Ducati Solution Essay Example for Free

Ducati Solution Essay Issues/Challenges Today, Ducati is one of the most successful motorcycle companies in the world with a dramatic profit growth since 1996. Before its huge success, Ducati was one step away from facing bankruptcy. Ducati managed to overcome such an obstacle through strong innovation and culture. Today, Ducati is faced with another challenge that may bring fortune to the company if successfully managed. Ducati set a new goal, which is to sustain the explosive double-digit profit growth in the next decade and eventually reach Harley Davison’s profit level. Ducati is considering attacking Harley Davidson by entering the cruiser market, which is Harley Davidson’s niche product and also a very profitable market segment in the industry. To do this, Ducati must invest 17 million Euro and cost of 26 million Euro. Based on this huge capital requirement, should Ducati enter the new market segment or should Ducati just concentrate on its current segment? If Ducati chooses to enter the cruiser market, what are other requirements besides the capital? Does Ducati have what it takes to succeed in the new market segment? The purpose of this memo is to help the executives of Ducati to make the optimum decision for Ducati’s future success. This memo contains the industry analysis, as well as an internal strategic analysis, company performance, and solutions and recommendations. This industry is divided into 4 segments. Ducati’s dominating segment is the sport sector. Ducati managed to utilize its differentiation strategy by taking into account of the industry’s driving forces. The cruiser segment is one sector that Ducati is very interested in entering. Unfortunately, Bert’s consulting concluded that this is not the best option through the feasibility analysis. The analysis contains the advantages and disadvantages of both options and the result was that the disadvantages outweighed the advantages. Also, entering the cruiser market is not really necessary for Ducati based on its current performance level. Industry analysis Although the number of motorcycle manufacturers has declined by a large number over the last century, competition exists among companies from different continents. Currently, all major manufacturers are from Japan, The U. S. , and Europe. The motorcycle industry is segmented into four categories: off-road, cruisers, touring and sport bikes, each of them with different qualities and target customers. Industry forces Economic condition is one of the major factors that drive the industry. This is an important factor because depending on the condition of the economy buyers’ demand will change. For example, when the economy stays strong, more people will buy the product while less people will buy when there is an economic downturn. The reason for this is because motorcycles are products that are not really necessary to possess in life. In other words, they are luxury goods. During the economic downturns, people become price sensitive and they could simply choose not to buy the product or find a substitute such as public transportation or vehicles that can hold more passengers. Therefore, the threat of substitute is very high. Motorcycles, like any type of automobiles, are a source of transportation, except they are luxury products. Companies in this industry compete with differentiation strategy rather than low cost strategy, meaning that companies focus on the quality of the product rather than low price. As long as the economy stays healthy, high income consumers will always buy the product no matter how much it costs. Another key factor is to understand the target market. As mentioned earlier, the motorcycle industry can be segmented into 4 categories. â€Å"A wide variety of individuals, with equally different tastes, bought and rode motorcycles† (Gavetti, pg 2). Each segment has certain qualities that attract different customers with different preferences. The riders can also be categorized into different types just as the motorcycles and they are â€Å"knee down†, â€Å"easy-riders†, â€Å"weekend riders†, and â€Å"highway riders. Different qualities include performance, functionality, lifestyle, and comfort. Riders choose their motorcycle based on which qualities they are attracted to. Motorcycles are not standardized products. They are highly differentiated products and they are not items that can be bought in large volume. For this reason, the power of buyers is relative low. Also, since the majority of buyers are not price sensitive, switching to different vendors is fairly easy. Prices do not affect the buyers in this industry because the buyer heavily demands quality over price. For example, if a new company comes up with a model with the best quality, the buyers will still switch to the new company no matter how expensive the new product is. This is the point where strong rivalry comes into play. All competitors have the same objective, which is to attract as many customers as they can by providing quality products. Although their objective is the same, each competitor follows their objective with their own unique strategies. Since customers can easily be attracted with innovative products, the rivalry in this industry is very high. One of the most important drivers of the industry is strong innovation. Technology advancement is very critical in this industry. Companies heavily invest a large portion of their revenues into research and development to create innovative technologies that differentiate themselves from competitors. This is very important in strengthening their name brands. Major companies used their early technology inventions as their foundation, and built up to an even higher level. Due to strong innovative thoughts, â€Å"motorcycles’ performance, comfort, reliability, and ease of maintenance had improved vastly† (Gavetti, pg 3). Due to very high capital requirement, strong innovative thoughts, and numerous large size competitors, the entry barrier is very high. Also, to be able to compete with these companies, new entrants must design a complex but efficient supply chain system for the manufacturing process. Motorcycle manufacturers rely heavily on the suppliers for quality input and satisfying delivery. â€Å"Outsourcing minimized fixed asset investment, but the quest for quality, reduced costs, and responsiveness to market fluctuations forced final assemblers to create strong commitment at the level of suppliers† (Gavetti, pg 3). To create high quality output at a lower fixed investment, it is very important for the manufacturers to maintain a good relationship with the suppliers. Also, as mentioned earlier, motorcycles are not standardized products, but differentiated products. This means that the components of the motorcycles are also quality inputs provided by the suppliers. The influence of the supplier on the final output is immense; therefore, the power of suppliers is high. Internal strategic analysis Ducati uses differentiation strategy as many other companies within the motorcycle industry. Therefore, all companies compete with each other by producing the best quality motorcycle. Ducati’s unique business model and core activities helped to produce Ducati’s way of quality motorcycles mainly focusing sport sector. Ducati’s strength comes from four core activities, which are production process, distribution system, development of product and RD, and â€Å"The world of Ducati. † One of Ducati’s core strategies is that Ducati heavily outsources its production compared to its competitors. As of 2001, outsourcing had grown to approximately 87%, and the company planned to bring it to 90%, probably the highest in the industry (industry experts estimated that the average outsourcing level for the industry was lower than Ducati’s)† (Gavetti, pg 10). By doing this, Ducati is able to reduce fixed asset investment, and mainly focus on product design, development and quality control. To ensure its product quality, Ducati collaborated wit h a number of the well-known