RECYCLING Essays - Real Estate, Waste, Chemistry, Manufacturing

RECYCLING TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract3 Types of Construction and Demolition Wastes4 Type I- Roadway and Site Conversion C&D Waste4 Type II- Construction and Interior Demolition Waste5 C&D Waste Processing Strategies5 Type I C&D Waste Processing Strategy6 Type II C&D Waste Processing Strategy7 Conclusion9 References10 ABSTRACT Environmental concerns about the huge landfill space that is being taken by construction and demolition debris has brought up a new technique in salvaging construction material and recycling demolition debris. Although one process exists for two types of waste, many have tried different strategies in dealing with this problem. These strategies vary between "separating and sorting" then "crushing and reducing" and "crushing and reducing" then "separating and sorting". PROCESS OF C&D DEBRIS RECYCLING CMetals, wood, rocks, concrete, rubble, soil, paper, plastics and glass are among the many materials that are considered CRealizing that the disposal of Clarge amount of space and is economically and environmentally costly, the need to get acquainted with suitable recycling processes is becoming more and more essential (1, p.18). Although, only one recycling process has been developed, there are different strategies for implementation. TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTES Type I - Roadway and Site Conversion C&D Waste C"clean" materials such as wood, metals, and plastics. Type I waste should be easily separable in order to be considered as "clean". The composition by weight of a Type I C&D debris is (2, p.6.31): Rubble concrete, asphalt 40% soil, rock 20% Wood 30% Metals, plastic10% Type II - Construction and Interior Demolition Waste This type is mainly generated from urban structure such as office buildings, stores, etc.. Type II contains mixed fractions of concrete, drywall, framing, ductwork, roofing, windows, corrugated, packaging, etc.(2, p.6.32) . Due to its high heterogeneous composition this type is difficult to separate, it is mainly made of: Rubble25% Wood33% Metals20% Corrugated12% other (carpet, residue, etc.) 10% C & D WASTE PROCESSING STRATEGIES Primary separating equipment used with type I are very efficient while with type II this procedure along with hand sorting will take lots of time. Processing procedure is determined by the type of waste and the possible use of the output materials (2, p.6.32). Table 1 shows the different contents of C & D waste . Table 1 Contents of C&D Waste (2, p.6.31) Waste typeContents RubbleSoil, rock, concrete, asphalt, bricks Tar-based materialShingles, tar paper Ferrous metalSteel rebar, pipes, roofing, flashing, structural members, ductwork Nonferrous metalAluminum, copper, brass Harvested woodStumps, brush, treetops and limbs Untreated woodFraming, scrap lumber, pallets Treated woodPlywood, pressure-treated, laminates PlasterDrywall, sheetrock GlassWindows, doors PlasticVinyl siding, doors, windows, blinds, material packaging White goods/bulky itemsAppliances, furniture, carpeting CorrugatedMaterial packaging, cartons, paper ContaminantsLead paint, lead piping, asbestos, fiberglass, fuel tanks Type I C & D Waste Processing Strategy Clean rubble can directly be placed into a grizzly feeder where a jawcrusher and hammermiller could act on it for reduction. Figure 1 Debris placed into grizzly feeder Sorting and reducing first is more practical than crushing if the debris contains material such as plastics, paper, rags, or contaminants such as paint, lead pipes, etc.. After crushing the mix is then screened to remove fine soil and small rocks. Any contaminants, ferrous, and non ferrous material is removed by either manual picking or magnetic field belt. If wood is present in the rubble then the mix is guided towards a flotation tank where the wood will float and thus the separation from rocks is achieved. Another system instead of a flotation tank could be used and that is an air classifier. The air system is more expensive to use, but if the recycling plant is located in a region where there is strict rules about water pollution, thus requiring that the water from the flotation tank to be treated, then an air system might be a better option. Crushing, reducing and then sorting and separating is much more recommended with systems made from 80% to 90% rubble, wood, a! nd few contaminants. A general processing layout is shown in figure 2 and is available as both fixed and portable designs(2, p.6.34). Figure 2. Recycling plant Type II C&D Waste Processing Strategy It is essential that type II C&D waste be sorted and separated before being crushed and reduced since this type of

A Modern Technology is not always a Good Choice Essays

A Modern Technology is not always a Good Choice Essays A Modern Technology is not always a Good Choice Essay A Modern Technology is not always a Good Choice Essay Victoria Magana Rdg 52 December-05-2012 My Education My education is one of the most important things in my life. I think that is the base of the life to successful and to be someone important in the future. I was starting my education in Mexico. Im going to kinder garden in Heroes del Chapultepec. I loved going out to lunch and run with my little friends, I was very athletic; this is what I liked about my kinder garden. Sincerely overall theres nothing that I dont liked it from kinder garden. After kinder garden I continued at Mexico too in primary was a 6 ears there at Miguel F. Martinez. For me was one of the best time because is the time of our lives where we learned many things of the life, the best. I didnt like because there were reports and they called your parents to tell them about your citizenship, three reports and we get out the school. Secondary was more difficult for me, but I met good friends there and I think they are not my bests friends but I know that they will be there for me. My secondary was a private school, Instituto Mexico and was intesting because is about Catholics. Every morning we prayed, and always hen a class was to begin, we must pray. That was a three years of a good experience in my life. I liked when we go to spirituals retreats. The whole day we were prayed. We had a sentence that said: Todo a Jesus por Maria, Todo a Maria para Jesus was like the principal sentence of the institute. And the finished with secondary I come here to San Diego to study high school in Southwest High School I started in 10th grade and for me was super different, the classes, classrooms, teachers, students, school everything. For me was a new experience in my life verybody in their tree. Coming lunch and everybody knows where will be they friends, thats was very funny. I loved the assemblys, when we scrammed to win senior vs. Juniors and everybody with everybody but the happiest moment was my graduation, class of 2011. Sadness but at the same time happiness. In high school everything was cool. Well I hated detention and Saturday school. This is a little of my education life, and then of all of this continuing with the college, where I get my general classes and where I met the best teacher ever, Mr. Lynch.

