Strategic Development And Implementation Of Alibaba Group...

Strategic Development and Implementation Strategic Profile Mohammed Ali MBA 6999 May 03, 2016 Dr. Roundtree South University Alibaba Group Alibaba Group’s mission is to facilitate business everywhere. The firm is the leading mobile and online business firms in the universe with regards to gross products quantity. Established in 1999, the firms offers the basic marketing reach and technology infrastructure to assist companies leverage the Internet’s power to create a presence online and conduct business with numerous clients and other enterprises (Alibaba Group, 2015). Alibaba Group s major businesses include (Alibaba Group, 2015): †¢ Taobao Market (www.taobao.com), China s leading online shopping destination ï  ¶ Tmall.com (www.tmall.com), China s leading third-party B2C platform for retailers and brands †¢ Juhuasuan (www.juhuasuan.com), China s renowned online group ordering marketplace †¢ Alitrip (www.alitrip.com), a top online travel service program †¢ Ali Express (www.aliexpress.com), an international online marketplace for customers to purchase directly from China ï  ¶ Alibaba.com (www.alibaba.com), China’s leading universal online, wholesale B2B (small business) platform; †¢ 1688.com (www.1688.com), top online wholesale B2B market in China †¢ Aliyun (www.aliyun.com), a cloud computing services provider to entrepreneurs and businesses Transnational Business Strategy International business strategy infers policies that lead business transactions transpiring betweenShow MoreRelatedDiversification A New Market Development Strategy1562 Words   |  7 Pages  Leiding Wang, Xinran Xie, Kejia Pan MGT 4073—Strategic Management Professor: Dr. Jim Senese/Ralph W. 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Music of the 1950s Free Essays

Kayla Curlett Period 5 Music of the 1950’s Rock ‘n’ Roll, Pop, RB, and Swing are some of the popular genres of music during the decade of the 1950’s. Music during this time period had a major influence on the people. It influenced their clothes, hair, fashion, dance moves, and their independence. We will write a custom essay sample on Music of the 1950s or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many teenagers during this time used the slogan â€Å"Sex, drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll. † Some famous artists included Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, Fats Domino and Pat Boone. One of the biggest hits about the decade was Don McLean’s â€Å"The Day the Music Died. † Classic Pop dominated the charts for the first half of the decade. Classic Pop often used orchestras to back up the vocalists. Pop music often included elements from other styles like urban, dance, rock and much more. However these elements defined pop music. These songs had repeated choruses and catchy hooks. Electric guitars, drums and bass were some of the main instruments used in these songs. Despite the racial problems during the time, there was a sense of equality in Rock ‘n’ Roll. Chuck Berry was one of the first black Rock ‘n’ Roll performer that appealed to both audiences. He combined the sound of Rhythm and Blues with Rock ‘n’ Roll. The movie, â€Å"Blackboard Jungle,† gave Rock ‘n’ Roll a huge audience when Bill Haley and the Comets performed â€Å"Rock Around the Clock. † Bill Haley and the Comets practically became famous overnight. Elvis Presley was the king of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He was said to have the greatest impact on early Rock ‘n’ Roll. For Elvis Presley, 1956 was a year like no other. In January he became a regional sensation but by the end of the year he had become a national prodigy. His first two albums were million dollar sellers which included top songs like â€Å"Hound Dog,† â€Å"Love Me Tender,† â€Å"Don’t be Cruel† and â€Å"Heartbreak Hotel. † He appeared on national television eleven times and appeared in his first movie called â€Å"Love Me Tender. † Elvis Presley had a unique style that was either loved or hated. He became a cultural icon especially to teenagers. In March of 1958, Elvis was inducted into the army for two years; however, the Memphis Draft Board postponed his leaving so he could finish filming his fourth movie, â€Å"King Creole. Elvis’s famous ducktail hair, crazy dance moves, and popular music make him the legacy that he is today. Another popular Rock ‘n’ Roll artist of the 1950’s was Buddy Holly. He was described as â€Å"the single and most influential creative force in early Rock ‘n’ Roll. † His signature style was his wayfarer glasses. Buddy was first inspired by Elvis Presley but as Buddy became famous his popularity rivaled Elvis Presley’s. In 1952 he recorded the song â€Å"I’ll just pretend† with Bob Montgomery. Later on he formed his own band, â€Å"The Crickets. † In 1958, Buddy decided to open up his own recording studio called Prism Records. He earned a huge amount of success in such little time; unfortunately On February 3rd, 1959 he died in a plane crash along with two other Rock ‘n’ Roll legends Ritchie Valens and J. P. â€Å"The Big Bopper† Richardson. This was considered the first and greatest tragedy that rock ‘n’ roll has ever suffered. It later became known as â€Å"The Day the Music Died,† in Don McLean’s song â€Å"American Pie. † The single â€Å"American Pie† was a number one U. S. hit for four weeks. Although the lyrics to this song may be puzzling, they have a significant meaning. Each verse represents important events that took place during the 1950’s. In the lyrics, â€Å"That music used to make me smile,† represents the happiness and optimism of the 1950’s in America. Buddy Holly was McLean’s idol and when Holly died the day the music died became the day innocence and optimism died. American pie and Chevrolet are both references to the 1950’s in America. American pie was a common symbol or an American icon used during that time. A Chevrolet was one of the most common cars during the 50’s. The verses â€Å"If