Water resources Essay Example for Free

Water resources Essay Our business SABMiller is one of the world’s largest brewers, with brewing interests and distribution agreements in over 60 countries across six continents. Our brands include premium international beers such as Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Miller Genuine Draft, as well as an exceptional range of market-leading local brands such as Aguila, Miller Lite, Snow and Tyskie. Six of our brands are in the world’s top 50 beer brands. We also have considerable expertise in bottling and distributing some of the most famous soft drink brands in the world, including Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Appletiser and Minute Maid. We are one of the biggest franchise bottlers and distributors of Coca-Cola products outside the United States, operating in 10 of our markets as bottlers of Coca-Cola products. In addition to our Coca-Cola bottling operations, we also produce and bottle a range of soft drinks in a further eight of our markets. In total, non-alcoholic beverages – sparkling beverages, water, fruit juices and malt beverages – make up 18% of our total beverage volumes. Sparkling beverages alone constitute 11% of our total beverage volumes. We operate 41 bottling plants, responsible for producing 50 million hectolitres (5 billion litres) of soft drinks per annum. Contents 01 Leading bottler of soft drinks 02 Where we operate 04 A framework for sustainable development 06 Marketplace 07 Workplace 09 Environment 11 Community 12 Contact details Leading bottler of soft drinks SABMiller’s beverage interests extend beyond brewing and into soft drinks where we have operations in 18 countries, both as selfstanding businesses and, in some countries, alongside a brewery. While brewing is at the heart of our business, the soft drinks operations contribute demonstrably to our overall profitability and success. Through consistently delivering superior operating performance and earnings growth for our bottling operations, and through our commitment to sustainable development, we are able to bring significant value to the economies and societies in which we operate. We work closely with The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) across 10 of our soft drinks markets. The business partnership through which soft drinks reach consumers is known as the CocaCola system. Coca-Cola licenses bottlers in each region which then manufacture and distribute the final product. Our partnership with TCCC extends beyond just selling soft drinks. Our local bottling operations take part in joint planning with their regional and local Coca-Cola partners, addressing both operational issues, such as packaging and procurement, and wider social investment activities. TCCC sets and controls very detailed standards to maintain the integrity and quality of its brands through a process known as The Coca-Cola Quality System. Our brand portfolio As one of the biggest bottlers of Coca-Cola products in the world, we believe that brands are the key to our success. Our ability to nurture and grow brands that consumers want is one of our most important business assets. We are proud to be associated with some of the world’s best known soft drink brands through our partnership with TCCC. As part of our franchise agreements, we bottle and distribute a wide range of still and sparkling soft drink brands. Some of the best known brands include Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Light, Fanta and Sprite. We also aim to offer a range of products and brands that meet different consumer needs for refreshment, nutrition and replenishment. The soft drinks product range that we produce includes still and sparkling mineral water, fruit juices, and sport and energy drinks. SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 1 Where we operate SABMiller operates franchise bottlers of Coca-Cola products in 10 markets: El Salvador and Honduras in Latin America; Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia and the Indian Ocean islands of Comores and Mayotte in Africa; and South Africa, where we own major brand Appletiser and ABI, the largest bottler in the country. In addition, our operations in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru in Latin America, China, USA, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Canary Islands produce a range of fruit juices, water and malt beverages. Total beverage sales volumes by region Latin America 20% Europe 15% North America 17% Africa and Asia 32% South Africa 16% (‘000 hectolitres) Beer/other alcohol 34,948 Soft drinks 19,474 Total 54,422 (‘000 hectolitres) Beer/other alcohol 40,113 Soft drinks 27 Total 40,140 (‘000 hectolitres) Beer/other alcohol 46,591 Soft drinks 84 Total 46,675 (‘000 hectolitres) Beer/other alcohol 74,163 Soft drinks 13,837 Total 88,000 (‘000 hectolitres) Beer/other alcohol 26,543 Soft drinks 15,987 Total 42,530 2 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007. Denotes regions where SABMiller operates, or has a major distribution agreement Denotes regions covered by our strategic partner Castel North America distrubution only Europe distrubution only Africa and Asia Latin America 14 bottling plants 17 bottling plants Brands include: Coca-Cola Fanta Sprite South Africa Brands include: Coca-Cola Fanta Sprite Tropical Cristal (water) 10 bottling plants Brands include: Coca-Cola Fanta Sprite Appletiser Peartiser Minute Maid SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 3. A framework for sustainable development Sustainable development is an integral part of running our global business successfully. We work within a sustainable development framework which focuses on the 10 priorities most relevant and material to our business’s environmental, social and economic footprint. This framework has been embedded into our global operations and we have developed, tested and launched a sustainable assessment matrix (SAM) which enables each operation to measure its performance against the 10 priorities. This framework provides a common approach within the group, supporting learning between our businesses. SABMiller’s 10 sustainable development priorities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Discouraging irresponsible drinking Making more beer and soft drinks but using less water Reducing our energy and carbon footprint Packaging, reuse and recycling Working towards zero waste operations Having supply chains that reflect our own values and commitments Benefiting communities Contributing to the reduction of HIV/Aids Respecting human rights Transparency in reporting our progress Strategy and performance measurement The creation of the sustainable development framework of 10 priorities and the accompanying