Marketing Strategy Models, Tools and Techniques

Introduction Marketing refers to the activities and procedures used in developing, conveying and exchanging various offers that are valuable to the targeted population. Thus it helps in formulating strategies that facilitate sales and business development.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing Strategy Models, Tools and Techniques specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper focuses on two marketing strategies namely, blue ocean strategy and guerilla marketing. It also analyzes two marketing tools namely, the â€Å"porter’s diamond model for competitive advantage† and BCG matrix analysis. The objectives and applications of these concepts will be illuminated in the paper. Blue Ocean Strategy Definition This is a strategy â€Å"that enables firms to realize high growth and profits by creating new demand in an uncontested market space† (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 4). The market that is yet to b e discovered is thus referred to as the blue ocean. The existing markets that are characterized by competition are referred to as the red oceans. There are enough growth opportunities in the blue ocean due to lack of competition. The blue ocean strategy is based on three concepts namely, â€Å"value innovation, tipping point leadership and fair process† (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 4). Objective The main objective of this strategy is to help firms to identify new market space. This enables them to eliminate the risk associated with cutthroat competition associated with existing markets (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 5). Implementation steps The implementation of this strategy is based on six principles. The first four principles deal with the development of the blue ocean strategy and can be explained as follows. Formulation of the blue ocean strategy is based on the concept of value innovation. Value innovation is â€Å"the simultaneous pursuit of differentiation and low cost† (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 6). The first principle involves reconstructing the boundaries of the market (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 47). This means that the firm moves from the red ocean to the blue ocean. This transition is illustrated in figure 1. It is the first stage in formulating the blue ocean idea. The transition involves considering six options referred to as the six paths.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The options include identifying new opportunities â€Å"across the industry, buyer groups and strategic groups† (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 48). For example, the firm can identify a need that has not yet been satisfied in the market. The other options involve identifying opportunities â€Å"across time, scope of product or service offering and functional-emotional orientation of the industry† (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 49). â€Å"Focusing on the big pictureâ €  (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 81) is the second principle. This is the planning stage and is achieved through the four action framework. The application of this framework is illustrated in figure 2 and can be explained as follows. The first element involves creating new factors that do not exist in the industry. For example, a new product that satisfies an existing or an emerging need. The second element involves identifying the most valuable needs or factors and satisfying them through superior services or products. An example of this element will involve focusing on superior products by significantly improving their quality. The third element is characterized by the identification and elimination of the factors or needs that are no longer relevant in the industry (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 92). For example, product features that are no longer useful to customers can be eliminated. Finally, the firm is expected to indentify and reduce the factors that should be maintained below the industry level. For example, the price can be maintained at below the industry level in order to facilitate market penetration. These elements facilitate the process of value innovation. The third principle involves creating new demand. This involves aggregating demand by focusing on the commonalities of noncustomers. Getting â€Å"the strategic sequence right† (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 117) is the fourth principle. The strategic sequence refers to the manner in which the blue ocean idea should be executed in order to ensure stable and consistent growth. Thus the firm must properly address the utility and cost concerns. Besides, it must formulate effective pricing policies and meet the adoption requirements in order to realize a feasible blue ocean strategy. The fifth and the six principles deal with the implementation of the blue ocean strategy. The fifth principle involves surmounting the organizational barriers. It is based on the concept of tipping leadership which deals w ith the management of organizational risks. The organizational risks that should be addressed at this stage include â€Å"cognitive, motivational and resource risks† (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 147). The last principle involves incorporating the execution into the strategy. It is based on the concept of fair process which addresses management risks such as attitudes. It helps in ensuring cooperation at the implementation stage.