Persuasive Essay on Global Warming Essay Example for Free

Persuasive Essay on Global Warming Essay Recent news all around us gives rise to much concern about global warming. Personally, I am alarmed at the rate that the earth is now deteriorating. For example, there is the fact that the second warmest global surface temperature in more than a century was recorded in 2001. News such as these should not only affect me, but the entire world. Starting from individuals like me, every little effort towards avoiding global warming would count and make a difference. On this note, it is nice to learn that there are many groups and institutions that actually endeavor to develop new technologies that could help prevent global warming. The whole world should join in this effort to save the environment. There are many issues that are bothering the human population nowadays, such as terrorism, war, economy, and others. However, there is no other issue that so pervades human consciousness recently than the issue on global warming. Many celebrities and international organizations are exerting efforts to build awareness around the world that there is a real danger to our planet, and that the time is ripe for all to take action. Everyone should be concerned about global warming, especially considering the various deleterious effects it poses on life in the planet. The gravity of the situation calls upon nations, as big movers and possessors of power in large scale, to put more effort into developing new technologies to prevent further global warming. On the small scale, recent news on global warming should be enough to wake everyone from slumber and do their part in saving our environment, which is becoming more dangerous because of continued global warming. The gravity of the current situation is shown by the fact that the second warmest global surface temperature in more than a century was recorded in 2001. Previous decades, particularly the period between 1951 and 1980, registered cooler climates. This trend of warmer climates is seen as a consequence of anthropogenic causes such as the emission of greenhouse gases (Hansen, Ruedy, Sato, and Lo 275). Such trend is alarming and should wake people up from their inaction, because the recent calculations of temperature increase foretell the possibility of even greater temperature in the coming years (King 780). Moreover, as the facts recorded at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hilo, Hawaii tell, carbon dioxide levels consistently rise at a rate of about 2 p.p.m. per annum (King 780). These data show a marked increase in the rate of carbon dioxide levels, that are way above recorded levels in previous warm periods (King 780). These facts also show how warm global temperature has gotten since the last century, which further confirm the realization of the greenhouse effect theory (King 780). It is appropriate to note that the theory of climate change can be traced as far back as 1827, when a French mathematician named Fourier thought about the possibility that the earth may be absorbing the heat that should be sent back to space (King 779). At the time, Fourier built upon the observation of British scientist Tyndall that minority gases in our atmosphere, namely, carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, cause the greenhouse effect (King 779). This theory is fast demonstrating its reality, as shown by the above observations. Globally, there are observed environmental changes that have become worse in time. Among these are deforestation, greenhouse gas-induced warming, loss in biodiversity, and desertification (Grimmond 83). These environmental changes are caused largely by the rapid increase in human population (Grimmond 83). The effects of all these environmental changes are being felt both in large and small scale. The effects of these changes in small scale climate change can be seen at the urban level, wherein broader environmental changes are being felt in greater magnitude (Grimmond 83). Urban climates have changed. Among the effects of urbanization on climate are the alteration of energy and water exchanges and airflow due to surface and atmospheric changes and urban warming due to direct anthropogenic emissions of heat, pollutants and carbon dioxide (Grimmond 83). While there are some cities that can be considered lucky, because their large spaces of irrigated greenspace provide cooler temperature, a majority of the cities experience up to a 10-degree-Celsius difference in temperature (Grimmond 83). The materials chosen and used in the construction of buildings and other infrastructure in urban locations and other factors such as the distances between such structures all contribute to urban warming (Grimmond 86). The morphology of cities, particularly in terms of the width, height and density of the buildings therein, affect solar access in daytime and the cooling rates at night (Grimmond 83). Unfortunately, urban warming has grave implications to inhabitants, such as those relating to their well-being, health and comfort (Grimmond 86). Compared to rural environments, urban locations are warmer by an average of 1 to 3 degrees Celsius (Grimmond 83). One of the scariest implications of urban warming is felt mostly by the poor (Grimmond 87). For example, heat waves swept all over India in 1998 and caused injuries and deaths (Grimmond 87). The same catastrophe occurred in France and Spain in 2003 (Grimmond 87). With regard to the effect of urban warming on human comfort, there is involved a vicious cycle. The intense heat makes people uncomfortable. Thus, they would want to use airconditioning systems (Grimmond 87). The increase use of airconditioning, on the other hand, generates more heat and demands more energy through increased generation of electricity, which again would cause increased urban warming (Grimmond 87). Indeed, this is not an unjustified fear. The increased use of airconditioning had already been observed in large continents such as Asia, Europe and North America (Grimmond 87). Such increased demand has been observed to cause amplified electricity generation (Grimmond 87). This, in turn, results in the production of more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which again leads to intensified global warming (Grimmond 87). With the continued abuse by people of the environment and the continued generation of heat, risks greater than the heat waves experienced in many countries are very likely to arise (Grimmond 87). It may be considered that the contribution of urban development and urban warming to the global scenario is small; however, the dangers tat urban warming poses should not be ignored (Grimmond 87). Gases from urban areas, such as pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are the leading anthropogenic sources of global warming (Grimmond 87). Moreover, as discussed above, the experience of warmer climate in the cities lead to increased consumption of energy, which again causes global warming (Grimmond 87). The combinations of many factors, including those occurring in urban zones, would surely give rise to global consequences and implications (Grimmond 87). It is important, in any effort to convince people into action, to make them understand the implications at stake (Grimmond 87). The strategies towards solving the problem of global warming cover a wide range, and any move should involve the participation of all stakeholders (Grimmond 87). For example, in the community level, each person can do his small but significant part in mitigating global warming, by avoiding or minimizing the use of airconditioning in order to reduce consumption of energy. Reduced demand for airconditioning would lead to decreased demand in energy supply, which would lead to less production of greenhouse gases (Grimmond 87). Thus, a simple act of minimizing the comforts of the modern world could do wonders in preventing further global warming. The threat of continued and sustained global should be enough to raise concerns among all people, because of the extreme events that we should be prepared for as a consequence of global warming (King 780). For one, global warming causes more water vapor to remain in the atmosphere, which is exactly what the greenhouse effect means (King 780). Increased water vapor is a result of increases in the level of carbon dioxide in the air, and comes alongside the increase of temperature in the seas and the earth (King 780). Deforestation is another negative effect of global warming (King 780; Saxe, et al.). The increased temperature leads to decreased rainfall, which leads to dryer conditions and more forest fires (King 780; Saxe, et al.). Increased global heat