The effects of electromagnetic fields on human health

Introduction Abbreviated as EMF or EM field, an electromagnetic field can be described as a physical field mainly generated when electrically charged objects are moved. It usually affects the behavior of all charged particles within the neighborhood of the field. In general, electromagnetic field exists indefinitely in space and denotes scientific electromagnetic interaction, which is among nature’s fundamental forces. Others include strong and weak interaction and gravitational interaction.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The effects of electromagnetic fields on human health specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This field can therefore be considered as a combination of magnetic and electric fields, produced by currents and stationary charges respectively (Joe 1). These are described as the major sources of any electromagnetic field. It is important to note that electromagnetic fields have found an array of a pplications that have continued to be beneficial to mankind. Nevertheless, these electromagnetic fields have a wide range of effects on human health. This report gives an analysis of these effects and how human beings respond. Other segments synthesized include but not limited to types of electromagnetic fields, sources, solutions and recommendations. Types of electromagnetic fields Classification of electromagnetic fields is based on the wavelength, giving a unique type of radiation for a given emission. Despite the fact that this approach of classification has been proved to be effective and accurate, neighboring electromagnetic energies overlap. In some cases, classification of electromagnetic fields is based on sources of radiation, say when differentiating X-rays from gamma rays. The following segments describe different types of electromagnetic fields, commonly encountered through their significant applications. Radio frequency Appropriate antennas make use of radio waves as d escribed under the resonance principle, with an approximate wavelength range of between one millimeter and several hundreds of meters. Radio waves are common in data transmission through modulation. Common devices which use these waves include but not limited to television, wireless networking, amateur radio and mobile phones (Joe 1). The usage of this type of radiations is always government-regulated through allocation of frequencies. Microwaves This type of waves is short and able to make use of tubular metal waveguides, which have a realistic diameter. Microwave energy is principally produced by magnetron and klystron tubes coupled with solid diodes like IMPATT and Gunn equipment (Hinwood 123). Additionally, the waves can only be absorbed by particles that have a dipole moment while in their liquid state. They are applied in thermal heating, in Wi-Fi and in volumetric heating. Infrared Radiation Infrared spectrum occurs within a range of 300 GHz to 400 THz and can be broadly divi ded into three sections, namely, Far, Mid, and Near-infrared. Far-infrared ranges between 300 GHz to 30THz, with its lower part sometimes referred to as microwaves. It is absorbed by rotational modes in gaseous state, by phonons in solid state and by movement of molecules in the liquid phase.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, mid-infrared occurs within a frequency of 30 to 120 THz (Hinwood 123). It is believed that heated objects effectively radiate in this region as it is absorbed by vibrations of molecules when they are at equilibrium positions. The region is sometimes referred to as fingerprint region. Lastly, the near-infrared spectrum falls within 120 and 400 THz. It exhibits physical processes that are identical to those observed under visible light. Visible radiation This includes the range in which most stars like the sun emit their radiations. Additio nally, the human eye is highly sensitive to this region. Visible light is principally absorbed and released by elections moving from one energy shell to another. It therefore follows that the light seen by human eyes represents a very minute portion of the electromagnetic field (Hinwood 124). Ultraviolet radiation The wavelength of this radiation falls below violet but higher than X-rays. Abbreviated as UV, these radiations have the ability to break chemical bonds, causing some molecules to be more reactive or alter their physical properties. UV radiations cause sunburns, which occur when skin cells are affected by rays. This has been found to be a major cause of skin cancer in most parts of the world. Besides these, UV may affect DNA molecules resulting into irreparable mutation problems. The sun is known to be a major source of UV rays, posing a threat to humanity as the risk of desertification heightens. However, these rays are usually absorbed by the ozone layer, which is threat ened by depletion due to emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. X-rays These rays also have the ionizing potential and interact with matter as a result of the Compton Effect. They are classified as either hard or soft X-rays. Because of their ability to pass through a range of materials, X-rays are commonly used to see through other objects. This has led to X-rays being adopted for radiography, a process that allows scanning of organs to facilitate diagnostic processes in medicine. They are also used in astronomy and high-energy physics (Attix 124). Gamma radiations These rays were discovered in 1900 by Paul Villard. Since their discovery, they have been widely applied in physics, medicine and general science. They are the strongest and most energetic radiations known to human beings. They can be produced from radioactive isotopes. Other applications include irradiation, and cancer imaging using PET scans (Attix 124). Through Compton scattering, the wavelength of these ra ys can be determined. As mentioned before, most electromagnetic fields exhibit overlap of energies. As a result, there are no distinct boundaries for various bands of magnetic radiations. Consequently, some radiations carry a mixture of properties.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The effects of electromagnetic fields on human health specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sources of electromagnetic radiations There are two major sources of electromagnetic fields known in history. These are natural sources and human made sources. The main natural source of electromagnetic sources is the sun, the largest star that has a lot of significance to human life. As mentioned above, Ultraviolet rays are emitted by the sun and have harmful effect on human health; they cause sunburns that lead to skin cancer and destruction of skin cells (Hinwood 121). UV rays are usually absorbed by the ozone layer prevent their full impact from reaching the earth. However, due to the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, there has been continuous depletion of the ozone, allowing these rays to hit the earth directly, a condition that exposes the earth to desertification and high prevalence of skin diseases. Apart from the sun as the main source of electromagnetic fields, human made sources have also become significant and of importance in the world. Under this category, electricity is believed to be the commonest source of electromagnetic fields. Being a major source of power around the world, this implies that human beings are prone to exposure of rays produced by electricity (Sources of Electromagnetic Radiation 1). These rays are mainly produced when electricity is transmitted through cables and machines. Importantly, electricity continues to produce electromagnetic fields even after it has been delivered to users. In other words, electricity emits radiations from generation to distribution through transmissi on. In its usage, people in offices, institutions, homes, factories and other structures are vulnerable to getting in contact with radiations produced by electricity (Hinwood 122). Beyond, electricity, almost every electrical appliance and equipment emit radiations that interact with the user or operator. In the understanding of electromagnetic fields, it is important to note that there are several generators of radiations at workplaces. These mainly include electric appliances and electronic devices like computers, printers, fax machines, fluorescent lights, scanners, copy machines, motors, telephone switching systems and other countless electrical devices. In most homes around the world, electromagnetic generators include electric blankets, television, electric water bed heaters, cell phones, clothes washers, blenders, coffee makers, microwave ovens, stereo systems and refrigerators among others (Hinwood 121). Notably, electromagnetic radiations are not only produced when applianc es use electricity, but it is the nature of these appliances like television, radio and other communication gadgets to emit radiations.Advertising Looking for report on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Aside from electricity and electric appliances, several transportation methods are also a source of electromagnetic radiations. These methods are magnetic trains, automobiles, subway systems, airplanes and trucks. It is worth noting that in the presence of two or more sources of electromagnetic fields at the same location, there is a likelihood of overlapping fields to be produced. This means that office and metropolitan homes are usually saturated with an array of electromagnetic fields from different sources within their vicinity (Sources of Electromagnetic Radiation 1). Effects electromagnetic radiations Although most electromagnetic fields have limitless applications in life, say in medicine, physics and astronomy among other disciplines, research has found out that there are countless effects caused by these radiations on human body and in general daily living. These effects can be classified into several categories like electrical hazards, fire hazards, biological effects and other long-term effects (Upton 65). Electrical and fire hazards The use of electricity exposes users to high risk levels associated with strong radiations that have the potential of releasing an electric shock to human beings or even animals. Electrical shocks have varying impact depending on the strength of the electric current flowing. Nevertheless, strong shocks are fatal and can cause death of human beings through electrocution. Overloading of these radiations can also lead to the destruction of electrical equipment if control measures are not taken. Another effect of electromagnetic radiations is explosions. This is common in cases where strong radiations are being used coupled with faulty transmission or connection errors. Electrical explosions are dangerous and the intensity of an explosion equally depends on the source of radiations and the nature of interruptions. These explosions lead to loss of lives and destruction of property (Blake and Henry 370). Fire hazards are also a common effect of electromagnetic radiations. This mainly occurs when induced voltage is higher than the breakdown voltage within a particular region. In extreme cases, sparks are common, resulting into fire accidents. This is a major cause of forest fires and other electricity-related fire accidents. Major adverse effects of such cases include loss of life and destruction of property (Sources of Electromagnetic Radiation 2). Biological hazards Exposure to electromagnetic radiations results into short and long-term biological effects. As a result, people are likely to experience the impact of radiations variedly depending on the type of radiation and degree of exposure. Although short term effects of electromagnetic fields in human beings are common, it is important to note some of the symptoms exhibited by victims may not be recognized easily. As such, many cases of electromagnetic exposure go unnoticed among many people around the world. What are some of these short-term effects ? They include physical changes on the human body, which could easily be associated with lack of certain nutrients in the body. Common effects include: hair loss, headaches, stress, nausea, chest pain, sunburns and hyperthermia among others. Importantly, some of these may turn into long-term effects like skin cancer resulting from simple sunburns (Upton 65). Long term effects One of the major long term effects of electromagnetic fields in human beings is brain tumors. Most cell phones used today emit radiations that cause excitation of some brain parts whereas others are inhibited. The brain’s cortex is the most vulnerable part as it is adjacent to the outside of the ear where phones are placed during communication (Blake and Henry 370). Apart from formation of tumors, exposure to radiations causes general damage of the brain. Cell phone frequencies also lead to aggressive growth of cells among Leukemia patients. This is common in both children and adults, although the impact depends on the level of exposure. Additionally, these fields result into high cases of miscarriage among pregnant women. Electric appliances known to emit such rays include food mixers, hairdryers and vacuum cleaners commonly used domestically. Another permanent impact of electromagnetic fields is the irreparable damage of the DNA. This results into birth defects and neurodegenerative diseases. As mentioned earlier, skin cancer is common due to sunburns caused by high exposure to UV radiations (Upton 65). Recommendation and conclusion As noted above, almost all electromagnetic fields have negative effects on human being. It is therefore important to consider ways of mitigating the effects of these rays or limiting human exposure. Government solutions include proper power lines and cell phone towers location to avoid disconnections and erroneous faults. The government should further educate the public on potential impact of EMF’s. Personal mitigation efforts include minimizin g phone usage and determination of EMF’s levels at home so as to take necessary measures. Works Cited Attix, Frank. Introduction to radiological physics and radiation dosimetry. Munich: Wiley-VCH, 1986. Print. Blake, Levitt, and Henry Lai. â€Å"Biological effects from exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell tower base stations and other antenna arrays.