SAM system has been an important investment for us. The self-assessment process enables our businesses to compare their performance against the 10 priorities and with their peers within the group. All operations where our group companies have day-to-day management control must achieve the minimum level 1 on the stairways. Operations which fall short of level 1 must have mitigation plans in place to achieve this standard as soon as possible. Where operations have achieved the highest standards at level 4, they provide case studies and learnings for other parts of the business. In addition, to encourage operations to engage in level 4 projects, we have also committed to long-term scenario planning for the key priorities of water, carbon and HIV/Aids, to assess the business needs and current and potential future thinking on these issues. Through SAM, we aim to collate and report the sustainable development performance of all our businesses where SABMiller group companies have day-to-day management control, either as a result of a majority shareholding or through a management agreement. However, we share our standards and policies with our associates and other business interests where we do not have direct management control. In China, for example, we have had several meetings with the CR Snow senior management team to share our sustainable development approach. 4 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 Our soft drinks operations adhere to the fundamentals of our sustainable development priorities, while also endorsing and operating within the Coca-Cola framework of four key areas: Marketplace, Workplace, Environment and Community. This framework is closely aligned with our sustainable development priorities, and working in partnership with TCCC, we are committed to delivering programmes and initiatives which add value in the countries and communities in which we operate. Marketplace TCCC is an active member of the business community in each country where it operates, working hand in hand with local individuals, merchants and governments to improve the health and prosperity of the local economy and environment. Similarly, SABMiller is committed to creating sustainable ways to do business and to contributing to economic growth by running successful and accountable businesses which encourage entrepreneurs, create jobs and stimulate local economic activity. In order to make a long-term and sustainable impact, we need to explore ways in which our core business activities can best contribute to both our organisation and towards wider social and economic objectives. and collaboration. As a global organisation, transferability of skills is important to us and we are committed to employing the best people, whatever their backgrounds, and we value and respect diversity. We also acknowledge that HIV/Aids is an operational as well as a social issue and we cannot rely on a healthy workforce for the future unless we proactively engage with this difficult challenge. As one of the biggest bottlers of Coca-Cola products, we ensure that we meet, or exceed, the water management requirements of TCCC at our bottling plants. The Coca-Cola approach is built upon comprehensive risk analysis of the water resources supplying plants in its global franchise bottling network. Since 2004 we have worked collaboratively with Coca-Cola in our Central American and African operations to study the annual renewable fresh water supply, supply economics and the social context of water resources of our bottling facilities. Environment Operating in an environmentally responsible way is a priority for all of our businesses. The Coca-Cola system’s environmental commitment is focused on the areas where we have the most significant and visible impacts – water, sustainable packaging, and energy and climate protection. As the bottler, our operations play a crucial role in water conservation and purification, energy efficiency and solid waste management. We are also committed to the re-use of bottles. SABMiller and TCCC share the commitment to the conservation and preservation of scarce natural resources, and in 2007 both companies signed the CEO Water Mandate, a United Nations initiative. Community SABMiller and TCCC share the belief that the future of our businesses depends on the vitality of the communities where we operate. The continued health and sustainable growth of our business depends on the long-term wellbeing and success of the communities that surround us. We are intensely committed to the economic success and continued growth of these communities through our corporate social investment activities. Our particular emphasis is on supporting enterprise development, promoting sustainable water use and tackling HIV/Aids. Workplace For the people of TCCC, work is more than a place to go every day. TCCC believes work should be a place of exploration, discovery, creation and inspiration. At SABMiller, we believe that people are our enduring advantage. We understand the importance of training and development, and of creating a culture of communication SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 5 Marketplace SABMiller is committed to creating sustainable ways to do business and to contributing to economic growth by running successful and accountable businesses which create jobs and stimulate local economic activity. 1 Empowering soft drink distributors in Zambia Since SABMiller re-entered the Zambian market in 1994, Zambian Breweries Limited (ZBL) has become one of the country’s largest taxpayers and investors outside of the mining sector. ZBL’s sales and marketing department has invested more than US$1,300,000 in setting up an empowerment distribution chain for its carbonated soft drinks operations, creating over 1,800 jobs. This investment involves several initiatives, including the sourcing, purchasing and maintaining of 500 branded kiosks, or N’tembas, complete with ice bins; providing 155 fully branded containers which are placed in high density areas as retail sales points and wholesale outlets; and the provision of more than 300 vending trolleys and 700 ice boxes to street vendors. Interest free start-up loans and loans to purchase vehicles are also provided to enable distributors to more adequately distribute our products in rural areas where distances preclude direct outlet delivery, and in urban high density areas where drop sizes are too small. In order to help these entrepreneurs to succeed, trade marketing representatives from ZBL provide training to ensure that they distribute the product effectively. Through these investments ZBL achieves additional sales volume, while the distributors make a profit, enabling them to employ people and generate growth within their community. 