Effects Of Toxic Pollutants On Food Chains Environmental Sciences Essay

Effects Of Toxic Pollutants On Food Chains Environmental Sciences Essay When a factory pours harmful chemicals or wastes into the air or water, when oil leaks from a burning oilrig or when a tanker runs aground, and when a farmer puts pesticides or fertilizers on a field to increase crop yield, it is said that these things pollute the environment. Pollution can take many forms. Its effects can have a major impact on food chains both in the water and on the land.  Ã‚  Everything from plants to animals, large and small is impacted. Pollutants like oil, pesticides, fertilizers such as nitrogen and phosphate from fertilizers, and lead can have a tremendous impact on the ecosystem, especially if the water gets polluted. Effects of Toxic Pollutants on Food Chains An ecosystem can be defined, as a self-contained, dynamic system made of a population of species in its physical environment. The study a community is complex and includes the interactions between the organisms that make it up, and include: plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. There are many different ways in which the community of organisms interacts. First is the food chain, where each organism is in a producer, consumer, predator, and prey relationship (Smith, Walker, et al). Next are the oxygen and water cycles that sustain the organisms. They provide the raw materials necessary for photosynthesis and cellular respiration, which make energy, and in turn, use it. When an ecosystem gets polluted, the natural balance in the system is disturbed, affecting the organisms in different ways. It is important to know how a simple act like introducing sewage water or toxic waste into a lake can threaten several animal and plants species in the area. Pollutants like oil, pesticides, nitrogen and phosphate from fertilizers and lead can have a tremendous impact on the ecosystem, especially if the water gets polluted. In a lake, for example, it can change the ecological balance by stimulating plant and algae growth, causing the death of fish due to suffocation from the lack of oxygen dissolved in the water. The oxygen cycle will eventually stop. The polluted water will also have a significant affect the animals dependant on the lake water. With no food to eat, or water to drink, they will be forced to move to another area, or face death. Both the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 and the Exxon Valdez Spill in Alaska in 1989 caused significant damage to marine and wildlife habitats. In the Gulf of Mexico, it is reported that balls of oil continue to wash up along the shore, while dredging has shown mats of oil resting on the ocean floor, and oil sheen trails are still seen in the wake of fishing boats (CBS). Wetlands marsh grass remains fouled and dying, and oil can be seen in the pore space of sand and gravel deposits along the estuary edges of the Gulf. Although there was an extensive use skimmer ships, containment booms, raking of beaches and chemical and biological remediation (by introducing oil eating bacteria to eat the oil), the dispersion of the pollutants seems to have had minimal effect. In the short term, after several months, the fishing industry was allowed to resume operations (although in some areas, oil balls are found in the fishing nets). It is, however, too soon to know what the long terms effects will be. In Prince William Sound, Alaska, the use of a detergent dispersant had little effect and was stopped when it was found to be toxic to the cleanup workers and native wildlife. Wave action, which is important to disperse the oil in the water, was not enough, and the process was stopped (MacAskill). Attempts to burn the oil away, on a small scale, were successful, but had to be stopped when the weather changed. Ecosystems here form the basis of the coastal food chains. Animal life impacted by the spill included aquatic mammals, fish, birds as well as their related food chains. In the short term, hundreds of thousands of mid- and upper-level food chain animals were impacted, along with future generations (the eggs laid by salmon), for example, and in the long-term, scientists are still seeing contamination which has lead to a drastic reduction in populations across the board (Gill Elliott). Living in upstate New York, the use of nitrogen- and phosphorus-based fertilizers to increase cro p yield are commonplace. The chemicals and nutrients found in them, while beneficial for agricultural crops can be lethal in high doses for fish, birds and other wildlife. Pesticides, designed to kill pests chemically, are also dangerous when leached into soil or groundwater supplies. Heavy amounts of fertilizer chemicals like potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus in natural water systems can actually cause dead zones where wildlife cannot survive because of lower oxygen levels and chemical poisoning. Insects and organisms like honeybees and soil microbes that are beneficial to the food chain can be killed alongside the pests, eliminating that part of the ecosystem that is beneficial to crop health and sustainability. Nitrate (NO3) is a naturally occurring form of nitrogen found in