† Environmental Reviews, 18.1 (2010): 369-395. Hinwood, Barry. A textbook of science for the health professions. United Kingdom: Nelson Thornes, 1992. Print. Joe, Hall. â€Å"The Negative Effects of Electromagnetic Fields.† Consumer Health 20.9 (1997): 1. Print. Sources of Electromagnetic Radiation. â€Å"What are Electromagnetic Fields?† Apple Mobile, 2011. Web. Upton, Arthur. Health effects of exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation: BEIR V. New York: National Academies, 1990. Print. This report on The effects of electromagnetic fields on human health was written and submitted by user Everett Cain to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Business Management in Armenia

Business Management in Armenia Free Online Research Papers Abstract: The workforce of the 21st century is increasingly diverse and multicultural. Every society generates its own cultural values. It creates its own vision of the world to explain man’s destiny, and organizations and management systems compatible with that vision. To effectively manage and lead in this environment, business managers must be knowledgeable about cross-cultural factors-on both the domestic and global fronts especially in human resource management. This paper shows the importance of adapting training seminars and management methods of the Armenian cultural context. This means not only taking into account a different economic regime but also accounting for Armenian cultural values. 1 Introduction As a concept and as a reality, culture is broad and multifaceted. On a daily basis, culture influences who we are as individuals, families, communities, professions, industries, organizations and nationsand how we interact with each other within and across regional and national borders. Defined as a set of values and beliefs with learned behaviors shared within a particular society, culture provides a sense of identity and belonging. From language, communication styles, history and religion to norms, values, symbolism and ways of being, culture is everywhere. Companies are not managed in the same way in all countries. In order to predict what management style would emerge from the post-Communist era in Armenia, we had to gain some very practical knowledge about the concrete problems faced by Soviet company directors on one hand, and begin to examine the basic values which make up Armenian culture on the other. In domestic and global workplace settings, people in organizations reflect their respective cultures. As shifting demographics bring together people of many cultural backgrounds, human resource management (HRM) must be thoughtfully examined and sometimes altered to support organizational goals. SHRM Special Expertise Panel members point out that for sustainability, organizational leaders must expand their perspectives from a local to a worldly view. SHRMs 2008 Workplace Forecast highlights several trends in culture that will likely have a major impact on the workplace: 1) heightened awareness of cultural differences in domestic and global workplaces; 2) greater need for cross-cultural understanding/savvy in business settings; 3) managing talent globally; 4) greater emphasis on global leadership competencies; and 5) increased use of virtual global teams. Thus, HR professionals experienced in workplace diversity and cross-cultural communication are well-positioned to develop and implement culturally appropriate HRM strategies, policies and practices. While not exhaustive, this Research Quarterly focuses on selected cross-cultural factors in HRM in todays workplace and provides insights for HR to better serve the needs of the organization. With the advent of globalization, research on cross-cultural organizational behavior has become a pathway to understand the dynamics of multicultural domestic and international workplaces. In fact, successful organizations of the 21st century require leaders who understand culturally diverse work environments and can work effectively with different cultures that have varying work ethics, norms and business protocols. Yet, diverse cultures create HRM challenges. As Lisbeth Claus, Ph.D., SPHR, GPHR, associate professor of global HR at Willamette University, points out, that the HRM challenges lie between the various types of culturesthe cultures of emerging and developed countries and the growing heterogeneity of the workforce in terms of multiculturalism. Gaining cross-cultural competence takes time, education, experience, openness and sensitivity. When people lack intercultural skills, miscommunications can damage business relationships, deadlines can be missed, projects may fail and talented people will go to the competition. Key HR responsibilities are to understand how cross-cultural factors interact with HRM, be the conduit for organizational learning for cross-cultural intelligence and foster cross-cultural communication throughout the organization. Cultural Value Dimensions: Cross-cultural intelligence is the ability to switch ethnic and/or national contexts and quickly learn new patterns of social interaction with appropriate behavioral responses. This competence is essential to work effectively in multicultural environments. Thus, linking future career paths and global business success with cultural competence is important for HR to emphasize, with the goal that managers are motivated to acquire new behaviors and skills and understand the benefits of learning from different cultures. To become culturally competent, the first step is to have a solid understanding of ones own values and how they shape cultural identity. Within this process, it is also important to realize that different cultures often exhibit different values. There are 5 cultural value dimensions (according to Hofsted’s theory): 1. Power distance 2. Individualism/Collectivism 3. Masculinity/Femininity 4. Uncertainty Avoidance 5. Long/Short Term Orientation 1) High power distance indicates that hierarchy is important 2) Uncertainty avoidance is achieved by behavior that results in fewer unforeseen consequences 3) High-context cultures rely upon an internalized social context and/or physical environment (such as body language) and face-to-face communication for all or a large part of the message (e.g., indirect, subtle, ambiguous), whereas low-context cultures rely on direct messages (e.g., clear, stated in words, with emphasis on time management, punctuality and deadlines). 4) Collectivism refers to societies in which the group is valued over the individual and the individuals responsibility to the group overrides the individuals rights; individualism refers to societies that emphasize individual achievements and rights. 5) Long-term orientation indicates that cultural values are future-looking, including thrift, perseverance, humility/shame, and observe hierarchical relationships, whereas short term orientation values look to the past, such as respecting tradition. The culture of an organizations headquarters may highly influence the overall organizational culture. Specific factors determine the shape of corporate culture: 1) the relationship between employees and the company; 2) the hierarchical system of authority; and 3) the overall view of employees about the companys future, including its mission and goals, and their respective roles in the organization. (12) According to cross-cultural researchers and management consultants Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner, there is a link between corporate and national cultures. Organizations can be classified into four different ideal-types of corporate culture, based on their focus on tasks/relationship and the extent of hierarchy: 1) the family; 2) the Eiffel Tower; 3) the guided missile; and 4) the incubator. These models of corporate culture provide insights as to why HRM policies and programs differ. Building Business Relationships: Building optimal business relationships requires global fluency. Global fluency defined as facility with cultural behaviors that help an organization thrive in an ever-changing global business environment is a competitive advantage to establish and maintain good business relationships. To promote people working effectively with those of other cultures, cross-cultural training assists employees in becoming knowledgeable about cross-cultural communication in terms of their own cultural values, behaviors and assumptions, and those of other cultures. Cross-cultural communication also includes global business etiquette from greeting behaviors, exchanging business cards and toasting at business dinners to work attitudes, appropriate work attire and nonverbal communication. To not cause offense, it is helpful to be aware of differences in greetings, such as the handshake. Another differing communication style is the use of silence, a form of nonverbal commun ication. In high-context cultures, such as in Asian countries, silence indicates thoughtfulness in decision-making. In contrast, people in low-context cultures, such as the dominant culture in the United States, are uncomfortable with silence and tend to fill the void with small talk, such as comments about the weather. People establish rapport in accordance with their cultural values. Based on social capital theory and the importance of social networks, a recent study explored intercultural communication strategies for business relationship building through interviews with business executives in Armenia. The findings indicate that building a business relationship is defined within the socio-cultural and economic contexts of the respective cultures and that depending on the culture, different strategies are used to build and maintain business relationships. The following mini-case study demonstrates a success story from the viewpoint of the Armenian culture. 2 Case Study: The Armenian Story A senior manager works at an Armenian company that sells a broad array of products (groceries, liquor, durable goods) and describes his philosophy about relationship building with an example from his company: As he says to successfully achieve our business goals, establishing and maintaining relationships with distributors is an essential strategy. Some of our customers are large firms, managed by graduates from the elite university I attended. This link creates strong networking opportunities. Once this connection is made, it is critical to invest time in this relationship, and I always counsel my subordinates on the importance of relationship building. One employee in particular is very good at maintaining relationships. He works hard to do so, even going to the airport or train station without prior arrangement to meet clients upon their arrival, once at 5 a.m. This effort shows that he is sincere and demonstrates how far he will go to maintain this valuable relationship. This personalized service adds to our commitment to nurture a long-term business relationship. Effective cross-cultural communication is necessary to build and maintain business relationships. To support their organizations, HR professionals can develop HRM practices and policies that promote cross-cultural training and reward managers for their part in educating employees on effective cross-cultural communication. 