contributes to easier catching up of large fires in the forest. In turn, deforestation again increases global warming, like a vicious cycle. Deforestation deprives the planet of vital carbon sinks, which are required to balance the global carbon budget (Saxe, et al. 389). Fortunately, this can be reversed through the planting of more trees and building more density in the forests, in order to counter the production and existence of carbon in the atmosphere (Saxe, et al. 389-390). Global warming can also cause the loss of the Greenland ice sheet (King 780). This would cause serious problems because it could raise the sea level around the globe by approximately 7 meters over a period of about a thousand years (King 780). It could also cause enhanced retreat of glaciers in some places (King 780). Further effects of global warming can also be observed in the oceans, through increased acidity (King 780). The increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere cause a corresponding increase of the same in oceans, thereby increasing their acidity (King 780). Thus, there are already observed effects on coral reefs and plankton population, while wider impact on marine life and on the food chain is yet to be observed (King 780). To date, a documented total of 17 coral reef ecosystems have been found to be degraded around the world. This is a huge blow to the planet, since it is estimated that â€Å"coral reefs provide support to ecosystems worth more than $375 billion per annum to the global economy (King 780).† These terrible consequences should be enough to make everyone concerned about global warming and its deleterious effects on all aspects of life in the planet (King 780). People should be concerned about destroying life and support systems in different ecosystems, which would eventually affect human lives. Having seen the scary possibilities that come alongside global warming, everyone should join the movement towards making this planet greener and healthier. People should be moved by stories of forest fires, destruction of ecosystems, and deaths due to heat waves, that are occurring all over the world (King 780; Saxe, et al. 389). The planet is becoming less safe with each passing day that people live in ignorance of the damage they are causing the environment. Continuous apathy and inaction could lead to more catastrophic deaths and further destruction of the planet, which possibilities should raise alarm and concern in all mankind. Each person can definitely do his share in minimizing the anthropogenic causes of global warming. We have seen how a simple act of minimizing the consumption of airconditioning could have positive effects on the environment. It is time that each of us does our share to save our home. This is the only way that future generations could still enjoy earth as we know it. Works Cited Grimmond, Sue. â€Å"Urbanization and global environmental change: local effects of urban warming.† Cities and Global Environmental Change: 83-88. Hansen, J., Ruedy, R., Sato, M., and K. Lo. â€Å"Global Warming Continues.† Science, New Series 295 (2002):275. Kellomaki, Seppo, Rouvinen, Ismo, Peltola, Heli, Strandman, Harri and Rainer Steinbrecher. Impact of global warming on the tree species composition of boreal forests in Finland and effects on emissions of isoprenoids. Global Change Biology 7 (2001): 531-544. King, David. Climate change: the science and the policy. Journal of Applied Ecology 42 (2005): 779-783. Saxe, Henrik, Cannell, Melvin G. R., Johnsen, Oystein, Ryan, Michael G., Vourlitis, George. Tree and forest functioning in response to global warming. New Phytologist 149 (2001): 369-400.

Economic Aspects of Global Warming and Climate Change

Economic Aspects of Global Warming and Climate Change Abstract The issue of global warming and climate change has proven to be one of the most controversial and difficult problems facing all the nations of the world.   Assessing the impact of climate change is extremely complex as it is very difficult to project the future and assess the hypothetical impact it will have on the world.   Additionally, it is unknown how technological progress will respond and potentially alter the effects of global warming.   This paper will focus on some impacts of global warming and climate changes on the global economy and review possible methods of mitigating the adverse effects. Introduction Climate change is one of the most challenging problems facing the world community.   According to NASA, global warming is a natural process.   A layer of greenhouse gases which include water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide acts as a thermal blanket for the Earth, absorbing heat and warming its surface to an average temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit which help sustain life (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2017).   Without this natural cover, the Earth’s surface would be colder than it is today, making the planet freezing and mostly likely uninhabitable. However, scientists are concerned that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are causing an unprecedented rise in global temperatures, with potentially harmful consequences for the environment, human health and the economy.   We are adding to the natural greenhouse effect with emissions from industry and agriculture, trapping more energy and increasing the temperature. The possible causes of global warming are numerous.   But according to Environmental Protection Agency, the most concerning and alarming are manmade emissions of CO2 caused by burning fossil fuels and cutting down carbon-absorbing trees. Other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide are also released through human activities, but their presence is relatively small when compared to carbon dioxide.   According to a 2016 BBC article, the level and concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere is significantly higher than it was at the beginning of the industrial revolution which began in 1750 (What Is Climate Change?†, 2016). Climate change has a broader meaning as it not only refers to the increased temperature trends described by global warming, but also changes such as sea level rise; ice mass loss in Greenland, Antarctica, the Arctic and mountain glaciers worldwide; shifts in flower and plant blooming; and extreme weather events. Kenneth Green (2002) argues that human prosperity in many parts of the world, especially developing countries, heavily depends on climate. Agriculture, tourism, transportation, energy use, and many other activities that define our economies are largely influenced by climate.   Therefore, it is crucial to understand the effects of global warming in short and long run and perform the cost and benefit analysis to determine what policies and measures should be taken to mitigate and prevent the climate change and its various impacts. Climate change is a global issue, but the impacts are likely to differ in different continents, countries, and regions. Some nations will likely experience more adverse effects than others. Other nations may benefit from climate changes. The ability to adapt to climate change can influence how climate change affects individuals, communities, countries, and the global population. This paper will discuss the effects of global warming on the energy industry, agriculture and food supply, production output and inflation.   Next, it will focus on the cost benefit analysis of implementing the policies and procedures to mitigate and/or prevent global warming and climate change. Lastly, the paper will review the possible methods of reducing the effects of global warming and climate change and the mitigation policies to be implemented. Global Warming and Climate Change Economic Impact Climate Change Effect on Energy In my opinion, energy is the key industry that will be highly affected by global warming and climate change. The world’s production and use of energy is the primary cause of global warming.   Climate will affect energy consumption by changing consumers’ wants and needs in both the intensive (short) and extensive (long) terms. There are several ways in which climate may affect energy consumption. In the residential, commercial and industrial sectors in a warmer world higher cooling demand is expected, which would lead to increased electricity consumption. On the other hand, fewer cold winter days would result in decreased heating demand, which would decrease natural gas, oil and electricity demand. These are demand side effects.   