The Basketball Association And The Nba - 1635 Words

The National Basketball Association, or the NBA, is a men’s professional basketball league in the USA. The National Basketball Association was born in 1949 after the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League merged as one. Maurice Podoloff was elected head of the new league that consisted of seventeen teams which came from cities and towns all across the country. The NBA did not have a great start with its teams dwindling to only eight teams in the 1950s. At this point, the league transformed the game with the addition of the shot clock. The shot clock in the NBA is 24 seconds, meaning the offensive team has 24 seconds from the time they inbound the ball until the ball hits the rim on their side of the court. This addition increased the pace of the game and made it more fun for fans to watch. Their transformation worked, and the league returned to a financially stable one in the 1960/70s. Today, the NBA has millions of fans from all walks of life, all over the world. The league now consists of 30 teams from various states in North America as well as one team from Canada. The teams are divided into two conferences and then three divisions of five teams each. To play the sport of basketball there are players; five on the court at a time, coaches, a basketball, two hoops, high-top shoes to protect player’s ankles, and a court with specific lines painted out to represent boundaries. As a league, the NBA makes roughly 5.18 billion dollarsShow MoreRelatedBasketball Association And The Nba1409 Words   |  6 Pages What makes the NBA (National Basketball Association) and the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) popular among their fan base? The NBA and the WNBA, feature men, as well as women’s professional basketball, therefore drawing the attention of twice as many fans. Each league plays the same sport, but contains a separate set of rules for each which causes different paced games. Both the National Basketball Association and the Women’s Basketball Association help promote each other’s businessRead MoreThe National Basketball Association ( Nba )760 Words   |  4 Pagesexposing diverse population playing its sport is the National Basketball Association (NBA). The sports league that I feel does the worst job of exposing diverse populations to playing its sport is the National Hockey League (NHL). The NBA consists of a variety of people from different cultures and ethnical backgrounds that play the game. Many great NBA players have come from different c ultures and had a great career playing basketball for the NBA such as Pau Gasol who is from Spain, Manu Ginobili who isRead MoreThe National Basketball Association ( Nba )2016 Words   |  9 PagesNational Basketball Association (NBA) was founded on June 6, 1949 in New York City and has exploded today to become one of the most popular professional sports leagues in the world, next to the National Football League(NFL). There are a total of 30 teams in the NBA, each worth about $1.25 billion, making the whole league worth about $37.5 billion. The mastermind behind the NBA’s huge profits are the white collared team owners who watch over the respected team franchises for years. In the past, NBA teamRead MoreThe National Basketball Association ( Nba )1993 Words   |  8 PagesThe National Basketball Association (NBA) is currently struggling with a widespread epidemic known as tanking. Tanking, for the sake of this paper, is a, â€Å"team s intent to do less than everything it can to win.† Teams are motivated to tank because of a system known as the NBA Draft lottery, which assigns the worst NBA teams with the best odds of winning one of the three top picks in the NBA Draft (where teams are able to select from a talent pool of amateur or previously unassociated athletes)Read MoreThe National Basketball Association ( Nba )2269 Words   |  10 Pagesconsistent annual rate of 3 % and the minimum of 23.5 billion dollars in revenue generated every year since 2010, it is safe to say that America loves its sports. The four most popular major professional sport leagues known as, the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), and also Major League Baseball (MLB), are responsible for most of this revenue generated on the annual basis. With carefully planned out season schedules that work around eachRead MoreNba vs Wnba1115 Words   |  5 PagesNBA vs WNBA Victor Zuniga Composition and Communication I June 30, 2013 Abstract We are going to talk about the differences about the National Basketball Association and the Woman National Basketball Association. Because right now the popularity on the WNBA is known than the NBA, mainly because of the excitement of the NBA brings to the fans is a lot more entertaining than the WNBA, obviously because in the NBA have more money to pay their players and to have nice venue. An interviewRead MoreComparing Basketball And The Basketball Association826 Words   |  4 PagesWNBA vs. NBA Basketball is one of the most popular sports played and watched nationwide and global. Shooting, dribbling, crossing someone up, and even dunking has caught the eye of many people around the world. Many basketball players start at young age playing at a local recreation or YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) to build their skills and IQ of the game. This sport also consists of two genders: male and female. One of the top associations in American sports today is The National BasketballRead MoreBASKETBALL (Wee chuan): Introduction Played indoors/outdoors by two opposing teams of five900 Words   |  4 Pages BASKETBALL (Wee chuan): Introduction Played indoors/outdoors by two opposing teams of five players each.Basketball was created in 1891 by Dr. James naismith.The space is a rectangular, indoor court. Today basketball is the most popular sports in United States and Europe. To win the game, the team must throw a 30-inch ball through a 60-inch hoop more times than your opponent does. Basketball focuses on dribbling, passing, rebounding, shooting. It consist of four basic passes, chest pass, two-handRead MoreThe Fair Labor Standards Act923 Words   |  4 Pageshours worked. The military requires a minimum age of 17 with parents consent to join. Wow a 17 year old can be allowed to carry and M16 A4 rifle and fight for his/her country. But the National Basketball Association wants to up the age to 20 years old. Adam Silver is the National Basketball Association commissioner and he is wanting to raise the age that player can enter the league from 19 to 20. Doing so would stop many college players from leaving school after one year. He has been quoted asRead MoreTaking a Look at Basketball1299 Words   |  5 Pages Basketball is a sport played worldwide of people of all ages. The game was originally invented by James Naismith, a physical education teacher of what is now known as Springfield College. The game was first created to occupy athletes at a small Northeast school. Now it is played all around the world. In this essay, the history, equipment, leaders, and rules of the game will be explained. When basketball was invented, James Naismith’s boss was Mr. Luther Gulick, chairman

Analysis Of Antoinette Cosways Defiant Journey In Wide...

The Importance of Self-Truth and Active Protest: Analysis on Antoinette Cosway’s Defiant Journey in Wide Sargasso Sea Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys calls forth ideas of feminism and self-worth in the fight against colonization during the 19th century. Antoinette Cosway lived in Jamaica her entire life, and yet, as a white woman, remains alienated from her neighbors throughout the novel. Just a few short years after the Emancipation Act, her family is still greatly suffering from the loss of slave labor and receiving the backlash due to their ties to the slave business. Antoinette is placed into an uncomfortable situation; she is torn between her past life as a slave owning Jamaican and her position as a member of the newly restructured†¦show more content†¦In a fit of rage and curiosity, Rochester angers Antoinette with unkind words about her mother and cruel accusations of madness within her. After realizing that Antoinette was close to opening up in an emotional, messy way, Rochester attempts to push the conversation to another, more reasonable time. Antoinette responds with passion of h er own: â€Å"‘You have no right,’ she said fiercely. ‘You have no right to ask questions about my mother and then refuse to listen to my answer’† (Rhys 117). With her fierce and aggressive words, Rochester eventually succumbs and listens to Antoinette’s truth about her mother’s life. Rhys portrays a defiance to the early and perpetual idea of women being regarded as a lesser sex and having a more passive, emotional, and second-class lifestyles in their relationships. This is greatly seen in Antoinette’s interactions with Rochester. Antoinette’s ability to attack Rochester’s oppressive nature with such forceful language not traditionally seen in women of her time shows her resistance to a submissive, lonely life typical for her gender. In an interest to preserve their futures and relationships with their husbands, most women would stand back and take whatever blows came their way, but Antoinette stand aside. Antoine tte’s direct opposition, specifically when she says â€Å"you have no right to ask questions†¦ and then refuse to listen to my answer† shows how she fought back against Rochester’s dominance. Antoinette’s