3 Methodology Analysis and identification of basic values prevailing in Armenian society was made by international consultant. After having gained some insight into the country’s mentality was determined what type of business management would evolve. This article deals with the findings of the second of these investigations. They are the result of a small study carried out in Armenia among 55 executives and directors in training at the HCYS in Yerevan. The questionnaire used in this research was based on Hofstede’s studies examining company executives’ and directors’ cultural values, which included 116,000 questionnaires in 20 languages, administered in 72 countries across five continents. The methodology used and detailed results for all the countries surveyed may be found in the book Culture’s Consequences. 4 Results 4.1 Position of Armenian culture in four main cultural values 4.1.1 Power distance: This perception varies a great deal from country to country, and so the concept of power distance is an important key to identifying differences between them. Armenia rated 76, placing it among the countries with high power distance. This score is as high as, India, Sub-Saharan Africa and a little higher than France (68). By way of comparison, the US scored 40 and Scandinavian countries have an even lower rating (e.g. 30 for Finland). This value constitutes a permanent part of Armenian mentality. One of the findings of investigation is that 42 per cent of our interviewees’ direct superiors are described as autocratic and 22 per cent as paternalistic. 4.1.2 Uncertainty Avoidance: The measure of uncertainty avoidance is in direct proportion to the degree of freedom in the country. Anxiety leads to accepting ways of limiting uncertainty, which in turn leads to accepting restrictions on individual liberty. Numerous observers have recorded the Armenian need to control uncertainty. According to the survey, Armenian executives display a high level of anxiety about the future which manifests itself in a tendency to be nervous, emotional and aggressive. Armenia has a similar rating to France (86) on uncertainty avoidance. It is therefore not surprising to find that 78 per cent of Armenian executives questioned say that they feel â€Å"constantly† or â€Å"often† tense or strained at work. Job stability is uppermost in everyone’s mind: 66 per cent hope that they will continue to work in their present company for more than five years or up until retirement. 4.1.3 Individualism: Today, there are both collective societies who value time spent within the group and individualist societies who value time spent by individuals in their personal lives. With a factor of 26, Armenia falls into the groups of countries with a collective mentality. How things are done in business is related to this dimension. For example, in a country with a collective mentality, employees expect their firm to take care of them like a family does. In countries with a more individualist mentality, the company does not get involved in the personal lives of its employees. In the Soviet system, the main role of a factory director consists of looking after the workers’ situation: building housing, managing shops where workers can find products unavailable elsewhere, organizing children’s playgrounds, looking after the medical centre and sending workers on holidays in company owned apartments. Managing a business is based on loyalty and a sense of duty, and decisions are made on the basis of personal relationships with managers. 4.1.4 Masculinity: Armenia (although this certainly varies greatly from one region to another) is in the same group as Scandinavian countries on this dimension, it scores 28. 4.2 The implicit consequences for management systems in Armenian organizations While management style overall is implicitly influenced by a country’s culture, there are three important areas where it is explicitly at work: (1) Appropriate management style. (2) Motivation. (3) Implicit organizational structure. 1. Appropriate Management Style: Appropriate management style is dictated by subordinate expectations. A typology of management styles is established by crossing countries’ power distance ratings and individualism ratings. The Armenian research showed high power distance and strong collective mentality. In this type of culture, employees expect an autocratic management style, offset by the support given to the subordinate’s family. Therefore, a system of management by objectives, which presupposes the confidence and independence to negotiate with one’s boss, a shared desire among bosses and subordinates to take risks and a desire to achieve, is incompatible with Armenian culture. 2. Motivation: We obtain a typology of motivations by crossing the masculinity value with uncertainty avoidance. In this respect, Armenia is similar to France. For this group of countries, security and a sense of belonging are the strongest motivators. Group solidarity is even more important than individual wellbeing. Today’s Armenia is fundamentally reactionary, in the sense that the priority is to protect achievements, rather than take risks in an uncertain future. 3. Implicit Organizational Structure: The organizational structure of companies differs from one country to another. Once again, two cultural values can help explain the differences: The power distance rating explains the degree to which decision-making is centralized in a country: the more pronounced the power distance is, the more likely it is that power will be centralized. The uncertainty avoidance rating is an indication of how companies perceive and control their environments. Controlling uncertainty can explain the extent to which roles are formalized in a firm. 5 Conclusion In practice, the implicit organizational model found in Armenia is the same as that found in Japan or in France. High power distance combined with high uncertainty avoidance gives rise to a pyramid-shaped bureaucratic structure, which is both formal and centralized. Work procedures and the relationships between individuals are formally established, either through strict regulations and laws, or through custom and tradition. All of the above basic information should be taken into account when defining the structure of new Armenian firms and developing internal processes. References (1) Bodley, J. H. Cultural anthropology: Tribes, states, and the global system (3rd edition). United Kingdom: Mayfield Publishing Company. 1999, 154 189 (2) Society for Human Resource Management. Glossary of human resources terms. Retrieved, 2008 (3) Gelfand, M. J., Erez, M., Aycan, Z. Cross-cultural organizational behavior. Annual Review of Psychology, 2007, 479-514. (4) Hofstede, G. Cultures consequences: International differences in work-related values. Newbury Park, 1980, 89 134 (5) Alon, I., Higgins, J. M. (2005, November/December). Global leadership success through emotional and cultural intelligence, Business Horizons. 2005, 501 542. Research Papers on Business Management in ArmeniaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperThe Project Managment Office SystemPETSTEL analysis of India

Maritime Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Maritime Operations - Essay Example (The ISM code, 2010) (ii) It should ensure a safe working place is maintained on board ship. (iii) Identify areas where accidents can occur on board ship and provide measures for rectification.( The ISM code, 2010) (iv) Upgrade the ability of persons on board to react immediately in case of emergency per safety manuals. (v) The safety manuals and codes have been developed after years of research and feedback generated by shipping personnel over years of experience in facing different distress situations. Hence the crew should always be encouraged to follow the safety instructions and treat the code as a valuable piece of guidance. (The ISM Code, 2007) Therefore it is quite clear from the objectives that the human element is quite clearly addressed in the ISM code and guidelines have been prescribed to reduce operational risk. It is with these intentions that the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 and the STCW 1978 were conducted and guidelines to avoid human risk were evolved. Mariti me labour Convention 2006 Since the Maritime labour Convention as a document covers a whole gamut of areas and stipulations, the primary areas of reference regarding reducing operational risk of seafarers shall be discussed here. This convention consists of a series of conventions which deals with the scope, rights and responsibilities of seafarers. Here Title 1 deals with the minimum qualification a seafarer must possess for him do his job efficiently thus mitigating accident risk to fellow crew and the ship. Title 2 deals with the minimum wages, hours of rest, period of leave and the manning levels of the seafarers. Title 3 deals with his accommodation and food that is provided on board. Therefore Title 2 and Title 3 deals with the psychological aspect of the person as only an optimum amount of rest would ensure that he performs his watch keeping duty diligently. Title 4 covers measures that the ship has adopted for accident prevention and medical care facilities on board in case of any injury. The ship should also be provided with efficient communication that could inform the land and have the injured person airlifted to the nearest medical facility. (Maritime Labour Convention, 2006) The regulation and code is then further arranged in to a series of five titles. These are (i) Title 1- The minimum age of entry should be sixteen years. Night duty for people below 18 years is banned. Night duty is also defined as one which begins before midnight and ends before 5am. Work that may have an adverse effect on the health of an individual should be avoided if he is below 18 years.( Cleopatra Doumbia, 2009) Seafarers who have not passed the medical tests prior to each sail shall be prohibited from joining ship and taking up duties. Medical certificates to prove the legitimacy must be provided on joining board. The seafarer should be adequately trained in carrying out watch keeping duties and should have carry all the relevant certificates regarding safety like basic fire fighting, first aid among others. (Maritime Labour Convention, 2006) (ii) Title 2- This encourages the shipping companies to adopt a more humane approach to the seafarer employer agreements so that his mind remains focussed when at work away from other external

Practice Problems for Elasticity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Practice Problems for Elasticity - Essay Example Price elasticity is always negative for complements. Forth and last, income, a change in income causes a shift in demand. Income elasticity f demand is calculated as the percent change in demand divided by the percent change in income. This change determines the magnitude f the shift. Demand can increase or decrease with the increase or decrease in income. Along any straight-line demand curve, elasticity decreases from infinity to zero. In the range f the demand curve where elasticity is more than one, decreasing price increases revenue. In the rage where elasticity is less than one, however, decreasing price decreases revenue. My service selection is Pet Day Care and I have found it to price elastic...meaning that there are several substitutes. Low-end services like dog walking are good substitutes for drop-off pet day care centers. A fall in the price for someone to come to your home and let your dog out or walk or dog may likely decrease the demand for you take your pet to an "All-Day" daycare facility. The lower price f the "In-Home" service induces consumers to purchases these services versus those f a drop-off or "All-Day" facility. The cross-price elasticity f Pet Day Care with respect to drop-off or in-home service determines the magnitude f shift in the demand curve. Lowering the price f drop-off service would likely increase demand and revenue. Immediate substitutes or replacements f... Where as a walking service averages about $25 per week for 2 ten-minute daily walks Monday through Friday and in home services averaging $25 - $30 per day. Price adjustments have increased demand in the drop-off sector as having space resources readily available i.e. -warehouse space or open land have become increasingly available and by market standards, very cheap to acquire and maintain. This project was able to focus on the market structure f a Pet Day Care service. Each division represents a different market structure. I learned about perfect competition part day care, full day care, and in home pet day care. The changes depended on the type f pet care the pet owner went with. It was interesting to see how the changes and decisions that are made in the different types f care can affect the results f the prices and the cost/profits for the service. Microeconomics Price Elasticity f Demand 1.) If the price elasticity f demand for heroin is estimated to be about 0.4 this means that the demand is mostly inelastic because the elasticity demand is less than one. Being mostly inelastic means a percent change in price leads to a less than proportional percent change in quantity demanded. So if there is a 10% increase in price, it will lead to a 4% decrease in quantity demanded. 2.) If the price f heroin increases, given its inelastic demand, the suppliers' income will increase. This is proved to be true because mostly inelastic demand and total revenue are directly related. When the price is raised on heroin the percentage changed f quantity demanded is less than the percentage changed for the price in turn raising the total revenue f the heroin dealers. This policy has

