Charter Communication Company Case Analysis

Charter Communication Company Case Analysis Introduction The growth and sustainability of Charter Communication Company lie in the implementation of its objectives and business strategies. The objectives and business strategies of the organization must align with the market trend and market target (David, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Charter Communication Company: Case Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Charter communications is a leading company that manufactures Internet and broadcasting cable, it provides high-speed connections to corporate organizations, government agencies and home user. The company has its headquarters in the United States. The mission of Charter Company is to offer value to all customers. The company will achieve its goal by providing quality product and services at fair prices. The strategies of the organization align with its internal and external conditions. Objectivities and Strategies of Charter Communications Inc The objectives of Charter Communications build on quality service to meet customer’s satisfaction. The objectives are highlighted below To provide high-speed Internet, digital connections to its customers. To become the leading manufacturing company in the telecom industry. To provide affordable products and service to its customers. To maintain its quality and transform the world with digital technology. Charter Communications International has a projected 5.5 million client base. The company relies on its business strategy to satisfy its clients. The objectives of the organization can be achieved with an effective business strategy. The performance of the organizations is attributed to the correlation between its objectives and business strategies (Bygrave Zacharakis, 2010). The strategies include Commitment to its customers: The Company provides customer support to its clients. The organization is committed to the improvement of its products and services. Their custome r support team is efficient and always ready to render its service to its customers. The internal factor of success can be used to strengthen its external factors of success. An updated information unit will assist customers to make choices from its list of products and services. Efficient Employees: The Company utilizes its internal strategy to position the organization as a leading service provider. Their efficient and productive employees provide quality service to her numerous clients. The organization synchronizes its operations and market synergy to meet customers demand. A strategy to improve its opportunity To maintain its growth, Charter Communications manufactures compelling broadband products with lower cost of transactions to meet customers satisfaction. The company achieves this feat by sourcing its raw materials from low-cost sites. The production cost will be reduced and thus, its sales will be lower than similar products. The company provides its sales points at dif ferent locations to reduce the cost of transactions. Customers will choose a favourable location to save cost. Customers are willing to patronize a particular company when the cost of business transactions is reduced (Rao et al., 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A strategy to mitigate threats The notable threat is the competition from similar manufacturing companies. Similar products flood the market, thus, reducing the sales of Charters products. However, the management of Charter Communications utilizes product differentiation to overcome this threat. The quality of its products and services provides the competitive advantage to mitigate this threat. The low-cost of production encourages customers to patronize Charters broadband products and equipment.  The advantage of a competitive profile matrix transcends its components; it compares market strengths a nd weakness of competing firms. The variables for the analysis include the quality of products, management, prices, to mention a few. A competitive profile matrix can be used to analyze a companys internal and external conditions. The analysis compares the success and failures of different companies (Rao et al., 2008). The analysis is presented in a matrix format. The format includes a rating section, which indicates the firms response to success. The weight section indicates the relevance of the variables of change to the company. The weighted score can be compiled by multiplying the variable success with its weight. The total weighted score section is the sum of each factor for success. Competitive profile matrix Charter company Verizon communication Cox communication Key success factors Weight Rating Weight score Rating Weight score Rating Weight score Customers care services 0.2 2 0.4 3 0.6 2 0.4 Advertisements 0.1 3 0.3 4 0.4 3 0.3 Price competitiveness 0.2 3 0.6 3 0.6 4 0.8 Network coverage 0.1 2 0.2 4 0.4 0.3 0.3 Streaming speed 0.1 2 0.2 4 0.4 3 0.3 Mobile banking 0.3 1 0.3 1 0.3 1 0.3 Product Differentiation 0.4 2 0.3 1 0.2 2 0.1 Service delivery 0.5 3 0.1 2 0.1 1 0.1 Total 1.0 2 2.7 2.6 Average score 2.075 Minor weakness Major weakness Minor strength Major strength The analysis shows a strong rating between the competing firms. Charter Communications recorded high success in its customer support services. The advertisement ratings show higher value. Its service delivery is a competitive advantage for the organization. The company’s weakness in mobile banking reduces its growth. Similar firms such as Verizon and Cox Communications recorded high ratings in their network coverage. The ratings dropped significantly with their product delivery services.