to the major external trends faced by an organization. These options are exercised by taking into consideration the factors, trends, threats and opportunities in the external environment in which an organization is operating. These options are usually taken into consideration for the purpose of increasing the sales and profits of our business (Trigeorgis and Reuer, 2016). The main objective of Tata Steel UK is to become a global benchmark for creating value for the customers and corporate citizenship by offering innovative products and services. Ansoff Matrix Strategic options can be best explained with the help of Ansoff matrix that takes into account existing and new products and markets. There are four strategic options available to a particular firm (Jeyarathnam, 2008). These are explained as follows Selling existing products to existing market which is known as market penetration Developing new products and selling them to existing market which is known as product development Taking existing products to new markets segments which is known as market development Developing new products for newer markets segments also known as diversification The strategic options or Ansoff matrix is presented in the figure as follows Tata steel UK can expand its customer base with the help of market penetration strategy. This strategy is used for the purpose of growing our business. The current market share of Tata Steel UK is 60% sales to the manufacturers of different products in UK while 40% comes from sales to main Europe and 15% outside the Europe. The main products that contribute to the sales revenue of Tata Steel include automotive, construction, packaging, aerospace, and energy and power. The corporate strategy of Tata Steel UK is to become a global benchmark by creating value for the customers at global level. Â   Â   The rationale behind using the market penetration strategy is to sell existing products to existing consumers. According to the SWOT analysis conducted for the Tata Steel Europe and other sources suggest that it is losing the market because of various factors including decreased demand from China, changing economy of Europe, increasing international competition and steel available at cheaper prices. Tata Steel UK can penetrate the market by making its products unique from those of its competitors. It should increase its investments in the projects which helps in differentiation of its products by improving the overall marketing mix and getting closer to customers by forming collaborative relationships. The unique and innovative products as compared to competitors will give Tata Steel UK a competitive edge in gaining the largest market share. This product differentiation requires Tata Steel to develop cutting-edge manufacturing and production technology and to improve their business c ycle to a greater extent to make the products sustainable for the customers as well as for the environment. Tata Steel UK should strive to upgrade their manufacturing and distribution operations because it will help the firm in providing on time products and services to their consumers. An efficient supply chain and closer production plants help in increasing the effectiveness and optimization of services to customers. The presence of competitors cannot threat the existence of Tata Steel unless it is continuously striving to improve its business operations and differentiation of products and services. Overall, in improving the business operations and product differentiation of Tata Steel, it must not compromise the corporate responsibility it owes towards the environment and all its stakeholders (Jha and Arora, 2013). The main point to be considered in the market penetration strategy is the cost-benefit ratio. Market penetration specifically deals with increasing already captured customer base. The fact sheet of Tata Steel UK represents that 25% of Tata sales revenue is generated by automotive industry, 30% by construction, and 10% by packaging. It also exports 80% of its energy and power products to big firms such as Shell, Chevron and Total etc. it also has 10% global market share for the supply of aerospace products (Kelsey, 2016). The main competitive advantage of Tata Steel UK is its brand identity i.e. it is a well-known brand for its quality products, so its customers have loyalty with its products. The factsheet about Tata Steel UK suggested that the demand for its automotive products is increasing in the mainland Europe as well as in other countries because the annual car production rate is increasing at a greater pace. So, this is an opportunity for Tata Steel UK to penetrate the market by using its world-class manufacturing and distribution facilities. The market penetration strategy requires Tata Steel to strengthen its own manufacturing, production and distribution infrastructure to manufacture differentiated products as compared to its competitors. By using this strategy it will be able to increase its sales revenue in the existing market by strengthening the manufacturers of different products across Europe. Own manufacturing and production plants will be helpful for Tata Steel in reducing the cost of manufacturing and achieving the economies of scale. Tata Steel has the capacity and resources to penetrate into its existing market e.g. it has a