soil. Nitrogen is essential to all life, and most crop plants require large quantities to sustain high yields. The formation of nitrates is an integral part of the nitrogen cycle in the environment. In moder ate amounts, they are a harmless constituent of food and water. Plants use nitrates from the soil to satisfy nutrient requirements and may accumulate nitrates in their leaves and stems (Relyea). Due to its high mobility, nitrates can also leach into groundwater, where ingestion can cause rare illness such as methemoglobinemia (found especially in infants) to occur. Nitrates form when microorganisms break down fertilizers, decaying plants, manures or other organic residues. Plants naturally take up these nitrates, but rain and irrigation water can cause them to runoff into lakes or streams, or leach them into groundwater. Although nitrate occurs naturally in some groundwater, in most cases higher levels are thought to result from human activities (Relyea). Common sources of nitrate include: fertilizers and manure, animal feedlots, municipal waste and sludge, septic systems and natural nitrogen fixation conducted by legumes, bacteria, and lightning. Nitrates that enter the food chain through non-natural means can have serious, and sometimes long-lasting effects on both plants and animals. Cattle and sheep (ruminants) are susceptible to nitrate poisoning when they drink contaminated water, animal feed or fodder. To protect drinking water, it is important to limit the loss of excess water and plant nutrients, and match fertilizer and irrigation applications to precise crop uptake needs in order to minimize groundwater contamination. While it may be technically possible to treat contaminated groundwater, it can be difficult, expensive and not totally effective. For this reason, prevention is the best way to ensure clean water. Water treatments include distillation, reverse osmosis, ion exchange or blending. Phosphorus is another common constituent of agricultural fertilizers, manure, and organic wastes in sewage and industrial effluent. It is an essential element for plant life, but when there is too much of it in water, it can spe ed up eutrophication (a reduction in dissolved oxygen in water bodies caused by an increase of mineral and organic nutrients) of rivers and lakes. Soil erosion is a major contributor of phosphorus to streams. Bank erosion occurring during floods can transport a lot of phosphorous from the riverbanks and adjacent land into a stream. It gets into water in both urban and agricultural settings, tends to attach to soil particles and, moves into surface-water bodies from runoff. A United States Coast and Geological Survey (USGS) study on Cape Cod, Massachusetts showed that phosphorus could also migrate with ground-water flows (Perlman). Since ground water often discharges into surface water, such as through stream banks into rivers, there is a concern about phosphorus concentrations in ground water affecting the water quality of surface water. Pesticides are substances or a mixture of substances, of chemical or biological origin, used by human society to eliminate or repel pests such as bacteria, nematodes, insects, mites, mollusks, birds, rodents, and other organisms that affect food production or human health (Pimentel). They usually act by disrupting some component of the pests life processes to kill or inactivate it. In a legal context, pesticides also include substances such as insect attractants, herbicides, plant defoliants, desiccants, and plant growth regulators. They can have an effect on both the water and soil. These pollutants have had some of their most striking effects on birds, particularly those in the higher trophic levels of food chains, such as bald eagles, hawks, and owls. These birds are often rare, endangered, and susceptible to pesticide residues such as those occurring from the bioconcentration (the amount of solute per unit volume of solution) of organic, chlorine-based insecticides through land-b ased food chains. Pesticides may kill grain- and plant-feeding birds, and the elimination of many rare species of ducks and geese has been reported. Populations of insect-eating birds such as partridges, grouse, and pheasants have decreased due to the loss of their insect food in agricultural fields through the use of insecticides. Bees are extremely important in the pollination of crops and wild plants, and although pesticides are screened for toxicity to bees, and the use of pesticides toxic to bees is permitted only under stringent conditions, many bees are killed by pesticides, resulting in the considerably reduced yield of crops dependent on bee pollination. The movement of pesticides into surface and groundwater happens through the processes of infiltration (when water sinks into unsaturated layers of soil) and runoff. Wildlife is affected, and human drinking water is sometimes contaminated beyond acceptable safety levels. In Beekman, New York, pesticides used to kill an infes tation of insects in a public school lead to the contamination of the village water supply when it leached into the reservoir. Sediments dredged from U.S. waterways are often so heavily contaminated by pesticide residues that it becomes hard to