the Bible tells you so, do you believe in rock ‘n’ roll, can music save your mortal soul† represent how America was shifting from faith in God to faith in music. â€Å"And while the King was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown,† this represents how Bob Dylan stole Elvis Presley’s fame and became the number one musician in the hearts’ of the fans. And the three men I admire the most, the Father Son and Holy Ghost,† McLean is referring to the Father Son and Holy Ghost as Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. â€Å"They caught the last train for the coast, the day the music died,† here McLean is referring to the plane crash that killed three amazing musicians of the 1950’s. Some may say that music has no significance to an era, but it does. It i s what shapes a culture and the people during a time period. It changes people’s thoughts, style, and actions. Even music from past decades has a significant impact on our society today. Elvis, Pat Boone, and Ricky Nelson were all popular back in their time, yet they are still widely known in the present. With the downturn of quality of music today, there has been an increase in preservation of keeping old school music popular, in hopes to re-shape the minds of young people in our society. It is widely believed that music is a reflection of society and the people in it, and for that reason, positive and inspirational music of the 50s must be introduced to the young ears of society for decades to come. How to cite Music of the 1950s, Essay examples

Sustainable Financial Management Investments

Question: Discuss about the Sustainable Financial Management Investments. Answer: Introduction Financial statements are reports that represent the financial health, results, and cash flows of an organization. The statements are crucial for the business because they determine the companys ability to generate cash besides the sources and uses of the cash generated (Braun, 2012). Financial statements are also useful to the organization because they show the performance and commitment of the company with respect to paying back its debts. Financial statements are also useful in the investigation of various practices and transactions conducted by the business. From the financial statements, it is possible to derive ratios that help to determine the companys health. Such ratios include but are not limited to profitability ratios such as gross profit margin, return on assets, and return on equity (Braun, 2012); liquidity ratios such as the quick ratio, current ratio, working capital, and the acid test ratio (Brooks Mukherjee, 2013); management efficiency ratios such as accounts receivable turnover, asset turnover, inventory turnover, and the days sales in inventory (Brigham Houston, 2012). These ratios measure the different operations and results of a company that can help to determine the financial health of the company. This paper describes various aspects of a financial statement and the rationale and criticism behind the processes used to prepare the statements. Accounting Concepts Financial statements report the financial activities of the company (Gibson, 2012). The statements represent the strength of the company, its performance, and liquidity. The basic contents of a financial statement include a balance sheet or a statement of financial position, a profit and loss statement also known as an income statement, and a statement of cash flow (Brooks Mukherjee, 2013). The statement of financial position represents the companys financial position for a given time, usually a fiscal year or quarterly. This statement is comprised of the assets owned and controlled by the business, the liabilities, which the business owes to others, and the equity, which the business owes its owners (Gibson, 2012). The statement of income has the income of the business over a period and the expenses incurred over the given period. The statement of cash flow, on the other hand, reports how the business has moved cash and its bank balances over a period. The statement of income shows the profitability if the company during a period (Shim Siegel, 2012). It can be prepared quarterly or annually. This statement may be presented in its entirety or be combined with other comprehensive income information the company may have. If combined with other comprehensive income, it forms a statement of comprehensive income (Gibson, 2012). The income statement is presented in a manner that provides full details about the earnings of the company to the investors and shareholders alike. This also involves presenting the information in a way that details the nature of the expenses (Noreen, Brewer, Garrison, 2013). The Qantas statement of income found on page 52 of the companys annual report follows a similar pattern. The format follows that of presenting the revenue first followed by the tax expense and the post-tax profit or loss realized by the company. The companys post tax loss or profit from discontinued operations is preceded by the net profit or loss results. To maintain relevance, the expenses incurred by the company are recorded by function. The representation of the expenses by their nature as it is case for Qantas implies that these expenses cannot be allocated among the various segments of the business. The company also included a statement of comprehensive income on page 53 of its report. The comprehensive income takes into account how factors such as currency translations adjustments, unrealized gains or losses on investments, and pension liability adjustments, affect the income or loss of the company (Hitchner, 2011). These figures are indicative of a volatile market or economic events but over time, they tend to even out. Asset valuation is another term mentioned in the passage. Asset valuation refers to the process of gauging the value of the company, its property, and any other value items the company controls (Bolton, 2015). The assets can include