E-bay Essay Example for Free

E-bay Essay Through the centuries, technology has changed people’s way of life, playing a main part in developments of the 21st century. There has been a change from the old economy to the new â€Å"digital† economy, such as the transition from manufacturing to service, and physical resources to knowledge resources (Human Resources Development, n. d. ). New products and services have changed many aspects of how the world works. Further, innovative kinds of trades and businesses are being available for people to utilize. One example is the availability of products and services through e-commerce. The growth of the Internet has caused venturing into e-commerce. Nowadays, the Internet is not only a means of acquiring information and leisure; the Internet has become a medium for business transactions and profit. E-commerce describes how the Internet has become a â€Å"global electronic marketplace† (Rodman, n. d. ) where people can sell and purchase items and have them shipped to their locality. There are countless of online shops selling different kinds of products to people who surf the Net. Perhaps, one of the most popular and successful ventures operating under this system is E-bay. E-Bay is one of the world’s largest online shopping portals (James, 2006), having generated incomes excess of 10 billion USD last year. The company was established during the dot com era with a unique business model of bringing shops to the homes. Based in the United States, it markets its products globally based on the bidding system and couriers the items to the customers (Hamel, n. d. ). E-bay is one of the companies that led the way for enabling websites to be transformed into business ventures (Epstein, 2004). Advertisements helped in the promotion and eventual purchase of the products of sellers. The customer has an advantage, as the price of the goods is dependent on the bidding (highest) amount and the excess of shipping costs to be borne (Hamel, n. d. ). The introduction of an online market has brought both advantages and disadvantages in businesses worldwide. These next paragraphs will elaborate on these said pros and cons. Technological innovations were developed and intended to bring a level of convenience, to make people’s lives easier. In this manner, trends that include online companies like E-bay, brought about by technology, share in this cause. The main advantage of E-bay and e-commerce is convenience. In particular, online companies such as E-bay have saved customers the hassle of going out of their homes to be able to purchase items of use. Because E-bay is accessible through the website, the website has become the endpoint of all the aspects of business. Buyers and sellers can communicate effectively through the website, as electronic communication is one of the fastest forms of communication. According to Rodman (n. d. ), the â€Å"Internet is ideal for encouraging customer communications. This helps in knowing more information and feedback from the customer. According to Huba McConnell (2003), E-bay is very fervent on this aspect, even creating a â€Å"Voice of the Customer† program. Further, all advertisements and promotions concerning the products can be placed and easily updated in the same website. Sellers, and especially buyers, are able to access it in any time of day regardless of the location of the person so there is no worry about distance and time differences (Rodman, n. d. ). All of these contribute to effective and convenient dealings. E-commerce, which includes E-bay, creates opportunities for many people with talents and skills all over the world (Human Resources Development, n. d. ). Anyone who has something to sell, as long as it condones to the terms that E-bay has created, upon the presence of an interested buyer, can profit from selling his or her item over the Internet. Despite the convenience that E-bay brings, there are also drawbacks that come with the system. Because online markets rely on the Internet, certain weaknesses of the Internet and e-commerce in general, also affect companies such as E-bay. The main reasons for failures in systems of E-bay include power failure, data corruption, disk failure and network failure (Hamel, n. d. ). These can threaten sales as E-bay has experienced in the past (Huba McConnell, 2003). There can also be problems with cost. Equipment, as well as the service and technology required to maintain the equipment can be costly. Convenience also has a price as there are certain extra â€Å"hidden† costs, (such as shipping, other taxes) that when applicable, must be arranged and paid. The fact that e-commerce has a tendency to be impersonal also has its effects. Although anyone can sell anything on E-bay, there are certain people who sell things that do not abide by E-bay terms. Moreover, buyers could not easily check if the items that they are selling are of good condition. These impersonal implications can socially have an impact because people would be more inclined to stay at home instead of interacting with others (About e-commerce, n. d. ). If more and more people will resort to online shopping, actual shops may lose returning customers and their business may be affected. Sales personnel may lose their jobs and businesses may close. Other factors such as challenges in areas of online security and identification that can lead to fraud can contribute to its limitations as well. Because the Internet does not necessarily require face-to-face transactions, many sellers with harmful intentions can take advantage of the certain level of anonymity they have and manipulate the system or mislead and trick customers. Online identification for financial transactions also poses a threat. Computer security is an issue that has been dealt with in e-business such as e-Bay. To avoid any problems, computer knowledge for understanding hardware and cyber security is of utmost importance for individuals (Hamel, n. d. ). Crimes involving illegal system access and use of computer services are also a concern. Hackers make use of their computer knowledge to gain access to others computers to get valuable information such as access to credit card accounts. Sometimes, files, passwords, programs, or processing power are stolen. An intruder may alter the data or destroy the data making it unusable and useless. A hacker writes a small password snifter that that can steal passwords and gain access to data and files (Hamel, n. . ). Despite these drawbacks, there are systems that E-bay has implemented in order to safe guard its business and the interests of its customers. Activity of employees can be recorded and this data can be used to monitor employees, such as in estimating the number of breaks an employee takes and the time they use to concentrate on work. There are Antisniff Programs used by E-Bay to detect and block a password snifter and protect the identity so that hackers are prevented and neat trading of goods and bids takes place (Hamel, n. d. ) E-bay also acts on the prevention of unauthorized use as well. E-bay makes use of data and information for this. Moreover, the use of biometric is of strategic importance in e-Bay. The fingerprint identification has been extended to identify authorized users. Iris and retina scans which use to be part of science fiction movies has now become part of sophisticated identification methods. The latest is use of magnetic card that is checked by a magnetic card reader to allow entry. To address the problems due to natural disasters or technology failure that can cause the hardware to be unusable, E-Bay provides a hot site that has an operational ready to use system. This is an expensive option, as the system is kept up to date, usually in different seismic zone. A cold site provides the infrastructure but not the processing power and data. In case of a problem, the backup system is made operational (Hamel, n. d. ). E-bay has opened many doors and lifted barriers for buyers and sellers worldwide. E-bay is constantly catering to the needs of their buyers and sellers and with the continual rise of technology and the Internet, more and more people will avail of their service.

Management Practices in Japanese and US Companies

Management Practices in Japanese and US Companies This Research Paper makes a summary comparison of cross-cultural research conducted in the last ten to fifteen years in the areas of Human Resource Management; Management Style and Negotiation Strategies in Japanese and US companies. The different Research Studies in these three areas analyzed the learning possibilities for Japanese and US companies on two different levels: At headquarters and at subsidiary level. For each one of the three research topics, a Roadmap is drafted with concrete steps and strategies as to how these companies should adapt their management practices in these 3 areas in order to be even more successful. The findings of this paper also cover the very central debates in the international Human Resource Management literature: The Convergence vs. Divergence issue and the Standardization vs. Localization issue. The results clearly show that overall the dominance effect is most important (i.e., subsidiary practices appear to converge to the dominant US practices). Hence the results obtained in this paper lead to the rather surprising conclusion that for what might be considered to be the most localized of functions HRM convergence to a world-wide best practices model is clearly present. From the authors viewpoint his is a logical consequence of globalization in all business sectors. Key Words: Road Map; Human Resource Development; Leadership Style, Negotiation Strategies; USA; Japan; Cross-Cultural Introduction to Human Resource Management Practices in Japan and in the USA From a historic perspective, Human Resource Management (HRM) has been identified as a key ingredient for the success of Japanese companies on world markets during the 1980s. In this decade, suggestions as to how Western managers could learn from Japanese HRM practices were plentiful. Only one decade later, however, Japan went into a recession from which its business model has not yet fully recovered. Oddly enough, these formerly superior HRM practices are now being viewed as the root of the malaise of the underperforming Japanese economy A Research Perspective of HRM Practices in Japanese and US Companies In the early 1980s of the last century, the Japanese management model, and in particular its HRM model, have often been depicted as very different from Western-style management, yet much more competitive (Kono Clegg, 2001). Its deep-rooted and unique cultural and institutional characteristics usually were cited as the key reasons for these differences (Pudelko, 2006). Earlier, Frenkel Peetz (1998) described a rapidly speeding up globalization-induced trend towards increasing convergence resulting from global competitive pressures. In parallel, Katz, Darbishire (2000) noted a clear trend towards convergence in key patterns of HRM practices among industrialized countries. This phenomenon they call converging divergences. In parallel, the research of Frenkel Kuruvilla (2002) concludes that employment relations patterns are being determined by the interplay of what they define as three distinct à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾logics of actionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸: The logic of global competition, resulting in the pursuit of global à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾best practicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ and ultimately global convergence does not allow local insular cross-cultural happiness and coziness any longer. One reason that the USA has achieved its dominant status in the 1990s was its superior economic performance. The conclusion from these findings were that if the strengths of a successful economy are concentrated in industries characterized by intense international competition such as IT, computers and electronics the attention and the readiness to learn from it tends to be particularly strong. Such industries are often the pioneers for defining and producing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾best practicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ and the place where such global standards of management practice are set. Taylorism, or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾scientific managementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸, has been the prime example for a management concept claiming universal validity. Other examples were lean production, kaizen, re-engineering and management by objectives once strong points of the Japanese economy, when they were the best practice leader in doing so. Since the implosion of the Japanese economy and with the advent of globalizatio n, speed of action and instant flexibility to adapt to changing global market conditions were key criteria to succeed. Cultural diversity research carried out in the US and in Japan over the last one and a half decades has been that the American management model is particularly well suited to provide the required speed and flexibility to cope with rapidly changing economic and technological conditions. Consequently, the USA became again the dominant role model (Edwards, Almond, Clark, Colling Ferner, 2005). Summary Comparison of Key HRM Practices in Japanese and US Companies The following diagram shows a comparison between Japanese and US firms HRM practices. Areas discussed are: Recruitment and release of personnel; training and human resource development; employee assessment and promotion; as well as employee incentives. The comparison clearly illustrates the individualistic HRM approach in American firms as compared to the collectivism-oriented HRM orientation in Japanese firms. It is obvious that in the high technology sector especially the team and consensus oriented HRM philosophy of the Japanese is a hindrance to success. It appears that there are several other reasons for the declining importance attached to key attributes of Japanese model (kaizen, kanban, total quality management, quality circles, team work). Just like the Japanese firms have to learn from best practice solutions from other countries, these attributes have already been adopted by American HRM managers in the last 20 years, therefore are less significant in the future as sources for orientation. The changes brought about by globalization in the competitive environment probably also have played a role. For the future, fundamental developments such as globalization require substantial on-going responses from multi-national companies to maintain competitiveness. Figure 1 compares Japanese and US HRM practices and their competitive impact on HRM management in general. Figure 1: Comparison of Japanese US HRM Practices in 4 Key Areas HRM Sector: Japanese HRM Practices: US HRM Practices: 1. Recruitment Release of Personnel: Recruitment of new graduates to a permanent position Selection based on inter-personal skills Life-long employment philosophy low staff turnover rate= high loyalty Managerial positions filled with internal staff only Finding the best candidate internally or externally available Selection based on performance/expertise Job hopping philosophy pouts individual goals above company interests Positions filled with best expert available Competitive Effects of respective HRM Practices: Slowness towards innovation Lack of external expertise Promotes rapid innovation from inside or outside Low loyalty to employer HRM Sector: Japanese HRM Practices: US HRM Practices: 2. Training HRD Development: Broad training towards generalist knowledge Extensive training based on work group approach Employee is trained to fit corporate culture Specific training for specific tasks only Training is limited and focused on the individual only Little effort to mould the employee towards the corporate culture Competitive Effects of respective HRM Practices: Focused on corporate culture building Focused on individualism to promote success HRM Sector: Japanese HRM Practices: US HRM Practices: 3. Employee Assessment Promotion: Emphasis on seniority and not on performance Emphasis on group achievements Qualitative informal evaluation criteria Career path broad based in several Divisions Emphasis on individual success only Emphasis on individual achievements Quantitative measurable criteria and objectives Career path mostly confined to one functional part only HRM Sector: Japanese HRM Practices: US HRM Practices: 4. Employee Incentives: A mix of material and immaterial incentives Pay increases based upon seniority Little difference between top management pay levels and workers: Low with 20:1 Emphasis is on material incentives: Pay + bonus Pay based upon individual performance only Very large differences between top management and workers: High with 100:1 Competitive Effects of respective HRM Practices: Slow promotion for top performers Slow climate of innovation Quick promotion for top talents Innovative staff ensures innovative corporate climate Proposed cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic HRM Approach Throughout the research reports analyzed for this paper, Globalization demands a broader-based strategic HRM response by Japanese firms on this more than 90 % of the interviewed Japanese Executives agreed. The results from the American respondents showed that they considered it to be a particular strength of the American HR management. Japanese managers agree in turn, that their process based incremental improvements concepts will lose in significance in the future. Furthermore the research data clearly shows that only Japan management has a distinct desire to change its own HRM model in a rather comprehensive way. This definitely can be described as a paradigm shift. The following Figure 2 gives some key thoughts and elements for such a strategic approach to HRM tasks in the future. Figure 2: A cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic Approach to HRM Tasks in the Future Drivers of Global Changes in HRM: Elements causing Changes: Impacts of Change Elements on HRM: Need to reduce costs Speed of product innovation Quality of service Knowledge of client needs Staff motivation Training in design to cost method Innovative methods in product management Staff motivation and skills training Market knowledge has to be communicated Individual performance alone counts Risks involved: Overall corporate management philosophy has to be benchmarked against industrys best practice Key Changes needed: HRM has to install and accompany a change management process Individual performance evaluation has to abolish consensus-based group performance evaluation concepts Conclusions: HRM has to become the driving integrative force for the implementation of the Corporate Business Plan Resulting Roadmap for HRM Strategy: HRM Parameters that need to improve the Competitiveness of Corporations: HRM Parameter: Expected Benefits from HRM Changes: Strategic HRM Plan has to be part of Business Plan Future staff qualifications are in sync with corporate business plan Business Plan has to contain Change Management Concept HRM develops a long term focus linked to strategic corporate objectives Innovative Career Development Allows quick promotion of top performers Innovation oriented recruiting Speed up innovation cycles Promotion based on merit only Does away with risk minimizing attitude Introduction Best HRM Practice Concept HRM does self-control of its performance against key competitors Strategic HRM Implementation Roadmap: Overall Strategic HRM Objectives: HRM is the binding link of overall corporate business strategy to the employees of the company HRM promotes innovation and change culture in the company Planning Horizon of chosen HRM Strategy: Long term plan over 20 to 30 years Strategic plan over 5 years Operative rolling plans over 2 to 3 years Top Management Support required to implement new HRM Strategy: HRM has be a board level responsibility with staffing and budget to implement HRM Strategy chosen Introduction to cross-cultural Management Styles Globalization has changed the managerial tasks of US and Japanese mangers dramatically: Many have to work now in an international environment, in Japan or in the USA. Reasons for these changes were joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and cooperation alliances. In the 1980s, Japan taught the work what kaizen; kanban, total quality control, etc meant in terms of competitive advantage. So the US managers had to learn these concepts. Towards the end of the late 1990s, the US had caught up with this cross cultural learning approach. Then the globalization effect came to full speed suddenly the individualistic type of US management proved to be much more flexible and successful then the slow consensus-based Japanese management style. Research findings towards different Business Cultures in Japan and in the US The research for this paper showed that the business cultures in Japan and in the US differ in 5 key categories: 1. Power Structure: National level versus international level; egalitarian approach versus non-egalitarian approach; centralized management forms versus decentralized management practices. In the authority-driven business environment still prevailing in Japanese companies, aspects of power play a critical role. This slows down decision making, as power issues dominate business cultures dominating innovative US companies (Browaeys 2009). 2. People Relationships: Collectivism versus individualism; team orientation versus individual focus. Japanese collectivism is documented in its overemphasis on team issues; where consensus finding warrants longer times until a decision is being taken (Dickson 2003). Management emphasizes group loyalty, relationships in groups prevail over individual tasks. Americans have lesser loyalty to their companies, they see employment as a temporary issue for the mutual benefit of employer and employee. 3.Tolerance for Risk-taking: High avoidance levels versus low avoidance levels; bureaucratic orientation versus non-bureaucratic orientation. The consensus-based Japanese business culture tries to minimize uncertainties through an over-emphasis on planning. As a result, they do not like to change plans once they were approved (Yamazaki 2008).US companies treasure the opportunities offered in risky endeavors a horror for traditional Japanese companies! 4. Masculinity/Femininity: Role differentiation between males and females at society and organizational levels. Japanese managers are expected to be assertive and decisive, with sex roles clearly defined. This means fewer women progress to managerial positions in Japan, whereas in the US women climb to executive posts on a much more regular basis (Jacofsky 1988). Work for Japanese managers is seen as the center of life interests. Edwards 2005) 5. Time Orientation: Long term view versus short term view in business planning and strategy formulation. The time perspective in their business philosophy: Past/present in Japan versus present/future perspective in US companies. American companies are a lot quicker to react to new opportunities what was successful in the past is less important than new opportunities which lay ahead in the near future (Dahl 2004). The retrospective business approach of Japanese companies has them look for long-term relationships. US companies take the present and look quicker and often farther into the future. This speeds up their decision making processes and facilitates the acceptance of risk taking among their executives (Tsui 2007). Research findings towards Key Managerial Skills in Japan and in the US Effective cross-cultural management skills have to fit the prevailing national business culture where they are being applied to on their workplaces. In individualistic business environments as in the US, new employees are being hired on the basis of their personal records. In the collectivistic business culture of Japan, recommendations from elite universities or from family members who already work for the company play a vital role. The following key managerial functions have been analyzed in research paper: Reward allocation and employee motivation; employee participation and managerial communication; executive development. 