Antarctica Report †the environment and scientific research Essay

Introduction: The great icy continent of Antarctica is located at the south-most point on Earth and in the heart of the Antarctic Circle, referred to as the ice-cold desert. Antarctica covers the entire land and water region south of the latitude 600 S with no defined longitude, the continent spans around the entire Antarctic Circle. In reference to Australia, the eastern half of Antarctica ranges from a close 3,800km south of mainland Australia with Mawson Station located further west. Due to its location, early expeditions to Antarctica were usually carried out on boat with a stop at islands along the way i.e. Macquarie Island- now one of the four main Australian research bases in Australian Territory of the Antarctic Peninsula. Australia controls the largest part of Antarctica (43%) because of Sir Douglas Mawson’s expedition to Antarctica in 1929-31. During this expedition, Mawson and his team mapped majority of the Eastern coast, setting up camps along the way and eventually other Australian expeditions set up stations using these maps. Later when the Antarctic Treaty was established, this link with Antarctica and the fact that Australia was the first nation to map the eastern coast was considered, resulting in Australia’s claim to this area being granted, leaving them with majority of Antarctica. The governing of Antarctica is unique and very different from the rest of the world. It is governed by many nations that have all claimed parts of the continent for scientific research who all are guided and bound by â€Å"The Antarctic Treaty†. â€Å"The Antarctic Treaty† was designed and created by twelve original countries (there are now 38 countries) in 1961 to provide an agreement for the future care and use of Antarctica and to avoid territorial and other disputes. The Treaty encourages international co-operation in scientific research and in recognition of Antarctica being the last remaining â€Å"wilderness† on Earth, the ‘Madrid Protocol’ was established to help the conservation of the environment and peace on Antarctica. Elements of The Antarctic Treaty include: Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only (Art.1), Freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue (Art.2), Scientific observations and results from Ant arctica shall be exchanged and made freely available (Art. III). Lying at the south-most point on Earth, Antarctica is truly a unique continent, renowned for a very harsh climate and an environment that has caused both, humans and animals, to adapt to the extreme conditions. Despite minimum infrastructure, Antarctica houses various forms of extensive scientific research conducted at its numerous bases. Climate: Mawson’s climate is typical of much of the coast of East Antarctica where the ice caps are present at sea level. The climate of Mawson Station can be described and categorized into four main areas: rainfall, temperatures, wind speeds and direction and mean daily averages. One of the main features of Mawson’s climate are the extremely cold daily maximums and minimums present there through most of the year. The mean maximum temperature ranges from its hottest at about 2.60C in January to the lowest daily maximum-15.60C in the peak of winter (July, August, September). The annual mean for the daily maximum is -8.40C, around the same as the mean in March and October. The mean daily minimums are not vey different to the daily maximums, a contrast compared to most parts of the world where the daily minimum and maximum have a greater difference. The mean daily minimum is at its highest in the month of January at -2.60C, dropping down considerably in March by almost 110C to -13.30C, marginally warmer than the annual minimum average of -14.3. Similar to the mean daily maximums, the mean minimums are at their lowest in winter, leaving a gap/difference of about 60C between the two (maximum and minimum). Although the mean temperatures around Mawson are mostly in the negatives, they are still a lot warmer and pleasant than those experienced in majority of Antarctica’s inland as the station lies near the coast and at a lower altitude of about 1,200m compared to the inland where altitudes rise up to almost 3,00m above sea level. Another characteristic of Mawson’s climate is the incredible winds experienced at Mawson and their high speeds. Winds around Mawson blow predominantly from the east and south, heading in a northwest direction. The mean annual wind speed is almost 40 km/h at 3pm, with some extreme speeds go past 120km/h during the year in peak winter (3pm). The maximum gust speeds exceed 140 knots frequently with the highest recorded wind gust ever in the area reaching an amazing 248.4km/h early in the morning. Wind speed are generally stronger during the winters, rising up to an average of 44km/h in August at 3pm compared to an average of 27-28km/h in December/January. Most precipitation falls as snow in Antarctica with no significant rainfall recorded near Mawson Station. As a result of Antarctica receiving less than 50mm of rainfall per year, the Antarctic region is classified as a desert-the coldest and driest desert in the world. Snowfall occurs regularly throughout the year-mainly during late summer when the snow is still able to fall without freezing. Although this snowfall is not very significant, it still has an impact on the climate around Mawson Station. The lowest temperatures at Mawson vary greatly as the seasons change. During the seasons of autumn and spring, the lowest ever recorded temperatures for each month (during these two seasons) have been very similar. The lowest temperatures of March, April and May all range within the late twenties to early thirties, almost identical to those of September, October and early November. Where as, the lowest ever temperatures in winter and summer are in great contrast, as the lowest during summer goes down to a less extreme -17.30C in February compared to freezing -360C in August. The reason for Antarctica’s very cold climate and its frequent change of size is the concept of the Earth’s revolution. The Earth is constantly rotating around an axis that runs through the north and South Pole at an angle of incidence (leaving the Earth always at a tilt of 23.50), completing one rotation every 24 hours. The Earths rotation is the reason that day and night are experienced, as when a part of the world is facing towards the Sun, it would be day, and when it rotates around to be away from the Sun, it becomes night. While the Earth is rotating on its axis (completing a rotation every 24 hours), it is in constant revolution around the Sun (completing a revolution every 365 days). As the Earth is always tilted the same way, the stage at which the Earth is at during its revolution determines the concentration and strength of the rays hitting the particular area. For example, if it is December 21 in the southern hemisphere the angle of incidence will have this part of the Earth closer to the Sun/tilted towards it causing the Sun’s ray to be concentrated at a smaller area and thus being stronger and creating more heat. This is because; during summer the Sun is directly above the Earth due to the tilt. As the equator is in no hemisphere, the angle of the rays is the same throughout the year, creating the same season for 365 days. Where as, the poles, which are located at top of the northern hemisphere and bottom of the southern hemisphere, have two completely different seasons. During summer they rotate around the axis but are always facing towards the Sun, thus having sunlight for almost 24 hours per day. However, during winter, the poles- in this case the south pole- is tilted away from the Sun and when rotating on the tilted axis, it remains away from Sun for most of the time, thus having no sunlight. This process/revolution continues for the whole year, in which the South Pole has experienced both summer and winter. Because of this reason and that it is located around the South Pole, Antarctica experiences these extreme amounts of daylight and darkness. As a result of these extreme seasons, a huge amount of sea ice is formed during winter, as the temperature gets extremely cold, quickly melting as summer approaches and the temperature rises above freezing point. If Antarctica were located near the equator, this effect would not occur as firstly, the temperatures would not be as low because the suns ray’s are stronger there because of the angle of incidence, but also the change in seasons would not be as extreme with the hours of daylight barely varying throughout the year. Mawson Station: Location: Mawson is a particularly favourable location for a station, with excellent access to the hinterland/open inland areas and surrounding coastal waters. It is also located near a harbour sheltered from the main body of the ocean and with a large depth and mouth not too narrow, during the ice-free period usually experienced in February, a ship may anchor within 100 metres of the station. Barges carrying the cargo would take only a few minutes to travel from the ship to station as it is located right on the shore. There is also a â€Å"magnetic quiet area† for research and tests requiring very little magnetic interference. The Station: The base at Mawson has a very simplistic layout. It consists of many buildings in a spread out area (as shown in the image on the right) each for different purposes with the science related buildings located closer to the shore. Everyone lives in the main accommodation building (the Red Shed; located the furthest from the shore), in modern air-conditioned single-room bedrooms. The Red Shed also houses the surgery, lounge, kitchen, and dining room. The Red Shed at Mawson base has indoor climbing, a home theatre, photographic dark room, a library and several common sitting areas for passing time during the winters. As it is a multi-recreation and living building, neither scientists nor other workers conduct their research there but expeditioners use it for day-to-day work. The green store is another one of the buildings that dominate the skyline at Mawson. It is located in front of (closer to the harbour) the Red Shed and is where all the dry food and most frozen food are stored. The clothing store, field store and equipment spares are also located here. Inside is rock climbing wall and open space for games like volleyball. Similar to the Red Shed, the green store is used for day-to-day work rather than scientific research. The operation building (the yellow building near the green store) houses the Station Leader’s office, communications, the post office and the Bureau of Meteorology. It is the home for the work of the telecommunication technicians, station leaders and many electricians. The Main Power House (the blue building near the shore) is where all the electricity for the station is generated and is where many more of the electricians, technicians and mechanics work. Waste heat from the generators is piped around the station and used to heat the buildings. The trades’ workshop (known as Red Dwarf), located near the main power building, houses all the offices and work area for the trades such as the Diesel mechanics, plumbers and electricians. The waste management building is responsible for processing all sewerage and non-toxic liquid waste. It is located a bit away from the main part of the station with very few workers. The cosmic ray observatory (located near the airstrip and shore) contains telescopes that detect and measure cosmic rays coming from outside our solar system. It has a shaft going down in the rock to a vault to a second set of telescopes and also some seismic detection equipment. It is home for scientists working in the field of seismology, cosmic ray physics, meteorology and atmospheric physics. The Anaresat dome (next to the Red Shed) is the home to technicians in the field of telecommunications and scientists in the field of Cosmic Ray physics. The general science building (where the biologists and geophysicists work) is located behind the green store. The Aeronomy (home to atmospheric space physics and climate change studies) is where majority of the atmospheric physicists work and the white building is located at the far corner, away from the shore. The carpenter’s workshop is where the carpenters do majority of their work. The building is located near the middle of the station, standing out with its brightly coloured doors. The Magnetic Variometer hut- a special building that houses sensors that measure and record the changes in the Earth’s magnetic field- and the magnetic absolutes hut are located next to each other behind the waste disposal hut, write on top of a magnetically quiet area. At Mawson Station, there is also a emergency vehicle shelter where all the fire fighting equipment is stored, a high frequency radio-transmitter hut, one aircraft hanger, three helipads (used infrequently), numerous inflatable rubber boat sheds, the wharf (where cargo is loaded and unloaded), a Sun recorder building and two fuel farms all spread out around the station. Most of these buildings are located in a cluster together with few in a different location due to restriction and needs i.e. magnetically quiet areas. The scientific programs undertaken in and around Mawson include: * Middle and upper atmosphere physics. * Cosmic ray physics and meteorology. * Geomagnetism and seismology. * Biology and medicinal studies. * Automated upper atmospheric sciences. * Climate change studies. Although one of the harshest environments on the planet, Antarctica is also one of the most vulnerable and is rapidly being effected as a result of human behavior. There have been many effects on the environment and wildlife in Antarctica caused by humans- mainly tourists that come and go- and their activities. Humans travelling to and from Antarctica (tourists and scientists) are the cause of many impacts on the environment as their trips involve the ships, accommodation, vehicles and other amenities which all can have an impact on the environment. One of the major impacts humans are having on Antarctica’s wildlife, is that the usual feeding and huddling grounds for penguins and other animals are being disturbed and in some cases, destroyed, taking away the habitat and vegetation needed for them to survive. This is a result of many tourists and scientists using areas- that are important to wildlife- for their own needs and desires (i.e. camps, research facilities), leaving the wildlife to find new homes and adapt to conditions sometimes not suitable for their needs (i.e. not close enough to the water, not large enough or not the right climate). The mode of transport taken by most visitors, boats, is harming the marine life and destroying parts of their environment. Various shapes and sizes of boats are cutting through the Southern Ocean and arriving in harbours where the marine life and depth is quite shallow. In some occasions, fuel tanks are being scraped, creating a minor leak in them that, over a period of time anchored at the harbour, releases tonnes of fuel and other toxic chemicals, scarring the marine life. As a result of this and to prevent further release of toxic chemicals, The Australian government and the ADD have banned large ships or boats with old systems and engines from entering Antarctic waters, reducing the possibility of harm to marine life. As for the problem of destruction to wildlife habitats, the ADD has developed laws that prohibit the use of wildlife-important areas for human use. As a result of this, scientists and visitors are banned from using areas with high importance to animal activity (i.e. breeding grounds and huddling areas) and instead forcing them to work in already human-developed areas like stations. Another impact that humans are having on Antarctica’s environment is the increasing amount of environmental pollution being released in forms of excess waste