Irregular warfare / future war Essay

â€Å"The Pentagon’s New Map† is a groundbreaking bestseller of Thomas Barnett, which became one of the most talked-about books of the 2004 year. It combined economic, political, and security factors to provide a fundamental re-examination of war and peace in the post-9/11. Also it’s compelling vision of the future. It consists of preface, 8 chapters and acknowledgements. This writing is devoted to how Mr. Barnett sees the global security landscape and is built on the works of Fukuyama, Huntington and Friedman. In this book author describes recent U. S.strategy and discusses where military forces will likely be heading in the near future. Barnett states: â€Å"I found myself instinctively exploring the seam between war and peace, locating it first in U. S. military crisis responses and then America’s foreign aid, and finally focusing on its leading edge – the spread of the global economy itself† (p. 5). This book examines a new version of national security for the 21st century, makes important suggestions to the Government on actions the America should take, and theorizes what could happen in the next 50 years concerning the global landscape. The author of the book outlines the crucial role the United States needs to play in establishing international stability. Thomas P. M. Barnett, Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating (New York, NY: Berkley Books, 2005). This book is a sequel to Barnett’s â€Å"The Pentagon’s New Map†. The first book dealt with the past and â€Å"Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating† is a futuristic romp through the next 25 years. It consists of preface, 5 chapters, conclusion and afterwards. First chapter preceded by the glossary of key terms. From Chapter 1, â€Å"What the World Needs Now†, â€Å"Blueprint for Action† is an exploration of a three-tiered argument concerning system and individual struggle to understand the seam between war and peace. If the first book was compelling vision of the future, now military analyst Barnett presents his vision of the future. â€Å"Careers will be made and lost, industries will rise and fall, and waging peace will finally prioritized over waging war† (p. 2). He explores both the long- and short-term pathways for governments, institutions, and individuals. Paying particular attention to regions as Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East, China, North Korea he outlines the strategies to pursue, the entities to create, the pitfalls to overcome. His favorite concept is the theory of anti-access. Author states that â€Å"instead of focusing on classified â€Å"black project† to facilitate the Leviathan’s lofty ambitions, the Pentagon conducts secret talks with allies on how they might better shoulder the SysAdmin’s many burdens† (p. 2). The battle space is Leviathan and SysAdmin takes over in transition and peace, also considered â€Å"the areas of everything else†. So â€Å"Blueprint for Action† is something like a road map through a chaotic and uncertain world to â€Å"a future worth creating. † Joseph R. Cerami, Richard A. Chilcoat, and Patrick B. Baetjer, eds. The Future of Transatlantic Security Relations (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2006). This writing is a compilation of reports and materials from the conference about the future of transatlantic security relations hold on March 8, 2006, Annenberg Presidential Conference Center in College Station in Texas. Materials of the conference was edited by Richard A. (Dick) Chilcoat (Dean, Bush School of Government and Public Service) and Joseph Cerami (Director, Public Service Leadership Program, Bush School of Government and Public Service) as members of the Executive Committee. The book consists of introduction preceded by a foreword and a letter from President, 4 chapters (panels). After the main text go extra materials – list of addresses, remarks, conference papers, biographies and sponsor information. The purpose of the conference was to examine the future of the NATO. Conference panels examined U. S. and European foreign policies and the potential for forging a new consensus on U. S. and European foreign policy and military strategy. Dr. Steinberg stated that â€Å"The difficulty remains that the United States and Europe do not have a sense of a compelling need for cooperation, thus even the smallest differences tend to divide them† (p. 14). It is needed to develop a deeper understanding of key security issues facing the U. S. and Europe at this critical time. James S. Corum, Training Indigenous Forces in Counterinsurgency: A Tale of Two Insurgencies (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2006). Book by James Corum tales about training indigenous police and military forces for counterinsurgency campaigns. The book consists of introduction preceded by a foreword, summary, biographical sketch of the author. After introduction go case study Cyprus, case study Malaya, conclusion and recommendations. Author states that â€Å"While every insurgency has its unique aspects, there are also circumstances that often are repeated in other insurgencies. This conclusion offers a few general insights to help understand the nature of counterinsurgency operations, as well as some specific recommendations to change U. S. military doctrine and policy for training indigenous police and military forces in counterinsurgency†(p. 34). This monograph aims to help fill the information gap about how indigenous security forces should be trained for counterinsurgency. Corum outlines the level of training which security forces need to conduct effective counterinsurgency operations, defines the role of the police in counterinsurgency, and discovers the role of irregular security organizations. Besides this the author tells about different training programs for producing effective military leaders. Martin Van Crevald, The Transformation of War (New York, NY: The Free Press, 1991). Israeli military historian Van Creveld advances a new understanding of the ends and means of war in his book â€Å"The transformation of war†. There were perhaps 160 armed conflicts around the world since the end of WWII. Those conflicts were not global. Therefore author speaks about low-intensity conflict (LIC) which is the true nature of contemporary war. Its principal characteristics are as follows: â€Å"First, they tend to unfold in ‘less developed’ parts of the world†¦. Second, very rarely do they involve regular armies on both sides, though often it is a question of regulars on one side fighting guerrillas, terrorists, even civilians, including women and children, on the other. Third, most LICs do not rely primarily on the high-technology collective weapons that are the pride and joy of any modern armed force† (p. 42). Israeli historian states that existing of empires made impossible for the ‘subjects’ to take the conflict to the heart of the empire. Van Creveld compares clashes between Hindus and Muslims in 1947-49, Nigerian Civil War from 1966 to 1969, Vietnamese conflict; analyses conflicts which taking place in the Sri Lanka, Iraq, Kurdistan, Sudan, Angola and half a dozen other countries. Book of Van Creveld answer a question what war is today. Thomas A. Dempsey, Counterterrorism in African Failed States: Challenges and Potential Solutions (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2006). The book of Thomas Dempsey examines three failed states in Sub-Saharan Africa – Somalia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to give an outline of the terrorist groups operating there. â€Å"Counterterrorism in African Failed States† consists of introduction preceded by a foreword, summary, biographical sketch of the author. Then go defining state failure, case study methodology. Dempsey states that criminalization and disintegration of administrative structure of the failed state, collapse of public security forces provide advantageous circumstances for terrorists. The author focuses on the current the characteristics of a network of terroristic organizations and covers up two very different types of cells: terrorist nodes and terrorist hubs. â€Å"Hubs provide centralized direction and communication linkages among nodes that are decentralized and largely, if not entirely, independent of each other† (p. 6). Research reveals presence of both types of cells in those states. To fight with terrorist groups operating from failed states Dempsey suggests new strategy that combines both military and law enforcement efforts, supported by intelligence capabilities and intelligence-led policing. Thomas X. Hammes, The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century (St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press, 2006). Colonel Thomas X. Hammes contends that American military forces are engaging in a fourth generation of warfare, which he labels â€Å"4GW† (Fourth Generation Warfare) throughout â€Å"The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century†. That’s the only kind of war America has ever lost. First generation of war, Hammes sees, was conflicts of Napoleonic era, the second generation was World War I, and the third generation was World War II, focuses on examples of the evolution of 4GW. In the writing are analysed conflicts in Afghanistan, Vietnam and Iraq. And a new, forth, form of warfare â€Å"directly attacks the minds of enemy decision makers to destroy the enemy’s political will† (p. 11). Hammes contends Mao Tse-tung was the first who started a new form of war and Vietnamese general Vo Nguyen Giap have been influenced by Mao. The main author’s concept is that expanding of 4GW encouraged the fact that â€Å"only unconventional warfare works against established powers† (p. 103). The author asserts that current concentration on advanced technology is incorrect because the wars â€Å"are long term struggles that will be won or lost primarily with human skills and knowledge† (p. 14), because high-tech weapons have a little meaning when the enemy has a different concept of conflict. Samuel P. Huntingdon, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1996). In â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order† Samuel P. Huntington suggests a new view international political theory, contending that in modern world the most important distinctions among peoples are cultural, but not political or ideological. â€Å"While nation states will remain the principal units of analysis in international affairs, their behavior will be shaped most decisively not by the pursuit of power and wealth (as realism suggests), but by cultural preferences, commonalities, and differences† (p. 21). The author argues civilization divides people of the same race, but at the same time people of different races are united by the same civilization. Huntington understands religion as a central uniting characteristic of civilizations. The global dynamic will be one of the civilizational â€Å"fault lines† along which civilizational blocs would engage each other. According to an author view civilizations