On Hacienda Luisita Essay Example For Students

On Hacienda Luisita Essay The world has offered a lot of things to explore. Human easily give in with some of those, it may be of the same field but to others, not. But what would set the line among you and the others? The endeavor you choose reflects the values you have. I’ve been eager to know almost about everything I opt to have interest with—life out of school, unfamiliar sports, or simply not just anyone will notice. I want to be unique yet extraordinary and more of a live wire than a sluggish doomsayer. With this, I have exposed myself to reality. One of this is how I gain concern on a national issue. After watching Sa Ngalan ng Tubo documentary film when I was a freshman, I started dreaming of going to Hacienda Luisita. I want to see the exact location where farmers of that hacienda shed blood and life and to know firsthand what is the current situation there. After two years, I was given the opportunity to do that so, without a second thought I confirmed my attendance. But before I continue, let me give you a brief background of Hacienda Luisita 25 years back. In 1985, the Manila RTC made a decision to order the the Cojuangcos to transfer control of Hacienda Luisita to the Ministry of Agrarian Reform, which will distribute the land to small farmers after compensating the landowners P3. 988 million. 1988, Court dismissed civil case against the Cojuancos relating to Luisita since President Aquino declared that agrarian reform covers sugar lands. Enactment of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law provides stock transfer scheme as an alternative to actual land distribution. May 1989, the Stock Distribution Option agreement was signed by the TADECO, HLI and the farmers. Within 1995 and 1996, about 50% of the 6453-hectare hacienda undergone land conversion use, from agricultural to commercial, industrial and residential purposes. In 2003, Supervisors of the Hacienda Luisita filed a petition before DAR to revoke SDO since the farmers were not given their benefits. November 16, 2004, 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when the farmers were rejoicing thinking that they already overcame the military forces in the gate in front of their picket line, bullets downpour the area. The farmers were surprised when the Cojuangcos army started shooting everywhere. Seven were killed and more than 200 were injured and were shot. From then on, Hacienda Luisita gained more attention and public awareness and it did not end there, more assassinations followed. Instead of discouraging them, it even ignited the spirits of not only those who live there but also those who value â€Å"human life† and justice. Incessant flame Farmers of the hacienda continue fighting for their right to own the land they, their fathers and grandfathers have tilled, nourished and lived for. It has been more than five years and no concrete actions to implement genuine agrarian reform. The government is protecting interest of the few, the interest of the lardlords and large business industries. They say this is for the own good of our country but what We came to the hacienda the night before the commemoration of the massacre. I thought our overnight stay there would be like a sleep over a friend’s house—safe and sound, but then, it felt like it could be the last day of my life, threatened by armed people roving around. Nov. 15, about 9 in the evening, a group of students from NCR were harassed by â€Å"policemen† who were in full-combat gear. They approached the students and said that they were there to interview some people. Why should those policemen have to be in a full-combat gear, ride in a vehicle with no plate number and go around the area? I’m not familiar with the place yet but it was absurd. Until now, the military hunts and strives to all the resisting forces against the injustice in HLI. It even comes to the point of not only the farmers but also to simple students. As visitors, we were forbidden to go out of the house and to talk loudly. Over the night, we had conversations with the youth and farmers in the area, face-to-face. The youth there do not focus only on their local issues but lso reach out to help other communities in every ways. Farmers still hope to have possession, in their own hands, the land where their shed blood. The first-hand encounter with them felt different, unbelievable. I already heard many stories about the issue and hearing it from them with my own ears was astounding and an honor. After a quite anxious almost sleepless night, we prepared to leave the house an d gather to the actual place of the massacre. A short program was in front of the Gate 1 of Azucarera de Tarlac. There, I noticed a board with words â€Å"SAFETY STARTS HERE†. It starts where? .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 , .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .postImageUrl , .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 , .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628:hover , .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628:visited , .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628:active { border:0!important; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628:active , .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628 .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u88461059b61b8ee4aa7ea3f4e7431628:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Hate Crime Laws EssayAfter entering the gate of the sugar factory? Huh? It’s just so ironic that the hacienda administration placed that in the very gate where the military tanks positioned and fired up farmers five years ago. Ablaze November 16, 2009, 1pm, the caravan with 100 vehicles which gathered in NCR arrived in the Hacienda. We met them through a mobilization of more than 2,000 people towards the entrance of the Hacienda Luisita to have a program on the commemoration of the 5th anniversary of the Hacienda Luisita Massacre. Various groups—party lists, workers’ union, activists groups, student councils—composed most of the crowd. About past 2 in the afternoon, the whole group went to the Gate 1 to attend an ecumenical mass lead by various religious groups like Independencia Filipina, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, etc. Their religious members and leaders who opted to serve and integrate with the masses, the farmers, and those who need them were victims of extrajudicial killings too. Following that, the seven martyrs of the hacienda were honored with freeing white doves. A cultural night followed—improvised hot air balloons touched the sky, people chanted, sang and danced. Cess Drillon of ABS CBN was at the back airing the anniversary. They lighted a hundred torches while going around the whole hacienda community, which unfortunately we did not witnessed, to end the event. Walking with them for a cause, the farmers rights, for the first time in my life, was something I could be proud of. I admired how dedicated they are in fighting for change—real democracy, equality, justice and human rights, all for the betterment of every Filipino people, especially those who are in poverty, those that ordinary citizens won’t try to reach. The people there opened their mind to what reality is as well as do concrete actions in response. They vigorously fight for what they know is right and just. My Hacienda Luisita experience had widened my vision of what reality really meant, an experience of a lifetime. I was there with my life threatened but I would not stop there. Justice must be given to them, to everyone. So I challenge all who’ll read this piece of paper, especially those in their youth, to actively take part on the issues that this country faces, be at least acquainted of what is happening outside the four corners of the room.