string brand loyalty, it is producing the products in an environmentally sustainable way, it has its own cutting-edge manufacturing and production plants that only need upgradation. The commitment of Tata Steels towards manufacturing unique and innovative products can help them conquer the market and increase their market share relative to their competitors. After a successful scrutiny of internal factors affecting the business and a thorough scan of external business environment, the next stage is to formulate an ideal strategy for business which is capable of achieving the desired objectives. Business strategy is designed for the purpose of getting to the place where we want to see ourselves. Business strategy requires careful planning and implementation and it also requires a lot of resources that must be used handy to maintain the cost benefit ratio (Teece, 2010). According to a model proposed by McKinsey, it is necessary on the part of organization to have talented staff, an integrated system, proper structure, a unique style, skills, a perfect strategy and shared values to achieve the desired business goals. According to Johnson et. al (2011), strategy clock is a perfect framework that can be used to analyze the customer focus for the prices and differentiation among the products. For Tata Steel UK, it is analyzed that the market penetration strategy could be used for increasing the market share of the company. And it has been already known that it has a strong brand name and also a very good customer base. But the recent statistics of financial times confirmed that the earnings and sales revenue of Tata Steel was not up to the mark and didnt meet the forecasts set earlier (Markets.ft.com, 2017). This requires Tata steel to penetrate into its market with the help of hybrid strategies i.e. cost leadership and product differentiation. Cost leadership is an intensive growth strategy in which the company tends to decrease the cost of its products for the purpose of increasing its sales. Tata Steel UK can exercise the cost leadership strategy either by reducing its costs to increase the profits and charging average industry price for its products or it can increase the market share by reducing the price of its products (Jha and Arora, 2013). For practicing this strategy, a firm must make sure that it will remain number one in terms of low-cost producer and wont be easily attackable by other low cost producers. This requires the firm to have enough capital for making investment in the technology that reduces the overall cost of producing the products, have efficient logistics and being sustainable in terms of its resources and environment. For Tata Steel UK, all of these options are exercisable so they can easily penetrate their existing market with their existing products. One of the main competitive advantages of Tata Steel is capacity expansion i.e. it can expand its capacity of manufacturing and production which will ultimately reduce its cost of producing the products. The quality and sources of raw materials are highly secured from various captive mines which can be used for the enhancement of production capacity. The manufacturing plants of Tata Steel are already located in many countries including USA, Canada, Sweden, Germany, France, and Belgium etc. These plants can be used for the purpose of increasing the global sales revenue and market share of Tata Steel by offering diversified products and services to the customers. Technology and the manpower are two most essential resources that are required for increasing the innovation and uniqueness in products of Tata Steel. The up-to-the-minute technology can be used for producing larger numbers of steel and aluminum products differentiated from its competitors, available in various designs and colors and are sustainable for the community which is using the products. Recently in 2013, Tata Steel made an investment of 250 million pounds to set up two blast furnaces in Port Talbot, 25 million pounds investment at Hot Strip Mill, and 15 million pounds investment in Stockbridge plant in 2015 which will improve the operations of Tata Steel to a greater extent thereby reducing the overall costs of production (Kelsey, 2016). Product differentiation is another strategy through which Tata Steel can penetrate its market. Customers switch products or brands only when they are not satisfied of the quality and prices of the products. A bit of value added to the products and services can increase the customer loyalty and improves the brand image (Anderson and Vincze, 2004). Tata Steel is providing a wide range of its products to the most renowned and big companies around the globe. Tata Steel can increase its market share by offering customized products to its customers e.g. for automotive industry it can provide customized products right from initial design to the fully manufactured vehicle or they can provide effective solutions related to steel in the construction projects. For consumer goods, customers prefer reliability and after sales services and it can also gain a good market share by offering sustainable packaging products to packaging firms. The bottom line is that Tata Steel can use its core competen cies for gaining the market share. A summary of core competencies of Tata Steel is presented in the