being dispersed into the oceans and environment in the form of litter. Due to an increasing number of people in Antarctica every year, tonnes of extra waste are being produced and dumped everywhere, releasing toxic chemicals which can become concentrated in the bodies of local wildlife, such as seals, penguins and whales, harming them in the long term. The issue of excess waste polluting the environment is also a result of original waste management strategies not being adequate or designed for a situation like this where the amount of humans present in Antarctica is much more than forecasted. Until relatively recently, waste disposal management in Antarctica was similar to elsewhere in the world with open tips, land fills and the burning or discharging of most sewage into the sea, as well as the practice of ‘sea-icing’ – dumping rubbish onto the sea ice during winter to float away and sink during the summer, with the areas around stations being contaminated from oil and chemical spills. Now, after new laws protecting the environment of Antarctica, waste is being split into many categories, each with a different strategy to stop the release of it into the environment. Hazardous materials such as polystyrene beads and radioactive materials are prohibited from entry into Antarctica; most other wastes are to be incinerated in a two-stage high incinerator with the resultant ash returned to Australia, metals, plastics, paper, cardboard and glass are separated and returned to Australia for recycling and the installation biological sewage treatment plants are all strategies that the Government of Australia are using to prevent pollution- as a result of excess waste- into the Antarctic environment. Adaptations to the Antarctic Environment: Human Adaptation: Comparisons Between Mawson’s Expedition and Today Mawson Today Transport * Wooden sleds pulled by dogs- not very stable and efficient. * Large wooden boats and ships with sail and masks. * Feet- walking around and pulling sleds with back. * Wooden, mechanic carts for transporting things around bases. * Used the ship Aurora Australis when it was fist made in 1950s. * Small planes that can land on large strips of ice. * Helicopters for shorter distances or rescues. * Small cruise ships with navigation, etc. * Off road vehicles for driving around the station. * Emergency vehicle shelter for vehicles used in emergencies. * The inflatable rubber boats for summer months when ice has blown out. Equipment * Wooden shovels, a compass and mostly non-automated equipment. * Signals to communicate and fire for heat-no phones or electrical heat. * Basic survival equipment- a limited amount taken on expeditions- food, necessaries, etc. * Basic tents prone to being destroyed in strong winds-not completely water tight. * Some metallic, some wooden tools to dig, cut and carry items in. * Telecommunication and navigation ways like phones, GPS’s and full-proof maps. * Waterproof tents with firmness to withstand strong winds. * Metal tools to dig, cut, gather water and cook meals. Good quality equipment. * Normal da to day equipment like boxes to keep samples in. Clothing * Several layers of basic warm clothing-no proper insulation-weighed more than modern clothing. * Gloves, fabric headgear (beanie like0 covering most of face with no proper insulation for the nose. * Insulated clothing with minimum weight. * Brightly coloured clothing to stand out and be easily spotted. * Clothing that can get wet and dries quicker than most. * Gloves, beanies, and nose protection with maximum insulation. Humans have adapted to the Antarctic climate with the use of new technology, more user-friendly equipment like automatic vehicles rather than human –pulled sleds and clothing that not only protects expeditioners from the cold with better results than clothing used in Mawson’s expedition, but at the same time is also comfortable to wear, allowing activities to be completed with ease. Todays transport in Antarctica- off-vehicles, portable rubber boats and small aircrafts- are all much more efficient than those used in Mawson’s expedition- human or dog pulled sleds and wooden carts. They require less human strength and energy that can instead be used in conserving body heat, are a lot less time consuming allowing more work to be completed or a greater distance covered in an expedition and most of all, the new forms of transport are much more reliable with a less risk of breaking down or failing in the middle of an expedition. Another adaption humans have made to help battle the Antarctic climate is their improved clothing that has better insulation, conserving more heat. This clothing has made humans feel as if they are feeling the same temperature as in other cold places around the world with very little extra weight on themselves. They have also been able to carry tools around on expeditions that can dig, cut and build with greater ease than those of Mawson’s expedition. This adaption has allowed humans to not be prevented and stopped by physical barriers on Antarctica and instead overcome them, using stronger tools like those used around the world. Animal Adaptation: Every environment is subject to changes that vary from season to season and from year to year. Even in Antarctica where it is always cold the variations can be quite marked. For example, the number and intensity of storms and blizzards can vary from year to year as can the time at which the sea-ice forms in autumn or breaks out in summer. These environmental changes are likely to have an influence on the animals that live there. Nature has provided the emperor penguin with a need to adapt to the extreme conditions of Antarctica. Standing 1.2m tall, over time the largest penguin has developed many physical and behavioral adaptations that leave it as a truly amazing bird, which not only easily survive the Antarctic winters, but also are also capable of doing almost anything during the time. Emperor Penguins have excellent insulation against the cold in the form of several layers of scale-like feathers that take very strong winds (over 60 knots) to get them ruffled. They have a very small bill and flippers, which conserve heat and are not as exposed to the temperatures due to their size. Their nasal chambers also recover much of the heat that is normally lost during exhalation. They also possess strong claws in their feet for gripping the ice and slippery surfaces, allowing them to waddle instead of sliding around on their bellies all the time. Another special physical adaptation of the emperor penguin is the ability to ‘recycle’ its own body heat. The emperor’s arteries and veins lie close together so that blood is pre-cooled on the way to the bird’s feet, wings and bill and warmed on the way back to the heart. Emperor penguins have large reserves of energy-giving body fat to use during low-level activities during winter. The emperor penguin also possesses many behavioral advantages to survive in the climate of Antarctica. They are very social creatures, and one of their survival mechanisms is an urge to huddle together to keep warm. To keep warm, the males close ranks to share their warmth. Even though Emperors are large birds and when carrying their incubation fat, they are about as large around the chest as a human, they still huddle on very cold days, with as many as ten packed into every square metre, cutting heat loss by as much as 50%. This huddling instinct means that they do not defend any territory (the emperor penguin is the only species of penguin that is not territorial) and instead radiate heat and keep warm together. Another behavioral technique used by the emperor penguin to survive the conditions in Antarctica is their ability to mate and reproduce during winter rather than in summer and take care of their eggs. Like most penguins, emperor parents closely share parental duties. What is unique about emperors however, is the co-operation between males while carrying out their parenting duties. Once the egg has been laid during winter, the male emperor puts the egg under his brood flap to keep it warm at about 380C so that the egg can eventually hatch instead of dying inside. During this period of a few months, the male does not eat anything and instead closes together with the others to stay warm himself and to keep the egg warm while the mother goes off to find food. When she comes back after winter is almost done, the chick, which would have hatched around the time, is fed and looked after until December at which stage, they are almost the same size as their parents. Because of this cycle formed by the emperor penguins and the ability to breed during winter, the young are hatched and brought up during the early summer instead of peak winter, giving them a higher chance of survival. Conclusion: From the harsh and extreme climate to the rocky and wildlife-populated shores, the continent of Antarctica is unique in almost every way. Larger than two continents combined, covering the South Pole and the driest of the deserts every seen, along with the majestic ice sculptures found nowhere else on the planet, Antarctica draws hundreds of tourists every year to experience these wonders from the welcoming surroundings of world renowned stations established by expedition leaders like Sir Douglas Mawson. No doubt, both humans and animals have had to adapt to the frantically changing climate, but now that they have, they too are enjoying the beauty of Antarctica. References A Livingston Technologies Production. (2012, February ). Design Your Logo. Retrieved April 6, 2013, from Cool Text: http://cooltext.com/Logo-Design-Bad-Acid Australian Government. (2002, June 04). Aurora Australis. Retrieved April 15, 2013, from Australian Antarctic Division : http://www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/travel-and-logistics/ships/aurora-australis Australian Government. (2002, June 5). Mawson. Retrieved April 9, 2013, from Australian Antarctic Division : http://www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/stations/mawson Ford, A. B. (2013, February). Antarctica. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from Encyclopaedia Britannica: http://school.eb.com.au/eb/article-24711?query=Mawson%20Station&ct= Gaidos, S. (2009, February 2). Antarctica warms, which threatens penguins. (Science News For Kids) Retrieved April 10, 2013, from Earth: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2009/02/antarctica-warms-which-threatens-penguins-2/ Harrowfield, D. (1997). Living and Working in Antarctica. (University of Canterbury – Christchurch, New Zealand) Retrieved April 9, 2013, from Gateway Antarctica: http://www.anta.canterbury.ac.nz/resources/living.html Judge, A. (2010). Antarctica Discovery (Vol. 1). Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Pearson Australia. Maugans Corporation . (2012, July). Antarctica. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from Destop Nexus: http://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/117302/ Oxford University Press. (2010). Mawson Station. Retrieved April 6, 2013, from Oxford Atlas: http://203.166.81.53/secondary/NewOxfordAtlas/VFW/MAWSON/activity.html Royal Geographical Society. (2011). Making Claims. Retrieved April 11, 2013, from Discovering Antarctica: http://www.discoveringantarctica.org.uk/9_claims.php Ward, P. (2001). Antarctica Climate and Weather. Retrieved April 12, 2013, from Cool Antarctica: http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/antarctica%20environment/climate_graph/climate_weather.htm Wienecke, B. (2011, March). Emperor Penguin. Retrieved April 12, 2013, from Sisters School District: http://ssdstudent.net/SMS/2010_11/spro/penguins.htm Appendix Oxford Atlas Virtual Fieldwork 1. Mawson station- an Australian scientific research base named after Sir Douglas Mawson- is located on the eastern side of Antarctica currently claimed by Australia at 670S 620E and south of the Antarctic Circle. Mawson is situated along an isolated outcrop of rock on the coast in Mac.Robertson Land and the south eastern shore of Horseshoe Harbour. Although usually considered closer to Hobart than any other Australian city, Mawson Station is actually situated about 5,475km from Hobart, further than the 5223km southwest of Perth. Relative to Australia’s main cities, Mawson Station lies far to the west of them, falling between South Africa’s Cape Town and Perth in the Southern Ocean. Australia owns and maintains three permanent scientific research bases all located within Australia’s main Antarctic region and one on Macquarie Island in the sub-Antarctic. The three stations are evenly distributed along the coast of Antarctica with Mawson being the most westerly of the three continental stations and the first one built and established. Davis is the most southerly of the stations and is situated SSW of Perth, on the Ingrid Christensen Coast of Princess Elizabeth Land and between the other two. Casey is located in the Windmill Islands, just outside the Antarctic Circle and the only one of three located outside the Antarctic Circle. 2. Mawson’s climate is typical of much of the coast of East Antarctica where the ice caps are present at sea level. The main features of Mawson’s climate are the extremely cold temperatures present there through most of the year. The mean maximum temperature ranges from about 2.50C in January to -15.50C in the peak of winter (July, August, September). Although temperatures around Mawson are mostly in the negatives, they are still a lot warmer and pleasant than those experienced in majority of Antarctica’s inland as the station lies near the coast and at a lower altitude. Winds around Mawson are predominantly from the east and south with the mean annual speed being almost 40 km/h while extreme speeds go past 120km/h in peak winter and maximum gust speeds exceed 140 knots frequently. As it lies south of the Antarctic Circle, the Sun does not rise at Mawson for approximately six weeks from the first week in June and does not set for the same period from early December. During those six weeks in June and July, the day consists of a few hours of twilight. 3. The Aurora Australis is Australia’s Antarctic flagship and was named after the aurora emitted around Antarctica. Designed as a multi-purpose research and resupply ship, the Aurora was built for the Australia Antarctic Program by P&O Polar and launched in September 1989. The ship is 94.9 metres long and 3911 tonnes in weight. It has a cruising speed of 13 knots, and accommodates 116 passengers plus crew. It is capable of breaking ice up to 1.23 metres thick. The Aurora regularly sails across the Southern Ocean where storms can generate 10 metre high seas and winds of 120–150 km/h. The Aurora Australis, designed specifically for trips to and from Antarctica, has many features for this instance. Six of these features are: * Installed in the ship are ways for satellite communications (not present on mainland Antarctica), allowing people on the ship to phone anywhere in the world at any time or stay in touch by email. * The ship’s kitchen can go through 4500 eggs, 1000 kg of potatoes and 280 litres of ice cream. The ship can produce up to 45,000 litres of fresh water per day for use on board for both drinking and other uses. As the trip to Antarctica and back can easily take up to six weeks, a large kitchen and food supply are extremely necessary. * The ship’s colour, bright orange, is painted all around it so that it can stand out in the ocean and making it easier to spot for rescue teams. * Three helicopters can be housed in the hangar and operate from the dedicated helicopter deck at the rear of the ship. They can go to and from the ship ahead to Antarctica or rush back to Australia in an emergency via the ship to refuel. * The ship is well equipped for marine science research with a commercial sized trawl deck, and a commercial hydro acoustic system for the assessment of Southern Ocean organisms such as krill. It also has a general-purpose lab for processing net samples, a hydrographic lab, fish freezer, meteorological lab, five multi-purpose laboratories, a photographic dark room and a scientific workroom. * The Aurora Australis is painted a very bright orange, thus allowing it to be easily seen and spotted in ice-spread waters. 