Executing Strategy in Aviation Management †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Executing Strategy in Aviation Management. Answer: Introduction US Airline industry has been struggling in the past to earn sizable revenue and book profits for itself. Over the year rise in the number of low cost airlines such as South west Airlines, Jet Blue, Air Tran Airways and Virgin America are causing big trouble to the industry heavyweights such as United, Delta American Airlines (Goetz Sutton, 2017). The new entrants are focussing on how to bring the prices down for the Passengers and in a bid to do so , a price war has already began in the US Airline industry, with every player reducing its fares to take a pie from the market. The new entrants are using non- union labour, flying only one kind of Aircraft and have been focussing on the most lucrative routes, which brings down its flying cost to minimum, thus passing on the benefit to the customers (Ciliberto, Cook Williams, 2017). To add on the misery of large Aircraft flyers is the Internet, travel sites such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz are making it easier for consumers to co mpare the price of all the Airlines and choose the most economic deal (Choi, Lee Olson, 2015). The underlying purpose of the assignment here is to do a competitive analysis of the US Airline industry and find out the reasons for its low profitability, and the advantages and disadvantages of using the Porter 5 forces framework. It has been also observed in the case that the business of US Airlines is cyclical in nature; the reason for the same will be understood in the report. Towards the end, certain strategies have to be recommended to improve the chances of the airline to ensure profitability sustainability. Overview of US Airline Industry The US Airline industry is dominated by a number of players operating in the high price and economic zones. United Airline, Delta airline and American airline form the big boys club, whereas Southwest, Virgin, Jet Blue and Air Tran form the economic club. The situation presently in the US Airline industry is the sluggish growth rate and the rampant price war which is seriously damaging the profitability of the Airline industry (Tan, 2016). It has been pointed that the fuel prices are on surge and so are the labour cost, both of them together account for almost 58% of the cost, hence, the increase in the cost is significantly impacting the profit sustainability of the industry. The era of 2000-2010 saw a number of mergers, viz,merger of Delta and Northwest airlines, merger of United and Continental airline and plan of South west airline to acquire AirTran, moreover a number of Airline have applied for Bankruptcy which can be seen as a fear gripping the US Airline industry(Rupp Tan, 2017) The present scenario also has a silver lining attached to it, there has been considerable improvement in customer service, loosing fewer passengers and losing less baggage. The US Airline is on a mission to rejuvenate the sector and turn the tables and post solid profits in the coming financial year. Almost all the Airlines are on an improvement spree and special attention has to be put on time arrivals. Five Force Analysis of the US Airline Industry Porter 5 forces model is one of the fundamental tools to analyse the competitive landscape of the business, it uses 5 forces to determine the competitive intensity and there helps to make an estimation of the profitability and the attractiveness of the industry in terms of profitability (Dobbs, 2014). The utility of the model lies in the fact that, organization can leverages on the strong position and improve on a weak point, thus preventing itself from taking wrong decisions in the future. Porter created the model to make organization understand that they have to keep a close watch on the rivals, at the same time look beyond their actions and focus on what could impact the business environment (Rothaermal, 2015). Based on the above mentioned rationale the Porter 5 forces are created to understand the business environment in terms of Profitability: The current population of US is .326 Billion which is spread across 50 states and two federal district and around 84% of the US population lives in Urban cities, the data is self-sufficient to understand the intense competition in the Airline industry. The demographic, behavioural and psychographic segmentation point towards a large amass of people flying in daily to different states and abroad, implying intense competition in the airline industry. Big airlines like Delta and United fly more or less on the same route and the amenities are more or less similar, provided people are flying economic. In premium sections the difference is easily noticeable. The competition can be further understood by seeing the low switching cost of the buyers, passengers have an option to switch from one airline to another at a relatively lower price, the penetration of websites like Travelocity, Expedia have made it easier for flyers to compare the price and book a ticket. Big airlines are losing a maj or chunk of Business to smaller airlines due to low cost, small companies do not opt for Boeing and Dreamliner, thus helping them to work on their cost strategy and pass on the benefits to the customers. It can thus be said that however the competitive rivalry is high; the competition les between the big and small players, price definitely being the deciding factor (Flouris Oswald, 2016) Buyers or the customers have a high bargaining power due to the low switching cost, effort required to shift from one airline to other and the development of ticket booking apps which helps the customers to buy the best deal. The third party applications are becoming increasingly popular across the globe and the states, this has jeopardised the earlier business model of Airline Company wherein the people had to enquire about the rates and then book with the Airline. In the present scenario, a buyer can sit in front of the net and within a couple of minutes book the cheapest and best ticket for himself. Additionally, increase in the number of low cost airlines has helped in increasing the bargaining power of customers and they have a wide array of options to choose from. It can thus be said that the Bargaining power of customers is high in the US Airline industry (Hannigan Hamilton, 2015). Bargaining Power of Suppliers There are just two Aircraft Suppliers Airbus and Boeing, which have a plethora of Airlines to support, which increases their bargaining power. Further, the fuel cost is controlled by only handful of suppliers and market economy, thus the Airline industry has no direct control over the price of White petrol and Jet fuel, further increasing the bargaining power of the suppliers. Labour cost is controlled mostly by the labour union, thus it can be said the bargaining power of the suppliers is high in the US Airline industry (Grant, 2016). The airline industry requires a massive upfront investment and has to go on a lengthy learning curve, which makes it difficult for a new player to enter the industry space. It has been observed that no single airline have forayed in the 21st century have a market share more than 2%, leaving behind Southwest Airlines. The government regulation on the new Airline further puts obstacle in the entry of new players, additionally immense operating costs further makes it difficult for new players to enter in the Industry space (Holloway, 2017). A number of players like Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and Elon Musk are looking for ways to enrich the experience of customer and help them to travel at an unimaginable speed. Projects like Blue virgin and Tesla are some of the significant contribution in the direction. However, at present, nothing substantial has been done in the direction and Airplanes are the fastest means to commute. However, the industry can face stiff competition from Elon Musks Hyperloop which is a great mode of transportation for shorter distance. Until then, the Airline industry is safe and has no threat from any of the substitute product. Hence the market is both attractive and profitable, the finding of the Porter 5 force model can be summarised as: Bargaining Power of customers High Bargaining Power of Suppliers High Competitive Rivalry High Threat of Substitutes Low to Medium Threat of New Entrant Low to Medium Porter Five Forces Model-Advantages and Disadvantages The model which was founded in the year 1979 despite being a useful model to understand the market attractiveness and the profitability has certain lacunae attached with it, hence in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the model, disadvantages of the model have to be discussed as well: Porter 5 forces are a useful framework, but its inability to explain the industry position in the present scenario makes it somewhat inaccurate. The model provides a snapshot of the wider industry at some point in the past, which can help in formulation of a short term strategy, but it fails to deliver a long term strategy for the organization (Solvell, 2015). External environmental factors like Globalization, liberalization and rapid technological advancement were not introduced in 1979; hence the model fails to take into account all the business environmental forces which play an important role in the present scenario (Kharub Sharma, 2017). A lot of organization use porter 5 forces to a specific company rather than the industry, which thus gives highly inaccurate results. Porter five forces is used to analyse the attractiveness of the industry and not a specific company, but people have been using it towards a specific company is a big disadvantage for the model (Adi, 2017). It is unfair to give equal attention to all the forces, because in practical scenario, one of two forces outweighs other forces, thus wasting the time and resources which are being used in the analysis of five forces. Another big disadvantage of the model is the credibility of information coming from the framework can be compromised by honest mistakes. For example Apple and Nikon are different industries, hence while doing competitive analysis on the Mobile industry one leaves Nikon, but it still is a camera company, which has a significant impact on the mobile phone industry. Thus, the model fails to encompass all the relevant industries while conducting porter analysis. Advantage of the Model It helps in understanding the forces shaping the industry space. TO a good extent the framework helps in understanding the landscape of the competitiveness and the competition dynamics of the industry. Helps in making decision if the company should enter in the market or not, very useful in creating short term strategy for the company. The model provides an estimation about the attractiveness of the industry in terms of profitability which can be put to use by investors on deciding whether to invest in the business venture or not. Economic Performance of US Airline Industry The US airline industry is highly cyclical, which implies that the business depends on the economic growth of the country. During period of economic prosperity people have higher purchasing power and they spend those on discretionary items such as Air ticket, on the contrary when there is a period of economic contraction, people tend to save money and look for alternatives to travel. The weakest periods are seen during the quarters ending in the month of March and December when the entire economy is volatile and so is the populations purchasing power. Due to this Airlines feel the need of short term cash requirements for meeting their operational costs which are caused by the fluctuation in the economy due to the uneven traffic flow. Other factors such as fuel prices, high cost of ticket, inflation and the general economic conditions also affect the Airline industry. Thus, all these factors are responsible for the cyclical business of the US Airline industry, during these tough times, Big Airlines due to their deep pockets are able to sustain in the market, however the maximum impact is felt by smaller Airline service providers(Wensveen, 2018). It has been mentioned that US Airline is not performing according to its maximum potential, most of the reasons for the low profitability can be substantiated to the low price offering by the low cost Airlines and the evolution and penetration of the ticketing apps which compare the price and gives customers a cheap range of options to choose from while buying a ticket. Some of the strategies which can ensure Profitability in the Airline Industry are: Upselling services to the customers These days a number of Airlines are not competing on the Ticket prices but are competing on offering better services to the passengers. Some examples being fast track boarding, lounge access and extra leg room, checked bag fees and many more, the upside of offering such services is that it earns profit for the Airlines and they can also compete in terms of price with other low cost airlines. The year 2012 saw US airlines earning an amount of $ 12.4 Billion USD from such ancillary services (Ater Orlov, 2015). A lot of airlines are following the normalcy concept, which is sticking to their core services, transporting passengers from Point A to Point B. However, the ecosystem is changing rapidly and airlines are providing travel solutions rather than just transporting people. People have different needs when they travel, some travel for leisure, some for holidays, some for business meeting and many more, and it is advised that Airline understands and interprets their specific requirement and provide them with customized solutions. Customers do not refrain from spending money if they find value in the services, hence the airlines have to focus on augmented services and provide value to the customers. It is seen and proven that the companies which are focussing on augmented solutions are doing really well; the same strategy should be implemented by the Airlines to foray into sustained profitability. US Airline industry is going through a great turmoil owing to the entry of Low cost airlines which are solely competing on the Price strategy, these airlines are giving major Airlines like Delta United a run for their money. Low cost airlines are carefully planning the route and carrying the business operation with smaller aircrafts which help them to save cost, benefits of which are eventually passed to the customers. However, the Airlines have a good chance to move into sustained profitability if they focus on providing augmented services to the customers besides improving the core service parameters. Conclusion US Airline industry comprises of Low cost Airlines like AirTran, Jet Blue Southwest and high cost Airlines like United Delta, however the low cost Airlines are doing fairly well in comparison to the latter. It has been possible due to growing penetration of ticketing apps which provides the customers with the cheapest solution to fly and the economic fluctuations in the US economy. At the same point in the time, the Porter five forces analysis of the industry is attractive in terms of the profitability, despite high competitive rivalry, high bargaining power of suppliers and the customers. In the recent past the Airline industry is bringing a lot of radical innovation to move into the path of sustained profitability, they are providing ancillary services to earn revenues. At the end, it can be said that cost leadership and service differentiation can change the shape of US Airline industry and help them in sustaining the business momentum References Adi, B., 2015. An Evaluation of the Nigerian Telecommunication Industry Competitiveness: Application of Porters Five Forces Model.World,5(3). Ater, I. and Orlov, E., 2015. The effect of the internet on performance and quality: Evidence from the airline industry.Review of Economics and Statistics,97(1), pp.180-194. Atkinson, S.E., Ramdas, K. and Williams, J.W., 2016. Robust scheduling practices in the US airline industry: Costs, returns, and inefficiencies. Management Science,62(11), pp.3372-3391. Choi, K., Lee, D. and Olson, D.L., 2015. Service quality and productivity in the US airline industry: a service quality-adjusted DEA model.Service Business,9(1), pp.137-160. Ciliberto, F., Cook, E. and Williams, J., 2017. Network Structure and Consolidation in the US Airline Industry, 1990-2015. Dobbs, M., 2014. Guidelines for applying Porter's five forces framework: a set of industry analysis templates.Competitiveness Review,24(1), pp.32-45. Flouris, T.G. and Oswald, S.L., 2016.Designing and executing strategy in aviation management. Routledge. Goetz, A.R. and Sutton, C.J., 2017. US Airline Industry.Low Cost Carriers:" Emergence, Expansion and Evolution", p.199. Grant, R.M., 2016.Contemporary strategy analysis: Text and cases edition. John Wiley Sons. Hannigan, T.J., Hamilton III, R.D 2015. Competition and competitiveness in the US airline industry.Competitiveness Review,25(2), pp.134-155. Hirsch, B.T., 2017. What do unions do for economic performance?. InWhat do unions do?(pp. 201-245). Routledge. Holloway, S., 2017.Straight and Level: Practical Airline Economics: Practical Airline Economics. Routledge. Johnson, G., 2016.Exploring strategy: text and cases. Pearson Education. Kharub, M. and Sharma, R., 2017. Comparative analyses of competitive advantage using Porter diamond model (the case of MSMEs in Himachal Pradesh).Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal,27(2), pp.132-160. Rothaermel, F.T., 2015.Strategic management. McGraw-Hill Education. Rupp, N. and Tan, K., 2017. Mergers and Product Quality: A Silver Lining from De-Hubbing in the US Airline Industry. Slvell, ., 2015. The Competitive Advantage of Nations 25 yearsopening up new perspectives on competitiveness.Competitiveness Review,25(5), pp.471-481. Tan, K.M., 2016. Incumbent Response to Entry by Low?Cost Carriers in the US Airline Industry.Southern Economic Journal,82(3), pp.874-892. Wensveen, J., 2018.Air transportation: A management perspective. Routledge.