Harp Seal Facts (Pagophilus groenlandicus)

Harp Seal Facts (Pagophilus groenlandicus) The harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), also known as the saddleback seal, is a true seal best known for its adorable furry white pups. It gets its common name from the markings resembling a wishbone, harp, or saddle that develop on its back in adulthood. The seals scientific name means ice-lover from Greenland. Fast Facts: Harp Seal Scientific Name: Pagophilus  groenlandicusCommon Name: Saddleback sealBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 5.9-6.2 feetWeight: 260-298 poundsLife Span: 30 yearsDiet: CarnivorousHabitat: North Atlantic and Greenland SeaPopulation: 4,500,000Conservation Status: Least Concern Description All seal pups are born with a yellow coat, which whitens until its first molt. Juveniles and most females have a silver-to-gray coat with black spots. Adult males and some females develop a darker head and a dorsal harp or saddle marking. Females weigh around 260 lb and are up to 5.9 ft in length. Males are larger, weighing an average of 298 lb and reaching a length of 6.2 ft. The male harp seal has a harp pattern on its back. Jurgen Christine Sohns / Getty Images Blubber insulates the seals body, while flippers act as heat exchangers to warm or cool the seal. Harp seals have large eyes, each with a tapetum lucidum to aid vision in dim light. Females identify pups by scent, but seals close their nostrils underwater. Seal whiskers, or vibrissae, are highly sensitive to vibration. They give the animal a sense of touch on land and the ability to detect movement underwater. Habitat and Distribution Harp seals live in the North Atlantic and Greenland Sea. There are three breeding populations, located in the Northwest Atlantic, Northeast Atlantic, and the Greenland Sea. The groups are not known to interbreed. Harp seal distribution. Jonathan Hornung Diet Like other pinnipeds, harp seals are carnivores. Their diet includes several species of fish, krill, and other invertebrates. The seals display food preferences that appear to be most heavily influenced by prey abundance. Predators and Hunting Juvenile seals are eaten by most terrestrial predators, including foxes, wolves, and polar bears. Adult seals are preyed on by large sharks and killer whales. However, humans are the primary harp seals predators. Historically, these seals were hunted for their meat, omega-3 fatty acid-rich oil, and fur. Today, seal hunting mainly occurs in Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. The practice is controversial, as the demand for seal products appears to be decreasing and the killing method (clubbing) is graphic. In Canada, commercial hunting is restricted to November 15 to May 15, with kill quotas in place. Despite restrictions, the harp seal retains commercial importance. Hundreds of thousands of seals are hunted each year. Reproduction and Offspring Each year between February and April, adult harp seals return to breeding grounds in the White Sea, Newfoundland, and the Greenland Sea. The males establish dominance by fighting each other using teeth and flippers. They court females using flipper movements, vocalizations, blowing bubbles, and performing underwater displays. Mating occurs underwater. After a gestation period of about 11.5 months, the mother usually gives birth to a single pup, although twins sometimes occur. Birth takes place on sea ice and is extremely fast, taking as little as 15 seconds. The mother does not hunt while nursing and loses up to 3 kg of mass per day. At birth, the pups coat is stained yellow from amniotic fluid, but it quickly turns pure white. The mother stops nursing and abandons the pup when its time to mate. Birth, weaning, and mating all occur during the same breeding season. Initially, the abandoned pup is immobile. Once it sheds its white coat, it learns to swim and hunt. Seals gather annually on the ice to molt their coat, which involves shedding both fur and blubber. Juveniles molt several times before achieving an adult pelt. Harp seals can live over 30 years. Conservation Status Harp seal are listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List, and their numbers are increasing. As of 2008, there were at least 4.5 million adult harp seals. This population growth can be explained by the decrease in seal hunting. However, the seal population is still threatened by several factors which could severely impact the species in the near future. Oil spills and water pollution subject the species to heavy chemical contamination and decrease its food supply. Seals get tangled in fishing gear, which leads to drowning. Harp seals are susceptible to distemper, prion infections, and other diseases, which may impact mortality rates. The most significant threat is climate change. Climate change causes a reduction in sea ice, forcing seals to move to new areas. Whether the seals can adapt to such change is unknown. Sources Folkow, L.P. and E.S. Nordà ¸y. Distribution and diving behaviour of harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus) from the Greenland Sea stock.  Polar Biology.  27: 281–298, 2004.Kovacs, K.M. Pagophilus groenlandicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  2015: e.T41671A45231087 doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41671A45231087.enLavigne, David M. in Perrin, William F.; Wursig, Bernd; Thewissen, J.G.M., eds. Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (2nd ed.). 30 Corporate Drive, Burlington Ma. 01803: Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9, 2009.Ronald, K. and J. L. Dougan. The Ice Lover: Biology of the Harp Seal (Phoca groenlandica).  Science.  215  (4535): 928–933, 1982.