firms such as Ferrari, Lombardini, Motori, etc, and formed the â€Å"Engine Technology District† (Gavetti, pg 11). All the firms within this district had one thing in common. They were all heavily focusing on engine technology. They basically collaborate with each other on activities such as â€Å"RD, purchasing, suppliers’ quality control, employee training etc† (Gavetti, pg 11). Ducati is very strict on selecting suppliers. Since suppliers play key roles in providing quality motorcycle components to the company, Ducati selected different suppliers for each component. Also, Ducati did not make long-term contracts with suppliers except for the major components. Ducati simply switched to different suppliers when the short-term contracts were over if needed. This ensured the quality and reliability of Ducati. Another core strategy that Ducati has is the distribution system. This strategy mainly helps Ducati to create a standard and unified Ducati designed business model for all dealers and subsidiaries to keep the scent and the culture of Ducati alive and therefore increase the value of the brand name. Through this system Ducati found many advantages. First of all, Ducati had full control of the distribution and marketing process. Instead of distributing its products to franchising dealers, and independent distributors, and letting them independently manage their own network of dealers, Ducati established company owned subsidiaries throughout the world. All the subsidiaries were managed under Ducati, which help to retain traits of Ducati’s brand (Gavetti, pg 12). This also increases the profit because Ducati owns the total sales made by all subsidiaries. Second, Ducati re-organized its network of dealers. Unlike many other companies, Ducati concentrated to improve the dealers’ performance instead of geographic expansion. There are many aspects that Ducati took into consideration for dealers’ performance such as sales forces, good technical assistance, and an adequate physical space for product display (Gavetti, pg 11). Instead of expanding the number of dealers, Ducati reduced by a large number. This made it easier for Ducati to manage to improve each dealership since the number decreased. Lastly, under this system, Ducati created its own chain stores. These stores owned by mono-franchisers offered company branded merchandises such as accessories and provided technical support and customer service. These stores provided a unique retail environment emphasizing the distinctive traits of Ducati’s Brand: while a ‘History Wall’ displayed images of Ducati’s racing heritage, and ‘Engineering Wall showed a large scale engineering drawing of the 916, Ducati’s symbol† (Gavetti, pg 12). This is an important factor because it strengthens the brand name and also increases customers’ loyalty by creating a culture. The third Ducati’s core strategy is the unique production development and RD process. Ducati invested a large portion of their revenue in designing new technologies, development of products and human resource management. Ducati created two research centers, the Cagiva Research Center and the Ducati Design center. The Cagiva Research Center focused on external design and Ducati Design Center focused on internal design. â€Å"As a consequence of these efforts, the company greatly reduced the ‘time to market’ for new product launches† (Gavetti, pg 12). This means that Ducati is able to develop a new model in shorter time period. Also, Ducati integrated RD and marketing for technological improvements. Through market research and customer feedback, Ducati managed to improve their technology and design. The World of Ducati is a strategy that helps the development and improvement of the value of the brand through a set of activities. â€Å"In addition to ‘Ducati Stores,’ the ‘World of Ducati’ compromised a series of other activities that had been consistently developing in the past three years† (Gavetti, pg 12). One activity is that unlike its competitors, Ducati implemented an â€Å"Open Paddock† policy, which allow members of Ducati club to be in close contact with the racers by participating in dinners and events. This is very important because ccording to a company’s website survey, the most important purchasing factor is the Superbike competition, followed by magazine tests, sports orientation of the brand, and its link to competition (Gavetti, pg 12). All these factors definitely improved customers’ loyalty to Ducati’s brand which is very important to sustain customers. Racers greatly collaborated with the RD process of Ducati by constantly testing the machines through competitions. Another activity is that, unlike its competitors, Ducati only used special magazines as the source of advertisement. One of the most popular campaigns was â€Å"Ducati/People,† which â€Å"featured Ducati workers and their motorcycles in and around Bologna in black and white retro’ pictures, and emphasized some central values of the brand: the Italian style, the history of the company, the young age of the riders and their sporty attitude† (Gavetti, pg 13). There are many other well-known specialized magazines that are related to motorcycles. Others activities involved Ducati’s museum tour, owners clubs, and social events. All these activities attracted many customers to learn the history of Ducati, get indepth knowledge of Ducati and ultimately increase the number of fans and customer base. Performance analysis So far, Ducati enjoyed the dramatic profit growth. â€Å"Revenues quadrupled since 1996; EBITDA had grown from 33. 4 million Euros in 1997 to around 60 million. In 2000; market share had gone from 5. 1% in the sport bikes segment in 1997 to 6. 7% in 2000† (Gavetti, pg 1). This is clear proof that Ducati is a very competitive opponent to many companies within this industry.

Holfstede’s Cultural Constraints Essay Example for Free

Holfstede’s Cultural Constraints Essay In his article â€Å"Cultural Constraints in Management Theories,† G. Holfstede (1993) argues his main point that there is really no universal management theory, such that the means to manage organizations greatly vary across countries and cultures. For instance, the concept of management in the United States is different from, say, Asia or Europe, let alone apply to the two latter regions. A specific management concept or practice may be accepted in America but it does not mean that it is also accepted in some other part of the world. Holfstede begins by exploring the origins of the concept of management in cultures in varying times and notes the differences in the management theories. For example, managers are said to be cultural heroes in British and American regions while Germans see the engineer as the one having a heroic role precisely because German presidents and CEOs already have mastered their specialized skills and, hence, does not call for a manager. In Japan, the permanent worker group bears the ‘heroic role’ and that these workers are controlled not by managers but by their group. French people, on the other hand, do not have the notion of managers as Americans know of them. Rather, French workers think of one another as cadres, cadres being a social class obtained by learning at the proper schools and a social class maintained for a lifetime. Another case is that of Holland where the practice of managing people rests on the need for a consensus among all the involved individuals. These practices are established neither by contractual relationship nor by class distinctions but by an open-ended balancing of interests and exchange of views. In essence, Holfstede firmly maintains that the American concept of management theories vary from nation to nation and culture to culture. That being said, no management theory unique to a certain country or culture can perfectly apply to another culture and country precisely because of the variations among these cultures and countries. Reference Holfstede, G. (1993). Cultural Constraints in Management Theories. Academy of Management Executive, 7(1): 81-94.