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing Strategy Models, Tools and Techniques specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Example The mobile phone money transfer services in East Africa can illustrate the strategy. The low segment of the market had been taken for granted by local banks in the region. Thus Safaricom, the dominant mobile phone services provider, looked across its product line and consumer groups and identified the opportunity. It was the first firm to launch mobile phone money transfer services (blue ocean idea) in partnership with banks in the region (Safaricom 2011). It also targeted the low income earners who had no bank accounts. Due to the value added by the new service, the firm’s customer base tripled in one year. Strengths and Weaknesses The strategy has two strengths which are as follows. First, it provides consistent and reproducible procedures that can be used by all firms to formulate a blue ocean strategy (Welhrich 2010, p. 125). Second, its tools are visual oriented and this facilitate clear understanding of the concepts. The main weakness of the strategy is that it does not emphasis the role of brand and communication. It assumes that value innovation is realized automatically (Welhrich 2010, p. 126). However, this might not be the case due to external factors such as legal requirements. Guerilla Marketing Definition This is a â€Å"form of marketing which relies on the use of innovative, unexpected and quirky techniques to familiar ize people with a brand† (Levinson 2005, p. 5). Thus it is an unconventional marketing strategy that depends on time, energy and creativity instead of financial capital. Objective The objective of guerilla marketing is to gain publicity through unconventional marketing methods (Levinson 2005, p. 10). Thus it focuses on the formulation of a unique and engaging marketing strategy. This helps in attracting and retaining customers. Implementation Steps Guerilla marketing is meant for the small or medium sized firms. However, the large sized firms can also use it to market their products. It can be implemented as follows. The first step involves setting the marketing objectives. Under normal circumstances, the main objective should be to get as many referrals and transactions as possible from the existing clients.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The marketer should also aim at cooperating with his competitors instead of outperforming them. The second step involves formulating the marketing strategy. The marketing strategy should be â€Å"based on human psychology† (Jay Jannie 2007, p. 13) and informed by creative and unique ideas. The third stage involves selecting the marketing communication channel. A number of channels should be used in order to maximize results. The marketer’s messages should target individuals in order to engage the customers effectively (Levinson 2005, p. 37). Modern technology such as the internet should be used to enhance effective communication (Baltes Leibing 2007, vol.109, pp. 46-55). Planning for the implementation is done in the fourth stage. The plan should focus on time, energy and creativity instead of financial resources. This is followed by the implementation of the marketing plan which involves rolling-out the marketing campaign using the chosen communication channels. The final stage involves measuring the success of the strategy. In this case, profit is the main success indicator. Example An example of guerilla marketing involves a video advert that does not conform to the usual procedures. For instance, the advert can be made unique by defying the recommended color choices, contrast and the balance between pictures and words. Another example involves issuing free samples to the public. Strengths and Weakness The main advantage of guerilla marketing is that it requires little resources but maximizes results (Levinson 2005, p. 56). It also helps companies to establish long-term relationships with their clients since it focuses on individuals. The main weakness of the strategy is that profits might not be the best measure of success (Levinson 2005, p. 67). This is because a rise in profits could be as a result of any other factor such as improvement in efficiency instead of the effectiveness of the marketing strategy. Porter’s Diamond of Compe titive Advantage Definition This is a framework that illustrates the â€Å"manner in which an organization’s ability to create competitive advantages at the international level is influenced by its home base† (Walker 2003, p. 117). The base (country) is associated with the factors that enable or prevents a firm from creating competitive advantages in the global market. Objective The objective of this technique is to provide the information that is needed to identify the available resources and how to develop them in order to create advantages (Walker 2003, p. 120). The information also influences the innovation process. Implementation Steps According to Porter, a country’s competitiveness is determined by four factors namely, â€Å"firm strategy, structure and rivalry, demand conditions, related and supporting industries and factor conditions† (Morschett, Schramm Zentes 2010, p. 78). The interrelationship between these determinants is illustrated by figu re 3 (the diamond) and can be explained as follows. Factor condition is the first element on the diamond. According to this element, a nation usually generates its own factors of production. The impotence of these factors depends on the degree to which they are developed and used in a country. The shortage of the factors thus necessitates innovation (Walker 2003, p. 145). In the context of marketing, this element helps in planning for resource allocation. For