Peer to Peer Lending Scheme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Peer to Peer Lending Scheme - Essay Example The following are some of the roles Mr. Campbell McBain should expect (Mostafa, 2014).The facilitator should ensure that the functions are given are fulfilled by the right people with the proper experience and authority. The facilitator is the task of developing clear objectives and agenda that are in line with the company goals. He should also decide the workshop process and briefing process. The facilitator should also ensure that logistical arrangements are. During the workshop, the facilitator ensures that objectives are, and benefits are realized. He also ensures that all relevant information is available to the group so that strategic decision-making is facilitated. After the workshop, the primary role of the facilitator is to produce and deliver the workshop report. He also reviews the report with the management of the company. McBain is not qualified for the role of facilitator although he has all the relevant knowledge about the company. McBain has been in the business for a long time and understands the role that the proposed software is supposed to play. McBain is very excited about the progress of the program. Thus, he will be available to the programmers at London Agile (Shankar et al.,2014). Despite his qualifications, it might be difficult for him to be impartial which is a quality required for the facilitator role. He should ensure he facilitates the workshop rather than dictate what is to be. A facilitator plays his role with no alignment or stake in the company, and there Campbell will not be suited for the role (Kafilongo et al, 2014) The company ambassador is the person given the responsibility of ensuring he or she embodies the cooperate identity of the company. The company ambassador has the ability of the to use promotional strategies that will strengthen the customer product relationship. It will influence a large number of organizations into using the products of the organization (Turk et al, 2014). The

The First Persian Gulf War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The First Persian Gulf War - Essay Example The main battles were aerial and ground combat within Iraq, Kuwait, and bordering areas of Saudi Arabia. The war did not expand outside the immediate Iraq/Kuwait/Saudi border region, although Iraq fired missiles on Israeli cities.The Iraqi seizure of Kuwait was of immediate interest to the western capitalist societies because Iraq and Kuwait together would control approximately 20 percent of the world's known oil reserves (Kellner 9). With the potential wealth generated from future oil sales and control over oil prices, Saddam Hussein could play a major role on the world's political and economic stage. Consequently, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait produced a crisis for the world capitalist system, for U.S. and European economic interests, and for the stability of the Middle East. Iraq was not able to get control of Kuwaiti investments because much of their money had been transferred out of the country. Yet, rather than encouraging a diplomatic solution to the crisis that would return Kuwai t's sovereignty and secure the region, George Bush responded with a military intervention, which inexorably led to the Gulf war itself. Interest in the crisis increased when the U.S. claimed that Iraq might also invade Saudi Arabia, which was said to control 20 percent of the world's known oil reserves and an investment portfolio even larger than Kuwait's. George Bush, who had initially attacked the invasion as "naked aggression," heated up his rhetoric and declared on August 5 that the invasion "would not stand." Two days later, he sent thousands of troops to Saudi Arabia. The Bush administration had thus set the stage for the Gulf war by failing to warn Iraq of the consequences of invading Kuwait and then by quickly sending troops to Saudi Arabia while undercutting diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis (Frank 20). There was no single reason why the United States relentlessly pursued the military option in the crisis of the Gulf. Dissection of the underlying forces that led the Bush administration to pursue the war option reveals a complex web of political, economic, and military considerations. The Gulf war was not solely a war for oil, for the greater glory of George Bush and the Pentagon, or for the promotion of U.S. geopolitical supremacy in order to bolster a faltering U.S. economy, although all of these factors played a role in producing the war. Instead, the Gulf war was "overdetermined" and requires a multicausal analysis (Kellner 11-12). In 1990, Bush's presidency was facing severe domestic economic and political problems, including: a sky-rocketing deficit caused by Reagan's and Bush's astronomical defense-spending; a severe S&L, banking, and insurance crisis caused by Republican deregulation policies; and proliferating public squalor marked by growing homelessness, unemployment, economic deprivation, deteriorating cities with epidemics of crime and drugs, health problems such as AIDS, cancer, and the absence of a national health insurance program. These and many other problems were in part caused, or aggravated, by the policies of George Bush and his predecessor Ronald Reagan. Consequently, it was in George Bush's interest to divert attention from current crises and the potentially deteriorating economy with a scapegoat for the economic imbroglio produced by Republican economics. That is, Bush could claim that the economic problems were caused by Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait and the ensuing crisis that drov e up

Policy recommendations in counter-terrorism Essay