2 Honduras provides skills to children. Our soft drinks business in Honduras introduced an education programme for the children of workers in the Azunosa sugar cane fields with the aim of eliminating the problem of child labour in the local industry and improving the level of education and household income in the community. Up to 100 children attend the school operated by the Cerveceria Hondurena Foundation, where they are provided with knowledge and skills in a structured and certified programme. Food, medicine, clothes and financial assistance are also provided. Part of the training includes the growing of non-traditional crops such as sweet potatoes, peppers and tomatoes. These crops are taken to the local market to be sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in the Foundation to cover some of the costs of the programme. 3 Angola supports Junior Achievement In partnership with several other companies operating in Luanda, our soft drinks business, Coca-Cola Bottling Luanda (CCBL), supports the Coca-Cola Foundation’s Junior Achievement Initiative in Angola. The training programme aims to develop entrepreneurial spirit and selfinitiative, as well as to provide a basic understanding of business fundamentals to students in public schools. The people of CCBL volunteer to contribute 75 working hours to the programme, giving their time and expertise to teach the students and provide them with knowledge and information about how the business world works and how strong ethics and values can contribute towards creating a successful business. Two courses are available: Personal Economics, which introduces the students to the business world, and helps them to choose a career path and understand the skills required for it; and Mini-Enterprise, which consists of basic business content from setting up a business to producing and selling the goods. Students set up their own simulated businesses and are responsible for producing and selling the products, and ultimately its success. Almost 900 students benefited from the first two semesters of the programme, and CCBL believes this will prepare and inspire Angola’s youth to lead fruitful lives at home and make a meaningful contribution towards the country and a better world. 1 2 3 6 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 Workplace At SABMiller, we understand that people are our enduring advantage. We strive to create excellent, safe working environments that inspire and motivate our people to develop a can-do attitude that comes from a real passion for what we do. 1 ABI addresses HIV/Aids For several years our soft drinks business in South Africa, ABI, has addressed the issue of HIV/Aids among its workforce through a comprehensive intervention programme. The two areas of major focus internally are to manage existing infections through voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and early diagnosis; and managed health care, which includes anti-retroviral treatment and an effective education programme aimed at reducing or preventing new infections. Wellness educators have been trained to apply the model in small group sessions which are carried out during working hours. ABI focuses on VCT through its ACT campaign (Awareness, Counselling and Testing), which is designed to encourage employees to discover their status early enough to start treatment should it be required. The costs of the ACT campaign are paid for by the company and since its inception, 86% of ABI employees have participated and know their status. Information regarding the medical condition of employees is kept strictly confidential at all times and employees who have a life threatening disease are treated with sensitivity and compassion. The company supports the principle of non-discrimination. A Life Threatening Diseases policy has been put in place to provide a framework within which to manage HIV/Aids and inform employees of their rights, responsibilities and benefits. All employees and their dependents have access to a managed health care programme which includes lifestyle management and the provision of antiretroviral therapy through an external service provider. ABI aims to contribute to the reduction of HIV/Aids in the communities in which it operates by making HIV/Aids prevention and management an integral part of its Corporate Social Investment strategy and projects. 2 Angola training for success Coca-Cola Bottlers Luanda (CCBL) believes in harnessing the potential of the people who live and work in the communities in which it operates. In partnership with a professional training school, EFTA (Escola de Formacao Teconologica de Angola), students are recruited and provided with the training and skills required by CCBL for expansion into other parts of Angola. Through the education programme the students are trained to become mechanics, electricians and production line operators over a period of three to 18 months. This enables the business to invest in both developing skills for future employees, and in enhancing the capabilities of local communities. An added benefit is that students are also equipped with skills which can be transferred to other parts of the business. CCBL has invested approximately US$400,000 in the programme, which will run until 2010. 1 2 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 7 Workplace continued We are committed to building strong teams of smart, educated people who are capable of working throughout the company, throughout the world. 3 Zambia assists employees with HIV/Aids programme Most of the employees who work at Zambian Breweries and its soft drink operations are locals who have grown up with the stigma that surrounds. HIV/Aids in a country which has a national prevalence rate of 18%. HIV/Aids is a major focus for Zambian Breweries and as such it was the first company in Zambia to provide antiretroviral treatment for all of its staff and their families, as well as to have voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) centres in place on all sites. Following initial discussions with employees, the first on-site VCT centre was opened, and within six months approximately 100 employees had been through the centre. A year later the business had an HIV/Aids VCT count of 80%. This was a huge source of pride for management, indicating a high level of trust from employees. As an example to all employees, members of the Operating Board went for VCT and were taken through the counselling training. Managers were then required to include HIV/Aids in their goals in order to create a sense of ownership from senior managers. While its HIV/Aids policy is recognized as one of the strongest in the country, the disease remains one of the biggest risks facing the business, given its high prevalence among those individuals who form part of its supply and distribution chains. As a result, Zambian Breweries has also started a programme to promote awareness and understanding of the disease beyond the workplace and into the communities in which it operates. At our operations in Botswana, a similar programme is in place to assist all employees. The company provides on-site clinics, a doctor who calls twice a week to test and counsel employees, and nurses and peer educators educate the staff about the virus. 