Oil Spill Research Essay

I. OIL SPILL Oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually applied to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters, but spills may also occur on land. Oil spills may be due to releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, heavier fuels used by large ships such as bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil. II. IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM Oil spills create many problems throughout the world, including the United States. The impact on the ecosystem in an area can be severe. Many plants and animals suffer or are killed within a short time after the spill occurs. Many people spend their time and money cleaning up the oil. Scientists also spend their time and the government’s money trying to find different types of technology or methods that clean up oil spills. In the Philippines, the famous Guimaras Oil Spill has affected hundreds of kilometers of coastline and threatens rich fishing grounds. The spill has polluted fishing grounds, dive spots, national marine reserve and adversely affected marine sanctuaries and mangrove reserves in three out of five municipalities in Guimaras Island and reached the shores of Iloilo and Negros Occidental, causing what is considered as the worst oil spill in the Philippines. Oily sludge and dead wildlife have been washing up on beaches, with reefs, marine reserves and the tourist industry all affected. III. CAUSES AND SOURCES OF OIL SPILLS Oil spill is a type of pollution that occurs mostly on water as well as on land and can have devastating effects on plants, animal life and environment. It occurs mainly as a result of human activity like exploration and transport of oil and is the release of oil or liquid petroleum  hydrocarbon into the aquatic environment such as oceans and coastal waters and on land. Spills may occur of crude oil from tankers, oil rigs, platforms and oil wells as well as during the transport of the refined petroleum products in vessels and tankers. Illegal waste oil dumping into oceans by organizations who do not want to invest in the cost of degrading their waste oil also contributes to increasing oil spill. Natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes can also contribute to oil spills from oil rigs as well as during transport of vessels and tankers. Oil spills take place largely because there is a need and demand for oil as a source of energy. Oil is used in one way or another in our day to day activities. We use oil to fuel our cars, trucks, buses and so on as well as to heat or light up our homes. Oil is used extensively in industries to power large machinery and equipment. Oil Spills may happen for several reasons. 1. When oil tankers have equipment faults. When oil tankers break down, it may get stuck on shallow land. When the tanker is attempted to move out of shallow land, abrasion may cause a hole in the tanker that will lead to large amounts of oil being released into the oceanic bodies. However, although this form of oil spill is the most commonly known and has the highest media attention, only 2% of oil in water bodies is a result of this action. 2. From nature and human activities on land. The large majority of oil spilled is from natural seeps geological seeps from the ocean floor as well as leaks that occur when products using petroleum or various forms of oil are used on land, and the oil is washed off into water bodies. 3. Water Sports. Other causes of oil spills are spills by petroleum users of released oil. This happens when various water sports or water vehicles such as motorboats and jet skis leak fuel. 4. Drilling works carried out in sea. When drilling works carried out in the sea, the oil and petroleum used  for such activities are released into the sea, thus causing an oil spill. The most common cause of oil pollution by ships comes from what are called operational oil spills. These are caused mostly by human error or sometimes intentionally when the ship’s crew does not follow the strict regulations and break the law. At the bottom of the ship under the engines is a space called the bilge. It collects water, oil and grease. When the ship’s crew pumps out the engine room bilges, the oil is separated from the water. The waste oil is put into a special holding tank to be offloaded in the next port. The remaining water, which may have traces of oil, is pumped overboard through an oily water separator. This makes sure only the tiniest amount of permitted oil goes into the sea. The amount is so small it cannot be seen by the naked eye. If an oil slick can be seen behind a ship, it means that the ship has broken the law and has discharged more oil than is allowed. Other operational spills may happen when a ship is loading bunker oil or lubricating oil for its engines. A hose can break spilling oil. If someone is not watching the level of oil going into the ship’s tanks, the tanks could overflow. An operational oil spill can also happen after the crew of an oil tanker has cleaned the cargo tanks before loading a new cargo of crude oil. After a cargo oil tank has been cleaned with water and chemicals the oil residue will float on the wash water in the bottom of the cargo tank. This water can be siphoned off and put through an oily water separator leaving only cargo oil residue in the bottom of the cargo tank. The new crude oil cargo can be loaded on top of the remaining old cargo oil. However, sometimes the crew does the wrong thing and illegally pumps the oily waste overboard. IV. EFFECTS OF OIL SPILLS Oil spills are considered form of pollution. The effects of oil spills can have wide ranging impacts that are often portrayed by the media as long lasting environmental disaster. The effects will depend on a variety of factors including the quantity and type of oil spilled and how it interacts with the marine environment. A. Effects of Oil Spill to the Environment Oil spills may impact the environment in various ways. First, the physical smothering of organisms which is caused by oils with a high viscosity, in other words heavy oils. Smothering will affect an organism’s physical ability to continue critical functions such as respiration, feeding and thermoregulation. Second, the chemical toxicity which is a characteristic of lighter chemical components which are more bio-available is absorbed into organs, tissues and cells, and can have sub-lethal or lethal toxic effects. Third, the ecological changes which is caused by the loss of key organisms with a specific function in an ecological community. They can be replaced by different species undertaking similar functions in which case the implications for the ecosystem as a whole may not be severe. However, more detrimental is the niche in the community being replaced with organisms performing completely different functions thereby altering the ecosystem dynamics. Oil spill can somehow results to loss of shelter or habitat through oiling or clean up operations. Oil spill can prove fatal for plant, animal and human life. The substance is so toxic that it can cause massive loss of species that live in the sea. Oil spill penetrates into the plumage and fur of birds, breaks down the insulating capabilities of feather which makes them heavier, disallow them to fly and kill them via poisoning or hypothermia. B. Effects of Oil Spill on Marine and Coastal Wildlife Marine and coastal wildlife exposed to oil suffer both immediate health problems and long-term changes to their physiology and behavior. Oil can cause temporary physical harm to animals like skin irritation, altering of  the immune system, reproductive or developmental damage, liver disease and other chronic effects such as cancer and direct mortality of wildlife. Oil Spills also affect marine plants. The oil forms a thick layer on the water surface, and this layer blocks out light and prevents gaseous exchange. When this happens, not only will the plants not be able to photosynthesize, animals underneath the affected area will find that the supply of oxygen slowly diminishes, and is unable to be continuously replenished by the environment. When plants cannot photosynthesize, they eventually die, leading to a vicious effect on the food chain, ultimately affecting all animals. Oil spills can impact wildlife directly through three primary pathways, namely: ingestion, absorption and inhalation. Ingestion happens when animals swallow oil particles directly or consume prey items that have been exposed to oil. Ingestion of oil or dispersants can cause gastrointestinal irritation, ulcers, bleeding, diarrhea, and digestive complications. These complications may impair the ability of animals to digest and absorb foods, which ultimately leads to reduced health and fitness. Absorption is when animals come into direct contact with oil. Absorption of oil or dispersants through the skin can damage the liver and kidneys, cause anemia, suppress the immune system, induce reproductive failure, and in extreme cases kill an animal. Fish and sea turtle embryos may grow more slowly than normal, leading to lower hatching rates and developmental impairments Inhalation takes place when animals breathe volatile organics released from oil or from â€Å"dispersants† applied by response teams in an effort to increase the rate of degradation of the oil in seawater. This commonly occurs among those species of wildlife that need to breathe air like manatees, dolphins, whales and sea turtles. Inhalation of these harmful materials can cause respiratory inflammation, irritation, emphysema, or pneumonia. Oil spills can also have indirect effects on wildlife by causing changes in behavior, namely: changes in foraging locations, increases in foraging time and disruptions to life cycles. Changes in foraging locations or the relocation of home ranges as animals search for new sources of food. If a spill causes direct mortality to the food resources of particular species, many individuals of this species will need to relocate their foraging activities to regions unaffected by the spill. This leads to increased competition for remaining food sources in more localized areas. Increase in foraging time happens when there are increases in the amount of time animals must spend foraging. Animals may need to make longer trips to find food in unfamiliar areas and they may need to forage on less preferred food that takes more time to acquire or that is digested less efficiently. Decreases in diet diversity due to lower food availability may lead to reduced overall health. Disruptions to natural life cycles may become apparent if particular life forms are more susceptible to the effects of oil than others. Eggs, larvae and juveniles of many species are more vulnerable to harmful effects from pollutants than adults. Changes in the relative numbers of individuals from different life stages within a species may lead to shifts in habitat use patterns which cause ripple effects up and down the food chain. C. Effects of Oil Spill on Economy One of the major effects of oil spill is seen on the economy. When precious crude oil or refined petroleum is lost, it affects the amount of petroleum and gas available for use. This means that more barrels have to be imported from other countries. Then the process of cleaning the oil spill which requires a lot of financing. The workers that are brought on board to clean up the spill face tremendous  health problems later in life as well. Their medical treatment has to be paid for and becomes the responsibility of the government. Putting all the methods of recovery into place and monitoring them takes away resources from other more important works and hits the economy in subtle but powerful ways. D. Effects of Oil Spill on Tourism Industry The local tourism industry suffers a huge setback as most of the tourists stay away from such places. Dead birds, sticky oil and huge tar balls become a common sight. Due to this, various activities such as sailing, swimming, rafting, fishing, parachute gliding cannot be performed. Industries that rely on sea water to carry on their day to day activities halt their operations till It gets cleared. V. RECOMMENDATION The petroleum industry undertakes many measures to reduce the likelihood of oil spills. Proactive technology includes blowout preventers, which cut off the pump pressure in case of an accident, and increased hull strength on oil tankers. These measures help to protect both the environment and the oil companies themselves, which often lose a great deal of profit and public image in the event of a spill. A. Recommendations to Prevent Spills Caused by Human Error at Oil Handling Facilities These recommendations focus on management support for spill prevention programs, commitment of sufficient resources to such programs, and commitments to meeting or exceeding regulatory standards, using redundant safety systems, discouraging risk taking, and establishing annual performance benchmarks. Implementation of formal risk assessment and correction programs, and employee involvement, accountability, and performance incentives are also recommended. Recommendations on work hour limitations are included, as well as  recommendations for corporate programs to ensure physical competency of employees responsible for an activity which could result in an oil spill. Security system inspections are recommended, as are written emergency procedures and drilling of those procedures. B. Recommendations to Prevent Oil Spills by Boat Owners, Marinas, and Boatyards These recommendations stress regular and careful boat maintenance, knowledge of best management practices for fueling, oil changes, or overhauls, and responsible management and disposal practices for used oil and oily wastes. This section also includes recommendations that marina operators implement effective runoff controls, provide technical assistance and education for their boat owners, and develop written agreements with those boat owners committing them to implement best management practices. C. Recommendations to Prevent Spills from Tankers and Tank Barges It is recommended that employee involvement and communications are addressed, and redundant safety systems and annual performance benchmarks are recommended. Several international standards are recommended for certification of management policies and programs. Regarding watch practices, recommendations about covering standards for navigation watch, anchor watch, engineering watch and security rounds are included. D. Recommendations to Prevent Oil Spills Caused by Human Error It is recommended that a tanker or tank barge owner/operator ensure that no crew member is under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs a coast jurisdiction’s waters, and that regular physical exams and a policy requiring notification of use of prescription medications be required. Also, tank barge tow vessel masters should maintain a record of all crew members, and should have three licensed officers or tow operators on board during  transit of coastal waters. E. Recommendations to Prevent Human Error Spills During Bunkering Operations Persons In Charge (PICs) of bunkering operations on both the receiving and delivering vessels or facilities should emphasize proper procedures and adequate communications during all phases of a bunkering operation, especially with regard to a pre-loading plan, a pre-transfer conference, voice and visual communications, emergency procedures, and safe access between vessels, or between a vessel and a facility. PICs must ensure that the duties of all personnel involved in a bunkering operation are clearly defined and that training is provided. Furthermore, it is recommend that owners and operators of vessels and facilities involved in bunkering operations within a jurisdiction’s waters be required to demonstrate compliance with these standards by making relevant documents (logs, written policies and procedures, standing orders, pre-loading plans, declaration of inspection forms, and training materials) available upon request. The creation of emergency response plans that entails oil transporters to have detailed written plans on what actions they will take if a spill occurs should always be encouraged. The Government should pay more attention to the activities of militants engaged in oil bunkering as some of the spills in the oil rich region occur due to this. In addition, Government should ensure that regulatory bodies have the authority to sanction oil companies who spill oil in the region. More and stricter laws with stiffer penalties should be passed so that oil companies are more mindful of their activities and the spills that they cause. Moreover, a shift from the dependence on oil to other sources of revenue such as agriculture will make it more likely for stricter laws and stiffer penalties for organizations guilty of oil spills to be implemented. Deterrence in oil pollution is the implementation of Republic Act 9483 or the  Oil Pollution Compensation Act which penalizes oil pollution damage and seeks to immediately compensate those who suffer from it. This is to secure the enjoyment and protection of our marine wealth. VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Chemistry of Oil Spills http://oilsplat.wordpress.com/about/ WiseGeek: What Causes Oil Spills, Mary McMahon http://www.wisegeek.org/what-causes-oil-spills.htm The Ships and the Marine Environment-Main Causes of Oil Pollution by Ships http://www.ausmepa.org.au/ships-and-the-marine-environment/5/causes-of-oil-pollution.htm Recommendations to Prevent Oil Spills http://www.oilspilltaskforce.org/docs/project_reports/HumanFactorRec.pdf Stopping Oil Spills: Environmental Quality/Recovery of Spilled Oil, Shivani B., Christine C., Kristen D. http://istf.ucf.edu/ISTFSites/98/98325/web1.htm Sarah Toms (15 August 2006). â€Å"Oil spill threatens Philippines†. BBC News. Retrieved 15 July 2013. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4795649.stm Holly K. Ober (May 2010). :Effects of Oil Spills on Marine and Coastal Wildlife† http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw330 Understanding Oil Spills and Oil Spill Response http://www.epa.gov/osweroe1/docs/oil/edu/oilspill_book/chap5.pdf Conserve Energy Future: Oil Spill,Rinkesh Kukreja http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/effects-of-oil-spills.php Environmental Effects of Oil Spills http://www.itopf.com/knowledge-resources/documents-guides/environmental-effects/ How Oil Harms Animals and Plants in Marine Environments http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/how-oil-harms animals-and-plants.html