The Political and Economic Integration of Europe Essay

The Political and Economic Integration of Europe - Essay Example hors explain that this association has been serving a significant function in strengthening a particular level of cohesion among the dominant social institutions in Europe. This essay will discuss explain the level of integration of the EU in terms of economy and politics. Political and Economic Facts of the European Integration Of primary importance to this subject matter has been the task performed by the petty bourgeoisie. Vassilis Pesmazoglou and Antigone Lyberaki study just a sector of this social level, the small- and medium-sized industrialists of the business sector, emphasising the position that the examination of this group should be situated within wider macroeconomic developments (Dinan 2006). The intention at this point is to analyse the diversity of initiatives and policy proposals related to the continuation and propagation of small- and medium-sized businesses, both as a reaction to the depression and as a way of surpassing it. Having elaborated the most prominent cur rent theoretical paradigm for small and medium- sized businesses, the researchers then analyse the information at hand, contending more particularly with concerns regarding work conditions, compensation, and employment production, as well as the operation of business districts (O’Brennan 2006). Their claim is that the context of the EU provides some relevant ideas regarding the policy matters concerned in the reinforcement of smaller organisations. Nevertheless, the authors argue that small- and medium-sized businesses within the EU will confront some challenging difficulties, such as competition with and adjustment to bigger companies, corporations, and multinationals (Dinan 2006). This discussion about the petty bourgeoisie will demonstrate how the group serves as a contributing force... This paper provides a comprehensive review of the ongoing process of political and economic integration in Europe from different perspectives, using different studies by economists on the subject. A significant gap exists between the peripheral and the central regions of Europe, in all three political economic segments.In the agricultural sector, the South mirrors developing nations more than developed ones. The manufacturing segment also verifies this dualism, with the fact that the North has a lead in the accumulation of human capital, whereas the South focuses in resource-exhaustive goods and services Ultimately, in the service area the South and the North encounter qualitative disparities, particularly in commercial services. These structural gaps have a tendency to orient the drive and the makeup of the capitalist class in the EU. The political parties of Europe express and voice out political, economic, and social interests mostly within the institutionalised instrument of the European Parliament. The functions and duties of the EP, and alongside those of its political parties, have altered remarkably since the late 1970s, when the initial Euro-elections took place. The mutual relationship between the EP and the parties has become more and more substantial, and become one of the attributes of institutional growth throughout the 1990s An issue which has been studied in the EU is the manner social interests are voiced and manifested. Social interests are articulated at the political stage through political parties.

Stakholder in limerick county council Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stakholder in limerick county council - Essay Example However, there are challenges facing organizational change at Limerick city council. These challenges include: long term norms in the city, the fact that local public services need local priorities, development of culture and improving performance of the city council. In order to ensure successful change in the council, there is a need to overcome these difficulties. The change Limerick city council adopts should be a constant activity moving at a pace and degree similar to that of the external environment. Organizational change at Limerick local government involves a merger between city council and county council. This transformational change involves merging of many programs, people, processes, systems and data between Limerick city council and county council. This new framework aims at making Limerick city a place for business and development. The change model also ensures that the local government of Limerick offers the best public services to its people. The new environment at Limerick also ensures that there are economic development and employment opportunities for people. Implementing the new change model makes Limerick city provide the best services to its citizens. The model can be an example other people to follow. The ongoing change at Limerick city includes coordinated change program, customer service offering, improvements in ICT and digital strategy, and communications for the organization, workforce planning and target operating model. Both the managers and employees have certain expectations and power within an organization. Both managers and employees within the city council have different interests and powers. Both these groups of people have different responsibilities within the city council. Any suggestions and proposals for change should focus on the interests, expectations and powers of stakeholders. Friedman and Miles (2002), agree that â€Å"factors such as

Strategic Management at Zhujiang Iron and Steel Company

Strategic Management at Zhujiang Iron and Steel Company 1.0 Introduction This material critically analyses the process of strategic management in the areas of nature of competition, the strategy, the strategy process, method of entrepreneurship and resources ofZhujiang Iron Steel Company (ZISCo). The analysis has been done by using some major theories such as gap analysis, balance score card, triple loop learning of ZISCo. Zhujiang Iron and Steel Company (ZISCo) is a Chinese state owned enterprise established in 1997. ZISCo is a steel manufacturer who produces wide range of steel sheets and plates that are used as inputs of various other products. In early 2003, ZISCo faced many problems in the key areas of production, procurement marketing and this has resulted in poor financial performance. In the past ZISCo implemented niche marketing strategy from 2003onwards, ZISCo planned to implement value creation strategy undertook many functional reforms with active participation from all its employees improved its financial performance during 2004 2006. However, in 2007 also ZISCo