10 Facts on Waste Management for an Environment Project

10 Facts on Waste Management for an Environment Project The speed at which waste is produced globally has been identified as one of the issues that have the ability to threaten public health and the earth’s ecosystem if not properly managed. And despite the threat poor waste management policies possess to our global well-being, the subject matter does not come up in political debates. Only implicitly in UNICEF’s sustainable development goals and sparingly on media outlets which means it is left to individuals to highlight its danger to earth’s ecosystem. Therefore, if you are one of those individuals saddled with the responsibility to talk about waste management, it is imperative that you have a good understanding of what it means as well as get your facts right when discussing its impact on the globe. In turn, this article is written to provide you with an armoryof facts on waste management for your project. But before going into the details, here is a definition of the term waste management. Wastes are unwanted or unusable materials and they include any substance discarded after primary use or are worthless and of no use. Waste management on the other hand are all the activities or processes put in place to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal and here are some facts about waste management on the global stage. Here are the 10 facts on waste management: Waste and requires proper management. The need for effective waste management systems can only be truly understood if one understands the amount of waste produced by humans. Statistics show that in the United States, the average person throws away 600 times the amount of his or her adult weight. While in the UK, the average person throws away his or her body weight in waste every seven weeks which creates the need for effective waste management systems. Human waste consists of paper. Every year, humans produce 3% more waste than that in the previous year and in 25 years, it is estimated that we will double the amount of waste we produce. Global waste consists mainly of paper which makes up approximately a fifth of the waste produced by a household, while glass and plastic bags make up a tenth of the produced waste. Electronic waste and management. Statistics show that globally, 50 million tonnes of electronic waste are produced on a yearly basis. These waste which consist of TVs, stereos and kitchen appliances are usually dumped in landfill sites or into the ocean. The waste management policies yield damaging results. Managing the waste humans produce is a human responsibility and in cases where this responsibility has been overlooked dire health and environmental situations were recorded. In Italy, poor waste management policies led to the closure of businesses and increased death rate among the people of Naples for 2 decades (1994-2014). In Surat, India poor waste management resulted in a plague-like epidemic which caused 56 deaths and the cancellation of the Deepavali festival. Statistics show that India may have lost approximately $2billion in estimated economic functions. Poor waste management leads to pollution of international waterways. In developing countries as well as some developed nations, electronic and solid wastes usually get dumped into the ocean and are hazardous to the environment. 45,000 tons of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans yearly. Paper cups which are usually coated with wax thereby reducing their biodegradability are in most cases dumped in streams and these ultimately pollute the world’s waterways. Creating recyclable products support effective waste management. Although paper makes up the largest part of the waste produced in domestic settings, it is important to note that two-thirds of the paper waste we trash is recyclable while paper bags take over 100 years to decompose while glass on the other hand takes hundreds of years to decompose. This is why most production outlets are clamping down on the use of glass and paper bags as packaging options. Recycling is important as a waste management procedure. Recycling is a very effective means of managing waste and studies have shown that recycling one tonne of cardboard saves 390 kWh of energy and 1.1 barrel of oil. Recycling Aluminium also saves 14,000 kWh, 39.6 barrels of oil and 10 cubic yards of landfill space. Recycling Paper saves 4,100 kWh of energy, 9 barrels of oil, 7,000 gallons of water and 17 trees which goes to show the effectiveness of recycling in waste management. Recycling is being handled on a national level. Despite the widespread campaign on achieving a greener earth through recycling, most western countries still lag behind in implementing it. The United States recycles approximately 25% of its waste and the UK recycles approximately 30% of its waste. Encouragingly though, EU nations such as Switzerland, Holland and Germany recycle approximately 60% of their produced waste. Managing solid waste is pivotal. poor management of solid waste is responsible for a host of unhealthy situations such as gas emissions, overflowing landfills and water pollution which makes managing it very important. Studies show that the proper use of recycling, landfill mitigation and diversions can reduce greenhouse emissions globally by 10 to 15%. Also, implementing waste prevention such as unnecessary gas flaring can take account for another 10% reduction in gas emissions. Waste management expectations for the future are still under development. a survey conducted by the World Waste magazine and statistics show that 53% of landfill site owners expect their landfills to be open in the next 10 years. 12% expect their landfill sites to be open for the next 5 to 9 years while 26% believe that waste management practices would have evolved in 3 to 4 years and the need for landfills will be eliminated. This survey paints a rather promising future for waste management by the year 2030. Here we come to the end of the 10 facts on waste management which you can put to use in your project on the environment. In addition to these facts, are two other articles which will provide you with project topics as well as a genre guide on how to go about writing an environmental project of waste management. References: Juliette, J. (2010). Recycling still the most effective waste disposal method, report finds https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/mar/16/recycling-waste-disposal Jayasinghe, R. Baliie, C. (2010). The garbage crisis, 8-10. Wagner, T. Arnold, P. (2008). A new model for solid waste management: An analysis of the Nova Scotia MSW strategy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 16(4), 410-421. World Bank. (2012). Urban Development What a Waste: A Global Review of Solid Waste Management. Retrieved from http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2 Peeranart, K. (2013). Electronic waste management approaches: An overview. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X13000147 Morris, J. (2005). Comparative LCAs for curbside recycling versus either landfilling or incineration with energy recovery. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 10(4), 273-284 Kaciak, E. Kushner, J. (2011). Determinants of residents’ recycling behaviour. International Business Economics Research Journal (IBER), 8.