buildings, stocks, equipment, bonds, goodwill, brands, and labour. The assets reported in the Qantas annual report include cash and cash equivalents, inventories, receivables, intangible assets, property and equipment, and deferred tax assets. Asset valuation is done by assessing the book value of assets and their market value (Fabozzi Peterson, 2013). The former valuation is lower because the assets are reported by their historical cost. An asset is valued by comparing it to other similar assets and its cash potential. Cost of acquisition, replacement cost, and the accumulated depreciation values are used in valuation of assets. Accrual accounting measures the financial performance of the company and its position by taking into account economic events regardless of whether cash transactions are conducted or not (Essayyad, 2015). The current inflows or outflows of cash in the company are combined with the cash flows expected in future. The method presents an accurate understanding of the companys current financial health and is in no way related to cash accounting that only records transactions after cash has been exchanged. Terms such as accounts receivables as seen in the Qantas annual report indicate that the company uses accrual accounting. Problems of Measurement in Relation to present AASB/IASB Standards and Conceptual Framework The Conceptual Framework describes why financial statements are prepared and reported. These statements provide important information for interested investors, creditors, lenders and shareholders of the company to guide them when investing into the company. Thus, the Framework defines what is useful enough to merit being recorded in the financial statement to make a difference in the decisions investors, creditors, and other interested parties may consider (Benston, 2007). The usefulness of the information should also be improved by making understandable and timely comparisons and verifications. The Conceptual Framework sets out the various concepts that determine the preparation and presentation of financial statements (Benston, 2007). Thus, the Framework assists IASB in identifying the concepts to be used when developing and revising the standards of financial reporting. However, the current framework has a few problems that make financial reporting difficult. Some sections of the Framework are unclear, while others are not covered and outdated. The existing Framework does not have clear guidance on a number of areas. For example, the framework does not give clear definitions to assets and liabilities. The definitions provided in the framework do not focus on the economic resources and obligations but instead focus on the inflows and outflows of economic benefits generated by the economic resources controlled by the company (Mard, Hitchner, Hyden, 2007). For example, on the balance sheet some current and non-current liabilities that bear interest are only reported in connection to specific financing of the engines and aircrafts for the respective aircrafts. Consequently, the company reported other non-cash financing activities in addition to plant, property and equipment under finance leases of $32 million. The Conceptual Framework does not provide guidance on the measurement, presentation, and disclosure or how a reporting entity can be identified. The single basis of measurement for an asset and liability does not provide useful details to the reader of the statement (Hitchner, 2011). Consequently, the measurements do not include the amounts that can be added meaningfully, or subtracted or compared. The economic significance of the measurements, both individually and collectively are not covered. With regard to presentation and disclosure, presenting relevant information is a challenge because the Framework champions documentation of accounting constructs used by the company without defining the disclosures that can directly and efficiently relate to the primary objective of financial reporting (Bolton, 2015). The current reporting standards (IFRSs) measure different assets at various historical costs such as is the case for some property, plant and equipment items; fair value such as investment properties, and the fair value directly attributable to the transaction costs (Neuhausen, Schlank, Pippin, 2007). Such measurements do not clarify if the historical or current prices are used or if the cash flows estimated belong to the company or other market participants. There is thus a need to have a single conceptual measurement framework that provides guidance on the development of consistent requirements of measurement. Relevance of Using Processes of Measurement in Faithful Reporting of Estimates of Costs Accounting is largely responsible for providing a user of a financial report in making an informed choice about a certain financial decision. Financial reporting and accounting is however, limited in some respects and these have brought about the debate on faithfulness of the various methods used to estimate the costs and liabilities recorded in the financial statements. The use of different accounting principles to prepare financial statements helps to present accurate circumstances of the entity. These different frameworks and policies afford an entity with the flexibility to present reliable information about the companys financial health (Zhang Andrew, 2014). However, the use of different frameworks in reporting financial performance can present a challenge when it comes to comparing the results with other players in the industry (Whittington, 2008). This is particularly true if the entities under comparison are found in different geographical localities but ply the same industry. Estimates, in this case cannot provide a closer comparison because the policies used to prepare the statements differ. The AASB and IASB underline the importance of producing high-quality reports. However, it is difficult to do so because entities are yet to fully grasp how to operationalize