clash because conflict is naturally prevalent in the international system. Therefore there are two levels of conflict between civilizations: micro-level (conflicts between adjoining states from different civilizations) and at macro-level (conflicts occur between major states of different civilizations). But to achieve cultural cohesion every civilization should develop its values, institutions and culture. Mark D. Mandeles, The Future of War: Organizations as Weapons (Dulles, VA: Potomac Books, Inc. , 2005). Mark D. Mandeles analyses major post-9/11 military events in his book to make consideration about future of warfare. The book consists of seven chapters. Its main theme is influence of organization upon military operations, and Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) plays centrally into it. A qualitative improvement in weapons transforms the character of warfare. Mandeles states that military organizations will have to adapt in fundamental ways to seize the advantages offered by technological superiority, seeking optimum utilization of technology. But the optimum utilization can occur only through optimum organization. Author insists on â€Å"relationship between the difficulties of coordinating large organizations composed of many people and offices having specialized roles, and the challenges of calculation, attention, and memory that face individuals making decisions with inadequate or ambiguous information under short deadlines or stressful situations† (p 3). â€Å"The Future of War† gives information how command and control should be organized in the context of the changing new technology. Jerry Mander and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, eds. Paradigm Wars: Indigenous Peoples Resistance to Globalization (San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books, 2006). â€Å"Paradigm Wars† is an anthology, edited by Jerry Mander and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, which is dedicated to modern international relations. In this book twenty-seven intellectuals tell about globalization and how native peoples resist to it, about economic institutions and the indigenous nations. It records examples of how indigenous communities have used the global economy to create sustainable industry (such as ecotourist programs by communities in Belize and Australia), the role played by American Indians in a safer energy future and how the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund struggle for resources (wood, genetic materials, oil) situated on the native peoples lands. â€Å"Paradigm Wars† details impacts of extractive industries and bioprospecting on the environment, damage done by conservation groups. It gives information about degrading of cultural artifacts and languages and how indigenous communities protect their sovereignties as no community is more directly impacted by globalization than 350 million indigenous peoples. Anthology assures us that indigenous nations continue to resist against the New World order. Michael McClintoc, Instruments of Statecraft: U. S. Guerilla Warfare, Counter-insurgency, and Counter-terrorism, 1940-1990 (New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1992). The book of Michael McClintoc is a study of how the U. S military applied special-warfare doctrine in third world nations. Scope of the book consists of introduction, 18 chapters divided to three parts and an epilogue. McClintoc tells about unconventional warfare, which in fact is state supported terrorism waged against ideological adversaries, from the Truman administration up to the recent war in the Persian Gulf. The author gives an expose of the dark side of American foreign policy, narrates about using of terroristic activities (torture, kidnapping, sabotage and assassination) to overthrow the foreign governments. The writing provides interesting facts for example that CIA helped to develop the infrastructure for state terrorism that appeared in Latin America during the 60s. It examinates tactical roots of U. S policy from the pronouncements of Clausewitz and Raymond Aron, to its ideological basis in the Monroe Doctrine and Woodrow Wilson’s post-colonialist crusade. And it’s continued nowadays. Michael McClintoc states that â€Å"special operations in the new world order would have a new range of objectives, with their missions—and pretexts—adjusted to the end of the Cold War. The new missions, such as drug enforcement, will provide a vehicle for continuing some of the old missions that persist from the Cold War and the counterinsurgency era. † Steven Metz and Raymond A. Millen, Future War/Future Battlespace: The Strategic Role of American Landpower (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2003). In monograph by Steven Metz and Raymond A. Millen, authors examine new trends in the strategic environment in their development in a future war. They outline tremendous challenges in war fighting in the post 9-11 era and insist on the need that U. S. Landpower should adapt to new type of conflict. As â€Å"transformation must continuously develop new operational and strategic concepts, educate soldiers and officers to implement them, and develop organizations and technologies to ensure they function† (p. x). To make that adaptation real, the monograph gives a scope of what will be the shape and characteristics of the future international security environment, responds characteristics of the future battlefield, and outlines the potential or probable roles and missions of the Army. After transformation â€Å"the Army is vital to the type of strategy that would best promote American interests over the long term† (p. 33). Williamson Murray, ed. National Security Challenges for the 21st Century (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2003). An anthology edited by Williamson Murray consists of reports written by officers who participated in the Advanced Strategic Art Program (ASAP) during their year at the U. S. Army War College. ASAP is a course instructing in theater strategy. Essays included in this volume provide insights into challenges facing the defense establishment in the United States at the beginning of the 21st century in the post 9-11 era. In the foreword of the anthology Murray states â€Å"that America needs officers who possess a deep understanding of the difficulties involved in the use of force in the international arena as well as understand the complex problems involved in the political and strategic challenges confronted by the United States†(p. 1). So the authors speaking about present army problems address such issues as the development of officer’s carrier and make predictions about how could be â€Å"combined tactical and operational excellence with intellectual curiosity in their careers† (p.15). Williamson Murray, ed. A Nation at War in an Era of Strategic Change (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2004). This book is a compilation of essays, edited by Williamson Murray, written by the students enrolled in the Army War College’s Advanced Strategic Art Program (ASAP). It consists of 14 essays preceded by a foreword and an introduction. The authors give coverage to some issues connected with transforming the U. S. Army to engaging in active combat operations associated against terrorists. The main theme of the anthology is lessons of Iraq conflict. Dr. Murray states in foreword that â€Å"the victory over Saddam Hussein’s forces underlined that the fundamental nature of war is not going to change,† because of â€Å"the technological monism† of American forces â€Å"has quite simply foundered on the realities of the battlefields in Iraq† (p. 2). The editor observes that â€Å"the conflict also suggests that the American military needs to think in a more holistic fashion about the conduct of war at the operational level† (p.3). The authors of the compilation provide thorough examination of the lessons from the battlefield, outline the U. S. national strategies, rise up the problem questions and offer ways to resolve. The final conclusions of the compilation states â€Å"The United States needs to focus on learning the right lessons from its past conflicts by examining not only what went right, but also by examining what went wrong and what adjustments potential adversaries have made as a result of U. S. actions† (p. 361). Henry E. Sokolski, ed. Taming the Next Set of Strategic Weapons Sets (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2006). This volume edited by Henry Sokolski features research the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center commissioned. It consists of 9 chapters divided into three sections, preceded by an introduction. The book starts with the statement that nowadays nuclear technologies have become much more difficult to control. â€Å"Attempts to develop a legally binding inspections protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention were recently rejected by U. S. officials as being inadequate to catch serious violators while being prone to set off false alarms against perfectly innocent actors. † Therefore the anthology is designed to illustrate what might happen if these emerging threats go unattended and how best to mitigate them. Patrick Clawson of the Washington Institute makes clear the issue of further proliferation is Iran in Chapter 2, â€Å"Proliferation in the Middle East: Who is Next after Iran? † By the end of the chapter Sokolski argues â€Å"that the greatest security danger renewed strategic arms proliferation presents is not the increased chance of nuclear theft or terrorism† (p. 6). The book explains how the United States and other advanced states might share unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) services and turn-key missile systems rather than handing over the means for their production. Strobe Talbott and Nayan Chanda, eds. The Age of Terror: America and the World After September 11 (New York, NY: Basic Books, 2001). â€Å"The Age of Terror: America and the World After September 11† was written just a few months after the terrorist attacks. But each of the eight chapters provide critical analyses of the American and international developments and events that are as helpful in explaining 9/11. The authors of the book placed events of September 11 into highlighting political and historical contexts. â€Å"The post-cold war era began with the collapse of one structure, the Berlin wall on November 9,1989, and ended with the collapse of another, the World Trade Center’s twin towers on September 11† (p.3). Ideas shared by Strobe Talbott and Nayan Chanda compose serious discourse about American post-9/11 policies. The authors states that â€Å"Americans were not responsible for the Pearl Harbour, but they would have been irresponsible in the extreme if they had not, as a consequence of that attack, dramatically altered their policies†(p. 5). And the crucial conclusion which is drawn in the book is that the geographical position and the military power of the U. S. are no longer sufficient to ensure its security.

