Royal Dutch Shell free essay sample

Shell plc (Shell) is one of global leading energy and petrochemical companies. Its foundation dated back to 19 Century but it fully formed after merger of Royal Dutch  and Shell Transport in 1907. Now, Shell, headquartered in The Hague, operates in more than 140 countries or areas and employs approximately 87,000 staffs. Shell businesses expand from upstream to downstream: it is engaged in exploration, production, refining, transportation and retailing of gas, oil, oil derivatives, electricity and chemicals; the company is also interested in global energy innovation such as renewable sources of energies. However, Royal Dutch Shell has been struggling to capture investor’s imagination after 2009 (Shell Annual Report, 2012). Although revenues and profits had recovered, Niger Delta and North Sea oil spilling almost destroyed Shell’s revival dream. The recent figures are still disappointing: Shell suffered more than 30 per cent drop in profits in recent successive quarters (2nd Quarter Unaudited Results 3rd Quarter Unaudited Results, 2013). We will write a custom essay sample on Royal Dutch Shell or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page What are the factors to Shell’s loss? Is that caused by Financial Crisis or European Debt Crisis? Or caused by Oil Spill? Or caused by deep business environmental changes? Identifying Challenges Analysis should start at the general to focus down, called outside-in analytical framework (Angwin et al, 2011). The interaction of an organisation with external environment is decomposed into macro-environment influences, meso-environment influences and micro-environment influences. Macro-environment analysis assesses the stability and complexity in energy industry. Meso-environment analysis focuses on competitive arena; more specifically, it reveals interaction and power of Shell with other main market components. Micro-environment analysis shows competition position in energy industry: it identifies and compares performances of global energy giants. However, the largest degree of influence is from focal company itself; namely, internal environment where decisions are made about corporate strategy and resource policy. Employing outside-in approach contributes to avoid myopia which seeing the real business world on focal firm’s standpoint and thus increases the accuracy of strategic analysis. Macro-environment Macro-environmental analysis is the first and necessary part of systematic strategic analysis. In today varied and complex business world, PESTEL is a common conceptual tool used in macro-environmental analysis. This framework identifies current and potential changes in a large macro-territory (Fahey Narayanan, 1986) and assesses the impact of changes on firm’s industry and itself (Ginter Duncan, 1990). P stands for political factors that determine governmental influence on economy or a certain industry. Political aspects have significant influence in oil and gas industry. It is because most countries regard oil and gas, main products in energy industry, as strategic materials. The energy independence is a preferential aim for the countries who intend to avoid economic blackmail and political suppression from other countries and organisations like OPEC (Talevski Lima, 2009). Thus the authorities strictly control foreign investments into oil and gas drilling and production and allow limited rights to transport and retail oil, gas and other petrochemical products (EIA, 2008), which limit access to proven reserves and potential markets. Besides, the political stability has impacts, especially in North Africa and Middle East. Instability, including political or economic terrorism, civil unrest, acts of war, piracy on high sea and governmental sanctions can discourage investments and disrupt safe operations and products transports (Talevski Lima, 2009). E stands for economic factors that determine economy’s performance with resonating long-term effects. Demand for oil and gas is determined by economic prosperity because most industries and transportation run on fuels (Talevski Lima, 2009). Under current unclear â€Å"economic slowdown†, the demand-and-supply relationship of fuels seems unpredictable. It results in fluctuating price of crude oil, natural gas, and petrochemical products with material impacts on oil and gas industry (Shell Annual Report, 2012). Specifically, in a low fuels price environment, corporates gain less revenue from upstream business because of shrinking margins between raw materials and products; while in a high fuels price environment, corporates suffers less entitlement to proved reserves and lower product demands, which reduces profitability of downstream business. S stands for social factors that influence social-cultural environment of market. Suffering the fears of global warming, people show increasing concerns about natural environment. The considerations shape preference for green energies rather than fossil fuels, especially in developed countries. Population in developed countries, primary consumers of hydrocarbons, consciously diminish needs for oil and gas but boost needs for renewable energies (Trifu, 2012). It entails heavy investments in research development in new energies. Besides, public concerns about corporate social responsibility push energy giants to protect all stakeholders’ profits, such as employees and neighbours at increasing expenditure on optimising manufacturing process, building infrastructure and training employees. T stands for technological factors related to innovations that may affect the operation or markets. Technology is key element in upstream business and downstream business: innovations in exploration and production (upstream) contribute to discover new hydrocarbon reserves or enhance recovery of oil and gas; while in the downstream, optimising reefing process of varying quality and developing marketing campaigns based on technological advance (like communication in social media) help corporates reduce operational costs and enhance margins (BP Annual Report, 2008). Thus corporates should be charged a considerable sum on research development. Additionally, technological improvement in substitutes and complementary products alter the demands for different sources of energies. Generally speaking, the dominance of hydrocarbon should be replaced if the increasing number of complementary products driven by green energies emerges and the costs on exploiting and manufacturing substitutes decrease. E stands for environmental factors that influence or are determined by the surroundings. Most energy companies have been involved in environmental pollution. Increasingly strict environmental restrictions require energy companies spend share of their profits in technological innovation and waste disposal to environmental restoration and remediation (BP Annual Report, 2008). Besides, an uneven geographical distribution of hydrocarbon and separability of production fields and markets expose oil and gas companies to safety issues and environmental issues in transportation (Talevski Lima, 2009), such as BP oil spilling in Gulf of Mexico. Transportation process requires special care at large human, material and capital inputs. Thus environmental issues are threats to profitability. L stands for legal factors that laws affect the business environment. Legal regulations subjected to energy companies includes imposition of exploitation obligations, regulations on field development and decommissioning, proposed fuel specifications, the provision of health-safety-security-and-environment protection, emission controls, climate change programs, the provision of disposal or releases of chemicals or petroleum substances, the clauses of antitrust and competition, upfront concession fees , special royalties and taxes (Talevski Lima, 2009; Trifu, 2012). More stringent legal restrictions might induce damage to corporate images, larger fees required in business activities or even loss of licence to operate in a certain area (Shell Annual Report, 2012). Meso-environment Analysis about meso-environment examines competitive structure. Porter’s Five Forces should be advised: It identifies five basic competitive forces which influence focal participants’ income statements and balance sheets through prices, costs and investments (Porter, 2008). Meso-environmental analysis tries to understand underpinnings of competition and causes of profitability in oil and gas industry. The threat of new entrants is insignificant. There are large capital investments tied to all vertical activities like exploration of new fields, setting-up production facilities, scientific research and accessing to distribution channel. Enormous fixed up-front investment creates barriers to potential entrants (Talevski Lima, 2009). Economies of scale/scope are another barrier to new participants. Higher unit costs in exploration and production and lower volume of business result in a small profit margin, which adversely affect returns of money in the start-up (Dess et al., 2004). The threat of substitutes seems not significant today but increasingly influential in following years. Oil and gas are still dominant in many sectors, especially in transportation and industry; and it is estimated to stay the dominance until 2030 (IEA, 2008). However, with the technological advances in drilling and processing new energies and rising concerns on planet, green energies like renewable energies and nuclear energies are predicted to slowly but surely enlarge market share in the future. The bargaining power of buyers is complex. Generally, the power of buyers is low because the prices of oil and gas are globally given (Talevski Lima, 2009). However, the power of large consumers, like the US, the EU, China and Japan, are indeed strong because their enormous volumes of demands can alter global demands. Recently, theses primary consumers are trying to switch from heavy dependence on fossil fuels to renewable energies. Thus the strong bargaining power entails business revolution in oil and gas industry. The bargaining power of suppliers depends on which type of suppliers they are. The conventional suppliers that provide supporting products/services seem disadvantaged because oil and gas industry has a wide range of small unconsolidated sub-suppliers from various sectors. While the suppliers of oil or gas field exert power: no one corporates can operate in a certain country without permission. These countries can determine the supply of materials. Thus their policy and regulation on oil and gas are quite important to energy companies. The intensity of rivalry is high. The slow industry growth and product homogeneity create small profits margins through technological or managerial innovation. Besides, the needs to replace drying fields exacerbate competition due to the fact that new reserves are more difficult to access. All of them force major and strong oligopolistic players overcome competitive constrains through aggressive activities like mergers, acquisitions and alliances (Weston et al. , 2001). Micro-environment Micro-environment analysis attempts to identify Shell’s competitive position through comparing competitors’ superior performances. Fiercer competition on differentiating products is a characteristic of oil and gas industry. BP intended to gain first-mover advantages. BP has engaged in renewables energies, especially in wind, solar and biofuels (Datamonitor, 2010). Until the end of 2009, BP has more than 500 MW of installed capacity through wind power; the whole solar value chain has been built; and more than $1 billion planned investments was into biofuels business operation. The Total S. A. refused to be inferior: the investments into renewable energies are also considerable (Datamonitor, 2010). Slow differentiation process might erode Shell’s competitive position. Increasing competition from government-run companies such as China National Petroleum Corporation and Sinopec creates threats to publicly held oil and gas companies, especially in seeking access to the fields (Shell Annual Report, 2012). These government-run entities have partial access to significant reserves and desirable projects. They are also sometimes motivated by political or other factors in making business decision which is abnormal in markets or harm to competitors. These partial competitive advantages supported by national governments should be achieved at independent participants’ loss. Internal Environment Internal-environmental analysis focuses on firm-specific factors. The frequent oil spilling disasters have troubled Shell for a long time. Recently, these problems become even worse. The oil spilling in Nigeria mainly caused by lack of maintenance on pipeline resulted in up to 40,000 barrels of crude oil spilling 75 miles off the coasts of Niger Delta (Vidal, 2011); the following oil leaking in North Sea caused by immature deep-water drilling technology and operator error resulted in more than 1,300 barrels of crude oil spilling (BBC news, 2011). However, Shell’s responses to extreme events seem unacceptable. Criticisms referred to late disclosure of information about leaking events, sluggish efforts to stop leakage, false claims on responsibility and reluctance on compensation (Macalister, 2013; Watkins, 2013). It makes Shell face not only considerable economic losses from business interruption, rehabilitative measures and fines on environmental pollution which caused losing leading company position (Datamonitor, 2010; MarketLine, 2013), but also a credibility problem and even corporate images damage (ICMR, 2010). Another threat is from globalisation outsourcing. Shell’s operation is on more than 70 countries with differing degrees of political, legal and fiscal stability. A wide range of political developments might affect operations, especially in the upstream, referring to land tenure, re-writing of leases, entitlement to produced hydrocarbons, production rates, and royalties (Shell Annual Report, 2012). Cross-border transaction also exposed Shell to risks from fluctuating foreign exchange rate. Changing foreign exchange rate increases transaction risks (caused by time delay between signing and settling contracts) and translational risks (caused by operating in foreign currencies but showing on balance sheets in home currency), which increase unpredictability in estimating costs and revenues (Sorensen and Kyle, 2008). Furthermore, Shell face competition from powerful local rivals when entering overseas market. Wining in the competition require large investments particularly when the rivalry happens in home country of government-run firms. Key Challenges The greatest challenge is from the increasing environmental concerns, leading to stringent environmental regulation and growing demands to green energies in future market. Hart pointed (1995) corporate competitive advantages should be rooted in capabilities in promoting environmentally-friendly economic activities, namely the natural-resource-based view of the firm. However, most core businesses of Shell, especially in upstream activities, still cause huge damages to ecosystem. This trend creates a puzzle: how to modify current environment-damaged portfolio to satisfy growing requirements to environmentally-friendly business model. In other words, it determines Shell’s future business development direction: from traditional fossil fuel company to environment-oriented energy giants-to sustain competitive advantages by pollution prevention, product stewardship and sustainable development (Hart, 1995). The second key challenge is from poor crisis management strategy. Current activities in value chain exposure Shell to safety disasters in drilling, production, refining, and transportation process. It seriously hurts social benefit, especially the safety of nearby residence. Growing concerns about corporate social responsibility set higher requirements to Shell to manage crisis. How to win customer’s trusts and recover the credibility depends on Shell’s improvements in social-responsible performance. It determines Shell’s future strategic direction: from high-level risk-facing but low-level risking-taking company to lower-risk and strong anti-risk company with organisational and policy synergies which extend beyond â€Å"principles† to the serious treatments by every staff to think about threats and adopt their behaviour to avoid potential crisis or to manage happened crisis (McConnell Drennan, 2006). The third key challenge is from globalisation business model in oil and gas industry. This model tightly ties demand to Shell’s products to global economic prosperity and depression. It obviously brings greater difficulty to determine outputs in a certain period in order to balance demands and supply. Besides, the regional instability in political development and economic situation especially in currency makes it tougher for Shell to audit revenuesto control operations. Furthermore, competition from powerful local rivals is big challenge for Shell entering overseas market. To gain competitive advantages in international context should combine firm-specific resource and capabilities with certain national environment (Grant, 2008). In other words, how to shorten political, economic and cultural distances in globalisation should be Shell’s future direction on optimising integration of global resources (Ghemawat, 2001). Strategic Plan How to deal with the three contextual key challenges should be a serious question in Shell’s development plan. The measures to manage challenges can be understood as to pursue or sustain competitive