4. Mawson base was first established on 13 February 1954, when an expedition led by Dr Phillip Law landed on the shore of Horseshoe Harbour (located on the coast of Mac Robertson Land), naming the new station in honour of Australia’s greatest polar explorer, Sir Douglas Mawson. Law had chosen this place to establish the station after viewing photographs of Mac Robertson Land from the expeditions of 1929-1931 led by Sir Douglas Mawson and 1946-47 by an aircraft from an American expedition. He chose the location because of its key locality near the coast, the large natural harbour (Horseshoe Harbour), a major hotspot for wildlife to conduct scientific research on and the permanently exposed rock present there for building, requiring very little to be shipped over. During the first year, living quarters, a works hut, the engine shed, two store huts and a carpenter’s shop were built and by 1966, the number of buildings had increase to fifty including the construction of the first aircraft hanger in Antarctica. Mawson’s location lies on the coast with Horseshoe Harbour spread around it. At the southern end of the station, (Horseshoe Harbour), ice sheets cover the waters surface near the shore, leading out into the Southern Ocean. The Mawson region is one of the richest areas for seabirds in the Australian Antarctic Territory, and supports living colonies of emperor and Adelie penguins, petrels and seals. The base at Mawson has very comfortable living conditions. It consists of many buildings in an area (as shown in the image on the right) each for different purposes. Everyone lives in the main accommodation building (the Red Shed), in modern air-conditioned single-room bedrooms. The Red Shed also houses the surgery, lounge, kitchen, and dining room. The Red Shed at Mawson base has indoor climbing, a home theatre, photographic dark room, a library and several common sitting areas for passing time during the winters. The green store is one of the buildings that dominate the skyline at Mawson. It is also where all the dry food and most frozen food are stored. The clothing store, field store and equipment spares are also located here. Inside is another rock climbing wall and open space for games like volleyball. The operation building houses the Station Leader’s office, communications, the post office and the Bureau of Meteorology. The Main Power House is where all the electricity for the station is generated. Waste heat from the generators is piped around the station and used to heat the buildings. The trades’ workshop (known as Red Dwarf) houses all the offices and work area for the trades such as the Diesel mechanics, plumbers and electricians. At Mawson Station, there is also a waste management building, emergency vehicle shelter where all the fire fighting equipment is stored, a high frequency radio-transmitter hut, one aircraft hanger, three helipads (used infrequently), a cosmic ray observatory, The Anaresat dome (a large satellite dish), numerous inflatable rubber boats, the general science building (where the biologists and geophysicists work), the Aeronomy (home to atmospheric space physics), the carpenter’s workshop, Magnetic Variometer hut- a special building that houses sensors that measure and record the changes in the earths magnetic field, magnetic absolutes hut, the wharf (where cargo is loaded and unloaded), the Sun recorder building and two fuel farms. Facilities At Mawson Station Transport Scientific Other Amenities * The emergency vehicle shelter with fire-fighting equipment and other vehicles. * The three helipads and one aircraft hanger and airstrip (currently out of use). * The post office and the high frequency radio transmitter hut for communication. * The inflatable rubber boats for summer months when ice has blown out. * The wharf (the cargo dock). * The cosmic ray observatory and the Bureau Of Meteorology. * The Anaresat dome with the large satellite dish. * The photographic dark room and the library inside the Red Shed. * The general science building where majority of the science is conducted. * The Aeronomy- atmospheric space physics. * The Magnetic Variometer Hut. * The magnetic absolutes hut. * A Sun recorder building. * The Red shed’s living quarters, surgery, lounge, kitchen, dining, theatre and recreation rooms. * The facilities in the Green Store: frozen food storage, clothes store, equipment spares, field store and rock climbing wall. * The waste management building, offices and the main powerhouse. * The gym building (formerly a general room). 5. The four main priority programs undertaken by Australian research scientists in Antarctica are: * Climate processes and change. * Terrestrial and Near-shore Ecosystems: Environmental Change and Conservation. * Southern Ocean Ecosystems: Environmental Change and Conservation. * Frontier Science Climate processes and change: Climate Processes and Change investigates the role of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the global climate system. Its main focus and importance is to address uncertainties identified in â€Å"The Fourth Assessment (2007)† report, which highlights the lack of climate data around the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. It also investigates the role of the region in slowing climate change and the future behavior of the ice. Terrestrial and Near-shore Ecosystems: This program investigates the effects of environmental change on Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. This program provides the scientific basis to guide and develop enhanced environmental protection for these ecosystems. Southern Ocean Ecosystems: the Southern Ocean is facing many threats to its marine life and ecosystems as a result of physical and biological changes that are being caused because of fishing, climate change and acidification. Scientific research under this theme is helping scientists understand the impact of global change on Southern Ocean ecosystems, the effective conservation of Antarctic and Southern Ocean wildlife and the sustainable, ecosystem-based management of Southern Ocean fisheries. Frontier Science: The focus of Frontier Science is to encourage and support research that falls outside the priorities of the other research departments along with focusing in the environmental science in the other categories. It is basically about learning about sciences beside climate change and the causes and effects of them. 6. If you were travelling to a penguin colony 90 kilometres away from Mawson Station, you would most likely travel by a small plane or helicopter capable of landing without requiring a constructed airstrip or helipad. These to options would be far better than by land as conditions along the way could potentially halt your journey-leaving you stranded without support or rescue, it would take a lot longer and a lot more supplies and clothing would be required. Adequate clothing would be required to battle the cold temperatures especially during winter. You would carry and wear a thermal, a suit that constrains heat, thick gloves, headwear that covers majority of your face as well, long insulated pants, thick jackets and other items of clothing usually warn also in Northern Russia and Canada. 7. The area of Antarctica is almost double the size in September than in March as a result of sea ice freezing during the winter (September) and melting during the summer (March). Over a 12-month period, the sea ice begins to melt and the size of Antarctica begins to decrease towards the end of September. It continues to do so until March, when it is almost half the size. Once again, when winter begins around the beginning of April, the sea ice begins to gradually freeze; increasing the area of Antarctica every month until September before the cycle begins again. Scientists use a variety of technology to research these changes. They use drones and satellites to examine the area and measure the increase of size. The satellites map out the area and give an aerial view for scientists to examine and interpret. They examine the oceans, atmosphere and climate patterns to describe and prove how the change occurs. An ice core is a core sample that is typically removed from an ice sheets, most commonly from the polar ice caps or high mountain glaciers. As the ice forms from the incremental build up of annual layers of snow, lower layers are older than upper, and an ice core contains ice formed over a range of years. The properties of the ice and the recrystallized inclusions within the ice can then be used to reconstruct a climatic record based around the age range of the core, normally through analyzing their elements. This enables the reconstruction of local temperature records and the history of atmospheric composition as they contain information about the past climate. 8. Over time the emperor has developed many physical and behavioral adaptations that leave it as a truly amazing bird, which not only can survive the Antarctic winters, but also are capable of doing almost anything during the time. Unlike other animals that have inhabited Antarctica, emperor penguins spend time on both land and water throughout the year, being able to do what they like without the fear of fearful predators and possibly not surviving through the winter. Emperor Penguins have excellent insulation against the cold in the form of several layers of scale-like feathers that take very strong winds (over 60 knots) to get them ruffled. They have a very small bill and flippers, which conserve heat and are not as exposed to the temperatures due to their size. Their nasal chambers also recover much of the heat that is normally lost during exhalation. They also possess strong claws in their feet for gripping the ice and slippery surfaces, allowing them to waddle instead of sliding around on their bellies all the time. Another special physical adaptation of the emperor penguin is the ability to ‘recycle’ its own body heat. The emperor’s arteries and veins lie close together so that blood is pre-cooled on the way to the bird’s feet, wings and bill and warmed on the way back to the heart. Emperor penguins have large reserves of energy-giving body fat to use during low-level activities during winter. The emperor penguin also possesses many behavioral advantages to survive in the climate of Antarctica. They are very social creatures, and one of their survival mechanisms is an urge to huddle together to keep warm. To keep warm, the males close ranks to share their warmth. Even though Emperors are large birds and when carrying their incubation fat, they are about as large around the chest as a human, they still huddle on very cold days, with as many as ten packed into every square metre, cutting heat loss by as much as 50%. This huddling instinct means that they do not defend any territory (the emperor penguin is the only species of penguin that is not territorial) and instead radiate heat and keep warm together. Another behavioral technique used by the emperor penguin to survive the conditions in Antarctica is their ability to mate and reproduce during winter rather than in summer and take care of their eggs. Like most penguins, emperor parents closely share parental duties. What is unique about emperors however, is the co-operation between males while carrying out their parenting duties. Once the egg has been laid during winter, the male emperor puts the egg under his brood flap to keep it warm at about 380C so that the egg can eventually hatch instead of dying inside. During this period of a few months, the male does not eat anything and instead closes together with the others to stay warm himself and to keep the egg warm while the mother goes off to find food. When she comes back after winter is almost done, the chick, which would have hatched around the time, is fed and looked after until December at which stage, they are almost the same size as their parents. Because of this cycle formed by the emperor penguins and the ability to breed during winter, the young are hatched and brought up during the early summer instead of peak winter, giving them a higher chance of survival. Scientists are continuously researching and discovering new behavioral and physical facts about the emperor penguin. They capture the penguins for a while to examine them, using state of the art technology undertaken by biologists both on Antarctica and back in Australia. Some of the research includes: learning about the emperor’s breeding habits, physical body, behavior habits and they are adapting to the changing climate. 9. Tourist travel to Antarctica for a wide range of reasons including an opportunity to experience and view the unique environment with incredible icebergs, auroras, ice arches and wildlife only seen and present there. Tourists usually make the boat trip to Antarctica during the summer between October and February as the climate is at its best, the pack ice is at its lowest, the Sun is high in the sky for most of the day and wildlife is most active at the time, wondering out into the open. A typical journey taken by a tourist to Antarctica usually begins in either: Ushuaia (Argentina), Hobart (Australia), Cape Town (South Africa) or Christchurch (New Zealand) with most choosing the first two. A large boat or small ship is taken from one of these locations, before a long few weeks spent on the waters in more than adequate living conditions. During the journey, tourists can take part in many activities normally present on basic ocean cruises. These include activities like swimming, movies, dining, whale watching, witnessing sights found nowhere else on Earth and other activities to pass time. Once arriving at a station in Antarctica, tourists spend their time on the continent in and around the station, undertaking numerous activities ranging from casual indoor activities like rock climbing, viewing scientific programs and spending time in the library to outdoor activities like watching the penguins, taking a sea kayak to get a close up on sea birds and whales, trekking past and up majestic mountains, scuba diving, walking on the ice and exploring historic huts left behind by various expeditions. There are many impacts on the environment and wildlife in Antarctica caused mainly by the tourists that come and go. The tourism industry to Antarctica involves much more than just the tourists as it involves the ships, accommodation, vehicles and other amenities required for the tourists. Because of this, the wildlife is having a major impact with usual feeding and huddling grounds for penguins being disturbed ad in some cases destroyed along with other places for other species like the rocks being used for construction, taking away the habitat of the seals. Tourists also have an impact on the environment like they do all around the world with specific places being developed especially for them. Parts of Mawson Station has been developed and built recently just for tourists, destroying parts of the natural environment as many of the materials like rocks come from Antarctica instead of being shipped over. The transport in which tourists arrive, boats, also have effect the waters as oil spills- regular due to the ice- pollute the waters harming the whales and other marine life. As a result of this, large ships have been prohibited from the waters around Antarctica as they not only pollute the water, but also disturb and crack the ice. Waste management is another problem occurring at Mawson Station with tonnes of waste accumulating on the continent, creating a major headache for workers to clean up before it’s the toxic chemicals start having an impact on the environment.   