safely dispose of them on land. A major environmental impact has been the widespread death of fish and marine invertebrates due to the contamination of aquatic systems by pesticides. This has resulted from the agricultural contamination of waterways through fallout, drainage, or runoff erosion, and from the discharge of industrial wastes into waterways. Historically, most of the fish in Europes Rhine River were killed by the discharge of pesticides, and at one time fish populations in the Great Lakes became very low due to pesticide contamination (Smith). Many of the organisms that provide food for fish are extremely susceptible to pesticides, so the indirect effects of pesticides on the fish food supply may have an even greater effect on fis h populations. It is evident that pesticides cause major losses in global fish production, as they are extremely toxic to aquatic organisms. The literature on pest control lists many examples of new pest species that have developed when their natural enemies are killed by pesticides. This has created a further dependence on pesticides not very different from drug dependence. Finally, the effects of pesticides on the biodiversity of plants and animals in agricultural landscapes, whether caused directly or indirectly by pesticides, constitute a major adverse environmental impact of pesticides. Conclusion As chemicals diffuse up through the food chain, the top-level predators end up with the highest concentration of the chemicals in their bodies, and suffer the worst effects. They can have a major impact on all levels of the food chain. Excessive levels of pollution are causing a lot of damage to human and animal health, plants and trees, including tropical rainforests, as well as the wider environment. All types of pollution, air, water and soil, have an impact on the living environment. The effects in living organisms may range from mild discomfort to serious diseases such as cancer or physical deformities (extra or missing limbs in frogs). Experts admit that pollution effects are quite often underestimated and that more research is needed to understand the connections between pollution and its effects on all life forms. Waterborne diseases caused by polluted water can include: typhoid, amoebiasis, giardiasis, scariasis, hookworm, rashes, ear ache, pink eye, respiratory infections, hepatitis, encephalitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach aches. Conditions related to water polluted by chemicals (such as pesticides, hydrocarbons, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals etc) can include: cancer (prostate cancer and non-Hodgkins lymphoma), hormonal problems that can disrupt reproductive and developmental processes, damage to the nervous system, liver and kidney damage, damage to the DNA, and exposure to mercury (heavy metal). Soil pollution has many effects, as well, including: cancer, and leukemia. Lead in soil is especially hazardous for young children causing developmental damage to the brain. Mercury can increase the risk of kidney damage; cyclodienes (an organic insecticide) can lead to liver toxicity. Other effects can include neuromuscular blockage, depression of the central nervous system, headaches, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation and skin rash. Research Gill, C.  Ã‚   Elliott, J.   (2003). Influence of Food Supply and Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Contaminants on Breeding Success of Bald Eagles.   Ecotoxicology,  12(1-4),  95- 111.   Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. (Document ID:  404134371). Gulf Oil Slick Endangering Ecology. CBS Broadcasting [written transcript]. 2010-04-30. http://wcco.com/video/?id=78277. Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. MacAskill, E. (February 2, 2007). 18 years on, Exxon Valdez oil still pours into Alaskan waters, The Guardian. http://environment.guardian.co.uk/waste/story/0,,2004154,00.html. Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. Perlman, H. (February, 2011). U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Geologic Survey. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/urbanpho.html. Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. Pimentel, D., Lehman, H., eds. (1993). The Pesticide Question: Environment, Economics, and Ethics. New York: Chapman and Hall. Relyea,  R.   (2009). A cocktail of contaminants: how mixtures of pesticides at low concentrations affect aquatic communities. Oecologia,   159(2),  363-76.   Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. (Document ID:  2021561771). Self, J. Waskom, R. (October, 2008) Colorado State University Soils Testing. Colorado State University Press: Denver. Smith,  J.,  Walker,  L.,  Shore,  R.,  Le V Dit Durell,  S.,  Howe,  P.,  Ã‚  Taylor,  M.   (2009). Do estuaries pose a toxic contamination risk for wading birds?   Ecotoxicology,  18(7),  906-17.   Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. (Document ID:  1847368111). Veerina, S.,   Parker, N   Fedler, C.   (2002). Effects of Sludge Filtrate on the Survival and Reproduction of Ceriodaphnia dubia.   Ecotoxicology,  11(2),  113-8.   Retrieved April 9, 2011, from ProQuest Biology Journals. (Document ID:  386223921).