encountered various challenges, predominantly in the areas of cultural change, knowledge management, and development of organisational competence and learning capability Thus, this material initially analyses the current business strategies of ZISCo to understand the nature of their operations. Subsequently, conducts a PESTEL analysis, Porters five forces and value chain analysis to understand the environment of ZISCo, drivers of profit in the industry at present and the future. In addition, gap and balance score card analysis also has been done to understand the gaps that are existing in the context of ZISCo and to evaluate its performance. Strategic options can be considered to address the gaps that have been identified by the organisation. Therefore, the report will provide an exposure to the strategic options available used by ZISCo and whether they have effectively implemented the strategies. This has been done by analysis of 7S framework triple loop learning alone with an action plan. Finally, the report will suggest the recommendations where its applicable by providing justifications. The analysis of this report was done with the assistance of the case information provided and through industry related information from academic books, journals, websites and other publicly available secondary data sources. 2.0 Process of strategic management followed at ZISCo Businesses vary in the processes they use to formulate and direct their strategic management activities. The model enhances the development of strategy formulation skills by guiding the analyst systematic and comprehensive study of each business situation 2.1 Strategic factors and capabilities 2. 1.0 External environment From the PESTEL analysis Michael Porters five forces analysis it is clear that ZISCo is functioning in a very complex volatile environment which will impact all the strategies adapted by the organisation. Hence, a good understanding of ZISCos external environment will facilitate the organisation to exploit opportunities and avoid threats From the steel industry analysis we can conclude there are many well established key players in the Chinese market the industry has high potential to attract new players in future. Thus, the PESTEL variables in macro environment have major impact on the performance of ZISCo. 2.1.1 Internal environment Analysis of internal environment is a crucial phase to an organisation as it helps to identify the strength and weakness of the organisation. This would mean internal analysis will determine the required skills resources of ZISCo to cope up with competitors capabilities thus measures ZISCos effectiveness to gain competitive advantage According to the value chain analysis the main competitive advantage of ZISCo is technology leadership and implementation of value creation strategy in the steel and iron industry in china. However, through this analysis it is clear focus on quality was very low this is mainly due to the fact that quality department people were ignoring their responsibilities management did not place more care in this department as it does for marketing. 2.1.2Analysis of SWOT From the SWOT analysis key strength of ZISCo is that they have gained competitive advantage over technology leadership as they are the first company to introduce CSP technology in steel iron industry. In addition the other most important strength is their value creation strategy; ZISCo is the first company to implement value creation strategy and one stop shop services to their customers. Thus this will provide a first mover advantage to ZISCo as Chinese market moving toward planned economy to market economy. However, the primary weaknesses of ZISCo are poor quality products are being produced, has liability to pay bank loan interest of US$ 40million annually, and lower bargaining power in purchasing raw materials as a result of signing a contract with a supplier. The quality issues identified would erode companys goodwill among major most important customers; even company may lose its profitable customers for lack of focus in quality issues. Further the non current liability seems to be a huge amount, if proper care is not taken to settle the debt the whole company would go into liquidation. In addition company also faces problems with supplier; ZISCo will directly get affected if supplier does not provide raw materials on time in intended quality. Rapidly changing environment has influenced the performance of the organisation by creating opportunities and threats. The key Opportunities of ZISCo are Chinese economy is transforming towards market economy by creating an advantage for all the organisations in Chinese market and unsatisfied higher demand for container used steel sheets is a big opportunity for ZISCO. The unfavourable key factors that affect ZISCo performance and barrier to growth are slow moving organisational culture (slow change from production orientation to value orientation) , competitors imitating CSP technology and marketing practice very quickly. Further high raw material and electrical cost, the government restriction in steel industry such as limiting the number of employees been recruited and fixed price ranges are also threats for ZISCo 2.2 Strategies adapted by ZISCo Organisation can formulate strategies in three different levels known as corporate level, business level and functional level (Viljoen, J. and Dann, 2003, pg 235). As GISCo is the parent of ZISCo, they have adapted several comprehensive business strategies for their organisation. The business strategy of ZISCo is â€Å"value creation for both customers and company†. In order to follow this business strategy Zhujiang has adapted following strategies. Such as: Changing their niche marketing strategy to mass marketing strategy Pre-emptive strategy Differentiation strategy Cost reduction strategy New product development strategy Informal communication strategy Outsourcing strategy Adapting a new business model strategy 2.3 The performance of ZISCo The rapidly changing external environment has created some significant challenges for management of ZISCo. In order to analyse the overall performance balance score card approach has been used A general conclusion that the overall performance of ZISCO is at satisfactory level can be drawn from the balance score card analysis .However if we take each perspective in to consideration ZISCo has achieved maximum performance in financial and innovation learning perspectives whereas customer perspective and internal business perspectives are at moderate level. Therefore, ZISCo should concern on accelerating order cycling process to make improvements in internal business perspective performance. In addition they should also create possible steps to retain attract more customers by means of customer satisfaction. 