and measure the quality demanded from them. Using estimates to prepare financial statements is a common practice. However, the estimates are inherently subjective and thus do not have the accuracy needed because they depend on the managements foresight in approving the values included in the statements (Hitchner, 2011). The use of fair value to estimate the value of assets and liabilities is a common practice and is also evidenced in the annual report from Qantas. According to the IFRS, fair value standard defines fair value as the price attained when an asset is sold or paid to transfer a liability between participants at the date of measurement (Benston, 2007). The orderly transaction in this case is the asset or liability that has been exposed to the market before a fair value measurement to allow other activities (Wells, 2011). An entity can thus measure fair value with the assumption that market participants will act in their best interest economically (Bolton, 2015). The fair value can be derived from internally generated input determinants such as the expected net cash flows of an asset (Bolton, 2015). It can also be measured from the fair value found on the date of the balance sheet date as a product of the quoted price and the held quantity (Gibson, 2012). Low levels of faithful representation can affect the relevance of the value of the asset or liability. The low level may be caused by a low return in the stock, usually about less than 3% in a year. The fair value of the assets at Qantas such as cash and cash equivalents, non-interest bearing financial assets and liabilities were approximated by their carrying value because they have short maturity (Hitchner, 2011). The estimation process utilized their present value of future contracted cash flows. Future estimates were thus used for these financial assets and the report also cites AASB 9 Note 29(E) in the representation of the fair value of other financial assets and liabilities (Benston, 2007). The use of internal variables in the measurement of the value of the assets and liabilities adds to the debate on value estimation and valuation. Some have discouraged the measurement of fair value at successive balance sheet dates because the fair value changes should not be added to the net income (Fabozzi Peterson, 2013). However, such measurements of the assets and liabilities at the balance sheet dates do not necessarily necessitate reporting the values in the net income. This is so because some items such as effects of the error corrections and changes in methods of accounting are not measured at fair value but can be included in the income statement. Conclusion Financial statements are crucial reports used by investors, creditors, and shareholders of a business to assess the financial health of the company. Through these statements the profitability, managerial competence, and liquidity of the company can be assessed. Aspect such ass asset valuation and faithful reporting of the value of the assets and liabilities of the company have been subject to much debate that hassled some to discredit the importance of preparing financial statements. One reason for this is how the firms estimate the cost of their assets and liabilities and when the valuation takes place. However, what is clear is that the firms such as the one discussed in this report, adhere to the standards and framework set out in the AASB/IASB and the Conceptual Framework in reporting their financial results. An entity reports and audits its financial performance and presents the results to the users of the report in a manner that will help them make informed decisions on whether to invest in the business or not. The different ways in the companies report their results in accordance with the set guidelines and rules should not be a basis of discrediting the statements. References Benston, G. J. (2007). The FASB's Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting: A Critical Analysis. Accounting Horizons, 21(2), 229-238. Bolton, B. (2015). Sustainable financial management investments: Maximizing corporate profits and long-term economic value creation. New York: Palgrave, Macmillan. Braun, K. W. (2012). Managerial accounting. Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall. Brigham, E. F., Houston, J. F. (2012). Fundamentals of financial management. Ohio: Cengage Learning. Brooks, R., Mukherjee, A. K. (2013). Financial Management: Core concepts. Pearson. Essayyad, M. (2015). Essentials of financial management. Research Education Association. Fabozzi, F. J., Peterson, P. (2013). France: Capital markets, financial management, and investment management. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Gibson, C. (2012). Financial reporting and analysis. Cengage Learning. Hitchner, J. R. (2011). Financial Valuation: Applications and Models (3rd Edition ed.). New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Mard, M. J., Hitchner, J. R., Hyden, S. D. (2007). Valuation for Financial Reporting?: Fair Value Measurements and Reporting, Intangible Assets, Goodwill and Impairment. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Neuhausen, B. S., Schlank, R., Pippin, R. G. (2007). CCH Accounting for Business Combinations, Goodwill, and Other Intangible Assets. Chicago: CCH. Noreen, E., Brewer, P., Garrison, R. (2013). Managerial accounting for managers. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Shim, J. K., Siegel, J. S. (2012). Managerial accounting. New York; London: Schaum, McGraw-Hill. Wells, M. J. (2011). Framework-based Approach to Teaching Principle-based Accounting Standards. Accounting Education, 20(4), 303-316. Whittington, G. (2008). Fair Value and the IASB/FASB Conceptual Framework Project: An Alternative View. Abacus: A Journal of ccouning, Finance and Business Studies , 44(2), 139-168. Zhang, Y., Andrew, J. (2014). Financialisation and the Conceptual Framework. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 25(1), 17-26.