On the supply side, one would expect increased use of natural gas on hot days, as some power plants become less efficient as well as higher natural gas consumption for generation due to higher electricity demand. During the winter, there might be a decrease in natural gas demand for generation due to lower electricity demand. According to a 2009 report on global climate change, the majority (87%) of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions are from the production and use of energy production.   The research was primarily on the energy usage in buildings concerning the various heating and cooling demands. The findings stated that, â€Å"the demand for cooling energy increases from 5 to 20 percent per 1.8 °F of warming, and the demand for heating energy drops by 3 to 15 percent per 1.8 °F of warming† (Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States Report, 2009).   Additionally, the 2009 report projects that global warming’s increasing temperatures will increase the peak demand for electricity as it is the main source used for the cooling of buildings.   This would result in a disproportionate increase in energy infrastructure investment and possible pollution as most of the nation’s electricity is currently produced from coal.   This would potentially increase the nation’s CO2 emissions and slow the development of alternative â€Å"green† energy sources (Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States Report, 2009). Climate Change Effect on Agriculture and Food Supply Since temperature and precipitation are direct inputs in agricultural production, this sector will experience significant effects as well.   Recent droughts worldwide have highlighted that the advances in modern farming techniques and technologies cannot insulate the world’s food production and supply.   In fact, rising CO2 concentrations could increase production of some crops, such as rice, soybean and wheat (Clark, 2012).   However, Clark (2012) also stated, â€Å"the changing climate would affect the length and quality of the growing season and farmers could experience increasing damage to their crops, caused by a rising intensity of extreme weather events such as droughts, flooding or fires†.   Furthermore, in many developing regions, agriculture is of major importance for national economies, as it represents the large share in gross domestic product (GDP).   Therefore, with prospects of continued global warming, the damages for poor regions could be substantial (Clark, 2012).   Climate change’s probable impact on agricultural production patterns and prices in these regions lower the profitability of agriculture industry and increase the share of consumers’ income spent on food.   This may lead to food shortages or insufficient access to food in some countries or regions. In addition to agriculture, the worlds fisheries which provide an important source of food for at least half the worlds population are very susceptible to climate change.   Fisheries are plagued by two problems, overexploitation and pollution.   Additionally, the various marine fish species are encountering their own problems due to climate change such warming surface waters, and rising sea levels due to melting ice.   Clark (2012) states, â€Å"some marine fish species are already adapting by migrating to the high latitudes, but others, such as Arctic and freshwater species, have nowhere to go†.   If we are unable to find sustainable solutions to help the fisheries and fish, we may end up with shortages of edible fish which will cause prices to soar. According to Schierhorn (2016), over the last century, the global population has quadrupled. In 1915, there were 1.8 billion people in the world. Today, according to the most recent estimate by the UN, there are 7.3 billion people and we may reach 8.5 billion by 2030 (UN projects world population to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, driven by growth in developing countries, 2015).   This population growth, along with rising incomes in developing countries, is increasing global food demand.   Schierhorn’s (2016) research shows that food demand is expected to increase anywhere between 59 to 98 percent by 2050.   Therefore, the world’s crop production will need to increase.   That means there needs to be an expanse of farmable land to grow crops, and current productivity needs expanded through the use of modern farming methods (Schierhorn, 2016). A recent EPA (2016) study concludes that â€Å"climate change is very likely to affect food security at the global, regional, and local level† and that â€Å"climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality†.   The study projects that changes in temperatures and precipitation patterns, along with extreme weather events may reduce agricultural productivity (Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply, 2016). The same study further suggests that â€Å"increases in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events can also interrupt food delivery, and resulting spikes in food prices after extreme events are expected to be more frequent in the future†.   Increasing temperatures can contribute to food spoilage and contamination (Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply, 2016). Furthermore, Clark (2012) argues that food production itself is a significant emitter of greenhouse gases, as well as a cause of environmental degradation in many parts of the world. Clark states agriculture contributes about 15% of all emissions, on a par with transport. He concludes that to limit the long-run impacts of climate change, food production must become not only more resilient to climate but also more sustainable and low-carbon itself (Clark, 2012). Climate Change Effect on Economy Growth According to a recent study by Wade (2017), climate change will most likely reduce the capital stock and productivity in the world economy. Global warming is expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events causing property and infrastructure loss. While the initial economic response to recover the damages may be positive for GDP while it is possible, in the long run the world economy will face an extreme challenge. The harm to economic output may become irreversible.   Wade (2017) argues that it will not be worth for businesses to replace their capital stock unless future damages could be prevented or the business could be relocated to the safer area.   This could cause a short period of disruption as businesses relocate, or in the worst case scenario, a permanent loss of capital stock and output.   As the temperatures continue to rise, the damages will increase and become permanent (Wade, 2017). Wade (2017) represents the likely effect of climate change on output in production function in Figure 1 (See Appendices).   If there is less capital stock available due to the damage resulted from climate change, the productive capacity of the world economy will fall.   It is represented by the downward shift in the world production function as each unit of labor produces less output (Wade, 2017). However, lower labor productivity may occur not only due to a lower level of capital stock.   Global warming may affect food safety, promote the spread of infections, cause social unrest and thus reduce availability of labor. Wade (2017) shows this effect as a supply shock in a supply and demand graph (Figure 2, Appendices).   Global warming is likely to contract supply at any given price and result in a backward shift of the supply curve (from S1 to S2) (Wade, 2017). As the graph demonstrates, this will result in a lower level of output (Y2) and a higher price (P2). This analysis is based on the assumption that the world will not respond to climate change and no prevention or mitigation measures are taken. Climate Change Effect on Inflation Wade (2017) also proves that as global production output is reduced, an increase in the general price level will occur as a result of global warming. As discussed earlier, higher food prices will affect consumers’ income and overall food price inflation will rise.   Furthermore, reduced land availability may also contribute to rising inflation. Per Wade (2017) the surge in global temperatures may eventually cause some areas of the world to become uninhabitable and cause mass migration. Along with the political and socioeconomic implications of the migration there will be higher demand for decreasing amount of land.   Higher energy costs are also likely to boost inflation. As discussed earlier, as our climate becomes more extreme the demand for energy used for cooling will likely to rise.   As the energy demand will rise, the supply will shrink as the efficiency of existing power stations is compromised due to higher temperatures (Wade, 2017).   