example, a firm in a country with cheap internet technology will focus on e-marketing in order to reduce costs. The demand condition is the second element. In this case, local firms will be more interested in a product than foreign firms if the demand for that product is higher in the domestic market as compared to the overseas market. Thus competitive advantages are created when the product is exported. A â€Å"strong trend setting local market helps local firms anticipate global trends† (Walker 2003, p. 158). This is b ased on the fact that the local market has a greater potential to determine the ability of the firms to identify customer’s needs as compared to international markets. Thus this element helps a firm to understand the demand for its products in order to formulate the right marketing strategy. The third element relates to the effect of the related and supporting industries. According to this element, firms will benefit from relatively cheap and innovative inputs if the supporting industries in the domestic market are competitive. This effect is reinforced if there is a strong competition among suppliers at the international level (Morschett, Schramm Zentes 2010, p. 97). â€Å"Firm strategy, structure and rivalry† (Walker 2003, p. 171) is the last element. It relates to the management style and the manner in which companies are organized. This determines the work morel and the operation of the firms. Thus a country whose business laws support an effective company structu re will have more advantages. Figure 3 indicates that the four factors are interdependent. For instance, innovation can not be realized due to factor disadvantages in the absence of rivalry. The role of the government is to encourage firms to be more competitive. It does this through regulation and facilitating the creation of factors of production. Example The Japanese motor industry illustrates the application of this technique. Car manufacturers from Japan have dominated the global car industry due to the following advantages. Factor condition is represented by the large number of highly skilled mechanical engineers in the country. The demand condition in the country is characterized by â€Å"a demanding market due to the written language† (Sally 2005, vol. 10, pp. 341-356). There is a large number of supporting as well as related industries that supply car parts at low costs and high quality. Rivalry in the country’s car industry led to innovation as well as cost r eduction. Finally, the government supports the industry through incentives such as tax holidays. Strength and Weaknesses The main strength of the strategy is that it provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors that determine the competitiveness of a firm at the international level (Walker 2003, p. 25). The information provided by this analysis informs the process of formulating the marketing plan. The disadvantage of the strategy is that it focuses only on the industry. It ignores the contributions of individual firms in regard to the process of creating competitive advantages. BCG Matrix Analysis Definition This is a marketing tool â€Å"that uses a chart to analyze the performance of products or business units† (Kurtz Snow 2009, p. 65). The analysis focuses on the market share as well as the growth rate associated with a brand or a business unit. Objective The main objective of the BCG matrix analysis is to provide the information that is needed when allocating resour ces. It enables managers to identify the brands that should be funded and those that should be eliminated (Kurtz Snow 2009, p. 71). Implementation Steps The BCG matrix is illustrated by figure 4. Drawing the graph is the first step in using the technique. The graph is then used to rank the â€Å"products or business units according to their market share and growth rates† (Grant 2005, p. 488). The circles on the graph (figure 4) represent the products. The size of the circle corresponds to the product’s market share. The graph (figure 4) is divided into four parts which can be explained as follows. The cash cow represents the brands whose market shares are high (Grant 2005, p. 488). Besides, the industries of such brands are characterized by a slow growth rate. The revenue generated by products in this category exceeds the amount needed to sustain the firm. This means that such products are profitable and every firm strives to own them. The dogs represent products asso ciated with â€Å"low market share in a mature and slow-growing industry† (Grant 2005, p. 489). Products in this category are only capable of breaking-even. This means that the revenue they generate is hardly enough to sustain the firm. Thus they should be sold since they lower returns on assets. Question marks denote the products associated with rapid growth and thus maintaining them requires a lot of financial resources. The products in this category do not generate a lot of revenue since their market share is low. They are expected to attain the â€Å"status of cash cows if the market growth rate declines† (Kurtz Snow 2009, p. 92). Stars denote products whose market shares are high and their industries are characterized by rapid growth. They usually attain the status of cash cows when the growth declines (Kurtz Snow 2009, p. 93). Example The British Airline illustrates the application of BCG matrix analysis. The company has four product lines namely, long-haul fli ghts, regional flights, domestic flights and mail services (British Airways 2011). Regional flights (within Europe) accounts for 70% of the firm’s revenue (British Airways 2011). This is therefore the cash cow since the industry is also