2.4 Analysis of External, Internal and Stakeholders inconsistency To be successful, an organisations strategy must be consistent with the requirement of its current and expected future environment (external consistency), its capabilities must be consistent with the business strategy being pursued (internal consistency), and its performance from the existing business strategy must be acceptable to its key stake holders (Hubbard R.B, 2008, pg.167). Hence, an analysis has been done to identify the internal, external and stakeholder consistency of ZISCo According to the analysis of internal consistency of ZISCo it is evident that they have failed to adapt systems those match with their business strategies. This has ultimately created an internal inconsistency within the ZISCo. In addition, ZISCo also has external inconsistency as a result of government regulation on steel industry and changing market in china. 2.5 Gaps in Strategy formulation Gap analysis of ZISCo has been done on the basis of current business strategies of the organisation. Therefore environmental business strategy, organizational performance and business strategy gaps have been identified for ZISCo (Refer appendix diagram8). By analyzing these gaps it can be identified that ZISCo is trying to position its self uniquely in the market. 2.6 Strategic options available to overcome gaps ZISCo was not able to achieve their novelty among competitors due to gaps recognized in formulation of strategy. Thus, there are several strategic options available for ZISCo such as market strategy, generic strategy direction strategy. In order to sustain and gain competitive advantage all 3 options are equally important for ZISCo 2.7 The effect of competitors and stakeholders Stake holders competitors have major role in the performance of ZISCo. The key stakeholders who are exerting more power on ZISCo are government: Government has restricted the number of employees recruited by ZISCo; thus have created a barrier for further business expansions also government is controlling the prices of the steel products thus ZISCo wont be able to use the cost based pricing strategies add their target profit margins. Secondly, the bargaining power of suppliers is also high in the context of ZISCo because ZISCo has entered in to contract with limited number of suppliers. Thus this enables ZISCo to solely depend on them gives high power to the supplier. The other most important stakeholders are employees. They also create an impact on the business strategy adapted by ZISCo by resisting for the required cultural change. As employees have product orientation values it would be very hard to change them towards customer orientations. This would have greater impact in developing overall strategy of ZISCo. ZISCo would have to invest more funds for a long time period in training development since cultural change cannot happen soon as company requires. Finally, like all other stake holder mentioned above Customers also exerts high power in ZISCo because there is an unsatisfied demand for steel products in Chinese industry many market players are there. If a customer is not satisfied with ZISCo, the chances of switching brand are high. Therefore to survive grow in the competitive environment as ZISCo planned it should provide value to its customers. Competitors ZISCo is operating in a very competitive environment in which competitors are adapting to their opponents strategies very quickly. In the case of ZISCo also they have tried to adapt to CSP technology and tried harder to copy ZISCos business model and marketing practices. Thus, there is a possibility competitors can attack ZISCo anytime by imitating their unique innovations soon after the patent rights expire. Thus, this compels ZISCo to continually invest huge amount of funds in research development and in marketing. In addition to the local players ZISCo also faces high international competition in Chinese steel industry due to unfulfilled steel demand in China low costs of labour. These foreign players might have advanced technologies than ZISCo attack ZISCo simply in terms of quality. Thus, it is necessary for ZISCo to carefully understand nature of pressures exerted by both domestic international players and develop the most suitable strategy. 2.8 Implementation of gap Strategic implementation is complex and time consuming but success of an organisation lies on this stage. However good the business or corporate strategy is, it is off little value unless implemented (Hubbard R.C, 2008, pg 349). Therefore, during this phase, strategy makers should consider the question of who implements that strategy, what must be done and how the strategy is implemented (Fletcher, 2001, p.2). Hence, 7S framework has been applied to ZISCo to identify gaps the issues that should be addressed during implementation phase 2.9 Paradigm of operation ZISCo has shifted their paradigm from the conventional wisdom about how things have always been done and must be done to that of emergent strategies From previous paradigm ZISCo achieved efficiency productivity but did not produce products in intended quality that will fit the purpose of customers. Therefore ZISCo has shifted the paradigm from production orientation to marketing orientation by providing more value to their customers. In order to operate in new paradigm ZISCo has changed their market from niche to mass market, changed their organisational structure from functional structure to matrix structure and improved their financial performance through cost reduction 2.10 Recipe issues Recipe can be defined as a set of believes assumptions held commonly throughout the organisation, taken for granted in that organisation, but discernible to the outside observer in the stories of organisation history and explanations of events (Strategic management guide 3, 2004, pg 3). There are several issues have been identified for ZISCo in current paradigm In formulating strategy ZISCo did not define its goals objectives clearly which is critical for any organisation as it guides the employees towards mission vision of the organisation. Therefore, unstated purpose or goal of ZISCo makes the organisation unable to analyse the long term strategic purpose. Even though, ZISCo increased their financial performance by increasing profits through new business strategy still they unable to over come their long term debt. Therefore, this imposes a huge hidden financial risk on ZISCo. Another issue in relation to ZISCo is that cultivating a market oriented culture within the organisation while adding value to the organisation as well. In the past economy of china organisation strategies focused mainly on the production orientation, the value for production orientation already rooted strongly in employees minds is hard to change. Finally, ZISCo is loosing competitive advantage of CSP technologies as a result of competitors are adapting to CSP technology over past 2-4 years. Therefore, loss of competitive advantage (technology leadership) is a critical recipe issue for ZISCo. 