Policy recommendations in counter-terrorism - Essay Example Second, all terrorists are treated as criminals (Global Focus 2010). Third, the United States can and does apply considerable political, economic, and military pressure on the states that are known to be supporting terrorism (Global Focus 2010). Based on these principles are the four rules on which U.S. counter-terrorism strategy currently builds. First, there should be no concessions or deals made with terrorists (Global Focus 2010). U.S. government will never make any concessions or deals with the foreign terrorists taking American hostages. Second, the U.S. will always seek to bring terrorists to justice for the crimes they have committed (Global Focus 2010). No matter how long it takes, America will track down, catch, and convict all terrorists who have ever attacked the American state, an American citizen, or their interests (Global Focus 2010). Third, the United States works hard to force the states that sponsor terrorists to change their attitudes and behaviors (Global Focus 2 010). Fourth, the U.S. believes that it can bolster its allies to work individually or cooperatively against terrorists (Global Focus 2010). Needless to say, the current counter-terrorism strategy demands huge financial and intellectual investments. Simultaneously, while President Obama claims his counter-terrorism strategy to rely on cooperation, collaboration, and resilience, the scope of violence and military efforts applied against domestic and international terrorism cannot be ignored (Obama 2011). These are not the only problems facing the United States in its fight against terrorism. To begin with, most, if not all, counter-terrorism efforts developed in the U.S. rely on an implicit assumption that global terrorist organizations have narrow support and can be... U.S. government will never make any concessions or deals with the foreign terrorists taking American hostages. Second, the U.S. will always seek to bring terrorists to justice for the crimes they have committed (Global Focus 2010). No matter how long it takes, America will track down, catch, and convict all terrorists who have ever attacked the American state, an American citizen, or their interests (Global Focus 2010). Third, the United States works hard to force the states that sponsor terrorists to change their attitudes and behaviors (Global Focus 2010). Fourth, the U.S. believes that it can bolster its allies to work individually or cooperatively against terrorists (Global Focus 2010). Needless to say, the current counter-terrorism strategy demands huge financial and intellectual investments. Simultaneously, while President Obama claims his counter-terrorism strategy to rely on cooperation, collaboration, and resilience, the scope of violence and military efforts applied against domestic and international terrorism cannot be ignored (Obama 2011). These are not the only problems facing the United States in its fight against terrorism.  To begin with, most, if not all, counter-terrorism efforts developed in the U.S. rely on an implicit assumption that global terrorist organizations have narrow support and can be easily eliminated (Lempert et al. 2008). In reality, terrorist organizations originating from the Islamic world have already gained broad support across a number of Islamic states.

The First Persian Gulf War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The First Persian Gulf War - Essay Example The main battles were aerial and ground combat within Iraq, Kuwait, and bordering areas of Saudi Arabia. The war did not expand outside the immediate Iraq/Kuwait/Saudi border region, although Iraq fired missiles on Israeli cities.The Iraqi seizure of Kuwait was of immediate interest to the western capitalist societies because Iraq and Kuwait together would control approximately 20 percent of the world's known oil reserves (Kellner 9). With the potential wealth generated from future oil sales and control over oil prices, Saddam Hussein could play a major role on the world's political and economic stage. Consequently, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait produced a crisis for the world capitalist system, for U.S. and European economic interests, and for the stability of the Middle East. Iraq was not able to get control of Kuwaiti investments because much of their money had been transferred out of the country. Yet, rather than encouraging a diplomatic solution to the crisis that would return Kuwai t's sovereignty and secure the region, George Bush responded with a military intervention, which inexorably led to the Gulf war itself. Interest in the crisis increased when the U.S. claimed that Iraq might also invade Saudi Arabia, which was said to control 20 percent of the world's known oil reserves and an investment portfolio even larger than Kuwait's. George Bush, who had initially attacked the invasion as "naked aggression," heated up his rhetoric and declared on August 5 that the invasion "would not stand." Two days later, he sent thousands of troops to Saudi Arabia. The Bush administration had thus set the stage for the Gulf war by failing to warn Iraq of the consequences of invading Kuwait and then by quickly sending troops to Saudi Arabia while undercutting diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis (Frank 20). There was no single reason why the United States relentlessly pursued the military option in the crisis of the Gulf. Dissection of the underlying forces that led the Bush administration to pursue the war option reveals a complex web of political, economic, and military considerations. The Gulf war was not solely a war for oil, for the greater glory of George Bush and the Pentagon, or for the promotion of U.S. geopolitical supremacy in order to bolster a faltering U.S. economy, although all of these factors played a role in producing the war. Instead, the Gulf war was "overdetermined" and requires a multicausal analysis (Kellner 11-12). In 1990, Bush's presidency was facing severe domestic economic and political problems, including: a sky-rocketing deficit caused by Reagan's and Bush's astronomical defense-spending; a severe S&L, banking, and insurance crisis caused by Republican deregulation policies; and proliferating public squalor marked by growing homelessness, unemployment, economic deprivation, deteriorating cities with epidemics of crime and drugs, health problems such as AIDS, cancer, and the absence of a national health insurance program. These and many other problems were in part caused, or aggravated, by the policies of George Bush and his predecessor Ronald Reagan. Consequently, it was in George Bush's interest to divert attention from current crises and the potentially deteriorating economy with a scapegoat for the economic imbroglio produced by Republican economics. That is, Bush could claim that the economic problems were caused by Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait and the ensuing crisis that drov e up