mature. The long-haul flights market (intercontinental) is mature and dominated by major airlines such as Lufthansa. British Airways’ market share is thus low (British Airways 2011). Consequently, the firm discontinued some of its long-haul flights and opted for an alliance with American airlines in order to connect its passengers to the discontinued routes. The long-haul flights are thus classified as dogs. British Airways being the largest airline in UK has the largest market share in the domestic aviation industry. The industry is growing rapidly as more firms join it. Thus the domestic flights are classified as stars. The mail services are classified as question marks. This is because even though their market is growing rapidly, the cost of offering the services is high due to the rise in fuel prices. Strengths and Weaknesses The main strength of the BCG strategy is that it facilitates rational allocation of resources. Such allocations are based on the performance of a product line. However, the strategy is associated with two weaknesses which are as follows. First, it only concentrates on â€Å"market share, industry growth rate and profitability† (Grant 2005, p. 489). Thus it ignores other aspects of the industry such as competition. Second, it is not very accurate since ranking of the products is done subjectively. Appendix Figure 1 This figure illustrates the factors that facilitate the transition from the red ocean (marked red) to the blue ocean (marked blue). The factors that facilitate this transition are listed in the white region (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 4). Figure 2 This figure illustrates the framework for achieving value innovation that is denoted by the new value curve (at the center) (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 4). Figure 3 Porter’s diamond This figure shows the interrelationship between the factors that determine the competitiveness of a country (Walker 2003, p. 117). Figure 4 BCG matrix analysis This figure illustrates how the performance of products is analyzed according to their market share and growth (Kurtz Snow 2009, p. 91). References Baltes, G Leibing, I 2007, ‘Guerilla marketing’, New Library world, vol. 109, no. 2, pp. 46-55. British Airways 2011, Annual reports, https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_ua. Grant, R 2005, Contemporary strategy analysis, John Willy and Sons, New York. Jay, L Jannie, L 2007, Startup guide to guerrilla marketing, Entrepreneur Press, London. Kim, C Mauborgne, R 2005, Blue ocean strategy: how to create uncontested market space, Harvard Business School Publishing, New York. Kurtz, D Snow, K 2009, Contemporary marketing, Cengage Learning, New York. Levinson, J 2005, Guerilla marketing during tough times, Morgan James Publishing, Boston. Morschett, D, Schramm, H Zentes, J 2010, Strategic international management, Gabler Verlag, London. Safaricom 2011, Products, https://www.safaricom.co.ke/. Sally, S 2005, ‘Does Porter’s diamond hold in the global automobile industry?’, Advances in Competitiveness Research, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 341-356. Walker, G 2003, Modern competitive strategy, McGraw-Hill, New York. Welhrich, H 2010, Management, McGraw-Hill, New York. This report on Marketing Strategy Models, Tools and Techniques was written and submitted by user Juan V. 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.

Epoxy Resins Essays - Adhesives, Synthetic Resins, Free Essays

Epoxy Resins Essays - Adhesives, Synthetic Resins, Free Essays Epoxy Resins Epoxy resins The group of synthetic resins called epoxies produce the strongest adhesives in current use, as well as plastics and corrosion-resistant coatings. Epoxy adhesives are thermosetting; that is, after initial hardening, they cannot be remelted by heat. They have excellent resistance to solvents and weathering agents, and high electrical and temperature resistance. Their adhesion to almost any type of surfaceincluding metal, ceramic, wood, and fabricis unmatched. Epoxies are usually made by reacting epichlorohydrin and Bisphenol A to produce a polymer chain of somewhat complex structure. The end of the polymer chain is an epoxy group from epichlorohydrin; the resulting plastic receives its name from the end epoxy group. The unmodified epoxies are brittle; however, the properties of the cured resin can be varied widely by the selection of a suitable resin, curing agent, filler, and curing procedure. Flexible grades are modified with polyamines and polysulfides. Most epoxy formulations have two components that are mixed for curing. One-component epoxies are available that either contain a latent curing agent or are simply cured by absorption of oxygen from the air. Unlike most thermosetting plastics, epoxies shrink only slightly during curing. Epoxies can be used as filler-adhesives; the strength of the cemented joint is independent of its thickness. The epoxies are used as molding and potting compounds, reinforced plastics, surface finishes, and adhesives. Molding compounds are chiefly used by the electronic and electrical industries; potting compounds are poured to encapsulate small electronic parts. Epoxy paints have outstanding corrosion resistance and are permitted for use on food equipment such as flour bins and can coatings. Large and complex dies for the forming of metal sheet are made of epoxy and are often modified with powdered metal such as aluminum. Uses in construction include the repair and bonding of concrete and also epoxy terrazzo floors. Adolf Hitler Bibliography Lee, Henry, ed., Epoxy Resins (1970); Hilado, Carlos J., Carbon Reinforced Epoxy Systems (1984).