Honeywell International Success free essay sample

Honeywell International, Inc. Laura L Gurule Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Author Note Term Paper for Course MGMT 633 Submitted to the Worldwide Online Campus in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Masters of Project Management Abstract Researcher: Laura L Gurule Title: Honeywell International, Inc. Institution: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Degree: Master of Science in Project Management Year: 2012 This paper introduces the reader to Honeywell International Inc. Honeywell is a world leader in the application of lean manufacturing and its Six Sigma Plus processes. With the use of carefully monitored cost standards, net present value in investment decisions, and the transparency of the company’s financial statements are all methods that Honeywell has successfully implemented and utilized to reach and maintain their status as a world-wide competitor. The company has continued its growth, despite the market downturn that began in 2007, and continues to prove its resilience and pioneering spirit by continually improving their product lines, globally expanding their market, and, monitoring and maintaining financial stability. We will write a custom essay sample on Honeywell International Success or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Its forward thinking and willingness to take risk will provide Honeywell the capacity to maintain its role as a major competitor and contributor to the growth and recovery of our economy. Table of Contents Page Abstract2 Company Overview4 Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing8 The Use of Standard Costs11 The Use of Net Present Value14 Summary15 References18 Honeywell International Inc. is an American based advanced-technology company that manufactures aerospace and automotive products; residential, commercial, and industrial control systems; specialty chemicals and plastics; and engineered materials. Its assent into history can be traced back to 1885, spanning 125 years of history. Honeywell International is a $38 billion diversified technology and manufacturing leader, with 132,000 employees in over 100 countries and it a Fortune 75 Company. It is a diverse and global-wide organization and is a leading supplier of avionics and electronics, consumable hardware, engine controls, environmental controls, landing systems, power systems, propulsion engines, aerospace services and space products, and systems for the aerospace industry, as well as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of commercial, regional, business and military aircraft and spacecraft. Today, its main competitors in the aerospace defense product and service industry are BorgWarner Inc. , Johnson Controls Inc. and United Technologies Corporation. State-of-the-art technology, world known brands and global solutions have placed Honeywell in the unique position as one of the premier worldwide suppliers in the aerospace industry, offering solutions of systems, products and services to the largest aerospace and airline companies in the industry. Throughout their 125 years in business, Honeywell has helped revolutionize the aerospace industry with its dedication to research and development and its enthusiasm to advance technology in their various markets. Honeywells reliable and efficient aerospace services and support programs deliver the right level of engineering expertise, maintenance services and asset availability solutions to simplify operations while keeping systems and equipment at peak operational performance. It has proven to be successful in its quest for growth and global expansion from the time of inception. Their quest to acquire and expand began in 1927; the original company, Minneapolis Heat Regulator Company, and Honeywell Heating Specialty Co. merged to form the Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. From the merger, the name Honeywell was adopted and has remained the same since. In the course of its acquisitions, Honeywell purchased other businesses whose focus was in the controls area; among those acquisitions, was Brown Instrument Co. who was a wide-reaching leader in the field of industrial controls and indicators. This acquisition further increased their already successful market to a wider range of customers, as Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. had already established an overseas trading agreement with Japanese distributors such as Yamatake Trading Company. It was no surprise that, in 1934, Honeywell pursued and eventually acquired Time-O-Stat Controls Corporation. With the acquisition of Time-O-Stat, Honeywell further expanded its global presence, establishing offices in Toronto, Canada and The Netherlands; a few years later, they had offices in London and Stockholm. By 1941, Honeywell had expanded into markets in Chile, Panama, Trinidad, New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa. By 1972, it operated 25 wholly-owned subsidiaries, 142 branch offices, and joint ventures in five countries outside the U. S. True to its reputation as a risk taker, Honeywell ventured into the computer industry. This venture was brief and by 1991 Honeywell was on longer in the computer business. Even though the venture was short lived, it proved to be of great value; Honeywell used the knowledge gained from their digital computer experience and applied it to the traditional field of automation control, integrating sensors, and activators. In 1986, Honeywell purchased Sperry Aerospace, and markedly enhanced its position in the aerospace industry. Edson Spencer, Honeywell chairman and chief executive officer, said the purchase was among the most important his company had made, It is an outstanding opportunity for Honeywell that positions us for the long term in a market that is expected to have significant growth for the next 10 years commercial and military aviation (Arnold, 2012). This purchase made Honeywell the worlds leading integrator of avionics systems, incorporation flight controls, space vehicles, and the first FAA-certified wind shear warning system. It continued to expand, and by 1993, the company continued its world-wide expansion by opening affiliates in Abu Dhabi, China, Oman, Romania, and the Ukraine. In a span of 26 years, Honeywell had operations in 95 countries through 83 wholly-owned subsidiaries and 13 joint ventures. One of the most noted and discussed mergers occurred in 1999 when AlliedSignal, a diverse manufacturer, bought Honeywell for $13. 8 billion in stock. AlliedSignal kept the Honeywell name, merging offices, and closed its Morristown, New Jersey headquarters. The merger resulted in a major restructuring for Honeywell which added to its product line and services. The deal created a company with $25 billion in annual sales and a market capitalization in excess of $45 billion. The merger gave the combined company the marketing edge, providing their airline customers to take advantage of new technology that would boost cost savings for both parties. In an unexpected turn, the early part of 2001 brought difficulties for Honeywell when the European Commission rejected the purchase of Honeywell by General Electric (GE). In October 2001, Honeywell and GE, the largest corporation in the world and the number one producer of jet engines, announced the intent to embark on one of the largest industrial mergers in history. The plan was for GE to acquire Honeywell, the largest worldwide supplier of non-engine aerospace equipment. During negotiations it was anticipated that there would be no antitrust problem; as GE and Honeywell were not competitors and not part of the same supply chain. The merger was intended to bring together complementary products that were component parts of large jet aircraft. The deal would have been the largest industrial merger in history. Instead, it became recognized as the first, and so far only, merger between US companies to be derailed solely by the European anti-trust authorities, while being cleared by the US Department of Justice (DoJ). On July 3, 2001, in an unprecedented act, the EU officially rejected the planned $42 billion acquisition of Honeywell International Inc. , by GE. The merger was denied by the EU after concluding that the merger would create or strengthen dominant positions on several markets and that the remedies proposed by G. E. were insufficient to resolve the competition concerns resulting from the proposed acquisition of Honeywell. The merger between G. E. and Honeywell, as it was notified, would have severely reduced competition in the aerospace industry and resulted ultimately in higher prices for customers, particularly airlines† (Pellegrini, 2001). Despite the fact that the GE buyout failure was a stumbling block, Honeywell used the experience to strengthen its core businesses by continuing to develop and introduce new products. The company started an aggressive acquisition strategy with the goal to increase revenues and decrease cost in a strategy that, â€Å"†¦divested small, underperforming operations, reduced the number of suppliers, and streamlined operations in small ways elsewhere† Honeywell History, n. a. ) The results paid off for Honeywell, as they continued to win a large percentage of their contract bids, sales were ahead of budget, and the rate of turnover in managers did not significantly increase from the same period in the prior year, and customer satisfaction was up. Honeywell faced some challenges after the GE debacle, however, by making changes it displayed that tenacity, hard work and a willingness to take risk, can result in huge payoffs. Honeywell continued to streamline and improve their lean manufacturing processes, i. e. Six Sigma Plus, implement and ensure compliance of the company code of conduct and maintain its dominance as a government contractor. Honeywell began its Six Sigma process and concept of self-managed teams in 1995 to â€Å"drive data-based decision making, ensure quality levels, and improve customer satisfaction† (Crager, 2007). Through training, leadership, and senior management support, Honeywell successfully developed their Six Sigma program. In late 2001 Honeywell combined the concepts of lean manufacturing and Six Sigma in a program called Six Sigma Plus to create a more robust program. The program was designed to align improvement objectives directly with business needs by integrating top talent and generating bottom-line results. Six Sigma Plus is an overall strategy to accelerate improvements in all processes, products and services, and reduce the punitive cost of poor quality through elimination of waste and reduction of defects and variations. One of the ultimate aims documented in the Six Sigma Plus strategy is providing maximum value to customers by applying a logical and structured approach to all business processes. One of the pluses of Six Sigma is that it empowered employees, allowing them to make decisions that impacted how their unit or line was performing. This provided Honeywell an excellent tool that is a highly respected measure of excellence. (M. Calderon, personal communication, May 1, 2012) Honeywell took the basic concept of Six Sigma and created its own version which is known as Six Sigma Plus. It is currently used across all businesses and brands to drive growth and productivity. â€Å"The standard operates by providing a measurement of how effective the organization is in eliminating defects and variations from processes. To meet its requirements, a process must operate at 3. 4 defects or less per million opportunities. This equates to 99. 9997% error free† (Six Sigma Plus, n. d. ). Conscious application of the Six Sigma methodology to all business processes delivers greater value to its customers and makes Honeywell a more desirable business partner. The implementation of lean manufacturing processes has enabled Honeywell to maintain tight controls in all aspects of the managerial accounting processes. With the use of managerial accounting, Honeywell has ensured that their productions and service is well planned and controlled. With the budget cuts facing government, private sector job loss, and tightened markets, it is impressive that Honeywell has continued to maintain its sales growth in the United States. The diversity of Honeywell’s world-wide enterprise, exemplifies the importance of a creative corporate marketing approach. Honeywell consists of unique business units, with each, offering a variety of products and services. Strategies and implementation of those strategies must be developed and executed at the corporate, business unit, and product levels. Overall, strategy and long-term planning are guided by the company’s vision and stated mission. At the business level, planning begins with an examination of the current situation, including technological changes and competitive effects. By using this type of analysis, Honeywell is better equipped to address and identify threats and new business opportunities. Decisions to pursue new opportunities are followed by establishing a set of objectives, often stated in terms of market share, sales volume, or profitability. Subsequently, business and marketing strategies are developed to achieve those objectives. Effective execution of strategy in implementation must then occur for objectives to be realized. Effective financial statement analysis will be a primary indicator that indicates the progress and demonstrates whether company goals are being met. Honeywell has been a leader in their industry in planning and control and have used financial analysis in depth to evaluate and control their growth and profitability. It continues to be effective in identifying opportunities to improve the organization’s efficiency and in developing strategic plans to realize those opportunities. By using a diversity of analytical tools Honeywell is better prepared in making operating decisions, such as how and where products are to be manufactured and serviced, whether insourcing or outsourcing