Baron Friedrich von Steuben essays

Baron Friedrich von Steuben essays von steuben was born in magdeburg, germany in 1730. he attended jesult schools in bresaiu. he entered the prussian army's officer corps, and served in the seven years war. he then joined fredrick the greats military staff. he next was appointed chamberlain to the prussian court of hohenzollern hechingen. in 1777, von went to parns to meet america's foreign commissioners, benjamin franklin and silas deane offered them his, military services.who was impressedby von stuebons title, immediately sent him to gearge washingtons at valley forge he crossed the atlantic ocean from germany to drill george washingtons (soldiers) troops. von faught the american militia. many eupopean military formations and other war stralegies. ina few days washington saw a great difference in the cordination, awareness and knowledged of his soldiers arrived in plymouth n.h in 1778 to aid these americans in a fight for independence w.c.a. although he spoke no enlish, he systematically trained the amature, americ an troops in military discipline and battle readiness. the rigorous training saved the troops from complete defeat during the battle of mamouth. in 1779 von prepared his book "regulations of order and discipline for troops of the u.s" which remained americas official military manual for over 3 decades.it is still being used today in the military system today. later in the war, von commanded the war supply center and faught at yorktown. afterword, washington employed him in avarety of duties, from the creation of a plan to demobilize the wartime army to the acceptance of britian's surendered canadian forts. von also helped to found the society of cincinnati, and then resigned his american commision in 1784, after the war the new york legislature granted von an estate. he recieved a small pension from the u.s government, but relied on friends like alexander hamilton to settle his mounting dates. von died on november 28, 794. he was burried in new york in steu...

Research Paper on Maritime Technology

Research Paper on Maritime Technology Research Paper on Maritime Technology Research Paper on Maritime Technology and Environmental Regulations 1-0: Introduction Two vessels collided on august 1990 near Gibraltar in Spain resulting in a sea disaster and oil spill. Sea Spirit along with the Norwegian gas tanker collided head on causing a spill of about 8000Tons of oil. Oil contamination in the marine spread far, even reaching the Moroccan coast in form of cakes, tar balls, and oil packs. Similar to this disaster is the major oil spill that occurred on July in 1979 near Trinidad and Tobago caused by the Atlantic Empress. The spill allegedly resulted in the largest oil spill of 287,000Metric tons of oil ever to be recorded. The disaster was never totally remedied since during pull away from the scene, the tanker continued to spill an additional substantial amount of oil. Conversely, the Aegean Captain also leaked large amount of oil. Some moments later on, Atlantic Empress sank deeply with its cargo remaining solidified. However, the spill from the two ships never reached the shores of the ocean. 2-0: Similarities 2-1: Similarities in environmental effects In terms of ecological contamination, Both Sea Spirit and Atlantic Empress caused major impacts on sea animal and plant life. Sea birds became highly affected dipping the insulating capacity among such animals. Birds became highly vulnerable to temperature changes and less buoyant in water. The two oil spills contributed to huge impairments and disabilities related to flight in aquatic birds (Horn and Neal 2006, para 3). In fact, species found it hard to escape from predators. Research shows that the spillage especially from the Atlantic Empress led to the ingestion of oil by birds and covering on their feathers. This caused kidney damage, digestive system problems, as well as liver functionality among the victimized animals. The two disasters also attracted scientists who wanted to explore the far-reaching effects of oil spill on both human and marine life. Marine scientist realized that the disasters caused metabolic problems and dehydration to birds of the sea. Sea animals with a lot of fur were also affected in related ways as well. Sea spirit oil spill and Atlantic Empress oil disaster caused massive deaths of animals, fish, and birds. 2-2: Global reaction The two incidents caused severe damaging effects on archaeological, highs include shorelines, ports, marine sanctuaries, and natural reserves. Immense losses were also realized in connection to these effects. Tourist and recreational activities were in jeopardy as the major hospitality operations became seriously affected. The two oil spills also share similarity in the manner as evidenced by way of world’s response to the resulting disastrous effects. Many governments raised environmental concerns and documented procedures to curtail the disaster. For instance, in the case of Atlantic Empress, the U.S government played a paramount role in guaranteeing that the disaster was duly controlled to avoid further loss of life on the vulnerable sea creatures. Similarly, in 1990 during the Sea Spirit disaster, the government of Spain became responsible for the spillage and undertook measures to ensure that no more environmental issues were coming up as a result of the spillage (Horn and Neal 2006, para 3). Again, the two accidents resulted in the enactment of