7 Reasons Why Slowing Down At Work Is a Good Idea

7 Reasons Why Slowing Down At Work Is a Good Idea You might think the best and most productive worker in the room is the one balancing 17 tasks at once and zooming up and down the halls, but you’d be wrong! It turns out that sometimes the smartest and most successful people are the ones who ease up on the throttle, turn down the pace, and work more slowly and mindfully. Here are just a few ways how a  slower approach to work can pay off hugely in the long run.1. You need more time than you think†¦ to think.It’s hard to do your best cognitive and creative work in the frenzy of the workplace. What if that frenzy were just†¦ pointless, though? If you start to think â€Å"slow,† you’ll give yourself time to ease the pressure, get creative, let your ideas simmer until they’re ready to emerge. Instead of jumping rapidly- and inefficiently- from task to task, try deliberately slowing down. You might be amazed at how much time you actually have in a given day when working effectively instead of in a frenzy.2. Your rational brain kicks in.You’ll be more confident in your ideas and decisions when you make them mindfully. Move away from your super fast automatic or â€Å"sympathetic† nervous system and those knee-jerk reactions, and towards the slower, more logical â€Å"parasympathetic† nervous system. You’ll get out of mental loops and autopilot and come to more logical decisions about which you can be more confident.3. Your listening skills improve.Are you frantically tuning people out, smiling and nodding because you’re just too busy to put down your task and listen? Curb this common behavior and learn to truly process the ideas and concerns of others. You never know when this might help you find the missing piece to a personal puzzle, or gain more respect and traction among your coworkers.4. You’ll make fewer mistakes.Working this way, slowing your pace to be more meticulous and measured, means that you’ll make fewer mist akes. And the mistakes you do make will be much easier to rectify. You might even learn something and have the time and space to internalize that lesson before moving on.5. Your brain will remember how to act.This kind of practice is also great because it will eventually train your brain to slow down and work this way automatically. Soon it won’t be a project, but just the way you work.6.  You can eliminate unnecessary work.Sometimes busy work is just that†¦ busy. Working slowly can help you realize which tasks are not necessary. Save yourself and your coworkers from extraneous work. Don’t create extra tasks for yourself or others when you could concentrate on the projects that really matter.7. You’ll learn to let go of stress.Instead of chewing your nails down to the quick and tapping your feet annoyingly while waiting for coworkers to finish off their tasks, concentrate on the work on your desk. Do it right, rather than fast. And instead of concentratin g on getting everything done, try working just on the task at hand and getting it done right. Relax a little and understand that it’s just not possible to leave work every day with a blank to-do list.

Any article related to human resources development Annotated Bibliography

Any article related to human resources development - Annotated Bibliography Example Although HRD governs a wide range of concepts, this paper mainly focuses on education and training of manpower. The author regards investment in these two areas as the key to move from one level of economic progress to the next. A lot of emphasis has been laid on the importance of â€Å"knowledge work† as being an important step in HRD. Knowledge work comes from formal and specialized education of work-force and workers having specialized knowledge can perform way better than unspecialized traditional workers. Some other factors like technological advancement, information revolution and globalization also exert important influences on HRD. These factors are interlinked and through proper training and education of human resource, these factors can help a lot in climbing the ladder of economic progress. Education of employees is regarded as being extremely important in this paper. Formal education along with specialized skilled training can contribute a lot towards economic progress. To address the idea of educating the work-force, a practical action is proposed in which technologically advanced training and education is considered a responsibility that is divided among three stake holders to make it easier to attain. The state, employers and trade-unions can work in close collaboration to accomplish the task of training the work force effectively. The paper therefore provides a very general but effective roadmap to improve the education and training of human workforce which is essential for economic progress at the national level. De Silva, Sriyan. "Human resources development for competitiveness: a priority for employers."  ILO workshop on employers’ organizations in Asia-Pasific in The Twenty-First Century, Turin, Italy.