2.11 Recommendation justification for ZISCo From the above analysis, I would recommend the following recommendations; ZISCo should implement vision mission in more transparent manner to their employees as it will help the employees to understand the long term strategic direction of the organisation. Thus, ZISCo should develop objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and within the Time limit. ZISCo can transform their organisation as a learning organisation by allowing more innovations, continuous improvement in new product development by investing more in new technology, empowering employees and providing freedom to experiment. ZISCo should adapt to a TQM (total quality management) approach to attend real-time quality issues and invest more in compliance costs (Refer appendix diagram 14) In order to add value for both organisation customers, ZISCo should focus on new management accounting concepts such as extended value chain analysis target costing. These concepts will add value to organisation by reducing costs will add value to customers by providing them the intended benefits or quality(Refer appendix diagram 15 ) The president should also consider changing his leadership style; He should act both as charismatic a transactional leader because the president had performed well in strategy formation but he didnt concentrate much on communicating monitoring the developed strategy. ZISCo can also diversify their product to such as refining metals such as steel alloys. This can be done by merging with a recycling company or starting them self. This might reduce the cost of raw materials and reduce suppliers bargaining power in purchasing raw materials. Further, ZISCo can sell the raw materials to outsiders gain competitive edge. ZISCo can implement Just in time (JIT) system rather than having buffer stocks for raw materials, work in progress finished goods. JIT system would help ZISCo to deliver goods on time will reduce inventory holding costs Further ZISCo should also focus more in managing its supply chain. It should reconsider the contract with suppliers because the present supplier seems to be not reliable enough poor in quality. Thus, management should consider signing contracts with few reliable suppliers (Refer appendix diagram 16 ) ZISCos communication system also should be developed because it seems there is communication gap between top people bottom people ZISCo. Even though, Middle managers are acting as effective communicators between two parties it is insufficient for an organisation that intends to create value. Organisation should extend their one stop shop services in many geographical areas. By doing this they can gain competitive advantage and increase customer satisfaction as it reduce the transportation cost and time of customers. Organisation also should concern on their employees by creating carrier opportunity and carrier development to provide a value to their employees by providing them future sustainability. 2.12 Action plan of ZISCo ACTION Measure Person Responsible TARGET (Period Ending) 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Focus on growth strategies Market share, competitiveness President and Middle Management 6% 7.5% 8.5% 10% 15% Improve the CRM strategies Contribution to total revenue and net profit President and middle Management 10% 18% 28% 42% 55% Improve the quality of the final output Quality control measures Department of product quality 15% 25% 40% 65% 90% Create Learning Culture, Continuous Improvement and a flexible organization Innovation efforts, ability to correct mistakes and progress, quick response President and the middle Management 2% 4.5% 7% 10% 15% New Product Development New products developed R D 1% 2.5% 5% 9% 12% 4.0 Conclusion This case analysis has focused on the strategic management process of Zhujiang in the areas of nature of competition, the strategy, the strategy process, method of entrepreneurship resources of Zhujiang Iron Steel Company (ZISCo). The analysis has investigated apparent effects of the issues of ZISCo determined the causes of these consequences by use of appropriate theories. Based on this analysis, justifiable recommendations have been developed, which would redirect the organisation to its required respective strategic objectives. The recommendations for the organisations have been logically presented within a 5 year timeline which enables to generate the favourable outcomes while keeping the environmental changes in focus. At present ZISCo is operating in a very competitive market the competitive advantage of technology leadership is more short time oriented. Thus, in order to sustain in the market a key core competitive advantage is required for ZISCo as company planned the value creating strategy would be the most suitable. Further, the quality levels of ZISCo are inadequate. This is furthering them from their objective of value creation. ZISCo is putting efforts to move from a paradigm of production efficiency to value orientations. However, it is a great challenge to ZISCo as there are many gaps at ZISCo. The analysis indicates though the strategic objectives are appropriate for the environment, implementation of strategy is ineffective. Thus in conclusion it is clear that only by formulating effective strategies an organisation could not achieve its strategic objectives, unless it has the systems, procedures and most importantly willingness to efficiently implement the formulated strategies. 5.0 References Fletcher J (2003) .Strategic management Study guide and plan Edith Cowan University Perth Australia Hill,C and Jones G (1995) Strategic management an integrated approach (3rd)Houghton Miffin, Boston, Toronto Hubbard, G. Rice, J. Beamish, P. [2008] Strategic management Thinking analysis action 3rd ed Pearson education Australia Miller A, (1998), Strategic Management, McGraw Hill, 3rd Edition. New York.Study Guide: Strategic Management Viljoen, J. Dann, S. 4th edition (2003). Strategic Management, Frenchs Forest, New South Wales: Pearson Education Pty Ltd.