-Cell phone usages and Radiation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

-Cell phone usages and Radiation - Essay Example The technology of cell phone has eliminated the factor of geographical distances and made the general population more socially connected. The acceptance rate of the cell phone technology can be realized by the fact that from the year 1990 up till 2011, the worldwide cell phone subscriptions raised from 12.4 million to over 6 billion, penetrating nearly 87% of the world population (MobiThinking). Cell phone technology may not be all that safe. Amidst the life of convenience offered by cell phones, the potential threat the cell phone technology may have to the health of humans can get ignored. On October 19, 2012, the Supreme Court in Rome (Italy) gave a ruling wherein a â€Å"causal link† was found to exist between the mobile phone and the illness of an Italian Company’s Director Innocente Marcolini, 60 (Routers, 2012). Marcolini was diagnosed to have developed a tumor (neurinoma affecting a cranial nerve) on the side of the head that he held his mobile phone to for 5-6 hours a day for 12 years. Cell phone technology works by emitting radiations. Whether these radiations are harmful to human health or not is a debate that has been pursued by many medical and environment bodies. This paper presents an overview of the radiations emitted by the cell phones and the safety standards set by the agencies. The possible impact on these radiations on human health and some safety tips to avoid the possible threats are also presented in the paper. Cell phones use a type of electromagnetic energy called radiofrequency (or simply RF) energy for communication. RF are the radio waves and microwaves. On the electromagnetic spectrum (shown in Figure 1), where the energy ranges from ones that have extremely low frequencies with long wavelengths to those that have extremely high frequencies with short wavelengths, the radio waves and microwaves lie between the two extremes. In the RF region, the frequencies are in the range of 3KHz to 300GHz.

The Cause Effect Of Green Electronic Products Marketing Essay

The Cause Effect Of Green Electronic Products Marketing Essay Today there is growing concern for environmental friendly product because of the environmental issues faced by the world. Industries, factories, fume emitting tall chimneys, vehicles, household appliances; heaps of garbage and extreme pollution have altered the environmental conditions and disturbed our biome. Chloroforo carbons from refrigerators, air conditioners, deodorants, etc are responsible for depletion of ozone layer; Green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, etc are contributing to the global warming. Government, companies, industries are taking initiative to reduce this pollution for our healthy living and also for our future generations. Owing to this fact companies are producing environmental friendly products which in turn help in reducing pollution and help in saving environment. The most important reason why one should use Eco-friendly products is because of the devastating effect of harmful gases, non-biodegradable plastics, dangerous gases which not only pollutes the environment but also causes respiratory problems, skin diseases, etc in human beings. Due to this polluted water and air there is a danger of complete extinction of various rare species of animals and birds. There are lots and lots of harmful effects of plastics, chemicals, non biodegradable items, which is the main reason to start using Eco friendly products as soon as possible. And not only that we should also start changing our lifestyle like usage of air coolers only when there is at most need of it, using jute bags or paper bags instead of plastics covers, taking up drinking waters in safe utensils rather than plastic bottles, making the pollution check regularly in our vehicles . Eco-friendly products have slowly and slowly entered every market considering cosmetics, medicines, electronics, paints, automobiles, manufacturing machines, smart city concept and more. Companies not only produce eco-friendly products but they also have eco-friendly packaging, eco-marks on packages. Measures have been taken by government, companies to produce eco-friendly products which in turn slowly and slowly reduce the impact of pollution on our environment. Eco-friendly has several meanings. There was a time when you were eco friendly if you just stopped using paper. But the definition of eco friendly products changed over the times. In more recent times, if you used predominantly natural products, or their derivatives, you were using eco friendly products. However, today, the definition has broadened more. Today, you are eco friendly not just by using eco friendly products, but also by taking care that the environment is not harmed in any way by the way you are using these pro ducts. Although the meaning has changed but the essence is same as before, one has to be friendly to the environment. The domain of eco-friendly product is very wide so