Kfc – the Best Fast-Food Restaurant

EBA203 UI -:Nguy? n Xuan Luan: 100035 [pic] 1. Why is KFC famous? Kentucky Fried Chicken, better known as KFC, is the largest chicken restaurant KFC is an internationally fast food industry in the world. KFC began with Colonel Harland Sanders, in America in the year 1939. They have the main ambition to increase & maintain the quality in fast food industry. Their aim is to capture the fast food market. Every day, more than 12 million customers are served at KFC restaurants in 109 countries and territories around the world more than 15,000 units around the world.When you try to experience with the services, the qualities, the taste, the price and the conveniences in KFC’s restaurants, you can find that the successes of KFC in worldwide market isn’t random. It relate closely to many factors, such as brand development strategy, strategic of management, development of human resources and the particular secret of KFC is market strategy in the environment â€Å"International Culture† †¢ Quality is the number one. In addition kfc famous brand, there are many other fast food brands besides like: Lotteria .. etc.The reason why KFC can rise leading full of fierce competition due to continuously improve product quality and service quality, the quality of raw materials. In addition, KFC through reputable agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) certification testing and using chicken is fully cooked to ensure hygienic; KFC also through the mass media committed to 100% KFC chicken products sold are processed at high temperatures during the period from 2 minutes 30 seconds to 14 minutes 30 seconds, so consumers can feel secure Customer dung.Khach Centre not only enjoy quality service at the restaurant, but also can enjoy the food service brought to you quickly, hygiene, punctuality, service personnel with a caring attitude affable and polite [pic][pic] †¢ Select the correct location to store construction program of action Location is an important factor leading business in the field of food and drinks, especially fast food. The selected location is not only a prerequisite, â€Å"golden key† to decide the success of the brand but also the premise and foundation for brand can provide standard services, single simple and professional.Therefore, KFC attaches great importance to the selection of sites for a fast food restaurant. Often, KFC selected locations to be approved by two levels, local companies and corporations. The probability of success in the site selection process KFC business almost reached 100%. Once through market surveys seriously, KFC always choose the big city is the target market to develop supply store. [pic][pic] †¢ Flavor featured, affordable Crispy lemon chicken is seasoned by lemon fiber sprinkled all chicken pieces makes the dish more delicious, more attractive.Diners as awaken all the senses at the same time, from straw yellow chicken pieces to the aromatic smell of spices prep ared meticulously and when finished enjoying brings balance the ease and unforgettable. [pic][pic] In 1939, Sanders has invented a unique Kentucky chicken recipes with 11 ingredients and flavors of different herbs and he called his dish â€Å"food replacement meals at home† for family busy family, with very line hopvoi the price of each object income, the portion corresponding to James can replace daily meals but still enough, everyone can enjoy KFC is easy and convenient KFC limit: Besides the convenience of restaurants, there are certain limits. Today, with the development of economy, people tend to be simple fast to meet demand, there are many fast food stores to grow, with new flavors, intense competition with KFC. Also, today, in Asia in general and VET in particular, fast food accounts for 10% of the menu of the people, not the majority as other countries such as: England, United States †¦. South, people still preferred meal, with the fussy and more nutritious.Fina lly, fast food is concentrated in some parts, certain age, can not cover all the subjects, the difference in food culture is also a major obstacle affecting the development of kfc 3. If you are in charge of the KFC brand expansion in Vietnam market I will proceed as follows: a: Market research – building goals Situation Analysis of socio-economic, cultural and Vietnam, the current status of development of the fast food market in Vietnam to have accurate assessment of market size, growth rate and the level of competition on truong.Phan of the strengths, limitations and dynamics of KFC before and after the implementation of the strategy to penetrate the Vietnamese market. Evaluate the successes and limitations of the Marketing-Mix strategy of KFC in the past, and propose some ideas and measures to KFC continues to maintain its position in the Vietnamese market in the near future . [pic][pic] b. Overview vietnam fast food market Vietnam – a country that ranks as the most populous country in the world, ith a young population structure and economic growth potential is considered as an attractive market for the food business group fast (fast food). According to estimates by market survey company Euromonitor, sales of fast food areas in Vietnam is still modest, from 12. 5 billion in 1999, increased to 19. 6 billion in 2002, fell to 13. 5 billion winter 2004 and from 16 billion in 2007 to approximately 20. 1 billion in 2009. Only about 10% of the population have used fast food habits.This number is too small compared with neighboring countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, China, India has more than 70% of consumers eat fast food at least one time / month. And about 90% of the number of Vietnamese consumers are not familiar with the fast food will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to exploit. In short, if I was manager in charge of expansion kfc Vietnam, in the current era of knowledge economy, ahead of the competition is extremely fierce and fierce international market, to develop the brand, businesses need to focus on improving the quality of services, ranging from visible to invisible. pplication of advanced marketing strategies, particularly marketing strategy in environments with â€Å"culture†, to the consumers living in different cultures, whether China, Japan and Vietnam are remembered this brand even once. In the context of globalization, modern businesses need to pay special attention to the integration of culture; focuses on developing marketing strategies such as strengthening cultural product development, brand building, building develop corporate culture, at the same time, in the fierce competition of the market, faced with the concept of different values f each object, each ethnic group, businesses need to know to apply flexible strategies sales marketing strategy, which can stand on the international market, creating a powerful breakthrough in the process of brand development business. [pic][pic] [pic][ pic] Some of my work here is all. students for submission

Intrapreneuship-Global

Slide: Many big companies had benefitted from the ideas of their employees that not just bringing innovation but adding to its revenue stream. Several global cases have been renowned especially to big companies’ history on how their respective intrapreneurs made the business to be the pioneer of a certain business idea. 1. Most renowned â€Å"Skunk Works† 2. Spencer Silver and Art Fry’s development of post-it notes at 3 M company Modern Day 1. Steve Jobs and a group of 20 Apple Computer engineers created the Macintosh computer 2. Intel's core chip-making business. . Google 4. Microsoft 5. Sony playstation I. Global Case Intrapreneurs take existing businesses and transform them. Whereas an entrepreneur would take an idea and build a business around it, an intrapreneur takes an existing business and branches it out into uncharted waters. In a September 1985 Newsweek article, Steve Jobs was quoted as saying, â€Å"The Macintosh team was what is commonly known as in trapreneurship; only a few years before the term was coined—a group of people going, in essence, back to the garage, but in a large company. (http://infospace. ischool. syr. edu/2012/06/25/intrapreneurship-what-who-and-why-its-important/) Intrapreneurship is being practiced in a corporate management style that integrates risk-taking and innovation approaches, as well as the reward and motivational techniques that are more traditionally thought of as being the province of entrepreneurship. Many big companies had benefitted from the ideas of their employees that not just bringing innovation but adding to its revenue stream.Several global cases have been renowned especially to big companies’ history on how their respective intrapreneurs made the business to be the pioneer of a certain business idea. I. Global Case * Skunk Works is an official alias for Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs (ADP), formerly called Lockheed Advanced Development Projects. Thi s working group within the well-known defense manufacturer has been responsible for the development of numerous cutting edge aircraft and other innovations since 1943, when it was established to work on secret projects for the United States Air Force.In some companies, a working group of intrapreneurs may be referred to as a â€Å"skunkworks project† in reference to Lockheed's famous subdivision. (http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-an-intrapreneur. htm#did-you-know) Skunk Works is responsible for a number of famous aircraft designs, including the U-2, the SR-71 Blackbird, the F-117 Nighthawk, and the F-22 Raptor. Currently its largest officially known project is the F-35 Lightning II, which will be used in the air forces of several countries.Skunk works devoted their work revolutionary projects outside of the company’s * Spencer Silver and Art Fry’s development of post-it notes at 3m is also an impressive example of intrapreneurship. Way back in when a 3m employe e couldn't keep his hymns marked properly in his church choir book. After attempting various methods, he decided he'd try using some non-permanent adhesive that was available at his workplace. By placing this adhesive on the back of his markers, he found he could keep them secured in place and then easily peel them off when he was done.Modern day * Intel also has a tradition of implementing intrapreneurship. Intel established an in-house â€Å"new business initiative† in 1998 to bootstrap new businesses that employees propose, regardless of whether the concepts had anything to do with Intel's core chip-making business. In contrast to a venture capital program that Intel has had in place for a decade, the new business initiative provides financing for businesses that the company's own employees start. The idea for the whole thing came from our employees, who kept telling us they wanted to do entrepreneurial things,† said Craig Barrett, president and chief executive offic er of Intel. â€Å"They saw that we were putting a lot of investments into external companies and said that we should be investing in our own ideas. † (http://www. utdallas. edu/~chasteen/Reinventing%20the%20intrapreneur. htm) * Steve Jobs and a group of 20  Apple Computer  engineers created the Macintosh computer without â€Å"adult supervision,† mainly to compete with Apple's mainstay, the Apple II — not to mention Mr.Jobs's nemesis, Apple CEO John Scully * Microsoft Microsoft , one of the companies that poached great Xerox technology, has suffered from a brain drain that may pose a bigger threat than any U. S. Supreme Court decision, as veteran executives use their own millions to start their own firms. That's why both of these companies are now emphasizing internal entrepreneurial efforts. They are among the following ten corporations that have made intrapreneurship a keystone of their business. Seamus Blackley, a game designer, joined Microsoft in early 1999.His last big project, â€Å"Trespasser,† a dinosaur-shooting game based on Michael Crichton's The Lost World (Knopf, 1997), bombed in the market. He figured he'd keep a low profile as a graphics programmer, but then he dreamed up a new idea on an airplane flight and quickly banded with three other engineers to create a video game console using personal computer technology. (http://www. utdallas. edu/~chasteen/Reinventing%20the%20intrapreneur. htm) * Google is also known to be intrapreneur friendly, allowing their employees to spend up to 20% of their time to pursue projects of their choice.

Quize in Health & Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quize in Health & Safety - Essay Example In many of those situations there was no individual to blame because there was a long chain of command and the seniors were not aware of the risks of the actual work whereas the juniors were just carrying out their jobs. As a result no on could be blamed for any cases of work related death. Surprisingly current laws require that an individual is pinpointed for any disaster that occurs in a company. This is extremely difficult at larger corporations as a result of which only small companies have been prosecuted to date. (Economist) The main purpose of the new law is to ensure stronger action against organisations for which the existing law has little or no importance and application. This new offence nevertheless does not increase or reduce individual responsibility but instead provides a distinguishable basis for what can be best called the criminal liability of organisations. The new law will no doubt improve safety levels in companies as it shall apply when someone has been killed because the senior management has "grossly failed to take reasonable care for the safety of employees or others". (Paton) The existing law on corporate manslaughter is unsatisfactory.

Self-Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self-Assessment - Assignment Example I love giving back to the society, especially children, so whenever I get a chance to touch a child’s heart, I do not hesitate, I dedicate one day each month to visit a children’s home close to where I live. Before I visit, I collect clothes, food stuffs, shoes and toys from those who are willing to give and give to the children on my visit. Another hobby that I have is cooking, over the years I have collected hundreds of recipes that I enjoy trying out at home, it always gives me great pleasure to see my family and friends enjoy the food that I have prepared. I have even come up with my own recipes that I submit to food websites. I am motivated, I take my work seriously and every opportunity that I get to improve on the business I take advantage of it. I have a routine that involves me getting up early in the morning so that I can have time for exercise and to read my emails and also study. I keep myself updated on the trends of the food industry as that is the line of business that we are involved in, I borrow a leaf from other companies that are in the same line of work and try to implement what I find useful and sustainable. So far, the business’ earnings have improved remarkably and we are looking to open another outlet once we get the right location. I am a leader, this is the most important aspect of the work that I am doing and the course that I am taking, to be a good manager, I need to be a great leader. In our line of business, it is important for me to ensure that we are running efficiently and effectively, by keeping our expenses low, our returns high and our customers and employees happy. Being the manager, I have a team that I work with to ensure all these happen and I empower them by asking for their opinions and how they think we should implement some strategies. I then delegate work to them so that they can be responsible for their own actions and also feel that their input in the business is valued. When a job has

The findingds and dicussion chapter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8250 words