strict laws governing oil transportation in the sea. For example, during the case of the Atlantic Empress, the U.S government implemented laws to ensure that any ship transporting oil across the sea or ocean must be fully insured. The cover is intended to cover expenses and environmental losses associated with oil spill. Nation states affected by the two oil spills reacted with some degree of apprehension especially on matters of environment. For example, the Atlantic Empress oil spill caused uproar among the affected countries. Both oil spills reached the shoreline of countries that raised an alarm regarding the matter of clean up, avoidance as well as control on the same. 2-3: Clean up strategies Measures employed by the two incidents to clean up the mess were similar. Both incidents used Vacuum and centrifuge process whereby oil is sucked up plus water. Then there is the utilization of appropriate centrifuge to separate water from oil. This technique allows the ship to be virtually filled by pure oil. In this case, water returns to the sea. This process was particularly used in the oil spill of 1979 and equally applied in the Sea Spirit oil spill disaster in early1990. However, there is extremely small quantity of oil that spilt back to the sea. This crisis has restricted the use of centrifuges because U.S regime has prohibited oil by volume that is usually returned to the sea with water. Booms were also used in both incidents to clean up the oil spill. Booms are big floating obstacles that prevent oil by rounding up the oil and separating it from water. Skimmers that skim the oil were also utilized in separating all oils from water in the Atlantic Empress and Sea Spirit inc idents (ITOPFL 2010, para 2). Using of biological agents that break down oil into biodegradable composites has been used expansively in major oil spill. Experts insinuated this as the single safe and most importantly effective approach that is likely to eradicate a considerable amount of oil without posing any dangerous effects to animal, fish, or any aquatic and bird life. For instance, Bioremediation was a widespread attribute in the two accidents. It entails the employment of hydrophobic substance that has no bacteria. The compound binds chemically and physically on soluble hydrocarbon compounds. The Bioremediation compound acts as a herding substance inside, and most importantly on water surface. This results in floating elements on the surface of water plus the soluble substances like phenols which form a gel-like substance. Spraying the oil spill with the compound eliminates the oil molecules in a very short time. Specific bacteria dissolve hydrocarbons into carbon-dioxide and water. Another approach that w as used to contain the spill is control burning. Control burning is typically applied during low windy day as it may spread to other areas causing more damage during windy seasons. The two disasters also forced the experts to use vacuum in eliminating oil from water surfaces and equally in the beaches (ITOPF 2010, para 4). 2-4: Prevention Another striking likeness between the resulting two disasters is the manner in which offshore oil spill was prevented and addressed. Technological evaluation and procedures were employed to guarantee that all strategies as well as measures during training, monitoring, and reliable plans for avoidance and offshore control were met. In the two accidents, response involved technological monitoring of devices along with methods of cleaning up the spill. Other measures included detection, control, averting, as well as restoration of the habitats and natural environments (ITOPF 2010, para 6). In reaction to Atlantic Empress oil spill, the U.S. government used blow out preventer for well drilling. The equipment is effectively employed in offshore wells and contains a bundle of independently operated cutoff processes, thus there is redundancy if any failure occurs. The device is suitable for deep eater horizon. Another prevention mechanism that was seen in the 1990 Sea Spirit accident is the use of the Casing device. This is usually a set of nested metal pipes made of steel and embedded on the ship walls. Both split ends of the apparatus are suspended by a thin adapter in lower end of the casing. If the sole casing or at times the cement fails to work, the oil will continue spilling (ITOPF 2010, para 6). 3-0: Differences 3-1: Volume of spill A remarkable disparity between the two catastrophes is evidenced by the resulting volume of spill. For example, Atlantic Empress resulted in a spill of about 280,000Tons while Sea Spirit reporting enormous 8,000Tons of oil. This further does indicate that the sizes of the two vessels or tankers also varied greatly. Atlantic Empress spilled oil twice in the process of being removed from the sea while the Sea Spirit spilled oil only once. This also translates into a difference in the area covered by the spill. Apparently, the Atlantic Empress oil spill led to the coverage of a huge area while the Sea Spirit just covered a relatively small area. Additionally, the number of all affected species was proportional to the spill. Because the Atlantic Empress oil spill was very huge, it means that the number of species affected was also large (Egawhary 2011, para 2). 