is more equitable, and whether to expand and the area to expand to. Timely and accurate financial statement preparation is critical to the success or failure of a business. The financial officer, owner, partner or members management team of a business must review the business financial statements and have a good understanding of them. Financial statements are critical to Honeywell’s ability to make solid, informed decisions. Such decisions are needed in order for Honeywell to meet one of its primary goals, which is to realize a high rate of return on their investments. The measurement and success of this initiative is arrived at by measuring it against other industry averages. This information helps Honeywell understand that current initiatives do show a market response. In view of the fact that the industry average can be general in nature the industry average should be used as a guide. A failure to use the data appropriately can mislead investors and have a disastrous affect on Honeywell’s reputation and marketability. Achieving their strategic plan will not only involve Honeywell’s internal planning and controlling, but it will also involve the support of creditors and investors. Both are key players in providing capital needs to support new initiatives and milestones; the use of financial statements in this process will no doubt be the backbone of the decision making process. It is difficult to know the health and direction of a company if financial statements are not reviewed in a timely manner. In its pursuit of investors, or the success in the results of an external audit, the financial statements are the ultimate representation of company’s financial position. In general accounting practices, Honeywell uses process costing for its furnace thermostats (home products division) and job costing for customized aerospace contracting products. When thinking in terms of standard costs and whether they would be beneficial, one factor to consider is the fact that Honeywell is a world-wide producer with operations in many countries outside of the United States (US). There are ramifications when doing business overseas as well as doing business in the US and each scenario has its own benefits and consequences that are unique to specified circumstances. Honeywell, like their competitors has migrated to low cost countries because of the labor rate differential. The move to overseas production creates additional concerns and dynamics. World-class manufacturing in today’s competitive environment demands more than a single-minded focus on eliminating defects. Since the introduction of Six Sigma and Lean tools to their operations over a decade ago, Honeywell has delivered significant results for customers in terms of the quality, delivery and value of our products and services. To achieve competitive advantage in today’s environment, Honeywell has continued to build on its Six Sigma and Lean foundation, and identify new ways to differentiate themselves. Benchmark companies such as Toyota and Nissan use Six Sigma and Lean tools. Like Honeywell, they also have a disciplined management system that standardizes work and engage employees in improving work processes. In doing this, organizations have achieved tremendous performance improvements. The Honeywell Operating System is a comprehensive, integrated approach to managing their organization. It is characterized by a consistent focus on results for the benefit of our customers, not on the use of specific tools. The objective is to simplify and standardize processes everywhere, to remove variation across operations, and to drive significant and sustainable improvements in safety, quality, delivery and cost. Employees are encouraged use tools such as Six Sigma, in achieving a common purpose: global wide use of an operating system that consistently yields excellent results for the customers and the company. Implementing standardized cost standards is not an easy task and it will take time. Honeywell maintains that standardization will evolve to fit different business environments and changing customer needs and will become an essential part of the process that will bind their company across business and geographic boundaries. Honeywell’s workforce consists of residents of the country they are in to satisfy requirements imposed by foreign nations. It is almost mandatory to have overseas operations to reduce labor and material costs; however, these operations come with high risk. Foreign workers are not always equipped with the necessary skills to perform the manufacturing duties required by a highly technical company. The expense of employing and developing such a workforce can create additional costs. In determining what the additional costs, standard costs prove beneficial because they would provide Honeywell the ability to budget costs with a great understanding and degree of confidence. A standard cost system allows a company to factor in methods that would absorb the periods in which higher costs are identified due to foreign employment development and when costs are low or minimal due to workforce stabilization. In its foreign production, Honeywell will have to set attainable standards in order maintain its performing baseline. Another factor in foreign operations is the volatile condition of the world. The United States is not always welcomed in other countries. It is not uncommon for a common protest to turn into a major world crisis. Such examples are those of the uprisings in Israel and Libya. Honeywell hosts operations in Israel, where relations between the government and the general population are volatile and unpredictable. In addition, we have seen several instances where regimes have changed power and attitudes toward the US in a matter of days. Standard costing is paramount as an aide for monitoring and managing the risk of unpredictability. It is a healthy practice that can protect Honeywell from severe monetary damage if a foreign tragedy should affect the business. The information obtained from standard costing aides Honeywell against the volatility of today’s markets and the strategy of its competitors. Honeywell is continuously improving its processes, products and management style to maintain their competitive edge. To be competitive, Honeywell will continue to use their standard cost system to help them execute planning and control of their strategic priorities. Tracking costs will also help Honeywell identify weakness and variances in their production system. Undetected problems in the areas of materials and labor can eventually raise variance to a point of hindering Honeywell from maintaining their core competencies. Consequently, today’s market provides no room for error, but every opportunity for a competitor to gain the lead. In many respects, some of the rationale that goes into using standard costs also applies to formulating the right strategy to gain a positive Net Present Value. Honeywell’s reach is global and therefore its investment opportunities are also global. Due to the unique factors involved with global markets, it is necessary for Honeywell to perform critical planning for investment decisions. Honeywell has a reputation as an organization that is willing to take risks to make money. It has done that by acquiring other business or expanding its existing facilities for future business. Such expansions are expensive and these expansions require additional staff which adds to the cost of investment. Large expenditures are a challenge to control the net present value (NPV) and require clear identification of cost and risks in order to be a success. Strategic moves, such as partnering with the national government, can leverage the way to a positive NPV. In this approach, there are tradeoff between the corporation and the government in which both interests can be mutually met. Corporation’s like Honeywell utilize these paths in order to reduce investment costs and have accurate projections for calculating and incorporating NPV baselines. Because of the ongoing activity of many investments occurring at one time, it is critical that Honeywell has complete knowledge of their NPV and ensure profitable investments are achieved. Failing to do this can result in major losses, especially when an unplanned shortfall occurs. Although the investment sounds promising, it is critical that NPV is properly measured. It is also advisable from an NPV and program management position that Honeywell phase its investment into NPV milestones which help determine if they should move forward to the next phase of the investment. This process would provide a safeguard while allowing the innovation to prove itself. While the actual rate of return (IRR) that  a given project ends up generating will often differ from its estimated IRR rate, a project with a substantially higher IRR value than other available options would still provide a much better chance of strong growth. IRRs can also be compared against prevailing rates of return in the securities market. If a firm cant find any projects with IRRs greater than the returns that can be generated in the financial markets, it may simply choose to invest its retained earnings into the market. The need for Honeywell to practice continuous NPV drills in a market with circumstances such as those faced in China by US companies, is critical. While both countries maintain a civil business partnership, there is an unspoken adversarial relationship which creates instability. China is strategically positioning itself as a global power therefore, the relationship between both countries is precarious and any misstep by Honeywell could severely damage the existing business relationship. Another potential concern for Honeywell is that China is currently the largest lender to the US. At the point that China reaches the economic capacity to sustain its prosperity internally, we have to ask ourselves if they will request repayment by the US prior to maturity dates. As we have seen in several European countries, a request of that magnitude could destabilize an already fragile US economy. In consideration of this scenario, and other contributing factors, Honeywell should be careful in investment planning, and phase its activities so that the NPV is not contingent upon results that will take a long period to realize a return. In summary, Honeywell has proven itself as a world leader of technology. This corporation is known world-wide and is a household name. Honeywell leads the way in advanced switching and sensing technology in their home division, and its aerospace division. In spite of the GE failure, it has kept its mark on the global economy through market highs and lows and has maintained its dominant position in an extremely competitive industry. As a long-time survivor and global competitor on the world stage, Honeywell continues to make its mark in history by developing innovative safety products, driving the modernization of global air traffic management, revolutionizing combat technology and their commitment to improving operational efficiencies. Honeywell continues to display their dominance with its diversity and profitable risk taking ventures. Perhaps Honeywell’s greatest strength has been the fact that it has adapted to a world that is ever changing and has embraced the challenge that other companies find daunting. With the continued vision to improve processes for safety, quality and cost, reducing waste, and using integrated strategies Honeywell continues to be a standard for their industry. They continue to be innovative and competitive and have a strong commitment to bringing profitable products that their customers need and want. Due to the diversity and competitive market that Honeywell has chosen to operate in, it is of extreme importance that the company maintains sound financial practices that will support the moral fiber and marketability of the company. As Honeywell moves into the future I believe they will continue to perfect their processes to produce the right financial statements, useful in calculating their position in the market, and providing the best advice for investment decisions. The proper use of standard costs and net present value are an example of the critical tools that ensure Honeywell continues to thrive in today’s unknown global conditions. Also critical to the success of Honeywell is the continued utilization of strong and proper ethical practices as the company is well known, world-wide competitor and a representative of the American business ethics and values. Whether it is in the Middle Eastern or the Far East, Honeywell is known and recognized; such a position makes it important for Honeywell to be transparent in its fiscal disclosures. Sound financial practices are essential to Honeywell in order for the company to continue its success and market dominance. Primary emphasis on these practices will serve to maintain Honeywells status and help them make the most profitable investment decisions for their investors and the company. As recent as April 23, 2012, Honeywell declared a â€Å"regular quarterly dividend of $0. 3725 per share on the companys outstanding common stock. The dividend is payable on June 8, 2012 to shareowners of record at the close of business on May 18, 2012† (Honeywell Declares Quarterly Dividend, 2012). If this is any indication, Honeywell will continue to be a viable global competitor and financial contributor to our financial and job market. Honeywell is an excellent example of an organization that is forward thinking and proactive. It has operated with a strong ethical code of conduct, strong financial discipline and an ever present focus on the future. This methodology and ideology will ensure their continued financial growth and market expansion. It is apparent that their cost standards, lean processes, and disciplined managerial financial management has enabled them to overcome obstacles, secure their position as a global competitor and a viable contender in today’s competitive, technology-oriented world.