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’ Connor Essay

While the concept of grace seems like the last theme in this story of murder and selfishness, it is actually represented quite frequently and as a big part of the story line. â€Å"A Good Man is hard to Find† focuses mainly on the personalities and traits of the two main characters, grandma and The Misfit. These two seem like complete opposites, which creates for a very intriguing comparison when it comes to their intelligence and capacity for grace in this short story. The Misfit displays a clear superiority in intelligence through his behavior and actions. The Misfit also has an obvious capacity for grace that exceeds the grandmother by analyzing his thoughts and conversations with the grandmother. The readers can infer that some of the grandmother’s traits are being close-minded and selfish. She lies to her grandchildren, complains about how the present times cannot even compare to the superiority of the past, and manipulates her son. The grandmother displays no self-awareness and is not open to reality and the current world around her. During the conversation moments before the grandmother was shot, her words prove these previous points. She portrays obvious ignorance when she attempts to convince the Misfit that he would never do this and that killing a lady is wrong. It is like she knows him and knows how he thinks and clearly she does not. The grandmother believes he will do what she says just because of her values and what she thinks is right in this situation; Ignorance at its finest. While these points show the weakness of the grandmother, they also prove the superiority of the Misfits intelligence in comparison. All along the Misfit intends to kill the family. Although there may have been moments of grace,  the end result was inevitable. Because of the Misfit’s age, real-world experience, and physical build and the arms he carries, he has a clear one- up in intelligence in this situation. The grandmother is just pleading for her survival at this point, while the Misfit is in control. He bears a weapon that determines life or death in these very moments. The Misfit has a clear strategy for execution of the doomed family. First the parents and children are killed in the woods and the grandmother is saved for last. The Misfit has had to experience much more of the real world than has the family. He has had numerous tough times and obstacles to overcome, while the grandmother and her family have lived sheltered compared to him. Now, the grandmother is placed in a very real situation and does not know how to handle it successfully which gives the Misfit a clear advantage for control. All her life, the grandmother has placed herself higher than everyone else and is now forced to do the opposite and her life depends on it. This intense sign of weakness is foreign to the grandmother and is what ultimately gets her killed when placed against someone of higher intelligence. Capacity for grace is an ongoing theme represented in bother the Misfit and the grandmother. The Misfit shows more capacity for grace than does the grandmother. During the grandmother’s plead to keep her life, she is very consistent in her argument and stays true to her reasoning that she thinks he is a good man and that he would never kill a lady, basically putting words in his mouth and thoughts in his head. She does not back down from her beliefs and keeps trying to persuade him not to kill her, which is the only thing crossing her mind at that moment. During her argument, she talks about Jesus and his actions and even though the Misfit puts on a tough faà §ade, we find that later in the book, his values change from originally stating that â€Å"there is no pleasure in life but meanness,† transitioning to â€Å"there is no pleasure in life at all.† This shows a little mercy and capability of change in the Misfit that is not present in the grandmother whatsoever. These two characters were very unlikely recipients of any grace, but the Misfit showed more towards the grandmother by not shooting her instantly and changing his values drastically. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† shows the conflict between two extremely different characters which creates a very interesting comparison between them. The Misfit takes the lead in both intelligence and capacity for grace when put up against the grandmother. He is more educated in real world situations while she is ignorant and unaware; also the Misfit shows more willingness to change than does the grandmother from her old, close-minded ways. The Misfit is an unlikely candidate to fit these roles but his actions and thoughts prove otherwise throughout the story.