The findingds and dicussion chapter - Essay Example It is one of the most common developmental disorders. Autism in the recent years has shown an increasing profile, as regards acquiring a clear delineation and rising public awareness. This in turn has increased the importance of autism, both within the society, and especially within the realms of education systems. This paper gives an insight into the present educational support available for the autistic children, with a special focus on the special education programs for such students in Saudi Arabia. This paper also makes a review of the studies that explored the teachers' perspectives regarding the integrative model for students with autism. To achieve better results from the various special education programs and therapies, the general and special educators, the parents of children with autism, the policymakers, and other associated professionals should bear in mind the various critical peripherals of an effective educational program for the autistic children, within the present educational system of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Educational system for boys with autism in Saudi Arabia 1 Introduction 1 Background history â€Å"Autistic spectrum disorders are lifelong, complex, controversial, challenging to service providers, they can cause severe impairments and they are not uncommon† PHIS Report (2001, p.7) Autism is a form of developmental disorder that makes an appearance in an individual during the first 3 years of his life, and â€Å"affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills† (PubMedHealth, Autism, 2010). This  disorder, which is associated with impairment in neural development,  is characterized by faulty social and  communicating skills, and in the perceived stereotyped and restricted behaviours of a child. Autism influences the information processing within the  human brain that occurs due to the changes in the structure, organisation, and connection, of the nerve cells and the  synapses (Levy, Mandell, and Schultz,  2009, par. Neurobiology). Autism is a part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASDs) that includes three (sometimes five, if Rett and childhood disintegrative disorder are included) clinically recognised disorders. These are: Autism; Asperger syndrome that shows the same characteristics as Autism, but is less severe in the sense that the child shows no impairment in cognitive and language development; and  Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified  (or PDD-NOS). The PDD-NOS is diagnosed, after all the standard diagnoses tests for Autism and Asperger Syndrome have failed to meet the required criteria (Johnson, C., Scott M., and the Council on Children with Disabilities, 2007, 1183-1186). Autism can be defined as a disorder of the â€Å"affective contact, as an organic dysfunction of biological origin, and as a neurological or brain disorder† (Marwick, Dunlop and MacKay, 2005, 8). This disorder vitiates the functional abilities of a chil d to form

Criminal Justice in the 21st Century, through Corrections Research Paper

Criminal Justice in the 21st Century, through Corrections - Research Paper Example Finally, the paper ends at a conclusion. Web resources from The Pennsylvania Stare University and the Ferris State University have been used. Reputable academic sources have also been reviewed. Criminal Justice in the 21st Century, through Corrections Introduction Research Hypothesis: All Corrections officers need a four year college degree to be part of the Department of Corrections; therefore a four year college degree in criminal justice will produce a professional thinking officer. This paper will examine the above hypothesis in the light of Internet and academic research and correlations. First, the nature and scope of the job will be discussed. Next, the importance of relevant academic programs would be focused on. The job of a corrections officer is hectic and sometimes very risky. A criminal justice degree can help him of her to understand the key concepts of the job better and faster. Moreover, university course curricula are concisely discussed to analyze the academic progr ams from the perspective of correctional activities in the detention centres. The university course curricula are designed to equip the students with wide spectrum knowledge with specialist skills. A relevant academic background with specialization on criminal justice can help in further learning at the work place. The paper ends up at a suitable conclusion. Nature and Scope of the Job A corrections officer is a person who is entrusted with the duty of security, safety, and supervision of the prisoners in a jail, prison, correctional facility, or another kind of similar establishment providing secure detention. In USA, there is a reasonable promptness and urge on the part of the law enforcing authorities to imprison the wrong doers and avoid any kind of procrastination. In doing this, involving private security management systems in the framework has become an imperative as far as the issue of criminal justice is concerned. Thus, commercial corrections and zero tolerance policing ha ve become the prominent features of American criminal justice (Jones, T. and Newburn, T., 2007). A detention facility is usually a very controlled environment and the detainees often attempt to create disruptions. Uses of physical force, isolation, and weaponry are some methods by which the corrections officer has to control the facility as per the jurisdiction under which it is categorized and maintained (Tracy, S.J., 2004). Therefore, there is considerable stress on the corrections officer regarding the technical, ethical, and legal aspects of his or her job. The resultant negative stress of handling the risk behavior of the detained inmates causes burnout, decreased life quality, attrition, and health problems among the officers. Particularly in the maximum security prisons, the hectic and complicated nature of this job is very much discernable (Tracy, S.J., et al, 2007). There is a critical need of practical training in this profession. This training is generally on job. The tra ining generally covers utilization of restraints and forces, weapons (e.g., firearms, batons, etc.), self defense methods, legal processes, negotiation skills, first aid and understanding of the criminal law. Report writing and case work are the certain theoretical aspects of the job. Moreover, training on occupational safety and clinical psychology is also important. (Tracy, S.J., 2004) A corrections officer can progress up to the position of a superintendent or jailor, and apply for reputable government jobs.

Evaluating the Wheel of Retailing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluating the Wheel of Retailing - Essay Example With the passage of time, the business develops and the outlet gains a good reputation and has a high price with high-profit margins. This is done by competing with the giants of the field by producing good quality and economic rates. After this, the business or the outlet of the business or the corporation itself becomes a highly famous name in the field and enjoys the highly respectable reputation. A new and fairly small business comes in competition with it and undergoes the same process. The wheel hence keeps rotating (Peckham, J. O. 1981). A very interesting example for the sake of studying and observing the concept of the wheel of retailing is a business located in Pennsylvania at frank ford avenue known as the Pizza Brain. The tactic applied by the owner and the founder of the business was that he started introducing the pizza, which is one of the most consumed fast foods all over the united stated, in fact, all over the world, at an economical price as compared to the others. This business was very tough to run because everyone knows the existence of other pizza chains in the country and how they are famous in terms of their quality. The founder of the Pizza Brain introduced a unique taste of the pizza with an affordable price. After that, the reputation, which was very low at the beginning started to rise and with the passage of time, it rose to an extent that it started generating its regular customers. Another tactic adopted by the owner to raise the reputation was by introducing a pizza museum that is one of a k ind in nature. After the development of its reputation and its economy, the owner maintained the quality this entire period and started to raise the prices as it was now in a position to compete with the giants.  

Biotechnology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Biotechnology - Essay Example Recent technological advancements in the application of biotechnology have raised certain ethical concerns among people. Genetically engineered food has been a subject of hot debate for the past three decades. Genetically engineered food is an application of biotechnology in agriculture which has enabled us to design and create plants with the desired characteristics through genetic engineering. This idea has been rejected by some and praised by others. Both parties do realize how this technology could revolutionize the world but the idea of this revolution differs. The proponents and opponents of biotechnology and its application envision different futures. The idea of biotechnology is to aid human life but no one can guarantee whether it will be used to aid life or not. Scientists face such criticism everyday but this does not mean that they should stop doing their research. If they did so in the past then we may probably be living in miserable conditions. Technology is only a tool that has helped humanity survive through tough times. The crux of the matter is that the rewards of biotechnology do outweigh the risks associated with it. Biotechnology or Bioengineering has been accused of carrying potential threat but this does not mean that no reward comes with this threat. In fact Biotechnology does promises potential rewards whose proof can still be observed. Risks and threats have always accompanied technology but this in no way implies that one should give up on technology as I further stated that it is our moral obligation to provide our future generations with whatever we can to help them battle the problems of the world. This can in fact be termed as a compensation for using the resources of this planet for our present generation of people. Evidence of the fruits of Biotechnology has been most visible in the