8 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 Environment Operating in an environmentally responsible way is a priority for all of our businesses. 1 ABI sets the benchmark ABI, the soft drinks subsidiary of SAB Ltd in South Africa, has set the benchmark for SABMiller’s priority to make more soft drinks with less water. ABI’s Midrand manufacturing and distribution unit upgraded its water treatment plant, replacing the conventional chemical treatment plant with a Nano/RO membrane filtration plant. In a country where potable water remains an issue, the plant invested R2. 4 million ($344,800) in new equipment and systems to reduce waste water. The upgrade resulted in the plant performing at 1. 48hl of water for every hectolitre of product, and a water ratio target of 1. 3hl/hl by 2012 has been set. The percentage of water lost down the drain was also reduced from 30% to 10%. Steady progress has been made on the previous water to soft drink ratio of 2hl/hl at the plant, and 1. 35hl/hl is now being achieved when production conditions are favourable. This compares very well against other PET only plants and the average usage across TCCC’s global operations, which includes those plants which use returnable glass bottles, is between 2hl/hl and 2. 5hl/hl. In a further effort to reduce the company’s environmental footprint, ABI is also a major funder of South Africa’s Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Recycling Company (PETCO), which is a world first industry-led initiative. The company’s activities involve the recycling of PET plastic bottles and their conversion into polyester resin, which is then used to make products such as video tapes, pillow fibre, fleece jackets and carpets. Established in 2005, PETCO has made steady progress in increasing the volume of recycled PET in South Africa. The company is also committed to increasing awareness and education about PET recyclability. 2 Creating business opportunities in Zambia Zambian Breweries Limited (ZBL) is the largest recycler of bottles and plastic crates in Zambia. Of the 320 million bottles that are used in Zambia every year to bottle beer and soft drinks, only 9 million of these are being used for the first time. The rest are reused between 10 and 25 times during their lifecycle, after which they are crushed and recycled. ZBL also uses 13 million plastic crates a year, only 100,000 of which are being used for the first time. These plastic crates are reused several times and, once damaged, they too are crushed and recycled. In addition to reducing its impact on the environment, the recycling of bottles and crates has created opportunities for small local recycling businesses to develop. ZBL has helped to set up an independent plastic recycling business which has created 40 jobs and resulted in any new crates consisting of 75% recycled plastic materials. Three local entrepreneurs have also been assisted with the purchase of a glass crusher to help them set up a glass recycling business. Additional kilns may also be purchased with the aim of turning the bottles that are no longer suitable for bottling beer or soft drinks into recycled glassware which small businesses can sell to local bars and trade outlets. 1 2 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 9 Environment continued As a bottler, our operations play a crucial role in water conservation and purification, energy efficiency and solid waste management. 3 Honduras recycles PET bottles As PET plastic bottles have grown in popularity with consumers in Honduras, the lack of an existing recycling culture has resulted in problems with litter and environmental damage. On the island of Roatan, Cerveceria Hondurena, in collaboration with the local municipality, government authorities, local communities and other private sector businesses, has established a recycling programme involving the collection, storage and transfer of PET bottles. The programme aims to remove the solid plastic waste on the island and reduce the environmental damage caused to beaches and coral reefs; promote a culture of recycling plastic bottles among the community, consumers and the general public; protect the mangroves; and help reduce environmental pollution. The project involves the collection of plastic waste from the collection points established by the local council. The waste is then transported from the island to the mainland at La Ceiba and Puerto Cortes. A pilot recycling campaign held during the Easter period in two local communities also included visits to schools and colleges to help educate students about recycling and the impact of litter on the environment. Cerveceria Hondurena has undertaken several other initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint. Among its major achievements has been a 21% reduction in the total glass weight used for sparkling soft drink returnable glass bottles over the last 10 years, and the introduction of 100% recycled plastic crates two years ago. Of the current crate population, 30% is now made of 100% recycled plastic. 4 Cleaner water at Appletiser At the Appletiser plant in South Africa, waste water used in the manufacturing process is carefully cleaned and filtered before either being reused to irrigate the neighbouring apple orchards or returned to the nearby river. The Appletiser plant filters and releases its waste water into a series of four ponds. Through the ponds, the Ph balance of the water is restored and it is aerated before being allowed to settle. From there, the water is pumped through a shallow labyrinth, which allows oxidation to take place and uses ultra violet light from the sun to help sterilise the water. At the end of the process, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) has been reduced from an average of 8,000 units when it leaves the plant to between 30 and 50 units. This reduction in COD is critical, as a high level can cause water life to die from lack of oxygen. The waste and treated water is carefully monitored and a report supplied to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. 4 10 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 Community The continued health and sustainable growth of SABMiller’s business depends on the long-term wellbeing and success of the communities that surround us. We are firmly committed to benefiting our local communities. 