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Charter Communication Company: Case Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn M ore External factor matrix External factor matrix assesses the business trends of a company. The analysis reveals the threats and the opportunities of an organization. The external factor matrix comprises of a list of external factors, which influences the success of an organization. The components of the external factor evaluation include cultural, political, and economic factors. The external factor evaluation matrix of the Charter Communication Company is presented below. An external factor evaluation matrix Weight Rating Weight score Globalization trends 0.11 4 0.44 Government policy 0.12 3 0.36 Foreign exchange rates 0.15 1 0.15 Taxation 0.12 2 0.24 Political situation 0.14 2 0.28 Economies of scale 0.10 3 0.30 Per-capita income 0.05 3 0.15 Growth of economy 0.08 4 0.32 Inflation 0.05 2 0.10 Stock market trends 0.08 2 0.16 Total 1.0 2.5 Average 1.75 Minor threat Major threat Minor opportunity Major opportunity The evaluation matrix for Ch arter Communications shows a strong rating in global trends and a poor rating in its exchange rates. The economies of scale, government policies, pre-capita and taxation recoded average in the rating. The success factors in the organization determine the growth of the organization and measures the strengths and weakness of the company. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the strengths, weakness, opportunities and the weakness of the Charter Communication Company. The objectives and strategies of the organization provide the platform for effective management of each production unit. An effective business plan influences the critical success of the organization. The competitive profile matrix can be used to reorganize the organization. The challenges faced by the organization can be reduced using the analysis in this report. A comprehensive report includes the objectives, strategies, internal and external matrix evaluation of the organization.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Bygrave, D., Zacharakis, A. (2010). The portable MBA in entrepreneurship. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. David, F. (2011). Strategic management: Concepts and cases. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall / Pearson. Rao, P., Rao, A., Sivaramakrishna, K. (2008). Strategic management and business policy: Texts and cases. New Delhi, India: Excel press.

The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal Essay - 2

The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal - Essay Example The sale and use of cigarettes should be made illegal. Tobacco is a dangerous and addictive substance that causes major health problems to its users. Lung cancer increases the risk of lung cancer by 23 times in men and 13 times in women (Cdc, 2012). It also causes 10 other cancers including bladder kidney, and pancreatic cancer. Smoking decreases men’s sperm count and it causes infertility. The regular use of cigarettes is a risk factor that increases the chance of coronary disease. There is empirical proof that states that half of all regular smokers will die from its use. This fact implies that nearly 650 million people or 9.28% of the population will die from smoking. Cigarette smoking is even more dangerous among teenagers and pregnant women. Cigarette smoking is an epidemic that is hurting the youth in America. It is estimated that approximately 80% of all smokers begin to smoke cigarettes before the age of 18. The health dangers of smoking are greater for teenagers because their bodies are still developing. The incidence of teen smoking in the U.S. is extremely high as 30% of high school students are cigarette smokers (Cavnett, 2010). One of the reasons smoking is so dangerous among teenagers is because it causes oxygen deprivation. â€Å"Oxygen deprivation can damage and kill brain cells that are not replaced or repaired later in life† (Cavnett, 2010). Since the brains of teenagers are still developing smoking can inhibit the developmental process due to damage to brain cells. Pregnant women that smoke are irresponsible and are endangering an innocent life that is supposed to be protected by its mother. Smoking among pregnant women is a serious problem that deserves the immediate attention of our society. â€Å"Nearly one-quarter of all pregnant women in the United States are smokers, with more than half refusing to quit during their pregnancy† (Mozes, 2012). Making

Plato Rebuplic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Plato Rebuplic - Essay Example describing the four types of constitution he specified them in this order – first, there is the constitution praised by most people, namely, the Cretan or Laconian. â€Å"(4)(544 c) the second was oligarchy, the third democracy and the last one was genuine tyranny. In trying to weigh the happiness or wretchedness of people within a certain government one could investigate the justice or injustice that is practiced. (545 a pg. 215) he goes on to explain that nothing is permanent be it a city, the government or a constitution – everything has to face dissolution and decay. (546 a, pg 216) Plato explains that both plants and animals have gestation periods that are fixed and represented by circles and says that if a seed is sowed during the fertile part of the cycle, it grows well to maturity; but unfortunately, if it is sown during the barren period of the cycle, it either does not germinate at all, or it becomes an inferior crop. (pg. 216, 8) The same thing is applied to humans. In ignorance of the above fact, if humans join their brides or grooms during the wrong period, their offspring would not be good natured non fortunate. (545d, pg 217) Therefore rulers chosen from among such descendants would be inferior and would not be good rulers. Whenever they go there would be inequality, disharmony, hostility and war. (547a, pg.