Ethic Leaders

Include a live link to your source so that we may visit the site. http://pressroom. target. com/leadership/gregg-w-steinhafel Identify the leader and the company or organization. Mr. Gregg W. Steinhafel serves as the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Target Brands, Inc. Mr. Steinhafel has been the Chairman of Target Corp. since February 1, 2009 and its Chief Executive Officer since May 01, 2008 and President since August 1999. Mr. Steinhafel has gained meaningful leadership experience and retail knowledge.Target Corporation, originally the Dayton Dry Goods Company and later the Dayton Hudson Corporation, is an American retailing company, founded in 1902 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart. The company is ranked at number 38 on the Fortune 500 as of 2012 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 index. Its bull’s-eye trademark is licensed to Wesfarmers, owners of the separate Target Australia chain which is unrelated to Target Corporation. Provide a brief overview of the company's core business.Target set high standards for—where you shop. They aim to be a place where guests and team members will always find more than they expect. Their mission and values set the stage, and day-to-day innovation, teamwork and community partnerships reflect who they are. Their mission is to make Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional guest experiences by consistently fulfilling their Expect More. Pay Less.  ® brand promise. Describe the position of this person and his or her overall duties and responsibilities.As Chief Executive Officer, he is responsible for determining the strategy and clearly articulating priorities as well as aligning and motivating to execute strategy and clearly articulating priorities as well as aligning and motivating to execute effectivel y and ensure continued success. As president, Steinhafel had companywide responsibility for merchandising, stores, global sourcing, product design and development, presentation, supply chain and Target. com. Identify how and why this person demonstrates a strong sense of business ethics and organizational values. What has this person accomplished? Steinhafel has een instrumental in developing and promoting Target’s unique corporate culture, in which 365,000 talented and diverse team members collaborate and innovate to make Target a fun and convenient shopping experience, providing access to highly differentiated products at affordable prices and sustaining the company’s legacy of giving and service. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income to non-profit organizations that support the communities where Target does business. Today, that giving equals more than $4 million a week. He also believes that donating time, talent and resources is equally imp ortant as the income they give.Target gives hundreds of thousands of hours volunteering in their communities every year. Target helps build safe, strong and healthy communities to all their guest and works closely with partners and organizations. They support educational programs, provide basic needs to families in crisis, and practice sustainability throughout their business—and that’s just the beginning. Throughout the year, Target provide education grants to local K-12 schools to support educational field trips, early childhood reading programs and participation in the arts.Target donated millions of books to kids and their school libraries through Target Books for Schools Awards and their Target School Library Makeover program. Steinhafel is a member of the Business Roundtable, Business Council and the Minnesota Business Partnership. In 2010, he was appointed to the Council for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. In 2012, Steinh afel began a two-year term as chairman of the board for the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). That is why I have chosen Greg Steinhafel for this discussion assignment. Explain why you selected this person.I have chosen Gregg Steinhafel because he exemplifies great leadership skills and good corporate culture. He is one of those leaders who never use the word â€Å"I† when referring to his company. Steinhafel takes his place out in front of several hundred thousand Target team members, insisting that â€Å"we†Ã¢â‚¬â€œmeaning the discount retailer’s top brass–â€Å"are the coaching staff that help design the playbook, but implement it at the same time. † He believes in team work and helps support his employees. I have always admired leaders who doesn’t take all the credit and realize it’s the company as a whole that makes it grow.What can you learn from this person? What would help you to create a better ethical environment in your place of work or in your future career? Gregg Steinhafel can be a great mentor because I can learn to be a reliable leader/person that helps supports the community, value employees and know not to take recognition by myself but to share it with the company. I know I can help build an ethical environment by being a good example towards others. I can make sure I establish strong ethic values by building trust and complying by the standards.

Research Proposal: An evaluation of risk management and corporate strategy in low budget airlines. A case study of EasyJet.

Abstract This research paper will be looking at the risk management and corporate strategy approaches taken by low budget airlines and, in particular, by EasyJet. As part of the background analysis, literature in this area will be drawn upon to identify background information that will shape the research aims and questions, as well as identifying the research methodology and timescales that are going to be applicable. Background Introduction In order to gain a background understanding, this section will look at the general strategy and corporate issues experienced by the low budget airlines, before then going on to examine the risk management and corporate strategy that is used, especially by the likes of EasyJet. Consideration will be given as to how this strategy can then be evaluated as, although delineating the actual way in which the strategy operates. Once this has been achieved there is the need to verify whether or not this strategy has bee successful and how exactly success should be defined in this context. During this research proposal one issue that needs to be delineated is why EasyJet is being looked at