1 Lesotho: educating the supply chain on HIV/Aids In line with our Sustainable Development Framework, SABMiller’s subsidiaries and affiliates aim to contribute to the reduction of HIV/Aids within their sphere of influence. The Lesotho Brewing Company (LBC) held a workshop to educate soft drink hawkers and street vendors about HIV/Aids. The course provided attendees with information on how to avoid infection, the use of condoms, voluntary counselling and testing, as well as living with the virus. both students and neighbouring communities, that the company identified other local schools in need of access to water where it has implemented the rain harvesting system. Through this project, Industrias La Constancia has helped three schools in the Nejapa area neighbouring the soft drinks plant. Over 1,000 members of the community have directly benefited from the programme to date. The system has also enabled the schools to save money as they no longer need to buy water. The programme will benefit 23,000 people in local communities and is supported by several companies including USAID and financed by the Coca-Cola Foundation. It will contribute to the country’s efforts to reconstruct and rehabilitate the infrastructure that was almost entirely destroyed during the war, by increasing access to water among the urban poor and improving the management of water points. In a second project CCBL also recognized that the hospital in Bom Jesus, the municipality where CCBL’s plant is located, needed substantial upgrading in order to improve access to healthcare services for its 150 employees and the local community. In a partnership which CCBL established with other local companies, local authorities and the provincial government, critical services at the hospital have been upgraded in order to more effectively combat common diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis and malaria, and to decrease the infant mortality rate. 2 El Salvador provides water to students In partnership with TCCC, Industrias La Constancia in El Salvador has worked to help schools in local communities gain access to water, thus elevating the quality of life of the students and enabling them to enjoy their education in a healthier environment. The company identified the Tutultepeque School as one in need of assistance and in co-ordination with FONAES, a semiautonomous organisation, designed a project that would enable the school to have its own water supply through the construction of a rain harvesting system. The programme, called ‘Water for my school’, was such a success, benefiting 3 Angola builds for the future In an effort to improve access to water and health facilities, Coca-Cola Bottling Luanda (CCBL) has embarked on two projects to improve local facilities and infrastructure. The Community Watersheds Partnership Programme aims to reduce the incidence of water borne diseases among the residents of Kilamba Kiaxi and Viana in Luanda, thus leading to improvements in health and the quality of life. The project includes the construction of 10 community water standpoints, training for community hygiene promoters, the establishment of municipal water boards and a governance structure being put in place. 2 3 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 11 SABMiller plc (Registration No: 3528416) Registered office SABMiller House Church Street West Woking Surrey England GU21 6HS. Telephone +44 1483 264000 Telefax +44 1483 264104 Head Office One Stanhope Gate London England W1K 1AF Telephone +44 20 7659 0100 Telefax +44 20 7659 0111 Internet address www.sabmiller. com Sustainable development Telephone +44 1483 264139 Sustainable. [emailprotected] com For further information on SABMiller’s global Sustainable Development priorities and activities, please visit http://www. sabmiller. com/sabmiller. com/en_gb/ Our+responsibility/ 12 SABMiller plc Soft Drinks Report December 2007 www. sabmiller. com.

Subdivisions and American Agriculture Essay -- Geography USA Essays Pa

Subdivisions and American Agriculture Across Wyoming and the West, you can see miles and miles of undeveloped land. However, in the next 100 years will that be true? This once-frontier land has had massive growths in population. For retired people, the West and Midwest are becoming more attractive due to the cheap land that is less populated. Subdivisions are moving farther and farther out into the country. From 1990 to 1995, the counties in the Rocky Mountain region increased three times faster than the rest of the United States (Theobald, Miller, and Hobbs 26). Due to this increase, other areas in the environment have been negatively affected. Numerous problems have surfaced as a result of 5 acre plots. Wildlife habitats have been disturbed through construction. In conjunction with the disturbance of wildlife, plant population and landscape have also been removed and disturbed. The recent building increases have also sparked arguments over water rights and ground water. From â€Å"Ranching the View: Subdivisions versus Agriculture,† the authors suggest subdivisions can have profound impacts on rural areas. This is primarily due to the organization of the subdivisions to gain the most housing sites possible, the subdivisions have been arranged into small plots. The houses then take up a large amount of acreage and are compacted. However, separately each individual plot is around 5 acres. And this is especially relevant if the subdivisions are located near protected areas. With an increase in human population more housing is needed. Valuable farmland, range land, and grassland have been constructed into subdivisions. Besides the subdivision layout problem, subdivisions also bring roads, fences, wells, lawns, and buildings. Ano... ...tion biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology 9.2 (1995): 459-461. Agricola. 29 March 2007. http://search.ebscohost.com. Radeloff, Volker C., Hammer, Roger B., and Susan I. Stewart. "Rural and Suburban Sprawl in the U.S. Midwest from 1940 to 2000 and Its Relation to Forest Fragmentation." Conservation Biology 19.3 (2005): 793-805. Academic Search Premier. 28 March 2007. http://search.ebscohost.com. Theobald, D.M., Miller, J.R., and N.T. Hobbs. â€Å"Estimating the cumulative effects of development on wildlife habitat.† Landscape and Urban Planning 39 (1997): 25-36. 29 March 2007. http://search.ebscohost.com. Veech, Joseph A. "A Comparison of Landscapes Occupied by Increasing and Decreasing Populations of Grassland Birds." Conservation Biology 20.5 (2006): 1422-1432. Academic Search Premier. 29 March 2007. http://search.ebscohost.com.

What is a SWOT analysis?