Managing Corporate Reputation †the Case of Ryanair

Managing Corporate Reputation – the Case of Ryanair Introduction Corporate reputation refers to the values and the association created in the mind of a customer based on organisational communication and other areas of contact between the company and customers. Factors that contribute to corporate reputation include pricing, promotions, leadership, employee attitudes and customer service, among others.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Managing Corporate Reputation – the Case of Ryanair specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A company with a positive corporate reputation is also characterised by market growth and maintenance of competitive advantage. In addition, such a firm has an excellent brand equity and customer loyalty (Bick 2009). Although Ryanair operated successfully for a long time with a negative corporate reputation, profit warnings in financial reporting highlighted the need to change the bad image of the company occasioned by poor communication and in sulting of stakeholders (BBC News). The current study focuses on understanding the corporate reputation of Ryanair, identifying contributing factors to negative reputation and proposing measures to improve reputation of the firm. Background – Ryanair The airline company is one of the best performing businesses in Europe. In fact, it is characterised by the lowest charges. With regard to the number of passengers on an annual basis, the organisation is the second best performing airline in Europe (Ryanair 2014). The company, founded in 1985, is named after its founder Christopher Ryan. Under the management of Michael O’Leary, the airline adopted and perfected the low cost model pioneered by Southwest Airlines and most people associate the affordability and ancillary revenue to Ryanair. While other airlines continued to seek ways of increasing ticket prices, Ryanair focused on reduction and making up for the lost revenue through ancillary sources such as shopping on board , hotel booking, car hire and internet gaming. When providing the low cost services, Ryanair has no frills, operates from point to point, maximises utilisation of aircrafts, has less delayed flights, charges lowest fares, has standardised fleet, and uses small airports.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In spite of being among the most popular airline firms because of its low cost model, the company’s corporate reputation has been questioned by many people on the premises of low quality of customer service (Ryanair 2014). The current situation The stakeholders’ theory is helpful in understanding the current situation in the airline, as poor reputation impacts on internal, external and connected stakeholders. As discussed in the background, the company faces a problem with its corporate reputation. In fact, customers complain of low quality services , rudeness and limited attention from staff members; survey ratings put the company at the bottom in terms of customer satisfaction. Customer complaints, especially in the social media, deal a blow to the Ryanair’s corporate reputation. The situation is made worse when the CEO asserts that the low quality services are the value of the lowest charges that the firm adopts (Topham 2013). The huge blow to corporate reputation resulted in the company’s stakeholders asking for a reversal of the situation, which is possible mainly through an effective communication strategy. The stakeholders theory states that all stakeholders must be considered in the decision-making process of the organisation. This theory focuses on the critical roles that are played by shareholders in order for an organisation to have excellent results (Crowther Seifi 2011). In this case, Ryanair’s stakeholders include managers and employees in the internal environment, customers, financiers, dist ributors, suppliers and retailers as connected stakeholders, and the government, pressure groups, professional bodies, the media, society and local communities being the external stakeholders. Currently, the company has strengths, including the low cost model, online presence, efficient fuel consumption, new aircrafts and plans for effective communication and marketing. On the contrary, as the company corporate reputation is poor because of poor customer services, disregard for customer concerns by the CEO, poor booking process, and the use of destination airports.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Managing Corporate Reputation – the Case of Ryanair specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Because of reputation problems, the company experience declining profits, dissatisfied shareholders, employees and customers, low reputation and popularity of the CEO, falling share price, intense competition in the market, poor communication and service quality (BBC News). The challenge As highlighted in the current situation, Ryanair faces a challenge with its corporate reputation, which had implication on the company’s strategic and organisational aspects. A strategic and organisational analysis of corporate the reputation challenge facing Ryanair reveals various positive and negative aspects of the situation. The company faces corporate reputation challenges as the management often receives complaints from customers and competitors because of misleading advertisements and inappropriate communication in implementing the company’s marketing mix strategies. The company sometimes advices fare prices, which are not consistent with the real prices the company charges passengers. The company’s publicity is dented by the CEO, who insults the company’s stakeholders in a direct manner (Topham 2013). The company, sometimes, announces measures such as extra charges for using the toilet, overweight passengers and standing, which are never implemented. This is an indication that the company intends to seek attention from customers. Reputation is also negatively impacted by the company’s low quality services and bad treatment of customers. The firm fails to provide services that are critical in ensuring relatively higher levels of satisfaction. Social experience is a major problem resulting from negative corporate reputations for the company. People reported of not flying with Ryanair because of negative social influences of others. Impact of the reputation challenge on Ryanair and stakeholders Considering the reputation challenge facing Ryanair, the implications for the organisations and its stakeholders are immense. First, in the recent times, the CEO admitted that the company was having reputation challenges, which call for collaboration to change (Topham 2013). This would contribute to maintaining the company’s position as the leader in the low cost airline market. Second, empirical research indicates the organisational and stakeholder challenges of having a poor corporate reputation. For instance, the article in The Economist newspaper revealed reports of Ryanair being at the bottom most of the surveys conducted to determine customer satisfaction, with most customers expressing their frustration in the social media (The Economist 2014).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Furthermore, a comparison between Ryanair and other major low-cost model airlines such as easy Jet revealed better corporate reputation and perception of easy Jet, which impacts negatively on Ryanair’s competitiveness. Although the low cost strategy has been the reason for Ryanair’s market leadership and reputation, using the strategy in every aspect of the business including marketing and communication compromises the quality of service. The low cost strategy implies cutting cost of every aspect of the airline. From the information presented, the corporate strategy under the leadership of O’Leary indicates a negative corporate reputation, which results in bad publicity and negative perception of Ryanair (Topham 2013). Furthermore, although the CEO O’Leary’s straightforward nature may be positive for the company it has negative implications as the customers perceive the attitude as that of caring less. Indeed, O’Leary’s harsh response s to customer dissatisfaction and being straight to the point about returning value for customers’ money worsened the corporate reputation (Topham 2013). The leadership behaviour at the top is often passed down to other employees who in turn express the same behaviour to customers, creating a bad organisational culture and behaviour (Ogbonna Harris 2000). On the positive side, the strategy pursued by the CEO is for the good of the business and its target market segment. Indeed, as the CEO, O’Leary asserted, the strategy suits the target customers who are more interested in the punctuality of flight scheduling, safety and low price because of their budgetary constraints (Topham 2013). On the contrary, the negative corporate reputation impacted negatively on the company’s competitive advantage. As research findings indicated, Ryanair experienced negative growth while close competitors such as easy Jet experienced gradual, positive growth (Vizard 2014). Financial and economic reports indicated declining company profits and share price because of customers withdrawing and investors fearing for sustained negative corporate reputation (BBC News 2013). The implications for the organisation and stakeholders highlight the correlation between corporate reputation and organisational growth. The positive correlation indicates the need for reversing the negative image and embrace good communication, which would improve corporate reputation, customer service and identity. The steps result in positive publicity for the organisation and maintenance of the leadership position in the industry. A proposal for improving Ryanair’s corporate reputation Considering Ryanair’s strong reputation as a low cost carrier, adopting an effective communication strategy could contribute significantly towards improving its perception in the public, which in turn leads to being competitive and increase the rate of growth. Therefore, the proposed measures are g eared towards improving the corporate image through effective communication strategies. The major areas identified included promoting the publicity of the organisation through advertising, social media marketing and positive publicity. Improving publicity is in line with making the consumption experience better through high quality customer service and ensuring in-flight conflict. Above all communication will help in creating a positive social influence, which would facilitate the word of mouth advertising (Shakespeare 2013). Improving publicity is in accordance with the assertion of Crowther and Seifi (2011) who considered it as the best way of product and service promotion through media space, with the low-cost model being a major positive for Ryanair. Appearance in the media informs and reminds people about the company’s existence and the benefits derived from it. Rather than using negative publicity, the company can replace with positive publicity, mainly through advertis ing, social marketing and positive publicity from the CEO. To reverse the negative reputation and regain stakeholders’ confidence, the CEO should publicise an apology for insulting stakeholders, announce plans to transform the corporate reputation, being responsive to customer dissatisfaction and apologising in case of unplanned inconveniences. With the negative reputation facing the company, improving publicity would catch consumers by surprise, which gains their attention in addition to maintaining awareness (Topham 2013). Improving the consumption experience through in-flight comfort, service features and quality of services is vital to the communication strategy to be effective (Curry Gao 2012). Although in flight comfort is not a key market proposition for the company, improving customer service on board contributes significantly to a positive reputation. In this regard, positive corporate image is possible with a change in organisational behaviour and culture through p ositive communication from the management. Good communication with staff is reflected in their communication to customers. Other service features to improve corporate reputation include transparency in published ticket prices, flexibility in luggage limits, making booking easy, ticket prices, and making the company website more attractive to enhance communication. Improving social influences in the market is important in ensuring customers affected by negative reputation start using Ryanair services. Employee training is a critical aspect of improving publicity because they are the ones who get in touch with customers first hand (Curry Gao 2012). Conclusions From the analysis of Ryanair’s corporate reputation, various conclusions and recommendations are drawn based on the current situation of the organisation. They are based on internal and external analysis and identification of measures to improve the company’s corporate reputation. Being a leader in the low-cost ai rline industry in Europe and the world, the company has experienced profit decline, which, as the CEO admitted, resulted from negative corporate reputation. The reputation resulted mainly from the company’s poor treatment of customers and the CEO insulting stakeholders openly. Furthermore, the company focused efforts on negative publicity through straightforward communication and failure to respond appropriately to customer dissatisfaction issues. The dissatisfaction resulted in profit decline, which necessitated changes in communication (BBC News). As the CEO admitted to harmful implications of the bad reputation, the study proposes measures to improve the situation and achieve positive reputation. The measures proposed include publicity improvement through advertising, social marketing, in-flight comfort, customer service, and improvement of social experience. The improvement measures do not compromise Ryanair’s low cost strategy because cost differential is the majo r source of competitive advantage of the airline. References BBC News, Ryanair shares plunge after warning over profits. Web. Bick, G. C. 2009, Increasing shareholder value through building Customer and Brand Equity, Journal Of Marketing Management, vol. 25, no. 1/2, pp. 117-141, Crowther, D, Seifi, S. 2011, Corporate Governance and International Business. Bookboon, London, United Kingdom. Curry, N. Gao, Y. 2012, Low-Cost Airlines- A New Customer Relationship? An Analysis of Service Quality, Service Satisfaction, and Customer Loyalty in a Low- Cost Setting, Services Marketing Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 104-118. Ogbonna, E. Harris, L. 2000, Leadership style, organisational culture and performance: empirical evidence from UK companies, International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 11, 4, pp. 766-788. Ryanair, 2014, Cheap Flights | Cheap Flights to Europe | Official Ryanair Site. Web. Shakespeare, S. 2013, Ryanair charm offensive may heal its brand reputation. YouGov: What the world thinks. Web. The Economist, 2014, Price or quality-pick one. Web. Topham, G. 2013, Ryanairs new touchy-feely OLeary hits turbulence but sees clearer air ahead. Web. Vizard, S. 2014, EasyJet narrows gap on Ryanair in passenger battle, Marketing Week (Online Edition), vol. 2, no. 1, p. 9.