Manchester United Essay

We aim to increase our revenue and profitability by expanding our high growth businesses that leverage our global community and marketing infrastructure. The key elements of our strategy are: Expand our portfolio of global and regional sponsors: We are well positioned to continue to secure sponsorships with leading brands. Over the last few years, we have implemented a proactive approach to identifying, securing and supporting sponsors. In addition, we are focused on expanding a regional sponsorship model, segmenting new opportunities by product category and territory. As part of this strategy, we have opened an office in Asia and are in the process of opening an office in North America. These are in addition to our London and Manchester offices. Further develop our retail, merchandising, apparel & product licensing business: We will focus on growing this business on a global basis by increasing our product range and improving distribution through further development of our wholesale , retail and e-commerce channels. Manchester United branded retail locations have opened in Singapore, Macau, India and Thailand, and we plan to expand our global retail footprint over the next several years. In addition, we will also invest to expand our portfolio of product licensees to enhance the range of product offerings available to our followers. Exploit new media & mobile opportunities: The rapid shift of media consumption towards internet, mobile and social media platforms presents us with multiple growth opportunities and new revenue streams. Our digital media platforms, such as mobile sites, applications and social media, are expected to become one of the primary methods by which we engage and transact with our followers around the world. In addition to developing our own digital properties, we intend to leverage third party media platforms and other social media as a means of further engaging with our followers and creating a source of traffic for our digital media assets. Our new media & mobile offering s are in the early stages of development and present opportunities for future growth. Enhance the reach and distribution of our broadcasting rights: The value of live sports programming has grown dramatically in recent years due to changes in how television content is distributed and consumed. Specifically, television consumption has become more fragmented and audiences for traditional scheduled television programming have declined as consumer choice increased  with the emergence of multi-channel television, the development of technologies such as the digital video recorder and the emergence of digital viewing on the internet and mobile devices. The unpredictable outcomes of live sports ensures that individuals consume sports programming in real time and in full, resulting in higher audiences and increased interest from television broadcasters and advertisers. We are well positioned to benefit from the increased value and the growth in distribution associated with the Premier League, the Champions League and other competitions. Furthermore, MUTV, our global broadcasting platform, delivers Manchester United programming to 54 countries around the world. We plan to expand the distribution of MUTV by improving the quality of its content and its production capabilities. Diversify revenue and improve margins: We aim to increase the revenue and operating margins of our business as we further expand into our high growth commercial businesses, including sponsorship, retail, merchandising, licensing and new media & mobile. By increasing the emphasis on our commercial businesses, we will further diversify our revenue, enabling us to generate improved profitability. The five forces model of Michael Porter looks like the following if applied to Mu Ltd.: SUPPLIER POWER High diversity of suppliers Volume is important to supplier MU differentiates of inputs Inputs have a high impact on costs and differentiation Switching costs of firms in the industry are low There is a low Presence of substitute inputs BARRIERS TO ENTRY There is quite an easy access to inputs The is a government policy promoting quite free entry in case certain registration type of requirements are fulfilled There is economies of scale High capital requirements There are strong brand identity in the succer sector of the sports industry Switching costs are high Easy access to distribution Low expected retaliation THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES Low switching costs Buyers are not highly inclined to substitute Price-performance, to a certain level, has no influence on the preffered team Trade-off of substitutes DEGREE OF RIVALRY High exit barriers Low industry concentration High fixed costs/High value added Low industry growth Low product differences Low switching costs High brand identity High diversity of rivals BUYER POWER Bargaining leverage is neither high, neither low Buyer volume upon successful times are high Buyer information can be considered high Brand identity is strong Price sensitivity is not extremely high Product differentiation is very high Buyer concentration vs. industry is low Many substitutes are available Source: http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml Key Performance Indicators (KPI) The other, as mentioned before, is the KPI, or key performance indicators. As the Affiliated League Club lists, the KPI of a sports klubs must be the following( p.3,http://nemjfa.homestead.com/BUSINESSPLAN.pdf ): Sound business plan Stable administration, close communication between all levels of Club Management High quality coaches at both senior and underage levels High profile and acceptance within the community Strong Club presence in schools, both primary and secondary Sound oval management, high standard of club facilities Sound financial management, expenses kept in line with income base Development of Juniors, particularly local based players Manchester United Ltd. is a very professional company, and is in possession of these characteristics. It actually needs so, if it wants to achieve its declared goal, „to be the most successful teem in football† (http://ir.manutd.com/manutd/about/bustrat/). As to the last part of the question, identifying internal and external factors, please refer back to the Porter’s Five Forces Model above Major cost categories of the company, the drivers behind these costs, and the internal and external factors that influence costs the most There are three major cost categories, those related to the operation and development of the corporate Manchester United, the costs related to the operation and development of the sporting club, and other, related costs. The corporate costs include such costs as dept and maintance costs, and costs related to the commercial activities of the company. Examples of club related cost include the compensation of the players and staff, and purchase of new players and stuff. The other costs include, for instance infrastructural costs, such as the maintance and development cost of the stadium of MU, the „Old Trafford†. The drivers of the costs of Manchester United, and the internal and external factors that influence the cost structure and levels of these cost in all the three major categories can be observed in the second part of question 1, in the Porter’s Five Forces Model. What companies are comparable companies Other English football club corporations like Chelsea and Arsenal of London, Everton, and Liverpool. Companies operating football clubs are very dinstinct from companies of other industries, and the larger football clubs are probably very similar to each other in how they conduct their business, all having some income sources, tickets, clothing, that are the same. Method most appropriate to assess the value of the company, advantages and disadvantages of the relative and the DCF methods. If we are looking at the performance of the company, probably the profitability is the measure that should be used, because it measures the efficientcy of the financial performance of the company. DCF Method: Advantages: As DCF analysis is based on the assumptions of the CAPM, it is an analytically correct valuation method. In contrast to the Comparable Companies analysis, volatile market conditions do not have an impact on the results. DCF therefore is often used as an additional point of reference. Since the discount rate is usually derived from the WACC, the DCF takes account of the relative riskiness of the projected cash flow. Accounting rules do not influence this approach, as valuation is based on projected cash flow. growth period period of stable growth. Multiples appropriate for the comparison of the company with other comparative companies, what financial and non-financial measures should be a basis of compari Probably the best multiple to measure the success of a club is the games won to the sum of tied and lost games. This is important, because the more games a club can win, the more the corporate club can achieve in its merchadising, and the more sponsors it will be able to attract. This multiple would be considered to be a non-funancial measure. A financial measure applicable to football corporations would be profitability if the company, as it, though with limmitations, measures how efficiently the club is operating. Another financial measure would be the revenues per players in a complete season. Shortcomings: Since the terminal value often represents more than 50% of the entire DCF value it is therefore highly sensitive to the underlying assumptions, especially regarding the growth component in the terminal value and the discount rate. Using historical stock returns when estimating the beta depends heavily on the choice of the index. For volatile companies the beta is very high, resulting in a relatively high discount rate and a low net present value of cash flows. Estimating a â€Å"correct† value by applying the DCF approach therefore depends to a large extend on the expertise and industry knowledge of the person doing the valuation. Moreover, the DCF approach neither considers different management options nor future investment opportunities. It only works if cash flows are subject to little uncertainty and the company is managed by a static management team. It does not capture the â€Å"true† value if there are large initial losses, highly  volatile earnings or immense initial growth rates.† (WEITZEL, GELLINGS, BEIMBORN and KÃâ€"NIG, 2003, IS Valuation Methods- Insights from Capital Markets Theory and Practice –, p.5-6.) Relative method: Advantages: As the comparable companies method is based on public information, market moods and perceptions are reflected, since it measures the relative and not the intrinsic value. Relative valuation is based upon fewer assumptions and can be conducted faster than DCF valuation. Shortcomings: The simplicity of valuation by multiples is its deficiency [Benninga/Sarig 1997, 305]. Since no value determinants are analyzed, it is important to carefully select comparable firms. Also, outside variables like mergers and acquisitions in the respective sector can influence stock prices. Figures often fail to capture intangible assets, like quality of management. Hence, CC based valuation should provide a valuable â€Å"sanity check† to assure the validity of a DCF analysis, but it should not be the only valuation method used [Benninga/Sarig 1997, 305].† (WEITZEL, GELLINGS, BEIMBORN and KÃâ€"NIG, 2003, IS Valuation Methods- Insights from Capital Markets Theory and Practice –, p.7-8.) Limitations of applying the relative and the DCF methods to the evaluation of the company, what can be done to overcome this problem There are a number of limitations of applying the relative and the DCF methods to the evaluation of the company. For instance, purchasing new players and coaches cost a lot of money; it is not rare that that amount of money reaches one million euros. As it was seen in the above summary of the disadvantages of the DCF method. A possible solution to this problem, though not very humane, the cost of these players and coaches could be depreciated over the time frame of the contract involved, just as it is done in the case of new infrastructural expenditures. In the case of the Relative method, the problem is that the progression of the team in the national, that is in the Premier League, and in the international cups and championships, were much different both in the near past and will probably be in the future also. This increases the risk of the cyclicality of the business. This cyclicality can be much different in the case of the different corporate clubs, which makes the incomes and thus other results of the companies very difficult to  compare. Links for more information Porter five forces analysis – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Porter’s five forces is a framework for the industry analysis and business strategy development developed by Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979. It draws upon Industrial Organization (IO) economics to derive five forces that determi Performance indicator – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A performance indicator or key performance indicator (KPI) is a measure of performance. Such measures are commonly used to help an organization define and evaluate how successful it is, typically in terms of making progress towards its long-term Manchester United Official Web Site The official site with news, transfer rumours, online ticket sales, live match commentary, video highlights, player profiles, mobile content, wallpapers and more. Manchester united  Manchester United (ManU) is one of the leading football clubs in the world. ManU has won many titles in the football competition making the club to be the most successful football club in the world. The success of this club is contributed by the good management of Sir Alex Ferguson who has been the manager since 1986 when Ron Atkinson left (Official website, ManU). Introduction The football industry in UK has become popular because of the first successes in the industry, an attribute that made it a viable business. The main aim of this report is to analyze the SWOT and PEST analysis of Manchester United. From this analysis, it will be possible to identify both the internal and external strengths of the company. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis can be used to know the success factors of ManU as well as to identify the strategies to be overcome the club’s weaknesses. Moreover, SWOT analyses will enable the company to identify the opportunities to improve performance. SWOT analysis of Manchester United is presented below: Strengths The key strength of Manchester United is its well recognized brand all over  the world. ManU has achieved such good brand name by heavy advertisement through the internet, TV and magazines (Andrews, 2004). This massive advertisement has made the club to get various sponsors. This means that whenever the company raises any merchandise in the market, indicating their name and symbol, it will be identified by its funs all over the world. Strength of the club is the presence of a big fan base which has improved the financial stability of the club. This big fan base has made a very high purchase figure whenever the tickets are being sold. Furthermore, Manchester United has various distribution channels which enable it to deliver new products introduced into the market. Furthermore, these channels can be used by the Manchester United to obtained feedback from the market concerning their products and performances. Weaknesses From the website of the company, it shows that the major weakness is the products and product variety. It is evident that the company has been introducing many diverse products at different occasions. All these diverse products have been introduced from the jersey to credit cards indicating that the company has exploited the available sources of income within the company. This action needs to be researched as soon as possible so as to help the company to situate and analyze it products, adopt the use of effective instruments such as the Boston Matrix which will help the company to identify that the products are doing well in the market. Lastly, the club has been so affluent, and it is still operating on such a high level, there is a worrying within the management of the company that it will loose its origin, which has a diverse concentration of the club from football to the proceeds. Such moves might have a great effect to its fans because the fans come from all over the world. Oppor tunities Penetration of the Manchester United to the American market has been one of the major opportunities to the company. The company will in future structure its club by entering into coalition with the New York Yankees. The New York Yankees is one of the well-off teams in the world. This will assist the company by ensuring that exclusive distribution channels are established in the United States of America. Through this the company will be in a position to enter and present their products in a new market. Furthermore, the  Manchester United will be in a position to lead all the football clubs in the America, though there will be superior height of risks concerned. The managers believe that by entering a coalition with the Yankees, this threat will be reduced (CNN, 2010). Threats Manchester United operates under a great threat in this field because other big teams like Manchester City and Arsenal which are currently improving in their performances. These and other teams have become very big competitors to the club. Furthermore, the Manchester United FC has been facing internal threats to the team. There is a frequent change of leadership in the company making the club to be disunited. Nonetheless, this will affect the sale of merchandise. Lastly, the club is lacking enough finances for financing academies and junior football, so that they can train the best footballers to ensure smooth succession in the future. PEST Analysis of the Manchester United The club’s decision has been affected by macro-environmental factors such as the changes in taxes, new laws, demographic changes and the changes in government policy. The managers of Manchester United can classify these as the political, economical, social and technological factors. Political factors This comprises of the laws which govern the issues affecting the activities of the club. Currently the team is undergoing a problem of paying out its debts which amount to $1.5 billion, a figure which was misappropriated by the greedy owners. The fans of Manchester United from England are preparing to join their efforts to force legislators to consider pro-football legislation in parliament which will aim at fighting the total arrears which has not being paid because of corrupt owners who misuse the funds of the club. Such an action has exploited the loyalties of fans of Manchester United. Economical factors The club has boosted the economy through employment opportunities which have been created to the players and the officials. The positive effect of Manchester United FC is felt globally because they employ the best players globally. Secondly, this soccer club has been a catalyst in the regional development because of the positive financial flows which are generated by the supporters of the team across the world. Lastly, the club has a positive influence on the economy because its officials are thrown from all over the world. These officials spend an average of 15on basic needs such as food, drinks etc. in a single match. If the supporters are from foreign countries they bring in foreign currencies which will eventually boosts the Balance of Payments in the country Technology Technology has contributed positively to the foot ball games since the players are capable of playing at night due to the availability of electricity. Furthermore, technology has facilitated various people from different parts of the world to watch football irregardless of there locations. Technology has facilitated fans of the club to obtain information from the internet concerning the performances of the company. This has benefited those Manchester United fans to get updates incase they had missed to watch the game. Social Manchester United just like any other football team has united many people especially the funs of football. People have interacted all over the world because of football. People from different age groups normally watch football because it is either their favorite game or because they want to watch just for leisure. Football has become part of the society in the current world, everybody in the world talks of football, either English Premier League or the world cup championships. This is very important since it has affected the society in a positive way i.e. it can create employment in the region. For example, the world cup will be in South Africa this year. The South African government will collect a lot of revue in terms of taxation, sales of tickets and any other taxable stuff. This will have close relationship with the social cultural factors though indirectly (Masterman, 2009). Manchester United has contributed a lot in the context of the social cultural factors as it employs play ers from different parts of the world. They normal select stars from different leagues and employ them. From a research done by Masterman, Manchester is the leading club in the payment package they offer to its employees. Business strategy The team has carried research concerning their product development in the market. This is very important as it will help the team to improve their performance in their product in the present market before strategizing on how to enter the new market. Conclusion Manchester United is the leading team in the football industry and to maintain this position, they have to focus on the market and the needs of its clients and followers. The company has further improved on their product through carrying research; these improvements have brought success in the club and improve the support of the team. The board of directors has also done their best by employing the best players to represent the club. This will make the team to perform well in the field whenever they have a game. Furthermore, these directors ensure that the discipline is well maintained in the company because the fans and its competitors are closely watching what is going on in the company. Bibliography Andrews, D. L. (2004) Manchester United: a thematic study. Routledge: UK. Barthold, D. 2009. The Business of European Football. GRIN Verlag, (3). Pp 36-38 Masterman, G. 2009. Strategic Sports Event Management: Olympic Edition Hospitality, Leisureand Tourism Series. Butterworth-Heinemann, (2). Pp 65-67 Manchester United. 2008. The Official Manchester United Annual 2009 Official Manchester The Manchester United Football Club is one of the most popular football clubs in the world. This English football club has its base at Old Trafford Stadium, which is located in Trafford, Greater Manchester. Manchester United is the founder member of 1992 Premier League. Being the second most successful team in the entire history of English football, Manchester United Football Club has over 330 million fans globally. The club has been participating in the top division English football since 1938. The Manchester United Football Club is also popular by its nickname, â€Å"The Red Devils†. In November 1986 when Alex Ferguson became the manager of the Club, Manchester United reached to the peak of success and won 20 major titles. The Manchester United Football Club has won the Premier League and First Division 17 times and is trailing behind Liverpool by just one title. Manchester United became the first English Football Club to win the European Cup in 1968. The Club has the record of winning maximum number of FA Cup titles. From late 90’s until date, Manchester United remains one of the richest football clubs with a total value of  £897 million. In 1998-99, Manchester United became the first ever and the only club to win the Treble. In the year 2000, the club became a founding member for the G-14 group. This is a group of the Big European football clubs. In the year 2005, American businessperson Malcolm Glazer took a controlling interest in Manchester United. With the Red Football Ltd as the investment vehicle, Malcolm took 75% control of the club and the club was de-listed from the Stock Exchange. Initially the jersey of Manchester United was yellow and green in color but in 1902, the club changed it to red jerseys with white shorts and black socks. Manchester United has sponsorship deals with various companies. AIG, Nike, Audi, Budweiser, Betfred, Xfm Manchester are some of the sponsors for the club. The Manchester United football club has its own football ground at Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The stadium opened on 19 February 1910 and the total capacity of the stadium is 76,212. It is a difficult job to determine the greatest rival of Manchester United Football Club. According to some people, Liverpool is the biggest rival of Manchester. Leeds, Manchester City and Arsenal are also the other known rivals of the Club. So far, the Club has bagged 3 European Cup/ UEFA Champions League, 1 UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup and 1 European Super Cup. Manchester United Football Club has also won 1 Intercontinental Cup/ World Cup Championship. Facts:  · 5% of the world population is the supporters of Manchester United Football Club.  · The Club has won 10 Premier leagues, 7 First division leagues and 2 Second division leagues.  · Manchester United won 11 FA Cups, 2 League cups and 16 FA Charity/Community Shield. In the next few articles, let us understand about the sports team’s brand-building strategies. The most common strategy followed by most of the teams is: Sponsorship with other global brands  Being associated with other international brand names lends global presence to brands as they go worldwide. If we talk about the most richest soccer club, Manchester United, they have 44 official sponsors associated with the club. One of the biggest tie up then in the year 2002 was Manchester United’s tie up with Nike. Both Manchester United and Nike gained in global stature after the announcement of their global tie-in 2002. Now such is the case that Nike has to discuss a  £303 million kit supply deal with Manchester United and they might well have to anyhow shell out this huge sum of cash if they want to maintain their association with Manchester United. One month from now, this strategically important meeting will be talking place and the American sport wear company will have to come up with an enormous sum to satisfy the club’s owners. The ‘Swoosh’ logo has adorned some of the greatest teams and players in the history of the game, including Manchester United legends Eric Cantona, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo. Of the current squad, Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, the Da Silva twins, Chris Smalling, Patrice Evra, Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand all wear Nike boots along with the standard kits. In recent years, Manchester United has formed commercial alliances with a number of global players in other industries: Vodafone, Pepsi, DHL and Aon were all added to the clubâ₠¬â„¢s sponsorship list. Under these arrangements, the club gains from sponsors’ international reputations and sponsors gain from their association with a such big sports brand. And Manchester United is talking full advantage of this to reach out to new segment of soccer fans and in turn helping in strengthening its brand equity. In July, United announced a staggering  £357 million deal with General Motors for the Chevrolet logo to be worn on their shirts for seven seasons from 2014. Chevrolet’s eight-year partnership with Manchester United kicked off this summer with a series of friendly matches, bringing the world’s favourite football team to their fans in South Africa, Europe and China. The support for, and commitment to Manchester United and its passionate fans worldwide will go far beyond the pre-season games as General Motors look to join the fans in celebrating all that is beautiful about the game. One of the biggest logistics company which is present in 220 countries and territ ories worldwide has tied up United in 2011. DHL were made responsible to undertake a range of logistics services on behalf of Manchester United for three years. Just like DHL, Manchester United stands  for passion, teamwork and can-do spirit. And it’s those same characteristics that have enabled both DHL and Manchester United to remain at the top of their game and thus join together and build its brand. The last two deals done recently by Manchester United were with the two sponsors from China (Wahaha, a soft drinks manufacturer and China Construction Bank (CCB). Both have tied up for a three year deal. CCB will hold the exclusive rights to produce the official Manchester United branded credit card in Mainland China. Wahaha has been the largest beverage producer in China for the past 11 years and will be the club’s first official soft drinks partner in the country. This is just one of the many strategic decision taken by this 135-year-old soccer club from Britain. In the coming article, I would write about Manc hester United’s Asian Strategy, mainly highlighting its entry into the Indian market.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 91