Russian essays

Russian essays In class on February 13th, we watched the Russian folk music group perform. They were a group of graduate and undergraduate students and they sang seasonal folk music. In their performance, they sang nine songs. The first song was named Come Let us Bow Down to Christ. The second song was from Tolstoys War and Peace. This song was about a beer brewer that tried to lure girls. While they were singing this song, Professor Kalbouss danced around on stage. The third song was a wedding ritual song. It was sung when the bride sings to her girlfriends. It showed her moving on to a new part of her life. The fourth song was sung and danced at a wedding feast. It celebrated happiness. We were told that quail means happiness. While this song was sang, they stomped their feet and danced around. The fifth song was a funny and joking song. It was started by a community that was exiled to Siberia. The sixth song was sang during Resolka Week. The Balalika, which is the most known Ru ssian instrument, was played during the song. The seventh song was a song in which the singers made fun of each other. The eighth song was sung just by the men. The final song was sung by the whole group and there was clapping and stomping feet during the song. The professor danced during this song also. I liked the songs in which they danced and stomped their feet. I like when there is movement that goes along with the singing. I think it makes the music more energetic. I thought the dancing from the professor was very entertaining. I thought the performers did a great job of presenting Russian Folk Music. I liked how they explained where the songs would be sung and by which people. Also, they really got into the music they were singing. The part I did not like about the performance was that I could not understand the words they were singing. Even though I could not understand the words they were singing, I was v...

Religion and Violence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religion and Violence - Research Paper Example Only intensive and concrete planning, prevention and interventions can help to reduce violence caused by religious extremism and misinterpretation of holy doctrines in adverse ways. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate religion and violence by examining the historicity of religious violence, the ways religions promote or oppose violence, and effective initiatives to support inter-religious harmony. There are four historical moments that reveal the origins of religious violence. The first is associated with the diffusion of world religions during the 4th to 7th centuries of the Christian era. Christianity became the dominant religion of Europe through displacement of the religions native to the continent, and through the officialization of the new religion in the Roman empire. While Christianity spread to Ethiopia in Africa and to South Asia, Hinduism spread to Indonesia, Buddhism to China, Korea and Japan from India. By the beginning of the 8th CE, Islam covered Spain and the Arab world, and went to Sind in the Indian subcontinent. â€Å"Much violence was involved in the transcontinental spread of the world religions†2. Although most of the pre-colonial spread of religion was associated with political conquest and physical violence, this was not always the rule. For example, violence did not characterize the spread of Hinduism. Christianity scarcely used violence in spre ading to South Asia. King Ashoka converted to Buddhism, unable to bear the carnage of the Kalinga war, and propagated the religion through peaceful means. The second historical moment was colonialism characterized by racial superiority and cultural conquest through the â€Å"civilizing mission†. This was in addition to political and economic domination, and was charged with religious violence. â€Å"The European missionaries did not even recognize the religions of the New World as religion†3, not even as human beings. Not only were the First Nations not allowed their cultural identity, they were physically liquidated. The people of Africa were considered as primitive, without history and without religion. Hence it was thought to be necessary to convert them to Christianity in large numbers. However, in the case of Islam, they put up a stiff resistance, resulting in violent conflicts between the two imported religions. Today, the leading religion of 50 percent of the Af rican states is Christianity, the other main religion being Islam, thereby relegating native religions to the background. In the Orient composed of the three great civilizations of China, India and Egypt, dominant religions prevailed, related to Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam respectively. Therefore, the scope of Christianizination of these regions through colonialism was limited. The third historical moment is that the European model of the nation-state has been endorsed by religious nationalists in most parts of the world, establishing political hegemony by the religious majority, and the cultural assimilation of the religious minorities into the â€Å"nation†. The diasporic Jewish community in Europe which was economically prosperous, were the object of European wrath through the holocaust4. The cold-war era which saw a rapid spread of the concept of the nation-state experienced great violence based on religion, by Christians. Homogenization that erases the cultural identity of peoples and nations is a violent process. The cold-war period which occurred for four decades, divided the world into three: the capitalist democracies of the world, the socialist one-party system of the second world, and the

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Millennium Pest Control Services - Case Study Example Having completed this initial and important part of the marketing strategy, the firm is now in the process of configuring the value, set the price, communicate the set values to the prospective customers and deliver the values to the utmost satisfaction of the customers. "Consumer-focused marketing is the single most important factor that determines the success of an enterprise. Marketing is not just about selling. It requires a clear and astute understanding of what consumers want and the ability to deliver it to them through the most appropriate channels for a profit. It includes the planning, pricing, promotion and distribution of products and services for consumers, both present and potential." (Katherine Adam, Radhika Balasubrahmanyam, and Holly Born 1999) In today's competitive business environment, achieving the organizational twin objectives of maximizing the revenues and minimizing the costs depends entirely on the organisation's ability to improve upon the technical excellence by adopting innovative methods and improving the value of the products being offered to the customers. At the same time, adopting innovative techniques of production will lead to the creation of organizational values. It is very essential for a firm to constantly aim at the configuration of its value. "Configuring value means defining, creating, branding and pricing the offer" (Mark, 2004) While, the processes of defining and creating values are the crucial tasks in the success of any business, the processes of branding and pricing can be attempted with ease once a proper value is defined and created. The value configuration is a process by which the firm aims to create and occupy an unforgettable place for its products in the minds of the customers. The value configuration describes the ways by which value is created by the company for its customers and the ways by which such creation of value is exhibited as a reflection on the quality of the firm's products and services. This can be achieved by providing the customers the superior quality of the products or services, backed by the after sales services if required. Most of the firms forget the utility and value of the 'after sales service' as an important tool for gaining the brand loyalty. Thus the process of value creation encompasses managing quality in the entire chain of processes until the stage of the final co mpletion of the production or rendering of a service. To define organizational value is a difficult task, as the term takes different connotations under different circumstances depending on the perspectives to which it relates. It can be said that the best known value configuration is the value chain. While Porter's value chain framework (1985) is generally accepted as the common language for representing and analyzing the logic of firm-level value creation, Mark Gabbot (2004) presents the framework of value as an alternative to the traditional 4Ps approach. Adding value to the services and products in an organization is entrusted to the operations management for evolving suitable operational strategies to achieve higher value for the products and services. An organization may adopt all or any of the following strategies for value creation: Trying out different

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 61

Philosophy - Essay Example As for Robin Penslar and Aaron Ridley, utilitarianism is teleological moral theory which asserts that the correct action is a function of its consequences ("the greatest good for the greatest number") which can be predicted. The consequences of the good must be distributed as widely as possible; the person making moral choice should look not only for personal good or for whom they care about, but also for welfare. The choice made is provided by the rationale and logical argument and a person can use it on an individual basis. According to this ethical theory, the correctness of behavior is determined by its final use. The supporters of the theory say the utilitarian principle is the only moral criterion of human acts, and this principle is to ensure that we should always seek to maximize the predominance of good over evil. The ethics of utilitarianism defines natural process in a person coming into antagonism with itself in consciousness. According to the utilitarism morality is based upon the common good (happiness for most people) which Bentham called the common benefit, of course, distinguishing it from self-interest, or personal benefit. Under the principle of common benefit he understood the principle of action selection and evaluation of acts, which focuses on the greatest possible benefit. If the act concerns the interests of the community, we are talking about the benefits (happiness) of community, if it is about the interests of the individual, so, the benefits of the individual is a predominant thing. Utilitarism is also a theory directed against selfishness. The admissibility of pleasure or profit made in each case is determined by whether they contribute to a higher purpose. The definition (assessment) of phenomena and events either good or bad is also based on that principle. And according to the theory a person should (bearing in mind the supreme moral principle) strive to provide at