SWOT Analysis stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and threats. It is a strategic planning tool which is used by businesses and organization to set a comprehensible rationale of the project. [1]This analysis is not only aimed at analyzing the internal factors but it also scans the external environment. Strengths and weaknesses are usually taken as internal environmental factors while opportunities and threats are viewed as external environmental factors. It helps a company in formulating strategies and utilizes the firm’s resources in the accurate vicinity.Strengths would highlight the areas where investments should be made to further enhance the product or service and make it as a competitive advantage for the company, e.g. low cost. Weaknesses would tell a firm that improvement is required in a particular area, e.g. weak distribution network. Opportunities would define the areas which are not being targeted by the company and investing in that area would bring cha nces of growth and profit, e.g. an unmet customer need. There may be some changes in the external environment which can be a threat for a company, e.g. a new substitute product.[2] SWOT analysis should be performed for every area of the businesses and it should be repeatedly done for every market.What is its purpose in strategic planning?Strategic planning basically helps a business to set its overall objectives and then build a comprehensive plan to accomplish those objectives.[3] In doing so, SWOT analysis performs an important function by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses and spotlighting the opportunities and weaknesses. Through this in-depth market analysis, companies can set their goals in the right direction.Do you have to conduct a SWOTT Analysis to have an effective strategic plan? Why or why not.Yes, it is necessary to perform a SWOT analysis for building an effective strategic plan. The reason is that it tells a company what has been done well, so as to focus in t hat area to earn higher profits. Then it highlights the internal harmful factors that can be improved by a company. Not only this, it gives insights for better opportunities in the market. [4] SWOT Analysis also informs about potential threats for a business. It is an immense planning tool that will help in building a winning strategic plan for a company.Week 2 DQ 2What are the key planning factors for competitive success?Key planning factors for an organization will differ from company to company. However, we can perform a general industry analysis, along with competitor analysis and macro environment analysis. These factors drive the strategy of a company, so it is important to understand then properly. For achieving competitive success, type of business must be taken into account. Some suggested key planning factors for competitive success are: ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Focus on strategic planning ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Right implementation of the strategyà ‚ ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Time management of the entire project ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Using project management techniques for effective planning ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research and development ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Acquiring land and maintaining liquidity ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Well-constructed product ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Establishing efficient channels of distribution ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Providing after-sales support ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Communicating every decision to everyone in the organization ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Involvement of every employee in decision marking[5] ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teamwork and Collaboration between all departments ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Following principles of EthicsProvide an example of an organization that has achieved competitive success through planning.An example of an organization that has achieved competitive success through planning is â€Å"Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬ . It is a leading nutrition and health company. They have diversified into new areas by creating value for their products.   They were able to achieve that through long term planning by creating value for their shareholders, employees, consumers, and business partners. They strategically planned for the development of their research centers across the globe which is now one of their competitive advantages. Their entry into different countries and creating products with respect to the tastes and culture of that country was also a part of their strategic planning process. This planning is helping them to achieve their long term vision, i.e. creating shared value for society and shareholders.[6]Provide an example of an organization that has failed to achieve competitive success as the result of failed planning.An example of an organization that has failed to achieve competitive success as the result of failed planning is Hershey’s. It is a leading manufacturer of chocolates, confectionaries and beverages in United States of America. Hershey’s was in process of implanting an ERP Solution and they decided to choose SAP ERP. But this implementation failed and caused heavy loss to the company in terms of profits and sales. The reason was not any technical mistake by the vendor but poor planning by Hersey’s. They choose wrong time for implementation when business was at its peak. They made a blunder of restructuring the business process and changing it in a wrong way without doing strategic planning.They spend most of the time on ERP implementation which interrupted the day to day operations of the business, creating confusions for the employees. They might have avoided this issue if they remained focused and planned out all activities properly before implementation. They should have set their priorities in a strategic manner by looking at the business prospects from all angles.