Policy actions by governments to transition to green energy may further contribute to inflation in the short-run when taxes are placed on fossil fuel electricity. Since energy is the basis of most of the world’s production, the effects of higher energy prices on inflation will impact the global economy (Wade, K. 2017). Cost-Benefit Analysis According to Mendelsohn (2013), â€Å"the biggest threat climate change poses to economic growth is from immediate, aggressive and inefficient mitigation policies†. Thomas C. Shelling believes that climate change is the global public good, because each country’s emissions of greenhouse gases contribute cumulatively to the increase of the overall concentration, and each country’s abatements entail higher cost than benefit, unless effective concerted collective actions take place (Stiglitz & Shelling, 2012).   Therefore, benefit-cost analysis is a principal tool for deciding if this public good should be altered through mitigation policy. There are many conflicting views regarding the true dimensions of climate change problem and a lot of various policy assessment models. The most famous are DICE model created by William Nordhaus and the Stern Review prepared by Sir Nicholas Stern for the British government in 2006.   The modeling approach by Nordhaus views climate change as a matter of investment efficiency and assumes that climate change policies will compete with other investments such as public health and education.   This model provides estimates of the appropriate price path on carbon emissions, with prices starting relatively low and gradually rising as a result of discounting. (William D. Nordhaus and Joseph Boyer, 2000) The Stern Review, in contrast to Nordhaus’ model, recommended strong and immediate action on climate change.   Stern (2006) found that the costs associated with uncontrolled global warming would be up to a 20 percent drop per year in the world’s GDP by 2050. The Stern Review incorporated new scientific evidence suggesting that the climate system may be more sensitive than previously thought.   Also, it supported the application of much lower discount rates. (Stern, 2006). Therefore, two aspects of the benefit-cost calculation are critical. One is allowance for uncertainty as the possible outcomes of global warming in the absence of mitigation are very unclear.   The other critical aspect is the choice of discount rate as most of the climate-related benefits from current policy efforts would take the form of avoided damages in the long run with many of the costs incurred in the short run. Stiglitz & Shelling (2012) suggest a number of behavioral changes to mitigate the problem of global warming such as shifting to fuels with higher ratio of useful energy to CO2 emissions (from coal to oil, from oil to natural gas); developing technologies that use less energy per unit output; shifting demand to products with lower energy intensity; planting trees and reducing deforestation; pursuing policy of sequestering the CO2 by pumping it directly into underground reservoirs. The process of mitigation will require a temporary economic transition from consumption to investment, provided that the transitional costs are small relative to the cost of inaction (Wade, 2017).   However, as the costs of mitigation rise, budget limitations will become increasingly important. Possible Mitigation Measures Despite the disagreements between nations, in recent years we have witnessed the gradual emergence of a range of international and domestic climate change policies, including emissions trading programs, emissions taxes, performance standards, and technology-promoting programs (Goulder & Pizer, 2006).   At the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate agreement that outlined a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 °C. Therefore, there is now an agreement among climate economists to consider climate change as a global externality that must be compensated for to recover economic optimality. Hence, basic public economics wisdom requires some mitigation eï ¬â‚¬orts (IPCC, 2007). The issue gets controversial however when we try to answer the â€Å"when† and â€Å"how much† questions. One approach that has become widely used is cap and trade. The U.S. Clean Air Act of 1990 established emission levels (caps) and permitted companies with emissions below the cap to sell (trade) their rights to remaining permissible amount to firms that have exceeded the cap. Over time, the government would reduce the cap, thus overall emissions would be gradually reduced. This approach gives companies flexibility. It increases the pool of available capital to make reductions, encourages companies to cut pollution faster and rewards innovation. But the critics pointed out that it allows richer companies to pollute more as they are able to buy those rights.   Another type of emissions control is establishment of emissions charges or fees. Each business would be charged accordingly for the amount of emissions produced. It would become very expensive for the companies to pollute and will create incentive for them to clean up. In recent years governments also experimented with various green taxes and eco-taxes that levy a fee on environmentally damaging behavior. Beside the punishment, governments also offer positive incentives for the companies that improve their environmental behavior. For example, the government may decide to purchase only from those firms that meet certain pollution standard or to offer financial aid to those that install pollution control equipment. Tax incentives such as faster depreciation for pollution control equipment may also be used. Overall, the trend has been for governments to use more flexible, market oriented approaches such as tradeable allowances, pollution fees and taxes, and incentives, to achieve the goals of protecting the environment and mitigating climate change. (Lawrence & Weber, 2017) Many challenges remain though. 2 °C stabilization goal set at the Paris Climate Conference     requires decarbonization of the world economy. Carbon pricing would be a necessary tool in reaching that goal. The advantages of carbon pricing would be the following: it would trigger economy-wide decarbonization in a cost efficient manner, generate revenues that can be used for financing the sustainable development goals and become a focal point for international climate policy cooperation focusing on carbon pricing coordination. For many policy issues, there is an important and clear distinction between the short-run and the long-run responses by businesses and individuals. The short run is a period when businesses and individuals are locked in to some past decisions and have fixed costs that they are not able to avoid. But over a period of time, they might respond by making gradual adjustments in their behaviors and choices. They are more responsive in the long run than in the short run because they have more time and opportunities to respond to a change in price. As we know, supply and demand are generally more elastic in the long run. We can use the example of a gas tax that was introduced as a tool to reduce pollution. If we look only at the short-run elasticity of demand, we might come to conclusion that a gas tax will have little effect on driving since demand is inelastic. However, if we had an estimate of the long-run elasticity of demand, we might see that the demand curve is flatter. As recent studies how, the effectiveness of many market-based environmental policies depend on the responsiveness of businesses and individuals to a change in incentives, economists and policymakers should keep in mind the difference between short-run responses and long-run responses (Global Warming Causes, 2017). Summary The overall effect of climate change on economic growth will most likely be negative in the long run. Although there will be winners and losers from climate change at different levels of warming, the impact of climate change will be widespread due to the financial, political and economic integration of the worlds economies. Global warming will primarily influence economic growth through damage to property and infrastructure, lost productivity, mass migration, security threats. The issue of global warming and climate change invokes the highest form of global citizenship. The nations have to be willing to sacrifice hundreds of billions of dollars of present consumption in an effort that will largely benefit people in other countries, considering that the benefit that will not be instant. Moreover, the threat of climate change is uncertain and based on modeling rather than direct observation. In considering climate change policies, the fundamental trade-off that society faces is between consumption today and consumption in the future. By taking measures to slow emissions of greenhouse gases now, the economy reduces the amount of output that can be devoted to consumption and productive investment. This is the opportunity cost of the investment into mitigating global warming. However, the return for this investment is lower damages and higher consumption in the future. The climate investments involve reducing fossil-fuel consumption and moving to low-carbon fuels.   