following table. Core competencies Cost leadership and product differentiation Technology Different manufacturing plants of Tata Steel UK located across the Europe must use the cutting edge technology for the production of high quality and low cost products. Installation of technology helps in the mass production which achieves the economies of scales hence making the firm low cost leader and technology also improve the quality of products by presenting more immaculate outlook and product design to the products. Supply chain management The supply chain of Tata Steel is very sophisticated because it has its own distribution and processing units across the Europe, USA, Middle East and many other parts of the world. This is the competitive edge for Tata Steel because they dont have to make the customers wait longer for the products rather they provide on-time delivery of their products due to their numerous production hubs. Efficient supply chain also helps in making the products differentiated and low cost because there are no additional tariffs and raw material import costs incurred on the products. Quality and customer focus Quality and price of the products are the two essential elements that customers look for in the products. The research and marketing department of Tata Steel continuously tries to analyze the customer preferences for products and tries to invest in the projects which offer the best marketing mix i.e. best price for the products and differentiated products as compared to the customers (Tata Steel, 2017). Based on the core competencies listed in the above table, the competitive advantage of Tata Steel i.e. capacity expansion, and the financial position of Tata Steel UK (SWOT analysis), it is evaluated that Tata Steel can competently reduce the cost of its operations for increasing its revenues and earnings as well as increasing its market share. Moreover, these strategies are also useful for Tata Steel to exist its penetrating market everywhere its operations are in process. Evaluation of strategy is as important as the formulation of strategies because the strategic management process requires a lot of resources for implementation. So, it must be made certain that we are not wasting our resources or using them in a wrongful manner (Atkinson, 2013). Strategic evaluation is carried out in order to know whether the strategy that has been designed will be able to achieve the required objectives or not. Three criteria are used for the purpose of strategy evaluation i.e. suitability, acceptability and feasibility. 1.1. Suitability Suitability refers to the overall objective and rationale of the proposed strategy i.e. whether the strategy proposed will be able to achieve the economies of scale or not or will it acquire the proposed strategic objectives to improve the overall position and outlook of business. For the purpose of measuring the suitability of market penetration for Tata Steel, it is important to analyze the trends and key drivers explained in the assignment 1. Trends: The current trends for the Tata Steel are not good because there is an overall decrease in demand due to cheap supply from China. Another reason is stricter regulation changes on the part of European Union and lower wage laws as well as expensive cost of production in Europe (Islam, 2016). Key drivers: The key drivers that prove to be helpful in boosting the sales revenue of Tata Steel include reduces costs of renewable energy, flexibility in emission regulations placed in by European Union and support provided to UK for numerous steel construction projects to increase the job market for people. So based on the trends in the market and key drivers, it is evaluated that Tata Steel can overcome the cost of production in UK by employing the expatriate labor into its steel industries so that the cost of labor is reduced. The employment of technology in all of its production plants can improve the production rate as well as differentiate its products in terms of quality. The reduced cost of energy i.e. 30% reduction in electricity bills and in gas prices is also a favorable driver for employing the technology in UK plants. Government should also make its regulations flexible so that Tata Steel can invest into steel projects and provide jobs to numerous people. As a result of evaluation, it is suggested that the proposed strategy can work well with Tata Steel because it has enough capacity to expand its operations, have improved infrastructure to add value to its supply chain and have enough competencies to take the market as a cost leader. 