Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environment - Essay Example This hole and our thinning ozone are impacting negatively on living things in the planet, including man. The international conventions which were agreed upon have helped minimize the impact and the progression of ozone damage. Similar arrangements are bound to produce favorable results. The Antarctic hole is not really a hole, but it is more a thinning of the ozone layer of our stratosphere. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration described that this hole reached an area of about 26 million square km or about three times the size of Australia. This hole usually developed with each Antarctic spring since the late 1970s, and in 1998, it lasted up to December. This hole has grown in size; however, some reports have revealed that the thinning of the ozone layer is also starting to slow. The hole is in the Antarctic because the strong winds which circle the Antarctic trap the atmosphere near the pole during the winter months. The high-altitude clouds of ice crystals then ga ther in the extreme cold of the polar winter. During the summer months, the solar power sets off chemical actions on the surfaces of the ice crystals through the CFCs and halons which then break down the ozone into oxygen. Towards the start of the Antarctic summer months, the ice clouds melt and break down the ozone. The strong winds then weaken and warmer ozone-rich air mix with Antarctic air. The North Pole ozone also thins but the Arctic winds are not as strong as the Antarctic winds. Everglades Restoration The restoration of the everglades has been proposed as a solid effort towards restoring the ecosystem, atleast in the Everglades of South Florida. The US Army Corps of Engineers proposed this plan in order to restore the wetlands into its original and natural hydrological patterns. It is a costly enterprise which many skeptics do not trust to succeed. The Everglades were historically a slow-flowing river of grass which started at the Lake Okechobe. The winter rains often flood ed the region and the summer heat dried it. It was home to fishes, herons, and other Everglade birds. The fluctuations in its water levels frustrated south Florida’s human population because the flowing threatened cities and farms. As a result, the waters of the Everglades were redirected towards the ocean and levees were built to protect the cities and roads. The natural Everglades then sank to half its original size. It also became susceptible to wild fires during the summer months and about 90% of its wading bird population disappeared. Plans to restore it to its original water system were set forth. It is bound to face difficulties because of the large human population which has already settled in the area. Skeptics are wary of the plans set forth in the restoration of the everglades because they suggest that it may be impossible to restore it to its original state. They suggest that more studies have to be undertaken in order to ensure that the restorations plans would b e successful. The Everglades are being restored to their natural state in a bid to preserve the Everglades and restore ecological balance in south Florida. Not doing it now would make efforts to restore it later, more difficult. The US Army Corps of Engineers asked for $8 billion dollars to restore the Everglades and they estimated that the restoration process would span 20 years. The actual restoration may take longer, but for now, the efforts to restore the areas into its original

Corporate strategy and its integrated nature. Volkswagen case Essay

Corporate strategy and its integrated nature. Volkswagen case - Essay Example This report will discuss as to what is a successful business strategy by discussing the key dimensions of the business and discussing the same with respect to the Volkswagen group.Corporate strategy is an integrated process as it requires a collaborative effort at the organization-wide level to ensure that the overall objectives of the organisation are achievedIntegrated nature of the strategy outlines that the different organizational resources are combined together to execute the corporate level strategy and achieve the strategic objectives of the firm. It’s also because of this reason that strategy as a process is considered as an iterative process where the firms keep on adjusting and changing their strategies in order to successfully negotiate with their external environment. Strategy therefore outlines as to how the firm, by utilizing its internal strengths can take up the opportunities offered by the external environment while at the same time negotiating with the threa ts faced. There are four key dimensions of any business strategy involving the strategy formulation under which organizations actually formulate the strategy, the analysis dimension under which the firms perform the strategic analysis before any strategic option is chose, choosing the right strategy and finally implementing the same. These four key dimensions of a well developed business strategy therefore require a collaborative and integrated approach to make a business strategy successful. It is through all these key dimensions that a firm reaches at a point where it can achieve its organizational objectives. This report will discuss as to what is a successful business strategy by discussing the key dimensions of the business and discussing the same with respect to the Volkswagen group. Corporate Strategy and its integrated nature Johnson and Scholes define strategy in following manner: â€Å"Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long-term: which achiev es advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations".1 The above definition suggests that strategy is the name of setting an overall direction for the firm on long term basis. What is also important to note that it outlines the need for achieving a configuration with the organizational resources while working in an uncertain and challenging external environment to achieve the kind of advantage which can fulfill the expectations developed by the stakeholders? The above definition is quite comprehensive in the sense that it outlines as to how the integration of different elements together can provide the firm the kind of advantage to achieve its objectives. Without setting a direction and configuring it with the organizational resources, it may not be possible for a firm to achieve its organizational goals. Volkswagen Group has set up a strategy of achieving its g rowth through expansion in the emerging markets. It is also aiming to consolidate its position in the existing markets while at the same time achieving the set financial targets to be achieved in medium and short term. A closer analysis of this would suggest that the group is actually aiming to develop a two pronged strategy of consolidating in the existing markets while at the same time achieving the expansion in new markets.2 Evaluating the same in the light of above definition would suggest that the firm’s strategy is clearly focused upon meeting the expectations of its stakeholders by using its traditional advantage in its existing markets while at the same time configuring its resources to gain access to the emerging markets. It is also important to understand that an organization is a collection of different resources which are combined together to achieve the common objectives. For example, a firm’s excellent production system and high quality output may not sel l itself unless it’s backed up by excellent marketing resources. Similarly, despite having the capability to produce high quality products, a firm may not be able to achieve the same if it does not have access to finances. As such strategy is therefore of integrated