Disaster in the alps Essay Example for Free

Disaster in the alps Essay My coursework is going to be based on a newspaper report called disaster in the alps. The report is taken from 2 different, British, newspapers The Times {a broadsheet} and The Mirror {a tabloid} I am going to be comparing the to news reports. The incident happened on the 3rd February 1998, at 3:25pm in Cavalese, northern Italy, where twenty people plunged to their deaths after an American warplane flew through and cut the wire of a cable car they were travelling in. The two British newspapers can be very different in style. The style of The Times is in the large broadsheet style and has a more formal register whereas The Mirror report is in a tabloid style and has a more informal register. The two reports both have some differences like the layout or arrangement of the two articles and the name and status of the people interviewed are different, but both reports use the same amount of pictures and contain some interesting factual information. Both reports contain factual information, but they both present their information in different ways to give off different but at the same time similar affects. Both reports have collected information that reads: The disaster happened at 3. 25pm, 20 people died, it happened in Cavalese, northern Italy, The incident happened on the 3rd February 1998, the plane in the incident was a Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler Jet and that the cable car fell 300 ft. The two reports both have their own individual factual information. The factual information stated in The Times is: The cable car was bright yellow, there was a steel wire supporting the cable car, the cable car could hold up to 40 people, there was no survivors, and that the plane was about 100 metres from the ground. All this information seems very formal and gives truth and realism of the incident, while the factual information in The Mirror states: The car was ripped apart, the second car was left dangling in the air, the bodies were lying beneath sheets of metal, the victims were 9 women, 10 men and 1 child, at least six were German, two Hungarian and two Polish, and that the people in the incident were killed instantly. This information too gives the truth of the incident and how gruesome it was. The two reports use different language to describe the incident. In both reports the language is very dramatic as both reporters are trying to give the readers a realistic feeling of the incident itself. The language used in the The Times to describe the incident and the plane is very formal as it goes deep into text and pulls out the striking information. In The Times the writer uses powerful words like roaring and Screaming which creates a feel of pain, agony and loud noises, but in The Times it also gives a personification saying screaming through the sky and like a thing in torment which again creates a deep sense of distress and suffering, this would make the reader see the scene at its worst point and become more expressive towards the incident, hence making them want to read on. There are other words the writer uses like Wreckage and Crumbled which also gives an image of how disastrous the incident was. The Mirror creates a similar image to that in The Times in the article it says Warplane Screamed this to makes people see the image of pain and agony also in the article it says It is a terrible scene of carnage which too will give the impression that the incident was very devastating. The Mirror has a pull quote in it that states it opened up like a cardboard box which will make the reader think of violence and devastation so along with the other intense and powerful words in the article it too sets an emotional effect on the reader. The language in The Times is a lot more formal than The Mirror and addresses the reader more directly than the writer in The Mirror does, The Mirror is a lot more gruesome and a lot more intense . The Times gives a much more realistic affect than The Mirror as to how terrible the scene of incident actually was, the writer of the report goes a lot deeper into detail, which gives a more pronounced picture. This report is also biased compared to The Times report, seeing that The Mirror gives a very clear sub-heading stating BRITS TELL OF HORROR IN SNOW subheadings are used in articles to break up the text and make it easier to read so by this sub-heading its giving the impression that the article is biased as the writer seems to emphasize on it, which would show the reader that there were British people at the scene of the incident. This would then catch a British readers attention in particular, as they would stop and think that could have been me so they then want to read on. So the idea of this effect is to catch a British readers attention so they attract more people to the newspaper. Both reports use a range of eye witnesses and interviews to create their own effect and impression on the report, the reporters do this by using different strategies and tactics. The first people to be interviewed in the The Mirror were Neil Harmar and Stacey ODonnell who were British they said Thank God we did referring to missing the cable car just by minutes, the use of this effect was to give a feeling of sympathy to the reader, he creates this influence by using sensitive and sympathetic words like Thank God. These British people were used to help to be bias towards the Americans, so when a British person reads the article they think that any one of their family could have been in that situation, Whereas The Times tends to use a different strategy the article does not try and draw their readers attention by sympathy or by telling the story with a twist and making it seem sad, this article gets straight to the point, they simply base the article on facts and refer to exactly what happen on the day of the incident, But like The Mirror they do try and turn people against the Americans as it says in the article Local residents had complained again and again about the low level of flying by American warplanes showing this was obviously a problem in this part of the country, one angry woman also says Weve had enough of these war games the phrase War games is giving the impression that the Americans are killing the people for fun, so it is also showing us how enraged the people of Cavalese were. The Mirror also makes the Americans seem like they are hiding something from the reporter as it states in the article Base refused to give any details of the incident showing they felt guilty about their actions, so they knew what they had done but REFUSED to give any information on it. The two articles have some major differences and similarities. The style of the two reports differ, for example The Times report has no subheading, for the title of the report it is presented in small font size and lower case letters the article also has a range of diagrams and drawings that show where the incident took place and the type of plane that was involved in the disaster {EA-6B Prowler jet plane}. In the article there is 1 large picture that shows the wreckage of the incident, The Times newspaper also has no pull quote throughout, whereas The Mirrors title consists of; large font size, uppercase letters and bold writing style, The use of captions in the article like Death car and Devastation make it seem a lot more interesting, the article also has a small subheading that is made up of small font size, lower case letters and Bold handwriting style. The Mirror just like the The Times article has a range of pictures and diagrams. There are diagrams showing the incident and how it happened and there are pictures showing blood stains on the snow and the cable car making the scene seem more realistic and directed to the readers, also helping the formality of the report. The Mirror is the most effective article of the two as it has a headline that is very eye catching and attractive, the large font size alone catches the readers attention, but the sub-heading also helps to make the article more informative, by giving the reader that little bit extra information, as it helps to break up the text and make it easier to read. The sub-heading in this article may even be used to attract the reader to the whole article. This sub heading that reads Brits tell of horror in snow which will come across as intriguing to the degree that the reader gives the whole article a chance, the sub-heading is also aimed to appeal directly too British people as it would act like a cliff hanger, so they would see the heading, want too analyse it in order to gain foundation knowledge leading them too read on, whereas in the The Times the headline is a lot more uninteresting and stands out less than The Mirror. The Times also lacks a sub heading which could have given the times a more detailed article, also helping to make it seem a bit more official. The use of no sub-heading in this article means that there is nothing to hook the readers attention to when they first see the article. Therefore the article may come across as informal (colloquial). Out of the two articles I think the one that explains what happened and gives the full effects of how devastating the incident was is The Mirror It achieves its full effectiveness as its a very detailed and progressed article, this article gets it point across, it is very descriptive and lot more attractive. The article also gives off its effectiveness by the presentation of the report, the use of pictures and the language is very realistic and dramatic giving a feel of the incident.