as a case study and why this is being done after the theoretical background has been looked at. It is contended here that choices of business strategy are theoretical and need to be understood generically before then looking at how this choice plays out in the ‘real world’ through the use of Ea syJet. Understanding the choice of strategy is just one stage of the proposal, with the main value being added by the ability to evaluate the strategy in the context of the industry and to look at ways in which the strategy could be improved or altered, in order to achieve sustainable success, in the future. For this reason, the background literature review and current understanding has been looked at here before setting out the structure for the research paper in more detail. . Literature Review 2.1The Concept of Budget Airline Strategies as Background Understanding  The UK airline industry has, as an industry, gathered considerable pace in recent years, with the number of passengers flying in the last decade increasing to a point whereby it is becoming part of day to day life, rather than an activity that is reserved for the wealthy, perhaps once a year for their annual holiday. According to the CAA Statistics there are approximately 126 million air journeys made a year from the UK This general change in the demographic of those relying on these airlines is such that it has fundamentally changed the budget airline industry. In particular, one of changes is theappearance of budget airlines, such as Ryanair and EasyJet, as well as the growth within the regional airports across the country, again supporting greater access for all. Prior to the growth of the low cost airline industry, commercial flying was something that was reserved for those in a much more financially stable situation, yet the marketing and branding of the budget industry has enc ouraged a much broader range of appeal. There is a question as to which way round this has occurred and as such this will need to be explored during the wider paper. The industry as a whole hit a particular difficulty in 2001, where the trade centre attacks meant that a variety of airlines no longer had the same appeal and a number of airlines went into liquidation (IAA, 2011)Despite this, there has been an increasing pressure on the airline industry from the low cost arena, with more and more people viewing airlines such as EasyJet and Ryanair as a viable travel option, thus attracting a broad range of individuals who will now consider, particularly local and short haul travel, as a means of enjoying cheap holidays, on a regular basis (Gross and Schroeder, 2007) . The budget airlines operate with adifferent strategy from the more traditional commercial airlines in the industry, and are thus able to make cost savings that can then be passed on to the customer base. A considerable amount of literature such as that by Doganis in 2001 has been established to look at the ways in which the low cost airlines have set themselves apart and have changed the airline industry. One of the leading arguments that is presented as part of this background research is that of Porter’s Five Forces model, in 1981, provides a conceptal tool which suggests that a company will look at the five forces on the industry as a means of creating and establishing their own strategy. These five forces are : the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers, the threat of potential new entrants, the threat of substitute products and the rivalry within the industry. lThis strategic argument has also been presented by Brandenburger and Nalebuff 1995 t hat indicates game theory is used to support the success of the airline industry. ,This will be explored in considerably more detail in the research itself; however, it provides an important starting point for the discussion here and will form a key part of the ongoing analysis.Corporate Strategy employed by EasyJetEasyJet is being used as a case study in this scenario. Therefore, consideration will be given as to how the specific corporate strategy as indicated by Porter’s model, has worked within the company itself and how this can then be evaluated and the risks associated with the strategy managed, appropriately. As noted by Porter in 1996 (p.62), it was stated that: â€Å"A company can outperform rivals only if it can establish a difference that can preserve. It must deliver greater value to customers or create comparable value at lower cost or do both†. It is this approach that is used as the fundamental strategy which has been established by EasyJet (Wright 1 987). Porter, as a result of his analysis, created three generic strategies, one of which is relevant here, namely that of cost leadership. In this case, the aim is to be the lowest cost supplier and to achieve profitability based on having a strong price cost margin (Dobson, Starkey and Richards, 2004). This is an extension of the understanding established initially by Porter in 1985, where he stated at p.13 â€Å"Low-cost producers often sell a standard, or no-frills, products and place considerable emphasis on reaping scale or absolute cost advantages from all sources†. Although the discussions here were aimed at those that generically follow these strategies, they are clearly very relevant to the way in which EasyJet has formulated itself. Moreover, for this type of cost leadership strategy, it is suggested that there is a need to be offering roughly the same product as the competitors, but to do so in a way that is cheaper, thus identifying the key element of the produ ct or service that simply must be provided and to remove the frills that are perceived to be unnecessary, in order to attract the appropriate market share. Within the airline industry, it could be argued that an actual airline seat which goes from A to B is a standard commodity and that a seat will be booked in order to allow an individual to travel from one place to another and that aside from this, no substantial differentiation is necessary for the majority of the public. Of course, there are those who might desire more leg room, better food, faster check in, etc., but on the whole, this is a standard commodity which lends itself to an idea that cost leadership can be achieved and is a approach potentially taken by budget airlines such as EasyJet. EasyJet, for example, has looked at the various ways in which it can save costs, such as the cost of landing at central