Pride And Prejudice:Why is the news of the elopement of Lydia and Wickham in Chapter 46 Essay

Why is the news of the elopement of Lydia and Wickham in Chapter 46 such an important moment and how does it affect what follows in the novel? A very key moment in the novel is when Elizabeth is informed of the elopement of Lydia and Wickham by two letters from Jane (while she is visiting Pemberley in Chapter 46). The two letters instead of one create more suspense and anticipation. This chapter is very important because that single event changes everything and has far reaching effects on relationships (such as Elizabeth and Darcy, Lydia and Wickham, Jane and Bingley, the Bennet family and its distant relations), attitudes, and the development of characters in the story. It changes the perspective of many characters and the truth behind appearances begins to emerge. Everything in the novel builds up to this decisive moment of crisis where things could go either way; good or bad. The build up to this chapter is very crucial as Elizabeth and Darcy slowly come closer and are on the most civil terms before the news of the elopement breaks, which makes the situation sadly ironic. Elizabeth goes from rejecting him to having her prejudices lifted when he gives the letter, correcting her misconceptions and finally to respecting him and having a deep gratitude towards him: ‘She respected, she esteemed, she was grateful to him.’ Darcy even invites her to meet his sister and she begins to start thinking of ‘bringing on the renewal of his address.’ This is why it’s so ironic when the news arrives of Lydia’s scandalous elopement because just when Elizabeth’s feelings reach a new high point for Darcy, she is hit with the realisation that he may never want to be associated with her again: ‘Never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, when all love must be in vain.’ However, Darcy does show great concern for Elizabeth when he arrives unexpectedly during her breakdown; an ironic and dramatic moment as he’s almost like her saviour coming to rescue her. His concern for her is an important factor showing the closeness of the two characters, and so the reader may be contemplating whether to agree with Elizabeth or not, on her opinion that ‘her power was sinking’. When Elizabeth gives him an account of the situation and how ‘nothing can be done’, according to her interpretations, he ‘shook his head in silent acquiescence’ and is seen to be ‘walking up and down the room in earnest meditation, his brow contracted, his air gloomy.’ Elizabeth thinks that this was evidence enough that his feelings are changing. But in fact, she misunderstands his actions which is ironic as she thinks she ‘instantly understood it’. In fact, Darcy proves her wrong and does help the situation, showing the strength of Darcy’s love for Elizabeth which is the main reason that the elopement accelerates their love affair, instead of completely destroying it. It is ironic how Elizabeth regrets making Mr Darcy ‘acquainted with their fears for her sister’ in earlier chapters, but if he hadn’t known, the situation would have deteriorated. Elizabeth had clearly underestimated him as instead of looking at Elizabeth’s status with scorn, he helps the Bennet’s escape from disgrace. Elizabeth learns about this through Mrs Gardiner’s letter: ‘â€Å"He left Derbyshire only one day after ourselves, and came to town with the resolution of hunting for them.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Such a quick reaction meant that he had probably decided his intentions during his and Elizabeth’s unexpected encounter. The elopement acts as a catalyst instead of hindrance as it develops trust, understanding and gratitude between the couple. Elizabeth, of course is grateful for his ‘unexampled kindness’ to her sister but Darcy also has his reasons to thank Elizabeth. Darcy’s character is altered by the elopement, and his need to redeem himself before Elizabeth is a major part of how the effects of the elopement managed to take a positive turn for some people. Darcy undergoes a huge change in his behaviour after Elizabeth rejects his proposal as he says: ‘â€Å"You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He views the rejection as a ‘lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous’. His behaviour improves in Pemberley as he’s shown as ‘polite and unassuming’ opposed to the previous comments of his ‘disagreeable countenance’ in Meryton. But it is nothing compared to the test that the elopement put his character through. He must have suffered to lower himself and negotiate with people who nearly destroyed his sister’s life; Mrs Younge and Wickham. ‘Every kind of pride must revolt from the connection’, but he does it to prove himself to Elizabeth: ‘â€Å"The wish of giving happiness to you, might add force to the other inducements that lead me on.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He also feels responsible for the fact that because of his ‘mistaken pride’, Elizabeth’s sister was going through something that his sister had been saved of; which is why he felt it ‘his duty to step forward and endeavour to remedy an evil which had been brought upon by himself.’ It shows how he is trying to make up for his past mistakes which brings light to his good nature. However, for characters like Wickham and Lydia, the elopement does quite the opposite as their real images are finally revealed to the public. For Lydia, although her disgraceful behaviour really accentuates her flaws and the full extent of her shameless nature is shown, the elopement doesn’t tell us anything new about her character. Even previously, as Elizabeth notes, ‘Lydia had wanted only encouragement to attach herself to anybody†¦her affections had been continually fluctuating, but never without an object.’ Not many people had high expectations for her as Mr Bennet says, when Elizabeth is pleading to forbid Lydia to go to Brighton: ‘Lydia will never be easy till she has exposed herself in some public place or another’. It’s ironic as Mr Bennet’s predictions actually take place in Brighton. With Wickham, it’s a completely different matter as he always had a very ‘gentlemanlike appearance’ and an ‘agreeable manner’ but after the news of the elopement everyone realises, as Colonel Forster says, ‘W. was not a man to be trusted’. A few people, like Elizabeth, Jane and Darcy were already aware of Wickham’s true personality but most were not. Later on, when the town finds out about his debts to ‘every tradesman in the place’, they declare him to be ‘the wickedest young man in the world.’ The elopement itself is a shocking development as there was ‘â€Å"no symptom of affection on either side†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, as Elizabeth mentions, before Lydia goes to Brighton. From this, we can make an assumption that neither of the couple has strong feelings for one another as it seems a very rushed decision made in the heat of the moment rather than a well thought out marriage plan. In fact, in Jane’s letter, Denny says that Wickham ‘never intended to go there, or to marry Lydia at all’ (‘there’ in this context meaning Gretna Green: a place where young couples got married). Lydia did believe she was going to get married, as Elizabeth thinks: ‘She did not suppose Lydia to be deliberately engaging in an elopement, without the intention of marriage’. But there was enough evidence to suggest that her little understanding would be her downfall: ‘neither her virtue nor her understanding would preserve her from falling an easy prey’. She definitely didn’t understand the repercussions of this scandalous affair and doesn’t seem to full grasp the meaning of a woman’s honour; something that was very important in the 19th century. As Mary says in her reflections: ‘â€Å"Loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable- that one false step involves her in endless ruin†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Thankfully, the couple end up getting married due to a payment of â€Å"considerably more than a thousand pounds† by Darcy but their characters seem the least affected by the whole incident. ‘â€Å"Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy and fearless.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Lydia undergoes no change and thinks that ‘â€Å"my sisters must all envy me†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. She has absolutely no shame for her behaviour and instead, she continuously flaunts her married status around at every opportunity available: ‘â€Å"Ah! Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married woman.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ But, she doesn’t take the responsibilities that come with her married status very seriously. Although she seems to have an immense liking for Wickham, â€Å"he was her dear†, she still seems to be engaged with other men, ‘â€Å"Tell him I will dance with him at the next ball we meet, with great pleasure.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Wickham is unchanged too, still keeping up appearances: ‘His manners were always so pleasing†¦his smiles and his easy address†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Despite this, Elizabeth is able to tell that ‘Wickham’s affection for Lydia, was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it; not equal to Lydia’s for him.’ He simply married her for the money. It seems like the beginnings of a terrible marriage: ‘â€Å"Small as their chance of happiness†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and ‘â€Å"So imprudent a match on both sides†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Their marriage has an uncanny resemblance to that of Mr and Mrs Bennet; characters of opposite natures and views, uncomplimentary personalities and a marriage that happened due to uncontrollable passion, not love: ‘How little of permanent happiness could belong to a couple who were only brought together because their virtue’. Mr and Mrs Bennet, partly due to their unsuccessful marriage, prove to be terrible parents by the elopement. Jane’s letter gives us an insight in to the state at Longbourn. Mrs Bennet is described as quite unhelpful in the situation: ‘My poor mother is really ill and keeps her room.’ A good mother would try to at least provide comfort to her family and remain calm, steady and strong. Something Mrs Bennet does quite the opposite of, which is quite typical of her: ‘Could she exert herself it would be better, but this is not be expected’. Mrs Bennet influences Lydia to be flirty and exuberant from early on and it has a terrible effect. Mr Bennet, on the other hand, actually tries to handle the situation although he is grieved by the incident: ‘I never in my life saw him so affected.’ He tries to retrieve Lydia: ‘My father is going to London.’ But, it seems like an anger induced decision, ‘his excessive distress will not allow him to pursue any measure in the best and safest way’, which is not the way a good, responsible parent should react. Especially, because Mr Bennet was partly to blame for the whole incident as he never gives enough parental attention to Lydia and agrees to send her to Brighton even after Elizabeth’s pleas to withdraw the offer, simply because ‘â€Å"We shall have no peace at Longbourn if Lydia does not go to Brighton.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This shows that he was lazy and couldn’t be bothered to deal with Lydia in the house, so it was easier just to send her away at that point. In the long run, of course, it made things much more difficult but both parents don’t seem to learn from this terrible incident at all. Mrs Bennet is delighted and happy as soon as the marriage between Lydia and Wickham is almost confirmed and is completely ignorant of past grievances caused by Lydia: ‘She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct.’ It was almost as if there had been no scandal in the whole affair: ‘No sentiment of shame gave a damp to her triumph.’ Even the want of new clothes trumped the ignominy of the elopement: ‘She was more alive to the disgrace, which the want of new clothes must reflect on her daughter’s nuptials, than to any sense of shame at her eloping and living with Wickham, a fortnight before they took place.’ The effect on Mr Bennet is a little different as in the beginning, he is extremely guilty: ‘Who should suffer but myself? It has been my own doing, and I ought to feel it.’ But after being ‘rendered spiritless by the ill-success of all their endeavours,’ in London, he gives up and leaves Mr Gardiner to continue the search for Lydia, going back to his indifferent shell: ‘he naturally returned to all his former indolence.’ Although he feels no guilt doing that, one should think he would feel it after Mr Gardiner’s hard work pays off and he fixes a marriage between Lydia and Wickham, while he just lazed around. This does not happen though, instead, he feels pleasure: ‘That it would be done with such trifling exertion on his side, too, was another very welcome surprise.’ Finally, another aspect the elopement has an effect on, is the distant relations such as Mr Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mr Collins writes a letter to the Bennet family about the elopement, portraying his harsh characteristics. ‘The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison to this’, he writes selfishly, because at least that wouldn’t disgrace his household. He also mentions that all relations of the Bennet family will be disgraced, including Lady Catherine’s agreement to add more power: ‘This false step in one daughter, will be injurious to the fortunes of all others, for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family.’ As a solution, he writes in a very unforgiving and non-Christian manner to banish Lydia: â€Å"throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence.† He doesn’t change his views even after Lydia and Wickham’s marriage: ‘You ought to certainly forgive them as a Christian, but never admit them in your sight, or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing.’ For Lady Catherine, however, the Bennet’s disgrace is a weapon as she tries to use it against Elizabeth, in warning her to keep off Mr Darcy since she hears of their relationship: ‘â€Å"I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister’s infamous elopement†¦Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Ironically, it has the inverse effect and her visit becomes the means of uniting Elizabeth and Darcy, as Elizabeth’s reluctance to rejecting him, gives him new encourag ement: ‘â€Å"It taught me to hope†¦had you been absolutely, irrevocably decided against me, you would have acknowledged it to Lady Catherine, frankly and openly.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ In conclusion, the importance of the elopement is only truly understood after experiencing the aftermath, as the immediate effects and late effects of the elopement vary greatly for most people. It also has a different effect on different characters. For Elizabeth and Darcy, and Jane and Bingley, it is like a blessing in disguise but for Mr and Mrs Bennet, and Lydia and Wickham, it fails to have any good effect on the situation or characters. Instead, it reveals their flaws to others. This is the same for Mr Collins as he is shown as unforgiving of the disgrace extended to his household, and Lady Catherine’s insolent side is unveiled. The elopement changes the whole story and most characters revel in the change, thanks to Mr Darcy, with exceptions such as Lady Catherine and Miss Bingley.