I have restricted my research to the household electronic products which are used by consumer on daily basis. This include television, washing machine, microwave, CFLs, AC, refrigerators, etc. People deal with these products daily and hence they can easily tell about these products. What are the factors they prefer before buying these products? The project conceptualizes the recent market trend of green electronic products and consumer buying characteristics. To understand the meaning of eco-friendly electronic and what people think eco-friendly electronics are. Eco-friendly electronics are expensive, and then also companies are manufacturing them, what are the various factors why companies manufacture eco-friendly electronics. What makes todays customer to go for eco-friendly electronics, is it only to save the planet or some other reason. All such questions will be answered in this paper. Explain in 4-5 sentence the approach adopted by you and results/findings A distinct approach and questionnaire would be helpful for the evaluation of electronic consumer products, even though some usability questionnaires claim to be relevant to products other than computer software. Current usability questionnaires also seem to measure various usability dimensions, but the dimensions are not necessarily identical across questionnaires. Thus, the exploration of the available questionnaires provides a sound background to the development of the questionnaire items for this study. LITERATURE REVIEW While green marketing came into prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was first discussed much earlier. The American Marketing Association (AMA) held the first workshop on Ecological Marketing in 1975. The proceedings of this workshop resulted in one of the first books on green marketing entitled Ecological Marketing (Henion and Kinnear 1976a). Since that time a number of other books on the topic have been published (Coddington 1993, and Ottman 1993). Green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. (Polonsky, 1994) World-wide evidence indicates people are concerned about the environment and are changing their behavior accordingly. As a result there is a growing market for sustainable and socially responsible products and services. (Environmental protection agency -2000) Green consumerism is often discussed as a form of pro-social consumer behavi or (Wiener and Doesher, 1991). It may be viewed as a specific type of socially conscious (Anderson, 1988) or socially responsible (Antil, 1984) consumer behavior that involves an environmentalist (Schlossberg, 1991) perspective and may thus be called environmentally concerned consumption (Henion, 1976). A classic definition (Henion, 1976) describes environmentally concerned consumers. Business organizations tend to concern about environments issues due to several reasons such as environmental pressure, governmental pressure, competitive pressure, cost or profit issues (Environmental protection agency -2000) Unfortunately, a majority of people believe that green marketing refers solely to the promotion or advertising of products with environmental characteristics. (Polonsky,1994) and terms like Phosphate Free, Recyclable, Refillable, Ozone Friendly, and Environmentally Friendly are some of the things consumers most often associate with green marketing. . (Polonsky, 1994) While these terms are green marketing claims, in general green marketing is a much broader concept, one that can be applied to consumer goods, industrial goods and even services (Roberts and Bacon, 1997). Hopes for green products also have been hurt by the perception that such products are of lower quality or dont really deliver on their environmental promises. And yet the news isnt all bad, as the growing number of people willing to pay a premium for green products from organic foods to energy-efficient appliances attests. (DSouza et al. 2004)Green or Environmental Marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs, with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environment. [Polonsky 1994b, 2] Green marketing has not lived up to the hopes and dreams of many managers and activists. Although public opinion polls consistently show that consumers would prefer to choose a green product over one that is less friendly to the environment when all other things are equal, those other things are rarely equal in the minds of consumers. (Hackett, 2000) They must always keep in mind that consumers are unlikely to compromise on traditional product attributes, such as convenience, availability, price, quality and performance. Its even more important to realize, however, that there is no single green-marketing strategy that is right for every company. (Prothero,, and McDonagh, 1992) Despite the increasing eco-awareness in contemporary market economies, it is generally recognized that there are still considerable barriers to the diffusion of more ecologically oriented consumption styles. In lay discourse as well as in much of consumer research, these barriers are usually attributed to the motivational and practical complexity of green consumption (Hackett, 2000). Increased use of Green Marketing is depending on five possible reasons. (Polonsky 1994b) Organizations perceive environmental marketing to be an opportunity that can be used to achieve its objectives [Keller 1987, Shearer 1990] Organizations believe they have a moral obligation to be more socially responsible [Davis 1992, Keller 1987,] Governmental bodies are forcing firms to become more responsible [Davis 1992]; Competitors environmental activities pressure firms to change their environmental marketing activities [Davis 1992] Cost factors associated with waste disposal, or reductions in material usage forces firms to modify their behavior [Keller, K.L. (1993] Moreover, environmentally responsible behavior usually involves difficult motivational conflicts, arising from the fundamental