Unit3 - Individual Project - Project starting, Planning, Executing and Essay

Unit3 - Individual Project - Project starting, Planning, Executing and Closing - Essay Example Sales department in the process requires additional personnel due to their extensive work in the organization. The hiring process however must be a competitive one so as to obtain the best brains that can participate in the market research and analysis. Therefore, the company will advertise for the positions and applications made through the human resource manager. Qualified candidates will be shortlisted and notified for the interviews date. The interviews are then done in phases through a panel selected by the company so that biasedness is minimized and every one given an equal chance in the job select (Cleland & Gareis, 2006). After the interviews, suited candidates are selected and taken under reviews again so that best out of the best can be determined before recruitment takes place. Sales department is quiet critical in the success of the company as it is the department that ensures revenues are conveyed in the organization. Its activities in the market determines what manufacturing department will produce since it establishes the equilibrium in supply and demand for the company (Hasen, 2012). Hence for any extra unit that the corporation will produce, sales department must work more hard for it to be sold in the market hence need for training of the personnel. The department is also concerned with identifying the market niche of the various markets so as to establish new customers to the company’s product and its development to increase productivity and revenues to the firm while acquiring a bigger market share to the company. This can only be achieved by well trained personnel in the modern science so that they can undertake an extensive research on issues and have a broader knowledge of the market segmentations and operations. (Mathur, 2006) To achieve this, the personnel must be trained to be well equipped with the research methodologies as the success of the company achieving the goals and objectives solely lies with the sales department and

Cultural Industries and Globalisation Essay Example for Free

Cultural Industries and Globalisation Essay This essay will aim to include my understanding and perception of the cultural industries, how it developed into the creative industries and how globalisation has impacted this sector through looking specifically at exampled from Sheffield. Originating from the 1940s the Cultural Industries was known as The cultural Industry taken from a book written by Adorno and Horkheimer called Dialektik der Aufklarung from the chapter Dialect of Enlightenment. They thought of the Creative Industry as art with special, exceptional forms of Human creativity (Hesmondhalgh 2007). By the late 1960s the Cultural Industry became comodified and was intertwining with other industries such as film, television and music as these were socially popular, the cultural Industry was re-named The Cultural Industries. Through new service industry growth and new labour, the Cultural Industries was turned into The Creative Industries in the 1990s and is still known as this in current society. The creative Industries are those Industries that are based on individual creativity, skill and talent (DCMS). These creative industries include 13 categories: Advertising, architecture, arts and antiques, computer and video games, crafts, design, designer fashion, film, and video, music, performing arts, publishing, software, TV and Radio. From when the cultural/ creative industries were first produced they have achieved huge industry growth rates for example: between 1997 and 2001 the UKs creative industries grew by 8% per annum, with the most popular sector being TV and Radio and around about 122,000 organisations traded in the creative Industries since 1997( Montgomery, J 2007). This service Industry growth is mainly down to Globalisation which is defined as the world becoming more interdependent and integrated (Moynagh and Worsely, 2008). Globalisation links with economic power and consumption for mass markets and making them become global. They do this by customizing products, making them innovative and unique, and by using sub-contractors hope to get the products known globally. For example; in the fashion industry a designer will create a product that they want to produce globally to a specific target market, once they have created the product they will need to manufacture the product, ship the product and make it available for a global market to purchase. They will do this by having products made in countries such as Turkey or China as this method is cheaper and quicker, and have it shipped over to other companies to make it global. Through the virtual innovations such as the internet, and communication systems, the product can be marketed globally. Globalisation also involves the global integration of production factors and services. ‘National industries ‘selling abroad are increasingly giving way to the organisation of production and distribution on a global scale, sourcing materials, labour, services etc. across borders with little or no attachment to particular places (Brown et al 2000). There are many Pros and Cons regarding Globalisation, due to its features and tensions. Globalisation features; to name a few include aspects such as transportation and distribution: getting the goods to the destination from the manufacturers as quick as possible, Growth of Cities: Many Cities are moving from rural areas to urban areas through the growth of industries and trade, Free trade: to allow companies to trade without government barriers or