In return, the impacts on energy, agriculture, economic growth and inflation as well as the potential for catastrophic climate change will be reduced. Appendices Figure 1: Global Production Function (Wade, K., 2017) Figure 2: Supply and Demand (Wade, K., 2017) References Carbon Pricing for Climate Change Mitigation and Financing the SDGs. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2017, from https://www.global-economic-symposium.org/about-the-ges/council-of-global-problem-solving/recommendations/carbon-pricing-for-climate-change-mitigation-and-financing-the-sdgs Clark, D. (2012, September 19). How will climate change affect food production? Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/sep/19/climate-change-affect-food-production Climate Change Indicators in the United States. (2016, December 19). Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators Green, K. P. (2002). Global warming: understanding the debate. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow. Mendelsohn (2013).   Climate Change and Economic Growth, Commission on Growth and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Development, Working paper no.60 Global warming / opposing viewpoints. (2002). San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Global Warming Causes. RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.briangwilliams.us/environmental-economics/shortrun-versus-longrun-substitutions.html Lawrence H. Goulder and William A. Pizer (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://stanford.academia.edu/LawrenceGoulder National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.nasa.gov/ Schierhorn, M. E. (2016, April 07). Global Demand for Food Is Rising. Can We Meet It? Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2016/04/global-demand-for-food-is-rising-can-we-meet-it Stern (2006). Stern Review on The Economics of Climate Change (pre-publication edition).  Executive Summary, HM Treasury, London. Archived from the original on 31 January 2010) Stiglitz, J. E., & Shelling, T. C. (2012). The economists voice: top economists take on todays problems. New York: Columbia Univ. Press. Wade, K. (n.d.). Climate change & the global economy: Growth and inflation. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from http://www.schroders.com/en/us/institutional/insights/economic-views3/climate-changethe-global-economy-growth-and-inflation What is climate change? (2016, November 14). Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772 William D. Nordhaus and Joseph Boyer, Warming the World: Economic Models of Global Warming. MIT Press, Cambridge Mass., 2000. ISBN 0 262 14071 3. UN projects world population to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, driven by growth in developing countries. (2015, July 29). Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=51526#.WP083IWcHIU

Electrical Engineering Essay examples -- Graduate Admissions Essays

As a graduate student, I will undertake research and coursework in Electrical Engineering to enhance my competencies in this field. I intend to complete my master's degree in order to pursue my doctorate. The research that I am most interested in pursuing at Northeastern University surrounds the optical properties of MEMS devices, and the development of substrate-based fast electro-optical interfaces. My interest in this area stems from my undergraduate study in MEMs development for tri-axial accelerometers. Â   Engineering has been a key interest of mine since childhood. While still in grade school I enjoyed listening to my father, an electrical engineer, teach me about advances in technology, and was always eager to hear more. I was introduced to my first computer at the age of five, and have loved interacting with them ever since. My decision to study engineering as a career was no surprise to those who knew me. Â   In college I found that I was always studying something I enjoyed. I believe it is because I enjoy my life and my work that I have been successful. Spending hours in the laboratory is not something that I dread, but instead I take pride in my work and its successful completion. One example of this that is still fresh in my mind is the successful design of a fully functional microprocessor in the Xilinx environment. All told, the project took over 150 hours of each design-team member's time. However, I did not look on it as a drain, but an experience for learning and a focus for my professional and technical development. When we finished the project we felt the sense of worth and pride in completion of a task that was once above our level of knowledge. Â   Pursuing a graduate degree ... ...MEMs design, I hope to advance my understanding. Through research at the graduate level, it is my hope to become familiar with, and innovate the design of MEMs Optics in hopes of creating a reliable and practical MEMs Electro-Optical Interface for use in consumer electronics. It is my hope, that through my research, optical waveguides for intradevice communication might be realized. Â   Finally, my intent to pursue graduate study is laid plain. Study of MEMs optics is my intended focus, and I am committed to my goal. In pursuing a doctoral degree, I have closely analyzed myself to determine the reasons for my previous successes and my goals for the future. I have found that I do and have always enjoyed engineering, and that I have a strong desire to pursue my study further. I am prepared to commit myself to that study, and achieve what I have set out to do.

Themes in Ancient Textsâ€Applicable from Past to Present Essay

The ancient texts studied in any western civilization course obviously have relevance to today’s society either through the values they themselves possess or the works that they inspired; however, not all of the values presented in these works are still relevant in the modern world. The Tanakh, Sophocles’ Antigone, and Plato’s Apology are not exceptions to this rule. Each of these works has central ideas that are incredibly applicable to our modern culture and ideas that are less than appropriate in the twenty-first century. Across cultures and religions, perhaps one of the most recognizable passages from the Tanakh is the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-14). Here, God gives Moses ten laws, which are to govern the Israelites. While this passage may seem relevant because many people, especially those of the Jewish and Christian faiths, still observe these laws, it is relevant to today’s society for an entirely different reason. These Ten Commandments are one of the first sets of written laws and today, countries all over the world still have sets of written laws to govern themselves. More guidelines and laws are presented in Exodus 20:22-23:33 that cover topics that range from slavery to the murder of other people and all of these laws together were â€Å"a remarkably humane and ‘egalitarian’ body of social legislation† (Trulove 34). For any society to function properly, whether past or present, it is crucial that there is some set of universal guidelines guiding the people and organizations that the aforementioned society consists of. Another characteristic element of many of the books of the Tanakh is the long lists of family lineages. For example, the entirety of the fifth chapter of Genesis, 32 verses in all, is a â€Å"record ... ...me† (34). Additionally, Socrates comments on the corruption that stems those who use emotional tactics or appeals related to their family to try and escape harsh punishments for criminal charges (36-37). Obviously, with fraudulent charges and defenses riddled with emotional appeals, the judicial system in Athens during Socrates’ time was less than ideal. In America, the legal system obviously is more regulated than this; however, keeping past corrupt judicial systems in mind can help keep that negative aspect of Athenian life out of our own lives. As demonstrated, many of the early works of western civilization are still applicable in today’s society. Although some of the ideas in these ancient texts have had relevance throughout time and are still applicable today while others have no place in current times, there is much to learn from the works of the past.