advantages. In current market, external stakeholders are trying to keep companies accountable for social issues and demonstrate potentially large financial risks for the companies with damages to society or environments. Fulfilling social responsibility has been becoming inescapable requirements to keep competitive advantages. In order to embed a social perspective into its core value proposition, Shell should change from the fragmented and defensive position to the integrated and proactive posture. In other words, the focus must move from the focuses on corporate image to an emphasis on humanity and substance (Porter Kramer, 2006). Shared values among society (people), economy (profits) and environment (planet) can be realised (Jamali, 2006). The primary task is the shift from an environmentally-damaged producer to an environmentally-friendly corporation, namely, to achieve environment benefits. The first step is pollution abatement. There are two suggested approaches. Pollution control is using pollution control equipment to trap, store, treat and dispose emission and effluents. Another approach is pollution prevention, refers to reduce, change and prevent emission and effluents by greater housekeeping, material substitution, recycling and process innovation (Cairncross, 1991, Frosch Gallopoulos, 1989; Willig, 1994). Pollution prevention seems more important than pollution control: it tries to prevent and contain pollution in continuous-improvement methods rather than the old model of â€Å"polluting then cleaning up† at expense of non-recoverable ecological damages and expensive end-of-pipe capital investments to control emissions (Rooney, 1993). A pollution-prevention strategy emphasis on establishing capabilities in production and operation: it can be achieved through extensive and initiative employee involvement (Cole, 1991; Lawler, 1986) and continues improvement in waste reduction. Thus it is necessary to invest into inventing or introducing environmentally-friendly or resource-conserving facilities and innovating technology used in value chain. For example, non-phenolic and resin-coating technology  increase hydraulic fracturing efficiency: It allows coated sand to be produced with less energy requirement and environmental damages compared to current phenolic resins in the manufacturing process (Drilling Contractor, 2013). Building awareness of environmental protection and forcing involvement of employees also should be suggested. The second step is to product stewardship. It refers to direct the selection of raw materials and manage product design with aims at minimising environmental harm of product system. Exiting environmentally hazardous business and developing potential products with lower life-cycle costs should be the requirements to reasonable product management (Hart, 1995). To Shell, creating new products with low life-cycle costs will be dominant product strategy. It requests Shell to minimise the use of non-renewable materials, to avoid use of toxic materials and maximise the use of renewable resources (Robert, 1995). Developing renewable energy is a good choice. Shell is advised to develop wind, solar, hydropower, tidal, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas electricity generation and anaerobic digestion. These green energies not only satisfy legal and public expectations on environmental protection but also solve the problem of fossil fuels crisis. The third step is sustainable development. To achieve sustainable development demands a great deal of inputs and long-term commitments to develop market (Hart, 1995). To Shell, that means to create market demand transition from fossil fuel to renewable source of energies, especially in the developing countries. For example, Shell can make documentaries about production in the fossil fuels field and the renewable energy filed. This comparison might switch audiences’ preference for energies. Shell also can persuade energy-intensive producers to adopt green source of energies. Although there is little evidence showing the relationship between these efforts and short-term profits, the engagement to sustainable development will improvement firms’ long-term performance, reflected by price earnings or market-to-book ratios (Hart, 1995). The second task is to manage crisis, specifically to avoid potential crisis and to minimise the damages. That can be understood a task in protecting social benefits, especially nearby residence around Shell economic activities. There are five phase to accomplish crisis management (Mitroff, 1988). The first phase is signal deletion. Long before the crisis happened, there are repeated and persistent trials of warning signals. It is necessary for Shell to build various appropriate warning systems to identify diverse explicit or implicit signals. For example, the growing equipment faulty rate may imply the increasing possibility of accident and needs for maintenance. The second phase is preparation or prevention, referring to establish appropriate prevention and preparation mechanism. Specifically, prevention and preparation mechanism works through identifying any sign of weakness and then responding appropriately whatever problems is discovered. In this phase, Shell is required to ensure everything stay fixed even it works well now. The third phase is containment or damage limitation. It is important for Shell to build damage-limitation mechanisms in place. Preventing all crises seems impossible in oil and gas industry. How to prevent the harm from engulfing other parts of the corporate should be discussed. After every disaster happens, Shell should release relevant information as soon as possible and also clearly claim corporate responsibility. Although it may cause higher expense of recovery, these measures protect credibility in public, which is important for long-term development. The fourth phase is recovery. If Shell is not anticipatory, the aftermath is requested. That means Shell should build short-term and long-term recovery plan. For instance, in Nigeria Delta, how to degrade toxic substance in soil, air and water, how to recover soil fertility and how to rebuild broken ecosystem, which is highly related to local people’s health need to be considered. The final phase is learning. Shell should reassess the crisis happened on the past to improve capabilities in predicting crisis and avoiding crisis. The third task is to manage the difficulties in globalisation. The challenges are mainly from political difference, cultural distance and economic instability. Thus it is a task to shrink various distances in globalisation to realise economic profits. Political difference and cultural distance create barriers to foreign companies. International alliance and joint venture with powerful local market participant should be a suitable entry mode for Shell in overseas markets (Grant, 2008). It not only free Shell from political restrictions directed against foreign companies but also access market knowledge and distribution capabilities. Another strategy to shrink political and cultural distance is decentralisation. That means giving overseas subsidiaries higher level of freedoms in decision-making. These holders of first-hand information can modify Shell’s activities and respond the diverse political and customers’ requirements quickly and accurately. That is the process of localisation. The effects of economic instability also can be minimised by economic tools. For example, financial forward contracts help Shell avoid financial risks, such as fluctuating foreign exchange rate to guarantee the best possible outcomes in a certain production cycle (Shapiro, ND.) Although it cannot balance demand and supply fundamentally, the tools or frameworks tries to decrease damages from external economic changes. Conclusion Royal Dutch Shell was a successful corporation but now is suffering poor performance. In this essay, the author analyses the macro-environment, meso-environment, micro-environment and internal environment in outside-in approach to identify three key challenges in the long-term survival. They are increasing concerns in environmental protection, poor crisis management strategy and various distances in globalisation. They also can be understood the threats from environment, society and economy. Thus corporate social responsibility is the synergy. Environmental profits can be achieved through ppollution abatement, product stewardship and sustainable development; sociall profits can be realised by crisis management, including signal deletion, preparation and prevention, damage limitation, recovery and learning; economic profits can be accomplished by shrinking political, cultural and economic distance through alliance joint venture, decentralised management and leverage by economic tools. Royal Dutch Shell free essay sample Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell) is one of global leading energy and petrochemical companies. Its foundation dated back to 19 Century but it fully formed after merger of Royal Dutch  and Shell Transport in 1907. Now, Shell, headquartered in The Hague, operates in more than 140 countries or areas and employs approximately 87,000 staffs. Shell businesses expand from upstream to downstream: it is engaged in exploration, production, refining, transportation and retailing of gas, oil, oil derivatives, electricity and chemicals; the company is also interested in global energy innovation such as renewable sources of energies. However, Royal Dutch Shell has been struggling to capture investor’s imagination after 2009 (Shell Annual Report, 2012). Although revenues and profits had recovered, Niger Delta and North Sea oil spilling almost destroyed Shell’s revival dream. The recent figures are still disappointing: Shell suffered more than 30 per cent drop in profits in recent successive quarters (2nd Quarter Unaudited Results 3rd Quarter Unaudited Results, 2013). We will write a custom essay sample on Royal Dutch Shell or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page What are the factors to Shell’s loss? Is that caused by Financial Crisis or European Debt Crisis? Or caused by Oil Spill? Or caused by deep business environmental changes? Identifying Challenges Analysis should start at the general to focus down, called outside-in analytical framework (Angwin et al, 2011). The interaction of an organisation with external environment is decomposed into macro-environment influences, meso-environment influences and micro-environment influences. Macro-environment analysis assesses the stability and complexity in energy industry. Meso-environment analysis focuses on competitive arena; more specifically, it reveals interaction and power of Shell with other main market components. Micro-environment analysis shows competition position in energy industry: it identifies and compares performances of global energy giants. However, the largest degree of influence is from focal company itself; namely, internal environment where decisions are made about corporate strategy and resource policy. Employing outside-in approach contributes to avoid myopia which seeing the real business world on focal firm’s standpoint and thus increases the accuracy of strategic analysis. Macro-environment Macro-environmental analysis is the first and necessary part of systematic strategic analysis. In today varied and complex business world, PESTEL is a common conceptual tool used in macro-environmental analysis. This framework identifies current and potential changes in a large macro-territory (Fahey Narayanan, 1986) and assesses the impact of changes on firm’s industry and itself (Ginter Duncan, 1990). P stands for political factors that determine governmental influence on economy or a certain industry. Political aspects have significant influence in oil and gas industry. It is because most countries regard oil and gas, main products in energy industry, as strategic materials. The energy independence is a preferential aim for the countries who intend to avoid economic blackmail and political suppression from other countries and organisations like OPEC (Talevski Lima, 2009). Thus the authorities strictly control foreign investments into oil and gas drilling and production and allow limited rights to transport and retail oil, gas and other petrochemical products (EIA, 2008), which limit access to proven reserves and potential markets. Besides, the political stability has impacts, especially in North Africa and Middle East. Instability, including political or economic terrorism, civil unrest, acts of war, piracy on high sea and governmental sanctions can discourage investments and disrupt safe operations and products transports (Talevski Lima, 2009). E stands for economic factors that determine economy’s performance with resonating long-term effects. Demand for oil and gas is determined by economic prosperity because most industries and transportation run on fuels (Talevski Lima, 2009). Under current unclear â€Å"economic slowdown†, the demand-and-supply relationship of fuels seems unpredictable. It results in fluctuating price of crude oil, natural gas, and petrochemical products with material impacts on oil and gas industry (Shell Annual Report, 2012). Specifically, in a low fuels price environment, corporates gain less revenue from upstream business because of shrinking margins between raw materials and products; while in a high fuels price environment, corporates suffers less entitlement to proved reserves and lower product demands, which reduces profitability of downstream business. S stands for social factors that influence social-cultural environment of market. Suffering the fears of global warming, people show increasing concerns about natural environment. The considerations shape preference for green energies rather than fossil fuels, especially in developed countries. Population in developed countries, primary consumers of hydrocarbons, consciously diminish needs for oil and gas but boost needs for renewable energies (Trifu, 2012). It entails heavy investments in research development in new energies. Besides, public concerns about corporate social responsibility push energy giants to protect all stakeholders’ profits, such as employees and neighbours at increasing expenditure on optimising manufacturing process, building infrastructure and training employees. T stands for technological factors related to innovations that may affect the operation or markets. Technology is key element in upstream business and downstream business: innovations in exploration and production (upstream) contribute to discover new hydrocarbon reserves or enhance recovery of oil and gas; while in the downstream, optimising reefing process of varying quality and developing marketing campaigns based on technological advance (like communication in social media) help corporates reduce operational costs and enhance margins (BP Annual Report, 2008). Thus corporates should be charged a considerable sum on research development. Additionally, technological improvement in substitutes and complementary products alter the demands for different sources of energies. Generally speaking, the dominance of hydrocarbon should be replaced if the increasing number of complementary products driven by green energies emerges and the costs on exploiting and manufacturing substitutes decrease. E stands for environmental factors that influence or are determined by the surroundings. Most energy companies have been involved in environmental pollution. Increasingly strict environmental restrictions require energy companies spend share of their profits in technological innovation and waste disposal to environmental restoration and remediation (BP Annual Report, 2008). Besides, an uneven geographical distribution of hydrocarbon and separability of production fields and markets expose oil and gas companies to safety issues and environmental issues in transportation (Talevski Lima, 2009), such as BP oil spilling in Gulf of Mexico. Transportation process requires special care at large human, material and capital inputs. Thus environmental issues are threats to profitability. L stands for legal factors that laws affect the business environment. Legal regulations subjected to energy companies includes imposition of exploitation obligations, regulations on field development and decommissioning, proposed fuel specifications, the provision of health-safety-security-and-environment protection, emission controls, climate change programs, the provision of disposal or releases of chemicals or petroleum substances, the clauses of antitrust and competition, upfront concession fees , special royalties and taxes (Talevski Lima, 2009; Trifu, 2012). More stringent legal restrictions might induce damage to corporate images, larger fees required in business activities or even loss of licence to operate in a certain area (Shell Annual Report, 2012). Meso-environment Analysis about meso-environment examines competitive structure. Porter’s Five Forces should be advised: It identifies five basic competitive forces which influence focal participants’ income statements and balance sheets through prices, costs and investments (Porter, 2008). Meso-environmental analysis tries to understand underpinnings of competition and causes of profitability in oil and gas industry. The threat of new entrants is insignificant. There are large capital investments tied to all vertical activities like exploration of new fields, setting-up production facilities, scientific research and accessing to distribution channel. Enormous fixed up-front investment creates barriers to potential entrants (Talevski