Theories of Juvenile Crime Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Theories of Juvenile Crime - Assignment Example Hence, the basic cause of juvenile delinquency is rational choice- the choice between what is more important-the need or the outcome (Hakim, S., & Blackstone, 1996). Similar to all theories, rational behavior theory has its pros and cons too. The theory is quite reliable as it explains every sort of felony (robbery, drug use, hostility, etc.). Becker and Mehlkop’s suggested theories that also prove that juveniles do not commit crimes when the probability of punishment increases (Hakim, S., & Blackstone, 1996). One of the most common criticisms of this theory is that it over emphasizes individual choice and does not integrate societal issues, such as an unfavorable living environment into a person’s potential for criminality. In addition, the theory is a bit cost-conscious. Although it claims that a juvenile will commit a crime based on rational choice, there are still many issues that the person must reflect on before deciding whether or not to risk defying the law.   â€Å"The theory explains the causation of crime by assuming that after evaluation of certain factors, an individual uses free will and rational choice in the decision-making process before committing a crime† (Books, 2010).

Compare and Contrast Two of the Baptist Confessions Essay

Compare and Contrast Two of the Baptist Confessions - Essay Example Baptist confessions are within the grand framework of history and salvation. Hence the baptismal rule is not the rationale ‘after the fact’, but baptism’s innate basis (Garrett 2009: 64). It implies that the church practices baptism not on its own scheme and power, but in deference to its God. Nevertheless, the baptismal rule not merely establishes baptism but provides it its essence. Hence baptism on the authority of the Lord is not merely a procedure, similar to others for carrying out baptism; it is instead a confession of the internal content and theological and historical foundation of baptism (Garrett 2009). Furthermore it is the pledge and epiclesis of deliverance, not as sheer rite, and definitely not as a sacrament working supernaturally (Brackney 2004); but in the authority of this commanding pledge, baptism acquires its authority to bring about salvation. The baptismal sacrament was an essential foundation for the creation, and growth, of confession of the faith. Baptism was, similarly, connected to the ‘catechumenate’ as initiation into the life of the church and faith (Garrett 2009: 664). The churches emerging from the evangelist movement have relived this association; it has become meaningful for the European independent churches in distinct ways. Because of the separation of the culture from Western churches, the revival of the ‘catechumenate’ (Garrett 2009: 664) has presently turned out to be significant for the being and continued existence of the early churches. This paper discusses the similarities and differences between two Baptist confessions, namely, the First London Baptist Confession of 1644-1646 and the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. Comparing and Contrasting the First and Second London Baptist Confession In the analysis of the 1646 Westminster Confession and the 1689 Second London Confession, it can be discerned that there is an emphasis given to God’s law concisely inter preted in the Mosaic Law of Moses as a principle of life for the follower. In contrast, the emphasis of the 1644 First London Confession is on the rules of the New Covenant, or Christ’s commandments (n.a. 1981). Basically, even though these two confessions have crucial similarities with regard to the steadfast nature of the perpetual moral command of God, there is a different New Covenant focus regarding biblical rules in the two versions of the First London Confession (Long 2003), specifically, noticeably absent in the Old Covenant stress of the Second London Confessions. The aforementioned difference between the First and Second London Confession has significant theological repercussions in interpreting both the function of biblical commandments as the moral principle of God or commandment for the life of the follower within the New Covenant, and for interpreting the connection of God’s commandment to Christ’s gospel (Brackney 2004); hence, the current explana tion for the revision of the First London Confession. The issue suddenly comes out: the historical explanation for the adoption of the Second London Confession instead of the First by the Particular Baptist churches. If the First and Second London Confession are basically the same, then what is the purpose for the creation of the latter? The explanation rests in the events surrounding the collapse

Interracial Marriage in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interracial Marriage in China - Essay Example The paper will then conclude by discussing the significance of race within this period. Branding, which is the word used within this text to describe the ultimate affects of any such a union, originated as the act of using an extremely hot implement to mark the flesh of humans and livestock. The practice of branding, including that of physically marking human beings, began long before recorded history. Although originally intended to mark ownership in cattle, it was also used as a form of punishment, and employed to distinguish criminals, slaves, and prisoners of war. In Western civilization, branding was banned as a form of punishment in the late 1800s.2 Historically, having a brand was a symbol or mark of identification and ownership - it labeled the person, significating what they were, rather than who they were; criminal, slave, and so forth, and the fact of being branded considered a sign of public shame and personal humiliation. Of course, this marking, including its accompanying reputation, remained with a person for the rest of their life. The use of this word in the above statement, therefore, gives a very clear indication of the attitudes among the general population of the early 20th century towards the idea of interracial marriages. Not only were these types of relationships negatively viewed, but they were also considered as being both shameful and humiliating. Consequently, Tom Frew, his Chinese wife, and their unborn children, would have all been branded with this public mark of shame, of derision, and of exclusion in certain quarters. Early Twentieth Century Worldviews "It has been justly remarked that a nation's civilization may be estimated by the rank which females hold in society. If the civilization of China be judged of by this test, she is surely far from occupying that first place which she so strongly claims" (Chinese Repository, vol. 2, 1833, p. 313). Although this quote is earlier than the period that this essay is addressing, existing worldviews during the earlier twentieth century were based on similar principles, and were rooted within this theory. Within the 1920s, Chinese women were generally seen throughout the Western world, as demonstrated through the above quote, as representative objects of an inferior, underdeveloped society. Almost despised, considered second-rate, this very common worldview, meant that Tom Frew and his Chinese family would face severe discrimatory attitudes and practices where ever they chose to live. "Could he live anywhere, with a Chinese wife" the statement demands. Only, it would seem, with the greatest of difficulties. America, in the early twentieth century, was very suspicious of the Chinese, especially in relation to the influx of immigration. Chinatowns had sprung up throughout many of the major cities - the result of the clash of two distinctively different cultures - and although living in the same city, there was little attempt at integration by either the Chinese or American people. Each community kept within its cultural boundaries, holding onto its group identity, and ensuring the continuation of this through imposing restrictive