Letter to the editor Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Letter to the editor - Assignment Example And here is how professor’s lottery suggestion is both unrealistic and unsystematic. Professor’s Karabel’s suggestion is, indeed, self-undermining. How, given a lottery program applied randomly to students who have shown academic merit, should such a program guarantee all underprivileged students are represented? Put differently, professor’s Karabel’s suggestion is meant to erase underlying biases in admission process at selective colleges. Thanks to good intentions. Yet, how could all – at least in theory – underprivileged applicants be represented based on a randomized selection? I do believe admission into colleges, selective or not, should by no means be left to chance and lottery. Why should a student be admitted into her college of choice because she has been, well, lucky enough in a lottery withdrawal, whereas another student who has achieved a similar academic merit be denied admission? This is not even constitutional! In his very own words, professor Karabel himself seems unsure of what such a lottery program might lead to: â€Å"Such a lottery would permit the college to determine whether its traditional selection criteria did any better than chance in predicting success in school and in later life; my own guess is that lottery admits would be amply — perhaps equally — represented among the institution’s most distinguished graduates.† True, our current system of admission at colleges and universities is one, as qualified by professor Karabel, that is skewed. However, undermining a faulty system that tends to enhance – rather than erase – existing hierarchies of privilege in our educational system cannot be achieved by a replace which is subject to guessing and uncertain outcomes. After all, how could a collegiate lottery program based on a randomized selection guarantee all underprivileged applicants are adequately represented? That is, how could, say, students of

Drone controversy Essay Example for Free

Drone controversy Essay In today’s battlefield unmanned aerial systems (UASs) also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) or drones are the United States Department of Defense’s most controversial defense weapon to date. Many US top commanders and expert in military history, intelligence, and international security, says that unmanned aerial systems or UAS, as experts call them, are the most important new military technology in the twenty-first century since the intercontinental ballistic missile. With the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) writing rules to allow UAS to fly in American skies nowadays, drones are also ushering in the most dramatic new age in aviation since the jet engine. Only a dozen years ago, no one saw it all coming and perhaps it is even seems like a science fiction. UAVs and UASs are not a relatively new defense weapon or a very futuristic robot but in fact they have been around since the 1930’s in the loose form of Austrian balloons which is used for reconnaissance back then. However, with the advancement of technology for the past few years, drones have become the most efficient, effective, and accurate means to gather intelligence and information, reconnaissance, and surveillance without putting the lives of our soldiers and officials in danger at the front lines. Drones have been successful in targeting and killing high profile terrorists (many of whom were top Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants) and minimizing civilian casualties. They have also been successful in minimizing U.S. soldier casualties because the pilots are flying these vehicles in U.S. soil or somewhere safe away from the conflict zone. Drones have been and will continue to be a major successful factor in the U.S.’s war on terror. Meanwhile on the other hand, as convenient and beneficial as drones are, they are also one of the most controversial weapons used because, internationally, they violate the United Nation’s Charter; violating a country’s territorial sovereignty and national integrity. Although they are precise in eliminating their targets, they have killed too many innocent civilians who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Through the years, the U.S. has increasingly used drones to target and kill suspected terrorists, increasing the number of civilian casualties during the attack. As a result, more and more people (mainly in Pakistan- who were neutral in the U.S.-Pakistan conflict) are getting frustrated or losing hope with U.S. military tactics and beginning to side with Pakistani militants, possibly derailing their goal of democracy in the region. In relation to innocent civilian casualties, if Pakistan or another country wanted to bring issue to international criminal court, who will be charged? Will the soldier piloting the aircraft be charged, or his commander? Will former President Bush or President Obama be taken to court? Either way, the international legal issue surrounding drones are still very hazy and do not seem to be cleared any time soon especially with the war on terror is still raging in the Middle East. Not only do the drone strategy raise issues internationally, there is also a lot of controversy surrounding them domestically. The government and many companies see drones as a great technological advantage to society or public life. They are can be used for surveillance of the U.S.