Lima, 2009). Economies of scale/scope are another barrier to new participants. Higher unit costs in exploration and production and lower volume of business result in a small profit margin, which adversely affect returns of money in the start-up (Dess et al. The threat of substitutes seems not significant today but increasingly influential in following years. Oil and gas are still dominant in many sectors, especially in transportation and industry; and it is estimated to stay the dominance until 2030 (IEA, 2008). However, with the technological advances in drilling and processing new energies and rising concerns on planet, green energies like renewable energies and nuclear energies are predicted to slowly but surely enlarge market share in the future. The bargaining power of buyers is complex. Generally, the power of buyers is low because the prices of oil and gas are globally given (Talevski Lima, 2009). However, the power of large consumers, like the US, the EU, China and Japan, are indeed strong because their enormous volumes of demands can alter global demands. Recently, theses primary consumers are trying to switch from heavy dependence on fossil fuels to renewable energies. Thus the strong bargaining power entails business revolution in oil and gas industry. The bargaining power of suppliers depends on which type of suppliers they are. The conventional suppliers that provide supporting products/services seem disadvantaged because oil and gas industry has a wide range of small unconsolidated sub-suppliers from various sectors. While the suppliers of oil or gas field exert power: no one corporates can operate in a certain country without permission. These countries can determine the supply of materials. Thus their policy and regulation on oil and gas are quite important to energy companies. The intensity of rivalry is high. The slow industry growth and product homogeneity create small profits margins through technological or managerial innovation. Besides, the needs to replace drying fields exacerbate competition due to the fact that new reserves are more difficult to access. All of them force major and strong oligopolistic players overcome competitive constrains through aggressive activities like mergers, acquisitions and alliances (Weston et al. , 2001). Micro-environment Micro-environment analysis attempts to identify Shell’s competitive position through comparing competitors’ superior performances. Fiercer competition on differentiating products is a characteristic of oil and gas industry. BP intended to gain first-mover advantages. BP has engaged in renewables energies, especially in wind, solar and biofuels (Datamonitor, 2010). Until the end of 2009, BP has more than 500 MW of installed capacity through wind power; the whole solar value chain has been built; and more than $1 billion planned investments was into biofuels business operation. The Total S. A. refused to be inferior: the investments into renewable energies are also considerable (Datamonitor, 2010). Slow differentiation process might erode Shell’s competitive position. Increasing competition from government-run companies such as China National Petroleum Corporation and Sinopec creates threats to publicly held oil and gas companies, especially in seeking access to the fields (Shell Annual Report, 2012). These government-run entities have partial access to significant reserves and desirable projects. They are also sometimes motivated by political or other factors in making business decision which is abnormal in markets or harm to competitors. These partial competitive advantages supported by national governments should be achieved at independent participants’ loss. Internal Environment Internal-environmental analysis focuses on firm-specific factors. The frequent oil spilling disasters have troubled Shell for a long time. Recently, these problems become even worse. The oil spilling in Nigeria mainly caused by lack of maintenance on pipeline resulted in up to 40,000 barrels of crude oil spilling 75 miles off the coasts of Niger Delta (Vidal, 2011); the following oil leaking in North Sea caused by immature deep-water drilling technology and operator error resulted in more than 1,300 barrels of crude oil spilling (BBC news, 2011). However, Shell’s responses to extreme events seem unacceptable. Criticisms referred to late disclosure of information about leaking events, sluggish efforts to stop leakage, false claims on responsibility and reluctance on compensation (Macalister, 2013; Watkins, 2013). It makes Shell face not only considerable economic losses from business interruption, rehabilitative measures and fines on environmental pollution which caused losing leading company position (Datamonitor, 2010; MarketLine, 2013), but also a credibility problem and even corporate images damage (ICMR, 2010). Another threat is from globalisation outsourcing. Shell’s operation is on more than 70 countries with differing degrees of political, legal and fiscal stability. A wide range of political developments might affect operations, especially in the upstream, referring to land tenure, re-writing of leases, entitlement to produced hydrocarbons, production rates, and royalties (Shell Annual Report, 2012). Cross-border transaction also exposed Shell to risks from fluctuating foreign exchange rate. Changing foreign exchange rate increases transaction risks (caused by time delay between signing and settling contracts) and translational risks (caused by operating in foreign currencies but showing on balance sheets in home currency), which increase unpredictability in estimating costs and revenues (Sorensen and Kyle, 2008). Furthermore, Shell face competition from powerful local rivals when entering overseas market. Wining in the competition require large investments particularly when the rivalry happens in home country of government-run firms. Key Challenges The greatest challenge is from the increasing environmental concerns, leading to stringent environmental regulation and growing demands to green energies in future market. Hart pointed (1995) corporate competitive advantages should be rooted in capabilities in promoting environmentally-friendly economic activities, namely the natural-resource-based view of the firm. However, most core businesses of Shell, especially in upstream activities, still cause huge damages to ecosystem. This trend creates a puzzle: how to modify current environment-damaged portfolio to satisfy growing requirements to environmentally-friendly business model. In other words, it determines Shell’s future business development direction: from traditional fossil fuel company to environment-oriented energy giants-to sustain competitive advantages by pollution prevention, product stewardship and sustainable development (Hart, 1995). The second key challenge is from poor crisis management strategy. Current activities in value chain exposure Shell to safety disasters in drilling, production, refining, and transportation process. It seriously hurts social benefit, especially the safety of nearby residence. Growing concerns about corporate social responsibility set higher requirements to Shell to manage crisis. How to win customer’s trusts and recover the credibility depends on Shell’s improvements in social-responsible performance. It determines Shell’s future strategic direction: from high-level risk-facing but low-level risking-taking company to lower-risk and strong anti-risk company with organisational and policy synergies which extend beyond â€Å"principles† to the serious treatments by every staff to think about threats and adopt their behaviour to avoid potential crisis or to manage happened crisis (McConnell Drennan, 2006). The third key challenge is from globalisation business model in oil and gas industry. This model tightly ties demand to Shell’s products to global economic prosperity and depression. It obviously brings greater difficulty to determine outputs in a certain period in order to balance demands and supply. Besides, the regional instability in political development and economic situation especially in currency makes it tougher for Shell to audit revenuesto control operations. Furthermore, competition from powerful local rivals is big challenge for Shell entering overseas market. To gain competitive advantages in international context should combine firm-specific resource and capabilities with certain national environment (Grant, 2008). In other words, how to shorten political, economic and cultural distances in globalisation should be Shell’s future direction on optimising integration of global resources (Ghemawat, 2001). Strategic Plan How to deal with the three contextual key challenges should be a serious question in Shell’s development plan. The measures to manage challenges can be understood as to pursue or sustain competitive advantages. In current market, external stakeholders are trying to keep companies accountable for social issues and demonstrate potentially large financial risks for the companies with damages to society or environments. Fulfilling social responsibility has been becoming inescapable requirements to keep competitive advantages. In order to embed a social perspective into its core value proposition, Shell should change from the fragmented and defensive position to the integrated and proactive posture. In other words, the focus must move from the focuses on corporate image to an emphasis on humanity and substance (Porter Kramer, 2006). Shared values among society (people), economy (profits) and environment (planet) can be realised (Jamali, 2006). The primary task is the shift from an environmentally-damaged producer to an environmentally-friendly corporation, namely, to achieve environment benefits. The first step is pollution abatement. There are two suggested approaches. Pollution control is using pollution control equipment to trap, store, treat and dispose emission and effluents. Another approach is pollution prevention, refers to reduce, change and prevent emission and effluents by greater housekeeping, material substitution, recycling and process innovation (Cairncross, 1991, Frosch Gallopoulos, 1989; Willig, 1994). Pollution prevention seems more important than pollution control: it tries to prevent and contain pollution in continuous-improvement methods rather than the old model of â€Å"polluting then cleaning up† at expense of non-recoverable ecological damages and expensive end-of-pipe capital investments to control emissions (Rooney, 1993). A pollution-prevention strategy emphasis on establishing capabilities in production and operation: it can be achieved through extensive and initiative employee involvement (Cole, 1991; Lawler, 1986) and continues improvement in waste reduction. Thus it is necessary to invest into inventing or introducing environmentally-friendly or resource-conserving facilities and innovating technology used in value chain. For example, non-phenolic and resin-coating technology  increase hydraulic fracturing efficiency: It allows coated sand to be produced with less energy requirement and environmental damages compared to current phenolic resins in the manufacturing process (Drilling Contractor, 2013). Building awareness of environmental protection and forcing involvement of employees also should be suggested. The second step is to product stewardship. It refers to direct the selection of raw materials and manage product design with aims at minimising environmental harm of product system. Exiting environmentally hazardous business and developing potential products with lower life-cycle costs should be the requirements to reasonable product management (Hart, 1995). To Shell, creating new products with low life-cycle costs will be dominant product strategy. It requests Shell to minimise the use of non-renewable materials, to avoid use of toxic materials and maximise the use of renewable resources (Robert, 1995). Developing renewable energy is a good choice. Shell is advised to develop wind, solar, hydropower, tidal, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas electricity generation and anaerobic digestion. These green energies not only satisfy legal and public expectations on environmental protection but also solve the problem of fossil fuels crisis. The third step is sustainable development. To achieve sustainable development demands a great deal of inputs and long-term commitments to develop market (Hart, 1995). To Shell, that means to create market demand transition from fossil fuel to renewable source of energies, especially in the developing countries. For example, Shell can make documentaries about production in the fossil fuels field and the renewable energy filed. This comparison might switch audiences’ preference for energies. Shell also can persuade energy-intensive producers to adopt green source of energies. Although there is little evidence showing the relationship between these efforts and short-term profits, the engagement to sustainable development will improvement firms’ long-term performance, reflected by price earnings or market-to-book ratios (Hart, 1995). The second task is to manage crisis, specifically to avoid potential crisis and to minimise the damages. That can be understood a task in protecting social benefits, especially nearby residence around Shell economic activities. There are five phase to accomplish crisis management (Mitroff, 1988). The first phase is signal deletion. Long before the crisis happened, there are repeated and persistent trials of warning signals. It is necessary for Shell to build various appropriate warning systems to identify diverse explicit or implicit signals. For example, the growing equipment faulty rate may imply the increasing possibility of accident and needs for maintenance. The second phase is preparation or prevention, referring to establish appropriate prevention and preparation mechanism. Specifically, prevention and preparation mechanism works through identifying any sign of weakness and then responding appropriately whatever problems is discovered. In this phase, Shell is required to ensure everything stay fixed even it works well now. The third phase is containment or damage limitation. It is important for Shell to build damage-limitation mechanisms in place. Preventing all crises seems impossible in oil and gas industry. How to prevent the harm from engulfing other parts of the corporate should be discussed. After every disaster happens, Shell should release relevant information as soon as possible and also clearly claim corporate responsibility. Although it may cause higher expense of recovery, these measures protect credibility in public, which is important for long-term development. The fourth phase is recovery. If Shell is not anticipatory, the aftermath is requested. That means Shell should build short-term and long-term recovery plan. For instance, in Nigeria Delta, how to degrade toxic substance in soil, air and water, how to recover soil fertility and how to rebuild broken ecosystem, which is highly related to local people’s health need to be considered. The final phase is learning. Shell should reassess the crisis happened on the past to improve capabilities in predicting crisis and avoiding crisis. The third task is to manage the difficulties in globalisation. The challenges are mainly from political difference, cultural distance and economic instability. Thus it is a task to shrink various distances in globalisation to realise economic profits. Political difference and cultural distance create barriers to foreign companies. International alliance and joint venture with powerful local market participant should be a suitable entry mode for Shell in overseas markets (Grant, 2008). It not only free Shell from political restrictions directed against foreign companies but also access market knowledge and distribution capabilities. Another strategy to shrink political and cultural distance is decentralisation. That means giving overseas subsidiaries higher level of freedoms in decision-making. These holders of first-hand information can modify Shell’s activities and respond the diverse political and customers’ requirements quickly and accurately. That is the process of localisation. The effects of economic instability also can be minimised by economic tools. For example, financial forward contracts help Shell avoid financial risks, such as fluctuating foreign exchange rate to guarantee the best possible outcomes in a certain production cycle (Shapiro, ND. Although it cannot balance demand and supply fundamentally, the tools or frameworks tries to decrease damages from external economic changes. Conclusion Royal Dutch Shell was a successful corporation but now is suffering poor performance. In this essay, the author analyses the macro-environment, meso-environment, micro-environment and internal environment in outside-in approach to identify three key challenges in the long-term survival. They are increasing concerns in environmental protection, poor crisis management strategy and various distances in globalisation. They also can be understood the threats from environment, society and economy. Thus corporate social responsibility is the synergy. Environmental profits can be achieved through ppollution abatement, product stewardship and sustainable development; sociall profits can be realised by crisis management, including signal deletion, preparation and prevention, damage limitation, recovery and learning; economic profits can be accomplished by shrinking political, cultural and economic distance through alliance joint venture, decentralised management and leverage by economic tools.