airports, the cost of providing meals to everyone, the cost of check in staff at the airport, all of which has been eliminated as part of its strategy. For instance, by encouraging online check in and allowing all customers to book online and to manage their booking entirely online, this reduces the number of staff required within the airport. Furthermore, the airline typically utilises regional airports, as they charge less than central airports and this then allows the company to provide cheaper flights to the region. This will, of course, reduce the number of people who are willing to travel to that region, as some will place a premium on a direct flight to the centre of the city but, in many cases, an alternative airport within a few miles will be acceptable and is a great way of achieving a cheaper flight. This will also be the approach when providing the fligh t element of cheap package holidays.Concept of Risk Management within the Budget AirlinesBased on this strategy, there are clear needs to look at risk management as a means of maintaining the strategy. When following a cost leadership approach, there is the need to consider that competitors may simply innovate to copy and to be able to do the same, so that companies such as EasyJet need to ensure that they stay ahead of the game and are constantly looking towards improving their position and cost savings and therefore gathering greater market shares. Other risks are generic to the industry, as a whole, such as terrorism or global economic decline; however, the focus of this paper is on the way in which EasyJet deals with the risks that set it apart from the others and the way that this company uses its own strategy to manage the risks that may be present. For example, if there is operational pressure, or there are fewer people looking to travel, EasyJet can look towards the notion of providing greater technological efficiencies or offering its customers to groups of the market share that may improve its position. Risk management is therefore, in this case, about creating a level of dynamism that allows the company to remain ahead of the competition and to further its own competitive strategy, in this case, cost leadership. Generic Industry Background In order to understand the role of EasyJet it is necessary to briefly understand the generic industry situation. The actual notion of a low cost airline can be seen to have emanated in the 1970s, when Southwest Airlines established itself as a cut price airline providing a very basic but nevertheless acceptable service to American internal travellers. It aimed to appeal to those who were interested in price, rather than convenience, comfort or timeframe; it was often aimed at the student market and was referred to by many as the ‘Hippie’ Airline. From this point, several longer haul efforts emerged, but never fully gathered speed in comparison to the short haul equivalents, arguably due to their inability to differentiate themselves across the markets (Porter, 1980). That said, from the late 1990s through to the current day, several short haul no frills airlines have gained considerable success. Others have failed such as Zoom, in 2008, whic h suffered from problems associated with higher costs, most notably in the area of fuel. (Zoom, 2014) Despite certain differences pursued by the various carriers, on the whole, they pursued the approach of having uniform airplanes that reduced purchase and maintenance costs, as well as sticking to those airplanes that have minimal operations requirements and can therefore retain a low level of costs. Other operational benefits are gained through the use of requiring personnel to undertake multiple roles and to ensure that there are less people required to service customer needs, both on the ground and in the air. Whilst this may somewhat reduce the efficiency and the quality of service provided, on balance, it provides a basic service at a cheap price. Certain principles are seemingly consistent across the low cost airline industry, such as the use of secondary airports which are cheaper, the removal of non essential features, the imposition of charges for any added extras, e.g. additional baggage handling, so that individuals can simply pay more for what they actually require or wan t as added extras. The primary example of this is the removal of inflight meals as standard, thus allowing flyers to purchase what they wish, if indeed they wish to purchase food at all. Again, this reduces automatic costs and also offers opportunities for added revenue to be generated through the sale of snacks. These basic principles are common across the entire industry, although certain aspects have been more readily pursued by EasyJet and will form the focus of the main discussions.Research Aim and Research Question The overall research aim is to evaluate risk management and corporate strategy in low budget airlines using Easyjet as a case study.The research will analyse the working methods of the budget airline industry and to consider its overall and generic corporate strategy and positioning as an industry, as well as to look at individual examples within the industry, such as Easyjet. The research objectives are as follows: To gain an understanding of the ethos of the no frills airline industry, as a whole, considering strategies and approaches that are being accepted as the norm within the budget airline industry. A specific consideration of the risks facing low budget airlinesTo evaluate risk management and growth strategies across the industry and identify how these can then be mitigated in the long run. To evaluate the processes and strategies operating within EasyJet . By following this approach, the aim is to look at the industry, as a whole, but then to use the knowledge gained as a means of evaluating the current approach and looking to the future for both EasyJet and others within the same industry. Recognising this will enable a rounded and directed discussion for the management team of both EasyJet and other similar airlines.Research Methodology The research methodology for the paper is considered to be important for the purposes of identifying how the overall aim of evaluating the strategies and risk management available to low budget airlines and, in particular, EasyJet can be acheived. Firstly, it is considered to be necessary to undertake a deductive approach to the literature review, whereby the basic