1. Reward Allocation and Employee Motivation: The proper allocation of rewards is the driving force of the individualistic US business environment: Rewards are expected to be equity based, i.e. based upon an individuals contribution to corporate success. Rewards are supposed to be equal for equal performance: Rewards have to based upon the specific needs of a position (Riley 2007). In the more equality and group oriented Japanese business culture, rewards are being allocated on a group basis. These research findings did prove that the application of inappropriate reward systems caused feelings of de-motivation and injustice (Buttery 2000) 2. Employee Participation and Managerial Communication: To get employees to participate in goal setting in a US company is daily business, as in this way it increases the employees involvement in how his work environment is being shaped. Given the individualistic US business culture team effectiveness rises if team members are personally accountable for their personal contribution, which can be measured i.e. management by objectives (Javidan 2006). In the more socially oriented Japanese Business culture, employee participation is more socially oriented and the employees display lower levels of power distance between organizational levels (Hofstede 1980) 3. Executive Development: In an American business environment, qualified staff is classified into high potential groups for future executive positions at a much earlier stage of their career and at a much younger age as compared to the Japanese business culture. This encompasses a mix of specialist type of work assignments combined with near executive project assignments, to give them an early feeling of how an executive ticks (Yamazaki 2008). Japanese companies tend to focus on generalist type of assignments with intensive functional and geographic job rotation at almost the same hierarchical levels. Promotion is by seniority criteria mostly (Saee 2010). In consequence this implies: Executive development in US companies is based upon the potential benefits seen in a junior executive, whereas the Japanese approach is more oriented towards rewards for the past performance (Raimo 2009). Proposed Roadmap for a strategic cross-cultural Management Style The following Figure 3 gives a strategic roadmap for a cross-culturally based management style which facilities quick and efficient adaptation to cross-culturally different work environment. Figure 3: A cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic Approach to Drivers of cross-cultural Management Styles:Management Style Development Common Management Skills Deficiencies: Negative Impacts of missing cross-cultural Management Skills: Lack of employee motivation In-adequate communication style De-motivating reward system Slow pace of promotion system Lack of managerial skills training Performance is not recognized/rewarded Work objectives unclear=de-motivating Individual motivation not released Resistance to innovations Necessary changes do not take place Risks involved: Mix of management skills not suited for work environment High potentials are not identified and promoted High staff turnover; slow pace of innovation and change management Key Changes needed: HRD concept oriented towards cross cultural sensitivity Top management involvement in management skills profile development Cross-culturally oriented career development system Conclusions: An innovative HRD approach is needed Designed by managers with local management experience HRD skills Resulting Roadmap towards a cross-cultural oriented Management Style: Managerial Skills that need to be improved: Management Skills requiring Attention: Expected Benefits better Management Styles: Reward systems motivation tools Keep staff and attract talents Career development system for talents Quick promotion for high potentials Innovative pay system Increased motivation to innovate Clear set of managerial objectives Rewards are measurable and objective Internal PR for new management style More credibility for management styles Top managers have to practice this style Extra motivation to manage/risk changes Strategic Management Skills Implementation Roadmap: Overall Strategic Management Skill Development Objectives: Analyze requirements for necessary cross-cultural management skills Incorporate necessary changes into overall management philosophy and corporate mission Document and promote concept at all managerial levels Planning Elements for chosen Management Skill Development Strategy: Assess time and research requirements properly; involve superiors where needed Involve top management team properly and show their support in public statements/info releases Managerial Support required to implement new Management Skill Development Strategy: Develop a strategy paper involving top management and clarify roles and inputs and state resource requirements as compared to potential gains from these improved management skills Introduction to cross-cultural Negotiation Styles Cultural Diversity is one of the most critical issues in international negotiations. A key requirement for successful international negotiation is the extent to which the negotiating parties are capable of understanding the negotiating habits and thoughts of their counterparts who come from another culture (Brett 2000). When entering into an international negotiation process, the full awareness and understanding of the cultural differences, such as cultural background, national character, emotional aspects, rules and regulations of other countries, decision making styles, ways of discussing, meeting and negotiating is of vital importance in order to make the negotiation successful. The difficulty the negotiators are facing have to do with dealing on the basis of different sets of values, attitudes, behaviors and communication styles of the other party participating in the negotiation process. The proper planning and preparation for negotiations, and participating in the negotiation p rocess must take into consideration all these factors. This will avoid setbacks, surprises and shock so often faced in cross-cultural negotiations. A. Basic Research Findings linking Negotiation and Culture A nations culture in itself consists of interrelated patterns or dimensions which come together to form a unique social identity shared by a minimum of two or more people It is the unique character of a social group and the values and norms common to its members that set it apart from other social groups (Brett, 2001;). Consequently for this reason, because of the different values and norms, people from different cultures negotiate differently (Brett, 2001;). Many authors talk of a set of cultural values associated with each cultural group which actually is the determining force for the culture (Tinsley, 2001, Brett, 2001;). The knowledge of these values and norms provides insight into the choices made and influences these very negotiators cognitions, emotions, motivations and strategy. Research shows a clear differentiation: Whilst values refer to what a person considers important (more on cognitive side), norms refer to what is considered appropriate behavior (behavioral aspects) i n a specific culture. Consequently, because of these different values and norms, people from different cultures tend to negotiate differently (Brett 2001). These cultural values and norms shape implicit theories invoked in negotiations (Gelfand and Dyer 2000) and may influence a negotiators response to strategically displayed emotions. In Japanese companies, the emphasis of a group being the core nucleus for negotiations communicates these values to its members and rewards conformity. In this way a members values become thoroughly culturally constituted. Thus, culture creates an overall environment for Japanese companies and their negotiators which in many ways directly or indirectly compels the constituent members to be guided by their cultural value sets while negotiating. B. Research Findings concerning the strategic Framework of cross-cultural Negotiations According to the book The Global Negotiator: Making, Managing, and Mending Deals around the World in the twenty-First Century (Salacuse 2005) there are a total ten particular elements consistently complicating intercultural negotiations. 1) Negotiating goal: Contract or relationship? 2) Negotiating attitude: Win-Lose or Win-Win? 3) Personal style: Informal or formal? 4) Communication: Direct or indirect? 5) Sensitivity to time: High or low? 6) Emotionalism: High or low? 7) Form of agreement: General or specific? 8) Building an agreement: Bottom up or top down? 9) Team organization: One leader or group consensus? 10) Risk taking: High or low? Research shows that for a Japanese manager negotiation is also about being sensitive to the personal/emotional factors and hence may sometimes be indirect, informal, and general with less sensitivity to time whereas. On the other side for a negotiator from USA, any negotiation is to the point, direct, formal, with high consideration for time and less care for personal or emotional factors. B. Research Findings concerning Diversity Factors and Strategies in Cross -Cultural Negotiations In countries such as in the US and much of northern Europe, strong, direct eye contact conveys confidence and sincerity while in Japan, prolonged eye contact is considered rude and is generally avoided. In Japan they always prefer personal space during business dealings. With regard to the Japanese, Salacuse shows that 100 percent of the Japanese respondents claimed that they approached negotiations as a win-win process. Communication itself constitutes a basic component of negotiation framework. Diversity in this communication aspect is also very obvious and pertinent. In a culture that emphasizes directness, such as the American one, you can expect to receive a clear and definite response to the proposals and questions. In SE Asian cultures such as the Japanese reaction to proposals made to them may be gained by interpreting seemingly vague comments, gestures, and other signs. Concerning the cultural sensitivity to time, Salacuse in his study quotes Japanese tend to negotiate slowly, and Americans are quick to make a deal. Contrary to this perception of time, for Americans the objective is a signed contract and as for them time is money, they want to close a deal quickly. Americans therefore try to reduce time invested in formalities to a minimum and get down to business quickly. Japanese and other Asians, whose objective is to create a relationship rather than simply sign a contract, need to invest time in the negotiating process so that the parties can get to know one another well and determine whether they wish to embark on a long-term relationship Another crucial aspect in cross-cultural negotiations is risk taking ability. The Japanese tend to be highly risk averse in negotiations, and this tendency was affirmed by the survey conducted by Salacuse, which found Japanese respondents to be the most risk averse of the twelve cultures. Americans in this survey, by comparison, considered themselves to be risk takers. C. Research Factors concerning the Management of Conflict in cross-cultural Negotiations Research findings with regard to managing conflict in cross culture negotiation show that different cultures focus on different aspects. Tinsley (1998), revealed that when managing conflict American managers preferred to focus on interests, while Japanese managers concentrated on status power. The differences could be explained by the American value for poly- chronicity (or multitasking) and the Japanese occupation with hierarchy (or unequal social structures. It is obvious though, that awareness of emotions is vital to negotiation and it plays a key role when it comes to cross-culture negotiation conflicts. In the Japanese business culture, status and power also play an important role in conflict management where parties try to manage conflict by using differences in authority, status and power. To them it is normal that high status parties try to enforce their ideas for resolution on lower status parties. If this is not possible, Japanese negotiation parties try to enhance their st atus by co-opting people of higher status. D. Research Findings concerning cross-cultural Decision-Making styles during Negotiations Decision-making styles vary a lot between Americans and Japanese. When it comes to team based versus individual way of taking decisions one extreme is the American negotiating team with a supreme leader who has complete authority to decide all matters. The Japanese business culture stresses team negotiation and consensus-based decision making. American managers usually tend to make decisions by themselves, while Japanese managers tend to make decisions by consensus. Furthermore, Americans treasure the value of flexibility, whereas once a Japanese manager has reached a decision, may believe it is shameful to change it. Decisions can be taken either through a deductive process or through an inductive process. In his research, (Salacuse 2005) found that Americans do view deal making as a top down (deductive process); while the Japanese tend to see it as a bottom up (i.e. inductive) process. E. Research Findings concerning the Interests Strategy in cross-cultural Negotiations The process of aligning and integrating the best interests of both parties works as a catalyst for successful negotiation. This interests-based strategy promotes the resolution of dilemmas through cognitive problem solving. Research shows is essential to shift focus from position to interest. Several authors suggest that as both parties want to gain their individual interest therefore they always want to implement the negotiation. From their perspective, individual interests of parties are always more important than collective group interests. A cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic Approach to Negotiation Styles The following Figure 4 shows a roadmap for the development of efficient cross-cultural negotiation styles. Figure 4: A cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic Approach to Negotiation Drivers of cross-cultural Negotiations: Common Negotiation Difficulties: Negative Impacts on Negotiations:

Generation of Electricity Through Coal in Pakistan

At present, the people are facing severe loadshedding/blackout problems due to shortage of power supply. Industries are closing down. Millions of Man hours have been lost leading to an increase in poverty and economic loss of billions of rupees to the country. It is happening despite the facts that about 60% of Pakistan’s population has an access to electricity. And according to World Energy Statistics 2011, published by IEA, Pakistan’s per capita electricity consumption is one-sixth of the World Average.World average per capita electricity Consumption is 2730 kWh compared to Pakistan’s per capita electricity consumption of 451kWh. It is imperative to understand the crises. According to Pakistan Energy Year Book 2011, Pakistan’s installed capacity for power generation is 22,477MW and the demand is approximately the same. The question arises that if the demand and supply has no gap then why we are facing such a crucial electricity crises. To get the answer we need to look into Pakistan’s electricity generation mix fuel wise.Unfortunately, oil & gas has 67% share in electricity generation. Pakistan is generating 35% of its electricity from furnace oil that is mostly imported. Pakistan spends over 12 billion US dollars for the import of furnace oil high speed diesel and crude petroleum that amount is equivalent to 60% of total export earnings and is a serious strain on country’s economy. It was recorded that in year 2011, the import of furnace oil increased by 19% compared to 2010 import.Moreover, the imported furnace oil is high sulphur furnace oil because low sulphur furnace oil is costly. The gaseous emissions from High sulphur furnace oil are polluting the environment and deteriorating the power plants as well. The bitter fact is that the per unit cost of electricity generated from imported furnace oil is high and is expected to increase further due to high forecasted increase in the oil prices. The per unit price of t he electricity generated from furnace oil is neither viable for industrial consumers nor for domestic consumers.At the same time, Pakistan is generating 32% of its electricity from Natural Gas. According to Pakistan Energy Year Book, 2011, Pakistan has 27. 5trillion cubic feet (TCF) balance recoverable gas reserves. Current gas production is 4 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) and the demand is 6 bcfd. The gas production is expected to fall to less than 01 bcfd by 2025 due to depletion and demand will increase to 8 bcfd. While depleting the indigenous natural gas reserves, about one third of the natural gas is used for electricity eneration (32%) causing a severe domestic and industrial load shedding. That has significantly damaged country’s export earnings and increased the import bill. The proposed Iran gas pipeline would provide only 01 bcfd at a cost of $ 1. 25 billion. The proposed TAPI gas pipeline would provide 3. 2 bcfd to 3 countries at a cost of $ 7. 6 billion. In r esponse to a demand of 8 bcfd, we will be having 3 bcfd in 2025 if both proposed are completed. The gap will be 5 bcfd. The available gas will have 66% share of costly imported gas.In the light of above elucidated facts, it is evident that it will not be possible to feed gas based power plants in future that contribute 32 % of the power generation. In the light of above discussion, it is evident that electricity generated from Oil and gas is not an economically feasible option and the installed capacity of about 15000MW (67%) out of 22477MW would not be operational. International Energy Agency has forecasted that total electricity demandof the country will be 49078MW in 2025. This is a great challenge to enhance the installed capacity to 50000MW from 7000MW.Currently, Pakistan is generating 6481 MW of electricity from hydel sources that is 29% of the total installed capacity. If country completes all the proposed hydel projects including Bhasha Dam, the hydel contribution would be 1 5000MW until 2025 that is 29%. The biggest challenge is to redesign the electricity portfolio and substitute the oil and gas with an abundantly available indigenous fuel source. Pakistan must develop indigenous energy resources to meet its future electricity needs. Pakistan can overcome this energy crisis by utilising its un-used coal reserves.Coal is a game changer for Pakistan. Currently, 40. 6% of world’s electricity is being generated from coal and it is the single largest contributor in world electricity generation. By looking at the electricity generation mix of the countries that are blessed with coal, it is evident that coal is the largest contributor. For instance, Poland, South Africa, China, India, Australia ,Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Germany, USA,UK, Turkey , Ukraine and Japan are generation 96%, 88%,78%, 78%, 77%, 72%, 69. 9%, 52. %, 52%, 37%, 31. 3%, 27. 5% and 22. 9% of electricity from coal. Pakistan is the only country that is blessed with 185 billion tons of coal and is producing negligible electricity from coal 0. 6%). Thar deposit alone is estimated to be 175 billion tons. It is further estimated that if all the Thar coal is extracted out and converted into electricity through coal fired power plants, it can provide 100,000MW for more than 500 years. There is a dire need to devise a strategy to utilise Thar Coal for power generation.Centre for Coal Technology Punjab University has conducted analysis of 328 samples of coal from all four provinces and AK including Thar coal. A substantial amount of coal in Punjab, Balochistan, KPK, AK and Sindh has high sulphur and ash content that is a challenge to utilise this coal for power generation. All the analysis carried out since 1994 to 2012 by G Couch, geological survey of Pakistan, Oracle coal fields, Centre for coal technology show that Thar coal has a sulphur content up to 1% that is the beauty of this coal that makes it suitable for direct combustion for power generation.At UK-Pakista n coal conference where CEO of world association for Underground coal gasification (UCG ) Julie Lauder and Robert Davidson of International Energy Agency gave presentations and informed the audience that UCG is still in experimentation stage and pilot operations are being carried out at various locations but UCG syn gas is not being used commercially yet. The experimentation is going on since 1928 for the coals that are deeper than 300 meters and not minable. Let me make it clear that I am not against UCG as a technique.My considered opinion is that Thar geology is against the pre-requisites for UCG. Here are some concerns regarding UCG of Thar Coal: 1. The geological structure of Thar block three has been published by geological survey of Pakistan. This structure is against the fundamentals of Underground gasification (UCG) given in every book. First condition for UCG is that the coal should be 300 metre or more deep. Where as in Thar the coal seams are present at a depth of 150 me ter. Secondly, there should be no water around the deposit whereas Thar coal is immersed in water.The aquifer above the coal zone is at about 120 m. then a strata of sand stone and clay stone. The water table ranges between 52. 70 to 93. 27 meter depth. Right below the first coal zone, there are two to three perched aquifers that are aquifers within coal zone with sand horizons of medium to coarse grains. According to experts, the water can also be used for irrigation. Then after the coal seams, a deep aquifer at 200m depth is present. This aquifer is a source of water for tube wells installed in Thar. 2.Moreover, all the analysis carried out by various organisations at different times show that coal itself contains about 46% moisture in it. 3. For complete burning of coal in UCG, a temperature of 1000C is required. It is anticipated that the temperature will not be maintained at 1000 C due to 46% moisture leading to an incomplete burning of coal. The volatile matter will burn and F C content / the most valuable component may remain un-burnt leading to a very low HV gas. 4. About one year ago, Dr. M. Saleem (a member of Dr. Samar Team) predicted that the syn gas obtained will have a calorific value of 106 BTU/cubic foot.Now they claim that they have obtained a gas but have not declared the calorific value yet. This claimed HHV is one-tenth of Natural gas. Due to high moisture content, it would be lower than this claimed value. 5. It is expected to yield production of very low – grade and uneconomic syn gas, bearing high proportions of water vapours, carbon dioxide and sulphureted. 6. The gas with such a low heating value cannot be linked with the national grid. On 25th July, 2012 Dr. Samar briefing Standing Committee on Information Technology said that gas companies have refused to buy this gas. 7.If the heat contained in 46% moisture, compressors energy consumption, energy required for carbon dioxide removal, water removal, H2S, (Hydrogen Sulphide) HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide) removal, tar removal and other operational energy consumption is subtracted from the per unit syngas net heating value (that is vital for power generation) will be further lowered. 8. As the gasification proceeds, the water seepage from the upper aquifer will continue leading to further decrease in temperatures inside the chambers resulting further incomplete burning and yielding much lower HV gas along with un used air. . The sulphur content in the Thar coal will generate H2S (Hydrogen Sulphide) during gasification leading to an environmental catastrophe in Thar as a result of poisonous gases like H2S (Hydrogen Sulphide) and HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide) from the UCG chambers to the surface through the very loose overlying strata and through newly developed or pre-existing cracks etc. 10. There will possibly be contamination of underground water so precious in Thar area, with poisonous chemicals originating from the burn chambers. 11. Proper scrutiny of Thar coal projec t is missing.One cannot find the models of the Thar UCG operation especially the reaction kinetics, heat transfer, gas flow etc ? that are fundamental for every project. 