International marketing activities

International marketing activities International marketing activities are interlinked with a firms corporate goals, objectives and strategy. The overall aims, objectives and strategy of a firm has a great impact on international marketing decisions e.g, whether to enter new uncertain markets and how maximum would be risk that the firm is ready to take or the level of control required over international operations. There is no denying in fact that a persons self reference criterion (SRC) and an associated ethnocentrism are a two primary obstacles to success in international marketing self reference criteria is defined as an unconscious reference to ones own cultural values, experiences and knowledge as a basis for decisions. Ethnocentrism is closely connected to self reference criteria .It can be defined as the nations that ones own culture or company knows best how to do things. Ethnocentrism has been seen particularly a problem in the American managers at the beginning of the 21st century just because of Americas dominance in the world economy during the late 1990s. Ethnocentrism exists in the firms where the managers from affluent countries work with managers and markets which are less affluent. Understanding and dealing with the self reference criteria are two of the most important facets in international marketing. Even though self reference criteria and ethnocentrism provides the ability to firm to understand better a foreign markets in its true light. It is essential for eastern and western marketers to have a knowledge of their cross cultures because if any one from these is not aware, they may evaluate a marketing mix on their respective market experiences (their SRC) without knowing and fully appreciating the cultural differences attaining adaptation .Appropriateness of a domestically designed marketing for a international markets is also of vital importance because its evaluation can be badly effected by SRC. FOR EXAMPLE: (ESSO) ESSO, that is the brand name of gasoline was a successful name in the united states and apparently it would be considered less harmful enough for other foreign countries but if we see in Japan, the name phonetically means â€Å"stalled car† which is strange and is considered as undesirable image of petrol. For marketers to be successful in foreign markets, it is necessary for them to take time and they must know about culture, norms, tastes, traits and behavior of other markets (countries) and also to look beyond their own self reference criteria because this advantage will give them an golden opportunity to make their products or activities successful in cross-cultural or foreign markets. One of the best example of this is given below, FOR EXAMPLE: (Mc vities) A British chocolate biscuits (Mc vities) manufacturer (cookies in American English) used the same approach and got the positive result. The company wanted to introduced the chocolate biscuits (Mc vities) in Japan .So, the company ignored its self reference criteria and introduced the biscuits in different attractive packaging to accommodate the Japanese market, inspite of its real packaging .Thus, in Japan Mc vities were wrapped individually and packed in presentation card board boxes and they were sold in price three times higher than in UK. The cookies are used as special gifts in Japan. FOR EXAMPLE: (UNILEVER) Being a international company Unilever used the same approach in Brazil to introduced its soap which was cheaper enough for Brazilians to buy and more convenient to use. Unilever repackaged and reformulated its detergent for Brazilians ,one of the main reason was the lack of washing machines among poorer Brazilian also they washed their clothes in rivers, and the powder was packaged in plastic bag instead of paper which get soggy immediately. Another reason is that the people of Brazil are price conscious and they buy in small quantities. For their convenience and their affordability the soap was packaged in small, low price packages. FOR EXAMPLE: (Mc Donald) Mc Donald being internationally famous modifies its traditional big mac in India, where it is named as the Maharaja Mac. The burger features the two mutton patties .The reason to modify its meals was a beef. Cow is considered sacred in India and Indians don,t eat beef. Individual persons reference criteria can prevent that marketer from being aware of cross cultural differences but also from recognizing the importance of those differences, hence the result is failure. There should be clear awareness among the marketers that not every activity within a marketing program is different from one country to another county and most probably are more similar than differences. The apparent similarities together with ones self reference criteria often become the cause of international marketing problems. Such a problem can be seen when the â€Å"Vicks† was introduced in Germany. The pharmaceutical companies in Europe introduce their products throughout the whole Europe simultaneously instead of country by country. The reason is that the pharmaceutical companies are familiar with the fact that there are deep-rooted national differences in how people think about health, diseases and their cure. It is the normal practice in United Kingdom and Holland tha t people prefer tablets when taking medicine, in Germany the injections are preferred .Same is the case with the causes of illness, Germans are more conscious and Obsessive about the heart and circulations and thats why the Germans are the Europes largest consumers of heart medicines. In UK, the doctors prefer to look for external agents and then they prescribes antibiotics while on other hand the people in central European countries first give preference to herbal treatments and hot and cold baths considering the antibiotics only as remedies of last resort. (source, Abstracted from Lynn payer, medicine culture New York Henry holt 1988, P.265) CROSS CULTURAL ANALYSIS: It can be defined as a type of analysis of across countries in which the data could be aggregated for each country and these aggregate statistics analyzed is called cross cultural analysis. (Naresh K.Malhotra, David F. Birks, MARKETING RESEARCH, THIRD EUROPEAN EDITION) In order to have a success and to avoid errors in business decisions the knowledgeable marketer will conduct a cross-cultural analysis and will design a frame that will enable him to isolate the self reference criteria influences and issues related to ethnocentrism. The following steps should be taken into account for such an analysis. Define the business problem or goal in home country cultural traits, habits and norms. Define the business problem or goal in foreign country cultural traits, habits or norms through consultation with natives of the target country also make no value judgement Isolate the SRC influence in th problem and examine it carefully to see how it complicated the problem. Redefine the problem without the influence of SRC and solve for the optimum business goal situation. The cross-cultural analysis approach requires an understanding of the culture of not only the foreign markets but also ones own national culture. CULTURE: Culture is always a collective phenomenon, because it is at least partially shared with people who live or lived within the same environment, which is where it was learned. It is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another â€Å"Culture is the sum of the values rituals, symbols, beliefs and thought processes that are learned, shared by the group of people and transmitted from generation to generation† According to Professor Geert Hofstede, culture is defined as the software of mind as it provides a guide for humans on how to think and behave: it is a problem solving tool. For a group of individuals or societies the culture works like a medium to deal properly in a system with problems and matters that relates them. Cultural difference has a great impact on the marketers especially for those who enter for first time to foreign markets. More deep knowledge will help the marketers to notice cultural differences in new markets and to get solutions for changes that occur in future. ELEMENTS OF CULTURE: There are four major significant elements of culture which are as followed. Language Institutions Material productions Symbolic productions Language has played a prominent role in the history of every country and culture of those different countries. Linguist and anthropologist Benjamin Lee Whorf who is a chemical engineer working for a fire insurance company has spent a time on tracing the origins and grammar of American Indian language also he is a author of seminal and controversial hypothesis or whorf-sapir hypothesis. Whorf defends the idea that language that we learn in the respective community where we are born and raised, shapes and structure our world view and our social behavior. Institutional elements are a main bone of the cultural process. The institutions may be the family as well as political institutions or it can be any kind of social organization within which the individual has to work in accordance with rules in exchange for various rewards. In most cultures the first social institutions varies e.g, church, mosque, shirne or temple. As far as the international marketing is concerned the religion has a great impact on culture, so marketers with little or no understanding of cross- cultural religions should take time and think beyond the aspects of their national cultures. The Islamic religion is a good example of the need for a basic understanding of all major religions. The material production range from physical productions as well intellectual productions, artistry and service, these include tools, machines, factories, paper, books, instruments and media of communication, food clothing, ornaments etc. Media is one of the social institutions that most effectively influence the values and norms of any culture Symbolic and sacred elements are the basis for the description o the relations between the physical and the metaphysical world. Productions of culture can not be described only by their physical attributes, as they always comprise of some certain symbolic or sacred dimension. There is no denying in fact that the duties and the roles of the status positions found within a society are badly affected by the dictates of social institutions. FOR EXAMPLE: The election of low caste Hindus in India which were once called an â€Å"untouchable† as the president made international news because it was such a departure from traditional Hindu culture. Similarly, brushing against an untouchable or even starring or looking at one was considered enough to humiliate or insult a Hindu of high status. Since its been a long time that the caste system had been outlawed but it is still a part of the Hindu culture. CULTURE VALUES: The seminal work by Geert Hofstede has contributed a lot in relation to cultural values. After studying more than 90.000 people in 66 countries he concluded that cultures of the nations studied differed in four primary dimensions, also the wide variety of business and consumer behavior patterns are associated with three of four dimensions. Those four dimensions are as followed. Power distance Index (PDI) Uncertainity avoidance Index (UAI) Individualism/ collective Index (IDV) Masculinity/Femininity Index (MAS) Individualism or collective index focuses on self orientation Power distance index focuses on authority orientation Uncertainity avoidance index focuses on risk orientation Masculinity or femininity index focuses on assertiveness and achieveness. CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE : Cultural knowledge are of two types Factual knowledge Interpretive Knowledge The factual knowledge is obvious and must be learned .Different traits, colors and tastes local to a culture are some important facts that a marketer can study in details The interpretive knowledge can be defined as the knowledge or an ability to understand and to admire fully the characteristics, values of different cultural traits and patterns . Apart from other things the marketers should have a spirit of appreciation of how cultures change and accept or reject new ideas.

Within-Class Ability Grouping Essay -- Essays Papers

Within-Class Ability Grouping As a future educator ability grouping is more than likely going to be a part of my classroom. I think it can and will be a valuable tool in effectively teaching all students of varying abilities. Ability grouping is a greatly debated area in the field of education. Opponents to the practice believe ability grouping is detrimental to learning and student self-esteem, but ability grouping, specifically within-class ability grouping, can be very effective in teaching children. The students are able to learn at a pace that is suitable to their individual abilities and teachers are able to construct lessons that are specifically geared towards each level. Within-class ability grouping necessitates flexibility and frequent interactions between student and teacher to determine whether or not the child is in the proper group. In ability grouping the "high achievers benefit from having to compete with one another" (Hollifield, ERIC database). The low achievers in a group of children of simila r level feel more comfortable and are, therefore, more willing to participate. Children should not be put into groups in every subject area, but rather in a few areas where grouping has proven beneficial. "Low-achieving students seem to learn more in heterogeneous math classes, while high and average achieving students suffer achievement losses—and their combined losses outweigh the low achievers’ gains" (Loveless, internet). Regrouping for mathematics and reading has proven effective. The students are in heterogeneous groups for most of the day, but then are grouped according to level for those two subjects. "Results indicate that regrouping for reading or mathematics can improve student achievement. However, the l... ...teacher Mrs. Petrigala: November 17, 2000; Michael’s first grade teacher Joshua Hammond: November 22, 2000; 10 year old son Sara Hammond: November 22, 2000; 12 year old daughter Works Cited Goldberg, Miriam L., Joseph Justman, and A. Harry Passow. The Effects of Ability Grouping. New York: Teachers College Press, 1966. Hollifield, John. "Ability Grouping in Elementary Schools." [online]. Http://ericae.net/edo/ED290542.htm. Lou, Yiping, et al. "Within-Class Ability Grouping: A Meta-Analysis." Review of Education Journal 66 (1996): 423-458. Loveless, Tom. "The Tracking and Ability Grouping Debate." [online]. Http://www.edexcellence.net/library/track.html#anchor393575. Slavin, Robert. "Ability Grouping and Student Achievement in Elementary Schools: A Best Evidence Synthesis." Review of Educational Research 57 (1987): 293-336.