What is the best way to educate the U.S. workforce Essay

What is the best way to educate the U.S. workforce - Essay Example workforce held jobs that did not require a college degree [Kangas, n.d.], indicating that there was glut of over qualified people at the top, as a result of which many of them are being displaced downwards, making it even more difficult for non-graduates to secure jobs. The welfare reform legislation which was signed into force in 1998, has introduced the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, that operates upon the principle of â€Å"work first† as opposed to the â€Å"training first† option that was in force before. A broad based training policy has proved to be difficult to implement, since the U.S. labor market is fragmented.[Carnevale, 1999]. Thus, the Workforce Investment Act was also introduced to reform the Government training programs for welfare recipients [Haittiangadi, 1998]. Prior to this, the School to Work opportunities Act of 1994 has introduced vocational and apprenticeship programs as a part of the high school curriculum [Schaffer, 1999]. Th is was first initiated in Broome County in 1990, in an effort to implement the German apprenticeship model in the United States school curriculum [Emanoil, 2001], and prepare students better to make the important transition from school to workplace. What is the best way to educate the U.S. workforce? The validity of traditional academic- based systems of education are being questioned as they produce students who are poorly equipped with the skills required at work, especially in today’s techno-savvy environment. They are distracted in class, working after school at low paying, part time jobs where everything of value is generally learnt within a short period of time and they stay on for purely financial reasons. However, the net result is that they remain stagnant at the low level jobs and rarely advance higher. The other side of the same coin is the â€Å"massification† of education with student base expansion since the 1980s [Alexander,

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Leadership and Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Leadership and Management - Assignment Example Management and leadership emphasizes on building efficient organizational activities which will maximize the productivity of the company. The complexity of the healthcare organization could be sensed with the help of the management theories, facilitating better control and coordination in the functioning. Management theories are proposed with a view to provide differing schools of thoughts to the organizational managers for managing their organizations. However, management is an art, not a science, so the managers could find different strategies for the different situations, issues, etc., that may arise in an organization as well as for the different employees working there. That is, instead of following a similar strategy for all the situations, issues, employees, etc., relevant strategies could be followed in line with the situational theory. In addition, other management school of thought such as Contingency theory, Classical theory, Behavioral theory, Systems theory and Chaos the ory also imply on adopting different strategies. It will help the managers to choose the right type of theory that would best meet the requirements of the issue in hand and employees who are involved in. Speaking of employees, successful management theory would provide the managers efficient ways to coordinate with the human resources department of the organization to bring out the best in their employees. Similarly, various leadership theories such as Mark Follett’s Situational Leadership Theory, or White & Lippitt’s Authoritarian, Democratic and Laissez-faire Theory, or Eric Berne’s Transactional Leadership theory provide similar perspectives of how leader should act according to the situations in hand. It is essential for the leaders to evaluate the inner traits and behaviors of the employees, and then exhibit appropriate leadership traits. â€Å"Setting a direction, motivating and inspiring people, being credible and visionary, and anticipating and coping w ith change are also characteristics associated with leadership.† (Clarkson 2009). Challenges in practice: While practicing management and leadership in a healthcare organization, both technical and adaptive challenges are bound to occur. It is essential to realize that an effective management is required to solve the technical challenges while the adaptive challenges need to be handled by leadership. It is essential for them to identify and allocate among themselves the challenging issues related to healthcare organization such as safety, quality of services, clinical knowledge and skills. Thus, they need to share and distribute the resources for achieving the objectives. Task II Motivational Theories: By providing optimum motivation, healthcare

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 220

Assignment Example In particular, the responsibilities and roles of Congress and the Executive Branch in matters relating to defense acquisition, have been an eye opener (Kramer, 2012). In addition, I have come to appreciate the role played by Congress in matters of defense and particularly its role in determining whether the U.S goes to war and if it does, the amount to be set aside for defense in the budget. I have been able to have a deeper comprehension of the Budget and its influence on not only the military, but also on other sectors of the economy which has made me realize the importance of the Presidency. Since the President sets the agenda for the country, I have come to realize that big differences in the military can be altered by an individual winning the presidency. The influence of the presidency cannot be understated and this has made me have a deeper appreciation for national politics, since they have a great impact on policy. A lot of times, people overuse the term life-changing experience, but I am certainly not one of those people. The work and discussions held in class have indeed made me a better student and a far more informed individual. For instance, I now comprehend that masculinity and machismo in the military is not how wars are won, but through logistical planning and management which is aided by technology. According to Barrington et al., the role of technology in the military cannot be ignored any longer. The use of drones and other computerized airstrikes are what sets the U.S from all the other countries in the world. Our military supremacy is primarily due to our strong economy and our superior logistics warfare management. As indicated, the role of the U.S economy is fundamental to the success of the military. A closer analysis of this role has been informative and particularly the relationship between the impacts of the U.S economy on

Syphillis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Syphillis - Research Paper Example Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is primarily spread through sexual contact, but can also be transmitted from mother to fetus while in the womb or during birth resulting to congenital syphilis. It usually starts out as a painless sore that can be found on the genital area, rectum, or the mouth. Without treatment, syphilis can result to irreversible damage to the brain, nerves or body tissues. This disease has many times been known as â€Å"the great imitator† because its many signs and symptoms are identical from those of other diseases. Sir William Osler stated that â€Å"The physician who knows syphilis knows medicine.† (Rudkin and Blasko, 2011) The causative agent for syphilis is an organism known as Treponema pallidum. This is a gram-negative spirochete and is a parasite. It ranges from 6-20 um, while its diameter ranges from 18-20 um. It is a microaerophilic agent and requires low concentrations of oxygen. This bacterium is corkscrew shaped and has no animal or environmental reservoirs. This organism is usually acquired and spread by close sexual contact, entering the host through openings in squamous or columnar epithelium. It gains access to the blood and lymph systems through mucus membranes. (Dandelin, 2009) Treponema pallidum has four known subspecies which cause different illnesses. The first is Treponema pallidum pallidum, which causes syphilis. The second one is Treponema endemicum, which causes endemic syphilis. The third is Treponema pallidum carateum, which has been known to cause pinta, which is a human skin disease endemic commonly found in Mexico, Central America and South America. The last sub specie is Treponema palidum pertenue which causes yaws. Yaws is a long-term infection that mainly affects the skin, bones and joints. (Doran and Nowadly, 2010) Humans are the only known reservoir for T. pallidum. The portal of entry into the host is mucus membranes. It is transmitted almost always through sexual contact with an infe cted partner. After the spirochetes pass the barrier, they are carried through the bloodstream to every organ of the body. About three to four weeks after the bacteria has gained entrance into the new host, a lesion will form at the point of contact, which is known as a chancre. It usually presents as a firm, painless, skin ulceration with a diameter of 0.3-3 cm in size. This lesion will refuse to go away for about five weeks then eventually will heal spontaneously. This is known as the primary stage. (Brown, 2011) About six weeks later, a localized cutaneous eruption may appear. This is the secondary stage, and there may be many different manifestations. The main characteristics of this stage are skin rash and mucus membrane lesions. There may be other symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and weight loss, feelings of body malaise, hair loss and even headache. At this stage, the infection spreads to the rest of the body. The rash may spread to the feet, the back, or the hands. Somet imes, the rashes that occur with syphilis are so small that they can go unnoticed. One of the dangers of this disease is that the signs and symptoms will resolve with or without treatment, which may lead one to think that the problem is gone; but without treatment, the infection will progress to the latent and possibly late stages of disease. (Dandelin,