Adult Education Philosophy

One of the philosophies that is important to adult education is the liberal philosophy.     The liberal philosophy, which Socrates is known for, aims to develop intellectual powers of the mind.   Having a strong intellectual ability was vitally important to the Greeks.   Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher who helped found Western Philosophy.He was very much interested in ethics and logic.   Interestingly, Socrates himself did not write any philosophical texts.   All the current knowledge of Socrates’ life and study comes from the writings of others, such as Plato.   Socrates was very much in favor of oral arguments, and loved debate.   He felt that much insight was to be gained from hearing others giving their views on a topic.  Socrates spent much of his life trying to prove that he was not the smartest person.   He would debate people over and over again, but he always seemed to have the best and most original ideas.   To him, intellectual capac ity and prowess was the most valuable quality a person could possess.Socrates made a huge contribution to the field of education.   The Socratic Method, named for Socrates, is a style of debate that is used often in classrooms today.   Everyone gathers together and a question and answer type discussion takes place.As Seiferth (1997) states, the teacher does not give answers, but asks questions.   The teacher directs the session of debate by giving each student time to give opinions.   As each person puts forth an opinion, it is debated and critiqued by others.   This way, everyone can learn from everyone else.Therefore, it is the students’ own brain power that is shaping the lesson.   This is a good philosophy for adult students, because they have formed solid opinions and positions on issues.   The students’ life experiences can greatly influence their ideas.   The debate among adult students is often very thorough and can also contain a number of diff ering opinions based on what the students have gone through in their lives.Another scholar who was important in education was Skinner.   Skinner was a psychologist who made a huge impact on the psychological world with his idea of operant conditioning.   He also influenced the educational world because he thought teachers could be taught how to manipulate and motivate students to produce better results.   Skinner’s behaviorism is still utilized today.While a graduate student at Harvard, Skinner invented the operant conditioning chamber which studied the rate of response given when reinforcers were present.   His findings led to experimental, data-driven research.   The associations between an environmental stimulus, and a natural, recurring response, were found to be predictable.According to Boeree (1997) Skinner found that behavior could be shaped.   By giving positive reinforcers every time a desired behavior was exhibited, the behavior could become consistent.à ‚   A desired behavior became shaped when the behavior began to happen on its own without the needed reinforcer.Skinner’s behaviorism affected not only the field of psychology, but also education.   Skinner believed that every student could be motivated, and that behavior follows a predictable pattern.   If a teacher gave students a positive result for a particular behavior, they would repeat that behavior.   This is great for teachers because they can use a number of things to motivate students to do their work.This philosophy works well with adult students because they understand their own motivators.   Many adults are back in school to better themselves in their careers, so they are intrinsically motivated to do well.   The teachers need only to reinforce those pre-existing ideas that education will lead to a better job, and the students will respond accordingly.   The teacher directs and manipulates the outcomes desired by motivating the students with positive reinforcement.The progressive philosophy aims to promote social change through practical knowledge and problem-solving skills.   Active participation by all members of a class is key for the progressive philosophy to work.   Class members use their own experiences to learn and draw insight from, as well as a coming up with and testing hypotheses.   The teacher acts as a facilitator, guiding them through their experiences and evaluating their learning outcomes.A key scholar of the progressive philosophy is Dewey.   His model of learning included five stages: first, the student had to become aware of the problem; next they had to be able to define the problem; then they needed to propose a hypothesis to try to solve the problem; next they had to evaluate the consequences of the hypothesis based on their own experience; and finally they had to test the most likely solution.According to Zilversmit (2005) Dewey thought the classroom should be a model for the democratic society a t large.   He felt that teachers should use the classroom to show students how real-world issues happened, and let them work them out as a true society would.Dewey believed that real-life experiences were the best experiences for learning.   Setting up real-work simulations, actually going out into the world to test a hypothesis and learn about an idea, were the best ways to get a solid foundation of knowledge about a subject.   The environment is also very important to the progressive philosophy, because the environment shapes behavior, just as behaviors also creates a particular environment.Progressive philosophy works well with adult students because most often they are already working and living independently in the world.   Learning theory from books is useful, but they also need the real-world component to understand the concepts.   They need practical applications for the learning they are doing in the classroom that can translate into work experience.The humanistic philosophy takes the real-world experience of progressive philosophy one step further.   In humanistic philosophy, personal growth and development are the most important factors to consider.   The students are self-motivated, and the teachers act as guides and aides.   They do not facilitate learning; rather, they are a sounding board or advice givers.   Humanistic theory focuses on the person more than the subject.One scholar of humanistic philosophy was Maslow.   Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs were very significant in the psychological world, and also have implications in the educational world. Maslow found that each person had a number of different types of needs.   If a person’s most basic needs were not met, he would have trouble being well-rounded and meeting other needs.The needs in Maslow’s hierarchy are as follows: basic needs for survival, such as food, shelter, clothing; safety needs, which include the ideas that one’s home and family are safe, and that she has enough resources to live comfortably on.   The next level is the need for love and a sense of belonging.   After love comes self-esteem, which includes confidence and respect for oneself and others.   Finally, the last stage is the self-actualization stage.   This includes morality, creativity, and problem-solving.As stated by Simons, Irwin, and Drinnian, (1987), Maslow argued that if the basic lower levels of need are not met, a person cannot begin to complete the higher levels, and that educators should help students move from one level to the next. Following his theory, someone who is constantly hungry will not be very confident.   This is important for adult learners because there may be some students whose basic needs have never been met. These needs should be dealt with before venturing into the higher levels.   Conversely, many adult students will already have their basic levels of needs met, so the class time can be spent on working to ward the higher levels and reaching the self-actualization stage.A final philosophy of education is the radical philosophy.   This philosophy puts forth the idea that change is desirable and necessary.   The learner and teacher are considered equals as they discuss their own actions and reflect on the consequences of those actions.   Much time is spent in discussions when teachers are employing this philosophy.   Students’ own ideas and thoughts on how to promote change are highly valued, and the group tries to come up with some ways of affecting change on their environment.A scholar who has been instrumental to this philosophy is Freire.   