theory of the no frills airline is taken and then explored and observed. For example, there are accepted principles which are part of the no frills airline as a generic cost leadership strategy. Therefore, by taking the essence of the cost leadership strategy and then observing the industry in light of this, it is then possible to create a further theory as to the success of the industry and, more specifically, EasyJet. At this point, it is then necessary to take an inductive reasoning approach and to use observations as a means of developing a further theory of how these approaches can be evaluated and how these can then be better dealt with, in the future, for both EasyJet and the industry, as a whole. With this in mind, there is a shift in reasoning that needs to be clearly delineated in the structure of the research paper and will be looked at in these sections, below. Introduction and Industry Background – this will form the backbone of the deductive reasoning and will take the accepted theories of the no frills airline, with the strategy that is considered to be appropriate for this industry, most notably the cost differentiation, as noted in the introductory section above. Literature Review – this will need to transcend both aspects and will involve a detailed secondary analysis of existing understanding, including the need to look at general strategies that can be employed within the commercial arena. This will then need to be applied more rigorously to the case of the budget airline and how the generic strategies work within the budget airline industry. It will also look to identify specific areas of failure and to use a more deductive reasoning to establish a new theory of how the industry can now evolve. Case Study – these theories will then need to be tested by using a case study as a further form of secondary research, which is then capable of testing the theories raised and also developing them further, with specific examples in mind. A case study is seen to be the most appropriate means of achieving this, due to the need to take theories, test them and then potentially create new theories as to how this matter can be progressed. Analysis and Evaluation – This will then pull together the various aspects of the research, to create an overall evaluation and an ongoing theory that can be used including, recommendations for the future for EasyJet as to how it can use its own strengths to create a new strategy or approach, as well as being able to evaluate its existing approach. This research methodology, which relies entirely on secondary research, may be seen to be limited, due to the lack of primary research; however, it is felt to be appropriate in this case, due to the need to gather such a broad range of opinions, if primary research were to be relied upon. With this in mind and the specific thought that consumers are likely to have in relation to the industry, it was determined unhelpful to collate a large amount of primary research. Although there is a large amount of information available in the general domain, this is not in itself going to provide sufficient depth of understanding and therefore additional databases are going to be required, in order to add the necessary value to the discussion. Economic and financial journals may also prove useful in this regard, as they are readily available in the University library and will provide the background theoretical understanding. The starting points for the references and resources to be used are contained below; however, it is anticipated that this will be increased dramatically, over the course of the first two stages of the research and, in particular, during the literature review.. Key words will include, budget, strategy, airlines and EasyJetTimescale The overall duration of this research is to take place over one academic year, consisting of ten months. This is also a large deciding factor in the determination not to rely on primary research, at all. There would need to be a large amount of primary research gathered and this simply would not be possible with the time frame allocated if a suitable level of reliabilty were to be obtained. The following time frame is to be followed, with a degree of flexibility allowed in order to ensure that all aspects of the research are completed diligently. Month 1 – set out the research question, consider the available literature as well as the access to case study information and delineate any possible limitations that may arise in terms of information available. Months 1 – 2 – establish the introduction and industry background, looking solely at literature relating to the generic theories of business development, as well as the theory of the no frills airline. Months 3 – 4 – undertake case study analysis of EasyJet, which will require detailed information to be gathered from the company, from the commentary relating to the company and from any other source that could offer guidance as to how the company has been successful or, indeed, where the company has failed. Months 5 – 6 – analyse case study, in light of the literature review and evaluation structure set, going forward. A key component of this research is to evaluate the strategy being employed and to evaluate the way that the company may manage its risk. With this in mind, the evaluation process should be considered over a long period of time and with sufficient depth, revisiting issues, if required. Months 7 – 8 – pull together all the research and revisit any areas that seem lacking or where additional questions have been raised; most notably, ensuring that the aims and objectives are fully established and any gaps have been dealt with or, at the very least identified, so as to form part of the limitations and future research statements in the end report. Months 9 – 10 – review and present findings, undertake any other final areas of research that may be required and ensure that the findings of the research paper are presented fully. Any further areas of research will be identified at this stage and laid out for future use by others. Any limitations of the research will also be established.Resources RequiredThe primary research is not being undertaken due to the required timeframe. For the analysis itself, there is a need to have access to a variety of literature data bases, including the standard academic databases and industry information relevant to the airline industry. It has