Austarlias current trading position

Austarlias current trading position Table of Contents1.0 Introduction 12.0 The importance of international trade 12.1 Imports 12.1.1 Direction of imports 22.2 Exports 42.2.1 Direction of exports 53.0 Balance of payments 64.0 Exchange rates 75.0 Foreign investment 86.0 Trade blocs 87.0 Conclusion 10References 111.0 IntroductionTrade is of vital importance to Australia. It now accounts for around 40% our national income with exports of goods and services generating around $1452.2 billion in income for Australia in 2001-02 (D.F.A.T. 2003). The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and importance of trade to the Australian economy. In particular, the scope of this paper will be confined to the benefits of trade followed by an analysis of changes in Australia's trading patterns.2.0 The importance of international tradeThe importance that Australia places on trade can be attributed to the fact that Australians are not able to produce all the goods and services required by Australian consumers (DFAT, 2003).English: C hile: imports and exports, annual averag...International trade is geared around the concept of mutually beneficial exchange. So by trading Australia is able to focus on producing goods and services in which it is most competitive, ultimately enabling Australian consumers to gain from having a wider choice through importing of products and services that they are unable to produce for themselves. That is Australia gains from trade the ability to import things it wants (Krugman 1993).2.1 ImportsAbout one-tenth of Australia's merchandise imports consist of primary products such as food and beverages and crude petroleum while the remainder of manufactures consists mainly of elaborately transformed manufactures (ETM's) such as computers, machinery and transport equipment. The main service imports consist of transportation, travel, communication and insurance (DFAT 2003). A list of Australian imports by broad categories can be seen...