3-2: Effects on tourism activities Atlantic Empress accident had major effects on leisure activities such as tourism. Most of the shores that were used by tourists as areas of recreation became highly polluted and inaccessible due to oil spill. Notwithstanding the attempt by the then regime to control the spread or reach of the alleged spill, the losses incurred were very huge and had enormous negative significance on the economy. Converse to this, the latter catastrophe that occurred in year 1990 had minimal effects on recreational activities because the spread was easily controlled. Ease of control is related to the quantity of the entire spill. It is perceptible that the first spill that happened in 1979 was larger than the one that happened in 1990. Consequently, this is the rationale why the economic effects in terms of tourism became great in the first accident (Fleming 2010, p.23). 3-3: Clean up expenses The practice of clearing out was very pricey with outcome of the twin catastrophes resulting to immense impacts on the budgets of the responsible countries. For example, the Atlantic express incident resulted in the loss of millions in U.S. dollars in mitigating the resulting effects. Alternatively, the little quantity of oil that spilled in year 1990 by Sea Spirit consumed less money. This disparity is connected to the alleged volume of the tanker and the consignment in it. The personnel employed to clear-out the spill also showed a remarkable difference. It is obvious that Atlantic Empress employed more people and certified environmentalist to clean up the entire spill, whilst executing other logistical matters (Fleming 2010, p.23). 3-4: Shoreline effects Shoreline effects of the two accidents also differed greatly. This is primarily premised on the degree in ease on cleanup procedures for the entire oil spill. The bigger the spill, the larger the shoreline affected and the opposite is also true. The spill that resulted from the Atlantic Empress affected a larger part of the entire seashore and also persisted for an extended duration compared to the effects caused by Sea Spirit. Also, the sensitivity of the shoreline depends on the exposure of the spill. Floating oil makes the shoreline be at certain risks through sealing of the substrate with oil packs. Atlantic Empress oil spill resulted in the casing of the substrate at the very shoreline because of the huge spread. Difference in substrate among the various types of shorelines differed in their reaction to oiling processes. There was also a huge discrepancy on shoreline productivity. For example, all animals living on the shoreline were severely affected by the Atlantic Empress oil spill as opposed to Sea Spirit disaster (NOAA 2010, para 2). 3-5: Global reaction The world reaction to the two oil spills differed greatly with the Atlantic Empress oil spill facing a lot of criticism from other nations (Egawhary 2011, para 2). This is attributed to the volume and the area covered by the spillage. Tough measures were put in place by international community to ensure that the country that owned the consignment became totally answerable and responsible for the spillage. Such policies negatively affected the budget of U.S because a lot of money was used in the cleanup process. Sanctions also became the order of the day by other countries wanting the responsible parties to own up to their actions. The 1990 oil spill resulted in major sanctions being made in Spain’s oil industry. Also, losses became huge with economies of the country affected becoming fragile due to the expenditure. The economy of U.S became badly affected especially by the Atlantic Empress oil spill. Countries that depended on U.S for aid also became involved in the process and supported the country from criticism. There was increase in tension between countries that supported the U.S and those against. In contrary to this, little was heard about Spain in terms of global reaction regarding the 1990 oil spill. The difference comes out clearly here because of the perception that U.S was economically strong and it was suppose to address its problems single handedly (Egawhary 2011, para 2). 3-6: Prevention and control Main differences linking the two calamities also appear in terms of prevention and control. Atlantic Empress accident that occurred in year 1979 is illustrated by little technological practices in terms of cleanup and prevention. This is because of the poor technological skills that were available by then. Nearly all of the cleaning procedures were manual and took quite longer time to finish. Several devices employed in this particular incident were slow and time consuming. In contrary, the technology at disposal had significantly improved a little bit in 1990 during the resulting spill near Spain by Sea Spirit. The cleanup process of spill from Sea Spirit took a comparatively short time owing to the highly effective devices that were used. Sea Spirit oil spill cleaning process was also faster because the team that worked had much familiarity compared to the clean-up team that controlled the Atlantic Empress oil spill (ITOPF 2010, para 3). 