1.2. Acceptability Acceptability of strategy relates to the concern with which it meets and exceeds the expectations of its stakeholders. It is obvious that changing the cost of operations and prices of the products also affect the overall revenue of the business which in turn affect the dividend payment to its shareholders, flexibility in regulations involves government and increased production affects the environment (Atkinson, 2013). The key stakeholders of Tata Steel are presented as follows infleuntial stakeholders active particpants Stakeholders that impose The most influential shareholders of Tata Steel are its customers, competitors and the environment in which it is operating. The reduced costs of operations will reduce the prices of products which is beneficial for the customers. Competitors will have tough time imitating the strategy of Tata Steel. For environment, it is certain because Tata steel is producing environmentally sustainable steel. Government and suppliers are the most active participants in the business operations of Tata Steel. It is good that UK has been provided flexibility to invest in steel projects and the supply chain management of Tata Steel is already better and sophisticated and will be enhanced with the help of capacity expansion. The BODs, employees and shareholders of Tata Steel are better off with this strategy because increasing the markets share will eventually increase the market share and profits of the company. Shareholders, employees and BODs are the stakeholders who know the vision and mission of the company so at the end they are confident that market penetration strategy would pay something off to them. The acceptability criteria of strategy evaluation suggests that market penetration strategy will be acceptable to all of the stakeholders of Tata Steel. It can be evaluated in more detail by using the stakeholder matrix of power and interest. The matrix is as follows When the power and interest of stakeholders in an organization is high, it is necessary for them to be both engaged and influential while in case of low power and interest, they only need to monitor the company or keep an eye upon the company. While those stakeholders who impose the company strategy have both high power and high interest in the company. Tata steel UK is safe on all ends because the strategy is acceptable for the customers due to quality and price of products and for shareholders to receive the increased dividends. The most influential stakeholder in case of Tata Steel is environment because the production may impact the environment in an adverse way but it is operating in an environmentally and social sustainable and responsible manner. The strategy of market penetration is meeting the needs and expectations of all stakeholders of Tata Steel UK. 1.3. Feasibility Feasibility means that the strategy is good in terms of resources available to the organizations for its implementation (Atkinson, 2013). It has been studied that the main competitive advantage of Tata Steel is its ability to expand or capital expansion. Different elements have been taken into account for the purpose of checking the feasibility of strategy. The most important enabler affecting the implementation of market penetration is the cost and quality of products. The cost of products can only be reduced when a high cutting-edge technology is employed for the manufacturing and production of products. The RD of Tata Steel continuously strives and works hard to know preferences of customers for newer and innovative steel products. Another important consideration is workforce of Tata Steel. Although the workforce is highly talented and able to boost the revenue generated by Tata Steel, Tata Steel should pay them a handsome amount of salaries to them. They should invest in their workforce to boost their confidence to increase the market share. The financial viability of this strategy is considerably favorable because Tata Steel have enough resource for capacity expansion and reducing the overall costs of operation. Capacity expansion will generate the increased outcome thereby leading to increased market share. The new strategy proposed for Tata Steel is the market penetration using hybrid strategies of cost leadership and product differentiation. The analysis is conducted on the basis of thorough internal and external analysis of Tata Steel and it has been evaluated that the strategy is perfect in terms of its suitability, acceptability and feasibility. Tata Steel should adopt market penetration strategy for the purpose of boosting its market share because it has the capacity to expand its operations by using newer technology, the power of its labor and its efficient supply chain. Tata Steel UK has strong brand image and identity which will be very helpful to penetrate into its current market. It has to reduce the costs of its operations so that the products become a bit cheaper and attracts a new market share. This strategy will be helpful because China has been supplying the steel to the market at much lower price so for its survival and growth, Tata Steel has to adopt cost leadership al ong with product differentiation strategy. Strategy formulation starts with the thorough analysis of internal and external factors affecting the business. The external analysis for Tata steel UK suggested market trends for steel industry and the key drivers that are helpful for boosting the industry. Formulation and implementation of strategy is based upon the environmental analysis of Tata Steel. Market penetration is the best alternative for Tata Steel to increase its market share. It can be done with the help of cost leadership and product differentiation. The cost leadership can be achieved with the help of expansion of business because capacity expansion is the main competitive advantage of Tata Steel. References Anderson, C. and Vincze, J. (2004). Strategic marketing management. 