trade policy, Multi Nationals: Different nationality companies will be working along side one another in one country and Global Culture: the development of standardisation and the idea that everything will start to look ad feel the same. Although this means that buying and selling overseas will become more integrated and connected through fast distribution and manufacturing, it also creates problems known as tensions of globalisation. A few of these tensions are; Poverty: Globalisation may mean that in poorer countries there are increases in sweat shops where poorer people are made to work long hours top help manufacture products to help the fast trade of Globalisation. In poor Asian economies, such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and Cambodia, large numbers of women now have work in garment export factories. Their wages are low by world standards but much higher than they would earn in alternative occupations (Bardhan, P 2006). Economic Growth: many traders have fled poorer countries in order to gain more trade in multi-national, urban areas. Oligopoly: There will no longer be one current market brand leader, as everything will be integrated and manufactured the same, causing competition in market brands. Global vs. Local: The idea that local economies will be decreasing through products no longer being unique, through the speed of communication, how fast the brand becomes global. An article by Shah, A 2009 says: Following a period of economic boom, a financial bubble—global in scope—has now burst. The extent of this problem has been so severe that some of the world’s largest financial institutions have collapsed and local manufactures have been bought out by their competition at low prices. This demonstrates the impact that globalization has had on small businesses and how competition between organizations is becoming increasingly tougher. These features and tensions need to be considered in order to gain an understanding of the impacts of Globalisation and the positive and negative points that need to be considered in terms of the struggling economies and inequalities that may occur in parts of the world. Globalisation also works off economic, political, social, cultural and environmental aspects and entails better communication; through social networking sites, developing relationships; through computer and internet innovations which link people together, and the decline in human contact; people are no longer conducting meetings as they can have video conferencing with people on the other side of the world. One example of a globalised cultural Industry in the UK would be The Stonehenge, a World Heritage Site which is known as a place for worship and healing. This tourist attraction sees thousands of visitors pass it every year, visiting from all over the world. The world Heritage sites include The great Barrier Reef, Great Wall of China, Galapagos Islands and many more, their missions include is to promote public awareness of the sites and encourage international cooperation in the conservation of the World heritage sites (unesco. rg). After looking into globalisation; its positive and negative aspects in gaining a deeper understanding of the subject, I can now establish an understanding of how globalisation has impacted Sheffields Cultural Industries and weigh up affects it may have had on this industry. The growth of the Cultural Industries meant that in the UK a huge amount of employment was generated, which was extremely beneficial to Sheffield as it meant that 7. 2% of people were working for the creative Industries, this ame at a good time following the collapse of the steel industry after Britain let a failed trip to Japan to buy machinery to cater for the Steel industry needs. After a strike from the workers the Steel Industry closed in Sheffield and meant a loss of 50,000 jobs were incurred. Today in the Sheffield region of South Yorkshire, the Cultural Industries employment rates are above 20% of the average employment, rating above hotels and catering, and below the retail and education industries. It is continuing to expand through the Cultural Industries Quarter located in the city centre which contains BBC Radio Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, Perishable Works, and Exchange works. A quote from a BBC News report 2006 shows: All very much in keeping with the new Sheffield. The area near the train station has been re-dubbed the cultural quarter, a loose collection of creative and multi-media firms with the Showroom Cinema and Workstation Cultural Industries Business Centre at its heart. The CIQ is a non-profit organisation with a wide ranging powers to support and promote the growth of the cultural industries in Sheffield (CIQ Agency 2006). These establishments are all in short distance from each other creating a business community, a range of building sizes, university connectivity and transport links (CIQ Online 2006). Other creative industries around the city include; Botanical Gardens, Peace Gardens, Sheffield Museum and art Gallery and the Crucible. One organization that was established though the cultural Industries Quarter is the Workstation, a creative Business Centre combined with the Showroom Cinema, an independent picture house showing contemporary, classic film, and film from different cultures. It is now an internationally significant cultural centre which hosts annual events and festivals such as The Childrens Film Festival, Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, Sensoria Festival of Music Film and Celluloid Screams. The Showroom regularly hosts festivals and creative events which give a chance to meet experts from different media, learn