John Proctor and Elizabeths Relationship Essay -- The Crucible John P

John Proctor and Elizabeth's Relationship In the beginning of the play John speaks about Elizabeth once to Abigail. Abby has said that Elizabeth was a cold and sickly wife. John says to her that she has no right to speak of his wife in such a manner and renounces the comment about her being sickly. He does not, although, dismiss Abby's charge that Elizabeth is a cold wife. But, he means it is because of him that she is this way. In the beginning of Act 2 there was a great feeling of detachment and tension in the Proctor household. We see John trying to start a conversation with Elizabeth and she only gives him short answers to please him. Then the tide turns to her questioning him and he is the one that becomes short with her because she is requesting that he go to Salem and confess that Abigail is liar. To do that, though he must confess his sin. During most of the scene they're not sure of each other. She doesn't quite trust him, but she loves him. Proctor believes himself to be an abomination in his own eyes and according to his own high standards and especiall...

New Belgium Case Analysis

Introduction The New Belgium Brewing Company is one of the top three craft beer breweries in the nation. It has experienced solid growth from its original entry as a niche marketer to a brand that is now distributed across the country. Much of New Belgium’s success is a result of a well-developed positioning strategy that promotes the company’s culture as much as its product. Not coincidentally, New Belgium’s target market chooses brands like Fat Tire because of both the company’s culture and its product.Our evaluation of the two New Belgium cases indicates that the craft beer industry remains an attractive investment for the company, particularly because of its specific capabilities and resources. The cases also suggest that a conservative growth outlook has the greatest probability of maintaining an acceptable level of profitability without sacrificing the company’s mission and core values.Finally, New Belgium’s positioning, particularly as it’s exemplified by the Fat Tire campaign, is a sustainable one for both current and future brands, though deliberate adaptations will be necessary as New Belgium expands into new markets SWOT Analysis Strengths (New Belgium)| Weaknesses (New Belgium)| High-quality beer, award-winning beers| Association with a single line of beer- Fat Tire| 7th Largest brewery in the nation, 3rd largest craft brewery| Increased pressure on maintaining company culture as a result of company growth| Strong growth with est. ales of over $100B and sales of over 700K barrels of beer| Continued reliance on natural gas and fossil fuels- non-renewable resources| $10M advertising budget for Fat Tire campaign| No follow-up of successful Fat-Tire ad campaign| Collaboration with Elysian Brewing Company| Increasing distribution distances| Customer Loyalty| Competition from craft brewers and craft beers from traditional brewers| Effective word-of-mouth advertising| Smaller advertising budget ($10M) than c ompetition (Sam Adams $35M)| Strong product association (Fat Tire Brewery)| One of the founders no longer with NBB| Social media presence: Facebook (300K; $50. M monetization), Twitter (100K), Pandora, Instagram, Beer Stream, YouTube| Customer blow back if environmental and social responsibility not as advertised| TV advertising differentiated from traditional breweries| Incompatibility between social responsibility and promotion of alcohol consumption| Clear market segmentation| Increased expense associated with sustainability efforts| Strong brand positioning| | Distribution in 29 states and DC| |Performance advantage of ethically and socially responsible companies| | Triple Bottom Line: economic, social, and environmental focus drives strategy| | Brand manifesto co-developed by Dr. Holt| | Clear mission, core values, and beliefs| | Long-standing commitment to sustainability| | â€Å"Sustainable Purchasing Guidelines†| | Awards for environmental achievement | | Admission of flaws in sustainability claims| |Dedication to socially responsible initiatives, corporate charity and philanthropy| | Event sponsorship to promote environmental responsibility| | Generous employee benefits that reflect company culture| | Awards for business ethics and work-place environment| | Grant-supported new plant in NC| | Opportunities (Craft Beer Industry)| Threats (Craft Beer Industry)| 16. 4 percent growth in craft beer industry| 2 percent decrease in total beer consumption| Fastest growing segment of US alcoholic beverage market w/>100 percent growth from 1999-2011| Accounts for only 5. percent of US beer market| Differentiation from traditional breweries| Competition from traditional and other craft breweries| Low cost per viewer TV advertising | Social stigma of alcohol consumption| Growth of social media as inexpensive source of advertising| Beer can become a commodity in a poor economy, decreasing demand for craft beers| Customer loyalty| Increased differentiation ef forts required to stand apart from traditional breweries| More immune to an economic downturn than traditional beers| |New Belgium and the Craft Beer Industry New Belgium Brewing Company is relatively small compared to the traditional breweries such as Anheuser Busch and Coors, though they are still the seventh-largest brewery in the nation. New Belgium is, however, the third-largest craft brewery in the nation, with estimated sales of over $100 million, equaling approximately 700,000 barrels of beer per year. An analysis of the craft beer industry as a whole suggests that there is continued growth potential for New Belgium.Exhibit 5. 1 of the New Belgium Brewing (B) case shows that craft beer is the fastest growing segment of the U. S. alcoholic beverage market, with an increase in market share of over 100 percent from 1999-2011. It is also an industry whose customers tend to be extremely loyal, making them less likely to view craft beer as a commodity. Consequently, craft beer has a higher probability of being immune to competition from inferior goods and substitutes.This is particularly applicable to New Belgium’s target market of â€Å"beer connoisseurs† that appreciate the high quality and taste of craft beer and who include â€Å"executives, lawyers, and accountants† with the continued ability to pay higher prices for craft beer, enabling the craft beer industry to achieve gross margins of up to 30 percent (Clark & Rogler, 2013). Four other strengths of New Belgium indicate continued growth in the craft beer industry. First, studies have shown that companies who sincerely promote ethical, social, and environmental responsibility outperform those on the S&P 500.New Belgium has been such a company from the very start. Second, they have exploited social media as an inexpensive advertising platform, with their Facebook presence alone accounting for over $50 million in annual sales. Third, New Belgium has shown that they can succeed in tr aditional television advertising as well with their Fat Tire campaign that produced an extremely successful positioning strategy resulting in significant sales increases. Fourth, New Belgium continues to look for ways to innovate, like their partnership with Elysian Brewing Company that could lead to greater efficiency and support new product development.New Belgium is a company that has received awards for their beer, for their ethics, for their employee care, and for their stewardship of the environment, all the while maintaining strong financial growth and market share. There is nothing to suggest that New Belgium cannot continue to succeed in the craft beer industry. New Belgium’s Growth Outlook New Belgium’s success to date in the industry has been a result of a conservative approach to growing their business- a â€Å"go slow to go fast† strategy. We believe it should continue to be conservative in its outlook on growth.New Belgium Brewing is a growing comp any, best exemplified by plans to open a second brewery in Asheville, North Carolina, in order to reach new markets on the east coast. This expansion, however, is creating pressure on the company’s commitment to sustainability. Even though the new plant will reduce the fuel necessary for east coast distribution, it still will result in an increase in the overall use of fossil fuels and non-renewable resources from