Environmental Impacts Of Oil And Gas Environmental Sciences Essay

Environmental Impacts Of Oil And Gas Environmental Sciences Essay Oil and gas companies have been conducting exploration projects worldwide for years in an attempt to find and extract the extremely valuable global resource known as petroleum (BERA 2006). Oil and gas exploration encompasses testing subsoil, using sophisticated technology and is not without any environmental damage. A major challenge in exploration of oil and gas is the ecological significance of repeated exposures to very low-level releases of various chemicals, the removal of vegetative cover, impact on fisheries, and biodiversity loss. Most of the developing countries in Africa are desperate for economic success and this is usually the major driving force behind sanctioning any exploration activities in this region. The problem is that most of these countries are inexperienced in the oil industry and therefore they take into consideration very few environmental implications. In lieu of this, it becomes very prominent that ignoring the immediate and long-term impacts of Ghanas oil and gas exploration activities will have a damaging effect on the surrounding biodiversity and ecosystem. In 2007, Ghana confirmed that an estimated 800 million barrels of oil was found in the southern coast of the Gulf of Guinea by Tullow Oil. Tullow Oil is a Uk based company and is involved in oil exploration in Ghana. The people of Ghana were instantly excited and looking forward to reap the benefits of the discovery but unfortunately the potential detrimental issues associated with exploration were overlooked. The economic benefits associated with this discovery had been prioritised over environmental considerations. The good thing is that Ghana does not have to look far to learn lessons of the past. Nigeria being a few miles away from Ghana is a prime source of information to learn from. Potential impacts refer to both the negative and positive effects on the quality and quantity of the biotic and abiotic factors of the physical environment. In this study, the accentuation is on the negative effects of oil exploration activities on the ecosystem of the coast. The boundary limits for a coastal area is between 50 metres below mean sea level and 50 metres above tide level from the shore. It includes coral reefs, intertidal zones, estuaries, coastal aquaculture, and seagrass communities (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment, 2003:54). Considering the associated environmental impacts of oil and gas exploration, it is clear that practicable environmental regulations are critical in controlling and minimizing environmental impacts. The areas for oil and gas exploration in Ghana include the Nzema East Municipal, the Secondi Takoradi Metropolitan, the Ellembelle, the Ahanta West, the Jomoro, the Agona West District Assemblies. The surrounding communities are cape three points, half Assini, Ellembelle, Princes Town, Axim, Discove, Busua, Miamia, Akwidae,Wotera, Sekonde, Eziama, Nkroful and Secondi-Takoradi. These areas will most likely be affected by oil and gas exploration activities. GhanaWestCoastMap Figure : Coastal line of Ghana C:UsersJoseph Addo-YoboDesktopghana-offshore-oil-map.jpg Figure : Ghanas offshore oil fields OBJECTIVES The objectives of this project are: To analyse the environmental impacts from oil and gas exploration on the coastal ecosystem and biodiversity in Ghana. To determine the various levels of water quality parameters such as colour, conductivity, total dissolved solids, potassium content, calcium content, magnesium content, phosphate content, lead and arsenic content. To determine the concentrations of oil/grease in water samples that have been collected and use concentrations as indicators of pollution from oil exploration. To compare levels of oil/grease in water samples with that of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Ghana Environmental Protection Agency ( GEPA). To make recommendations to help manage the associated environmental impacts. Research Questions: What are the environmental impacts of oil and gas exploration on the coastal ecosystem? The thesis begins with the examination and analysis of potential environmental impacts that will probably arise from oil and gas exploration. According to the EP Forum/UNEP Technical Report (1997) the potential impacts may depend upon many other things among which include: The stage of the process, the size and complexity of the project, the nature and sensitivity of the surrounding environment, the effectiveness of planning and migration techniques. Such impacts include atmospheric, aquatic, terrestrial and human impacts. What recommendations will help manage the associated environmental impacts from oil and gas exploration in Ghana? It is not enough to just identify the likely hazards from exploration without recommending measures to cope with or minimize the possible dangers. Recommendations become more essential in view of the fact Ghana is very inexperienced in the industry and legislations are not fully formulated to cope with the environmental hazards that accompany any exploration activity. The thesis gives explicit recommendations based on the findings as lessons from similar studies elsewhere. METHODOLOGY An attempt was made to determine some of the impacts from oil exploration on the Jubilee field area and the environmental coastline by a series of random sampling and by comparing results. An overview of the environmental baseline and ecology is given. This was based on the six oil districts in Ghana and the Jubilee field area. The impacts are categorized into minor, moderate and major. Exploration activities at each phase are presented. Random sampling techniques were carried out to determine whether there was pollution in the water from the exploration activities. A review of the current legislation frameworks in Ghana to cope with these issues. Short term and long term recommendations made to help minimize the impacts. ORGANISATION OF REPORT This report is divided into six chapters. The structure is as follows: Chapter one gives a brief introduction and objectives for conducting this research. The background to the setting and methodology are also included. Chapter two entails the literature review. The location for the oil exploration activities and general approach to oil and gas exploration are described. Chapter three includes what this research comprises of and is discussed in the scope such as the possible impacts on the environment. Chapter four reviews the results of the study presented and are analyzed. The final chapter ends with recommendations, both short term and long term to help minimise the impacts and talks about the current legislation frameworks in place in Ghana to cope with the impacts reviewed in this research. The main conclusions are also presented and further recommendations for further studies made to help address pertinent issues recognized under this study. Presented below is a summary of the research structure: Research Objectives Research Questions Literature Review Methodology Literature Reviews Potential Impacts Observations Results and Analysis Discussion Conclusion Recommendations CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview of oil and gas exploration activities on the coastal zone of Ghana Oil and gas exploration involves prospecting surveying and exploration drilling. The prospecting surveying starts with a review of geological maps to identify major sedimentary rocks basins. This may be followed by an aerial photography to identify promising geological formations such as faults and anticlines. A field assessment is done to gather more detailed information. The three methods used for surveying include seismic, magnetic or gravity method. Exploration drilling involves drilling exploration wells to confirm the presence of hydrocarbons. In Ghana, mobile offshore drilling units (MODU) are used. Hydrocarbon exploration in Ghana dates back to 1986 when oil seeps were found in the offshore Tano basin. This eventually led to drilling of exploration wells in the vicinity of Half-Asini (GNPC, 2012). A total of 10 discoveries have been made and about 79 exploration wells drilled in Ghana. None but the Saltpond field, discovered in 1970 and located approximately 100km west of Accra. Currently, Exploration activities are ongoing in Ghanas four sedimentary basins namely the Tano basin, central basin, keta basin and voltaian basin (GNPC, 2012). The most promising discovery so far is the Jubilee field which was discovered in 2007. The Jubilee Unit area covers part of the Deepwater Tano and West Cape three points license areas. Kosmos Ghana HC, an exploration company drilled the Mahogany-1 well in the West Cape Three Points block. Ghanas oil and gas exploration activities do not come without environmental challenges. These challenges may arise from one or more of the following: project footprint, operational discharges, air emissions, waste management and risk of a blow-out during drilling. 2.1.1 Surveying Stage In the first stage of exploring for rock formations bearing hydrocarbons, geological maps are reviewed in desk studies to identify major sedimentary basins (EP Forum/UNEP 1997). Desk study indentifies areas with favourable geological conditions. No potential requirements are needed on ground to do this study. The area is identified based on relief and physical geographical analysis. Based on the results and assumptions from the desk study, if favourable landscape features are revealed, then low hovering aircrafts are used to do aerial survey. The low-flying aircraft over the study are provides overview and peripheral information. A seismic survey is mainly used in hydrocarbon (oil and gas) exploration to investigate the Earths subsurface structure. This method uses the principles of reflective seismology to acquire and interpret seismic data, which allows the estimation of the Earths composition (Morgan, 2003). The seismic method is heavily dependent on differing reflective properties of sound waves to identify hydrocarbon bearing rocks in the earths subterranean zones. An energy source transmits a pulse of acoustic energy into the ground which travels as a wave into the earth (EP Forum/UNEP, 1997). At each point where different geological strata exist, a part of the energy is transmitted down to deeper layers within the earth, while the remainder is reflected back to the surface (EP Forum/UNEP, 1997). Here it is picked up by a series of sensitive receivers called geophones or seismometers in onshore, or hydrophones submerged in water offshore. The signals are transmitted by cables, amplified, filtered, digit alized and recorded for onward interpretation. Figure : Offshore seismic activity 2.1.4 Exploration drilling Drilling of exploration wells are activities that come after seismic data have been interpreted and also after the volume and area of oil and gas resources from potentially productive geological formations been quantified. If oil/gas is discovered, then there will be a need to drill some development wells. Once in position, a series of well sections of reducing size are drilled from the rig. A drill bit, connected to the drill string suspended from the rigs derrick, is rotated in the well. Drill collars are connected to add weight and drilling fluids are distributed through the drill string and injected through the bit. The fluid has a variety of functions that it performs. It imparts hydraulic force that assists the drill bits cutting action, and it cools and lubricates the bit. It eliminates cuttings from the wellbore and protects the well against high formation pressures. When each well section has been drilled, steel casing is run in hole and cemented in place to prevent well failure. When the total reservoir depth is reached the well may be completed and tested by running a production liner and equipment to allow for the flow of hydrocarbons to the surface to establish reservoir properties such as porosity and permeability in a test separator. Any unwanted gas that is produced may be flared. 2.1.5 Appraisal Stage Appraisal is carried out after a successful exploration drilling to determine if the reservoir is economically feasible or viable. It helps in determining the extent and nature of the reservoir by drilling several other wells in the same site. The technical procedures applied to exploratory drilling also applies to appraisal drilling (EP Forum/UNEP, 1997). This requires additional drilling sites that could be reduced by directional drilling hence reducing the ecological footprint and the amount of waste generated. 2.2 Environmental Baseline and Ecology This chapter provides a description of the environmental situation against which the potential impacts of the oil and gas exploration can be assessed and future changes monitored. The chapter presents an overview of the aspects of the environment relating to the surrounding area in which the exploration phase will take place. This includes the Jubilee field unit area, the Ghana marine environment at a wider scale and the four Districts of the Western Region bordering the marine environment. The Jubilee Unit area and its regional setting are shown below. This area is approximately 132 km west-southwest of the city of Takoradi, 60km from the nearest shoreline of Ghana, and 75km from the nearest shoreline of Cote dIvoire. http://subseaworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Jubilee-Field.jpg Figure : Location of Jubilee Field Air Quality The principal source of environmental contaminants from the atmosphere across central Africa is biomass due to the burning of firewood and controlled burning in savannah places for farming. It has been estimated that Africa accounts for almost one half of the total biomass burnt worldwide (Andrae, 1993). The result of this biomass combustion is the emission of carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), non methane hydrocarbons and air particulate matter. Upwelling The term upwelling is used when cold, nutrient-rich, water goes from the ground up to the surface, leading to an in increase in plankton productivity in the surface waters. The considerable upwelling period along the Ghana shore occurs from July through to September/October, while a minimal upwelling happens between December and January/Feburuary. The rise in plankton productivity during the periods of considerable and minimal upwelling attracts pelagic fish species into the upper layers of the water column, thereby increasing the rate of fish capture. Fish Ecology Seasonal upwelling influences the composition and distribution of fish species in the water bodies of Ghana. The transport of cooler, heavier and nutrient-rich deep waters to the warmer, usually more nutrient-depleted surface water during times of upwelling promotes very high levels of primary production in phytoplankton. This therefore leads to an increase in the production of zooplankton and fish. The fish species found in Ghanaian waters can be divided into four main groups, namely: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ small pelagic species à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ large pelagic species (tuna and billfish); à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ demersal (bottom dwelling) species; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ deep sea species. The most important small pelagic fish species, both commercially and as prey for larger fish found in the coastal and offshore waters of Ghana are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ round sardinella; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ flat sardinella; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ European anchovy; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ chub mackerel. Large pelagic seafood stocks off the shore of Ghana consist