new skills and cultivate new ideas. Globalisation has had huge affects from the Cultural Industries being successful through the determination of the company becoming globally recognised. According to a journal article written by Brown et al 2000, it states that there was a four stage development plan to move the CIQ from being local, regional, national to internationally known by 1) Nurturing local music/ cultural businesses, 2) create a tourist attraction to bring people to Sheffield and 3) Using these points to create a better image of the city. The creative director of the CIQ stresses that â€Å"We dont want it to be seen as a Sheffield centre, but a national one†. Through working on these plans Sheffields Cultural Industries Quarter have seen visitor numbers up to 500,000 per year which is proven to be a success. Through speaking to the manager of the Showroom in Sheffield, it is clear that through times of the recession and the credit crunch the independent cinema has to market its events and showings carefully to ensure that the visitors are still attending. As the venues most frequent visitors are older people who tend to have a lot of disposable income, they already have a captive audience. However, to gain awareness they have to capture various other market groups to expand its global awareness for example; they can target different ethnic groups and communities through showing different nationality and religious films to attract the certain audience. To conclude, through researching the Cultural Industries and how it has developed through time into the Creative Industries I now have a deeper insight into the background knowledge of the subject and can link it to globalisation and how they have positive and negative affects on one another. From researching Globalisation and the pros and cons it brings to the economy, I can now realise that Globalisation can create as much poverty as it can capital, and the affects it has on local businesses, trades, and workers. The Cultural Industries Quarter in Sheffield has impacted from globalisation through the development and infrastructure of its diverse buildings and content. For example; the showroom has attracted audiences internationally as well as regionally through its specific showings at the cinema and it continues to grow by making Sheffield a Music City by building more buildings to help expand the Cultural Industries Quarter. Finally, globalisation has shaped a mass market for the global economy as a whole and has profoundly meant that the cultural Industries are expanding and recognisable.

Issues That Are Facing The Maldives Environmental Sciences Essay

Issues That Are Facing The Maldives Environmental Sciences Essay 36. String of Pearls Scattered Over the Deep Blue Indian Ocean . The first glimpse you get of this fascinating atoll formation confirms two unique aspects of the Republic of Maldives. Not only does it consist of the most beautiful tropical islands, but 99% of its 909,000 km is covered by the sea. 1190 islands are spread over 26 atolls, ring like coral formations enclosing a lagoon, which gives the Maldives its unique paradise like appearance. They stretch about 820 km from North to South, 130 km at the widest point and do not exceed a length of 4.5 miles or an altitude of 6 feet above sea level. No more than 200 islands are inhabited, the rest include 87 tourist resorts and uninhabited islands, some of which are used for drying fish or other agricultural activities. The capital Male, the seat of government and the centre of trade, commerce, business, health and education, is located in the middle of the atoll chain, a small island buzzing with the sounds and activities of about 75,00 0 people which is about one third of the population. 37. Atoll Formation. The atolls of the Maldives are formed from coral structures, separated by lagoons. The atolls are in fact part of a greater structure known as the Lacadives-Chargos Ridge, which stretches over 2000 km. The islands are low lying with the highest point at approximately 8 feet above sea level. Faru or ring-shaped reef structures form the atolls and these reefs provide natural defense against wind and wave action, on these delicate islands.1 38. The Geographical Structure of Maldives. Maldives geography based upon a group of 26 coral islands which are formed by approximately 1190 coral reef islands, and there are 20 administrative atolls along with Male which is the capital island of them all. It is a neighbour of Sri Lanka and is situated southwest of it. The view of Maldives from the air is splendid because of the beautiful patterns it makes in the clear blue sea. Maldives has numerous islands among which only 200 of them have people living there. The north-south stretch of this country is approximately 824 km and from east to west it is about 129 km. Maldives is more blue water than the land because more than 99% of it is sea. 39. There have been many devastating encounter of gale storms in the year 1812 and 1955, and the scientists have also said that the islands of Maldives are in danger due to the rise in the sea level caused by global warming. To safeguard the country from such natural calamities, the government has build up artificial breakwaters and other safety measures with the help of Japan, and has started purchasing land in India, in the event of excessive population displacement.2 Present Environmental Issues. 