Causes of the black death

There are several reasons as to why the Romans chose London as a settlement these include land, the Romans were excellent constructors therefore they needed a large amount of land to build their Empire. Another reason was that they noticed a river (now known as the River Thames). The Romans realised that this river could be extremely useful in many ways such as water for growth and survival, transport to get from one location to another and for trade, with the river ships from all over the world would be able to access this point to trade a variety of things for instance silver to make jewellery and coins, wool to make clothes, they also imported silk from China to decorate clothing and many more. By importing merchandise from other countries the Romans were able to raise their standards of living and have many luxuries. In approximately 50AD the Romans named London ‘Londinium'. Londinium was crowned capital of England there were two main reasons for this since the River Thames was in London for trades still coming in, and because they had a strong defence in Londinium as they settled in the north bank of the River Thames where two hills protected them which gave them better possibilities in war. It was essential for the Romans to have a brilliant defence because there were still Celtics roaming around who were always trying to win back land with brutal force such as the attack of Queen Boudicca in 61 AD who burnt Londinium to the ground she was described as: â€Å"Very tall, the glance of her eye most fierce; her voice harsh. A great mass of the reddest hair fell down to her hips. Her appearance was terrifying.† By the 1300s London's population had grown to 80,000 many things had changed London was a progressing city. In the 1300s there were a variety reasons people decided to settle in London. London was an improving city with many attractive buildings, there were lots of occupation available for all such as farming, tannery working, fishing and more, for entertainment there were hundreds of theatres to visit, there were countless number of Cathedrals to visit and London had easy transport because of the River Thames along with the London Bridge. Medieval London was made up of narrow and twisted streets, and the majority of buildings were made from very flammable materials such as wood and straw, which made fire a constant threat. Hygiene in London was awfully poor people weren't conscious about their health they got rid of rubbish anyhow they threw out their waste without caring where it fell. The houses would have had none of the things we accept as normal today – no running water, no toilets, no baths and washing basins. Soap was unheard of and as was shampoo. People would have been covered with dirt, fleas and lice. Beds were simply straw stuffed mattresses and these would have attracted lice, fleas and all types of bugs. Bathing would be rare even for the rich, rich people might have had a bath a few times a year! Your toilet would have been a wooden bucket which would have been emptied into the nearest river at the start of the day your water supply would also come from the same river. Families would have cooked and slept in the same room. Children would have slept in a loft if the cruck house was big enough. At night, any animal you owned would be brought inside for safety. There were a number of reasons for this. First, wild animals roamed the countryside. England still had wolves and bears in the forests and these could easily have taken a pig, cow or chickens. The loss of any animal could be a disaster but the loss of valuable animals such as an ox would be a catastrophe. If left outside at night they could also have been stolen or simply have wandered off. If they were inside your house, none of these would happen and they were safe. However, they must have made the house even more dirty than it usually would have been as none of these animals would have been house-trained. They would have also brought in fleas and flies etc. increasing the unhygienic nature of the house. Some of the settlement factors people would look for in the fourteenth century were high-quality occupation offered for all such as such as bakery, leatherworking, blacksmithing, carpenters, armourers, bowyers/fletchers and swordsmithing. People chose places which looked eye-catching and there was an enjoyable place to visit and People would want better and improved transport as well as brilliant security and fair laws. The Black Death started in Europe when the Genoese decided to escape the plague by fleeing from Caffa (where the Black Death originated from). The Genoese boarded their ships and set sail for Italy carrying rats, flees and the Black Death with them. The Black Death transmitted when a flea drank a rat's blood that carried the yersina pestis (plague germs). The yersina pestis would multiply until the flea's gut was clogged with it. The flea would then bite a human ejecting the rat's blood into the open wound the human would then be infected. This cycle carried on until the lives of 50 million people were taken from them in Europe wiping out half of London's population. It is said that the that the It was simple for the Black Death to spread in London since Hygiene in London was awfully poor as shown in the fourth paragraph there was a lot of congestion because London was dreadfully overpopulated and houses were still being developed people would cook, eat, sleep and go to the toilet in the same room which meant a lot of germs. In conclusion I think that the settlement of London did help the plague to spread in the 1300s because of various reasons including many of the reasons shown above mainly since the type of people that who settled there, and the fact that they had no sewage for their waste to go to. But I think that if the people not just in London but all around the world were more alert and aware of germs and hygiene then the Black Death would never have started.

How Ballast Water Systems Work

How Ballast Water Systems Work A ballast water system is essential for the safe operation of a ship, but the operation of these systems causes significant threats to the environment and local economy. What Is a Ballast Water System? A ballast water system allows a ship to pump water in and out of very large tanks to compensate for a change in cargo load, shallow draft conditions, or weather. The capacity of ballast water tanks might be millions of gallons on a large vessel. This allows vessels to carry a light or heavy load while maintaining ideal buoyancy and handling conditions in all situations.A ship might discharge all ballast water tanks to pass a shallow area or forward tanks only to raise the bow in rough open seas.Physical components of the system include; raw water intakes, large and small strainers, pumps, distribution pipes, ballast water tanks, treatment system, discharge system, and all the valves, sensors, and controls to run the equipment. Invasive Species in Ballast Water Invasive species are a significant threat to ecosystems and the economies of the affected areas. Researchers think that about one-third of all documented invasive plants and animals are able to travel in the ballast water tanks of ships. Zebra Mussels were introduced into Lake Saint Clair in 1988 when a ship emptied ballast water into the Great Lakes System. The Great Lakes hold nearly twenty percent of the earth’s fresh surface water in a watershed system. The non-native mussels eliminated native varieties once used by industry and have caused an estimated 7 billion dollars (US) in damage by encrusting or clogging underwater equipment essential to industrial and recreational activities.Sea Lamprey and ​Spiny Water Fleas are organisms which feed off of host fish or compete with young fish for food. Many species of fish impacted by these invasive species have significant commercial or sporting value. These animals and others can live in fresh or salt water and may spread into inland waterways from saline ports and harbors.Plants can also travel long distances in ballast water. Eurasian Milfoil is a surface plant which can clog equipment and deter recreation where it forms thick mats. Eurasian Milfoil was introduced to the United States in the 1940s. Because the plant can produce large colonies from only one small fragment it is likely the plant was introduced in the ballast water of a ship. Resolving Ballast Water Issues For years amateurs and professional researchers have experimented with a huge array of weapons to combat invasive species in a ship’s ballast water. Most of the difficulty is due to the fact that huge volumes of water must be treated in a reasonably short period of time. Many land-based systems for treating public supplies takes many hours or days to pass water through their treatment systems. A ship, on the other hand, must be able to discharge ballast water as quickly as cargo is loaded. In emergency situations, ballast tanks need to empty as quickly as possible. A quick pass through most ballast water treatment systems is not enough to kill all the organisms that may be present. Ballast Water Treatment Solutions and Shortcomings No Discharge or Ballast Exchange Rules: International, National, and Local law govern ballast water discharge. Some areas require ballast tanks to be sealed while others allow ballast to be exchanged. Ballast exchange allows tanks to be filled with local waters. Sealed ballast tanks may need to be emptied in an emergency situation and exchange is hindered by the fact that foreign waters must be discharged in close proximity to ​the sensitive area for vessels to operate safely.Mechanical Filters: Filters which are fine enough to remove the small immature young and eggs of invasive species clog quickly and require constant maintenance.Thermal Treatment: The idea is to heat ballast water to kill any unwanted organisms. Unfortunately heating such a huge volume of water is impractical due to time and energy constraints.Other Energy Treatments: Ultraviolet, sonic, and other radiation have all been tried but have similar problems to a thermal treatment; limits on time and energy.Chem ical Treatments: One of the earliest and most dangerous of all the methods used to control invasive species in ballast water. Chlorine bleach and other toxic chemicals will kill existing organisms but the release of these chemicals on the scale necessary to treat every ship would reach toxic levels for all aquatic life near the discharge points. The Future of Ballast Water Treatment Researchers are pursuing this difficult and financially lucrative goal at institutions around the world. In 2011, a team announced their successful small-scale test of a two-phase ballast treatment system which eliminates unwanted organisms and produces sodium bicarbonate as a byproduct. The system is undergoing full-size tests in the Great Lakes. The test for a scalable system is expected to perform well. It is not clear how regulatory agencies around the world will respond to the potential discharge of industrial amounts of sodium bicarbonate into their waters. Sodium bicarbonate is a common and safe chemical in small amounts, but studies must be conducted to assure this method is safe for long term use.