of seafood and billfish. These varieties are migratory and take up the outer lining position ocean of the whole exotic and sub-tropical Ocean. They are essential varieties in the environment as both should and feed for sharks, other seafood and sea animals as well as offering an essential commercial resource for industrial fisheries. The seafood varieties are skipjack tuna; yellowfin tuna; and bigeye seafood. The billfish varieties happen in much lower figures and comprise swordfish; Ocean blue marlin; and Ocean sailfish. Trawl surveys have proven that demersal seafood are extensive on the navigator shelf along the whole length of the Ghanaian coastline. The demersal varieties that are most essential over the counter (in terms of capture volumes) are cassava croaker, bigeye grunt, red pandora, Angola dentex , Congo dentex and Western Africa goatfish. Over 180 species of fish are believed to take up the deep sea, including 51 different species that are associated with the bottom and a further 106 are listed as bathypelagic (1000 to 4000m). The remaining species are usually regarded to take up depths to 1000 m but may venture into further water during part of their lifecycle. A total of 89 species are likely to be discovered in Ghanaian water bodies within the depth range in the Jubilee field (1,100 and 1,700m). Water Quality Water column samples were taken at two depths, namely sub-surface and at 100m depth. Water alkalinity (pH) was measured on a subsample. Water samples were collected for metal analyses, nutrients, total dissolved solids and suspended solids (EIA, 2009). Water samples were evaluated for a range of determinants including metals and nutrients and the results were found to be: Mercury (Hg). Most stations had Hg concentrations below the detection limit, ie below 0.2 mg/l). Barium (Ba). Ba concentrations were higher in the surface samples and ranged from 5.96ppb to 5.43 ppb for the surface samples and 5.43 ppb to 5 ppb. Lead (Pb). No Pb was detected in any samples. Phosphorous (P). The concentration levels of total phosphorous were higher for samples from the 100m depth than for samples from sub-surface for all the stations. The highest TP concentration recorded for the sub-surface samples was 0.0192 mg/l and the lowest concentration was 0.0145mg/l. Seabirds and Coastal Birds Ghanas seaside swamplands and lagoons form an environmentally essential environment, offering providing, roosting and nesting sites for thousands of migratory and local wildlife. Eight of these seaside wetlands: Keta Lagoon, Songor Lagoon, Sakumo Lagoon, Korle Lagoon, Densu Delta, Muni Lagoon, Elmina Salt Dishes and Esiama Seaside, qualify as globally essential swamplands under the Ramsar requirements of assisting 20,000 waterfowls or 1% of the population of a waterfowl species. Of these only Esiama Seaside falls within the position at most chance of experiencing an oil spill and has an exotic beach believed to back up over 10,000 wildlife. However, there are several other lagoons and swamplands such as Domini Lagoon, Amunsure Lagoon, Ankobra (Ankwao) Estuary, Kpani-Nyila Estuary and the Ehnuli Lagoon which are essential for fowl feeding and reproduction places. They consist of considerable amounts of waterfowls such as typical tern, egret, typical sandpiper, ringed plover and greyish plover. As a whole, the stretch of coastline west of Cape Three Points is regarded as extremely delicate for seaside fowl species. Direct death rate of wildlife in the event of an oil spill is often the most widely recognised danger. While impacts to birds can happen offshore in the marine environment, the more noticeable impacts are often experienced if oil gets to the coastal waters. Oil spills impacting coastal waters near major bird colonies during the reproduction period can be particularly severe since birds are feeding intensively and often dive through the surface oil to feed on fish. Birds are affected by oil pollution in the following three key ways. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Stains of oil on the plumage may destroy the insulating and water repelling properties which may ultimately cause the death of the bird. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Toxic effects after the ingestion of oil during preening, ingestion of oiled prey, inhalation of oil fumes or absorption of oil through skin or eggs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Indirect effects resulting from destruction of bird habitats or food resources. Coastal bird species and habitats in Ghana are regarded as highly sensitive to potential impacts resulting from an oil spill that reaches the coastline. Marine Mammals Ghanas offshore areas are known to support significant marine mammal populations such as certain protected and sensitive species. Examples being the humpback, fin whales and Atlantic spotted dolphins. While the periodic distribution of these species is not well understood it is likely that during the months of September and October a variety of species of whale and dolphin s pass through these areas. Marine mammals are usually less sensitive to oil spills than seabirds as they will tend to identify the position around a surface oil slick and avoid any breaching or feeding behaviours that may bring them into immediate contact with oil. However, marine mammals are still delicate to results from oil spills, and in particular from the hydrocarbons and chemicals that escape from the oil, particularly in the first few days following a spill. Although it is likely that certain species of marine mammals happen to be in the area offshore Ghana, they are regarded as less sensitive (compared to turtles and birds) to any impacts resulting from an oil spill as they will usually avoid the affected area. CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY Magnitude of Impacts This is the degree of change brought about in the environment. An attempt is made to quantify the magnitude of impacts to the natural and social environment. The magnitude of impacts covers all areas of the environment and is discussed as follows: The nature of the change in the environment including what resources or receptors have been affected and how; The spatial extent to which the area has been impacted and what proportion of the population or community has been affected; The temporal extent such as duration, frequency and reversibility of impacts; The probability of impacts occurring as a result of accidental or unplanned events. Table : Magnitude Definitions Impact Magnitude Spatial Scale Temporal scale An assessment of the magnitude of impacts is provided that takes into consideration all dimensions of the impact described above to determine whether an impact is low, medium or high magnitude. Sensitivity of Resources and Receptors The significance of an impact of given magnitude depends on the sensitivity of resources and receptors to that impact. For ecological impacts, sensitivity can be assigned as low, medium or high based on the importance of habitats and species. For habitats, these are based on naturalness, extent, rarity, fragility, diversity and importance as a community resource. Table : Species Value/ Sensitivity Criteria Value / Sensitivity High Criteria Not protected or listed and common / abundant; or not critical to other ecosystem functions. Not protected or listed. A species that is common globally but rare in Ghana; important to ecosystem functions; or under threat or population decline. Specifically protected under Ghanaian legislation and/or international conventions. Listed as rare, threatened or endangered. The magnitudes of impact and the sensitivities are looked at in combination. This is to evaluate whether an impact is, or is not significant and if so its degree of significance defined as either Minor, Moderate or major. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ short-term disturbance directly to the seabed (eg from sediment suspension), with secondary impacts on the benthic and demersal community, during installation of subsea infrastructure; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ permanent habitat and associated species loss or damage from coverage of areas of seabed by moorings, well manifolds, well heads, riser bases, flowlines and umbilicals; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ permanent changes to the habitat arising from the physical presence of subsea infrastructure (eg sediment disturbance and reef effects from marine organisms growing on subsea infrastructure). Minor Impacts Impacts from flaring on Birds. Many birds chose to migrate at night to take advantage of the more stable weather conditions which benefit migration, and for some species to avoid daytime predators. Artificial lighting, however, may affect nocturnal movement of birds. Previous research has found that migrating birds (especially songbirds, waders and ducks) may circle around offshore lit structures including offshore platforms. The effects are reported to be pronounced during periods of low cloud and fog, when there is poor visibility. Erickson et al. (2001) suggested that lighting was a critical attractant, leading to collision of birds with tall structures, and recent research appears to support the role of lighting. Ongoing research in the Dutch sector of the North Sea for NAM (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij) suggests that the red end of the spectrum components of conventional platform lighting affect birds, and that the use of green spectra could significantly reduce the effects on the populations of those species most at risk (Bruinzeel 2009). Birds which are drawn to lit platforms often circle around for prolonged periods resulting in fatigue. They sometimes land on the platforms, or collide with the structures, and if there is little food or water for them on the platform, this can result in their death. There are Important Bird Areas (IBAs) along the coastline of Ghana and the Ivory Coast which support migratory bird species known to use the East Atlantic Flyway. Such species occur along the west coast of Africa, including red knot (Calidris canutus) and sanderling (Calidris alba). (Boere and Stroud 2006). Detailed information about African bird migration routes is less well understood and is the subject of ongoing research (Birdlife 2009). Whilst there is a risk of migrating birds encountering the platform, many of the effects described above are based on research undertaken in the North Sea, and similar weather conditions in the location of the Jubil ee field are not expected. Research in the North Sea also found that in more stable conditions when skies were clear and there was little cloud, few birds responded to lights (NAM 2007). It is also likely that some of the bird species which are migrating through this area will do so during the daytime, and hence should be less affected by lighting. The Jubilee joint venture partners have had drill rigs deployed in the area for over 2 years and have not reported unusual bird attraction or congregation. The risk of impacts on birds from flaring is considered to be low and not significant. As part of the routine reporting from the FPSO the presence of significant bird landings during the year and/or records of any bird deaths will be recorded to inform any future mitigation strategies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Impacts from flaring on Turtles. There is the potential that turtles will be attracted to the platform at night where hatchlings could be subject to increased predation by birds and fish that also are attracted to these structures. The risk of any impacts on turtles and turtle hatchlings from lights is considered to be low and not significant. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The impacts to marine mammals and turtles from vessel collision and marine debris. Collisions have been known to occur worldwide and also in West Africa (Fà ©lix and Van Waerebeek, 2005; Van Waerebeek et al., 2007) and increased marine vessel traffic between the Jubilee field and Takoradi port will increase the risk of collisions. The increased risk of collision is considered to be low however given the relatively low volume of project related traffic and the speed that they move at (typically moving at less than 12 knots). Marine mammals and marine turtles are most sensitive in areas with fast moving vessels which frequently change direction and are more able to avoid the large, relatively slow moving support vessels associated with the project. Disposal of solid waste to sea will not occur from the FPSO, MODUs or support vessels, with the exception of treated kitchen waste and treated sewerage, which will be macerated. Discharges during the previously permitted wel l drilling operations, including drill cuttings discharges, are addressed in Annex B. The risks to marine mammals and marine turtles from vessels collisions and damage from marine debris associated with the project are considered to be small and are assessed as not significant. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Impacts from noise. Activities in the Jubilee field will be located approximately 60 km offshore, away from any sensitive noise receptors. Onshore noise at the port in Takoradi from the project is assessed as not significant as activities will be within an existing busy port. Noise on the FPSO will be controlled for occupational exposure reasons so that workers in open areas will not require to wear hearing protection (the WHO standard is 85 dB without hearing protection). A 85 dB noise source (measured at 10 m from source) will have attenuated to 45 dB at 1,000 m. Fishermen and other marine users not associated with the project will be outside the 1,000 m exclusion zone centred on the turret and therefore at least 500 m from the FPSO. The risk of noise exposure above the 85 dB standard is therefore extremely unlikely. Noise from helicopter flights to and from the Air Force base at Takoradi and the Jubilee field has the potential to cause disturbance. Careful flight p lanning to avoid sensitive areas will avoid significant impacts. This includes a minimum flight height of 2,300 feet (710 m) above the Amansuri Wetland IBA to avoid disturbance to wildlife. 3.2 Impacts from physical structures 3.2.1 Impacts from flaring on Birds. Many birds chose to migrate at night to take advantage of the more stable weather conditions which benefit migration, and for some species to avoid daytime predators. Artificial lighting, however, may affect nocturnal movement of birds. Previous research has found that migrating birds (especially songbirds, waders and ducks) may circle around offshore lit structures including offshore platforms. The effects are reported to be pronounced during periods of low cloud and fog, when there is poor visibility. Erickson et al. (2001) suggested that lighting was a critical attractant, leading to collision of birds with tall structures, and recent research appears to support the role of lighting. Ongoing research in the Dutch sector of the North Sea for NAM (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij) suggests that the red end of the spectrum components of conventional platform lighting affect birds, and that the use of green spectra could significantly reduce the effects on the populations of those sp ecies most at risk (Bruinzeel 2009). Birds which are drawn to lit platforms often circle around for prolonged periods resulting in fatigue. They sometimes land on the platforms, or collide with the structures, and if there is little food or water for them on the platform, this can result in their death. There are Important Bird Areas (IBAs) along the coastline of Ghana and the Ivory Coast which support migratory bird species known to use the East Atlantic Flyway. Such species occur along the west coast of Africa, including red knot (Calidris canutus) and sanderling (Calidris alba). (Boe