George the 3rds Reign: Public Perceptions

George the 3rds Reign: Public Perceptions Discuss the public perception of George III in the first half of his reign. The sixty year reign of George III from 1760 to 1820 is the second longest of any British monarch save Victoria, his granddaughter. It endured the as yet unrivalled Gordon Riots of 1780, in which 10,000 troops were deployed and some  £100,000 of damage caused, the independence of America after years of expensive war and witnessed the French Revolution of 1789 and the horrors and war that followed. When George III died in 1820 he was well mourned: 30,000 people attended the supposedly private funeral, despite the fact that the king had been out of the public eye since 1810; shops were shut and laudatory sermons penned (Colley 1984, 94). Yet the public perception of George in the first half of his reign is somewhat more ambiguous and controversial: Samuel Romilly wrote that ‘from the beginning of his reign to the close of the American War, he was one of the most unpopular princes that ever sat on he throne’ (quoted in Colley 2005, 208). Picard (2000, 288), on the other hand, notes that the accession of George III was greeted by the people with ‘delirious enthusiasm’. On his coronation at the age of 22, George may indeed have seemed an attractive prospect, in particular because, unlike his two predecessors on the throne, he had been born and educated in England and spoke English as his first language. The stigma of being foreign did not apply to him and his attachment to Hanover, regularly preferred by George II, was not great, in fact he described it as that ‘horrid electorate’ (Ditchfield 2002, 23). In his first speech before parliament, George emphasised this, ‘born and educated in this country, I glory in the name of Britain’ (Shapiro 1972, 30). As for his character, Horace Walpole noted, the king seemed good-natured, walking about and talking to everybody as well as occupying the throne with dignity and grace and answering addresses well (Long 1962, 67). Even so, Colley has noted that while the new king may have been better received than the previous Georges, he received less public acclaim than William Pitt the Elder, whom he had rebuffed upon the death of George II (Colley 2005, 401 n.28; Colley 1984, 94; Long 1962, 64-65). Despite what might have been an optimistic beginning, the popularity of George seems to have waned, at least in certain quarters, during the 1760s. Early cartoons undermine him, showing him under the control of his mother and Lord Bute (Colley 2005, 209). A cartoon of 1770 vividly compares the reception of the king in 1760 and 1770 (Clarke 1972, 75). In contrast to the crowded street of celebrants in 1760, in 1770 the king’s procession proceeds alone through London as the driver comments ‘we are no longer plagued with the acclamation of the people’. Clarke (1972, 74) comments that this visible discontent was caused by rising population and deteriorating living standards. Other prints from the late 1760s show George as a blind, pliable child, in 1773 and 1780 he was portrayed as a drain on Britannia, in 1779 and 1784 he was shown as an oriental tyrant and (Colley 1984, 102). Perhaps due to his friendship with members of the Catholic elite and his sponsorship of the sons of Catholic ‘gentlemen of reputable character’ as well as his support for measured Catholic relief and suppression of the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780, he was even represented as a closet Catholic (Ditchfield 2002, 100-101, 106). It was during the early 1760s that John Wilkes rose to public prominence and popularity, often at the expense of the king and Bute. Wilkes, an English MP, had begun to publish a paper, The North Briton, in opposition to the Scottish Bute’s paper The Briton, which supported peace with France, (Shapiro 1972, 37). Wilkes was, amongst other things, anti-Scottish and pro-English, a womaniser and a member of the Hell Fire club (Colley 2005, 106). As such, he stood in stark contrast to the king, and seems to have been a more popular figure with the public. In response to George’s speech proposing peace with France, he published number 45 of The North Briton, in which he notoriously criticised the king and his new minister Grenville, causing his arrest under a general warrant (Clarke 1972, 42). He then capitalised on the unpopular use of general warrants, presenting himself as a champion of liberty against tyranny, and they were later declared illegal (Shapiro 1972, 47). George’s early unpopularity seems to have been due to his break with the Whigs and his promotion of his former tutor and relative political outsider Bute and their policy of peace with France (Clarke 1972, 38). He was suspected of trying to increase royal power and acting unconstitutionally, leading to accusations of tyranny, although it is only natural that Whigs and the excluded would respond in such a way after their years of prominence. His early proclamation of Britishness, while inclusive in spirit, rankled with sections of the majority English, as did his choice of the Scottish Bute, a Stuart, who was also reputedly the lover of the king’s mother and a Tory (Shapiro 1972, 32-33). His unpopularity may also have owed something to the king’s perceived dullness and ordinariness and a lack of ceremony and majesty to promote the royal image (Colley 2005, 202). For example, the royal couple were brought to their coronation in sedan chairs and Samuel Johnson comme nted that the crown was too often ‘worn out of sight of the people’ (Colley 2005, 203). In the 1770s and early 1780s, with Lord North as his minister, it was the loss of the American colonies and defeat by them that became a real public humiliation for George, as well as a political crisis (Cannon 2004). In 1775, John Wesley commented that most people ‘heartily despise his majesty, and hate him with a perfect hatred’ (quoted in Colley 2005, 208). Even so, public opinion on the war was ‘seriously fractured’ on both sides and Colley notes that the experience of this particular war, against a colony perceived as the mirror of Britain and without allies in Europe, ‘seems actually to have resolved some of the uncertainties and divisions of the 1760s and early 1770s’, although North was forced to resign in 1782 (Colley 2005, 137, 143). Indeed, North absorbed much of the responsibility and images of George himself tend to become more positive, often portraying him as St George, John Bull or later as the guardian of the nation (Colley 1984 , 102). This is especially the case following the king’s illness in 1788, which showed his vulnerability and aroused great pity (Colley 2005, 212). A more conscious fostering of royalism and its link with nationalism in second half of George’s reign inevitably casts a shadow back over his public perception in the first half. For example, the first royal jubilee was held on 25 Oct 1809 and celebrated around the empire as well as in 650 locations around England (Colley 2005, 218). While George’s famed domesticity may have been unexciting in a young king, his morality and example perhaps influenced the shifting virtues of the late eighteenth century towards an idea of the family and sensitivity and away from indecency, especially popular amongst the developing middle classes (Porter 1990, 305-307). There was also an increasing sentimental female attachment to royalty (Colley 2005, 218-19). Through his long life he became a symbol of continuity and stability in Britain against the anarchy that had overtaken much of Europe (Colley 2005, 223-24). Public ceremony and pomp also was taken more seriously with some 27,000 vol unteers displaying in Hyde Park in 1803 (Colley 2005, 225). Inevitably, the public perception of George III varied from person to person and it is imprudent to overgeneralise; there is evidence for both popularity and approval and their opposites and there is undoubtedly much that is partisan in popular publications (Colley 2005, 208, 228). However, the increasing popularity of George in the latter half of his reign does seem to highlight his more ambiguous public status in the first half, but should be taken in the context of increasing concern for fostering the royal image. Insofar as it is possible to gauge public perceptions, he was viewed in the first half of his reign with a mixture of optimism, suspicion, ridicule, love and hatred. He may have offended Wilkes, the Whigs and the old elite and seemed weak and under the control of his mother and Bute, but his loyalty to his country, delight in family, home and farm and sheer longevity eventually offered a unifying factor in a changing country and a changed world. Through the loss of Ameri ca, and his very public illness and confinement, George, rather than becoming less popular, could be seen to embody a more national feeling, and indeed this changing image, rather than power, of royalty has been developed by monarchs ever since. Thus Colley (2005, 401 n.28) observes that it was from the 1780s that there was a sustainable rise in his popularity and patriotic significance. Bibliography: Cannon, J. 2004. George III and History’s Poisoned Well. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/monarchs_leaders/george_iii_poisoned_well_01.shtml (22/10/5) Clarke, J. 1972. The Life and Times of George III. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. Colley, L. 1984. The Apotheosis of George III: Loyalty, Royalty and the British Nation 1760-1820. Past and Present 102 (February), 94-129. Colley, L. 2005. Britons: Forging the Nation 1707-1837. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Ditchfield, G.M. 2002. George III: An Essay in Monarchy. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Long, J.C. 1962. George III: A Biography. London: Macmillan. Picard, L. 2000. Dr Johnson’s London: Everyday Life in London 1740-1770. London: Phoenix. Porter, R. 1990. English Society in the Eighteenth Century. Revised edition. London: Penguin. Shapiro, H. 1972. John Wilkes and Parliament. London: Longman. GIS Basics: Spatial Data Structure and Module GIS Basics: Spatial Data Structure and Module GIS Basics: Spatial Data Structure and Module Introduction The forth chapter of the book, GIS Basics, deals with spatial data structures and models. The author organizes this chapter in a way that gives a breakdown of different elements that comprise the topic and creates the relationship between them, thus forming a background with which to understand the differences between data structures and models as well as their application in geography. The essence behind such elaborate explanations is to allow for entry and application of various data types and information into computer applications and programs that allow the utilization of the same in the form of useful information. Spatial data comprises data mostly applicable in the field of geography concerning physical elements and features from the earth and human interaction and relation to such features and structures. Data and information There exists several differences between data and information. The main difference between the two is that data serves as a source of information, but information does not necessarily entail data. The presumption in this statement is that data is an ingredient of information. Data undergoes processing to create a transformation that results in a form with more meaning to the recipient, especially in terms of understanding the various aspects that prove important in making a decision. The usefulness of data in creating useful information depends on the application of such information after the conversion process. In establishing the usefulness of information, several principles apply. These principles include relevance, reliability, timeliness, intelligibility, consistency, completeness, and convenience among others. The relevance of useful information depends on the intention of such information and the appropriate level of detail. Reliability means that the user of the information h as to ensure that it is accurate and it emanates from a verifiable source, which is often acquirable via independent means. The principle of timeliness requires information to remain useful depending on the purpose for the conversion of the data. The principle of consistency incorporates the need to check with other sources while convenience means that information should be easy