12. For UCG research, experts are of the opinion that the location allotted block V is not a right location because to stop the operation will not be easy and that can destroy the entire deposit. It should have been an isolated location. On the basis above stated concerns, Production of very low – grade and uneconomic syn gas, bearing high proportions of water vapours, carbon dioxide and sulphurated hydrogen due to high water and sulphur contents of the Thar coal is expected.The scope of Dr. Samar Mubarak Mand project was to generate electricity. But after claimed trials, he is now trying to give a new lolly pop to the nation that Diesel and methanol will be produced from Thar coal gas. The question is that India, China and USA and all other countries are generating electricity from coal why they are not prod ucing methanol and diesel? Can you tell the nation how much percentage of global coal is used for these obsoleted routes compared to the coal used for power generation?Pakistan has about 83 sugar mills and methanol can be produced as by product of sugar at much cheaper rate with very little investment compared to the coal route suggested by Dr. Samar. Being a coal technologist and chemical process technologist I can warn that without knowing the process details, economics and economies of scale, a nuclear- political scientist is misleading the nation. If UCG of Thar is a wise option, why commercial organisations like Sindh Engro coal Mining Company, Oracle coal field, UK and Global Mining, China are opting open pit mining at Thar.Definitely, any profit making organisation that believes in â€Å"no free lunch† will go for tested commercial technologies. Only a group of retired hit and trial masters from various fields other than coal can afford this luxury on state expenses. C urrently,8142 trillion watt hour of electricity is being generated from world coal. Out of which how much is generated from UCG? The answer is zero. In response to my post UK-PK coal conference statement of Dr . Samar Mubarak Mand’s lobby through a journalist managed a news item against me in Daily News on 23rd July, 2012.I strongly condemn the highly objectionable language he used. Instead of presenting his view point he tried for character assassination. He declared me as an American agent because I have technically exposed them. I understand that Dr. Samar and his fellows who get heavy Financial benefits from Thar UCG project consider everyone as their personal enemy who criticize the Thar UCG project honestly. Dr. A. Q Khan raised questions on Thar UCG project and declared that Dr Samar intellectually dishonest. Is he an American Agent?Now a days, Dr. Samar Mubarak Mand is running PPP Election Campaign to get heavy funds released. Despite the appearance of Dr. Samar in PP P media campaign on TV for next elections, Federal Minister for water and power Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar has stated in a TV talk show â€Å"Awam ki Adalat† on Geo TV dated 15-07-2012 that there is no truth in Dr. Samar’s claims. Is he an American Agent? Dr. Shahid Naveed, Dean of Engineering, University of Engg& Tech Lahore has similar views on Thar UCG project. Is he an American agent?Daily The Nation in its editorial on 11 august 2012, wrote that Dr Mubarakmand’s has been the lone voice in the country advocating the idea and demanded a team of world class experts to do a feasibility study, covering technical as well as financial aspects prior to pour huge investment in this project that is what I have pointed out. What. The senior journalist with so-called solid knowledge should learn the art of investigation based journalism and note that I have doctorate in the area of coal technology from UK and many international research publications in high impact factor j ournals are on my credit.I am not an alien in the field of coal technology like Dr. Samar Mubarak Mand. As far as the Angren project is concerned, no doubt it’s one of the oldest UCG site but IEA still ranked it as â€Å"pilot project†. It is an admitted fact that UCG as a technique is still not a commercial technology. My considered opinion is that opening pit mining is the right strategy to extract coal. Once the coal is in our hands, there will be many invertors for the establishment of coal-fired power generation plants and our beloved country would enjoy 100000MW cheaper electricity for five hindered years.The writer is the Professor & Director of Centre for Coal Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore. This news was published in print paper. Access complete paper of this day. Electricity has become an essential part of our lives and its outage adversely affects the country’s economic growth and daily lives of common people. Since the past few decades, there has been an enormous increase in the demand of electricity and no appreciative steps have been taken to cope up this issue. Now the demand has exceeded supply and ‘loadshedding’ has become a common issue.Every day an outage of 3-4 hours has to be faced by the people and in summer season the outage length increases to an unbearable level which is making the lives miserable for everyone. What is the government doing to ensure a sustainable supply of energy resources for economic growth? What strategic steps are being taken to acquire energy resources in future? Is private sector willing to invest in Pakistan’s oil industry? What are the incentives being offered to the foreign players to continue working in the exploration sector? What hurdles are stopping other big players around the world to enter Pakistan?What is the role of gas distribution companies so far? Are the citizens of Pakistan being robbed by energy giants with ever rising utility bills? What sh ould be the real price of petroleum, kerosene and other oil products in Pakistan? When will the nation have â€Å"loadshedding free† electric supply? Have we been able to make long term contracts with the countries to provide uninterrupted supply of energy resources? Will the government be able to provide enough sources to the citizens for a sustainable economic growth? Have we lost the race for acquiring maximum energy resources for future survival?Pakistan has rich reserves of coal. Most of the power generation in many parts of the world is being done by using coal as an energy resource. Thar, Lakhra, Badin etc are some of the mammoth coal reserves in Pakistan. If we talk about Thar reserves only we get astonishing facts. Thar coal reserves of Sindh are about 850 trillion cubic feet, which is more than oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Iran put together. These reserves are estimated at 850 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas, about 300 times higher than Pakistan’s proven gas reserves of 28 TCF.Dr Murtaza Mughal, President of Pakistan Economy Watch, in a statement said that these reserves of coal worth USD 25 trillion could not only cater to the electricity requirements of the country for the next 100 years but also save almost billions of dollars in staggering oil import bill. Just two percent usage of Thar coal can produce 20,000 MW of electricity for next 40 years, without any single second of loadshedding and if the whole reserves are utilised, then it can easily be imagined how much energy could be generated. The coal power generation would cost Pakistan PKR 5. 7 per unit while power generated by Independent Power Projects cost PKR 9. 27 It requires just 420 billion rupees initial investment whereas Pakistan receives annually 1220 billion from tax only. Chinese and other countries’ companies have not only carried out surveys and feasibility of this project but also offered 100 percent investment in the last seven to eight years but the à ¢â‚¬Å"petroleum gang† always discouraged them in a very systematic way. Petroleum lobby is very strong in Pakistan and they are against any other means of power generation except for the imported oil.This lobby is the major beneficiary of the increasing oil bill that is estimated to be above 15 billion dollar this year. Beyond the shadow of any doubt coal energy is the most viable solution to the energy crisis situation in Pakistan. The government should seriously think about it and put untiring efforts to cater to the energy crisis situation in Pakistan by utilising coal reserves. BUSHRA ASIM Karachi Tuesday, May 22, 2012 More Sharing ServicesShare|Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedinShare on stumbleuponShare on emailShare on facebook_like| Thar coal — Pakistan’s hope for energy self-sufficiencyBy Amjad Agha Recently it has been reported that the Planning Commission has decided to stop further financing of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) Projec t at Thar, since no encouraging results are forthcoming. This UCG project is the brainchild of Dr Samar Mubarakmand, who has been working on it for the last couple of years. This news has been given lot of coverage by the media, and a wrong impression is being created as if the Planning Commission has rejected the Thar coal. It is surprising that so far the Planning Commission has not clarified their position.Obviously the objection pertains to underground gasification of the Thar coal and not the mining of the huge deposit of coal. Thar coal deposits are the largest resource discovered in the country, which can provide the much-needed solution for generating large amount of electricity for many many years at affordable price. The estimates indicate that 135 to 175 billion tonnes of lignite coal can be obtained from the deposit, which can produce thousands of megawatts of electricity for decades. Thar coal can be obtained by open cast mining similar to the method used all over the w orld.The UCG is a method of converting unworked coal – coal still in the ground – into a combustible gas, which can be used for power generation. The UCG is at present not extensively used commercially, but research is going on to make it commercially attractive. However, the open pit mining of coal is the normal method being used, and most of the coal is being obtained in this manner. The UCG method is still in the research stage and if found suitable for Thar coal, it will be useful and economical. Therefore, Dr Mubarakmand’s project may be curtailed but should not be stopped until it reaches final outcome.The open cast mining of Thar coal is the project, which the nation has been keenly awaiting, but for some unknown reasons the work on it has still not started. Couple of months ago an article ‘Thar Coal and Energy Security’ by Muhammad Younus Dagha was printed in Dawn newspaper. Dagha is the secretary coal and energy Sindh. In the article, he ha d stated that final arrangement have been completed by Global Mining Company of China for Block-1 and another by Sindh Engro Coal Mining for Block-II. The mining on these projects shall reportedly start by June. Are these dates still valid?The public is desperately waiting for any good news about electricity. The Planning Commission should immediately clarify their statement on Thar coal and inform the public about the real status on start of mining. In my recent paper ‘Electricity Crisis and Circular Debt’, it was explained that real cause of the electricity crisis in the country is due to faulty fuel mix as we are using the highly expensive furnace oil as the main fuel for generating electricity. The fuel cost to generate one Kwh (unit) of electricity through furnace is about Rs 17-18.This does not include the fixed charges for the plant, transmission and distribution costs and losses etc. Since the government cannot afford to buy the oil at this high price, therefore several thermal power plants are shut down or producing much below their capacity. A news item indicated recently that monthly requirement of furnace oil for power plants is 32,000 tonnes but only 10,000 tonnes of oil is being imported. Obviously the generation is accordingly low. The natural gas is another fuel which is being used but is in short supply and very little is available for generation of electricity.The country needs $5 billion for the import of oil, only one-third of the amount will be required if the fuel mix is changed from oil. Globally about 21,000Twh of electricity is consumed per year, 41 percent of this electricity is generated through coal. China generates 78 percent of its electricity through coal, India 68 percent, USA 48 percent but Pakistan only 0. 1 percent. The world does not use oil for electricity, as less than five percent of the world electricity is generated through oil, but Pakistan is using oil for 40 percent of its electricity, which obviously it cannot afford.It’s time that we wake up to these realities, and concentrate on mining Thar coal and start generating electricity through this indigenous resource. Obtaining natural gas through fracturing of underground shale rocks is big news these days. The US is leading in this technology, and China is following very fast. Does Pakistan have any plans for expanding our natural gas production, again no information is passed on to the public. The writer is president of the Associated Consulting Engineers, former managing director of NESPAK, and former chief executive of Pakistan Hydro Consultants for the Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project