How the company combine to satisfy shareholders and the demands of Dissertation - 2

How the company combine to satisfy shareholders and the demands of society with less impact on the profitability - Dissertation Example Globalization, rapid developments in computer and information technology and the current experience of global economic crunch are some of the essential elements affecting growth and survival of modern organizations (Balakrishnan, 2003; Fischer, 2003; Soros, 2002; Bagwathi, 2010). Although there is no universal agreement regarding the effect of these developments and concerns relevant to the quality of life of people(Bagwathi, 2007; 2010; Stiglitz, 2007, 2010; Suarez-Orosco & Qin-Hilliard, 200; Yusoff, Ramayah & Ibrahim, 2010). Still, what remains, is the fact, that the socio-economic and political condition with which economic institutions are doing their activities are affected by these integral elements, in the same manner, that it has permeated and influenced the lives of people across the globe (Yusoff et al., 2010). In this regard, modern corporations respond to the challenges and demands of the time by incorporating a fundamental change in the nature of the organization  œ corporate social responsibility (Zolsnai, 2006). The idea of corporate social responsibility is not something new (Hemingway, 2002). During the 1930’s organizations have already recognized that their responsibility is not limited only to the satisfaction of the shareholders’ interests, but it also includes the fulfillment of the demands of the society where the organization is embedded (Hemingway, 2002). This seminal notion of corporate social responsibility is integrated in the current scheme and understanding of CSR, but it is only in the last three decades that an observable influx of discussion and interests regarding CSR has taken full swing (Dahlsrud, 2008). However, in the last four years, the world experienced the first global economic crisis of the 21st century (Reinhart, 2008; Yandle, 2010). Case against the CSR has been raised based on the assumption that the concept fails in responding to the challenges that it is supposed to be addressing (Karnani, 2010; Lin-Hi, 2010; Ludesher & Mashud, 2010; Portney, 2008). In this sense, there is a call to re-evaluate CSR and come up with better approach towards an authentic CSR and not just a facade (Lin-Hi, 2010). Background of the Study The important role of CSR in the survival of companies in the contemporary period is an accepted truism. In fact, the notion of CSR is deemed intuitive in the sense that as companies are considered as social actors, it becomes essential that corporations too, should be responsible for their actions. However, the intuitiveness of the good derived out from doing good, is questioned on the premise whether there is really a connection between doing good and earning well in the context of an organization. This question is important because as many

Need to have a great topic for this term papeer Paper

Need to have a great topic for this papeer - Term Paper Example Cooper argues that Jamaican dancehall culture brings to the fore the animal nature of males and females, violence and sex being recurrent themes therein. Cooper notes that while women are always portrayed as mindless bodies their function primarily being to provide the males with sexual pleasure, the theatrical message that it brings out is that the woman’s body has absolute authority and that men give homage to the woman’s principle. In other words, the woman’s fertility and sexuality is ritualized in a manner that the not so keen eye may easily ignore. Dancehall is basically speechifying with accompaniments of music like basic drum beat. In the past, dancehall’s lyrical contents were violent, and this made it to encounter a lot of criticisms of rival raga performers. In performance, sound clash dancehall is more of dance and addresses cultural issues like gender equality. On the other hand, calypso is slower, more political and music driven. Dancehall ra ises your feet into dancing, even is you were under stress because once you hear it, you just dance because you can’t help. ... She gives an analysis of sound clashes that are experienced in the Jamaican dancehall culture movement across boarders. Cooper defends the dancehall culture stating that in its explicit homoerotic nature, the dancehall is a place where women derive liberation outside the rigid social conventions of daily routine. The female gender also gets in control even as her identity is misrepresented by the culture. Cooper’s argument and thought Cooper joins in the argument that seeks to challenge the problem of social inequality through the hybridization of the dance hall culture in form of the aesthetics that hint to the American culture. This is infused into the Kingston hardships which she argues are the agents of the social inequality. This is a feature in the Jamaican Dancehall Culture that has indeed served as a highlight to the plight of the socially alienated groups within the society. The alienation is manifested in terms of reggae fusion, anti-gay lyrics and the dance fusion. It has in every sense helped to bring forth the fears of social degradation due to the overshadowing effect of the popular culture. Analysis of Sound Clash: Jamaican Dancehall Culture at Large, Carolyn Cooper Many types of music portray women as weaker sex that can easily be sexually exploited. They are portrayed naked in the dance floor, as well on video and books covers. However, Carolyn Cooper, as a cultural studies lecturer tries to change this view in Sound Clash: Jamaican dancehall culture. She attempts to fight this moral decay in the society, by replacing it with values that show respect for women. However, men are portrayed as decent beings, but only in dressing, in the society. They dress properly, but

How Will Computer Information System Fit Into Your Professional Life Essay

How Will Computer Information System Fit Into Your Professional Life - Essay Example Python provides constructs that allow clear programs on both large and small scale (Zelle, 2004). Python supports multiple programming paradigms such as object-oriented, functional and imperative programming or procedural styles. Interpreters of Python are available for installation in numerous operating systems. It can be packaged, using third-party tools such as Pyinstaller or Py2exe, into stand-alone executable programs for many popular operating systems (Zelle, 2004). Java is an object-oriented, class-based programming language. It tops the list among the most demanded programming languages. It is standard for web-based content, enterprise software, Android operating system, mobile applications, and games. Java is designed to be used across multiple platforms of software (Van & Haridi, 2004). It is designed to have few dependency implementations. It is intended to allow app developers â€Å"write once, run anywhere. Java apps are categorically compiled to bytecode that can, regardless of computer architecture, run on any Java virtual machine. Some of the commonly used mobile programming languages besides Java and Python include C language, C++, C#, Objective-C, PHP, Ruby, JavaScript, and SQL among others (Van & Haridi, 2004). Mobile computing is continually changing life. Mobile solutions are today, part of many lives. From laptops to tablets, pagers to cell phones, technology continue to change daily lives and businesses. Some of the notable changes include paperless offices where people conduct business on the phone, read newspaper online, and even shop online. The world of music has also changed significantly, with many people reviewing, purchasing, streaming and downloading music instantly. Television shows, movies, and live programming can be accessed through mobile. Mobile video capabilities are also enabling people to capture moments (Bukhari & Kurylo, 2008). Mobile computing has also changed communication

The Possibility of Evil, Creative Dialogue Essay Example for Free

The Possibility of Evil, Creative Dialogue Essay Mrs. Foster stepped into the elevator and gave Miss Strangeworth a nod. Miss Strangeworth glance at her with embarrassment, knowing that that was the first time people had ever seen her after the operation. Without saying a word, she quietly turned and looked sideways. It had been two months since her transgressions circulated around the town. When she was about to sigh, the cart started shaking unexpectedly. Most of the elevator lights flickered and went off eventually. They could barely see each other’s faces. Dead stillness ruled the whole world, as though the elevator crashed down to a grave. Lovely day, Mrs. Foster,† Miss Strangeworth ventured, â€Å"People should have examined this elevator regularly. Don’t you think so? † Since she knew no one would pay any attention to her anymore, she was getting frustrated. â€Å"I think people will be coming soon to fix it. † Mrs. Foster paused, and then comforted her amicably, â€Å"We will be all right. † Miss Strangeworth intended to start another conversation, Mrs. Foster’s operation, for instance. But the words wouldn’t come out. â€Å"All right,† she loosened her hand that was holding the handle tightly, trying to maintain her dignity, and lowered her voice, â€Å"all right. Silence ensued. Miss Strangeworth could see Mrs. Foster out of the corner of her eye, wondering if she had recovered from the illness. Mrs. Foster was not as energized as she used to be, she thought. The shadow of Mrs. Foster’s face was casting on the wall, her plain face cracked into a smile. Miss Strangeworth was feeling like she was in a coffin, and the phrase from her letter kept coming to her mind, saying â€Å"the knife accidently slipped†. She was drawing back unconsciously until she was against the wall. She cried out suddenly, â€Å"Forgive me Mrs. Foster! I promise I would ever write the anonymous letters again! Forgive me, please. † â€Å"It is all right, every single person makes mistakes. † Mrs. Foster said gently with joy, â€Å"Did you hear that? People are fixing the elevator. † The elevator door was opened, the world were lightened. Miss Strangeworth and Mrs. Foster were surrounded by townsfolk. Everyone was concerned about their safety. â€Å"It is virtue to realize your mistakes and try your best to correct it. † Mrs. Foster whispered as she walked out of the door. Miss Strangeworth began to cry with a mix of joy and regret.

The Veldt Essay Example for Free

The Veldt Essay In the short story â€Å"The Veldt by Ray Bradbury, everything starts with the purchase of their new family home. This home was not your average home because where other homes flawed this house seemed to have perfected itself. This house had features that would cater to the family such as feed them, sing to them, and even nurture them nothing was to good for their children said George. The greatest feature was the nursery. What this nursery would do, was catch the telepathic emanations of the children’s minds and create it in the room. This house did everything for the family; the children quickly grew more and more fascinated by the house then there parents. Soon enough, the children realized there was no need for their parents. As time progressed the kids started to adapt to being spoiled and pampered by the house. As the story goes, one day the parents walked into their three dimensional nursery and they discovered Africa; no longer was there nursery a lovely childish room, but it was now a dead desert with feeding animals. At first they were surprised at what their kids had been imagining then George said, â€Å"Nothing over there I can see but cleaned bone and vultures dropping for what’s left. † Than Lydia suggested that they give a call to the psychologist because there was not any reason why kids of so little age can be imagining this. So they did just that, and the psychologist advisor agreed with them to close the nursery down, and go on a family vacation. So George locked up the room and started turning off all there other machines that would cater to them one by one. That same night Peter and Wendy snuck into the nursery and as they were there a scream was herd all the way into their parent’s bedrooms; so George and his wife woke up to see what the commotion was about. George decided it was time to turn off everything all the machines so he did but right before he did Wendy and Peter got two minutes to say good bye. Too much time had passed and Lydia and George began to worry; they went in the nursery and it automatically locked them in and the lions ate Peter and his wife. The following day the psychologist came to visit the family and Pater and Wendy just acted as if nothing was wrong. Wendy even offered the psychologist a cup of tea symbolizing that she had no remorse over what had occurred to her parents.