1st ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Atkinson, D. (2013). Dynamic capabilities: implications for marketing strategy formulation and implementation. International Journal of Business Environment, 5(3), p.252. Hitt, M., Ireland, R. and Hoskisson, R. (2003). Strategic management. 4th ed. Australia: Thomson/South-Western. Islam, F. (2016). Understanding The Steel Crisis: 10 Key Points. Sky news. [online] Available at: http://news.sky.com/story/understanding-the-steel-crisis-10-key-points-10223034ÂÂ   [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017]. Jeyarathnam, M. (2008). Strategic management. 1st ed. Mumbai: Himalaya Pub. House. Jha, V. and Arora, S. (2013). Strategic leadership for corporate sustainable development at Tata Steel. International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 7(3), p.283. Johnson, G., Scholes, K., Whittington, R. and Johnson, G. (2011). Exploring strategy. 10th ed. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Kelsey, C. (2016). The facts and figures about Tata Steel UK. Wales Online. [online] Available at: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/facts-figures-tata-steel-uk-11258131ÂÂ   [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017]. Markets.ft.com. (2017). Tata Steel Ltd, TATASTEEL:NSI forecasts FT.com. [online] Available at: https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/forecasts?s=TATASTEEL:NSIÂÂ   [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017]. Schram, B. (2015). Redcar and Tata Steel: Four reasons why the UK steel industry is struggling to survive. International Business Times. [online] Available at: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/redcar-tata-steel-four-reasons-why-uk-steel-industry-struggling-survive-1524375ÂÂ   [Accessed 14 Jan. 2017]. Tata Steel, (2017). At a glance | Tata Steel in Europe. [online] Tatasteeleurope.com. Available at: http://www.tatasteeleurope.com/en/about%E2%80%93us/at-a-glance [Accessed 14 Jan. 2017]. Tata Steel, (2017). Our values | Tata Steel in Europe. [online] Tatasteeleurope.com. Available at: http://www.tatasteeleurope.com/en/about%E2%80%93us/valuesÂÂ   [Accessed 14 Jan. 2017]. Teece, D. (2010). Business Models, Business Strategy and Innovation. Long Range Planning, 43(2-3), pp.172-194. Trigeorgis, L. and Reuer, J. (2016). Real options theory in strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 38(1), pp.42-63. Multicultural Analysis of Japan: Traditions and Religions Multicultural Analysis of Japan: Traditions and Religions Land of the Rising Sun: Japan Japan is a country filled with old and rich traditional history that cant be found anywhere in the Western world. Japan and America share quite an interesting bond with one another. The bond between them seems to infer that they have most of their trust in each other, but trusting the notorious nation, China, is something that they can both get on terms with. Disagreements between the two powerful nations can form, for example, one being Japans role in regional security. The old nation is located in the continent of Asia, being an chain of islands, it is surrounded by the Sea of Japan ( East) and Pacific Ocean (West). Japan or Nihon as it is said in Japanese, translates to the suns origin. It is also known as, by its nickname Land of the Rising Sun. The old nation consist of a series of islands, which is close to around 6,852 islands. There are also four main islands as well, which include: Hokkaido, Honshu {largest island}, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Although there are no bordering countries since the country is a chain of islands, there are some neighboring countries by Japan, promptly consisting, but not excluding: South Korea, North Korea, China, Taiwan, Russia, and the Philippines. The current size of Japan is around some 145,932 miÂÂ ² and compared to the U.S. which is some 3,536,695 square miles. The country of Japan has the third-largest economy, after the United States and China, in the modern world. The country exports vital goods such as automobiles ( ex. Toyota, Honda, Mazda), computers, and other electronics. etc. Not to mention the fact that Japan natural resources that it exports it ems such as: fish and other seafood, gold, silver, magnesium, oil, Japan greatly depends on foreign/imported natural resources and fuels to keep manufacturing industries functioning and thriving. Some industries in Japan include: shipbuilding, textile, mining, bioindustry, processed foods, and construction. Besides noting Japans economy, the old nation is known for its unique physical features. The geography of the country consists of a mountainous terrain with basins, valleys, plains, and coral reefs; while also having temperate weather and consisting of four seasons. The country has many cultural traditions and holidays throughout the year. Obon, Lantern Festival, ( August 13- 16) is a buddhist festival that is held within the month of August, it that pays tribute to ancestral spirits by lighting lanterns in from of home and on rivers to guild spirits back home and to the underworld. Cultural Day ( November 3rd ) was previously known as the day of commemorating the birthday of the Meiji Emperor, but it was renamed to Culture Day to rejoice the Japanese Constitution as well as peace and freedom. Another holiday is Marine Day (Umi no hi [ July 3rd] ) which commemorates the blessings of the oceans and its significant importance for