[7]B ibliography:What is SWOT Analysis(2010), Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-swot-analysis.htmStrategic Management(2010), Retrieved from http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/swot/Strategic Planning(2010), Retrieved from http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1079687246&type=RESOURCESRoger Lever (Dec 10, 2008), Retrieved from http://strategic-business planning.suite101.com/article.cfm/use_swot_analysis_for_strategic_planningKey Success Factors in Strategic Planning By Bill Birnbaum, CMC(2009) Retrieved from http://www.birnbaumassociates.com/key-success-factors.htmRetrieved from http://www.nestle.com/AllAbout/AllAboutNestle.htmAnalyzing ERP failures in Hershey, Retrieved from http://www.erpwire.com/erp-articles/failure-story-in-erp-process.htm[1] What is SWOT Analysis(2010), Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-swot-analysis.htm [2]Strategic Management(2010), Retrieved from http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/swot/ [3] Strategic Planning(2010), Retriev ed from http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1079687246&type=RESOURCES [4] Roger Lever (Dec 10, 2008), Retrieved from http://strategic-business planning.suite101.com/article.cfm/use_swot_analysis_for_strategic_planning [5] Key Success Factors in Strategic Planning By Bill Birnbaum, CMC(2009) Retrieved from http://www.birnbaumassociates.com/key-success-factors.htm [6] Retrieved from http://www.nestle.com/AllAbout/AllAboutNestle.htm [7] Analyzing ERP failures in Hershey, Retrieved from http://www.erpwire.com/erp-articles/failure-story-in-erp-process.htm

Alfred Hitchcock - Profile of the Famous British Film Director

Known as the â€Å"Master of Suspense,† Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most famous film directors of the 20th century. He directed more than 50 feature-length films from the 1920s into the 1970s. Hitchcock’s image, seen during Hitchcock’s frequent cameos in his own films and before each episode of the hit TV show Alfred Hitchcock Presents, has become synonymous with suspense. Dates: August 13, 1899 – April 29, 1980 Also Known As: Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, Hitch, Master of Suspense, Sir Alfred Hitchcock Growing Up with a Fear of Authority Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born on August 13, 1899, in Leytonstone in the East End of London. His parents were Emma Jane Hitchcock (neà © Whelan), who was known to be stubborn, and William Hitchcock, a grocer, who was known to be stern. Alfred had two older siblings: a brother, William (born 1890) and a sister, Eileen (born 1892). When Hitchcock was just five years old, his strict, Catholic father gave him quite a fright. Attempting to teach Hitchcock a valuable lesson, Hitchcock’s father sent him to the local police station with a note. Once the police officer on duty read the note, the officer locked young Hitchcock in a cell for several minutes. The effect was devastating. Although his father was trying to teach him a lesson about what happened to people who did bad things, the experience left Hitchcock shaken to the core. As a result, Hitchcock was forever fearful of the police. A bit of a loner, Hitchcock liked to draw and invent games on maps in his spare time. He attended St. Ignatius College boarding school where he stayed out of trouble, fearful of the strict Jesuits and their public canings of boys who misbehaved. Hitchcock learned draftsmanship at the London County Council School of Engineering and Navigation in Poplar from 1913 to 1915. Hitchcock’s First Job After graduating, Hitchcock got his first job in 1915 as an estimator for W.T. Henley Telegraph Company, a manufacturer of electric cable. Bored by his job, he regularly attended the cinema by himself in the evenings, read the cinema trade papers, and took drawing classes at London University. Hitchcock gained confidence and began to show a dry, witty side at work. He drew caricatures of his colleagues and wrote short stories with twist endings, to which he signed the name â€Å"Hitch.† Henley’s Social Club magazine, The Henley, began publishing Hitchcock’s drawings and stories. As a result, Hitchcock was promoted to Henley’s advertising department, where he was much happier as a creative advertising illustrator. Hitchcock Gets Into Filmmaking In 1919, Hitchcock saw an ad in one of the cinema trade papers that a Hollywood company named Famous Players-Lasky (which later became Paramount) was building a studio in Islington, a neighborhood in Greater London. At the time, American filmmakers were considered superior to their British counterparts and thus Hitchcock was extremely excited about them opening up a studio locally. Hoping to impress those in charge of the new studio, Hitchcock discovered the subject of what was to be their first motion picture, bought the book it was based on, and read it. Hitchcock then drew up mock title cards (graphic cards inserted into silent movies to show dialogue or explain action). He took his title cards to the studio, only to find that they had decided to film a different movie. Undaunted, Hitchcock quickly read the new book, drew up new title cards, and again took them to the studio. Impressed by his graphics as well as his determination, Islington Studio hired him to moonlight as their title-card designer. Within a few months, the studio offered 20-year-old Hitchcock a full-time job. Hitchcock accepted the position and left his steady job at Henley to enter the unsteady world of filmmaking. With calm confidence and a desire to make movies, Hitchcock began to help out as a screenwriter, assistant director, and set designer. Here, Hitchcock met Alma Reville, who was in charge of film editing and continuity. When the director fell ill while filming the comedy, Always Tell Your Wife (1923), Hitchcock stepped in and finished the film. He was then offered the opportunity to direct Number Thirteen (never completed). Due to a lack of funds, the motion picture abruptly stopped filming after a few scenes were shot and the entire studio shut down. When Balcon-Saville-Freedman took over the studio, Hitchcock was one of just a few people asked to stay on. Hitchcock became the assistant director and screenwriter for Woman to Woman (1923). Hitchcock hired Alma Reville back for continuity and editing. The picture was a box-office success; however, the studio’s next picture, The White Shadow (1924), failed at the box-office and again the studio shut down. This time, Gainsborough Pictures took over the studio and Hitchcock was again asked to stay. Hitchcock Becomes a Director In 1924, Hitchcock was the assistant director for The Blackguard (1925), a film shot in Berlin. This was a co-production deal between Gainsborough Pictures and UFA Studios in Berlin. Not only did Hitchcock take advantage of the Germans’ extraordinary sets, but he also observed the German filmmakers using sophisticated camera pans, tilts, zooms, and tricks for forced perspective in set design. Known as German Expressionism, the Germans used dark, moody thought-provoking topics such as madness and betrayal rather than adventure, comedy, and romance. The German filmmakers were equally happy to learn an American technique from Hitchcock whereby scenery was painted onto the camera lens as a foreground. In 1925, Hitchcock got his directorial debut for The Pleasure Garden (1926), which was filmed in both Germany and Italy. Again Hitchcock chose Alma to work with him; this time as his assistant director for the silent film. During filming, a budding romance between Hitchcock and Alma began. The film itself is remembered for the myriad of troubles the crew ran into during filming, including having customs confiscate all of their unexposed film as they crossed the international border. Hitchcock Gets â€Å"Hitched† and Directs a Hit Hitchcock and Alma married on February 12, 1926; she would become his chief collaborator on all his films. Also in 1926, Hitchcock directed The Lodger, a suspense movie filmed in Britain about a â€Å"wrongly accused man.