The Flaws Of Fracking Environmental Sciences Essay

The Flaws Of Fracking Environmental Sciences Essay Most people who drive cars or heat their houses would concur that finding a cheaper, more accessible substitute for oil would be a positive advancement. With benefits such as energy independence from foreign oil companies and economic stimulus, natural gas drilling seems the obvious solution. However, substituting oil drilling with natural gas drilling is not as positive of an alternative as it may seem. Commonly known as fracking, the process of drilling for natural gas is fairly uncomplicated, yet it poses some serious risks. The process starts with geologists who identify types of rock that are most likely to contain natural gases within them. These gases began forming millions of years ago when layers of plant and animal matter decayed, and then became trapped by sand and silt that later turned to rock. Beneath the rock, heat and pressure acted together to turn this organic matter to coal, oil, and natural gas (Natural Gas Basics). However, unlike coal and oil which remain structurally trapped under the rock, most of the tiny bubbles of natural gas mainly composed of methane with butane and propane byproducts are absorbed into the micro-porous matrix of coal. This type of gas is called coalbed methane (Environmental Protection Agency). In order to access this energy-convertible methane, drilling companies have turned to a process called hydraulic fracturing. Its name basically explains the process; hydraulic means operated by the  pressure created by forcing water, oil, or another liquid through a comparatively narrow pipe or orifice, and fracturing is defined as to break or crack (Dictionary.com). Basically, a small crack in underground rock or coal is turned into a large crack using a water-based fluid pumped into the ground at a high pressure, so that the gas contained within the rock can more easily escape. The first step in the process is to drill a production well deep into the earth until it meets the coal seam that contains the gas. The next step is to make a connection between this well and the coal seam so that once the gas is released it has a structured means of transportation to the surface. This connection is made by creating or enlarging a fracture in the seam by pumping a thick fluid into the ground at a steadily increasing speed and pressure. Eventually, the rock will not be able to capacitate the fluid at the rate at which it is enteri ng the seam, and a fracture will ensue because of the high pressure. The size of the fracture depends on the features of the surrounding rock, the type of fracturing fluid, the pressure at which it enters the ground, and the depth of the coal seam. However, all contributing factors aside, a hydraulically created fracture will always take the path of least resistance through the coal seam and surrounding formations (Environmental Protection Agency). So in order to keep the fracture from being consumed again by the surrounding rock once the pumping of fluid is discontinued, a proppant usually sand is also pumped into the ground to prop the fracture open. Once the flow of injected substances has stopped, the open fracture filled with proppant becomes a discontinuity in the continuous pressure of the surrounding rock. When the gas contained within the rock is no longer being held under strict pressure it can escape, and the fracture functions as an avenue for deabsorbed gas to flow ba ck up the production well (Environmental Protection Agency). The risk mentioned in the opening paragraph does not manifest itself in the fracturing process itself, nor in the mere presence of fractures. The danger of this practice is based upon the consistency of the fracturing fluids. However, the recipes for these fracking cocktails are hard to come by, and thus measuring their true negative impact is difficult. Drilling companies strive to keep the chemical make-up of their fluids a secret so as not to lose their competitive edge. In a comment to ProPublica writer Abrahm Lustgarten, Diana Gabriel, a spokesperson for natural gas drilling pioneer Halliburton Energy Services Inc., stated, Halliburtons proprietary fluids are the result of years of extensive researchà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We have gone to great lengths to ensure that we are able to protect the fruits of the companys researchà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. We could lose our competitive advantage (Abrahm Lustgarten). In an effort to keep their businesses viable and lucrative, companies have made an effo rt to publicly assure people that drilling fluids are mostly made up of non-toxic, even edible substances, and that when chemicals are used, they are just a tiny fraction of the overall mix a mix that can reach up to over a million gallons of liquid (Lustgarten). However, that small fraction as tiny as less than one percent of the total can actually end up as over 10,000 gallons of unknown chemicals being dumped into the ground. While many of these chemicals used remain unidentified, The Bureau of Land Management believes they can identify about 300 different compounds being used in fracking fluids, and of these suspect 300, 65 are considered hazardous by the federal government. The Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] has established several of these known chemicals as lubricants and biocides that with repeated exposure can be linked to kidney, liver, heart, blood, and brain damage. Most of the remaining 235 out of the 300 have not been studied so their negative affects cannot be predicted. Also, even if these chemicals really are only used in trace amounts as the drilling companies assert, scientists believe that even low doses of contact with them through contaminated drinking water can have damaging affects (Lustgarten). One instance of water contamination happened in July 2008 when a hydrologist took a water sample from a 300-foot water well in Sublette County, Wyoming near where drilling had been taking place. The sample contained brown, foul-smelling, oily water, and when tested it showed benzene a chemical found in gasoline and cigarettes, known to cause aplastic anemia and leukemia at 1,500 times the safe level for human ingestion. Another unsettling encounter with contaminated drinking water showed fluoride which although commonly used for medicinal purposes, can cause bone damage or even be fatal in high doses in drinking wells near drilling sites at nearly three time the maximum limit set by the EPA. Fluoride is listed on Halliburtons hydraulic fracturing patent applications, which those opposed to drilling would say leaves little room for doubt as to how the above mentioned fluoride ended up in drinking water. Spokespeople for drilling companies argue that the advent of high levels of th ese and other chemicals happened naturally or as a result of another catalyst. Thus far it has been a challenge to prove otherwise because of the secrecy surrounding the contents of the fracking fluids not even the EPA knows what is in them. Thus, it is hard for them to measure the relative safety of the use of these solutions in the ground. As a result, movements are being made by those who are concerned about the contamination of their drinking water towards requiring drilling companies to disclose the chemicals in their frac juice (Lustgarten). Natural gas drilling companies are not required to disclose the makeup of their fluids because of an exemption laid out in the 2005 Energy Policy Act. Signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 8, 2005, the act exempts oil and gas producers from certain requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, which means that the EPA does not need to monitor water affected by drilling for possible health-risk-carrying