Japan as a nation. Both Japan and America share unique cultural difference, but their main difference is concerning education, not to mention the fact that recreation among them is quite the same. Similarly Japanese and American elementary schools last for six years. The difference is the in Japan junior high last for thr ee years, while in America it lasts for two. Another distinction is that students in Japanese high schools go to school for three years, while in American high schools students go to school for four years. Japanese and Americans typically do the same thing the same things for fun sports, shopping, hanging out with friends, and using electronics. Meals consumed by the Japanese are mainly homemade meals which may consist of a bowl of rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, fish, and (or) meat. Religion is a thing that sets Japan apart from most countries. Religions in Japan are Shinto, Taoist, Confucian, Buddhism, and surprisingly Christianity. As far back as historians can date, Shinto was the most popular religion and oldest among the Japanese and even today it is. Buddhism was brought by monks in the 6th century. Both religions have been coexisting with each other in harmony for quite a long time, and most classify themselves as either Shinto or Buddhist, but in some instance both. Christianity on the other hand was introduced to Japan ( 1506- 1552) by a man named Francis Xavier. Although its not the most popular religion in Japan it still is practiced by some individuals. Surprisingly religion doesnt play a major role in the everyday lives of ordinary Japanese citizens. People may visit shrine or temples on New Year and participate in local festivals, all in which hav religious (historical) background. As an island nation, Japan has flourished and bloomed into a well known nation full of old traditional and modern ways of life. One may find that the nation is some like any other nation; a rich and old history, recreation, and important holidays/traditions. The fact that Japan is no bigger than the state of California may surprise foreigners at best and that although its a nation with the tenth highest population, its population is slowly decline every year. Such rural and old historical seem to be present in Japan to this day, hopefully this countrys unique history shall never fade.

Brief History of Sustainability :: Environment Economy Sustainable Development

A Brief History of "Sustainability" â€Å"[M]odern industries still operate according to paradigms that developed when humans had a very different sense of the world† (McDonough and Braungart 26)—when resources were thought to be infinite. In 1972 the UN convened the Conference on the Human Environment where â€Å"the global community acknowledged that more exploration was needed of the inter-relationships between the environment and socio-economic issues of poverty and underdevelopment. Thus the concept of sustainable development emerged in the 1980s in response to a growing realization of the need to balance economic and social progress with concern for the environment and the stewardship of natural resources† (â€Å"Education,† par. 2). The concept of sustainability has since permeated the globe. It is integrated within curricula or used to refer to â€Å"green† campus initiatives at numerous international and national universities, including: Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Arizona State University, UMass Lowell (Lowell Center for Sustainable Production), UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Alaska Anchorage, George Washington University, and Colombia. MIT is part of an international partnership called the Alliance for Global Sustainability. Created in 1997, the Alliance â€Å"brings together hundreds of university scientists, engineers, and social scientists to address complex issues that lie at the intersection of environmental, economic and social goals† (â€Å"Alliance†). In 1999 Dow Jones launched Sustainability Indexes, which are â€Å"the first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide† (â€Å"Dow†). By 2002, at the UN Johannesburg Summit, social justice and poverty were recognized as â€Å"key principles to development that is sustainable. The human and social aspects of sustainable development meant that solidarity, equity, partnership and cooperation were as crucial as scientific approaches to environmental protection† (â€Å"Education,† par. 6). At the 2002 Summit, the United Nations General Assembly declared years 2005–2014 the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development â€Å"as a way of signalling that education and learning lie at the heart of approaches to sustainable development† (â€Å"Education,† par. 6). According to the UN Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), â€Å"Improving the quality of education and reorienting its goals to recognize the importance of sustainable development must be one of UNESCO’s and the world’s highest priorities† (â€Å"Education,† par. 10). The Association of University Leaders for Sustainable Development, whose mission is to â€Å"make sustainability a major focus of teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities worldwide† (â€Å"About†), has partnered with the International Association of Universities and UNESCO. â€Å"The rationale for