incompatibility of environmental protection-related collective goals and individual consumers personal or self-interested benefits and the resulting free-rider problem (Wiener and Doesher, 1991) Public policymakers will continue to develop more efficient ways to regulate waste and pollution, and scientists will continue to gather information about the environmental risks from various substances or practices. As they do, pricing structures will evolve that communicate even more accurate information to manufacturers and entrepreneurs about the true cost of commercial activities and the potential rewards from innovative solutions to environmental problems. This definition incorporates much of the traditional components of the marketing definition that is All activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants (Sc hlegelmilch et al,1996). There are usually severe external constraints to green consumerism, arising from the cultural, infrastructural, political and economic circumstances in the markets and society (McIntosh, A. 1991). Both individual and industrial are becoming more concerned and aware about the natural environment. In a 1992 study of 16 countries, more than 50% of consumers in each country, other than Singapore, indicated they were concerned about the environment (Ottman 1993). A 1994 study in Australia found that 84.6% of the sample believed all individuals had a responsibility to care for the environment. A further 80% of this sample indicated that they had modified their behavior, including their purchasing behavior, due to environmental reasons (EPA-NSW 1994). Owing to the conceptual and moral complexity of ecologically responsible consumer behavior and to the perplexity of ecological information, different consumers have different conceptions of ecologically oriented consumer behavior and, thus, myriad ways of acting out their primary motivation for being green consumers (Antil, 1984). These innovations arent being pursued simply to reduce package waste. (Prothero, 1990) Food manufacturers also want to improve food preservation to enhance the taste and freshness of their products. The cost of the foods would be lower; consumers could enjoy the convenience of pre-sliced ingredients, and waste peelings (Prothero, 1990). It can be assumed that firms marketing goods with environmental characteristics will have a competitive advantage over firms marketing non-environmentally responsible alternatives. There are numerous examples of firms who have strived to become more environmentally responsible, in an attempt to better satisfy their consumer needs. (Schwepker, and Cornwell, 1991) While governmental regulation is designed to give consumers the opportunity to make better decisions or to motivate them to be more environmentally responsible, there is difficulty in establishing policies that will address all environmental issues. (Schwepker, and Cornwell, 1991). Hence, environment-friendly consumption may be characterized as highly a complex form of consumer behavior, both intellectually and morally as well as in practice. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE The purpose of this research is to investigate the cause effect of green electronic products consumption in India. What are the factors responsible for the manufacturing of eco-friendly electronics? What makes companies to for green marketing? What are the factors that make customers buy such eco-friendly electronics. How aware consumers are about the green electronics? Also understand the meaning of eco-friendly electronics. Do these green electronics really are green? The OBJECTIVES of the research are: To explore analyze the driving force behind green marketing in Electronic products This objective states the reason why companies are going for green marketing although it is very expensive. Today in the market we can see many products which have the eco-friendly constituent, electronics, cosmetics, automobiles, manufacturing machines, paints, etc all have some eco-friendly component. What are the factors which have forced the companies to go for such strategy? This is studied through the secondary research from magazines, newspaper, brochures, pamphlets, articles, case studies. To study the consumer buying behavior towards green electronic products The consumer buying behavior for electronic product is studied and objective is to find the impact of environmental friendliness, consumer awareness for green electronics and what are the parameters which consumer prefer before buying the electronics. Also study the impact of eco-friendly electronics on consumer buying behavior. This is studied through the survey of consumers. Major Hypothesis (s): H0: Current trends indicate the inclination of customers towards environmental friendly electronic products H1: Current trends does not indicate the inclination of customers towards environmental friendly electronic products RESEARCH METHODLOGY The project work includes the collection of data about the electronics companies, their various products including eco-friendly, environmental policies, eco-labels used by companies. Also customers are survey through a questionnaire, to know the consumer buying behavior towards green electronics and also check their awareness towards eco-friendly products. Methodology Used TYPE OF RESEARCH: Exploratory Research, Descriptive Research I have collected Secondary Data from Internet, magazines, newspapers, articles, brochures, and company websites. GREEN MARKETING Green marketing is a concept which uses the environmental benefits of a product or service to promote companys sales. Todays consumers choose products that do not damage the environment over less environmentally friendly products, even if they cost more. With green marketing, advertisers focus has shifted on environmental benefits to sell products such as biodegradable diapers, energy-efficient light bulbs, and environmentally safe detergents. People