contaminants (Energy Policy of 2005). This loophole is commonly known as the Halliburton loophole, because of the alleged involvement in its passage by former Halliburton CEO and then Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney (Energy Policy of 2005). Validating this assertion, Benjamin Grumbles, a  former Bush-Cheney EPA  Assistant Administrator for Water, admitted his knowledge of foul play during an interview with ProPublica. In order for the exemption to be included in the bill, the EPA needed to be able to prove to lawmakers that the hydraulic fracturing p rocess was not dangerous, and therefore liable for an exemption, while also not digging themselves into a hole if their findings were later challenged. That is where Grumbles comes in: What came across clearly to the EPA was that the [Bush] administration did not want us to take a formal position of opposition to the exemption. It wasnt so much a pressure. It was just very clear, here is the situation: EPA officials or career staff are not to take a position of opposition or support for the legislationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I know the office of the vice president [Dick Cheney] was involved (Bill Wolfe). Representatives Diana DeGette and Maurice Hinchey seek to repeal this unfair and unfounded exemption by introducing the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals [FRAC] Act. Commenting on the bill, DeGette said, Our bill simply closes an unconscionable Bush-Cheney loophole by requiring the oil and gas industry to follow the same rules as everyone else (Sarah Jones). Adding to her comment, another anti-drilling Representative, Jared Polis, said, It is irresponsible to stand by while innocent people are getting sick because of an industry exemption that Dick Cheney snuck in to our nations energy policy (Jones). While industry executives have strongly opposed this comment, one point that reporter Sarah Jones makes is extremely valid: if the gas industry is not doing anything harmful to the water ergo, if they have nothing to hide then why do they need to be exempt from regulations? In Jones opinion, and in the opinions of many others, these drilling companies have come up with an effective yet dangerous method of making millions of dollars; thus, the American people are saddled with the potentially disastrous consequences of Cheneys tsunami of massive and reckless special interest deregulation, whose sole motivation still appears to be the enrichment of the former vice presidents personal financial interests (Jones). The FRAC Act is being supported in the Sen ate by Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Chuck Schumer of New York, and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. As a result of repealing its exemption, the Act would require public disclosure of fracking chemicals. It would also force drilling companies to adhere to the standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act by modifying it to include hydraulic fracturing in its definition of underground injection. Lautenberg commented on the act saying, People have a right to know if chemicals are being injected into the ground near their homes and potentially ending up in the water supply. This bill will ensure that the [EPA] has the tools to assess the risks of fracking and require appropriate protections so that drinking water in New Jersey and other states is safe (Matt Fair). The FRAC Act is not the only major piece of legislation in the works that is pursuing regulation of natural gas. Three congressmen in the House of Representatives, led by Rush Holt, echoed Lautenberg and Caseys motions towards cleaning up drilling processes by introducing the BREATHE Bringing Reductions to Energys Airborne Toxic Health Effects Act. The act will undo additional exemptions from the Clean Air Act for oil and gas rigs, requiring them to meet air quality standards. Although this law will not impact hydraulic fracturing specifically, it will help create a sense of accountability for drilling companies who up to today have had to answer to next to no one. The act will also help clean up the pollution that ensues from the process itself. Noting this lack of monitoring by authorities, Holt said, Our loyalties shouldnt be with oil and gas companies our loyalties should be with families affected by fracking (Fair). Moving to bypass small preventative measures, Senator Linda Greenstein and two other legislators introduced a bill last year that would outlaw fracking completely in New Jersey if it passed (Fair). Additionally in New Mexico, a survey conducted in Santa Fe discovered hundreds of cases of water contamination from unlined pits where fracking fluids and other wastes are stored. As a result, the state has passed a one year moratorium on drilling around the city, until further research can be conducted (Lustgarten). Colorado has been fighting against natural gas drilling with the most gusto of any state, completing a complete rewrite of all drilling regulations in 2007 and moving towards requiring full disclosure of the exact make up of all fracturing fluids. An early compromise between the state and drilling companies was reached in August of 2008 when gas companies agreed to disclose the makeup of fracturing liquids only to health officials and regulators. This compromise was stimulated by news of an accident involving fracking fluid that nearl y killed Colorado nurse, Cathy Behr. While treating a hunter who had run in to a fracking fluid spill, she came in contact with the fluid. The hunter was eventually discharged, but shortly afterwards Behr was admitted into the hospital herself with multiple organ failure and in critical condition. In order to treat her in hopes of saving her life, hospital doctors asked to be informed of the chemicals she had been exposed to, but the gas company declined. The Behr incident inspired public outcry against the drilling industry, which moved companies to make concessions with the state. However, their partial disclosure deal was not as much progress as it was made out to be; a clause was included in the deal that would ensure that the disclosure agreement would only apply to chemicals stored in containers that could hold 50 gallons or more. So to avoid full disclosure it has been found that drilling companies often store their fracking fluids in smaller containers. This agreement was un fortunately the best deal that could be reached, because the three main fracking companies in Colorado threatened to leave the state if disclosure was forced upon them. Their absence would deprive the state of $29 billion in future gas-related tax revenue over the next ten years, so the state settled for a mediocre deal (Lustgarten). These anti-drilling legislative actions have been brought about by the rising awareness of the risks that the effects of drilling pose. Legislators, namely in Pennsylvania, seek to update their regulations so as not to allow their communities to fall victim to the negative effects of fracking (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). Such negative effects fall into three main categories that are often interrelated: environmental, human, and animal risks. The most notable environmental risk of natural gas drilling is the pollution of ground water that it has been shown to cause. Fracking fluids leak into the surrounding water tables which then provides for the possibility of the chemicals leeching into drinking wells that are for human and animal use. Fracking is a suspect in polluted drinking water in Arkansas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming, where residents have reported changes in water quality or quantity following fracturing operations (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). Although in their 2004 study on hydraulic fracturing