† Hitchcock had chosen the story, used fewer title cards than usual, and tossed in bits of humor. Due to a shortage of extras, he had made a cameo appearance in the film. The distributor didn’t like it and shelved it. Stunned, Hitchcock felt like a failure. He was so despondent that he even contemplated a career change. Luckily, the film was released a few months later by the distributor, who had been running short on films. The Lodger (1927) became a huge hit with the public. Britain’s Best Director in the 1930s The Hitchcocks became very busy with filmmaking. They lived in a country house (named Shamley Green) on the weekends and lived in a London flat during the week. In 1928, Alma delivered a baby girl, Patricia – the couple’s only child. Hitchcock’s next big hit was Blackmail (1929), the first British talkie (film with sound). During the 1930s, Hitchcock made picture after picture and invented the term â€Å"MacGuffin† to illustrate that the object the villains were after needed no explanation; it was just something used to drive the story. Hitchcock felt he didn’t need to bore the audience with details; it didn’t matter where the MacGuffin came from, just who was after it. The term is still used in contemporary filmmaking. Having made several box-office flops in the early 1930s, Hitchcock then made The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934). The film was a British and American success, as were his next five films: The 39 Steps (1935), Secret Agent (1936), Sabotage (1936), Young and Innocent (1937), and The Lady Vanishes (1938). The latter won the New York Critics’ Award for Best Film of 1938. Hitchcock caught the attention of David O. Selznick, an American film producer and owner of Selznick Studios in Hollywood. In 1939, Hitchcock, the number one British director at the time, accepted a contract from Selznick and moved his family to Hollywood. Hollywood Hitchcock While Alma and Patricia loved the weather in Southern California, Hitchcock was not fond of it. He continued to wear his dark English suits no matter how hot the weather. In the studio, he worked diligently on his first American film, Rebecca (1940), a psychological thriller. After the small budgets he had worked with in England, Hitchcock delighted in the large Hollywood resources he could use to build elaborate sets. Rebecca won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1940. Hitchcock was up for Best Director, but lost to John Ford for The Grapes of Wrath. Memorable Scenes Fearing suspense in real life (Hitchcock didn’t even like driving a car), he did enjoy capturing suspense on screen in memorable scenes, which often included monuments and famous landmarks. Hitchcock planned every shot for his motion pictures beforehand to such an extent that filming was said to be the boring part to him. Hitchcock took his audiences to the domed roof of the British Museum for a chase scene in Blackmail (1929), to the Statue of Liberty for a free fall in Saboteur (1942), to the streets of Monte Carlo for a wild drive in To Catch a Thief (1955), to the Royal Albert Hall for an assassination misfire in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956),underneath the Golden Gate Bridge for a suicide attempt in Vertigo (1958), and to Mt. Rushmore for a chase scene in North by Northwest (1959). Other Hitchcock memorable scenes include a glowing poisoned glass of milk in Suspicion (1941), a man chased by a crop duster in North by Northwest (1959), a stabbing scene in the shower to shrieking violins in Psycho (1960), and killer birds gathering in a schoolyard in The Birds (1963). Hitchcock and Cool Blondes Hitchcock was known for engaging the audience with suspense, accusing the wrong man of something, and portraying a fear of authority. He also threw in comic relief, portrayed villains as charming, used unusual camera angles, and preferred classic blondes for his leading ladies. His leads (both male and female) portrayed poise, intelligence, underlying passion, and glamour. Hitchcock said audiences found classic blonde females to be innocent looking and an escape for the bored housewife. He didn’t think a woman should wash the dishes and go see a movie about a woman washing the dishes. Hitchcock’s leading ladies also had a cool, icy attitude for added suspense -- never warm and bubbly. Hitchcock’s leading ladies included Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, and Tippi Hedron. Hitchcock’s TV Show In 1955, Hitchcock started Shamley Productions, named after his country home back in England, and produced Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which turned into the Alfred Hitchcock Hour. This successful TV show aired from 1955 to 1965. The show was Hitchcock’s way of featuring mystery dramas written by various writers, mostly directed by directors other than himself. Before each episode, Hitchcock presented a monologue to set up the drama, beginning with â€Å"Good Evening.† He came back at the end of each episode to tie up any loose ends about the culprit being caught. Hitchcock’s popular horror movie, Psycho (1960), was filmed inexpensively by his Shamley Productions TV crew. In 1956, Hitchcock became a U.S. citizen, but remained a British subject. Awards, Knighthood, and Death of Hitchcock Despite being nominated five times for Best Director, Hitchcock never won the Oscar. While accepting the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award at the 1967 Oscars, he simply said, â€Å"Thank you.† In 1979, the American Film Institute presented Hitchcock with its Life Achievement Award at a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. He joked that he must be about to die soon. In 1980, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Hitchcock. Three months later Sir Alfred Hitchcock died of kidney failure at the age of 80 in his home in Bel Air. His remains were cremated and scattered over the Pacific Ocean.