The 6 Scientific Method Steps and How to Use Them

The 6 Scientific Method Steps and How to Use Them SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When you’re faced with a scientific problem, solving it can seem like an impossible prospect. There are so many possible explanations for everything we see and experience- how can you possibly make sense of them all? Science has a simple answer: the scientific method. The scientific method is a method of asking and answering questions about the world. These guiding principles give scientists a model to work through when trying to understand the world, but where did that model come from, and how does it work? In this article, we’ll define the scientific method, discuss its long history, and cover each of the scientific method steps in detail. What Is the Scientific Method? At its most basic, the scientific method is a procedure for conducting scientific experiments. It’s a set model that scientists in a variety of fields can follow, going from initial observation to conclusion in a loose but concrete format. The number of steps varies, but the process begins with an observation, progresses through an experiment, and concludes with analysis and sharing data. One of the most important pieces to the scientific method is skepticism- the goal is to find truth, not to confirm a particular thought. That requires reevaluation and repeated experimentation, as well as examining your thinking through rigorous study. There are in fact multiple scientific methods, as the basic structure can be easily modified.The one we typically learn about in school isthe basic method, based inlogic and problem solving, typically used in â€Å"hard† science fields like biology, chemistry, and physics. It may vary in other fields, such as psychology, but the basic premise of making observations, testing, and continuing to improve a theory from the results remain the same. The History of the Scientific Method The scientific method as we know it today is based on thousands of years of scientific study. Its development goes all the way back to ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and India. The Ancient World In ancient Greece, Aristotle devised an inductive-deductive process, which weighs broad generalizations from data against conclusions reached by narrowing down possibilities from a general statement. However, he favored deductive reasoning, as it identifies causes, which he saw as more important. Aristotle wrote a great deal about logic and many of his ideas about reasoning echo those found in the modern scientific method, such as ignoring circular evidence and limiting the number of middle terms between the beginning of an experiment and the end. Though his model isn’t the one that we use today, the reliance on logic and thorough testing are still key parts of science today. The Middle Ages The next big step toward the development of the modern scientific method came in the Middle Ages, particularly in the Islamic world. Ibn al-Haytham, a physicist from what we now know as Iraq, developed a method of testing, observing, and deducing for his research on vision. al-Haytham was critical of Aristotle’s lack of inductive reasoning, which played an important role in his own research. Other scientists, including AbÃ… « RayhÄ n al-BÄ «rÃ… «nÄ «, Ibn Sina, and Robert Grosseteste also developed models of scientific reasoning to test their own theories. Though they frequently disagreed with one another and Aristotle, those disagreements and refinements of their methods led to the scientific method we have today. Following those major developments, particularly Grosseteste’s work, Roger Bacon developed his own cycle of observation (seeing that something occurs), hypothesis (making a guess about why that thing occurs), experimentation (testing that the thing occurs), and verification (an outside person ensuring that the result of the experiment is consistent). After joining the Franciscan Order, Bacon was granted a special commission to write about science; typically, Friars were not allowed to write books or pamphlets. With this commission, Bacon outlined important tenets of the scientific method, including causes of error, methods of knowledge, and the differences between speculative and experimental science. He also used his own principles to investigate the causes of a rainbow, demonstrating the method’s effectiveness. Scientific Revolution Throughout the Renaissance, more great thinkers became involved in devising a thorough, rigorous method of scientific study. Francis Bacon brought inductive reasoning further into the method, whereas Descartes argued that the laws of the universe meant that deductive reasoning was sufficient. Galileo’s research was also inductive reasoning-heavy, as he believed that researchers could not account for every possible variable; therefore, repetition was necessary to eliminate faulty hypotheses and experiments. All of this led to the birth of the Scientific Revolution, which took place during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In 1660, a group of philosophers and physicians joined together to work on scientific advancement. After approval from England’s crown, the group became known as the Royal Society, which helped create a thriving scientific community and an early academic journal to help introduce rigorous study and peer review. Previous generations of scientists had touched on the importance of induction and deduction, but Sir Isaac Newton proposed that both were equally important. This contribution helped establish the importance of multiple kinds of reasoning, leading to more rigorous study. As science began to splinter into separate areas of study, it became necessary to define different methods for different fields. Karl Popper was a leader in this area- he established that science could be subject to error, sometimes intentionally. This was particularly tricky for â€Å"soft† sciences like psychology and social sciences, which require different methods. Popper’s theories furthered the divide between sciences like psychology and â€Å"hard† sciences like chemistry or physics. Paul Feyerabend argued that Popper’s methods were too restrictive for certain fields, and followed a less restrictive method hinged on â€Å"anything goes,† as great scientists had made discoveries without the Scientific Method. Feyerabend suggested that throughout history scientists had adapted their methods as necessary, and that sometimes it would be necessary to break the rules. This approach suited social and behavioral scientists particularly well, leading to a more diverse range of models for scientists in multiple fields to use. The Scientific Method Steps Though different fields may have variations on the model, the basic scientific method is as follows: #1: Make Observations Notice something, such as the air temperature during the winter, what happens when ice cream melts, or how your plants behave when you forget to water them. #2: Ask a Question Turn your observation into a question. Why is the temperature lower during the winter? Why does my ice cream melt? Why does my toast always fall butter-side down? This step can also include doing some research. You may be able to find answers to these questions already, but you can still test them! #3: Make a Hypothesis A hypothesis is an educated guess of the answer to your question. Why does your toast always fall butter-side down? Maybe it’s because the butter makes that side of the bread heavier. A good hypothesis leads to a prediction that you can test, phrased as an if/then statement. In this case, we can pick something like, â€Å"If toast is buttered, then it will hit the ground butter-first.† #4: Experiment Your experiment is designed to test whether your predication about what will happen is true. A good experiment will test one variable at a time- for example, we’re trying to test whether butter weighs down one side of toast, making it more likely to hit the ground first. The unbuttered toast is our control variable. If we determine the chance that a slice of unbuttered toast, marked with a dot, will hit the ground on a particular side, we can compare those results to our buttered toast to see if there’s a correlation between the presence of butter and which way the toast falls. If we decided not to toast the bread, that would be introducing a new question- whether or not toasting the bread has any impact on how it falls. Since that’s not part of our test, we’ll stick with determining whether the presence of butter has any impact on which side hits the ground first. #5: Analyze Data After our experiment, we discover that both buttered toast and unbuttered toast have a 50/50 chance of hitting the ground on the buttered or marked side when dropped from a consistent height, straight down. It looks like our hypothesis was incorrect- it’s not the butter that makes the toast hit the ground in a particular way, so it must be something else. Since we didn’t get the desired result, it’s back to the drawing board. Our hypothesis wasn’t correct, so we’ll need to start fresh. Now that you think about it, your toast seems to hit the ground butter-first when it slides off your plate, not when you drop it from a consistent height. That can be the basis for your new experiment. #6: Communicate Your Results Good science needs verification. Your experiment should be replicable by other people, so you can put together a report about how you ran your experiment to see if other peoples’ findings are consistent with yours. This may be useful for class or a science fair. Professional scientists may publish their findings in scientific journals, where other scientists can read and attempt their own versions of the same experiments. Being part of a scientific community helps your experiments be stronger because other people can see if there are flaws in your approach- such as if you tested with different kinds of bread, or sometimes used peanut butter instead of butter- that can lead you closer to a good answer. A Scientific Method Example: Falling Toast We’ve run through a quick recap of the scientific method steps, but let’s look a little deeper by trying again to figure out why toast so often falls butter side down. #1: Make Observations At the end of our last experiment, where we learned that butter doesn’t actually make toast more likely to hit the ground on that side, we remembered that the times when our toast hits the ground butter side first are usually when it’s falling off a plate. #2: Ask a Question The easiest question we can ask is, â€Å"Why is that?† We can actually search this online and find a pretty detailed answer as to why this is true. But we’re budding scientists- we want to see it in action and verify it for ourselves! After all, good science should be replicable, and we have all the tools we need to test out what’s really going on. #3: Make a Hypothesis Why do we think that buttered toast hits the ground butter-first? We know it’s not because it’s heavier, so we can strike that out. Maybe it’s because of the shape of our plate? That’s something we can test. We’ll phrase our hypothesis as, â€Å"If my toast slides off my plate, then it will fall butter-side down.† #4: Experiment Just seeing that toast falls off a plate butter-side down isn’t enough for us. We want to know why, so we’re going to take things a step further- we’ll set up a slow-motion camera to capture what happens as the toast slides off the plate. We’ll run the test ten times, each time tilting the same plate until the toast slides off. We’ll make note of each time the butter side lands first and see what’s happening on the video so we can see what’s going on. #5: Analyze Data When we review the footage, we’ll likely notice that the bread starts to flip when it slides off the edge, changing how it falls in a way that didn’t happen when we dropped it ourselves. That answers our question, but it’s not the complete picture- how do other plates affect how often toast hits the ground butter-first? What if the toast is already butter-side down when it falls? These are things we can test in further experiments with new hypotheses! #6: Communicate Your Results Now that we have results, we can share them with others who can verify our results. As mentioned above, being part of the scientific community can lead to better results. If your results were wildly different from the established thinking about buttered toast, that might be cause for reevaluation. If they’re the same, they might lead others to make new discoveries about buttered toast. At the very least, you have a cool experiment you can share with your friends! Key Scientific Method Tips Though science can be complex, the benefit of the scientific method is that it gives you an easy-to-follow means of thinking about why and how things happen. To use it effectively, keep these things in mind! Don’t Worry About Proving Your Hypothesis One of the important things to remember about the scientific method is that it’s not necessarily meant to prove your hypothesis right. It’s great if you do manage to guess the reason for something right the first time, but the ultimate goal of an experiment is to find the true reason for your observation to occur, not to prove your hypothesis right. Good science sometimes means that you’re wrong. That’s not a bad thing- a well-designed experiment with an unanticipated result can be just as revealing, if not more, than an experiment that confirms your hypothesis. Be Prepared to Try Again If the data from your experiment doesn’t match your hypothesis, that’s not a bad thing. You’ve eliminated one possible explanation, which brings you one step closer to discovering the truth. The scientific method isn’t something you’re meant to do exactly once to prove a point. It’s meant to be repeated and adapted to bring you closer to a solution. Even if you can demonstrate truth in your hypothesis, a good scientist will run an experiment again to be sure that the results are replicable. You can even tweak a successful hypothesis to test another factor, such as if we redid our buttered toast experiment to find out whether different kinds of plates affect whether or not the toast falls butter-first. The more we test our hypothesis, the stronger it becomes! What’s Next? Want to learn more about the scientific method? These important high school science classes will no doubt cover it in a variety of different contexts. Test your ability to follow the scientific method using these at-home science experiments for kids! Need some proof that science is fun? Try making slime!

Crime Scene Investigator Behind Mysterious and Unusual Deaths Case Study

Crime Scene Investigator Behind Mysterious and Unusual Deaths - Case Study Example There were three types of shoe marks there which indicated three types of footprints in these footprints it also became evident that one of that one out those three people was a female. The way the footprints were placed was favouring the fact indicating that the boy not dead body only struggle with the two men while the woman is standing at one side only watching or recording what is happening which was also raising a doubt that may be the reason of this crime the fight is that woman. A medical expert and police photographer that was there came forward and after all the shots of the body were taken. The medical expert started examining the body by just throwing a careful watch on it and along with that he also started collecting useful information. After this aspect was covered the body was searched for the belongings with the dead body but all his pockets were empty and were torn and it was giving evidence that they had been emptied freshly most probably by the criminal. This aspec t of the investigation gave another picture that he was killed maybe because he had some property with him and the criminals were trying to snatch that. Photographer was taking pictures from all every angle of the body as a set of â€Å"CSI shot† (This is the technique of shooting extreme close-ups, normally with explanatory commentary from one of the characters from the media) (CSI, 2004). Measurements and a rough sketch were made to preserve the scene for further study and investigations and possible reconstruction.

The Interpretation of Advertisements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Interpretation of Advertisements - Essay Example The emotion it best represents is joy as every person in the picture is smiling and looks happy. The ad shows one person playing with a recognizable Nintendo controller, enjoying himself, while he is closely surrounded by men and women who are also actively participating in his fun appearing to be cheering or congratulating his efforts. It shows a youthful exuberance as every person appears young and animated. Though it lacks text and instead of a narrative, as O'Barr stated "music, motion, color, and other features are sometimes used in an attempt to evoke attitudes and feelings in consumers rather than to tell specific stories" (p. 10); in this instance the ad uses motion and proximity of the people to evoke a sense of togetherness and a party like atmosphere as they all appear to be friendly with each other or maybe even a family. The ad is effective in demonstrating the interactive nature of the Nintendo Wii Console. It challenges the dominant ideas of most consumers by showing an alternative depiction of what videogames represent (O'Barr). Instead of the traditional expectation of what playing videogames involves as a typical depiction would be one or two people on a couch focusing intently with minimal body movement.