the EPA asserted that it posed no threat to drinking water, there have been more than 1,000 documented cases of water contamination near drilling sites in Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania alone. More recently, the EPA has discovered that up to one third of injected fracturing fluids may stay in the ground subsequent to drilling. They have also a sserted that these fluids, specifically benzene, are likely to be transported by groundwater (Lustgarten). In September of 2008, tests performed on wells in Sublette County, Wyoming showed contamination in 88 of the 220 wells examined in an area spanning over 28 miles. Upon returning to these same sites at a later date, scientists were unable to even open the water wells because their monitors showed they contained so much flammable gas that they were likely to explode (Lustgarten). Although the State is aware of these risks, New York legislators are looking towards allowing drilling in the Marcellus Shale region of their state, which holds an underground abundance of natural gas. This region runs underneath a portion of the New York City watershed that provides pure, unfiltered drinking water (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). Drilling in this area would leave over 9 million New Yorkers at risk of being exposed to and/or ingesting contaminated water (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). Another problem regarding contaminated water arises not from underground drilling, but from chemical spills on the surface that allow fluids to seep into the water table from above. Accidental spills and leaky tanks, trucks and waste pits [have] allowed benzene and other chemicals to leach into streams, springs and water wells (Lustgarten). State records in Colorado have shown that between 2003 and 2008 over 1,500 fracking chemical spills have occurred, with 206 of those spills occurring in 2008. 48 of the 206 have been reported as linked to water contamination (Lustgarten). Beyond just water contamination, natural gas drilling threatens to pollute clean air and destroy natural landscapes. Inevitably, this damage to the environment caused by drilling will rapidly begin to disturb the inhabitants of that environment. As people must have a place to live, they are very much affected by the contamination of their surroundings. Because of the large-scale nature of drilling operations and the isolated landscapes where natural gas reservoirs often are found, rural communities end up being transformed into industrial zones. Even when done in compliance with existing regulations, natural gas production brings with it toxic waste, diesel fumes, traffic and wall-rattling noise all of which would be incredibly disruptive to people who are accustomed to pure, tranquil landscapes (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). Besides just noise pollution and traffic which, while they can be annoying, are not life threatening the safety of those who live in close proximity to drilling sites can be in jeopardy. Because we are talking about natural gas, there is always the possibility of a fire or gas explosion. While safety procedures are in place to prevent this from happening, it can, and does hap pen (REPUBLIKID: The Pros And Cons Of Natural Gas Drilling In Pennsylvania and Central New York). Just the mere possibility that an explosion could occur is troubling, as a REBUBLIKID writer noted that fluid storage tanks and other drilling materials have been kept in residential areas, and even near a school (REPUBLIKID: The Pros And Cons Of Natural Gas Drilling In Pennsylvania and Central New York). There have been several documented cases of explosions. In one case, investigators deduced that the explosion of a house was caused by methane gas that entered the residential water supply. Fracturing provided a means for the gas to reach this water supply, as it forged underground passageways through which the gas could travel. In a similar case that occurred in December 2007, a house in Bainbridge, Ohio exploded in a fiery ball (Lustgarten). A study of the situation proved that hydraulic fracturing produced pressure that forced methane gas upward from its usual location of thousands of feet below the surface. The gas traveled through a series of cracks until it reached the groundwater aquifer, and eventually the tap water of the Bainbridge neighborhood. Investigators discovered that the neighborhoods tap water contained so much methane that the house ignited (Lustgarten). The most famous case of an explosion occurred at the home of Larry and Laura Amos in western Colorado. Just beyond the Amoses property line, the usual drilling for the day had commenced, when suddenly, less than 1,000 feet from their house, their drinking water well exploded like a Yellowstone geyser, firing its lid into the air and spewing mud and gray fizzing water high into the sky. State inspectors tested the Amos well for methane and found lots of it (Lustgarten). Following the incident, the family was assured that they were in no real danger, as long as they vented their house by keeping doors and windows open to ensure an explosion did not ensue as a result of more gas trapped inside th eir house. However, they were never warned that the water could possibly be seriously contaminated, even after it returned to its original color. Thus, the family continued to bathe in and drink the water, until three years later when Laura Amos was diagnosed with a rare adrenal tumor (Lustgarten). Concerned for her then three year old daughter, who had been bathed in the possibly polluted water daily as an infant, she began to challenge the state about the mysterious chemicals that might have been in her well. Laura contacted scientist Theo Colborn, whose studies on the affects of low-dose exposure to chemicals are considered the most comprehensive available (Lustgarten). In Colborns Congressional testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, she expressed grave concern at her discovering that fracturing fluids contained the chemical 2-butoxy ethanol [BE-2]. She produced a long list of bizarre health effects that were possible at relatively low levels of expo sure, and explained that BE-2 is odorless, colorless, tasteless, and evaporates at room temperature. If this chemical were to surface as a gas or get into a drinking water supply, it could cause health problems in domestic and wild animals and humans that could baffle veterinarians or physicians (The Applicability of Federal Requirements to Protect Public Health). In what could be considered undisputable proof of the contribution of fracking fluids to Laura Amos condition, Colborn also noted that adrenal tumors, which are extremely rare, are known to be caused by exposure to this chemical (The Applicability of Federal Requirements to Protect Public Health). This is just one case, regarding one health issue, caused by one chemical; however, fracturing fluids contain hundreds of known and unknown chemicals that have been linked to dozens of other critical health problems. Colborn believes even very low doses of some of the compounds can damage kidney and immune systems and affect repr oductive development, which is very disturbing from a health standpoint, as millions of people already have been, or will be exposed to these chemicals in the future (Lustgarten). A third and final risk posed by natural gas drilling is the negative impact that the influx of drilling machinery and the contact with fracturing fluids has on animals. Drilling companies may need to clear forests and pave roads in order to have access to their drilling sites, which is disruptive to the natural habitat of wild animals. Animals may also flee when they encounter drilling machinery, as they perceive it as a new predatory. The combination of these two factors