40. Introduction. Maldives is actively involved in bringing environmental issues to the forefront of the global political agenda, the role played by Maldives in the international arena. The environment of Maldives comprises a delicate and complex series of ecosystems that are unique to the tropical world and many have found it a pleasure of gaze upon. The Maldives has rich biodiversity and the coral reef ecosystem is one of the most productive ecosystems with linkages ranging from microscopic plankton to the giant sperm whale. However, the rapid socio-economic development and fast growing population have greatly contributed to the degradation of the environment. 41. Beach Erosion. Beach erosion is a very widespread problem. Either due to natural causes or man made changes, such as construction of coastal infrastructure; changes in the natural sediment balance; and up drift impoundment of sand behind coastal structures built without pre-filling. The process of coastal erosion and accretion is extremely complex with interrelations to climatic, geological, oceanographic, biological and terrestrial processes affecting the growth and stability of the reefs and island structures. As the beach systems are highly dynamic in nature, the prevailing seasonal conditions may gradually shift the shape as well as the position of the island by strong beach erosion and accretion on either side of the island. 42. Coral Mining. Over a six year period the volumes of coral landed in Male rose from 7,000 to 400,000 cubic feet. Brown Dunne 1988 carried out biological surveys on mined reefs and evaluated the impacts of coral mining in the Maldives. 43. Dredging. Dredging is normally associated with harbor deepening, land reclamation, and mining for construction material. 44. Land Reclamation. Reclamation which in the Maldives usually means the creation of new land. Such activities occur on both large and small scales and are usually associated with human population centres and as a byproduct of harbor dredging. 45. Population Growth. The annual population growth rate between 1977 and 1985 was 3.2% per annum. Between 1985 and 1990 was 3.4% from 1990 and 1995 has dropped to 2.75% per annum. At present 25.7% (62,793) of the population live in Male.3 46. Biodiversity. Biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in from and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystems ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption. 47. Deforestation. The destruction of vast areas of forest (eg., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth. 48. Greenhouse Gas. A gas that traps infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydro fluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earths atmosphere. 49. Groundwater. Water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs. 50. Pollution. The contamination of healthy environment by man-made waste. 51. Salination. The process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops. 52. Soil Degradation. Damage to the lands productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides of fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products. 53. Soil Erosion. The removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing and desertification.4 Environment Assessment. 54. Background. The environment is characterized by numerous fringing coral reefs and lagoons, which contain rich biodiversity. The atolls vary significantly in shape and size. The 26 geographical atolls are grouped into 20 administrative regions, also referred to as atolls. The Maldives coral reefs are globally significant being the 7th largest in world and covering an area of 8920 km. Protecting the environment and natural resources is critical to sustainable livelihoods and the Maldives economy. Fishing directly employs and 11% of the work force, while 20% of the population is dependent on fisheries for the majority of its income. High quality eco-friendly tourism inn the Maldives accounts for around 33% of GDP and is based on the Maldives natural assets including unique geography and coral reefs. 55. Climate Change and Coral Reefs. Coral reefs play a key role in the lifestyles of Maldivians through natural protection of the islands and serve as a major resource for the Maldives economy from tourism and fishing industries. 56. Waste Management. Solid and hazardous waste management is recognized as a critical environmental issues. There are no provisions for collection, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes. 57. Freshwater Availability and Quality. Rainwater harvesting is the primary source of drinking water. Groundwater accumulates in rainwater recharged aquifers which lie at a depth of 1-1.5 meters below the surface where they are highly vulnerable to:- Contamination from inadequate sanitation facilities and other human activities. Solid waste run-off. Over exploitation. Saline intrusion through soil erosion and flooding (storms, tsunami etc). 58. Biodiversity Loss. The main threats to biological diversity in the Maldives are habitat destruction and overexploitation. Habitat destruction arises from coastal development activities such as harbour development and land reclamation. Run-off from pesticides and fertilizers used in agricultural activities is becoming an increasing problem and threatens the eutrophication of coral reefs. 59. Air Pollution. Ambient air quality is currently not monitored in Male and the available indicators of air pollution include:- An increase in vehicle numbers. The rising quantity of imported fuel. A positive trend in recorded respiratory disease. The number of buildings constructed over the years. Impacts of Sea Level Rise in Male. 60. As sea level rises, the thickness of the freshwater lens decreases, and the volume of freshwater decreases. Also sea level rise would increase the likelihood of storm over wash of the islands, causing increased incidence of saltwater contamination of the freshwater lenses. 