3-7: Environmental effects There is a significant difference in environmental effects of the two accidents. The First accident which happened in 1979 which involved the Atlantic Empress covered a very big area causing massive environmental problem both to human and animal life. Aquatic species such as birds and fish became severely affected and most of them died because of pollution. Most of the terrestrial animals also died in huge numbers because they relied on sea food for their lives. The food chain was interrupted with animals that depended on sea food dying of hunger. Contrary to this, the accident that happened in 1990 had less negative impacts on the environment. This is because the oil spill did not spread over a large area and was also controlled easily (ITOPF 2010, para 5). Sea plants also became badly damaged by the Atlantic empress accident, whereas the 1990 collision had less negative effects on sea plants. Many scientists became attracted to the major incident and they managed to study intensively and came up with conclusions that greatly influenced the way of life of sea creatures. As a result of the first accident, policies were enacted to ensure that oil spillage in future is approached with a lot of caution. This is because of the double spillage that happened during the prevention process. It is clear that the Sea Spirit oil spill was controlled in a more professional way than the first one (ITOPF 2010, para 6). 4-0: Conclusion: Measures To deal With Oil Spills Oil spills are generally harmful to living things. Many sea and terrestrial species die in enormous numbers basically owing to unfortunate outcomes instigated by inevitable oil spills. If measures are not put in place to address this problem, the world risk losing very important species that could have otherwise contributed to biological diversity. From the debate above, it appears that oil spills have far-reaching effects including economic, recreational, and even social problems among the countries involved. Misinterpretation can possibly arise between the countries that are involved in the spill hence likely to result in wars. To reduce oil spills as a result of collision in future, numerous steps and measures need to be put in place. First, the governments should ensure that preventive mechanisms such as the ones mentioned above work well so that the spread is controlled. Oil companies should also endeavor to avail suitable training on tanker’s handler personnel. Incompete nt ship Captains can cause catastrophe that can potentially result in major oil spills. Handling of any oil spill cases in future can equally be addressed through continuous monitoring of ship movement in the sea. Stringent measures must instituted by modern oil firms to ensure that the ships ferrying oil across the sea are monitored by skilled individuals and provide information to captains about other approaching ships that are likely to cause collisions. Technology also plays a vital role in reduction of oil spills resulting from undue collision. Oil corporations should embrace the appropriate technologies that will ultimately lead to the reduction of oil spill cases in the sea during transportation. Such technologies include modern equipment used to detect approaching tankers or even ships that are likely to cause any crash and avoid such collisions. The captains of the tankers should be in a position to clearly see the approaching tankers using the binoculars or any device that can assist in seeing the approaching ship. Also, there should be intergovernmental treat ies that ensure good management and transportation of oil products. This will make sure that no one country is left alone to handle challenges related to oil spill, but rather assisted by the regimes that are deemed capable in terms of technology as well as finance in availing the necessary assistance. You can buy research papers online at . Our custom writing company with writing your research paper on Maritime and Environmental topics. High quality guaranteed!

Write about ( the maze runner ) movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Commentary (Economics HL) - Essay Example Sustainable consumption is what we deal with in this paper through an article. The selected article, â€Å"Towards Sustainable Household Consumption?† published by OECD in 2002 deals with the issue of sustainable consumption in OECD countries. It basically explains the trends and patterns of household consumption in OECD countries, the driving forces behind those trends and patterns, environmental impacts of household consumption patterns, different kinds of policies that could be taken for achieving sustainable consumption in OECD countries. For the current purpose, the focus is being placed on that portion of the article where it precisely explains the observable trends and patterns in the household consumption level in OECD countries, the driving forces or factors that shape those trends and patterns in the consumption level. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of household consumption patterns, particularly for the consumption of food, tourism related travel, energy, and water in OECD countries. As discussed in the article, there has been a steady increase in per capita private consumption over the last few decades, particularly in 1980s, and 1990s as suggested by the article. The per capita private consumption level has also been projected to follow the same trend up to 2020. As far as transport is considered, total motor vehicle stocks, motor vehicle kilometers, total global air traveling has all experienced significant growth and are projected to grow by huge amount in coming years. In case of food consu mption, the choice of diet and food habits have been going through various changes, e.g. there has been a shift towards consumption of more and more packaged and processed food. The OECD countries have also experienced significant increase in the use of energy. As shown in the article, in the period of 1973- 1995, the