may lead to forced migration of animals to another area, which then starts off a chain reaction of wildlife related problems (REPUBLIKID: The Pros And Cons Of Natural Gas Drilling In Pennsylvania and Central New York). More than 25 million acres of wildlife habitat in the West have been leased by the Bureau of Land Management, and could potentially be opened to drilling, which would be devastating to the natural ecosystems there (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). Contact with fracturing fluids t hrough contaminated water has proved to be extremely detrimental to animals, both wild and domestic. In one area of Wyoming, as drilling activity increased, mule deer numbers declined by 30 percent from 2000 to 2007 (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). In Garfield County, Colorado, domestic animals that had produced offspring like clockwork each spring were no longer giving birth to healthy young (Lustgarten). In addition, a bull went sterile, and a herd of beef cows stopped going into heat, as did pigs. In the most striking case, sheep bred on an organic dairy farm had a rash of inexplicable still births (Lustgarten). All these peculiarities occurred near drilling waste pits, where wastewater that includes fracturing fluids is misted into the air for evaporation (Lustgarten). Many organizations are fighting against this devastation, as well as the other two types addressed above. The Natural Resource Defense Council especially is fighting to protect communities a cross the country from the pollution caused by natural gas production. By tightening loopholes in our bedrock environmental laws, banning drilling on sensitive lands and requiring the most stringent regulatory requirements wherever production does take place, we can help protect critical water supplies and other precious resources and keep our communities safe and healthy (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). After addressing all these negative factors and reasons not to drill, a reader could be left wondering why companies do it at all. Below are some of the pros to the fracturing process that drilling companies stand behind. First is accessibility. The technological advances in the drilling process make extracting gas from previously inaccessible sites possible (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). This new ability to tap into a previously nonexistent resource has been exciting for many, and as inspired a gold rush affect for those in the gas and oil business. The fracturing method allows gas to be collected from thousands of feet beneath the earth, a feat that, as of yet, can only be accomplished by hydraulic fracturing (Risky Gas Drilling: Threatens Health, Water Supplies). Secondly, natural gas drilling provides energy independence from foreign oil companies. More domestic drilling means less dependence on oil from terror sponsoring countries Like Saudi Arabia, and Iran, and socialist dictatorships such as Hugo Chavezs Venezuela (REPUBLIKID: The Pros And Cons Of Natural Gas Drilling In Pennsylvania and Central New York). Many would also agree that weaning the United States from dependence on oil would be good for everyones pocketbooks. According to T. Boone Pickens in a comment to ProPublica, natural gas is cleaner, cheaperà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦abundant, and ours. Gas is also more environmentally friendly than oil, as it emits 23 percent less carbon when burned (Lustgarten). Finally, the collection of natural gas provides economic stimulation. Drilling companies are always hiring, and they provide jobs that have an annual income of $40,000 a year. As many drilling sites are located in rural and often poor areas, that kind of salary is welcomed by struggling families. If plans for full-scale drilling in Pennsylvania and New York are carried out, thousands of such jobs could be created. Local employees and workers from out of town will end up spending much of their salary near the drilling site, stimulating the local economy and allowing local businesses to keep their doors open (REPUBLIKID: The Pros And Cons Of Natural Gas Drilling In Pennsylvania and Central New York). Land leases and taxes on drilling sites will generate income for the state, and landowners will receive royalties as high as 10 percent for relinquishing their lands to be leased for drilling (REPUBLIKID: The Pros And Cons Of Natural Gas Drilling In Pennsylvania and Central New York). When all of these factors are examined and weighed against each other, it is my personal opinion that the risks of drilling far override the benefits the health and safety of human beings should always have priority over money. However, the benefits certainly have merit, and provide a solution to several problems facing the American people today. If a safer drilling process could be developed without using harmful chemicals and with increased safety precautions to prevent explosions, natural gas drilling could possibly be the catalyst towards a better, more stable US economy.

The Guilt of Lady Macbeth Essay example -- Macbeth essays

The Guilt of Lady Macbeth      Ã‚   Shakespeare's "Macbeth" holds many hidden themes within its already exuberant plot.   The first of these surrounds the murder of Duncan and the role that both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself played.   However, the true guilt of the murder can fall on either character.   Although Macbeth physically committed the crime, it was Lady Macbeth that pushed him to his limits of rational thought and essentially made fun of him to lower his esteem.   With Macbeth's defenses down, it was an easy task for Lady Macbeth to influence Duncan's murder and make up an excuse as to why she could not do it herself.   The guilt of Duncan's murder can be placed firmly on the head on Lady Macbeth.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lady Macbeth wants the murder of Duncan for her own gains.   Given the present situation, she is power hungry.   The wyrd sisters predicted that Macbeth would be king.   This means that the obvious result would be Lady Macbeth as queen.   Instead of waiting for Duncan to die naturally or to be killed by someone else, she ushers the task to Macbeth.   She forces it upon him, which is unfortunate, for he starts a moral character.   It is the methods she uses to convince Macbeth that murder is the answer that are extremely cruel and manipulative, sending no doubt that she is the chief culprit in the murder of Duncan, and his death may be put squarely in her hands.    Sex roles in the 1600s were very strict; women were forbidden from acting in theatrical works.   Shakespeare seems to play off this in his casting and dialect.   The masculinity of Macbeth is questionable in itself, with the provocative language used in the play.   He himself is unsure of his "abilities" as a member of the male sex.... ...tions, the use of her "womanly" features, and her attacks on the manliness of Macbeth all put more guilt on her shoulders than Macbeth by far.   She deserves no pity either.   Her eventual trip to insanity was her own fault, as well as the final battle where Macduff kills Macbeth.   Had she shown patience, fate may have eventually worked in Macbeth and her's favor.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Epstein, Norrie. The Friendly Shakepeare, New York, Viking Publishing, 1993.    Schlegel, August Wilhelm.   Criticism on Shakespeare s Tragedies . A Course of Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature. London: AMS Press, Inc., 1965.   Ã‚      Shakespeare, William.   Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul  Ã‚   Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.  Ã‚  Ã‚      Wills, Gary. Lady Macbeth and Evil. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.  