to handle for the user and obtain protection form malware and unsupervised access. An information system changes data into information through various processes. The first process, viz. conversion, involves the transformation of data from one format, unit of measurement, or feature of classification to another in order to match the usage. Organization of data forms the second process, which often involves arrangement of data according to database management rules and procedure for easy access and use. Structuring means that data has to undergo formatting or reformatting so that it is acceptable to a certain software application. On the other hand, modeling involves the inclusion of spatial analysis and visualization of data so that it is useful to the user in terms of understanding and decision-making. Organization and structuring are elements of crucial importance to the proper functioning of information systems as their absence makes turning data to information impossible. Information organization The data perspective of information organization People understand information organization from four main perspectives, viz. data, relationship, operating system, and application architecture. In the data perspective, people consider the organization of data in terms of their descriptive and graphical elements. Therefore, the two elements possess distinctive features necessitating different storage requirements as well as storage options. A person thus needs to understand the correct sequence in which entities occur and build up until they eventually form a data file. A data item that falls under descriptive data is one of the most basic elements in the organization of information. It is the smallest unit of storage in a database and it goes by the term ‘stored field’ in the database terminology. It may appear in the form of a number, date, an expression, or character string. A group of related data items forms a record and often appears in the form of different characteristics pertaining to the same entity. A set of related record forms a data file. The element of relation often occurs in terms of different occurrences of the same type or class of entities, regardless of whether the said entities are people, things, events, or phenomena. A collection of data items of the same type and size goes by the term ‘array’ and it can occur either in one dimension or two. When the organization of data takes the form or arrangement of entries in rows and columns, the final product is a table, which often applies to relational databases. A list, on the other hand, is a finite sequence of data items and it may follow a specific arrangement or lack any sort of order. A tree constitutes yet another form of data arrangement that falls under relational data in which each data item has an attachment to one or more data items and often takes the shape of an inverted tree. The concept of a database is one that has developed due to the introduction of computers as media for data storage. Essentially, a database and a data file contain very similar information with slight differences. The main differences that set the two apart are the type of information and medium of storage they demand. A data file contains records with the same data type and format description. A database, on the other hand, contains a group of related records organized in one or more data files with similar or different data types or formats. The type of storage for a data file is flexible enough to be manual or digital while that of the database relies strictly on computers. These differences occur due to the capacity of a computer to process more information at a time than a person does, the ability to process different data files, create a relationship between them, and store the data files within the shortest time possible. The creation of data files often occurs manually, thus limiting the amount of processing that is applicable to a particular data type or format description at any one time. Secondly, the aim for data file processing usually touches on the creation of a particular solution and often stops after the establishment of the solution. Database processing often aims at a myriad of solutions for the different data files, the creation of relations between such data files and sometimes the formulation of predictable variables that aid organizations in the decision-making process. Thirdly, a database often complies with the central control of data in order to ease the redistribution of the same within different departments in an organization. Through computer networking, this characteristic ensures that different departments within an organization receive the same information, depending on the need for such information. Databases are classifiable into relational table like, network have pointers linking them to associated files, hierarchical data tree like relationship, and object-oriented data, which are associated with specific objects. Graphical data, which is the second organization of information in the data perspective, has its most basic element known as basic graphical element. There exist three basic graphical elements, viz. point, line, and polygon or area. These elements can be employed to represent geographical features as single entities or collectively to form complex geographical features. The use of these basic graphical elements to represent geographical data yields vector data. The vector data is conventionally organized into layers of related themes, which yield entities such as base maps, vegetation, soil, and political boundaries among many others. Several themes of vector data about a specific geographical region constitute the spatial component of a geographical database. This method of representation is based on the object view of the real world. Graphical data yielded by imaging devices gives another form of graphical data known as raster data. This form of data comes from the representation of geographical data in the form of picture elements (pixels). Thus, raster pixels capture a generalized representation of a given area. This form of data can also be arranged into themes, which eventually give information such as vegetation cover and land use among others. This method of representation is based on the field view of the real world. The relationship perspective of information organization Relationships are important in information organization and they can be either categorical or spatial based on what they describe. Categorical relationships are concerned with how individual features in a classification system are linked. Classification follows the concept of scales of measurement of which there are four distinct types, viz. the nominal scale (qualitative, non-ranking, non-numerical), ordinal scale (nominal, with ranking), interval scale (ordinal, with ranking, numerical values based on arbitrary data), and ratio scale (interval scale with numerical values based on absolute data). Categorical relationships that use measurement scales, which involve ranking, have their data sorted into varying levels of detail. At the highest level of classification, data is broadly classified, but this aspect changes down the classification hierarchy. Descriptive data follows this system of classification. On the other hand, spatial relationships are concerned with how different features in space are linked to one another. In graphical data, one can effortlessly make out spatial relationships, but transferring these graphical spatial relationships into a database remains a challenge. Implicitly capturing spatial relationships into databases is characterized by the need for large storage and slow data computation. Yet spatial relationships are very important in geographical data handling. Thus, the aim of information organization and data structure in this context is to establish ways of handling spatial relationships with the least possible storage or computation thresholds. Operating system perspective of information organization In this perspective, information is arranged in the form of directories, which are special computer files that arrange other files into a hierarchy. With reference to systems that employ graphical user interfaces, directories are also known as folders. Directories fall into different levels such as root directories (top most), sub-directory (under another), and parent directory (above another). Usually, files of similar characteristics are placed in one directory such that the path that leads to a file comprises the directory name and the file name. Geographical information systems borrow the same concept, but they refer to it as the workspace. This aspect implies that in geographical information system terms, a workspace is a directory that contains files relating to a given project. The application architecture perspective of information organization Today, computer software replicates a client/server system in their architecture. This system denotes a relationship among computers on telecommunication network, or several processes within a single computer. A client thus denotes a process that seeks services from one or many servers simultaneously. A server, on the other hand, is a process that provides the requested services to one or many computers at once. Information systems have many ways by which they can replicate the client/server. However, there are five commonly used ways, viz. database, file, web, groupware, and transaction servers. The aim of information organization from this perspective is to come up with means of easing the transfer of resources between clients and servers. This goal is achievable by ensuring that data is strategically placed at the appropriate location alongside similar data to ease access to the data. Data Fundamental concepts Data conventionally refers to facts. Some are meaningful the users while others are not. The data that users consider as important is protected in arrangements known as databases. Data can be spatial or non-spatial. Spatial data is concerned with location, orientation, size, and shape. The relationship between these elements leads to spatial relationships, which is typical of spatial data. Non-spatial data, on the other hand, is conventionally linear and autonomous. The difference between spatial and non-spatial data is so pronounced that their storage and management differs. The complex nature of spatial data and its numerous relationships necessitated the development of databases. Databases underscore the information itself, not the storage medium that holds the information. GIS is in a position to be developed and managed due to databases for they form the building blocks for GIS. This aspect is made possible by the concept of database management systems (DBMS). A larger system of information organization and management is the repository. A repository is an arrangement developed with the aim of storing and protecting data. It could consist of several databases, which possibly contain related information or sometimes the databases can be completely unrelated. A repository is developed such that it supports the addition, retrieval, and deletion of the information contained therein. Some allow the changing or updating of data. Repositories are comparable to bank vaults since their primary purpose is to protect their content from theft or destruction. Repositories are known for two key features, viz. security and robustness. Mostly, there is a need for a password in order to access the contents of a repository. The robustness feature also ensures that accidental destruction of data in a repository is minimized. This goal is achieved through the transactional mechanism, whereby a series of database manipulations are designed such that incase of a ny interruption, the database restores itself to the pre-transactional state. Database management systems (DBMS) This system is a type of repository, which allows for the manipulation of a database and whose user interface allows for the administration of the database. A phonebook is the best example of a DBMS. While a repository was likened to a bank vault, a DBMS can be liked to a full-fledged bank with all its services. Thus, they provide comprehensive database manipulation functionalities. Discussion Points The distinction between data and information evades many people. They often find themselves using these two terms interchangeably, that is, one