Telenor Group Case Study

Telenor Group Case Study CASE STUDY TELENOR 1. General information about the Telenor Group The Telenor Group is the leading telecommunications company in Norway and one of the leading mobile operators in the world in terms of subscription. The company is also the biggest provider of television services in the Nordic region, while at the same time being present as the mobile operator in some of the fastest growing markets. Headquarters of the Telenor Group are located in Oslo, Norway. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. With the end of the third quarter of 2009, the Telenor Group has achieved 172 million of mobile subscriptions worldwide and it currently employs approximately 40.000 people in thirty countries. As it is widely familiar, Norway, as well as other Scandinavian countries, is known as extremely developed technology market in the beginning of the 21st century, achieving some of the highest penetration rates for new technologies, such as mobile phones and high speed internet. This actually represents a kind of tradition of the country, having in mind the fact that in 1855 the first telegraph line has been built, followed by the first telephone network connecting the cities of Arendal and Tvederstrand in 1878. Furthermore, Norway was one of the first world countries to introduce mobile telephone system in 1967, which was analogue based and manually operated. In order to understand business operations of Telenor, it seems necessary to make a short historical overview of the companys origins. Beginnings of the Telenor Group date back in 1855 when it was established as a state operated monopoly, bearing the name Norwegian Telegraph Administration NTA (also known as Telegrafverket) and offering the provision of telegraph services. In the last decade of the 19th century, development of the Norways early telephone network was handled by private companies. Norwegian Telegraph Administration, which was in the ownership of the state, gradually took over the privately owned companies in the market and gained control over the sector. Since then, Telenor gained more than 150 years of telecom experience. In 1969, the NTA changed its name to Televerket, also known as Norwegian Telecommunications. With the purchase of Andebu, the last privately owned company in the sector of telecommunications in 1974, Televerket obtained control of the monopoly of t he services of telephone and telecommunications and retained that position till the beginning of the last decade of the 20th century. By the beginning of the 1990s, the company pioneered a new generation of mobile telephone services based on the GSM protocol, which was later accepted and implemented thought Europe. GSM service was launched in 1993 and was followed by the expansion of the company in the field of television broadcasting. This strategic decision provided the company with the opportunity to position itself as the dominant provider of satellite based broadcasting in the Scandinavian region. Since the Norwegian authorities had a tendency to deregulate the telecom sector in the country, the process of deregulation commenced in 1994 and lasted till 1998, with a partial deregulation sector by sector. Even before the government deregulation began, Televerket started with the company restructuring which lasted for four years and included the transformation of the company from a state owned to a public company, as well as the change of the company name to Telenor in 1995. Additionally, the company was a subject of partial privatization in 2000, which gave it a substantial boost of 15.6 billion NOK[1] of new capital and listed it on the Oslo Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. At the beginning of the privatization process, the Government remained the owner of 77.7% of the company, while this percentage was reduced to 53% by 2006. The company was rankedtop performer bythe Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes in 2007 and 2008. The main services which Telenor provides to its consumers and companies worldwide include the following segments: voice, data, content and other services. * In the segment of Voice, Telenor provides people to talk to each other by using fast and reliable networks. This segment focuses on the conversation on the phone, including fixed line, mobile or IP telephony. Fixed voice communication services are provided for users in three countries of the Nordic region and mobile voice in twelve different countries in Europe and Asia. * The segment of Data encompasses of the Internet and broadband services. The company offers fixed line data services like ADSL and fiber-optic communications in the countries of the Nordic region, and mobile data services such as mobile broadband, GPRS, UMTS in 12 countries. From the beginning of 2008, the company has started 3G based mobile broadband services inseven of its markets. * In the field of Content, TV services and mobile content, Telenor offers TV services via cable, digital terrestrial and satellite networks in four Nordic markets. Furthermore, the company also provides mobile content services in several markets, such as mobile TV, sports, ring tones, music and movies. * As far as otherservices are concerned, Telenor has a diversified offer that consists of services, which are telecom related, and the service portfolio is different from one country to another. Depending on the market, the company provides services in the filed of maritime communications, IT consulting, and aircraft communications services. In several markets the company provides Net-centric services, which refer to the IT security for individual consumers and enterprises and machine to machine (M2M) services for enterprises. The major part of the Telenor`s activities is organized in three regions and includes thirteen countries: Asia: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand and India. Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Centraland Eastern Europe: Hungary, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. From the beginning of the 1990s, Telenor begun with its international expansion in the field of mobile communications, penetrating the markets of the following countries: Russia in 1994, Bangladesh, Greece, Ireland, Germany and Austria in 1997, Ukraine in 1998, Malaysia in 1999, Denmark and Thailand in 2000, Hungary in 2002, Montenegro and Pakistan in 2004, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Serbia in 2006. Operations in Greece, Ireland and Germany were sold and the money obtained from this sale has been re invested in the emerging markets. Additionally, in 2005 Vodafone[2] in Sweden was acquired by Telenor. 1.1. Mission and Strategy Telenors primary objective is to create greater value for its shareholders, customers, employees and partners, and for the society in general. The company is dedicated to being at the forefront in creating, simplifying and introducing communication and content solutions to the marketplace. In order to comply with the given goal, Telenor bases its strategy on its customer oriented vision, Here to Help, as well as its core values, Make it easy, Keep promises, Be inspiring and Be respectful. Telenors main strategy is to upgrade the performance of the local mobile operations by combining Groups industrialization with local drive and responsiveness, in the regions where it conducts its business operations: Nordic region, Eastern and Central Europe and Asia. Furthermore, the company plans to maintain its leading position in the Nordic region with a diversified portfolio of communication services. This strategy could be defragmented to the following focus areas: Strengthening of the position of the company as an international mobile operator. Telenor plans to continue the process of strengthening its industrialization of the mobile operations by gaining control over chosen mobile companies. Control is crucial in order to benefit from synergies obtained by cross border activities, such as scale in procurement, development of new services and implementation of best practices, improvement of operational efficiency and the increase of the overall profitability. Telenor plans to manage the non-strategic investments as financial investments and to exit from international mobile operations where the company cannot obtain control over time. Strengthening of the companys position in the Nordic region. Telenor will continue to upgrade its services in the field of mobile and fixed telephony in the Nordic region by using the benefits obtained from economies of scale and cross-border synergies. The company strongly feels that its Nordic presence will improve support to the customers by improving upon its expertise both mobile and fixed services. To find itself at the forefront of communications services providers in Norway. Since the company is the leader in a broad range of services in both the residential and business markets in Norway, Telenor will try to obtain better results in the sense of its profit in the mobile and fixed fields of activity, through the introduction of new services and through various cost-cutting measures. Maintaining of the position of the leader in field of distribution of TV services to consumers in the Nordic region. Telenor additionally insists on finding new possibilities and solutions which will contribute to the strengthening of its strategic position as the leading distributor of subscription based television in the Nordic region. The company will dedicate its activities to contact and attract new users and increase revenue per user through its attractive content and new interactive services. Non strategic companies. Telenor will enhance the value of those companies, which are not strategic for its main business areas and dispose of all or part of its interest in such companies. 1.2. Regional presence Even though Telenor is present in the three dominant regions of the world, the Nordic region is the one where Telenor group has been present since 1855, and the company has held a strong position in the Scandinavian region ever since. The Nordic region is the one from which the majority of Telenor`s income comes from. As it is shown in diagrams 1 and 2, in the first quarter of 2009, 41% of total company revenues came from this region, as well as 37% of EBITDA[3] distribution. The three markets out of which the Nordic region is composed of, in fact represent specific markets with unique differences. For example, although Sweden still has a high use of fixed line telephony, it finds itself at the forefront of the mobile broadband services. Denmark is the market whose customers are the keenest users of SMS and are most interested in content services. Finally, Norwegian customers show growing interest in digital music services and Telenor Group has a high share on this market. The Nordic region is also significant since Telenor combines present and future technologies in the telecom field. As a supplement to existing offers, Telenor provides new broadband technologies, such as Fibre to the Home (FTH) and Long Term Evolution (LTE), the 4th generation mobile broadband standard. The strong distinction between fixed and mobile telephony is slowly vanishing in these markets. According to the data obtained from†¦..there is an evident transition from fixed to mobile networks. The data implicate that the mobile share of voice traffic has increased from 20% in 2003 to 60% in 2008. This is one of the reasons why Telenor acquired Vodafone in Sweden in 2006. Furthermore, the company now has 4G licenses in Norway and Sweden. In order to build networks and share spectrum of mobile communication, Telenor has joined Tele2[4] in a joint venture. The plan is to launch the LTE based broadband services by the end of 2010. This action will position Telenor as the leader of the 4G development worldwide. The same project is planned for Norway, with the difference that it will start in 2011. The Telenor Group has penetrated the Asian region in 1996, through the investment in Grameenphone[5] in Bangladesh. From the very beginning of its operations in Asia, the market has been the cornerstone of the development of the Telenor Group, enabling opportunities for growth in one of the most populated and fastest growing markets in the world. Additionally, mobile operations in Asia have a significant contribution to the total revenues and EBITDA of the Group. Data obtained in the first quarter of 2009 show that the region generated 30% of the revenues, 28% of the Groups EBITDA, and a total of 67 million mobile subscribers of the region. The company has received many awards for innovation and services in the past ten years and has been the driving force in the network development of Asia. Additionally, it has significantly increased the capacity of the regional network and provided coverage, connecting millions of people in new areas, who were previously unconnected. Over the past few years the Asian mobile market has been growing significantly. The growth is additionally stimulated by continuous innovations and new services provided by the company. The Group is active in the markets of Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh, and the company holds 3G license in Malaysia. Another important step of Telenor was the acquisition of Unitech Wireless[6] in India, through which the company penetrated one of the worlds largest and fastest growing markets. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the mobile markets of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia became a part of Telenor`s business operations. The main characteristic of these markets is the growth opportunity, making it significant part of the Telenor`s strategy in the years to come. Even though the markets of Central and Eastern Europe are challenging economic environment due to the process of transition, which these countries have undergone or are still undergoing, mobile operations of the Group deliver solid financial performances. The first quarter of 2009 shows that Telenor generated 17% of Groups total revenues and 32% of EBITDA. The region also generated 93 million of mobile subscribers. Also, the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia has achieved rapid growth in mobile subscription both in consumer, as well as business markets. The company is currently involved in investments in the 3G network in Hungary, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro. The priority is given to the n ew technological and eco friendly solutions, like the wind and solar powered base stations in Hungary, and testing of the new generation wireless broadband in Montenegro. 