current levels, not just with transportation but with production as well. In addition, the increased production will necessarily mean an increase in environmental waste by-products.An aggressive outlook on growth with a mindset of â€Å"grow, grow, grow† would further jeopardize the company’s ability to maintain sustainability efforts, which would not be consistent with New Belgium’s way of operating. New Belgium Brewing embraces a â€Å"triple bottom line† approach to business that factors economic, social, and environmental consideratio ns into its business strategy rather than simply looking at the bottom line. We believe that this has been critical in developing a strong brand preference through customer trust.New Belgium’s own study indicates the â€Å"39 percent of beer consumers will make extra efforts to buy from and support sustainable companies,† while outside studies suggest that a significant number of consumers support businesses that demonstrate sustainable practices. Going â€Å"fast† with an aggressive growth outlook would likely alienate New Belgium’s customer base and would violate every one of New Belgium’s Sustainable Branding Strategy principles, from â€Å"walk before talk† (living up to sustainability claims) to â€Å"make ripples† (convincing the customer that advertisements promote the brand and the culture behind it).In addition, an aggressive growth outlook would be contrary to some of New Belgium’s core values and beliefs, particularl y those that address environmental stewardship and commitment to trust through fulfilling promises. No one should doubt that New Belgium is in the business to â€Å"operate a profitable brewery† as its mission statement makes clear, but not at the expense of the other two bottom lines. For New Belgium Brewing Company, slow and steady leads the way. Fat Tire Positioning As noted above, New Belgium’s positioning of its Fat Tire brand was a success.Clancy (2001) defines positioning as â€Å"the message a company wants to imprint on the minds of customer and prospects about its product†¦and how it differs from and offers something better than competitors† (p. 1). In the case of Fat Tire, its positioning mirrored the company’s culture â€Å"where a highly creative activity†¦is pursued for the intrinsic value of doing it, as well as perfromed in a balanced manner with nature. † The message was about pursuing one’s interests (folly) but n ot in a way that reflect’s self-interest alone.It’s a message about recycling (restoring the bike), about caring for the environment (riding instead of driving), about relationships (the road biker and the tinkerer riding uphill together), and about the simple joy of simple things. It’s about good beer made by a literally â€Å"good† company. Compare this approach with the positioning of the largest craft brewer, Sam Adams, whose ads have â€Å"morphed into television spots that [look] more and more like the position of America’s Big Three brewers. The Fat Tire ad, on the other hand, cleary demonstrates that New Belgium is different than it’s competitors in the culture behind the beer, and that’s what New Belgium is after- the market who not only wants high quality, excellent craft beer but who also wants to be associated with a high quality company behind it. The Fat Tire campaign produced increased sales of 37 percent in test marke ts, and New Belgium’s sales force was able to leverage this success by convincing transactional customers to promote New Belgium’s secondary brands, increasing these sales by over 50 percent (Holt & Cameron, 2010).Given the results of the Fat Tire campaign, we recommend a continuation of the current positioning. Through Fat Tire, New Belgium has been able to differentiate itself in the craft beer industry by producing strong products that are well received by their target customers who are, or who see themselves as, smart, creative, athletic, environmentally conscious, and socially engaged. Target Markets The target consumer customer marketing strategy for the Fat Tire campaign focuses on the market concentration approach of selecting a single market segment and then identifying shared segmentation factors.For example, the campaign targets â€Å"high-end† (psychographic, behavioral) male beer drinkers ages 25-44 (demographic) who are mostly white-collar professi onals (demographic) who vacation in Colorado (geographic) for a taste of the mountain lifestyle (psychographic). This market longs for the life of the tinkerer (psychographic) but believe that they are unable to sacrifice their current circumstances in order to obtain it (psychographic). They can, however, make a connection to that life and to others in similar situations (psychographic, association/affinity) by drinking Fat Tire (behavioral).The transactional customer, on the other hand, is likely to be the local liquor store or grocer rather than supermarket or large retail discount center. For one, such distributors are more apt to carry craft beers because of their higher price and lower sales volume. More importantly, it is more probable that they are susceptible to local demands to carry New Belgium beers, the kind that result from the example noted by the case where a local Minnesota liquor store sold 400 cases of Fat Tire with the first hour of opening.Recommendations for th e Future Looking toward the future, the cases note that New Belgium has no plans to undertake another major television ad campaign similar to Fat Tire. We recommend that they reconsider this position, particularly as they move into the east coast market and open their Asheville brewery. Taking a pure aggregation approach by replicating current strategy there will probably not produce the success to which New Belgium has become accustomed.Having recently studied the early failures of Disney in Europe due to a lack of adaptation, we suggest a television ad campaign modeled after a listening tour, perhaps where the tinkerer and his single-speed bike tours the Carolinas, finding compatriots along the way. The tagline could be, â€Å"Beer is our folly. What’s yours? † The television ads would promote contact with New Belgium via social media, and local events would be sponsored to share New Belgium beer and culture with the east coast market, as well as to learn more about their new target market.Based upon what New Belgium learns, we also recommend developing a new craft beer specifically for the east coast market, fulfilling the transformational innovation activities of the Innovation Ambition Matrix (Limacher, 2012). We envision this campaign then developing television spots that show the tinkerer traveling through locations from the Maine coast to the Key West, with quick images of him restoring old junked treasures that represent the follies he previously learned about- a wooden canoe, an Appalachian fiddle, or an antique Penn ocean reel- all the while promoting New Belgium’s new brand.In addition to television ads, New Belgium would continue its established strategy of permission marketing using social media, which they have clearly established as having a strong correlation with annual sales. We project that if New Belgium follows this Sustainable Branding Strategy with an emphasis on adaptations to the new market, it will achieve succes s similar to the results from the Fat Tire campaign. Conclusion New Belgium is poised for significant growth because of the way that it has differentiated the company from other craft brewers.Despite a smaller advertising budget that larger competitors like Sam Adams, New Belgium has leveraged its advertising resources into developing a position that is distinctly different, which has created strong brand appeal among its target market. If New Belgium can maintain its original principles as it grows, we see a high likelihood that profits will follow. New Belgium’s â€Å"single speed† is absolutely the right vehicle to transport the company into the future. References Clancy, K. 2001). Whatever happened to positioning: Recent Copernicus study confirms the dissappearance of positioning. Copernicus. Clark, C. , & Rogler, J. (2013, March 8). Personal Interview. (M. Holcomb, Interviewer) Holt, D. , & Cameron, D. (2010). Cultural Strategy: Using Innovative Ideologies to Buil d Breakthrough Brands. New York: Oxford University Press. Limacher, R. (2012, May 25). Framework of the week – 81 -innovation ambition matrix. Retrieved March 20, 2013, from strategyhub. net:

Htc Paper

Evaluate HTC’s performance to date. What are its competitive advantages and vulnerabilities? Cher Wang’s vision was to develop a hand-held computer like device and HTC eventually developed its first PDA, the iPAQ in 2000. HTC has always been behind the scenes by just selling high-quality, unbranded phones to cell phone manufacturers and wireless network operators. Eventually, HTC was commissioned to be an original design manufacturer (ODM), which means that HTC only had little responsibility for sales, marketing, or inventory management as HTC manufactured smartphones for branded handset companies and it designed phones for service providers such as T-Mobile and Vodafone and it supported operators by helping them build unique value propositions and optimize their services. This helped them differentiate from other ODMs and the mobile phone operator business provided better profit margins. Then HTC took the plunge and started its own brand operations by designing phones, which would be sold with the brand name of HTC. They wanted to differentiate it from competitors and have greater control over the company’s future. They focused on high-end ‘prosumer’ (the overlap of professionals and consumers) market. Revenue had soared from $1. 1 billion to $4. 6 billion in a span of 4 years and the gross profit jumped from a mere $212 million to a staggering $1. 5 billion dollars in the same time with sales in more than 70 countries. In 2009, the global recession threatened to slow down consumer spending but since HTC had a diverse customer base and focused on a high-growth market it expected to remain sales growth. Because price expectancies from a customer point of view were quite low, HTC had to lower its average sales price. It had to increase the share of common components to deliver significant improvements in terms of economies of scale. They tried to do it by using lower ASP, which could help reduce its dependency on operators. They also lowered production cost by opening up a second production facility in Shanghai and moving manufacturing to Mainland China. As far as the competitive advantages are concerned, a dynamic CEO who had laid out a clear-cut vision led HTC. They started out with a PDA device that represented more than 80% of its revenue and they didn’t stop at that point. The CEO was already thinking about the next growth platform, which was the mobile telecommunication market. The influence of the CEO who is driven to achieve stretch goals has shown to be a big strength to the company. Their advanced product innovation gave them the position to compete with big brands as Microsoft, Google and Vodafone. They became the first Taiwanese company to secure a 3G license. All of this led to HTC’s share price to surge 1000% between 2003 and 2006. As far as vulnerabilities are concerned, as one analyst rightly predicted, mobile market is like â€Å"soup du jour: Today one brand is hot, and tomorrow its leftover†. It means that the market is so volatile that a company to be successful, it has to do a lot of investment in R&D to be able to compete and drive product innovation which will eventually make the company stronger. HTC was late to the already crowded mobile market, which could make it a less familiar brand name. The company hardly had any patents, which means that they are bound to make high expenses on royalty payments to other companies. They were so used to selling custom ordered phones for niche market called prosumers and it could weaken the position of HTC due to high costs incurred by the company. Discuss HTC’s Operating systems (OS) strategy. Going forward, should it focus on Android or develop new directions? In 2009, the majority of Smartphones ran on one of five systems- Symbian, RIM’s Blackberry OS, Apple’s OS X, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile and Palm. Despite of the high market share, the operating system of Microsoft, Windows Mobile, shows more disadvantages then advantages for HTC corp. The view of Windows Mobile does not fit with HTC anymore. HTC want to be seen as a firm with high-quality innovative products with attractive designs and function, where as Windows Mobile is seen by as customers as unfriendly with unattractive design. The new Touch Diamond Smartphone of HTC received bad reviews because of Windows Mobile OS and its interface. In comparison, Google Android market is still young. Despite that it has no high market share yet, their share in the Smartphone OS platform market is likely to be doubled by end of 2010. Android phones contribute already more then a third of HTC’s total sale, so this can only benefit both companies in a positive way and Android has no license fee in comparison to Windows Mobile. Creating an own operating system is a good possibility too. Because of the increasing competition on smart phones, HTC needs to establish their brand name more then ever. With its high innovative power, it can create the right system that fits with the view of the company; focusing on a high quality product that is affordable. Because creating an own operating system has major costs, HTC needs to drop Windows Mobile OS and save the operating fees that it has to pay for Microsoft. Having said that, it has to really create an OS that is very different than others and it’s a very big challenge. HTC might anger Google if it decides to create its own operating system and might have to face some trouble. So, there are a lot of pluses and minuses from both sides. Below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of creating a new HTC operating system Advantages: †¢The company is highly innovative and the product designs are excellent and have already proven that it could move fast in the rapidly evolving mobile market. †¢Company embraces a culture of constantly experimenting with new ideas and technology. So an own Operating System fits the company, its culture and their competencies. †¢Owning an operating system will establish the brand name of HTC. Disadvantages: †¢It would cost a minimum of $200 million to develop a new OS; double what HTC spent in R&D. Cost is a major disadvantage of creating operating system. †¢The market for mobile OS is already very crowed. The HTC operating system will face severe competition. What are your recommendations for HTC to help it become the leading Smartphone company in the world? HTC has proved itself to be a good competitor in smartphone business and to become the leading smartphone company; it has to enter into developing countries like China and India where 3G networks has just opened up and hardly 5% of its total mobile market owns a smartphone. Geographically, Taiwan is so close to both the countries and since it has already built production and manufacturing facilities in China, it can really make a big difference in supply chain management. If it can come up with a wide variety of smartphones that is affordable by middle class people, it could make a huge difference in its revenue and profit margins. The immediate step to increase the sales would be to target the area where companies/customers are looking for alternatives. One of those target areas should be businesses professionals as currently the offering from RIM is receiving a big beating with its service and HTC could prove to be a better alternative for RIM if it could develop phones that could offer seamless service to customers by offering better compatibility to exchange, IM client and office integration apps. This will make them build a strong customer base and also help HTC to build its brand value in the market place. HTC should also target the niche market with producing smartphones with greater processor speeds, better camera, big screen phones, phones with touch screens, phones with qwerty keypads, phones with better integration with gaming devices like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii, good integration with social networking apps like Twitter, Facebook, Linked In et al. It could also partner with several companies and come up with hardware and software integration apps that are available as part of its OS but the same apps are available for a fee on other phones. An example would be to offer free voice enabled GPS system on every HTC phone by partnering with companies such as TomTom or Garmin and sharing revenue with them. This would create an edge for its products and will be a better alternative for other company phones.