Discuss the role of emotion in psychology Essay Example for Free

Discuss the role of emotion in psychology Essay Emotion is often the greatest cause for either enhanced recall or impaired recall. Through many studies psychologists have found that it is not only facts we store in our memory but the emotion surrounding them.  Flashbulb memories involve an enduring imprint of events surrounding an important incident, the memory is not the event itself but where you were and what you were doing when you heard about it. Sheingold and Tenney (1982) provided evidence to support the concept of flashbulb memories. Participants were asked about personal memories and found most had good memories for when they were told and who told them. They found the flashbulb memories were strong and remained consistent over time; however there is no way of checking the accuracy of these memories. As shown by Sheingold and Tenney, a flashbulb memorys characteristic involves consistency and has an unchanging nature and they also involve a high level of emotional arousal which leads to better recall of the event. However Wright (1993) found evidence that goes against this definition, the study involved looking at peoples memories of the Hillsborough football disaster in 1989, 5 moths after the event. It was found that most of the participants didnt report strong flashbulb memories; in fact many people had reconstructed their memories and had mixed their own with other peoples accounts. This evidence therefore goes against the idea that flashbulb memories remain consistent over time. On the other hand Conway (1994) suggested that the reason some studies dont support flashbulb memories is because the event wasnt significant to the individuals. Conway et al used Mrs Thatchers resignation as the basis for the creation of flashbulb memories. 11 months after 86% of the UK participants has a strong and consistent flashbulb memory compared to only 29% participants from other countries. This research suggests that flashbulb memories will only be strong if the event surrounding it is significant to the individual; the UK participants would have been more aware and connected to Mrs Thatchers resignation than participants from other countries. The role of emotion is memory can also cause impaired memory. Freud proposed the idea of repression; unwanted memories are pushed down into the unconscious mind so you forget them. Freud described this process as a way of the ego protecting itself from emotional conflict which is often the result of harsh experiences. Williams (1994) interviewed women who has been admitted to hospital on the grounds of sexual assault, 20years previously, (they were told the study was a follow up of medical care). Williams found that 38% of the women did not show any recall of being sexually abused and that 16% of the women that did, said that at one time they couldnt remember they had. This study therefore provides strong evidence to support the repression theory, a traumatic event was repressed and some couldnt recall it even 20 years later. Repressed memories are defined as a traumatic event placed beyond conscious awareness. Because of this placement, these memories can also affect conscious thought. Forgetting a traumatic event, like Williams (1994) research, has also been studied through case studies. One of the most famous is Bavers (1981) study on sirhan sirhan, the man who shot Robert Kennedy, who has no recall of doing so. In this case the emotions of regret and shame were probably the cause of the repression and the reason he cannot remember what he did. It has also been suggested that repressed memories can also cause anxiety and disordered behaviour. A study that supports this concept was carried out by Karon and Widener (1997) who found that once trauma was recalled in therapy, mental illness in World War 2 veterans completely alleviated, therefore supporting Freuds theory. However Loftus and Pickrell (1995) found evidence against Frueds repression theory. The study was called lost in the mall and the false memory of getting lost in a shopping centre as a child was implanted into the participants. After the debriefing 20% still held to their belief that this happened to them, even though it was a false memory showing trauma has a great affect on memory even though the memory was false but going against Frued as the memory wasnt real. Another study by Loftus and Palmer created a theory called the Weapon effect this was during a highly emotional event such as a robbery or assault, an eye witnesses recall was altered due to their focus on a weapon being used. Finally a depressive state also has an influence on memory. Negative emotions often create a negative recall bias which makes depressed people only focus on negative and unhappy experiences; a mood dependent memory. Lyketsos (2001) found in support of this that depression may lead people to be inattentive and so they dont encode new memories into the long term memory well, therefore recall is much poorer. In further support of this Antikainen et al (2001) studied 174 depressed patients and found they performed better on memory tasks and had fewer memory problems after 6 months treatment. In conclusion emotion plays an important role in memory. It can often lead to enhanced memory, such as flashbulb memories, or impaired memory such as the repression of traumatic experiences. Negative emotion is also responsible for a lack of memory such as when someone is depressed. Overall memories are largely influenced by emotion the more positive we are the more likely we are to recall, the more negative the less likely we will recall and are more likely to forget.

The Army Essay -- essays research papers fc

There are many job oppurtunitiesin the army. Anyone one can join and be anything he wants. In the army everyone has the chance to travel the world. The army has certain benefits and requirements. All of them will be explained. The army is the oldest of the armed services and is responsible for land operations. The army has to be prepared to use any action to overcome any enemy that threatens the U.S. and the nation's intrest. The army helps train the military forces of some friendly nations and supplies them with the equipment their nation needs. (Army) "While aspiring to be the most esteemed institution in the nation, we will remain the most respectedarmy in the world and most feared ground force to those who would threaten the intrest of the United States." (The United States) "The army has a non-negoitiable contract with the people of America to fight and win our nation's wars." (The United States) To enlist in the armyon active duty, a person must meet the followingmeet the following requirements: Anyone between the ages of 17-35, a U.S. citizen or registered alien, healthy, and in good physical condition. Another way would be to join the SROTC in college. A person joinning this program earns college credits and recives cash. Anyone can qualify for scholarships that add up to sixty thousand dollars. The requirements are the applicant must be in a particiapating college or university, between the ages of 17-34, and a U.S. citizen. If the applicant...