The Beard Makes the Man :: Ancient Greece Greek Essays

The Beard Makes the Man For the ancient Athenians, the beard was a common sign of manhood. The coming of a beard signaled a male’s transition from boyhood into manhood. Men who lost their beards did not suffer loss of political rights or loss of privileges, but they were mocked and shamed. The beard, not height or body shape, interestingly, was considered the initial marker of manhood in the plays of Aristophanes. A beard is an easily recognizable and observable, and the lack or presence of a beard is easily changed for the stage by covering the actor’s beard with a mask or giving him a fake beard. The beard was clearly a particularly meaningful secondary characteristic for the Greeks. For the ancient Greeks, the beard was incredibly closely tied to the idea of manhood. In some cases, the word for beard could even be interchanged with the word for man. Men grow hair on their faces, women do not, but a man’s facial hair is easily removed by shaving. For this culture, the removal of the beard was a removal of a crucial element of manhood. Without a beard, a man was woman-like, despite any other characteristics that might distinguish him as a man. To become like a woman, a man merely had to remove his beard, but to become like a man, a woman had to disguise herself in many more ways. The beard, as a cultural way to distinguish men, is based on the biological phenomenon that males begin to grow hair on their faces during puberty. Despite seemingly being an easy way to separate men from women and children, the presence of a beard is not an all or none situation. A pubescent male will not go to bed bare-cheeked and wake up the next morning with a full beard. Puberty is a gradual process occurring over many years, and some men may never grow a completely full beard, even in maturity. As today, some women of ancient Athens must have themselves been quite hairy around the hair line, jaw, and upper lip. The beard is not as clear a man/boy or man/woman differentiation as it may initially seem. The beard is not a completely clear physical or biological trait, but it was clearly a significant characteristic for the ancient Athenians. In Aristophanes’s play Women at the Thesmophoria, the kinsman of Euripides tries to pass for a woman by shaving his beard and singeing his pubic hair.

dynamics of founder effect :: essays papers

dynamics of founder effect Populations are divided by geographic boundaries, confining a specific region/group of people to share and distribute its genetic traits within themselves without outward influence. The size of these populations is dependant upon whether certain mountains, rivers, deserts, oceans, or other extreme geographical, cultural, or technological conditions determine the tendency for isolation or migration. Most modern populations were originally settled by a relatively small handful of people that for whatever reason migrated to a new uninhabited area, and then multiplied. The genetic code of those founding individuals largely determines the genetic code of future generations, making that area distinctive having it’s future generations genetic code modeled after the original founders. Analyzing the founders of populations requires written or physical evidence to identify any possible founder of a population. So to analyze modern founding fathers is relatively easier in comparison to older founding fathers because of a lack of physical evidence for older populations. For a recently founded population such as the French settlers that migrated to the Chicoutimi region of Quebec, Canada in the 1940’s there is a collection of written knowledge about it’s inhabitants over that time. That information can identify the specifics person/persons that might have founded that population. Other populations that we have a large collection of knowledge regarding its founders include white Australians, African-Americans, as well as certain Caribbean populations. In contrast, trying to determine the founding fathers whom settled North America from Asia about fifteen thousand years ago is much more difficult because there is so little recorded evidence and knowledge o f that time period. This makes it difficult to determine the founders of the large populations we know today. Equatorial Africa was occupied by mostly Bushmen and Pygmies until about two thousand years ago, when the Bantu speaking people of the Congo region developed agriculture, iron, and domesticated animals. Following those advances the small number of Bantu multiplied until they overran half the African continent, pushing the Pygmies and Bushmen into areas unsuitable for farmland. The Bantu peoples thereby founded the entire gene pool of subequatorial Africa anew a mere 2,000 years ago. Europe’s founding fathers came largely within two migrations: one being farmers form the Near East about eight thousand years ago settling largely along the Mediterranean; the second being from Southern Russia about six thousand years ago populating northern and western Europe. The genetic traits of the founders of a population can be positive, negative, or neutral.