in place of the other. However, it is apparent that the two terms denote very distinct concepts such that using one instead of the other is incorrect and misleading. In the light of this observation, what are the fundamental elements of information that clearly set it apart from data? In highlighting these elements, it is necessary to outline the relationship between the two concepts as well. The advent of computers has revolutionized every field of study including geography. It is now easier to manage data, files and databases because of the improved functionality provided by computer applications that have been developed to enhance these functionalities. In the field of geography, this improvement can be seen in the development of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). With this development in mind, what are the key additions that computers have brought to the field of geography, without which, they would be considered inconsequential to this field? In the current age, information access, sharing and transfer has become easy due technological advancement. This has led to this age being termed as the information explosion age. Thus, the development of information organization systems can be seen as an attempt at making meaningful use of the information at the disposal of humanity. The three information organization perspectives discussed in this chapter all have some relevance to geography. In your assessment, is there a particular information organization perspective that can be considered more appropriate to the field of geography? What evidence supports your answer? Balanced Scorecard Case Study: Tesco Balanced Scorecard Case Study: Tesco Competitive Environment of Tesco Tesco is the largest food retailer in the UK and one of the leading grocery retailers in the world. It supplies 30% of the food purchases made in the UK. More than 550,000 employees service the companys customers in nearly 5,000 locations spread across 14 countries in Europe, Asia and North America (Tesco plc, 2010, p 1-3). The companys operations in the British retailing space, coupled with its steady overseas expansion, have opened it to numerous competitive challenges and threats. In the UK, the company faces strong and increasing competition from its heavyweight rivals like ASDA-Walmart, Sainsburys and Morrison (Finch Wood, 2010, p 1-2). Each of these organisations is constantly trying to improve its market share through various customer focused and efficiency oriented strategies (Finch Wood, 2010, p 1-2). Whilst Tesco continues to lead in market share, sales and profitability in the UK, it remains under constant competitive pressure and any strategic or market place error could have adverse results (Finch Wood, 2010, p 1-2). The economic environment in the UK is possibly going through its worst turmoil since the 1980s. Increasing unemployment, thousands of job losses and a very slowly reviving economy have dampened the enthusiasm of supermarket shoppers and created difficult market conditions fo r market participants (Kollewe, 2010, p 1-2). Sharp reduction in government spending, the proposed elimination of thousands of public sector jobs by the present coalition government and the three-fold increase in academic fees have already led to widespread protests and are expected to affect the economic climate further (ABC Inc, 2010, p 1). Whilst the company is steadily increasing its global footprint, the UK continues to be its overwhelmingly large market and accounts for practically 67 % of its total sales and 71 % of its profits (Tesco plc, 2010, p 1-3). The economic and social turmoil in the country, along with increased competitive pressure from its main competitors will certainly intensify environmental and competitive challenges for the company intense in the coming years (Tesco plc, 2010, p 1-3). Tesco has in recent years been working at steadily expanding its global operations. Its global presence is however less than that of Walmart, Carrefour and Metro and its position in the global retail market, whilst strong and increasing, do not mirror its dominant position in the United Kingdom and it is the grocery leader in only two overseas markets, Malaysia and Thailand (Finch Wood, 2010, p 1-2). Tesco, like other major firms expanding strongly into international markets often faces different and difficult environmental and competitive conditions in its various operational regions. Much of the competition in its overseas markets comes from numerous local competitors who not only operate with far lesser overheads but also understand local tastes and preferences much better. Tesco is combating competition in its overseas markets and trying to establish its presence with the help of well established local firms and different store formats (Tesco plc, 2010, p 1-3). However the globa l experiences of various supermarket majors like Walmart and Carrefour reveal that global expansion is not easy and significant market failures can occur from incomplete understanding of market requirements and choice of market strategies (Sarkar, 2009, p 1-3). Tescos Corporate and Marketing Strategy Tescos rapid growth in recent decades has been driven by its carefully planned and sustained customer focused strategy. The company is possibly the only retailer to appeal to different market segments, upmarket, midrange and low price. It constantly focuses on improvement of customer value and services with focused action in areas like supply chain management, pricing, quality, product range and in-store as well as on-line customer convenience. The company initiated a major strategic change in the mid 1990s with the adoption and customisation of the balanced scorecard approach, soon after it was first advanced by Robert Kaplan and David Norton. Balanced Scorecard Approach The balanced scorecard approach was developed by Kaplan and Norton to provide businesses with a holistic tool for performance measurement in different critical areas of business firms. Whilst much of performance measurement in the past focused on the financial aspects of the business, the balanced scorecard approached performance measurement from four viewpoints, namely the financial perspective, the customer perspective , the business process perspective and the learning and growth perspective (Kaplan Norton, 1996, p 7-13). The balanced score card whilst originally constructed for measurement of performance is now used for formulation and implementation of strategy by business firms. Organisations adopting the balanced scorecard set objectives in each of these areas and thereafter formulate targets and initiatives for meeting such objectives, as well as measures to assess actual progress in meeting them (Kaplan Norton, 1996, p 7-13). Its use enables firms to clarify strategy in terms of the different dimensions outlined by the balanced scorecard tool, communicate strategic objectives in different areas, plan set targets and align strategic initiatives, and implement systems for achievement of feedback and engagement of double loop learning (Kaplan Norton, 1996, p 7-13). Adoption of Balanced Scorecard by Tesco Tesco adopted the balanced scorecard method in the mid 1990s to drive its strategy and operations. Tescos adoption of the balanced scorecard method led to the development of the famous Tesco Steering Wheel, which was originally divided into four quadrants, namely Customers, People, Operations and Financials (Kaplan, 2008, p 1-2). The Tesco Steering Wheel (TSW) originates from the companys core purpose and long term objective, namely the creation of value for customers in order to earn their constant loyalty. The company added a fifth dimension to the TSW in 2007, namely community, in order to encourage employees to become excellent citizens and improve their communities. A diagram of the new Tesco Steering Wheel with five quadrants is provided as under (Kaplan, 2008, p 1-2). (Source: Kaplan, 2008, p 1) Tescos steering wheel helps in ensuring that its 550,000 employees in multiple countries work towards delivering distinctive and unswerving buying experiences to consumers in each and every store. The concept of the TSW came about from the adoption of the balanced scorecard in the early 1990s when Tesco engaged in a process to elucidate its mission and strategy to ensure the realization of this objective. Tesco, (in the words of Sir Terry Leahy, CEO) doesnt want one leader. We want thousands of leaders who take initiative to execute the strategy. (Kaplan, 2008, p 1) Tesco used the steering wheel, a clear symbol for a tool to drive performance and assist employees find the way into the future, to communicate to its employees. The original TSW has had four equal arcs, representing the four areas of balance scorecard focus, namely financials, customers, operations, and employees. The company added another dimension, community, to the TSW in 2004 to encourage and support workers to participate in and help the communities where they work and live (Tesco plc, 2010, p 1-3). Tescos steering wheel is not easy to implement. Extensive efforts are required by way of consumer research, collection of data, and analytics to ensure that objectives and metrics continue to remain appropriate, even as consumer tastes and preferences change and competition intensifies (Kaplan, 2008, p 1-2). All Tesco stores get monthly updates on the steering wheel, summaries of metrics of the five arcs four arcs, so that Tesco employees in different regions and multiple formats get appropriate performance feedback. Tesco adds to the effectiveness of its steering wheel report with small lists that explain important strategic key elements simply so that employees can pursue in their routine functions. The TSW has assisted the company in focusing on its strategy during its rapid growth in the 1990s and the 2000s (Kaplan, 2008, p 1-2). Tescos Strategic Map in the Coming Years Tesco has an established and steady growth strategy that is based upon broadening business scope in order to achieve sustainable long-term growth by pursuing customers into large and growing markets at home and new markets overseas (Kaplan, 2008, p 1-2). The companys growth strategy has five main components, namely (a) to achieve success in international retailing, (b) to increase the core UK business, (c) to achieve equal strength in non-food businesses, (d) develop retailing services and (e) place the community at the centre of all operations. Tescos business strategy has been based on diversification during the last decade and the company intense to strengthen its various businesses across multiple countries and formats during the next two years (Kaplan, 2008, p 1-2). The companys strategic objectives for the coming two years are indicated in the BSC chart provided below. These objectives have been based essentially on increasing and maintaining the important thrust areas of the company. Financials Improve group sales by more than 10% Reduce start-up losses in the US and make US operations profitable Improve international sales by more than 25% Improve return on capital employee to 15% Improve UK market share by 1% Customers Focus on customers having to spend less in the UK Gove customers health choices Improve customer choice Improve range of clothing Improve range and quality of general merchandise Increase product range of Tesco bank Make FF a global fashion brand Processes Improve health and safety processes Improve capabilities of people Improve processes for product safety Improve controls for fraud and compliance People Create 20,000 new jobs each year Reward our employees for their work and support their development Develop leaders with greater intensity Improve the effectiveness of whistle blowing policy Improve diversity and inclusivity Improve employee retention to 95% Apart from the above quadrant, Tesco also has the following strategic objectives in Community Care. Tesco has undertaken numerous initiatives in labeling of products, reduction of carbon footprint, diverting store waste directly to landfill and reduction of carbon emission from stores and distribution centers. The strategic objectives for the next two years in this area have been formed on the basis of Tescos commitment in specific areas of community care. Reduce carbon emission from stores and distribution centers by 10% each year. Support causes in local communities. By and sell products responsive.