Description of Life and Circumstances Essay

The interaction of different people with the country’s criminal justice systems varies significantly, and one of the common factors is that it varies according to ethnicity. Indigenous people tend to have more encounters than the others; and this encounter is always resulting into mixed outcomes. In extreme cases, death is the ultimate destiny for some of the prisoners. For Lloyd Boney, his death in custody became the subject of many inquiries seeking to investigate the many aspects surrounding his arrest, imprisonment, and subsequent death. This paper seeks to evaluate the findings of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) report about Lloyd Boney’s death. Being a native, his death in custody served to add weight to the existing belief that indigenous people usually had a rather abstract encounter with the country’s criminal justice system (THE RCIADIC NATIONAL REPORT, 1991). The main aim of the paper is to review five factors that are deemed to have been responsible for Lloyd Boney’s ending up ion custody. Description of Life and Circumstances (Biographical Details) of Lloyd Boney Lloyd Boney’s birth took place in Walgett (THE RCIADIC NATIONAL REPORT, 1991). From his childhood, Lloyd Boney, also called James, seemed to be born with misfortune. A short time after his birth which is only approximated to have been in December 1958 (the Native Aboriginals hardly ever keep records of their birth and most of the births take place at home), his parents parted ways. So Lloyd Boney and his twin sister had to remain under the care of their father when their mother left. But being a seasonal worker, their father could hardly raise the family as required and soon the care of Lloyd Boney and his sister passed on to their aunt. They thus grew up under foster parents although this is generally acceptable in the aboriginal culture. Therefore, his aunt, who had about other fifteen children to care for together with her husband, had to treat Lloyd Boney and his sister as her own children (THE RCIADIC NATIONAL REPORT, 1991). In fact Lloyd Boney referred to her aunt and husband as his parents in accordance with aboriginal cultural requirements. His schooling is not well documented but it is believed that he joined school aged five and studied until around 1974 when he was forced to leave school (THE RCIADIC NATIONAL REPORT, 1991). Throughout this time at school, however, he seemed to have not really learnt a lot because by the time he went into prison he could not read and write well and had to solicit the assistance of others to do this. In 1973, just one year before he left his schooling in the first year of high school, Lloyd Boney faced his first charge of breaking into a house, getting into it and stealing some assets. He was convicted of the offense even though he was represented by an attorney from the Aboriginal Legal Service (THE RCIADIC NATIONAL REPORT, 1991). However, he was released on probation and required to continue schooling and to be well behaved. Lloyd Boney was later to have a record of crime various crimes committed; becoming a common antagonist with the police. In his early adulthood, he was diagnosed with epilepsy, a condition which saw him in and out of hospital very frequently. From this early upbringing, it is clear that a number of factors stand out that must have made Lloyd Boney to find crime unavoidable even as young as fifteen when it is believed he first came into contact with the criminal justice system (THE RCIADIC NATIONAL REPORT, 1991). RCIADIC Explanations for Lloyd Boney’s Pathway to Crime or Conflict with the Law The RCIADIC report is rather not very clear as to what especially led the young Lloyd to engage in crime from that early age. However, there are many reasons detailed in the findings of the report. As earlier mentioned, his life in crime was more the result of the poor care he received from the guardians. His uncle being away to work most of the time and his adopted mother being burdened with the care of many other children, Lloyd Boney was rather without the care and supervision he would have needed to grow up as a responsible child and avoid crime. Another issue that is cited as having been responsible for his life in crime was his relationship with one Grace Wilson which faired on sumptuously. The relationship moved from nasty to sour to bitter-sweet and to sweet but it was never a real satisfying one for both parties. Although they managed to live together for a long time, actually until Lloyd died in prison, it was a relationship which contributed to his crime life. This is because he was abusive and constantly found himself on the wrong side of the law for the crime. Grace helped him to indulge in excessive drinking, a factor that played a key role in most of the offences he was convicted of throughout his life. Actually, alcohol consumption is listed separately as having led him into criminal life. He was thought to be a good person until he started drinking and virtually all the offences he was arrested and charged with were committed when he was under the influence of alcohol (Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, 1991). Identification and Analysis of Five Major Factors that Explain Lloyd Boney’s Pathway to Crime or Conflict with the Law From the onset, it is apparent that Lloyd Boney was a victim of his circumstances as opposed to a person who was ready and willfully inclined to engage in crime. Instead, most of his troubles seem to start at the point when his parents separate and is left under the care of foster parents (Daly). The first factor responsible for his venturing into crime eventually, therefore, is his separation from his parents. Although this happened in a different way so to speak, it was a separation all the same. For a long time, many aboriginal children have been forcibly taken away their parents and adopted by foster parents who might be close relations of the first family or who are totally different. With different aims, these separations expose the children to a totally different kind of upbringing which in turn exposes the child to a moral deficiency. For Lloyd Boney, nothing is wrong for as long as he is staying with his parents. And although he was too young to do anything suggestive of crime, it is an undeniable fact that aboriginal parents are the only people who have the most in-depth understanding of the best ways to bring up their children. Try as they may, foster parents – whether aboriginal or non-aboriginal – cannot bring up aboriginal children to be well behaved and responsible for their actions as their own parents can. So although Lloyd Boney is living under the care of his aunt and her husband, he cannot really receive as much attention as he would have received if he was with his own parents (Ross, H. et al. , 1999). Most of the literature is full of cases of aboriginal children being separated from their parents forcibly for purposes of having them changing their way of life. They are adopted by totally different people or are placed in non-aboriginal child welfare societies where they are brought up is segregation and isolation from their parents and communities, their native way of life and their culture. The colonial powers instigated this practice but it is still applicable in certain instances. This has been a major cause of the rather high rates of aboriginal young people who find themselves on the wrong side of the law. The second factor that led Lloyd Boney to a criminal life was the general nature in which aboriginals are treated by law enforcers in contrast to non-aboriginals (Ross, H. et al. , 1999). Having been brought up witnessing the obviously favoritism that was displayed by law enforcement agencies, Lloyd Boney had no qualms that whatever he did he would be seen to be on the wrong anyway. He grew up knowing and witnessing the injustices meted on those of his own ethnicity and might have subconsciously made up his mind to rebel against anything that the non-aboriginals stood for. Theory proves it that when one is opposed to a certain personality, one moves to oppose and reject all that that personality or institution stands for. So Lloyd Boney must have become opposed to the entire law of the land because it was oppressive. So he hated the law and wanted to do all that was contrary the law not because he wished but he saw it as a way to pay back for there wrongs committed by the law and its enforcers against his own people. He also rejected school because he knew formal education was not an aboriginal thing but that of whites. The literature brings the issue of discrimination based on race into context by citing different cases that depict it. In not a few of the cases, even the law enforcers themselves admit that they are rather discriminative (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2007). They have been conditioned to believe that only black aboriginal people can do what is right. A case is cited of a group of white and aboriginal young schoolboys who are found to be drunk in the streets yet the police arrest only the aboriginal boys and leave the whites. Questioned about their actions, they claim that the white children are not aware of there being a law prohibiting getting drunk for the young. This illustrates high levels of discrimination in the legal system. The third factor that prompted Lloyd Boney become a person opposed to the law is racism. Racial discrimination is rife in this country. Every aboriginal or non- white is treated very differently by the other races not for any other reason but just because the color of one’s skin is different – black. Black is almost associated with evil and white with good. Racism has infiltrated the legal system, worsening the already frosty relationship that the aboriginal youth have with the law enforcers (Ross, H. et al. , 1999). Apart from the incident cited earlier of police picking black offenders from a mixed group of students and leaving behind the whites, many other incidents of racially motivated arrests have been reported. This has moved on to prisons where the treatment of inmates is racially motivated. This alone has made native aboriginals to dislike the police force in this country and rather than viewing them as good people doing a good job view them as enemies out to finish them. They, therefore, keep rebelling against the law (HREOC, 1997). For Lloyd Boney, this factor made him to go in and out of jail many times. He was almost always aware that the police would look for faults in him just for his being an aborigine. If this had not been the case, it is likely that he would have changed his behavior when he was first convicted of breaking in and stealing. But because it became apparent that police were watching him alone he resented the idea of ever reforming. To him, it was no use being good to the police officers when they had already labeled him and his people as bad and as a criminal. Whenever anything wrong happened it was the aborigines who were asked to explain first what they knew. The fourth factor is alcoholism (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2003). It has been established that alcohol serves as a great contributor to criminal tendencies mainly because once one is under the influence of alcohol one is unable to make sound decisions ad judgments. For Lloyd Boney, his drinking habit kept him in a trap where he virtually could not avoid crime. All offences committed by him were committed when he was und rte influence or when he wanted to get drunk (Daly). His being addicted to alcohol literally led him to commit crime, starting from domestic violence and moving on to others like driving under the influence, violating the terms of his probation, and resisting arrest. In the literature, it is found that alcohol consumption is a common practice among aboriginal communities and this could partly explain why most of them engage in crime. Finally, Lloyd Boney’s pathway to crime can be explained by social and economic factors. The natives of this country are people who are grossly deprived of even the most basic of needs there ever can be. This is in spite of the ability to lead very simple lifestyles and to survive on very little (Atkinson, 19I4). This depravity is sometimes very severe that people are compelled to commit crimes to get something to sustain themselves. Lloyd Boney constantly stole because he did not have a job so he could work and earn. Yet he had needs to meet daily. Earlier in life, he had a family which was so deprived that he had to look for was to survive. Growing up in a family of more than seventeen people al depending on one person is not an easy thing. For him, if he had the social support he required and if the resources were sufficient he most likely would not have ventured into crime (Ross, H. et al. , 1999). Reflection on Analysis Lloyd Boney is a person whose criminal life is largely the result of the conditions where he grew up as opposed of what might been in his own making (Report of the Inquiry into the Death of LLOYD JAMES BONE, 1998). This is because he is not recorded as having had any really bad habits until he was in school where he committed his first offence. What made him to go into crime are f actors that are surprisingly covered in available literature. He is a person who understands that the police in his country are racist, that the legal system itself is skewed to favor non-aboriginals, and that regardless of what has to do one is likely to find oneself on the wrong side of the law as long as one is aboriginal. From the literature, factors listed as making aboriginals to be the more likely people to find themselves on the wrong side of the law include the social and economic situation they finds themselves in, the nature of the country’s criminal justice system which is not at al fair, the cultural settings under which aboriginal children grow, and the separation of aboriginal children from their parents so they can be forced to change their characters and culture. The others are alcohol consumption which is a practice rife among aboriginal communities, peer pressure that young aboriginals experience, and the country’s racial tendencies which favor whites against aboriginals. In this entire issue of Lloyd Boney, these factors interplay from his birth to the time of his death in prison. What is evident is that he went in prison for no real seriously crime. If he had been economically capable, he probably would not have ended up in prison as indicated by the mild nature of his charges. On this basis, it is critical that such issues are considered together with the recommendations made to by the RCIADIC commission so that not only the deaths of aboriginals while in prison are reduced but their rate of committing crime is also lowered. Word count: 2,566 References Atkinson, J. (19I4). â€Å"A nation is not conquered. † Domestic violence and incest resource center Australian Human Rights Commission (2007). Bringing them home Community Guide. Australian Human Rights Commission Australian Human Rights Commission (2003). Social Justice Report 2003. Australian Human Rights Commission Australia, Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, Report of the Inquiry into the Death of LLOYD JAMES BONEY (1998) Daly, K. Government policies of protection-segregation and assimilation and their impact on Indigenous people. Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) (1997). Bringing them Home – Community Guide. Sydney, NSW: Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Memmott, P. et al. (2001). Violence in Indigenous Communities, â€Å"Causes of violence THE RCIADIC NATIONAL REPORT (1991). â€Å"The Reasons for Offending. † Ross, H. et al. (1999). ‘Risk and Resilience: Crime and Violence Prevention in Aboriginal Communities. ’ THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY, VOLUME 32 NUMBER 2 1999 PP. 182-196 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1991) National Report, Vol. 2. Canberra, ACT: Australian Government Publishing Service.