Honor Killings of Women Essay

The question of gender equality has always been one of the most acute in the present day world. In the western world a number of countries are promoting equal rights between men and women. The United Kingdom and the United States have always been known as the countries that gave birth to the suffragette movement, feminist movements and the struggle for female equality has always been one of the most discussed themes in the UK and the USA. It is not surprising that such a significant event as the suffragette movement and other equality organizations provided a he impact on the development of social, political and legal spheres of the United Kingdom: For years the United Kingdom had championed gender equality in public policy, in democratic institutions and through extensive anti-discrimination laws, but erasing disparity between the sexes was an unfinished project that the country’s officials were striving to complete through legislative reform and stronger women’s empowerment policies and programming, a parliamentary Under-Secretary and Minister for the East of England told the Women’s Anti-Discrimination Committee today (Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 2008) . But the threatening signals have appeared already in the Western Countries. The Immigrants find possible for honor killings even it is prohibited by the laws of the country they are living in and it significantly bothers the governmental and international human rights organizations, which assist struggle of women equality. It is not surprising such a significant event as the struggle for equal rights for women (and it should be noted that it is lasting for more than hundred years already) has significantly impacted the social life in the western world and such breaking news have become a real shock for those who participate in gender struggle. There are a number of investigators who provided numerous researches dealing with the question of equality in the Muslim countries as well as in the Western Ones. The burning question which is examined within this essay is honor killings. The problem area is why the civilized countries such as the United States are involved in the Affairs with the countries, which have such Barbarian laws and even observe this among the immigrants, who dwell in the US. Honor Killings in the Western and Islamic Countries: the Reasons, Prevention and Perspectives On February 12, 2009, Muzzammil Hassan informed police that he had beheaded his wife. Hassan had immigrated to the United States 30 years ago and, after a successful banking career, had founded Bridges TV, a Muslim-interest network which aims, according to its website, â€Å"to foster a greater understanding among many cultures and diverse populations. â€Å" Erie County District Attorney Frank A.  Sedita III told The Buffalo News that â€Å"this is the worst form of domestic violence possible,† and Khalid Qazi, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council of Western New York, told the New York Post that Islam forbids such domestic violence. While Muslim advocacy organizations argue that honor killings are a misnomer stigmatizing Muslims for what is simply domestic violence, a problem that has nothing to do with religion, Phyllis Chesler, who just completed a study of more than 50 instances of North American honor killings, says the evidence suggests otherwise (Phyllis Chesler, 2009). It goes without saying that honor killing was a real shock for the both societies Christian and Muslim. The person, who could hardly be expected to violate anyone’s human rights, suddenly killed his wife. It is essential that it significantly undermining of confidence of the Muslim society in the eyes of the neighbors as it is not just domestic violence as it was reported by the Erie County District Attorney, but it is severe crime, which ought to be punished. It is natural that the society would be eager to learn what the reasons for such actions as honor killing are and how this could be explained, by the researches. The cultural background of the honor killings is obvious and it roots go deeply into the Muslim perception and understanding of female nature, their rights and patriarchate, which is observed in the Muslim Countries. It is a well known fact that the Muslim countries have very significant problems with the gender equality and women are not allowed even to wear the clothes they would like to, the punishment for this could be the one and only â€Å"death. Families that kill for honor will threaten girls and women if they refuse to cover their hair, their faces, or their bodies or act as their family’s domestic servant; wear makeup or Western clothing; choose friends from another religion; date; seek to obtain an advanced education; refuse an arranged marriage; seek a divorce from a violent husband; marry against their parents’ wishes; or behave in ways that are considered too independent, which might mean anything from driving a car to spending time or living away from home or family (Phyllis Chesler, 2009). The religious and ethnic prejudice does not let young people to reveal and express them. There were noticed a number of cases, when children, mostly young girls, were killed by their parents (even mothers assisted the fathers) in killing young girls, who did not want to follow the religious dogmas of Islamic culture. Unfortunately some adults do not want to understand that contemporary life goes far beyond the religi on dictates and it is essential that children want to be alike their classmates, do not wear hijab, use make up and other. The same time the parents should be also understood as they want to keep traditions as cultural as well as religious to preserve their ethnic and cultural identity. These honor killing have already become a part of their life for thousand years and they consider that westernizing is a kind of disgrace, which could be cured only by a kill. It is like some kind of ritual. The same time it does not excuse their intention to violate the human rights and kill those who do not want some have viewed honor killings as a logical extension of traditional Islamic gender practices, the natural consequence of system that enforces sex-segregation through veiling and female seclusion and harshly punishes violations of these boundaries. Others have argued that honor killings are the antithesis of Islamic morality. This latter view is essentially correct from the perspective of Qur’an, prophetic traditions (hadith), and Islamic legal thought, as a careful analysis of the relevant texts shows (Kecia Ali, 2003) It is not very hard to define whether the Islamists have a right to kill, the answer is undoubtedly no human rights are still the same for every individual: the nationality, the race, the religious beliefs. In the Muslim countries the situation is worse than in the western ones as the honor killings is majority authoritarian countries is allowed legally. Women in the Muslim Countries are living under the threat of constant death if they would bring shame on the family: Women in Pakistan live in fear. They face death by shooting, burning or killing with axes if they are deemed to have brought shame on the family. They are killed for supposed illicit’ relationships, for marrying men of their choice, for divorcing abusive husbands. They are even murdered by their kin if they are raped as they are thereby deemed to have brought shame on their family. The truth of the suspicion does not matter â€Å"merely the allegation is enough to bring dishonor on the family and therefore justifies the slaying (Amnesty International, 1999) and Pakistan is not the single country, where women live under the total oppression of men. The religious dogmas grew significantly and alongside with religious dogmas there have appeared a number of social dogmas, which does not allow women to get equal education with men, to drive cars and visit public places alone. It is a well known fact that women in Saudi Arabia do not actually participate in business and legislation prohibits a number of activities for women. We should not also forget about the fact that Saudi Arabia is a Monarchy, and Islamist country, where religion provides a significant impact on cultural and social life of people, women as well: Saudi Arabia follows a strict form of Islamic law that does not allow women self-guardianship, mandating a male guardian for women of all ages. A woman cannot travel, appear in court, marry or work without permission from a male guardian, sometimes her own son (Faiza Saleh Ambah, 2008). The female activists consider that life in the countries like Saudi Arabia could be defined as the sexual slavery. It is not surprising that men are using their power to force women doing something and oppress them in different ways. Describing relations between men and women in Islamic countries there should be noted that the women are not protected legally and could be killed according to the current legal implications of Saudi Arabia: Honor killings are justified under Islam in some Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia. For example, tenth-grade textbooks teach Saudi children that it is permissible to kill adulterers. In April 2008, a girl was killed by her father for talking to a boy on Facebook, an online social networking website. A leading Saudi cleric, Sheikh Ali al-Maliki, was outraged that girls had access to such websites where they could post pictures of themselves and otherwise â€Å"behave badly,† but showed no concern over the girl actually killed (Supna Zaidi, 2008). We see that there is no even a slight hint of equality observed within the Islamic world, the foreign activists struggle for the gender equality and it is considered that they succeeded in some areas, especially in the educational on. But the same time the legal implications that let honor killings still exist. Honor killing occurred in Islamic and non-Islamic countries and the poor statistic illustrate the number of victims of religious dogmas. According to the data provided by the United Nations Organizations every year there are up to 5,000 people killed due the honor killings reasons. Should the United States become involved in the affairs of other countries, particularly pertaining to human rights, when they include that country’s traditions, philosophies of religious practices?