Assignment Example Zoning restrictions and state laws help to minimize the proximity of pornographic and liquor establishments to schools. The site should provide an attractive landscape that supports vegetation. Besides, the schools should have beautiful buildings that give a positive impression and motivation. There should be provision for maintenance, drainage, and parking. Middle school requires more space than high school. Streets and parking areas should be stable and smooth for easy use during all seasons. Sharp curves, dead-end streets, and excess corners should be avoided. The site should be elevated and provide contour for proper drainage and avoid soil erosion. Fault areas, steep slopes, and mines should, however, be avoided. The topographical orientation should be modest for both middle and high schools. The choice of soil type should allow good drainage schools in lowlands should be elevated to facilitate drainage that also impact on daily care costs. Scoring drainage should thus also consider student movement patterns regardless of their age. Elementary schools require for outdoor activities such as physical education and informal play while high schools need athletic and practice fields. Nature trails are also important to beauty and science learning, but open waters should be avoided. All age levels need sufficient paths, both onside, and offside, including visitors and employees. A desirable, safe walking pattern is necessary for young children vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow should be considered. Sidewalks are also requisite. There should be one parking space for every teacher and member of personnel. About 50% of older students often drive and should have parking space. Each car space should be 300 square feet. Curb cuts and 2% of the available spaces should be reserved for the disabled. The school design should blend with the physical environment. Elementary schools should be appealing, but massive structures should be avoided.

Internatoinal trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Internatoinal trade - Essay Example Statistics shows that the world output rose from 16% to 22% between 1980 and 2007 (Zymek 2010: p. 2). During this period, the word’s GDP increased significantly. There are various reasons for the growth in the world’s trade during this period. Many people have argued that the removal of the trade barriers is one of the major factors which have contributed to the growth of international trade. Trade barriers are the impediments to free trade. Impositions of trade barriers discourage international trade. One of the main international trade barriers are tariffs. Over this period, the average tariff rates among the most powerful economies reduced significantly. Zymek (2010) argues that the recent growth in international trade resulted from the fact that many open economies had become less homogenous with time. The classical trade theory proposes that the differences in the relative factor endowments encourage specialization in the international goods market. This realizatio n has significantly led to an increase in the level of interdependence among different economies. Consequently, this has led to an increase in the level of interdependence among these countries. The more the countries become specialized, the higher the level of goods they produce. This contributes to the growth of the international trade. ... quantitative restrictions) as a method of controlling imports Differences between tariffs and quota In various economies, there are many ways through which the government can protect the domestic competing industries. That is, through a quota or a tariff. One of the main areas where these policies differ is on the magnitude of protection of each. Quotas provide more protection to the domestic industries due to the fact that they limit the quantities of particular product which is allowed to enter into the country (Suranovic, not dated: par 3). On the other hand, tariffs protect the domestic industries by just raising the level of prices. Importance of tariffs over quotas (quantitative restrictions) In most cases, tariffs are preferred to quotas. There are several reasons why many governments prefer tariff to quotas. To start with, a tariff generates revenue to the government (Suranovic, not dated: par3). This is more so when the tariff is unprohibitive in nature. Once imposed, tariff will automatically generate revenue for the government. On the other hand, quotas may not generate revenue to the government. However, this will depend on the manner in which the quota is administered. Quotas administered on the first come served basis will rarely generate revenue for the government. On the other hand, a quota administered by selling of tickets will generate some income for the government (Suranovic, not dated: par 4). The administrative costs between these two forms of trade control differ significantly. Some of the processes involved in tariff collection involves the identification of the product which is then followed by collection and processing of the fees. On the other hand, the trade control through quotas