Global Warming and Its Effects in Mumbai, India

A Paper on Global Warming and Its Effectss in Mumbai, India com/aaimagestore/essays/0817976.001.jpg"/> Present Scenario At A Glance: Global heating implies enhanced green house consequence, which entraps solar radiations, accordingly increasing the overall temperature of the Earth. The GHG creates a cover in the lower strata of the earth’s atmosphere and this phenomenon consequences chiefly from human activities. The mean planetary temperatures and CO2 degree in the ambiance are higher than they have of all time been in the yesteryear. Records show that the last 25 old ages have been the warmest in the past 5 centuries. Current state of affairs is traveling towards 4 – 5Â ° C by 2100, which seems ruinous to scientists for biodiversity, utmost conditions or low-lying rise. An addition of 2-4Â ° C may take to 10-20 % addition in cyclonal strength. This heating can travel up to an addition of average surface temperature by 3.5-5Â ° C by the terminal of the century. Fig 1:Current Green House Gas Emissions all over the universe( 1000000s of dozenss ) The recent ruinous climatic events in India are the effects of planetary heating. Mumbai, the concern capital of India, is highly vulnerable to lifting sea degrees. Harmonizing to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) , the Arabian Sea degree around Mumbai is steadily lifting at the rate of 2.4 millimeters per twelvemonth and expected to lift up to 15-38 centimeter by 2050. The metropolis is in a seismal zone and prone to see monolithic temblor or a elephantine tsunami doing impossible loss of human lives and assets. This needfully means that this would impact the economic system of the full state. Harmonizing to a 2012 study, about 2.7 million people live in countries at hazard of deluging. Until 1990, the average annually rainfall in Mumbai was 2129 millimeter, which rose by 50 % in 2005-06 ( 3214 millimeter ) . In 2005, a ruinous inundation occurred in Mumbai, doing decease of more than 5000 people and 26 July 2005 was known as the BLACK DAY in the history of Mumb ai since so. Recently, winters in Mumbai have been the coldest with temperature every bit low as 8Â ° C, when an mean temperature is about 18-25Â ° C in the past 50 old ages. Issues like the monolithic environmental debasement due to population growing and ever-increasing built-up countries worsened the hazard in Mumbai. Indian urban wetlands have reduced by 30 % in the last 50 old ages due to the rapid urban development and dumping of waste in H2O organic structures. The state of affairs is even more important because of its clime alterations due to population denseness, and its major industrial and fiscal developments many of which are developed merely above sea degree and below the high-tide degree. This inhibits natural overflow of surface H2O through the complicated web of drains, rivers, brooks and pools that drain straight in the sea and during high tides sea H2O can come in the system and lead to salt H2O flood. As a consequence, foundations of many edifices along the seashore have already started gnawing taking to a great danger. Approximately 101155 dozenss of municipal solid waste is generated in the metropolitan part, which includes biodegrada ble waste, reclaimable waste and dust. Bettering the drainage system in Mumbai could cut down the losingss associated with a inundation event by 70 % . Fig 2: Monthly Total Rainfall over Santacruz in July ( 1959-2005 ) Economic Impacts due to Climatic Catastrophes: Though Indian economic system happens to be as one of the fastest turning major economic systems, the climatic catastrophes are impacting it greatly. Harmonizing to The Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, if the planetary heating continues to lift, climatic catastrophes would do a lessening in India’s GDP by approximately 9 % . An estimated 11.4 million people and assets worth of $ 1.3 trillion would be in danger in Mumbai due to climatic catastrophes by 2070. Surveies were besides carried out by National Climatic Data Center to analyse the economic impacts from clime alteration. Bombay is likely to endure infrastructural losingss including airdromes, roads, ports, tracks, bridges up to INR 4,000 crores due to climate alteration. Surveies suggest that losingss could lift by 35 % for utmost rainfall event In Mumbai. In 2005 calamity 14,000 places were destroyed, and more than 350,000 places were affected. That twelvemonth the metropolis was impacted straight with e conomic amendss of about two billion USD and 500 human deaths. Due to climate alteration, the entire losingss for a 1-in-100 twelvemonth event could manifold by three times of the current state of affairs ( to $ 690 – $ 1890 million USD ) . Actions Taken So Far: National Disaster Management Authority, The Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Prime Minister’s Office set guidelines for the catastrophe related issues. Some of the major policies that have been issued since 1953 1s:Ministerial commission on inundation control -1964Minister ‘s commission on inundation and inundation alleviation – 1972Working group on inundation control for five twelvemonth programsNational committee for incorporate H2O resource development program -1996National H2O policy – 1987National Flood Commission -1980Five regional undertaking forces – 1996Advisers were appointed to analyze the storm H2O drainage system and to fix programs for faster disposal of overflow, cut downing inundation continuance and came up with a Maestro Plan for augmentation of SWD System and submitted concluding study, known as BRIMSTOWAD Report, in 1993. Measures taken by Central and State Governments: Structures built to forestall inundations:EmbankmentsDamsNatural detainment basinsChannel bettermentsDrain constructionsFlood zoningFlood proofingWater shed developmentBelow Government organic structures were formed for Flood Management:State Flood Control DepartmentCentral Water CommissionThe Ministry of Home Affairs has taken the Community Based Disaster Preparedness enterprise which works with the aid of the local people and the NGOs to assist people fix themselves for different climatic catastrophes by mobilising them easy, and supplying alleviation to the affected part. It besides helps to fix the seasonal calendars to foretell the climatic catastrophes, step the hazards for the community and take actions to cover with them. In December 2005, after Mumbai calamity, Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, under which the National Disaster Management Authority and State Disaster Management Authorities were created. The Act besides constituted Disaster Response Fund and Disaster Mitigation Fund at national, province and territory degrees. In Maharashtra, the province authorities consequently has prepared the Greater Mumbai Disaster Management Action Plan ( DMAP ) in 2007. Under this, the hazards and exposures have been identified associated with inundations, temblors, landslides and cyclones. The program includes specific alleviation and extenuation steps, Land usage planning and policies, substructure betterments and eventuality programs for Mumbai. In DMAP, measures for substructure betterments might necessitate a longer clip in footings of the socio-economic and political context of the metropolis. Besides, the policies and planning will non be utile and effectual unless they are implemented with schemes to cover with slums and migrators into the metropolis. A investigative commission ( CHITALE commission ) was established by Government of Maharashtra station 2005 inundations to look into the causes of the catastrophe and do recommendations to cut down hereafter hazards which greatly emphasized on steps to better the city’s drainage systems. The execution of recommendations included broadening of the river channel, cross-drainage work in the catchment country, remotion of invasions along the river Bankss, solid waste disposal systems, cancellation of licence of the polluting industries, controling outflowing discharge in the river and building of public lavatories, intensifying of the river for making green buffer zones, extra broadening and deepening of the river, prolongation of 18 Bridgess and river crossings. Enterprises taken by cardinal authorities, province authorities and local organic structures are as below: Enterprises at the Government Level:Integrated Energy Policy, 2006Reforming Energy Markers ( Electricity Act 2005, Duty Policy 2003, Petroleum & A ; Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006 )Energy Conservation Act, 2001New and Renewable Energy Policy, 2005Energy Conservation Building Code, 200650,000 MW Hydroelectric Initiative, 2003The National Action Plan on Climate Change: Prime Minister Climate Change Action Plan and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission are major enterprises of the Central and State Governments to advance ecologically sustainable growing and reference country’s energy security challenge. The Mission marks to make a policy model to deploy 20,000 MW of solar power by 2022Natural Resources & A ; Environment Capability Plan Implementation 2008 -11.Enterprises at Local Body Level:Compulsory rain H2O reaping for all edificesPromoting energy efficient edificesImproved waste directionPrecedence to public conveyance substructurePromoting recycle and reuse of waste H2OBan on PlasticUse of energy salvaging led lampsAir pollution monitoringSchools Campaigns for consciousnessUse of Mass Transit, Car poolsUse of CNG alternatively of gasolineUse of bikeSpecific Undertakings in Mumbai Metropolitan Region:Mithi River Development Mumbai MetroDesign and building of skywalks in MMR at 67 topographic pointsBRIMSTOWAD and Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project Priority WorksMumbai Trans Harbour Sea Link Project with dispersion systemMumbai Urban Transport ProjectMumbai Metro LineBandra Worli Sea LinkDharavi Redevelopment ProjectMumbai Urban Infrastructure ProjectRehabilitation of Pavement DwellersMonorail UndertakingMumbai City Development Plan 2005-2025The province signed a Memorandum of Understanding of biennial survey across the province with The Energy & A ; Resources Institute for aRs.97.99-lakh. It will analyse jutting clime alteration impact on services like H2O resources, agribusiness, migration, marine ecosystems and support. TERI wi ll analyse a exposure index for all the sectors, impacted from variables like temperature alteration, sea degree rise and the frequence of happening of utmost events and suggest version programs for Mumbai to cover with catastrophes originating from clime alteration. The survey will measure clime alteration impacts on wellness, ecosystems, markets and urge policies to get by up with these with alterations in land usage, lodging and urban development. It estimates that the cost of clime change-related amendss to the metropolis would beabout INR2.28 hundred thousand crore if there is no version program for these catastrophes. Cardinal Government besides plans to pass INR 300,000 crores to bring forth 60,000 MW power. International Enterprises: The Natural Resources Defense Council is a New York City-based, non-profit international environmental protagonism group. NRDC ‘s India Initiative on Climate Change and Clean Energy, which was launched in 2009, works with spouses in India to assist the state construct a low-carbon, sustainable economic system. Their work in India involves four interrelated following undertakings:i‚Â · Enhancing U.S.-India Cooperation on Climate Changei‚Â · Fixing for Public Health Impacts of Climate Changei‚Â · Increasing Building Efficiencyi‚Â · Strengthening Environmental GovernanceIdeas to Implement: From Best Practices across the World: Despite the enterprises and actions taken by the Indian authorities, planetary warming supports on increasing taking the state towards a greater danger. To endeavor with it, the state should hold a richer proficient attack, networking and expansive audience procedures at every occasion. Few attacks that might turn out highly helpful are as below: Land usage planning:Measuring matching resiliency of the metropolis to heavy precipitations and clime alteration and districting take the right adaptative steps. Zoning can assist accomplish big hazard decrease and its methodological analysis might include inside informations in hydrological modeling and analyses on clime alteration scenarios. Consistent hazard direction policies:An appropriate hazard direction policy would include all steps such as reduced edifice exposure, land-use programs, information and communicating to the community, improved drainage, insurance strategies, and support to Reconstruction. Frequent low-impact events like the inundations happening frequently in Mumbai could be avoided by improved drainage. For more terrible events ; population information, zoning and land-use programs and forestalling dweller to settle in flood-prone zones could cut down the badness. For exceeding inundations ; early warning and emptying are necessity, along with support for Reconstruction and insurance to extenuate economic losingss. Hazard designation, exposure appraisal and hazard analysis find where people, belongings, and critical installations are exposed to different natural jeopardies. Micro-level planning:For developingeffective drainage systems Anti-erosion stepsat beaches and seafronts Execution of theprotection program:For Rhizophora mangles and other wetland countries Introduction ofadvanced edifice building patterns: Reducing the salt content of new edifice stuffs ; upgrading of older edifices ; and scrutiny of stableness of seaside edifices at hazard of land eroding Greaterinvesting:Investings in heath sector, wellness attention installations and wellness infrastructurefor supplying medical attention to people affected by clime alteration. Introduction ofEnergy Conservation Measuresat all degrees Enhancement of the urban ecosystem: Creation of more unfastened infinites, verdure, Parkss and tree-lined roads. Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans and Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plans:This includes emptying and sheltering, pull offing the development and renovation of land exposed to natural jeopardies. The authorities must construct butchs to make a barrier against the billowing sea and salvage the bing Rhizophora mangles environing the metropolis from being destroyed further. Community battle:The communities should understand the hazard they might see, and besides the demand to take immediate and long term actions. They should be consulted on a regular footing during the decision-making procedure to by the contrivers, applied scientists and designers to do this enterprise a success. Adaptive Architectures for Resilience:Adaptable houses could be built that respond to inundations, and every bit useable the remainder of the twelvemonth. For most of the twelvemonth, these houses function as an ordinary resort whereas during inundations it transforms to supply an option ‘turned around’ life agreement to be adopted. Some international illustrations besides show that the houses could be built on concrete drifting organic structures. These houses can cover with an addition in H2O degree of up to 5.5 meters. The population addition and planetary heating effects in Mumbai will jeopardize the metropolis much more in approaching yearss. It is high clip that Central, State Governments and Local organic structures become cognizant of the gravitation of the state of affairs and do necessary policies in urban and environmental planning, where the dwellers besides take active engagement to salvage the metropolis Citations / Mentions:Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeGlobal Warming and Its Impacts on Climate of India (hypertext transfer protocol: //www.climateemergencyinstitute.com/uploads/GLOBAL_WARMING_AND_ITS_IMPACTS_ON_CLIMATE_OF_INDIA.pdf)Best Practices: Land Use Planning Strategies and Best Development Practices for Minimizing Vulnerability to Flooding and Coastal Storms by Florida Department of Community Affair, Division of Community Planning and Emergency Management (hypertext transfer protocol: //www.floridajobs.org/fdcp/dcp/hazardmitigation/files/Protecting_FL_Comm.pdf)Best Practices: Confronting up to lifting sea-levels ; a programme of research on deluging in UK carried out by the RIBA and the Institution of Civil Engineers (hypertext transfer protocol: //www.buildingfutures.org.uk/assets/downloads/Facing_Up_To_Rising_Sea_Levels.pdf)Best Practices:Pull offing Flood Risks in Parishes ; A Best Practice Guide Produced by The Hampshire Flood Steering Group 2nd Edition (hypertex t transfer protocol: //www.leics.gov.uk/flood_risks_in_parishes.pdf)Mumbai City Development Plan 2005-2025 (hypertext transfer protocol: //www.karmayog.org/docs/mumbai2005-25.pdf)Concluding Report for Enhancing Adaptation to Climate Change by Integrating Climate Risk into Long-Term Development Plan and Disaster Management Project by Asia Pacific Network for Global Change ResearchBenchmarking Urban Sustainability – A Composite Index for Mumbai and Bangalore by B.Sudhakara Reddy and P. 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