Synthesised by living organisms

Synthesised by living organisms Definition of biopolymer: Biopolymers are naturally occurring polymers which are synthesised by living organisms. This synthesis can occur either internally within an organisms structure, or externally in appropriate conditions. The term biopolymer also encompasses those polymers which are produced by the physical or chemical manipulation of production environments. However, depending on the terms origination, it does not strictly include those polymers produced by biological manipulating. For this reason, it is best to classify such polymers as ‘partially synthetic biopolymers. Through the chemical and physical manipulation of production environments, a large variety of biopolymers have been synthesised. Each of these newly developed biopolymers are available with unique and beneficial properties, along with the ability to biodegrade and provide a renewable source of plastic like material. Reasons why biopolymers may become increasingly important in society: Petroleum derived plastics have formed an integral relationship with modern society, providing a cheap, convenient and durable method for developing numerous consumer goods and other products. The negative impacts associated with plastic favour the use of biopolymers. Such impacts, along with other factors, involve: An overuse of non-biodegradable plastics. These plastics are produced at a rate of over 100million tonnes per year- consumption patterns which have lead to serious problems concerning environmental pollution, waste management and danger to animals. An uncertainty about the future resources of the petrochemical industry. This industry may become obsolete or produce goods too expensive for mainstream consumption. The initiatives of recycling have failed to make any great progress over the previous decades. The recent success of biocompatible plastics which have revolutionised the medical industry. The ability to use industrial waste (such as food waste) as a substrate for biopolymer production. This has the added benefit of improving waste usage and reducing other forms of pollution and treatment. Burning of electronic waste (e-waste) to recover the precious metals contained in chips and circuits. With the continued exponential growth of the electronics industry, the illegal practice of secretly burning e-waste releases many toxic gases, especially if coated in PVC. For these reasons, much interest has arisen in the design and development of biodegradable, renewable, practical and economically viable biopolymers to replace the synthetic plastics consumed today. The new age of renewable energy and waste management have resulted in great emphasis on the future of biopolymers and the relative efficiency of their production. Selected Biopolymer: PHB is a biopolymer belonging to a group of biopolymers called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). It is also classified as a polyester due to containing an ester functional group. PHB is synthesised by the polymerisation of (R)-3-hydroxybutynl-CoA. PHB is produced by bacteria as the result of physiological stress. During this process PHB acts as an energy storage molecule to be used later when other energy sources are depleted. The most common form of PHB is poly-3-hydroxybutyrate,(as shown in the above diagram), however discussed below are the generalised notes for all PHB isomers. PHB was first discovered in 1925 by Maurice Lemoigne who concluded that bacteria could produce polyesters. However Maurices discovery was not officially recognised as PHB until its rediscovery in 1957. This stimulated much interest in the future of biopolymers, an interest which has reignited in recent years due to the environmental debate and uncertain future of the petrochemical industry. Using traditional production methods, up to 80% of the dry weight of the bacteria can be composed of PHB. Properties of the biopolymer 100% biodegradable in both aerobic and anaerobic environments Biocompatible the polymer can be naturally incorporated into and decomposed by the human body Thermoplastic Piezoelectric produces an electric potential when compressed 8 Low thermal stability 9 Ultra violet resistance 10 High melting point 175C8 Low resistance towards acids and bases 10 Transparent and lustrous High crystallinity structural arrangement 8 Stiff 8 More dense then water 10 Brittle depends on the level of crystallinity 8 Does not have chain branching it is isotactic (uniform structure) and therefore flows well during processing8 Is not soluble in water hydrophobic 8 Has a low permeable level (penetration) for oxygen, water and carbon dioxide8 Uses or potential uses of the biopolymer Relationship between uses and properties PHB could become the new material for use in bottles, bags, wrapping, nappies and other disposables where biodegradability is a concern Due to the biodegradability of PHB in both aerobic and anaerobic environments (both in the presence or lack of oxygen) there is a great incentive for the potential replacement of the polymers derived from petrochemicals. PHB is also hydrophobic, has low permeability by oxygen, water and CO2, has UV resistance, high melting point, and is isotactic properties which make PHB a suitable replacement for many plastic products. PHB can be used as a medical tool. These include surgical implants, treads and coatings. In medical applications, PHB is biocompatible with the blood and tissues of humans and other mammals. The normal metabolism of humans produces the monomer of PHB, (R)-3-hydroxybutynl-CoA,and thus does not reject the polymers use as a medical tool. Surgical implants and threads all reabsorb into the body. In the pharmaceutical industry, PHB can coat capsules and provide slow or controlled drug release. The property of biocompatibility allows this process to occur. Also, a low permeability for O2 and H2O allows it to be released slowly. The electronics industry currently burns the plastic (usually PVC) coatings around chips and circuits to retain precious metals. PHB could provide an alternative which prevents toxic gases being released by this practice. Due to the property of biodegradability, special treatment facilities could be established to extract the precious metals in an environmentally friendly manner. Potential benefits of the biopolymer to society and the environment Environmental impacts: Recycling plastic as an alternative to environmental pollution and landfill usually requires more energy compared to creating new plastic. A biopolymer with the ability to biodegrade, such as PHB, removes the need to consider the less energy efficient recycling method. Burning waste plastic to harness energy is an option towards to landfill issue, but this releases toxic gases and increases carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. Conversely, biological polymers form part of a natural cycle whereby carbon dioxide and water are used during photosynthesis and released during natural decomposition. The ability to synthesise PHB from a wide variety of carbon rich sources means that a secondary use or market can be found for some waste products. Using substrates such as industrial food waste and molasses from sugar processing reduces the need for the treatment and disposal of such wastes. The complete changeover to PHB from normal petroleum derived plastics would reduce landfill volumes by approximately 20%, given this is the percentage composition of plastics in our rubbish. This would reduce overall volumes of pollution. Societal impacts: PHB and other biopolymers have revolutionised the medical industry. PHB is biocompatible with human blood and tissues, and readily reabsorbs into the body objects such as implants and threading. The biopolymer can also be used as a material for slow releasing drugs. Improvements in this field are inevitable. Petrol derived plastics can be carcinogenic. Examples include those containing benzene and vinyl chloride. PHB is a safer material for use in containers and drink bottles where this is an inconclusive concern. Reducing the volume of landfill by 20% has the social benefit of increasing overall domestic, commercial and industrial land use. It also reduces the public ‘eyesore the landfill creates. Production of PHB using food substrates can have negative societal impacts. A higher demand for substrates which form the staple diet of developing countries may reduce the ability of these countries to purchase this food. Such a consequence would worsen the food shortages of these developing countries. HSC Chemistry Assessment Task 1: Biopolymers Current problems with the biopolymer HSC Chemistry Applying PHB as a substitute material for petroleum derived synthetic plastics would cost substantially more and offer no real performance advantages other than its biodegradability. In the production of PHB four major factors influence overall cost: the price of the substrate the effective yield achieved from that substrate the price of other input factors tedious production procedures such as the need for a pure culture of alcaligenes eutrophus The cost of harvesting the PHB directly from alcaligenes eutrophus costs approximately $8/kg. This is substantially more than the $1/kg production cost for most oil based plastics. These high costs are reflected in the relative costs of different substrates. The cost of the petrochemical substrate for polypropylene is US$0.185/kg of polypropylene . This is a large variation compared to the prices of different PHB substrates given in the following table: Substrate effectiveness based on substrate costs and yield of PHB Substrate Price of substrate (US$/kg) Yield (kg/kg of substrate) Substrate Cost (US$/kg of PHB) Glucose 0.493 0.38 1.350 Sucrose 0.295 0.40 0.720 Methanol 0.180 0.430 0.420 Acetic Acid 0.595 0.380 1.560 Ethanol 0.502 0.500 1.000 Molasses 0.220 0.420 0.520 Cheese whey 0.071 0.330 0.220 Corn Starch 0.220 0.185 0.580 Hemicellulose 0.069 0.200 0.340 In addition to the economical restraints of PHB, various mechanical issues are also apparent: PHB is stiff and brittle compared to polyethylene and polypropylene. This has hindered its wide acceptance as a practical replacement for these materials. Brittleness is directly related to the degree of crystallinity in the material. At room temperature, over time, secondary crystallisation occurs and the material becomes more brittle. The polymer chains degrade during processing The effect of the mass production of PHB on the environment has not been thoroughly investigated. While the material is biodegradable and renewable, major environmental consequences not yet identified may exist. Properties/production processes which need further research The main directions of improvement and research into modifying PHB and/or its production process can be classified into two categories: HSC Chemistry 1. Methods which involve the physical or chemical manipulation of production environments: Adding lubricants and plasticisers to prevent degrading of chains during processing. Researching new bacteria which naturally produce plasticisers along with the biopolymer to address the issue of brittleness. Such progress would directly reduce the production costs as the plasticisers otherwise added are expensive. Suppression of the secondary crystallisation that occurs over time Making products that are programmed degradable a biopolymer that allows you to control when and how it degrades. This will insure that the biopolymer remains practical while still in use. Investigating the influence of additives on PHB degrading and level of brittleness Increasing the productivity of processing techniques such as: Extrusion: the process in which blends are mixed to create a uniform product Injection moulding: the process of injecting the molten polymer into a mould to solidify Investigating which solvents used in the extraction process are most productive and efficient Distinguishing methods which decrease the production time. Time means money, and the time taken by the bacteria to produce PHB is an economical factor hindering its commercial use.