Media, Culture and Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media, Culture and Identity - Essay Example The media therefore plays an important role in the formation of a cultural identity because of the vital role that it (the media) plays in the communication process. It is seen that communication is an important part in the formation of a cultural identity as it is the means through which people interact and through the interaction, the culture is transmitted. The media is therefore seen to play a vital role in the formation and in the transmission of cultural identity for different people. The media is important in that it facilitates the process of communication between the different people in a community. By facilitating the process of communication, the media makes a major contribution in the creation and in the spread of culture. The media also has an important role in the evolution of the different cultural practices. The media can be said to extend the human capability to create, spread, and store messages. By extension, the media also enhances the human capability to engage i n activities that are relevant to the different aspects of culture. When the process of communication is facilitated, the cultural practices can be spread. What is seen in the media is also a reflection of the cultural activities that are being engaged in by the people in the society (Gentz and Kramer 2). The increase in the consumption of media has been instrumental in the formation of identity. The introduction of new media and new media technologies has been linked to the formation of new patterns of identification. The cultural orientation of a given group of people and the way that people identify themselves change when they begin to consume the different kinds of new media and new technologies that are available to them. An example of the new media and media technology that has influenced the way people identify themselves and their cultural identity is the increased uptake of satellite television and the increased use of the internet. This is because of the interconnectedness and the high level of interaction that is offered by the new media. Media plays an important role in the formation of culture and identity in that it has increased the level of mobility that the community has access to. The mobility that the media offers is from the increased access to symbolic world that is enabled by the media. The media technology also brings change in cultural identity in that it increases the level of self sufficiency among the members of the given community. The interdependence that is offered by the media has led to a situation in which the global events and happenings have a major impact on the local culture. The local cultures of those who consume the media assimilate the culture of those that they watch and read about from the different media sources. The media is a major source of information as well as a source of cultural information. When it comes to transmitting cultural information the different actors and events in the media are typified into the d ifferent codes. They (actors and events) are also made to generic forms that are in line with the culture of a given society. The media through the different actors and events recreates the codes through which the events and actors are interpreted. The physical and social institutions as well as the cultural spaces have been reconstructed by the media, through the introduction of unlimited access to events and actors that are not physically

International transportation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International transportation - Essay Example ct of the Act towards rehabilitation of airports and air travel in America has great influence and impact on the American economy as well as the entire international economy. Construction of new and modern runway in airports will ensure low rate of tear and wear of the planes as well increasing efficiency in controlling the rolling of the plane. The funds proposed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act towards rehabilitation of the air transports will ensure purchase and introduction of modern airplane that consumes little fuel and energy thereby ensuring controlled wastage of energy. The purchase of modern airplanes by the funds donated to the Department of Transport of the federal government will ensure low release of or no release of smoke thus lowering the level of environmental population. The funds will also assist in the purchase of high-speed planes thereby making air travel across the world more efficient. The federal stimulus to the Department of Transport will enable installation of high tech security devices in airports and planes and this will assist in increasing international air travel security. The rehabilitation and modernization of the airline transport has significant impact on the fall in charges on the international transport. In addition, the federal stimulus for rehabilitation of transport system will modernize sea transport and assist in control and regulation of traffic at the ports. The stimulus fund will be used in purchasing modern machines for handling cargo at the sea thereby easing interstate trade within the American sea line. The federal stimulus package to the Department of Transport will used in purchasing modern sea vessels with high speed to facilitate quick transportation of cargo to and from the foreign nations. Moreover, the federal stimulus to the Department of Transport will also assist in the installation and improvement of marine security across the international borders. The federal stimulus to the Department

Interest Groups GP210 Wk 5 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Interest Groups GP210 Wk 5 - Research Paper Example er example can be seen in China which is working towards approving non-animal tested cosmetics in the country following an initiative led by PETA (Gallon, 2012). In order to influence policy and public agenda, PETA conducts activities like holding campaigns and working towards changing the law concerning ‘required’ animal testing. It is also involved in creating public awareness about animal abuse in the entertainment, research, fashion and food industries. Several celebrities like Paul McCartney and Russell Simmons support PETA and this is a major strength as common people look up to them as idols. Their strengths include being creative and highly visible. Their major weakness is their crude and uncaring manner of communicating their purpose. For example, PETA came up with a billboard before Easter 2004 that pictures a pig with the caption ‘He died for your sins – go vegetarian’ (Strom, 2004). This brought about a huge uproar from the Christian community.

MPH522 - Public Health Law and Policy, Mod 1 SLP Essay

MPH522 - Public Health Law and Policy, Mod 1 SLP - Essay Example Edward Jenner talked about inoculation in 1796 and diseases like yellow fever, scurvy and other health threats were noted by Public Health in 1798. Edwin Chadwick in 1842 began to talk about the needs of a solid public health system. John Snow handled the cholera epidemic and learned about the Bradstreet pump. Florence Nightingale brought forward the need for hygiene and district nursing. Lillian Wald is known as the mother of public health nursing as she and her teams began to work with the populations. Then there of course was Robert Koch, Louis Pasteur, and many others. The American Public Health Association was founded in 1872 (sphtc.org) This paper will discuss how this historic and honorable organization works with other agencies, in this case the Center for Disease Control and Prevention with Public Health Nursing and the Food and Drug Administration with Pharmacists. The above history gives a picture of how closely Public Health organization really work with other health practitioners as there would be very little of any of the above processes if public health had not gotten involved along the way. Public health nursing provides such services as health promotion, disease prevention, and intervention as well as support services to women, children, and youth. As noted one of the interventions and responsibilities is communicable disease control. In this venue, they work very closely with the Center for Disease Control to assure that what the public needs to know as well as new information is made available. The mission of the CDC is to prevent and control communicable disease using tools that are available for preparedness. CDC works closely with community health nursing in healthcare associated infections such as MRSA and community acquired pneumonia as well as aids and TB, antibiotic resistance studies which keep the nurse updated on what is working and what is not so when they do education with the local nurses and hospitals, it is clear what

Values of Frederick Douglass and Benjamin Franklin Essay

Values of Frederick Douglass and Benjamin Franklin - Essay Example But it soon became apparent that education was incompatible with chattel slavery, Mr. Auld wisely concluding that no educated Negro could ever truly be content with a life of perpetual bondage. When the wisdom of the statement became apparent, that self actualization in the interest of education would forever unfit him for slavery, young Frederick resolved to make that his mission. Most men, such as Benjamin Franklin of the prior century seek learning and knowledge that they might become something worthwhile. The man of ingenuity betters himself to become suitable for a future pursuit. But for Frederick Douglass, an ironic twist of his fate required that he educate himself to become unsuitable, that he might be useless in the life of menial drudgery under the overseers whip. Only by becoming worthless at his imposed vocation, could young Frederick succeed at becoming a self-made man. It was an unsuitability that would stay with him for the rest of his days and usher in his true lifes work. Douglass exemplified his commitment to progress, and self-improvement not only through his own advancement, but during his youth in Baltimore he aided in the education of others, such as his surrogate father whom he calls "the pious Lawson". He imparted instruction to other slaves that desired self-improvement, while at the same time receiving instruction from sympathetic white boys. For his entire life, Douglass wrestled with the common conceit among whites that African Americans are soulless animals without human feelings.

UNIT 1 EXERCISE Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UNIT 1 EXERCISE - Assignment Example Sometimes, when I have to study and write a paper I visit a nearby coffee shop to keep my mind from stressing out. 1. Discover the type of procrastination: There are four basic types of procrastination styles. Dreamers have big plans but they seldom work to translate them into specific plans, let alone realize the dream. Worriers focus on worst-case scenarios and move away from their objectives instead of focusing on the main idea. They are problem- oriented rather than solution finders. Defiers resist new tasks or may even take new tasks up but don’t follow them through till the end. The plans never materialize and are dropped half-way through. Overdoers create extra work for themselves and then run out of steam. This makes them drop their projects ultimately. Perfectionists don’t start projects for fear of making mistakes or failure. Discovering individual styles makes one change behavior easily. Worriers need to focus on positives as well and keep focus of the project. Defiers need to take up new tasks and see them through the end. Perfectionists need to lower their standards and accept that mistakes will be a learning experience. 2. Trick the mind into starting a project: Believing and ranting that I will not start a book or a write-up or study can work as long as the mind believes it to be true in actuality. Once a task is started the momentum and interest of the task is enough to carry a person through the task to the end. 3. Think ahead: Procrastination can be put off if a calendar is maintained. Whether one is accustomed to work under pressure or not, maintaining a calendar always minimizes the last minute haphazardness. I could use up the commuting time for study by making a CD of my notes and listening to them while I travel. I would also like less social commitments which will free up my time for study. This can be accomplished by partying twice a month, having in-house