been identified that sources such as Euromonitor may provide a particularly useful insight into the industry itself, but are paid for databases. However, there are certain databases that may present industry information and are provided to the University which need to be looked at, in more detail. Specific databases that are appropriate include : Datastream EconLit JSTOR Datamonitor Conclusions and Next Steps In summary, therefore, the aim is to evaluate the strategies used by the no frills industry, with particular reference to EasyJet. In this context, the next step is to undertake a reasonable amount of background reading, to ascertain the areas that are then going to be pursued as part of the literature review. The main initial stage will be to look at the various aspects of the corporate strategy and to split the areas of reading and literature into sub headings. This will then be pursued when looking at the EasyJet case study; therefore, it is necessary to establish these strands of the argument and the support for this argument, from the outset. Establishing the main aims, strands of analysis and the way in which the findings will be presented will all be part of this initial fact finding and preparatory stage. References –  Brandenburger A.M. & Nalebuff B.J. (1995), â€Å"The Right Game: Use Game Theory to Shape Strategy†, Harvard Business Review, July-August pp 57 – 71 Calder, S. (2003), No Frills: The Truth Behind the Low-Cost Revolution in the Skies, UK: Virgin Books CAA Statistics (2006) http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/80/airline_data/2006Annual/Table_0_1_6_All_Services_2006.pdf Doganis, R. (2001), The airlines business in the 21st century, London: Routledge Galbraith, C. & Schendel, D. (1983), â€Å"An Empirical Analysis or Strategy Types†, Strategic Management Journal, 4:2 153 – 173 Gross, S and Schroeder, A. (Eds.) (2007) Handbook of Low Cost Airlines – Strategies, Business Processes and Market Environment, Berlin. Hill, C.W.L. (1988), â€Å"Differentiation Versus Low Cost or Differentiation and Low Cost: A Contingency Framework†, Academy of Management Review 13:3 pp 401 – 412 IATA (2011) The Impact of September 11th http://www.iata.org/pressroom/documents/impact-9-11-aviation.pdf Miller, D. (1988), â€Å"Relating Porter’s Business Strategies to Environment and Structure: Analysis and Performance Implications†, Academy of Management Journal 31:2 pp 280 – 308 Mintzberg, H. (1978), â€Å"Patterns in Strategy Formation†, Management Studies 24:9 pp 934 – 948 Mintzberg, H., Quinn, J.B. & Ghoshal, S. (1995), The Strategy Process, UK: Prentice Hall Murray, A.I. (1988), â€Å"A Contingency View of Porter’s â€Å"Generic Strategies†Ã¢â‚¬ , Academy of Management Review 13:3 pp 390 – 400 Porter, M.E. (1985), Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance, New York: The Free Press Porter, M.E. (1980), Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors, New York: The Free Press Stabell, C.B. & Fjeldstad, O.D. (1998), â€Å"Configuring Value for Competitive Advantage: On Chains, Shops, and Networks†, Strategic Management Journal 19:5 pp 413 – 437 Treacy, M. & Wirsema, F. (1993) â€Å"Customer Intimacy & Other Value Disciplines’, Harvard Business Review, Jan-Feb pp 84 – 93 White, R.E. (1986), â€Å"Generic Business Strategies, Organizational Context and Performance: An Empirical Investigation†, Strategic Management Journal 7:3 pp 217 – 231 Wright, P. (1987), â€Å"A Refinement of Porter’s Strategies, Strategic Management Journal 8:1 pp 93 – 101 Zoom (2014) Zoom – Bankruptcy Filed in 2008 Retrieved from http://www.flyzoom.com/

The Age Of Enlightenment The Interesting Life Of Olaudah...

During the 18th century, many things were happening and the Europeans also were known as â€Å"Enlightenment thinkers and philosophers† thought by creating a movement called Age of Enlightenment, it would inflict rational change upon humanity. The Age of Enlightenment is described to be â€Å"set out by means of reason and direct observation to discover the fundamental laws governing nature, humanity, and society. The philosophes believed that such discoveries would free the world from tyranny, violence, and instability † (Davis et al. 17). With this in mind, the goals of the enlightenment were to bring peace to the world and act upon reason. One text, in particular, goes against that and demonstrates the hypocrisy and failure of those goals and is†¦show more content†¦450). This prompted for Equiano to be enslaved by many slave owners as such things were being exchanged between rival tribes and parties of raiders. In addition to this, Equiano was being sold co untless times and one day ended up on board in the sea on a slave ship. As a result, Equiano is more hopeless than he was before as he endures the abuse and hardships that went on in the ship towards those who were black as the Whites were the ones in charge of the ship. Eventually, after much despair, Equiano was able to buy his freedom through one of the owners he had who was, as he put it, the nicest. Moreover, while he was on the ship he describes having witnessed many cruelties of all sorts when it came to other slaves and how he wasn’t able to help them. This, in turn, led to an encounter between Equiano and a man named Mr. D----. Mr. D is presumably white as most were aboard the ships besides the slaves and he is a Christian. To Equiano’s surprise, he learns that Christianity is being practiced in a way that was perverted. This is due to, â€Å"One Mr. D---- told me that he had sold 41,000 negroes and that he once cut off a negro man’s leg for running away. I asked him if the man had died in the operation, howShow MoreRelatedThe Age Of Enlightenment By Francois Marie Arouet1082 Words   |  5 PagesThe Age of Enlightenment was a time of philosophical movements and new ways of thinking that prevailed in Europe and spread all over the world in the 18th century. This era saw the rise of many writers and philosophers that are still recognized and praised to day. Goals like tolerance, reason, progress, and the removal of the injustices of church and state were prominent in works by Enlightenment thinkers. Although they shared similar goals, methods to accomplish them were varied. 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Americas great Enlightenment writers included Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson, who also played important roles in the American Revolution. Thomas