2. Telenor in Serbia Telenor`s presence in the Balkan region started at the beginning of 1990s when the company launched its operations in Hungary in 2002 by operating Pannon[7], followed by activities in Montenegro through Promonte[8] and finally, Serbia in 2006. Telenor penetrated the Serbian market through the purchase of the Serbian company Mobi 63, Serbias second largest mobile operator and this actually represents the largest privatization transaction in the central and eastern Europe in 2006, as reported by the audit company PriceWaterHouseCoopers. Telenor Group outbid two other short listed competitors at the auction (Mobilkom from Austria and Orascom Telecom from Egypt), offering a bid of 1.513 billion euros. Telenor took over the company on 31st of July 2006, upon the completion of all legal requirements and the signing of the Sales Agreement. The entire auction was broadcasted live on the Serbian national television and was attended by the highest state representatives. Mobi 63, formerly known as Mobtel, was formed by the Government of Serbia in the month of April of 2006, upon the revocation of the operators mobile license, which occurred due to the illegal dealings of the companys previous owners, who were suspected to have sold t he operators license in Kosovo to Mobikos, without requesting permission from the official authorities of Serbia. The Government then proclaimed that the sale was a threat to the national security. The acquisition of Mobi 63 made by Telenor includes a ten year license for GSM 900/1800 and 3G operation for the company, which is renewable for a successive period of ten years upon application. Additionally, the company also obtained Mobi 63`s existing assets, which included the base of approximately 2.5 million customers (in the end of 2005). In just three months upon its arrival to the Serbian market, Telenor invested approximately 15.3 million euros in the equipment of the highest technology, necessary to meet the requirements of the planned network expansion on the territory of Serbia. For this purpose, Telenor signed cooperation agreement with Erickson. Additionally, another contract with the Erickson Company worth 40 million euros for the purpose of network improvement was signed by the end of 2006. The main objective of these investments was to upgrade the quality and the capacity of the existing network, which consequently brings additional quality and services to its users. The actual benefit for the users of the Telenor network is its expanded coverage and good quality. Starting form March 1st 2007, the company enabled the use of commercial services in Serbia, provided by the 3G mobile broadband technology, which consequently provides its users with the possibility to get easier and faster access to the contents on the internet, such as movies, music videos or TV program. 2.1. Relationship towards the employees When Telenor acquired Mobi 63 in August 2006, the company had 926 employees. The newly appointed top management reached a strategic decision to take over the entire infrastructure of the company, as well as its personnel, meaning that there will not be any reduction in the number of employees. In fact, quite the opposite thing occurred in the next three years: the number of employees gradually started growing. In the end of 2007 there had been approximately 1000 employees. By the end of 2008, this number grew to 1100, and finally on December 31st 2009, Telenor had a total of 1207 employees. Having in mind that the field of telecommunications is exposed to everyday changes, Telenor`s employees are expected to adapt to them, set their own objectives in their segment of work, as well as to take on new responsibilities and discover their new talents. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, the company organized a number of trainings, seminars and workshops for its personnel. Through these actions, Telenor tends to provide continuous professional growth and expertise opportunities. Some of the most important ones are: Trainings for future leaders Welcome trainings Codes of conduct Human resource management Communication skills trainings Telenor`s Code of Conduct is one of the key principles upon which the activities of the company are based. This document includes a set of employee policies that cover ethical and legal practices for nearly every aspect of the business. It focuses on the personal responsibility and each employee has to conduct business legally and ethically. Also, it defines ethical rules of behavior for the companys business partners, as well as users. Corporate ethics is very important in the company. The principles of corporate ethics are applicable to all members of the company, including the members of the managing board and top management and all other employees, who represent Telenor on any occasions. Furthermore, the company launched the so called HIT Project, which was encouraged by the television reportage made on one of Telenor`s subcontractors in Bangladesh, who was an obvious example of a company which contributes to bad work conditions, pollution of the environment and child labor. The project focuses on four elements: health, safety, security and environment, and its main objective is for Telenor to emphasize to its business partners the importance of respecting labor and human rights laws. Therefore, Telenor follows the activities of its suppliers in the field and remains in constant touch with them. Furthermore, human resource management conducts the employee satisfaction survey on a yearly basis in order to get a feed back from the employees about the level of their satisfaction, as well as the issues that could be improved and changed within the company. In 2009, the survey was conducted for the third consecutive year and a total percentage of employees which participated was 96.3%. The survey is conducted among all employees in the end of every working year, and concentrates on several important areas of employee satisfaction: satisfaction with job position and work conditions, communication and interpersonal relations within the company, leadership, bonus systems and career opportunities. Results obtained from the survey serve as the foundation for strategy planning for the upcoming years. This point is of particular importance in order to include the opinion of the staff in the process of future strategy defining and decision making, so that everyone can feel that they are a part of it. 2.2. Relationship with clients Top management of the company tends to combine its international experience and the local potential of the country where it operates. In the first year of its activities in the Serbian market, Telenor introduced a large number of significant innovations and new services important for the subscribers. Some of the most innovative products and services offered to the Serbian users are: New prepaid telephone numbers and new channel of sale Telenor Express. Mobile e mail service. The first internet parks in Serbia. Cheaper roaming prices for Telenor users in Hungary and Montenegro Telenor express is the channel of direct sales to customers, which has long and successful tradition in other markets where the company conducts its activities. The new prepaid numbers were introduced in all newspaper stands in Serbia, but could also be purchased through the Telenor Express channel of sale. Approximately twenty five express sales teams are traveling throughout Serbia with specially designed sales stands. In this way the company tries to have direct contact with the customers, to be closer and more available to them, as well as to offer new and innovative sales possibilities and good quality services. Additionally, new prepaid numbers are offered at a much lower rate than previously applied, and each package has higher value than the nominal value of the package. Persons, who decide to purchase a more expensive package, get substantially more free conversation minutes, as well as free text messages, than the ones who purchase a cheaper package. Mobile e-mail is a service dedicated firstly to those who are business users, with the main purpose to facilitate their activities when they find themselves outside the office and need immediate access to their computers. Furthermore, this service enables its users to access and handle their e-mails, calendar and phonebook. The service is compatible to the programs used on their original computers, and can be used by downloading a special software from the Telenor website. From December 1st 2006, Telenor users have the possibility to pay lower prices for roaming services in Hungary and Montenegro, thanks to Telenor network. At the same time, these prices are the lowest prices in comparison to other mobile operators in Serbia. On average, with this service, Telenor users in the Montenegro` s network Promonte are charged 15% less for their voice calls. Additionally, incoming calls from any destination are free of charge for postpaid users in this network. As far as the Hungarian Pannon mobile operator is concerned, prices of outgoing calls are approximately 60% lower, calls made to local mobile and fixed telephone numbers are 25% cheaper, including incoming calls. Calls made to other destinations are 40% cheaper. Additionally, Telenor subscribers have the opportunity to exchange MMS messages with people in ten different countries. The first countries and operators which established this kind of service with Telenor in Serbia are: 02 in Germany, Pannon in Hungary, Telenor in Pakistan, Telefonica 02 in Checz Republic, Sonofon in Denmark, Sunrise in Switzerland, ONE in Austria, Globul in Bulgaria, Telenor in Norway and DIGI in Malaysia. In June 2008, Telenor opened the first internet park in Belgrade, which at the same time represents the first park of this kind in Serbia. People can have free access to the internet and connecting of their portable computers to the internet network is possible either through the wireless connection, or via USB modems, which are located in different places in the park. In the first three months, citizens of Belgrade, as well as other visitors, had the opportunity to test all possibilities of the Internet network free of charge, while enjoying the open air at the same time. Instructions for the connection to the network are displayed on visible places in the park and offer simple explanations through several easy steps. In just several months upon the opening of the first internet park in Belgrade, similar concept was implemented in other Serbian cities: Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Kraljevo. In this way, citizens of these cities have the possibility to check their e-mails or search the internet sites for various contents. 2.3. Corporate responsibility, young and socially jeopardized categories. Mobile communications contribute to the social integration, having in mind the fact that people can be in touch no matter where they find themselves. However, for a significant number of people worldwide, communication services still represent a luxury and are not available to them. Access to this type of services, in a way, represents the means to fight poverty, ignorance and bad health conditions, as well as to enable people to improve their living situation. One of the main objectives of Telenor is to strive towards creation of value in modern society by offering the possibility of communication services to as many people as possible. In 2007, the auditing company Deloit did a thorough analysis of Telenor`s markets in Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Ukraine and Serbia which pointed to a very close connection between mobile telephony penetration and the increase of the GDP exists. The analysis pointed out to the fact that the increase of 10% in mobile communications could lead to the GDP rise of approximately 1.2%. Furthermore, the study showed that business operations of Telenor have positive contribution to the upgrading of the productivity level, economic welfare, improvements in health and education systems, improvement of conditions in rural areas and social groups with low incomes. Besides the focus on its business operations, Telenor also directs its activities towards the responsibility towards the local community in which it operates. An evidence to support this claim is the fact that Telenor Group is listed in the first position among twenty four leading mobile operators in the world on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index list, which ranks companies according to the criteria of their overall financial, social and ecological impact on the environment. Upon its arrival to the Serbian market, the top management of the company immediately started to develop different strategies concerning the beginning of the work in the field of corporate responsibility. For that purpose, Telenor established its own Foundation in March 2007, and in this way the company continued to invest in the development of Serbias social potentials. â€Å"The main objective of the Foundation is to initiate and support different types of projects and to develop useful and sustainable solutions which are easy to implement on the territory of the entire country. This is the core concept upon which the corporate responsibility of the company is based and which is being implemented world wide. Members of the Foundations Managing Board were chosen upon the criteria of their expertise in different fields and this enabled for the activities of the Foundation to be guided not only by the companys business plans, but also to adequately respond to the necessities of the Serbian society, its growth and development. Additionally, members of the top and middle management are directly involved in the projects of the Foundation and follow their course. Employees are also invited to participate and to set an example by their involvement, volunteer work and individual efforts.† Majority of the activities and projects which the Foundation conducts are directed towards the young population, their education and professional expertise, socially jeopardized categories, as well as the development of cultural production and art. Telenor`s Foundation accomplishes set objectives through various forms of initiatives: Cooperation with non governmental sector, public and private institutions in different types of projects. Programs of exchange of experts in the field of science and art, as well as providing opportunities for professional internships and scholarships. Exchange of information. Establishing the practice of round tables, seminars, conferences and other events which are in any way linked to the activities of Telenor. Organizing of tenders through which different types of trainings and research are offered. Particular emphasis is put on the young generation and talented people and socially jeopardized categories. 2.3.1. Activities of Telenor directed towards young population Foundation launches special programs, seminars lectures, classes and offers scholarships to those who are perceived as young experts in the fields which are relevant for Telenor`s activities. In 2007, Telenor introduced the award â€Å"Professor Ilija StojanoviĆ¡Ã¢â‚¬  in memory of professor Ilija Stojanovic, who was closely connected to the company and participated in its activities from the very beginning of its operations in Serbia. Every year the award of 1500 euros is given to young students, scientists and researchers for their achievements in the field of telecommunications, in three categories: Best paper / project in the field of telecommunications chosen from the Conference for electronics, telecommunications, informatics, automatics and nuclear technique, held on a yearly basis. Best paper / project chosen from the Telflor (yearly conference), held on a yearly basis. Best student of the Graduate School of Electro-technique (course telecommunications). The Foundation was among the first initiators for the cleaning of neglected areas of Belgrade. Participants of the campaign â€Å"Recycling of landscapes: Be creative and revive the city† were pupils of Belgrade high schools and various artists and the entire project was conducted on ten city locations: open cinemas in Vracar[9] and Zvezdara[10] municipality, summer stage and Pioneer city in Kosutnjak, yard filed of abandoned factory, Zvezdani gaj and other locations. The campaign was lasted throughout 2009 and in this period the locations have been cleaned, painted and decorated with art works. There had been approximately 1000 participants in the campaign and they had the opportunity to get acquainted with the creative art process. Development of the environment awareness was one of the key priorities of the project, which was realized in cooperation with the Belgrade City Assembly and Secretariat for sport and youth. The project became the part of the leading environmental project in Serbia â€Å"Let`s wake Serbia up†, under the patronage of the Ministry for the Environment Protection. , In cooperation with the National Television of Serbia, Telenor joined the campaign â€Å"Skola je Skul (School is Cool)†, which promotes school spirit, representing the most active schools that use creative methods Telenor Group Case Study Telenor Group Case Study CASE STUDY TELENOR 1. General information about the Telenor Group The Telenor Group is the leading telecommunications company in Norway and one of the leading mobile operators in the world in terms of subscription. The company is also the biggest provider of television services in the Nordic region, while at the same time being present as the mobile operator in some of the fastest growing markets. Headquarters of the Telenor Group are located in Oslo, Norway. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. With the end of the third quarter of 2009, the Telenor Group has achieved 172 million of mobile subscriptions worldwide and it currently employs approximately 40.000 people in thirty countries. As it is widely familiar, Norway, as well as other Scandinavian countries, is known as extremely developed technology market in the beginning of the 21st century, achieving some of the highest penetration rates for new technologies, such as mobile phones and high speed internet. This actually represents a kind of tradition of the country, having in mind the fact that in 1855 the first telegraph line has been built, followed by the first telephone network connecting the cities of Arendal and Tvederstrand in 1878. Furthermore, Norway was one of the first world countries to introduce mobile telephone system in 1967, which was analogue based and manually operated. In order to understand business operations of Telenor, it seems necessary to make a short historical overview of the companys origins. Beginnings of the Telenor Group date back in 1855 when it was established as a state operated monopoly, bearing the name Norwegian Telegraph Administration NTA (also known as Telegrafverket) and offering the provision of telegraph services. In the last decade of the 19th century, development of the Norways early telephone network was handled by private companies. Norwegian Telegraph Administration, which was in the ownership of the state, gradually took over the privately owned companies in the market and gained control over the sector. Since then, Telenor gained more than 150 years of telecom experience. In 1969, the NTA changed its name to Televerket, also known as Norwegian Telecommunications. With the purchase of Andebu, the last privately owned company in the sector of telecommunications in 1974, Televerket obtained control of the monopoly of t he services of telephone and telecommunications and retained that position till the beginning of the last decade of the 20th century. By the beginning of the 1990s, the company pioneered a new generation of mobile telephone services based on the GSM protocol, which was later accepted and implemented thought Europe. GSM service was launched in 1993 and was followed by the expansion of the company in the field of television broadcasting. This strategic decision provided the company with the opportunity to position itself as the dominant provider of satellite based broadcasting in the Scandinavian region. Since the Norwegian authorities had a tendency to deregulate the telecom sector in the country, the process of deregulation commenced in 1994 and lasted till 1998, with a partial deregulation sector by sector. Even before the government deregulation began, Televerket started with the company restructuring which lasted for four years and included the transformation of the company from a state owned to a public company, as well as the change of the company name to Telenor in 1995. Additionally, the company was a subject of partial privatization in 2000, which gave it a substantial boost of 15.6 billion NOK[1] of new capital and listed it on the Oslo Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. At the beginning of the privatization process, the Government remained the owner of 77.7% of the company, while this percentage was reduced to 53% by 2006. The company was rankedtop performer bythe Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes in 2007 and 2008. The main services which Telenor provides to its consumers and companies worldwide include the following segments: voice, data, content and other services. * In the segment of Voice, Telenor provides people to talk to each other by using fast and reliable networks. This segment focuses on the conversation on the phone, including fixed line, mobile or IP telephony. Fixed voice communication services are provided for users in three countries of the Nordic region and mobile voice in twelve different countries in Europe and Asia. * The segment of Data encompasses of the Internet and broadband services. The company offers fixed line data services like ADSL and fiber-optic communications in the countries of the Nordic region, and mobile data services such as mobile broadband, GPRS, UMTS in 12 countries. From the beginning of 2008, the company has started 3G based mobile broadband services inseven of its markets. * In the field of Content, TV services and mobile content, Telenor offers TV services via cable, digital terrestrial and satellite networks in four Nordic markets. Furthermore, the company also provides mobile content services in several markets, such as mobile TV, sports, ring tones, music and movies. * As far as otherservices are concerned, Telenor has a diversified offer that consists of services, which are telecom related, and the service portfolio is different from one country to another. Depending on the market, the company provides services in the filed of maritime communications, IT consulting, and aircraft communications services. In several markets the company provides Net-centric services, which refer to the IT security for individual consumers and enterprises and machine to machine (M2M) services for enterprises. The major part of the Telenor`s activities is organized in three regions and includes thirteen countries: Asia: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand and India. Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Centraland Eastern Europe: Hungary, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. From the beginning of the 1990s, Telenor begun with its international expansion in the field of mobile communications, penetrating the markets of the following countries: Russia in 1994, Bangladesh, Greece, Ireland, Germany and Austria in 1997, Ukraine in 1998, Malaysia in 1999, Denmark and Thailand in 2000, Hungary in 2002, Montenegro and Pakistan in 2004, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Serbia in 2006. Operations in Greece, Ireland and Germany were sold and the money obtained from this sale has been re invested in the emerging markets. Additionally, in 2005 Vodafone[2] in Sweden was acquired by Telenor. 1.1. Mission and Strategy Telenors primary objective is to create greater value for its shareholders, customers, employees and partners, and for the society in general. The company is dedicated to being at the forefront in creating, simplifying and introducing communication and content solutions to the marketplace. In order to comply with the given goal, Telenor bases its strategy on its customer oriented vision, Here to Help, as well as its core values, Make it easy, Keep promises, Be inspiring and Be respectful. Telenors main strategy is to upgrade the performance of the local mobile operations by combining Groups industrialization with local drive and responsiveness, in the regions where it conducts its business operations: Nordic region, Eastern and Central Europe and Asia. Furthermore, the company plans to maintain its leading position in the Nordic region with a diversified portfolio of communication services. This strategy could be defragmented to the following focus areas: Strengthening of the position of the company as an international mobile operator. Telenor plans to continue the process of strengthening its industrialization of the mobile operations by gaining control over chosen mobile companies. Control is crucial in order to benefit from synergies obtained by cross border activities, such as scale in procurement, development of new services and implementation of best practices, improvement of operational efficiency and the increase of the overall profitability. Telenor plans to manage the non-strategic investments as financial investments and to exit from international mobile operations where the company cannot obtain control over time. Strengthening of the companys position in the Nordic region. Telenor will continue to upgrade its services in the field of mobile and fixed telephony in the Nordic region by using the benefits obtained from economies of scale and cross-border synergies. The company strongly feels that its Nordic presence will improve support to the customers by improving upon its expertise both mobile and fixed services. To find itself at the forefront of communications services providers in Norway. Since the company is the leader in a broad range of services in both the residential and business markets in Norway, Telenor will try to obtain better results in the sense of its profit in the mobile and fixed fields of activity, through the introduction of new services and through various cost-cutting measures. Maintaining of the position of the leader in field of distribution of TV services to consumers in the Nordic region. Telenor additionally insists on finding new possibilities and solutions which will contribute to the strengthening of its strategic position as the leading distributor of subscription based television in the Nordic region. The company will dedicate its activities to contact and attract new users and increase revenue per user through its attractive content and new interactive services. Non strategic companies. Telenor will enhance the value of those companies, which are not strategic for its main business areas and dispose of all or part of its interest in such companies. 1.2. Regional presence Even though Telenor is present in the three dominant regions of the world, the Nordic region is the one where Telenor group has been present since 1855, and the company has held a strong position in the Scandinavian region ever since. The Nordic region is the one from which the majority of Telenor`s income comes from. As it is shown in diagrams 1 and 2, in the first quarter of 2009, 41% of total company revenues came from this region, as well as 37% of EBITDA[3] distribution. The three markets out of which the Nordic region is composed of, in fact represent specific markets with unique differences. For example, although Sweden still has a high use of fixed line telephony, it finds itself at the forefront of the mobile broadband services. Denmark is the market whose customers are the keenest users of SMS and are most interested in content services. Finally, Norwegian customers show growing interest in digital music services and Telenor Group has a high share on this market. The Nordic region is also significant since Telenor combines present and future technologies in the telecom field. As a supplement to existing offers, Telenor provides new broadband technologies, such as Fibre to the Home (FTH) and Long Term Evolution (LTE), the 4th generation mobile broadband standard. The strong distinction between fixed and mobile telephony is slowly vanishing in these markets. According to the data obtained from†¦..there is an evident transition from fixed to mobile networks. The data implicate that the mobile share of voice traffic has increased from 20% in 2003 to 60% in 2008. This is one of the reasons why Telenor acquired Vodafone in Sweden in 2006. Furthermore, the company now has 4G licenses in Norway and Sweden. In order to build networks and share spectrum of mobile communication, Telenor has joined Tele2[4] in a joint venture. The plan is to launch the LTE based broadband services by the end of 2010. This action will position Telenor as the leader of the 4G development worldwide. The same project is planned for Norway, with the difference that it will start in 2011. The Telenor Group has penetrated the Asian region in 1996, through the investment in Grameenphone[5] in Bangladesh. From the very beginning of its operations in Asia, the market has been the cornerstone of the development of the Telenor Group, enabling opportunities for growth in one of the most populated and fastest growing markets in the world. Additionally, mobile operations in Asia have a significant contribution to the total revenues and EBITDA of the Group. Data obtained in the first quarter of 2009 show that the region generated 30% of the revenues, 28% of the Groups EBITDA, and a total of 67 million mobile subscribers of the region. The company has received many awards for innovation and services in the past ten years and has been the driving force in the network development of Asia. Additionally, it has significantly increased the capacity of the regional network and provided coverage, connecting millions of people in new areas, who were previously unconnected. Over the past few years the Asian mobile market has been growing significantly. The growth is additionally stimulated by continuous innovations and new services provided by the company. The Group is active in the markets of Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh, and the company holds 3G license in Malaysia. Another important step of Telenor was the acquisition of Unitech Wireless[6] in India, through which the company penetrated one of the worlds largest and fastest growing markets. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the mobile markets of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia became a part of Telenor`s business operations. The main characteristic of these markets is the growth opportunity, making it significant part of the Telenor`s strategy in the years to come. Even though the markets of Central and Eastern Europe are challenging economic environment due to the process of transition, which these countries have undergone or are still undergoing, mobile operations of the Group deliver solid financial performances. The first quarter of 2009 shows that Telenor generated 17% of Groups total revenues and 32% of EBITDA. The region also generated 93 million of mobile subscribers. Also, the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia has achieved rapid growth in mobile subscription both in consumer, as well as business markets. The company is currently involved in investments in the 3G network in Hungary, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro. The priority is given to the n ew technological and eco friendly solutions, like the wind and solar powered base stations in Hungary, and testing of the new generation wireless broadband in Montenegro. 