Blindfold :: essays research papers

â€Å"Blindfold† by Diane Hoh   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The title of this book is called Blindfold and it is called that because at the end of the story before this girl is going to be killed the other girl blindfolds her. The author is Diane Hoh and there isn’t really any fact at all in this book about the author. The setting takes place in a small community, everybody knows everybody in this town. I think the theme of this book is to never trust anyone even if you think that they are your really good friends. The protagonist in this story is Maggie Keehe. The antagonist is lane the girl who is going on a killing spree and her next victim was Maggie. The character I most like is Maggie for one she is the main character. I didn’t really dislike any of the characters in this book. And no I really don’t agree with what some of the choices the characters make. For one Lane is killing a lot of people because she don’t like them. I would have not killed anyone in the first place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The plot and summary of this story is Maggie lives in Felicity Ohio. They tell about the old courthouse and how the whole town is trying to work together to fix up the old courthouse. The courthouse had been in that town for many generations. To make a long story short there is a girl in town and she killed another girl with an iron. The police came after the boyfriend & arrested him. He had to be in jail for at least four years. The police didn’t take the case any further. The guy that was arrested and convicted supposedly tried to escape from his cell. His name was Dante Guandino. He never really tried to escape from his cell because later on in the book the kids are going over the courthouse and stubble over his body (it was decomposed) before any of this some one had tried to kill Maggie because she was at a cook out, and someone tried to blow up the building she as working in. She was hurt with minor injuries. Then the accident in the urbanely where so me one was pushing her ladder back and fourth and trying to hit her hand, then she falls through the floor on the cellar and discovers the decomposed body of Dante Guandino.

How To Create Edits

DATA†, when the edit is loaded onto the machine, he edit will appear With the title â€Å"Liverwurst†. The second method involves using Symphony which allows you convert a Stephanie simile (. Sir file) into the DATA format generated by Kinsman's online Step Editor. Stephanie is generally seen as having a better user interface and testing environment for creating edit data than Kinsman's online editor. Symphony also allows you to convert songs that the Sonoma Step Editor does not support, including older songs from past mixes and DIR XX songs. First, you must download the latest version of Symphony at http://sites. Goose. Mom/site/dairymaid/Symphony. Zip . Extract the files into a folder on your computer. Launch the program. You may receive an error that an Internet connection is needed to use Symphony. Symphony works by simulating the Sonoma Step Editor by sending the website the step data needed to generate an edit file, but it will replace the appropriate music id so t hat the file generated works for the song you choose. Because of the is, an internet connection is needed. The first step is to find the simile of the song you want to convert. Typically, Stephanie songs are found in If electroplatesSongs or Files(ex.)StephanieSongs (for Vista/7).Select the . SMS file and the title of the song will be displayed in the textbook below it. Below this is a list of songs from the master id list that might possibly represent the song you chose. Sometimes the title of your . SMS file may not match what is found in the master id list. Try editing the title of the song so that the list of songs eventually shows you the song you are converting. An example is when you edit â€Å"Healing Vision(Angelic Mix)†, the master id list has it titled â€Å"Healing Vision -Angelic Mix-â€Å". Modifying the textbook to â€Å"Healing Vision† will show several songs with the name, including â€Å"HealingVision -Angelic Mix-â€Å". Select that song as the o ne you are converting. Once you have selected the song, select the style of play you are converting (single, double or couple). The difficulty below it indicates which chart from the . SMS file you are converting over. This might be a â€Å"Challenge† chart or â€Å"Edit† chart. If there are multiple Edit charts in your . SMS file, only the first one can be read. On the right Of Symphony's screen are options for the edit data produced. The region is for the region your playing in (North America or Europe). The Difficulty indicates what the chart will show up as in DIR X/XX.Remember, some songs in XX will play a Chinese version if the Challenge chart is selected, so if your edit indicates it is a Challenge chart and the song has a Chinese version, the Chinese version will play for your edit. The rating is the number of â€Å"feet† the song is rated. The comments are generic comments you can give your edit that show up in the game. The edits name is the name of yo ur edit (limited to 8 characters). Finally, the Measure offset is used for cases where your . SMS file's first beat isn't on the same measure as the official data's first beat. An example is the song Red Zone.In the official data, the first beat is found on the 5th measure, but in the . Sir file found on genius-I-banisher's website, the first beat starts on the 6th measure. Because of this, the offset must be set to -1 , which indicates the first beat will be moved backwards one measure. For songs in which a known offset is needed, Symphony will have the offset already programmed in. As more songs are discovered to need an offset, Symphony will be updated to reflect what those offsets are. When you have set all of your options, click â€Å"Generate . DATA†. After several seconds, a Save File Dialog should display, allowing you to save your enervated .DATA file to your computer. After you have generated all of your edits, you must combine the edits into a â€Å"zip† fil e. Windows has a built in Zip program, but other alternatives are zip and Winner. You can include up to 30 edits in one zip file. Once you have done this, you must visit Kinsman's library manager at http://direct. Contamination. Com/address/library_manager/ index. PH. Here you will select what region you are in and select the zip file you just created and click â€Å"Save†. A file will be returned to you titled DIR EDIT U. DATA. The . DATA generated this time MUST be named or (for Europe).This file must be saved to a folder â€Å"DIR_EDIT' at the root level of your USB drive. Once this is done, you may use the thumb drive to play your edits on a DIR X or XX machine! Troubleshooting put the -SMS files onto my thumb drive and the game didn't recognize them. DIR X/XX does not recognize the . SMS format, this is why the program Symphony is needed. Symphony converts the . SMS format to a format readable by DIR X/ put the -DATA files in DIR EDIT and the game did not recognize them . This is because the game does not recognized individual . DATA file. The game requires that all edits are compiled into a single .DATA file called for Europe). This is what the Library Manager found on Kinsman's website (see above) is used for. 3. My edit seems off, how do I sync it? Edits do not contain any syncing data, only step placement and note types. If the step data seems to be a measure or more early or late, use the Measure offset feature to adjust the data so that it lines up with the game's music. If the song's official data is off sync, your edit data will be off sync as well. 4. My edit has blank measures, what gives? Edit data only supports 4th, 8th, 1 oh and 12th notes. This, 32nd and this are not supported.Also, because of the limited format, 12th notes can only exist inside a single quarter note range. Any quarter note section that contains this and any other note (ethos, this, etc) will be blank. 5. What about hands? The game supports hands if they are part of a freeze, but hands as a set of notes pressed on the same beat are not supported by the game. 6. Some of my freezes are being combined into a long freeze, what gives? If freeze arrows of the same direction are only separated by a 16th note, the game will combine these into a single freeze arrow. This is a bug that's present in edit mode in all DIR versions.