His emphasis on dialog and praxis were very significant to the radical movement.   Many scholars have felt that education needs to be the basis on which change is made.   Students have always had ideas that would help them, school, or community.   The best way to bring about change is to talk about it.   He also felt dial og was just words without action, so he believed in praxis, which is putting ideas into action.Freire believed that the key to change was dialog.   According to Smith (2002), Freire felt that through dialog, ideas could be expressed and evaluated in order to deem their possibility.   Since dialog is a cooperative activity that involves some basic level of respect, it can be used to great effect.   When dialog produces useful ideas that lead to specific plans, great and significant changes can be made.   Once dialog has is done and action begins, change takes place.The radical movement would appeal to adult learners because as adults, they probably view themselves more as equals with the instructors than younger students.   Adult students also feel that they have the life experiences to know that some changes would make a great difference in their environment.Talking about issues that they themselves have had problems with in their lives would lead to great dialog about wha t could be done to make things better.   Adults are also often quite practical; they would be able to come up with plans for action that would be effective and efficient as well.The liberal philosophy works well in a workplace environment where there is a need to promote higher level thinking.   Colleges often use the Socratic Method to get students to think deeply about and debate and issue.   In a business, the managers might get together and debate the merits of shorter work weeks.It is not often used on a daily basis in many workplaces.   It can be used in certain situations, but since this philosophy can take time to employ, it is not practical in many areas of work.   It is not used much in the military, where ideas are given down from the chain of command, and no debate is allowed.The behaviorist philosophy can work well in certain aspects of many types of environment.   The basic stimulus-response behavior associated with this philosophy can be used to promote go od work output.   A factory with assembly lines would be a good place for the behaviorist philosophy because workers work as quickly as possible doing repeated behaviors.This philosophy would also be useful in other organizations where certain behaviors need to be repeated.   Employers could use basic conditioning to ensure that all hospital workers washed their hands after entering each patient’s room.   An appropriate practice and reinforcement would be well-served in this environment.   The military is also a great place to see the behaviorist philosophy at work.Soldiers constantly perform certain behaviors because of the known responses and consequences associated with those behaviors.   Behaviorist philosophy does not work well when ideas need to flow freely.   An advertising company thrives on new and unique ideas, so the behaviorist philosophy of producing repeated behaviors would not work well there.The progressive philosophy works well when there are envi ronmental aspects to the workplace.   When workers need to find specific ways of solving problems, or developing step by step procedures for operations, this philosophy is often utilized.The scientific and project nature Thinking outside the box instead of just taking in information is an important aspect of this philosophy, so creative workplaces will get a lot of use out of it.   Hospitals can utilize this philosophy because there are always unique real-life situations taking place in the emergency room.   This philosophy promotes that kind of thinking.The military does not use this philosophy.   There is no need for creative thinking is when learning how to walk in formation or assemble a weapon.   Workplaces where specific results are needed do not use this philosophy.Humanistic philosophy is best employed where individual ideas and creativity are valued.   Medical research is one area where this philosophy is used to great effect.   Group discussion and discovery are highly valued, and that is key to coming up with new ideas to try for new medicines.Almost every department of a college has a research department, and the people who work there are self-directed, motivated workers whose main objective is discovery.   Human Resources departments often use this philosophy as it takes into account feelings and emotional responses.   This philosophy would not work well when direct results are needed.A factory that produces cars does not need to use group discussions very much, as radiators need to be assembled in a certain way to work properly.   The military does not use this philosophy very much; the need for personal growth and independence is not as important as the unit.The radical philosophy would be best used in workplaces where the status quo is not what they are looking for.   Government agencies designed to improve or change relations between citizens and police could utilize the dialog and action of this philosophy to great effec t.   A lot of talking goes into party planning as well.A party planner would never be able to pull off a successful event without a productive dialog to find out what the client wants, combined with action that produces those desired results.   This philosophy does not work well in workplaces where the desired results are already being produced.   The military and assembly lines are already producing their desired results, so they have little need for dialog about change.It has been very difficult to pinpoint my own philosophy of adult education.   Each philosophy has pros and cons, and I can see how each would be beneficial in the workplace. However, my own experience has led me more toward the humanistic philosophy.   I feel most productive in a group environment where ideas are being shared, and I feel I have skills that would make me a good facilitator of other groups.I like to listen to other ideas and evaluate their merits.   I like to hear what others have to say on a topic that I am passionate about.   Therefore, I think the humanistic philosophy fits my personality the best.   I am also self-motivated, and could work well on a project on my own.   I have a hard time separating my experiences and feelings from my work, and this philosophy allows me to combine them both to produce good results.I also see value in the behaviorist philosophy, because I believe that all people have internal motivators, and if I could understand what those are, I could encourage a lot of productivity in the people who worked for me.I love incentive based projects and reward systems, and think everyone should be rewarded for a job well done.   I work well when given a task that I know has a reward at the end, and I think I could also plan appropriate rewards for people who worked for me.   Therefore, I think my own philosophy is a combination of the humanistic and behaviorist philosophies.All five of these philosophies have great value when it comes to adult learners.   It is important to understand the scholars who promoted these philosophies, as well as what the philosophies themselves are about.   Knowing what practices are employed in each of the philosophies would help any educator understand which one would be best suited to a lesson, as well as the unique group that is adult learners.ReferencesBoeree, C. (1998). B.F. Skinner 1904-1990. Personality theories. Retrieved May 28, 2009 fromhttp://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/skinner.htmlSeiferth, M. (1997). Socratic teaching. Palo Alto College critical thinking resource page.Retrieved May 28, 2009 from http://lonestar.texas.net/~mseifert/crit3.htmlSimons, J. Irwin, D. Drinian, B. (1987). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. from Psychology, TheSearch for Understanding. New York: West Publishing Company. Retrieved May 29,2009 from http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/Teachtip/maslow.htmSmith, M. (2002). Paulo Freire and informal education. The encyclopae dia of informaleducation.   Retrieved May 29,2009 from www.infed.org/thinkers/et-freir.htmZilversmit, A. (2005). Progressive education. Retrieved may 29, 2009 fromhttp://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1012.html