2. Telenor in Serbia Telenor`s presence in the Balkan region started at the beginning of 1990s when the company launched its operations in Hungary in 2002 by operating Pannon[7], followed by activities in Montenegro through Promonte[8] and finally, Serbia in 2006. Telenor penetrated the Serbian market through the purchase of the Serbian company Mobi 63, Serbias second largest mobile operator and this actually represents the largest privatization transaction in the central and eastern Europe in 2006, as reported by the audit company PriceWaterHouseCoopers. Telenor Group outbid two other short listed competitors at the auction (Mobilkom from Austria and Orascom Telecom from Egypt), offering a bid of 1.513 billion euros. Telenor took over the company on 31st of July 2006, upon the completion of all legal requirements and the signing of the Sales Agreement. The entire auction was broadcasted live on the Serbian national television and was attended by the highest state representatives. Mobi 63, formerly known as Mobtel, was formed by the Government of Serbia in the month of April of 2006, upon the revocation of the operators mobile license, which occurred due to the illegal dealings of the companys previous owners, who were suspected to have sold t he operators license in Kosovo to Mobikos, without requesting permission from the official authorities of Serbia. The Government then proclaimed that the sale was a threat to the national security. The acquisition of Mobi 63 made by Telenor includes a ten year license for GSM 900/1800 and 3G operation for the company, which is renewable for a successive period of ten years upon application. Additionally, the company also obtained Mobi 63`s existing assets, which included the base of approximately 2.5 million customers (in the end of 2005). In just three months upon its arrival to the Serbian market, Telenor invested approximately 15.3 million euros in the equipment of the highest technology, necessary to meet the requirements of the planned network expansion on the territory of Serbia. For this purpose, Telenor signed cooperation agreement with Erickson. Additionally, another contract with the Erickson Company worth 40 million euros for the purpose of network improvement was signed by the end of 2006. The main objective of these investments was to upgrade the quality and the capacity of the existing network, which consequently brings additional quality and services to its users. The actual benefit for the users of the Telenor network is its expanded coverage and good quality. Starting form March 1st 2007, the company enabled the use of commercial services in Serbia, provided by the 3G mobile broadband technology, which consequently provides its users with the possibility to get easier and faster access to the contents on the internet, such as movies, music videos or TV program. 2.1. Relationship towards the employees When Telenor acquired Mobi 63 in August 2006, the company had 926 employees. The newly appointed top management reached a strategic decision to take over the entire infrastructure of the company, as well as its personnel, meaning that there will not be any reduction in the number of employees. In fact, quite the opposite thing occurred in the next three years: the number of employees gradually started growing. In the end of 2007 there had been approximately 1000 employees. By the end of 2008, this number grew to 1100, and finally on December 31st 2009, Telenor had a total of 1207 employees. Having in mind that the field of telecommunications is exposed to everyday changes, Telenor`s employees are expected to adapt to them, set their own objectives in their segment of work, as well as to take on new responsibilities and discover their new talents. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, the company organized a number of trainings, seminars and workshops for its personnel. Through these actions, Telenor tends to provide continuous professional growth and expertise opportunities. Some of the most important ones are: Trainings for future leaders Welcome trainings Codes of conduct Human resource management Communication skills trainings Telenor`s Code of Conduct is one of the key principles upon which the activities of the company are based. This document includes a set of employee policies that cover ethical and legal practices for nearly every aspect of the business. It focuses on the personal responsibility and each employee has to conduct business legally and ethically. Also, it defines ethical rules of behavior for the companys business partners, as well as users. Corporate ethics is very important in the company. The principles of corporate ethics are applicable to all members of the company, including the members of the managing board and top management and all other employees, who represent Telenor on any occasions. Furthermore, the company launched the so called HIT Project, which was encouraged by the television reportage made on one of Telenor`s subcontractors in Bangladesh, who was an obvious example of a company which contributes to bad work conditions, pollution of the environment and child labor. The project focuses on four elements: health, safety, security and environment, and its main objective is for Telenor to emphasize to its business partners the importance of respecting labor and human rights laws. Therefore, Telenor follows the activities of its suppliers in the field and remains in constant touch with them. Furthermore, human resource management conducts the employee satisfaction survey on a yearly basis in order to get a feed back from the employees about the level of their satisfaction, as well as the issues that could be improved and changed within the company. In 2009, the survey was conducted for the third consecutive year and a total percentage of employees which participated was 96.3%. The survey is conducted among all employees in the end of every working year, and concentrates on several important areas of employee satisfaction: satisfaction with job position and work conditions, communication and interpersonal relations within the company, leadership, bonus systems and career opportunities. Results obtained from the survey serve as the foundation for strategy planning for the upcoming years. This point is of particular importance in order to include the opinion of the staff in the process of future strategy defining and decision making, so that everyone can feel that they are a part of it. 2.2. Relationship with clients Top management of the company tends to combine its international experience and the local potential of the country where it operates. In the first year of its activities in the Serbian market, Telenor introduced a large number of significant innovations and new services important for the subscribers. Some of the most innovative products and services offered to the Serbian users are: New prepaid telephone numbers and new channel of sale Telenor Express. Mobile e mail service. The first internet parks in Serbia. Cheaper roaming prices for Telenor users in Hungary and Montenegro Telenor express is the channel of direct sales to customers, which has long and successful tradition in other markets where the company conducts its activities. The new prepaid numbers were introduced in all newspaper stands in Serbia, but could also be purchased through the Telenor Express channel of sale. Approximately twenty five express sales teams are traveling throughout Serbia with specially designed sales stands. In this way the company tries to have direct contact with the customers, to be closer and more available to them, as well as to offer new and innovative sales possibilities and good quality services. Additionally, new prepaid numbers are offered at a much lower rate than previously applied, and each package has higher value than the nominal value of the package. Persons, who decide to purchase a more expensive package, get substantially more free conversation minutes, as well as free text messages, than the ones who purchase a cheaper package. Mobile e-mail is a service dedicated firstly to those who are business users, with the main purpose to facilitate their activities when they find themselves outside the office and need immediate access to their computers. Furthermore, this service enables its users to access and handle their e-mails, calendar and phonebook. The service is compatible to the programs used on their original computers, and can be used by downloading a special software from the Telenor website. From December 1st 2006, Telenor users have the possibility to pay lower prices for roaming services in Hungary and Montenegro, thanks to Telenor network. At the same time, these prices are the lowest prices in comparison to other mobile operators in Serbia. On average, with this service, Telenor users in the Montenegro` s network Promonte are charged 15% less for their voice calls. Additionally, incoming calls from any destination are free of charge for postpaid users in this network. As far as the Hungarian Pannon mobile operator is concerned, prices of outgoing calls are approximately 60% lower, calls made to local mobile and fixed telephone numbers are 25% cheaper, including incoming calls. Calls made to other destinations are 40% cheaper. Additionally, Telenor subscribers have the opportunity to exchange MMS messages with people in ten different countries. The first countries and operators which established this kind of service with Telenor in Serbia are: 02 in Germany, Pannon in Hungary, Telenor in Pakistan, Telefonica 02 in Checz Republic, Sonofon in Denmark, Sunrise in Switzerland, ONE in Austria, Globul in Bulgaria, Telenor in Norway and DIGI in Malaysia. In June 2008, Telenor opened the first internet park in Belgrade, which at the same time represents the first park of this kind in Serbia. People can have free access to the internet and connecting of their portable computers to the internet network is possible either through the wireless connection, or via USB modems, which are located in different places in the park. In the first three months, citizens of Belgrade, as well as other visitors, had the opportunity to test all possibilities of the Internet network free of charge, while enjoying the open air at the same time. Instructions for the connection to the network are displayed on visible places in the park and offer simple explanations through several easy steps. In just several months upon the opening of the first internet park in Belgrade, similar concept was implemented in other Serbian cities: Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Kraljevo. In this way, citizens of these cities have the possibility to check their e-mails or search the internet sites for various contents. 2.3. Corporate responsibility, young and socially jeopardized categories. Mobile communications contribute to the social integration, having in mind the fact that people can be in touch no matter where they find themselves. However, for a significant number of people worldwide, communication services still represent a luxury and are not available to them. Access to this type of services, in a way, represents the means to fight poverty, ignorance and bad health conditions, as well as to enable people to improve their living situation. One of the main objectives of Telenor is to strive towards creation of value in modern society by offering the possibility of communication services to as many people as possible. In 2007, the auditing company Deloit did a thorough analysis of Telenor`s markets in Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Ukraine and Serbia which pointed to a very close connection between mobile telephony penetration and the increase of the GDP exists. The analysis pointed out to the fact that the increase of 10% in mobile communications could lead to the GDP rise of approximately 1.2%. Furthermore, the study showed that business operations of Telenor have positive contribution to the upgrading of the productivity level, economic welfare, improvements in health and education systems, improvement of conditions in rural areas and social groups with low incomes. Besides the focus on its business operations, Telenor also directs its activities towards the responsibility towards the local community in which it operates. An evidence to support this claim is the fact that Telenor Group is listed in the first position among twenty four leading mobile operators in the world on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index list, which ranks companies according to the criteria of their overall financial, social and ecological impact on the environment. Upon its arrival to the Serbian market, the top management of the company immediately started to develop different strategies concerning the beginning of the work in the field of corporate responsibility. For that purpose, Telenor established its own Foundation in March 2007, and in this way the company continued to invest in the development of Serbias social potentials. â€Å"The main objective of the Foundation is to initiate and support different types of projects and to develop useful and sustainable solutions which are easy to implement on the territory of the entire country. This is the core concept upon which the corporate responsibility of the company is based and which is being implemented world wide. Members of the Foundations Managing Board were chosen upon the criteria of their expertise in different fields and this enabled for the activities of the Foundation to be guided not only by the companys business plans, but also to adequately respond to the necessities of the Serbian society, its growth and development. Additionally, members of the top and middle management are directly involved in the projects of the Foundation and follow their course. Employees are also invited to participate and to set an example by their involvement, volunteer work and individual efforts.† Majority of the activities and projects which the Foundation conducts are directed towards the young population, their education and professional expertise, socially jeopardized categories, as well as the development of cultural production and art. Telenor`s Foundation accomplishes set objectives through various forms of initiatives: Cooperation with non governmental sector, public and private institutions in different types of projects. Programs of exchange of experts in the field of science and art, as well as providing opportunities for professional internships and scholarships. Exchange of information. Establishing the practice of round tables, seminars, conferences and other events which are in any way linked to the activities of Telenor. Organizing of tenders through which different types of trainings and research are offered. Particular emphasis is put on the young generation and talented people and socially jeopardized categories. 2.3.1. Activities of Telenor directed towards young population Foundation launches special programs, seminars lectures, classes and offers scholarships to those who are perceived as young experts in the fields which are relevant for Telenor`s activities. In 2007, Telenor introduced the award â€Å"Professor Ilija StojanoviĆ¡Ã¢â‚¬  in memory of professor Ilija Stojanovic, who was closely connected to the company and participated in its activities from the very beginning of its operations in Serbia. Every year the award of 1500 euros is given to young students, scientists and researchers for their achievements in the field of telecommunications, in three categories: Best paper / project in the field of telecommunications chosen from the Conference for electronics, telecommunications, informatics, automatics and nuclear technique, held on a yearly basis. Best paper / project chosen from the Telflor (yearly conference), held on a yearly basis. Best student of the Graduate School of Electro-technique (course telecommunications). The Foundation was among the first initiators for the cleaning of neglected areas of Belgrade. Participants of the campaign â€Å"Recycling of landscapes: Be creative and revive the city† were pupils of Belgrade high schools and various artists and the entire project was conducted on ten city locations: open cinemas in Vracar[9] and Zvezdara[10] municipality, summer stage and Pioneer city in Kosutnjak, yard filed of abandoned factory, Zvezdani gaj and other locations. The campaign was lasted throughout 2009 and in this period the locations have been cleaned, painted and decorated with art works. There had been approximately 1000 participants in the campaign and they had the opportunity to get acquainted with the creative art process. Development of the environment awareness was one of the key priorities of the project, which was realized in cooperation with the Belgrade City Assembly and Secretariat for sport and youth. The project became the part of the leading environmental project in Serbia â€Å"Let`s wake Serbia up†, under the patronage of the Ministry for the Environment Protection. , In cooperation with the National Television of Serbia, Telenor joined the campaign â€Å"Skola je Skul (School is Cool)†, which promotes school spirit, representing the most active schools that use creative methods