herbicideTolerant Crops essays

herbicideTolerant Crops essays Crop management is a vigorous activity that changes as technologies are developed. Now that were in the new millennium, we are finding new and enhanced ways to improve things that effect us in our everyday lives like, industrial pollution, car pollution, waste management, and also the advancement in herbicide-tolerant crops. Much advancement have been taking place to make our crops better and safer to eat without damaging crops from herbicides, a chemical that destroys grass and weeds. This technology has opened a door in the genetic planting of crops all over the U.S. Companies are creating new ways to grow crops without the weeds that seem to be carrying chemicals that are affecting crops like, corn, potatoes, and soybeans. There is controversy with genetically altered foods due to the low percentage of facts and a lot of risks that go along with this process of this engineering. Over the past five years scientists have been trying to genetically modify foods, and crops by removing and adding certain genes. This process gives them a greater shelf life and keeps the vegetables from bruising when in transit, according to GM's proposal on the Internet. They also inform that the crops are less likely to loose their color and more importantly, retain more of their nutrients. In my opinion this gives the consumer a better product and reduces the amount of waste for the producers and retailers. Another benefit mentioned was that it is good for the consumers who need proteins, which are vital for their diets. GM states, "Proteins vital to our diets can be added to foods which don't ordinarily contain them, which is important for people lacking them." This advancement seems to have others interested as well, even doctors. Experimenting with DNA, genes, and cells helps research human DNA and ultimately, the cures for disease. In Texas, scientists have found a ch ...

What Is NCAA Division 2

What Is NCAA Division 2 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The NCAA, the major governing body for intercollegiate sports, separates its member institutions by divisions. Division 2 colleges are generally smaller and have fewer athletic department resources than Division 1 schools, but Division 2 colleges are larger and more well-funded than Division 3 institutions. While Division 2 schools may not have the money or get the publicity of Division 1 institutions, many Division 2 colleges have passionate fan bases that show enthusiastic support for their sports teams. In this article, I’ll thoroughly explain what makes NCAA Division 2 unique and provide facts about NCAA Division 2 and its member schools. What Is the NCAA? The National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, is the major governing body for intercollegiate sports. There is a much smaller governing body for intercollegiate sports with far fewer member institutions known as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or NAIA. Also, the governing body for sports at 2-year colleges is the National Junior College Athletics Association, or NJCAA. The role of the NCAA is to oversee championships and establish and enforce rules for its member institutions. Why Are There NCAA Divisions? The purpose of NCAA divisions is to create parity and a more level playing field in intercollegiate sports. Also, the existence of NCAA divisions gives smaller schools with fewer resources the opportunity to compete for championships. What Makes Division 2Unique? There are about 300 schools and over 100,000 students who participate on Division II sports teams. On average, Division II schools are substantially smaller than Division I schools and have lower athletic budgets. Regional rivalries dominate the schedules of Division II colleges, whereas Division I schools tend to compete more nationally. Division II schools offer athletic scholarships, but fewer than in Division I. Division III schools don't offer any athletic scholarships. The majority of athletes on athletic aid at D-II institutions are on partial athletic scholarships. Division 2Rules The NCAA sets rules for Division II schools to ensure competitive balance, opportunities for all athletes, and gender equity. Division II colleges have to sponsor at least 5 sports for men and five for women (or four for men and six for women), with two team sports for each gender, and each playing season represented by each gender. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport. Football and men’s and women’s basketball must play at least 50% of their games against Division II, FBS, or FCS opponents. There are no attendance requirements for football or arena game requirements for basketball. There are maximum financial aid awards for each sport. Types of Schools in Division2 There are Division II schools in 44 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and British Columbia. There are both public and private colleges in Division II. Examples of Division II private schools include Azusa Pacific University, Rollins College, and Pace University. Examples of Division II public schools include San Francisco State University, University of North Georgia, and Upper Iowa University. Division II Facts Division II has 6 schools with enrollments over 15,000 and 133 schools with enrollments below 2,500. Average enrollment is 3,848. There are 24 athletic conferences in Division II. There is an average of 429 student-athletes at Division II schools with football and 267 at schools without football. All Division II championship finals are broadcast live on national television or live-streamed on NCAA.com. Division II student-athletes consistently graduate at a higher rate than other students at Division II institutions. What's Next? Learn more about the differences between NCAA divisions. If you're interested in participating in college sports, make sure you know about the college athletic recruiting process. For those of you who want to compete in the NCAA, check out the articles on the SAT and ACT scores you need to be eligible. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Key Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Key Skills - Essay Example In line with this, businesses identify the essential role that technology plays to connect the business with the world and help the business network with its customers through platforms that technology provides. Technology helps a business organization integrate systems that enhanced operations in a business (Baskerville 317). In this regard, businesses are able to upgrade, replace, and add new technology that support  systems that help a business carry out its operations in a manner that promoted effectiveness and efficiency in business. While technology appreciation skills are  fundamental  in managing successful businesses, it is important to ensure that business executives developed these skills in an attempt to remain competitive in the contemporary society. For instance, it is evident that the world witnesses a situation whereby new technological innovations are the order of the day with systems continually changing every day. In effect, it is important for business execu tives with technology appreciation skills to understand the changes in technology and adopt the new technology in order to ensure that their business organizations incorporated new systems that were efficient. ... In this case, numeracy skills are a  crucial aspect of business since mathematical concepts are applicable in practical situations that help an individual to develop estimates in business that enhance the business’ ability to make profits. On the other hand, problem solving skills are essential in enhancing the ability of business people to think critically and analyze situations while providing their solutions (Velde 69). In line with this, it is essential to point out that problem solving numeracy skills in business are essential in carrying out an analysis of business estimates that affect the performance of a business and develop solutions based on the analysis. In addition, these skills are crucial in business forecasting since they help a business executive to interpret graphs, charts, and data that help a business make projections that affect their business (Velde 69). Business forecasting is important in decision-making. Business executives develop problem solving nu meracy skills that help them to  think critically, to  analyze  challenging situations  in  a business, and make decisions based on critical thinking and effective analysis. Problem solving numeracy skills require  to be developed in order to increase a business executive’s competency. In this case, it is important for business executives to  engage their brains  continually  by using mathematical ideas and techniques in order to develop their skills. In addition, working together in teams helps an individual gain concepts and skills from other members of staff in order to ensure that they developed their skills. In a knowledge-based economy, business executives should focus on learning skills and acquiring knowledge that focused on analyzing business

The relationship between theory and practice in a documentary Essay

The relationship between theory and practice in a documentary - Essay Example The concept of horror movies is definitely mysterious but in reality a phobia for ghostly matter does operates. But a documentary is more realistic in approach and there is no willing suspension of disbelieve on the part of  audiences and spectators. It provides an opportunity to peep into the lives of the others and witness their dilemmas and problems from a sociological perspective. The lives of the characters depicted in a documented film are more realistic and they belong to the same historical period of the audiences. However, it is ‘not a reproduction of reality, it is a representation of the world we already occupy’ (Nichols, 2001, p20). The subject matter of documentaries generally focuses on the social, political, economic, educational or environmental issues. In this respect, the documentary- ‘Panorama: British Schools, Islamic Rules’ has succeeded in exploring the rapid growth of new private schools in Britain influenced by the teachings of the extremists  and fundamental groups, It is a documentary to investigate into the act of segregation conducted by the one faith school.  Ã‚   The documentary begins with an investigating spirit. It states in the introductory scene that over 95 percent of the schools in Britain favor communal harmony but there has been noticed the small but rapid growth of private schools ad Muslim state schools. John ware is the reporter for this documentary and aims to find out whether these schools are encouraging acts of segregation or not. In a documentary those issues are brought into notice that is ‘subject to debate’ (Nichols, 2001, p 49). The first Muslim school established in Britain is the Al-Furqan Primary School but it prepares it students to be tolerant towards other religions and faiths. It is evident from the keeping of various idols, beads etc of different faiths in the