61. Tourism industry relying heavily on the marine ecosystems is also under threat from the impacts of climate change. 62. The islands of Maldives are reef-based and coral reefs serve as natural breakwaters. With damage to the coral reefs comes the bigger danger of loosing the natural protection of the islands from the waves and currents. 63. Fishery is also expected to suffer from the impacts of climate change. 64. There is also an urgent need for the development of resources to adapt to possible impacts of climate change. Major Policy Responses and Initiatives. 65. In order to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, the Maldives has started pilot projects on alternate sources of energy: Solar power has been used to power telecommunication sets, navigational aids and government office buildings and mosques in the islands. The main constraint to the widespread use of solar energy is the lack of technical backup and high installation costs. While wind is a regular feature of the Maldives, existing wind speeds are considered marginal for electricity generation, unless high towers are erected at high capital costs. Supplementing conventional energy supply by alternate energy sources, wherever viable, has been included in the energy sector objective and strategy in the National Development Plan. 66. Various programs have been designed and implemented in areas such as coastal protection, freshwater management and coral reef protection. 67. A United Nations Environment Program mission visited the Maldives and recommended training of local personnel to monitor and evaluate impacts of expected environmental changes and the development of strategies that would permit sustainable development. 68. Maldives is a party to the UNFCCC. The Maldives signed he Convention on 12th Jun 1992 and ratified the same on 9th November 1992. The Maldives played a very important role with AOSIS in the negotiation process that started in Berlin and culminated in Kyoto. The Maldives, though disappointed with the low targets agreed for in the Kyoto Protocol, looks for early implementation of the Protocol. The Maldives was the first country to sign the Kyoto Protocol on 30th December 1998. The first National Communication of the Maldives to UNFCCC was submitted at the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC held in Marrakesh in 2001. The National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, National Mitigation Plan, Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Options are included in the national communication of Maldives.6 69. President Nasheed had said that the climate change has reached a critical phase and would soon become not just an environmental threat but a security concern too. The UN inter governmental panel on climate change said that within the next century, the sea level will go up by 59 CMS and this would merge most of the islands of Maldives.7 1. http://www.maldiveisles.com 2. http://www.maldiveisle.com. 3. http://www.fao.org 4. http://www.maldivesvacationpackages.net. 5. http://www.fao.org. 6. http://www.indexmundi.com. 7. http://www.adb.org.

HOW DOES THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT PHYSICAL FACTORS ON AGRICULTURAL V :: essays research papers

The location of agriculture at all scales is the result of the interaction between physical, cultural and economic and behavioural factors. Farming in Great Britain has been characterized by technological changes in recent decades which has led to massive increases in yields and improved stock rearing. Much of this change is due to the application of scientific research in plant and stock breeding and improved mechanization. But even today agriculture relies heavily on the physical environment. All crops require a specific range of temperature, moisture, soil ands drainage conditions and these factors can be modified by the farmer but only to a limited degree. If we accept that a farmers choice of land usage is controlled by the physical environment, we must identify the optimum conditions and limits to production of any one crop . This will help to identify the spatial pattern of environmental controls. This was central to the ideas explored by McCarty and Lindberg in the Mid West of the USA and gave rise to the Optima Limits Model in 1966. Away from the optimum physical conditions become hostile and production/ yields decline. The optimum is the area where yields are highest and variability best, where soils are fertile, temperature and rainfall ideal and ground surface level for cultivation. Farmers will take account of physical conditions at a local scale when considering which crops to grow. For example, the Moray coast in NE Scotland between Elgin and Lossiemouth is a rich agricultural area where winters are relatively mild and summers averaging 17oC, rainfall occurs throughout the year and is typically 600mm. There are a variety of soils but mainly glacial sandy loams on the higher ground and alluvial soils where there were once areas of open marshy conditions. A variety of crops are grown, both cereal and root crops. However, there are limitations to agriculture in this area. The main problem is that of wind erosion, the sandy loams are light soils which dry out quickly with high infiltration rates. During early spring or late autumn strong winds can pick up the soil and cause localized wind erosion. Despite this being a well-known problem there are few conservation measures; the only evidence being improving the structure of the soil using manure. There have been no attempts to re-establish hedgerows. Wetness limitations occur such as at Plewlands Farm to the north of Gordonstoun and at Begrow Farm to the west towards Hopeman.