spend billions of dollars worth to buy goods and services every year-many of them harm the environment in how they are harvested, made, or used. Environmentalists are supporting green marketing to encourage people to use environmental alternatives, and also offer incentives to manufacturers that develop more environmentally beneficial products. Without environmental labeling standards, consumers can not tell which products or services are truly beneficial. Consumers end up paying extra for misrepresented products so called green product or service. Then new term greenwashing came into existence which describes such cases where organizations misrepresented themselves as environmentally responsible. Environmentally preferable products as products and services which have lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment around them when compared to other products and services that serve the same purpose. The label environmentally preferable or environmental friendly considers various scenarios like how raw materials are acquired, produced, manufactured, packaged, distributed, reused, operated, maintained, and this also include how the product or service is disposed. Today, special labels are there which help the public identify legitimate environmentally preferable products and services. Several environmental groups or committees are there to evaluate and certify products and services. According to the American Marketing Association, green marketing term is defined as the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally friendly and safe. As a result, green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, which includes product modification, production process changes, changes in packaging, as well as modifying advertising. Defining green marketing is not a simple task as several meanings intersect and contradict each other; Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing can also be used and are synonyms for green marketing. Green marketing is considered as a golden goose. As per Mr. J. Polonsky, green marketing can be defined as, All activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchange intended to satisfy human needs or wants such that satisfying of these needs and wants occur with minimal detrimental input on the national environment. Environmental issues the product intends to address Consumer is the king in todays market and its important that he should understand environmental issues prevailing. Today the focus is on global warming and resource consumption. Issues related to pollution and contamination of air, water, and soil, are serious issues in developing economies. Waste disposal is also a major issue. Global warming prevention Helps reduce emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. This initiative includes the direct reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as well as energy saving and the reduction of deforestation. Air/water/soil pollution prevention Helps reduce emissions of substances contained in the air, water, and soil, such as photochemical oxidants (e.g., nitrogen oxides) and suspended particulate matter (e.g., sulfur oxides), which are substances restricted by environmental standards including air pollution control laws. This includes products that contribute to preventing ozone depletion and product oxidization. The clean-up of air/water/soil pollutants is also included. Chemical substance reduction Helps reduce and clean up eco-toxic chemical substances harmful to humans and the environment. These chemicals include substances specified by laws that identify the environmental impact created by emissions of specific chemical substances and that promote better management of such substances. This includes the reduction and purification of hazardous substances by recycling and reuse as well as products containing low levels of or no hazardous substances. Waste reduction Helps reduce the final disposal volumes by changing products, manufacturing processes, and packaging. This includes waste weight/volume reduction within the circulation system. Resource saving Helps reduce the consumption of resources, such as mineral, forest, and water resources. This includes resource saving by reuse and recycling as well as resource saving in products and the manufacturing process. Biodiversity The product contributes to the conservation of biological diversity, through a sustainable use of the components in the eco-system and promotes the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. How does the product address environmental issues? This explains how the products support environmental impact reduction. The category is subdivided to provide comprehensive support for various environmental measures widely exercised at present. This clarifies whether resource saving is achieved through enhanced product performance, longer product life, or improved product recyclability. Recyclability/reusability/refill-ability Raw materials can be recovered, processed, and recycled for reuse. Alternatively, they can be recycled efficiently by using designs that are easily disassembled. Reusable and refillable designs may be used in packaging and products. Long life With long-life designs, enhanced durability, and continued performance with repairs and maintenance, product life can be prolonged, leading to the reduction of raw materials and waste. Degradability/compost-ability Products, packaging, and their components are biodegradable and produce substances that are relatively homogeneous and stable. They can also be degraded to a degree under certain conditions within a predetermined period of time. High quality/performance Product quality and performance improvements enable environmental impact reduction, subsequently leading to material and waste reduction. Energy saving Efficient process designs and product weight reduction enable energy saving. This initiative includes the use of energy recovered instead of disposal. Environmental clean-up products The use of hazardous chemical substances in product manufacturing is reduced through the development of alternative materials, etc.; or the use of the product helps clean up hazardous substances. Using recycled materials Recyclable materials (pre- and postconsumer) are recovered and recycled materials are used in the manufacturing process, either entirely or in high volumes. Eco Labels Many products and services come with environmental labels that state product features to inform and appeal to consumers. They certify that items are environmentally friendly according to standards independently set by countries, regions, organizations, and providers. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) classifies environmental labels into Type I, Type II, and Type III and environmental labels are then given based on compliance certification, producers self-declaration of commitment to environmental preservation, and the verification and disclosure of quantitative environmental impact data. Additional environmental labels are awarded under standards and criteria of other bodies. In addition to environmental labels, other initiatives are intended to raise consumers environmental awareness, including the creation of databases where self-assessed products may be registered. Type I (ISO14020, ISO14024): Seal of approval-compliance approval. Description: Type I labels are managed in accordance with the standards and principles of the ISO. This system ensures that the use of the label is accepted by a third party based on an independent, multifaceted standard. The standard covers the entire product life (resource extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, disposal, recycling). The submitted products are assessed for approval and if successful are awarded the Type I label. Examples: Type II (ISO14021): Single attribute-producers self-declaration of commitment to the environment Description: Product providers independently incorporate environment-related improvements in their products. There is no intervention by any third party. Examples: Type III (ISO14025): Report card-verification and disclosure of quantitative environmental impact data Description: Type III labels are managed in accordance with ISO14025 (environmental declarations). They use the life cycle assessment (LCA) method to show environmental information on products quantitatively from resource extraction to manufacturing/assembly, distribution, use, and discarding/recycling. Only the reliability of disclosed data is verified and product evaluation is left to consumers. Examples: Other environmental labels There are other environmental labels apart from those of the ISO. Various environmental labels have been created in many areas including the consumer electronics industry and automotive industry. Driving forces for organizations to go for green marketing Organizations perceive environmental marketing to be an opportunity that can be used to achieve its objectives. Organizations believe they have a moral obligation to be more socially responsible. Governmental bodies are forcing firms to become more responsible. Competitors environmental activities pressure firms to change their environmental marketing activities. Cost factors associated with waste disposal, or reductions in material usage forces firms to modify their behavior. OPPORTUNITIES All types of consumers, both individual and industrial are becoming more concerned and aware about the natural environment. In a 1992 study of 16 countries, more than 50% of consumers in each country, other than Singapore, indicated they were concerned about the environment. A 1994 study in Australia found that 84.6% of the sample believed all individuals had a responsibility to care for the environment. A further 80% of this sample indicated that they had modified their behavior, including their purchasing behavior, due to environmental reasons. As demands change, many firms see these changes as an opportunity to be exploited. It can be assumed that firms marketing goods with environmental characteristics will have a competitive advantage over firms marketing non-environmentally responsible alternatives. There are numerous examples of firms who have strived to become more environmentally responsible, in an attempt to better satisfy their consumer need. McDonalds replaced its clam sh ell packaging with waxed paper because of increased consumer concern relating to polystyrene production and Ozone depletion. Xerox introduced a high quality recycled photocopier paper in an attempt to satisfy the demands of firms for less environmentally harmful products. This is not to imply that all firms who have undertaken environmental marketing activities actually improve their behavior. In some cases firms have misled consumers in an attempt to gain market share. In other cases firms have jumped on the green bandwagon without considering the accuracy of their behavior, their claims, or the effectiveness of their products. This lack of consideration of the true greenness of activities may result in firms making false or misleading green marketing claims. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY GREEN MARKETING Many firms are beginning to realize that they are members of the wider community and therefore must behave in an environmentally responsible fashion. This translates into firms that believe they must achieve environmental objectives as well as profit related objectives. This results in environmental issues being integrated into the firms corporate culture. Firms in this situation can take two perspectives: They can use the fact that they are environmentally responsible as a marketing tool; or They can become responsible without promoting this fact. There are examples of firms adopting both strategies. Organizations like the Panasonic heavily promote the fact that they are environmentally responsible. While this behavior is a competitive advantage, the firm was established specifically to offer consumers environmentally responsible alternatives to conventional electronic products. This philosophy is directly tied to the overall corporate culture, rather than simply being a competitive tool. An example of a firm that does not promote its environmental initiatives is Voltas. They have invested large sums of money in various recycling activities, as well as having modified their packaging to minimize its environmental impact. While being concerned about the environment, Voltas has not used this concern as a marketing tool. GOVERNMENTALPRESSURE As with all marketing related activities, governments want to protect consumers and society; this protection has significant green marketing implications. Governmental regulations relating to environmental marketing are designed to protect consumers in several ways, Reduce production of harmful goods or by-products; Modify consumer and industrys use and/or consumption of harmful goods; or Ensure that all types of consumers have the ability to evaluate the environmental composition of goods. Governments establish regulations designed to control the amount of hazardous wastes produced by firms. Many by-products of production are controlled through the issuing of various environmental licenses, thus modifying organizational behavior. In some cases governments try to induce final consumers to become more responsible. For example, some governments have introduced voluntary curb-side recycling programs, making it easier for consumers to act responsibly. In other cases governments tax individuals who act in an irresponsible fashion. COMPETITIVE PRESSURE Another major force in the environmental marketing area has been firms desire to maintain their competitive position. In many cases firms observe competitors promoting their environmental behaviors and attempt to emulate this behavior. In some instances this competitive pressure has caused an entire industry to modify and thus reduce its detrimental environmental behavior. For example, it could be argued that Xeroxs Revive 100% Recycled paper was introduced a few years ago in an attempt to address the introduction of recycled photocopier paper by other manufacturers. In another example when one tuna manufacture stopped using driftnets the others followed suit. COST OR PROFIT ISSUES Firms may also use green marketing in an attempt to address cost or profit related issues. Disposing of environmentally harmful by-products are becoming increasingly costly and in some cases difficult. Therefore firms that can reduce harmful wastes may incur substantial cost savings. When attempting to minimize waste, firms are often forced to re-examine their production processes. In these cases they often develop more effective production processes that not only reduce waste, but reduce the need for some raw materials. This serves as a double cost savings, since both waste and raw material are reduced. In other cases firms attempt to find end-of-pipe solutions, instead of minimizing waste. In these situations firms try to find markets or uses for their waste materials, where one firms waste becomes another firms input of production.

Ecological Hermeneutics Essay -- Science Technology Ecology Papers

To what extent does Hans-Georg Gadamer’s theory of science provide a basis for the articulation of an ecological hermeneutics? As "hermeneutics" is the art of interpretation and understanding, "ecological hermeneutics" is understood as the act of interpreting the impact of technology within the lifeworld. I consider the potential for ecological hermeneutics based upon Gadamer’s theory of science. First, I outline his theory of science. Second, I delineate ecological hermeneutics as an application of this theory. Third, I discuss what can be expected from the act of ecological hermeneutics. Finally, I make some general comments about the affinity between ecological hermeneutics and brute common-sense. Our question is: to what extent does Hans-Georg Gadamer’s theory of science provide a basis for an articulation of an ecological hermeneutics? As "hermeneutics" is the art or activity of interpretation and understanding, "ecological hermeneutics" is to be understood as the activity of interpreting the impact of uses of technology within the context of the lifeworld. (1) Our considerations of the uses of technology (2) include the spheres of scientific research on one hand and industrial production processes on the other, specifically capitalism. The similarity which makes these two spheres felicitous to ecological hermeneutics is their respective detachment from the lifeworld, a detachment which characterizes each of their decision procedures. Gadamer’s hermeneutic enterprise is modeled on a retrieval of the Aristotelian model of science which calls into question the modern notion of ratiocination detached a priori from experience, from the lifeworld. Through this hermeneutic enterprise Gadamer develops a theory of science whic... ...g strategy designed to stimulate sales? (15) Op. cit., trans. David Ross (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984), p. 3. (16) Reason in the Age of Science, p. 8 (17) Ibid., p. 105. Italics mine. (18) In passing it is interesting to note that from the perspective of ecological hermeneutics, such attempts such as Julian Simon’s to discount any aspect of human life which cannot be quantitatively measured are exceedingly tenuous. As he sees it, the "simplest and most accurate measure of health is length of life, summed up as the average life expectancy." But in an effort to remain objective, Simon blatantly overlooks the possibility that life expectancy might have nothing to do with quality of life, as in the cases of terminally ill patients kept alive on respirators. See The Ultimate Resource (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1981), p. 130.