-Mexican border, search for survivors of natural disasters through heat sensor technology, wildfire fighting, spraying pesticides, and searching for radiation or dangerous chemical leaks. Nevertheless, domestic drones can also be used to invade citizens’ privacy. Recently, Congress allowed the FAA to allow over 70 drones to operate in U.S. airspace. These domestic drones can be equipped with infrared cameras, heat sensors, GPS, and automated license plate readers, making it easy to track people. These domestic drones are supposed to be used by civil organizations only; however, they can easily fall into the wrong hands and be reverse engineered and misused to do more harm than good. Since 9/11 the congressional has approved the use of military drones on the war on terror due to their efficiency, effectiveness, and accuracy. Therefore making the US armed drones one of the most fearful flying machine in the sky of Middle East and being used many times to take down a high profile target with high percentage or changes to be hit within seconds . why drones are very efficient ? Well first of all they are an automatic flying system , therefore the drones can operate within a larger scale of operation rather than their human counterparts in the F-16 or RAPTOR jet. for example before the drones are armed in the year 2000’s most of the US air force operations are relying on jets to do some reconnaissance , therefore the humans factor must be involve in the entire hours of that operation and making it less effective than drones because as humans our senses and energy or the capacity to do some work is quite limited. And the length of the operation is also determined by the fuel inside the jet which consume a huge amount of fuel especially for military combat jet, so without the drones the operation could only last a day or two max. but with the drones the length of the operation hours could be extended significantly , thanks to their new innovative flying energy and system inside the drones which are very useful . The drones are a smaller airplane therefore they have a lighter body and no human is needed inside the drones, therefore making it much more lighter to cover a larger area to do some reconnaissance with much more speed and better performance . of course the smaller the plane the smaller the energy is required to fill it up, therefore the US air force wants to increase their drone capability with their new high tech fuel cell or an electric battery which could give the drones the power to fly for a long distance with a longer duration rather than a normal flying jets. With this new technology the drones are not just limited to their human controller in the safe zone , but thanks to their fuel and weight efficiency they can operate for a longer duration with their auto pilot on which make it much more reliable and easily to operate. It may not seems like a huge or a big revolutionary advantage, but this is quite a big improvement over the past few decades because now we could have an eye from the sky to watch over a potential target in the hot zone of the conflict area without risking the lives of our armed forces and the drones can do it for at least 24/7 hours , so that they can maintain the enemy position as long as they can before they need to go back to the base to refuel and rearmed . This is crucial because with the latest data we can have the most up to date information which will give our army a greater momentum to accomplish this war on terror . Drones are not just effective for killing but they are also good to do some surveillance .Which is by far the most common use of drones, if perhaps the least talked about. The U.S. military currently considers drones as part of an integrated system, where drones are being used, particularly along the mountainous Afghan/Pakistan border, to provide long-term monitoring of a population, and to solve the thorniest of problems facing occupying armies fighting insurgents –mainly telling the civilians and the fighters apart. By monitoring these areas, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the U.S. military hopes to use drones to gather ‘patterns of life’ or ‘signatures’ in surveilled communities, allowing them to identify when something disrupts that ‘pattern of life,’ or also known as the insurgent activity.

Cold War Rhetoric of the Lysenko Era Essay -- Politics Communism Commu

The Cold War Rhetoric of the Lysenko Era During the Cold War, the Soviet Union forced its biologists to support the theory of the inheritance of acquired characteristics, which opposed the conventional theory of genetics accepted by the scientists in America and most of the world. This theory that environmentally induced changes to an organism’s physical or biochemical traits could be passed on to its offspring was the main tenet in Lamarck’s work during the early 1800s. It was accepted by most biologists during Lamarck’s time, until the work of Darwin on evolution by natural selection in the mid-1800s and the discovery of Mendel’s work on heredity in the early 1900s lead most biologists to discount Lamarck’s theory. However, in 1948, the Soviet Union officially supported the paradigm of the inheritance of acquired characteristics, which they called the â€Å"Michurin teaching† (Lysenko 33). Michurin was a Russian scientist who worked during the late-1800s to improve and create new varieties of plants and introduce them to areas of severe climate in Russia (Bakharev 6). His principle that â€Å"we cannot wait for favours from Nature† and that instead, â€Å"we must wrest them from her,† was based on his interpretation that Marxist dialectical materialism taught â€Å"how to actively influence Nature and how to change it† (Bakharev 6-8). The revival of his theories in the mid-1900s was tied to the fate of Trofim Denisovich Lysenko. Lysenko gradually gained power until he became the president of the Lenin All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences (LAAAS) in 1941 (U.S. Department of Commerce 2). His address to the 1948 session of LAAAS marked the beginning of the Soviet state’s official support of the Michurin teaching and it’s suppression o... ... Soviet Science.† Russian History 21.1(1994): 49-53. Russia Academy of Science Bibliographies. Langson Lib., U of California, Irvine. 27 May 2004 Soyfer, Valery N. Lysenko and the Tragedy of Soviet Science. Trans. Leo Gruliow and Rebecca Gruliow. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1994. Soyfer, Valery N. â€Å"New light on the Lysenko era.† Nature 339 (8 June 1989). Russia Academy of Science Bibliographies. Langson Lib., U of California, Irvine. 27 May 2004 United States. Dept. of Commerce. Office of Technical Services. Lysenko, Michurinism, and Soviet biology. Washington, 1960. Zirkle, Conway. Death of a Science in Russia; the fate of genetics as described in Pravda and elsewhere. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1949.